《Neo-Kamakura》


 Prologue: God of the Fringe

    The god of the nameless world loomed over the Fringe wastelands and blotted out the sky. It writhed above mounds as grand as small mountains, lifting a curtain of vermillion dust through the atmosphere like a rippling wave - a great serpentine creature of carapace and might who cast its titanic shadow on the young woman who now entered its vicinity.


    A low rumble shook the lands as it spoke; its segmented body convulsed with each uttered phrase. The woman¡¯s mind, body, and soul felt its voice assaulting her very essence, undulating through her core as she struggled to maintain composure in awe of its pervasive presence.


    ¡°As the old ones pass,¡± the god said, ¡°the new carry the honor of the mantle. And for our purpose ¨C for our end ¨C we seek to usurp the power that unbinds all, chaos and order, everlasting. It is this which has brought you before us, and we, as its hosts, shall listen.¡± No sounds of any known language were spoken, and yet, she understood it all. Sharp pangs then assaulted her mind. She wasn¡¯t going to last much longer.


    The woman, clad in a simple traveling robe, mouth covered in wrappings, resolved herself. With the little strength in her legs that she had left, her breathing hoarse with each contraction of her muscles, she forced herself forward and approached the deity. Her eyes watered from the dust as sweltering heat pelted her skin. Beads of evaporating sweat rolled down the side of her cheek. She was tired from the long journey, parched, and teetering at the edge of hunger and sanity. She squinted at the imposing figure before her, and her body struggled to remain still. Fear gripped her. Not just the fear of the god itself, but fear that her journey would be all for naught; that she would be sent home or, should the worse come to pass, she would perish here and be fed to the monsters of the land, forgotten eternally.


    But she did not understand why she felt this way. She will not have been missed. There was no one in her life left¡­except for maybe one friend. Regardless, she believed her living was necessary for the future. As long as she lived, many lives could be saved, and to reach her ultimate goal of securing the means for a better future for all, she¡¯ll undertake this grueling trial of mind and spirit, as her predecessors had done before her.


    Her mouth opened, wrappings protecting her throat from the swirling dust around her, and a dry, cracked voice broke through the torrential sound of swirling debris and earth which continued to enclose the wasteland.


    ¡°I come from the great city¡­the last city. I seek to restore the tenets of the past ¨C lost to all but a few. I seek to rebuild and revive that which was lost to us. Our society. Our history. Our purpose.¡± The woman began coughing. The torrents of dust grew, but the god continued to watch, unmoving. She felt as if it could sense her feelings - her desperation.


    ¡°Great deity. The world of Onyx is gone, but its legacy ¨C the mantle ¨C remains. I wish to carry it into the future. Our existence is but a dying flame, and with your power, your will, I humbly request that you grant me the strength to carry this knowledge, our burden, in perpetuity. I am not strong enough on my own, and I do not believe myself worthy. But I care. I care about those who still fight, who still stand, and though we have become corrupt ¨C though we have become complacent ¨C I believe our potential is still alive and well. Please great deity. Become my strength, and I shall become yours, so that we may save that which we believed to be lost forever. Our humanity. Our potential. Our soul.¡±


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    Something in those words appeared to ring a chord with the deity. It looked to the sky, like a spire, and its form was majestic. It shrilled loudly, a sound which pierced nirvana and the stars. Voices began rattling in her head again, becoming too much for her to bear. The


    Madness was overtaking her, and she cried out in pain. Make it stop. Make it¡­


    The woman¡¯s heart began to beat loudly, a sound which now echoed within her mind. Her vision began to swim in a world of colorful splendor, and a sense of calm washed over her. The voices which had plagued her mind grew still, and she was finally at peace. It was at that moment that she realized what the Madness truly was, and how wrong we all were in choosing to go against the one force in this land, which could destroy us all.


    This was how it all started. And, she suspected, this is how it will all end.


    The giant deity bent down to meet her gaze. Its head towered above her own - its features a picture of beauty and horror, and of awesome splendor. Tar black tendrils protruded from giant flower petals made of shimmering scales, which extruded from its face, each refracting the sun¡¯s light above, glistening across its skin in patterns of rippling octagonal colors. It¡¯s compound ruby eye glittered like water under the sunrise as it continued to watch the woman knowingly. A vastness unlike anything the woman had ever seen could be seen in the depths of its gaze, a shadow which touched upon the edges of infinity.


    ¡°You, young one, are peculiar. Not greedy, nor self-important. You carry a will of Onyx, the voice of your kind. A voice many now believe to be lost. The squabbles of the present do not affect you, as you bear keen eyes and open ears towards the future. From henceforth, you shall carry that will, the voice of your soul, back to humanity and seek to unite them once more. Our path¡­your destiny, rests on your shoulders ¨C just like the brothers and sisters who came before.¡±


    The god lifted its head up again, and roared a bestial roar that shook the lands around. Clarity which had washed over the woman expanded into understanding. Memories, emotions, sensation, and anticipation ¨C all became as one, as visions of the past and beyond were relived again and again within her mind. Truth and destiny imparted upon the young woman this day, but the choice to act upon the truth was still hers to make.


    The monster then turned slowly and began to retreat back into the dust and storm, it¡¯s silhouette growing dimmer by the moment. As it left, it rumbled a low warning to the woman one last time, ¡°May our paths cross again one day, in this life, or the next.¡±


    Alyx gasped as she sprang up from her bed. She clutched her head, sweat streaming down her temple.


    ¡°A dream?¡±, she panted before slowing her breathing. The same dream¡­


    Maybe not. No use thinking about it now, she thought, putting on her slippers. She knew that event, in a way. But she didn¡¯t understand why she dreamed about it.


    Feels like an omen, she thought. Whatever the case, she had to get back to her research. Alyx sighed audibly as she pulled on her work cloak.


    It¡¯s going to be another long day for the Onyx Technicians, but a job¡¯s a job, and there were people who needed her help.

 Chapter 1: Personal Request

    A routine scan through the vestibule granted the imposing man entrance. The inner door hissed as sequences of locks and cylinders began decoupling to open the entrance for him. The faint orange glow of machinery along the walls permeated the room within with a quiet ambience. A soft hum was all that could be heard this deeply underground, away from the raucousness of the black market outside, although muffled shouts could be made out if one pressed their hearing.


    Alyx, in her mid 20s, was sitting inside the room adjacent to a work bench, tinkering with a translucent shard shimmering above a board of unfamiliar design. Like a chatoyant, the floating octagon appeared to warp the light of its surroundings into a banded design within. A magnifying lens attached to a makeshift stand was propped up in front of her face. The unruliness of her hair and droopy expression belied a sense of exhaustion. She was a workhorse who cared little for presentation and much for results. But what if neither was achieved? What then? A scary thought, but a necessary one.


    As she adjusted a slider on the board, the object began to glow brighter. Her eyes carefully glossed over the results for a few seconds before a hint of a smile touched her face.


    ¡°Another one of your Johrei experiments?¡± a man stated from behind her. The shard shattered, causing Alyx to lurch backward. Splintered pieces lined her work bench before dissipating like vapor into the air above. Particles danced in the air, and all that remained of her hard day¡¯s work was a chromatic visage, faded away into obscurity.


    Alyx¡¯s thoughts trailed, her gaze caught in the empty air where the shards had been. Silence. Pain, solemnity, and silence.


    It took more than a moment for her to notice the man approaching her.


    ¡°Oh, what? It¡¯s you, Caz. Weren¡¯t you, uh, supposed to be hunting an Elite with your team today?¡± A petite woman, Alyx tried to swivel her chair around to get a better look at the man. Her dark cloak, zipped up to her chin collar, contained luminescent white patterns etched along her left shoulder, which culminated into the image of a curved claw, the symbol of the Onyx Technicians. She swayed her espadrille sandals atop her high seat merrily, and then hopped off, staring up at the tall man with a questioning gaze.


    Caz responded, ¡°I have Nyxandria handling the expedition today. They¡¯ve taken most of the crew, including the rookie¡±.


    ¡°Fascinating. You, in your infinite wisdom, had decided to have a rookie¡­train a rookie. I¡¯m inspired really. Just pure adoration. Put me on your team right now.¡± The woman eyed a quick glance back at her board, before closing her eyes and sighing. Another failure.


    Caz¡¯s forehead creased, but the young woman couldn¡¯t see it. Series of shimmering Johrei shards lined up in neat, collected columns which draped from the ends of his large frustum hat, and circled around his entire head, casting his features in translucent shadow.


    ¡°Nyxandria¡¯s new, Alyx¡±, Caz commented cooly, ¡°but you and I both know she¡¯s far from inexperienced.¡± He pulled his hat off his head, gently tossing it to the nearby couch. With a design based on an old headpiece called the Jingasa, Johrei shards dissipated from the hat and into the air. A moment later, he plopped himself onto the couch, leaning back. A yawn caught his breath.


    Alyx smiled. He didn¡¯t bother to entertain her sarcastic quips anymore, and they could somehow glimpse each other¡¯s surface level thoughts when needed. Signs of true friendship, if they weren¡¯t apparent by now.


    ¡°So her part in the Necronova carnage?¡± Alyx inquired.


    ¡°Not exaggerated¡±, Caz replied.


    ¡°Two whole platoons wiped out,¡± Caz continued. ¡°Took her only two days to quash a rebellion that would have typically required a small army to mitigate.¡±


    ¡°Sending the Valkyries to do cleanup work seems a bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡± Alyx questioned.


    Caz only smiled a smug smile. Alyx raised out her hand, motioning him to continue. What an annoying man.


    ¡°Ah, you are mistaken, Miss Alyx. Not all of the Valkyries were sent in that day. Just Nyxandria and Mimi Rainsong. Only two.¡± Caz placed two fingers up to emphasize the incredulity of it all. He let it sink in, closed his hand, and leaned forward, face stern, ¡°It was a bloodbath. Not a single rebel made it out alive that day.¡±


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    Caz leaned back again, placing his hands behind his head. ¡°And now she¡¯s with us. The newest member ¨C well, second newest member ¨C of the Blackbirds. So, I wasn¡¯t too surprised her brother recommended her into our ranks after what happened between her and Mimi. Both of the Imeraza twins are monsters in their own right, and he¡¯s always had a soft spot for her.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful. So let me get this straight,¡± Alyx said, placing her hands under her chin, while getting up and walking towards him, as if in thought. ¡°You recruited a Division defector, which never occurs by the way, who also happens to run a side gig of being a mass murderer. Well, I¡¯d say that¡¯s a win-win.¡±


    Caz glared but put his feet up on Alyx¡¯s desk, leaning back. Alyx pouted. He really was far too nonchalant with her. She plopped herself down next to him on the couch, imitating Caz¡¯s lazy pose. Amusement crossed Caz¡¯s face, although he did his best to hide it.


    He commented, ¡°Not like I could¡¯ve done much. The crew¡¯s taken a liking to her. They propped Nyxandria ¨C well I guess I should start calling her Nyx like the rest of ¡®em ¨C they propped her up to becoming the next Daimyo before I even had a chance to get a word in.¡± Caz gave a mirthful laugh. ¡°Haha, what a bunch of disobedient ingrates. I love ¡®em. Still, if it was up to me, I would¡¯ve wanted her brother to take over as my right-hand man instead, but ¨C well, beggars can¡¯t be choosers, I guess.¡±


    Alyx smiled, ¡°Is that why you¡¯re testing her? By sending her out into the wastes to fight against those¡­things? With the rookie no less. I mean, I guess it¡¯s good that Nyx is the one leading the team at the moment. Not that you would¡¯ve helped much anyways. Monster-hunting expeditions into the Fringe were never your thing.¡±


    Caz ignored her comment and eyed her setup, ¡°Say, you know what? Alyx, I notice that you failed to answer my first question earlier - about your little exploding experiment just now.¡± He pointed at the bench. Alyx blushed. Ok, maybe he did entertain her sarcasm after all. She lowered her eyes before responding.


    ¡°My bads. Yeah, um, so I¡¯m currently researching the Johrei shards taken from the carapace of juvenile Enthipids¡±.


    ¡°Juveniles? Isn¡¯t that kind of worthless?¡± Caz asked. The young versions of those monsters never held much value to Division hunters, or even hunters outside the Clan of Venerers, due to their weaker carapaces and smaller Johrei capacity than their more mature Enthipid counterparts.


    ¡°Perhaps¡±, Alyx said. ¡°But something unusual about it caught my eye recently.¡± She looked back at her board again. ¡°I don¡¯t know, there¡¯s something there. Juvenile shards react differently from other type of Johrei shards. However, what that means is still somewhat unclear to me right now and my experiments so far have been pretty unfruitful. I just need some more time to look into it.¡±


    Caz only raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Look, asshole, don¡¯t forget who¡¯s reaping the benefits of my work for free, so I expect you to be more grateful¡±, she chided, poking Caz¡¯s armor-lined stomach. ¡°Last I checked, I¡¯m still a leading figure of research and development of the largest black market in the underground. None of ya¡¯ll hunters would have even lasted a minute out there fighting those army-killing leviathans in the wastelands if it wasn¡¯t for my gear.¡± She crossed her arms, eyes staring daggers at Caz.


    ¡°Of course. Ms. leading tech expert¡±, Caz voiced casually. ¡°Thank you. How could I have forgotten?¡±


    Alyx closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, ignoring the sarcasm. Payback huh? ¡°Well, as long as you understand¡±, she said gently. She opened her eyes, uncrossed her arms, and leaned her elbow against the arm of the couch, looking at nothing in particular.


    ¡°Johrei¡¯s the lifeblood of the Onyx Technician¡¯s work. It¡¯s what keeps us going. The essence of those leviathans¡­¡± Alyx looked at her open palm, before clenching her fist at nothing in particular. ¡°There¡¯s something there in those shards, more than just the special abilities and equipment perks we can extract from from it. Johrei is breathing¡­organic, and yet the Clan of Tributes and most of society is so quick to disregard its biological nature so long as it provides practical benefits in Fringe warfare and bounty hunts.¡±


    Caz kept silent as she went on. He did agree, although he didn¡¯t quite understand, that the Johrei shards extracted from those Fringe wasteland monsters were part of the creatures themselves ¨C a shield of scales, a second skin, the thing that gave the Enthipids their unique powers, and some even claim it housed parts of their soul in it. Hearing that the shards themselves were alive ¨C well, that was new to him, though not entirely surprising. The nature of Johrei is still a hotly-debated topic amongst the more technical and scholarly types.


    ¡°Coincidentally¡±, Alyx continued, ¡°the person who inspired me to look into juvenile shards is probably related to the reason you¡¯re here. Since you¡¯re not with your buddies, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve received my request?¡±


    Caz chuckled. Sharp intuition as always. ¡°Yeah. Cadmi, right?¡±, he replied. ¡°I saw your bounty on the hunter boards. And I have a hunch why you sent us a personal request in particular. Perfect timing too,¡± he said, stretching before standing up. He picked up his hat again and placed it on his head.


    ¡°I was already planning to stop by for some tuneups and gear upgrades before the next hunt anyways¡±, Caz stated, adjusting his wrist gauntlet, which whirred slowly.


    Alyx nodded. ¡°More than a tuneup it seems. Follow me¡±, she gestured and walked to another door opposite the room. Caz stood up and followed her into the armory, ready to kill a man.

 Chapter 2: Thorny Path

    Nyx switched channels on her comms.


    ¡°Oh, you got to be f*cking kidding me. Rookie! Check the hunter boards when we get back! Caz needs us for a bounty op. Personal reques ¨C O shit!¡± Nyx ducked out of the way as a blade-like forearm swept above her head. Dust kicked up and clouded her mask. Taking advantage of the opening, she planted the sharp ends of a disc-shaped metallic object onto the underside of the behemoth¡¯s jaw. She primed it and avoided another vertical slash from the monster¡¯s other forearm.


    The bomb exploded, scattering shards of shrapnel in all directions. The monster¡¯s jaw remained intact, although a shimmer could be seen on its underside. The Johrei shields protected it from the blast. Nyx cursed again.


    The 20-foot hexapod towered above Nyx and her crew, roaring a bestial roar that cracked through the air like thunder. Nyx began to hear dozens of whispers clawing through her mind.


    The Madness¡­


    As a Supplementor, who grafted only the core of these monsters into her body, the voices of Madness only buzzed lightly in her ear. Augmentors like Caz, however, have it much worse¡­


    Nyx gathered a small set of metallic orbs in her hands, each glowing under the sun in a patterned design, and tossed them at the leviathan. It raised its arms to block. Scattered explosions followed, but its shields remained intact.


    ¡°Tch. What are you doing rookie? The flank. I need its limbs chopped off yesterday!¡± Nyx shouted. The beast recovered from the blast and extended its arms, ready to strike again.


    The Rookie, Aio, began running along the back length of the Enthipid¡¯s elongated torso. Segments of armored carapace contracted and expanded as the hexapod glided in rhythm to the intense battle up ahead. Nyx fended off blow after blow, redirecting the Elite Enthipid¡¯s scythe-like arms with her Johrei blade. Her style of fighting reminded Aio of a dance.


    ¡°The joints? Hello? Can you focus Rookie?¡± Nyx added with contempt, parrying one blow, and sidestepping another. She signaled towards two figures hovering along the sand in the distance and motioned them to circle their Suncycles around the opposite end of the Enthipid. ¡°Abe, Calli, back him up. And take care of its right flank!¡± Another swipe. Another parry from Nyx. Sparks flew from Nyx¡¯s blade, causing reflective vapor to rise.


    ¡°On it!¡± Aio shouted back through the battle.


    ¡°Roger!¡± the other two shouted. Their two-wheeled bikes swiveled around to surround the beast. Dust kicked up from the recoil as the vehicles as the vehicles accelerated, gliding across the sand outside of the creature¡¯s range of attack.


    The Rookie snapped out of his stupor and began looking for the weak spots in the beast¡¯s joints. This Enthipid had one set of of shortened armored forearms, and 2 sets of elongated armored hind legs. It was large enough to cast a shadow over him and the sweltering heat of the wasteland felt cooler in that instant. However, his cutlass¡¯ grip loosened, whether from nervousness or perspiration. This was the first time he¡¯s seen an Elite up close, but he remembered the training. Target the center of the Elite¡¯s joints. That¡¯s where the armor is thinnest.


    Abe and Calliope began whirling their Suncycles around the beast, kicking up dust to obscure its vision. The Elite spun around towards them, and Abe ducked a stray leg swipe by inches. The same leg almost redirected and hit Aio, who jumped out of the way at the last moment. The impact probably wouldn¡¯t have been fatal with his Bastion armor on, but the knock-back would have sent him tumbling. As he steadied himself below the gap in the leviathan¡¯s joints, the creature roared again. Its strike managed to connect with Nyx ahead of him, shattering the Johrei sword she held. Her mask cracked from its blow, shimmering with light, and blood seeped from its gaps. However, before its forearm was able to swing down again, another explosion knocked back its arm, sending the creature reeling back. Nyx, angry, set off another set of scattered explosives, kicking up dust, and obscured the Elite¡¯s vision.


    There was no time to waste. As the Elite stepped back from Nyx, it noticed Aio¡¯s figure in its compound, ruby-colored eyes, and began to raise its back leg to strike. However, at that moment, Aio swung upward with his cutlass. The joint was more than twice his height, and on a normal weapon, his swing would have easily missed its mark. However, by issuing a non-verbal command into his blade, more Johrei shards began forming above the tip of his blade until its length nearly tripled. The weapon arced, and the Enthipid¡¯s leg was sliced clean off, causing the hexapod to lose its balance momentarily. It screeched.


    As it tried to steady itself, Calliope fired her glide-rifle into the Enthipid¡¯s open wound. The bullet¡¯s trajectory left behind a line of Johrei shards, which temporarily connected with the Suncycle circling around the leviathan like a crystalline rope. Calliope pulled out a carabiner from her belt. She attached it to the line of Johrei shards in front of her while the monster reeled in pain from the shot. The Johrei shimmered, and she issued a non-verbal command. In that moment, the carabiner zip-lined along the line of Johrei shards, carrying her with it. As she glided towards the back of the behemoth, carried by artificially-created inertia, the Suncycle¡¯s front and back wheel spun out of control behind her and crashed into a nearby rock formation, damaging its engine.


    ¡°That¡¯s gonna be taken out of my paycheck¡±, Calli groaned, looking back as she planted her feet on the Elite¡¯s spine. The monster still focused on the Rookie and raised its arms up at Aio.


    As it swung down, Aio braced his arms forward for a block. Johrei shards formed into a shield above its head, primed to weather the blow from the Elite. However, the shields shattered upon hit.


    ¡°How is it this strong?¡± the Rookie exclaimed. He was knocked prone from the blow, coughing up sandy dust, but managed to quickly evade to the side as a second swing came bearing down. No time to recharge the shields, he thought. Instead, he tightened his grip on the cutlass. His vision blurred from the initial impact. He didn¡¯t have enough time or strength to dodge another one of those strikes. As the Enthipid rounded its leg for a third swing, Aio noticed a reflective wiring tied around two of the creature¡¯s legs.


    In the next moment, the hexapod collapsed under its own weight as Abe rode the Suncycle outwards and pulled its knotted legs out from under it. The fall shook the ground beneath them as sand kicked up in droves. The flattened creature attempted to pull itself up as Abe swooped by and picked up Aio with one arm, tossing him into the back seat. With a non-verbal command from Abe, an unknown force bound Aio to the Suncycle. Aio looked back at where the Elite was.


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    A bladed forearm was stuck into a flattened rock where Aio had just been. That sent a chill down Aio¡¯s back. One second later and ¨C he didn¡¯t want to think about it. He faced forward, shaking off those thoughts. The Elite struggled to pull itself out of the rock while reorienting itself.


    ¡°Keep your head down, kid¡±, Abe said, pulling out his pistol and firing shots at the creature¡¯s eye. Aio ducked, glancing back again to peek at the Elite. It blocked the shots with its other forearm. A faint shimmer of Johrei could be seen outlining its arms before disappearing again. Right as it pried its forearm out of the rock, the creature screeched, mouth wide open in pain. Its right leg was cut cleanly by a barrage of machine gun fire at its joints.


    Calli magnetized her feet onto the creature, pelting at its weakened leg. As she tried to swing her gun around at the undamaged back leg, it thrashed wildly, attempting to throw Calli off its back. She steadied her footing, unperturbed. She readied to pull the trigger, but noticed the Elite¡¯s Johrei shields dissipating near her and began to hear a creaking sound from the carapace below her feet. Before she could react, dozens of chitin spikes shot out from its spine, hitting her square in the chest and flung her off. The Johrei shields protecting her chest piece broke and blood flayed from her where the spikes landed. Luckily, the Bastion armor underneath held, but she didn¡¯t have time to count her blessings.


    Her gun flew off and landed near her Suncycle and she was about to hit the ground hard. She pulled out her glide-rifle, from an unknown pocket of air in front of her and fired straight ahead. In the next second, her carabiner attached onto the Johrei path, and she glided across the bullet¡¯s trajectory, attempting to reroute her fall momentum by pulling herself horizontally along the air before crashing into the sand. She issued a non-verbal command, and the Johrei disappeared, causing her to roll sideways onto the sand, tumbling until her momentum finally died down. She lay prone, facing the sky, and coughed up blood and sand.


    ¡°Ugh, dust in my mouth¡±, she complained, but couldn¡¯t move her muscles. She didn¡¯t have time to process the next steps as the Enthipid closed-in on her unsteadily.


    ¡°Just my luck,¡± she murmured quietly to herself.


    In an instant, the Enthipid towered over Calli, eyes gliding over her with extreme bloodlust. Calli¡¯s eyes widened, peering into rows of reflective metallic teeth, stained with blood, as the Elite opened its tremendous maw. The team had planned to surround this thing in close-quarters combat from the get-go, but a monster¡¯s a monster, even when it¡¯s at a disadvantage.


    Calli braced for the worst, closing her eyes, when suddenly, the inside of the monster¡¯s mouth imploded, splaying flesh around the area, and soaking the surrounding sand its with its vermillion blood. Her eyes opened to Nyx walking by, tossing shimmering metallic orbs towards the monster¡¯s open mouth. Another explosion dislodged its jaw.


    ¡°No shields in there¡±, Nyx chided at the beast, her voice hoarse from exhaustion.


    The leviathan¡¯s jaw, hanging ajar, couldn¡¯t close properly and the Elite raised its forearm to swing at Nyx. However, it began to lose its balance from the joint damage it took on earlier, and its hesitation was rewarded with another set of explosions, pushing it back. The Enthipid toppled to the ground and, sensing its demise, it began to glow. Johrei skin shimmered brilliantly along the surface of its carapace, warping the images around it, before dissipating into the air like vapor.


    This was just like earlier.


    ¡°GET BEHIND ME NYX!¡± Calli bellowed, reaching into the air.


    In the next moment, spines of metal shot out from every section of its body. Blood and chitin mixed into its attack as the surrounding area was pelted in spikes, riddling the ground with a hail of death. The rocks nearby shattered under the assault and a sandstorm carpeted the entire battlefield in an orange mist.


    Once the dust settled, Nyx looked up from where she crouched. The silhouette of the creature stilled behind the dust.


    One last stand it seems, she thought, breathing heavily.


    It looked to be dead, but one couldn¡¯t be too sure. Nyx saw a shimmer in front of her. Hundreds of connected shards began fragmenting in front of her eyes, like broken glass raining leisurely towards the ground, and the shock of the behemoth¡¯s attack died down. Then she realized.


    ¡°Curse the clans! Calli! Are you okay?!¡± She scrambled to look at Calli, whose eyes dimmed into unconsciousness. Before the attack hit, Calli had called out to her. If Nyx didn¡¯t jump behind the backup shield that Calli pulled up¡­


    Nyx pulled off Calli¡¯s chest plate. O hunters, this looks pretty bad. She placed her ears down Calli¡¯s chest and checked for a heartbeat. She was alive, for now.


    But if we don¡¯t do something about that wound¡­


    Although the spikes shouldn¡¯t have reached them, Calli seemed to have suffered a severe injury around her chest area beforehand. Blood seeped from a deep gash, mixing her blood in with the sand. Nyx reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a translucent wrapping of some kind. She placed it over Calli¡¯s open wound, and it shimmered, sealing it.


    ¡°It¡¯s only temporary¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°We need to get you some help¡±.


    A voice called out through the wasteland thicket. She looked up to see Abe ride in with the Rookie on the Suncycle.


    Aio gasped.


    ¡°Curse the clans¡±, Abe said, watching Calli lying prone. ¡°What happened here? We were far away enough to react to the attack, but the dust ¨C I didn¡¯t know if you guys were okay.¡±


    ¡°Calli saved me from that thing. I saw her get thrown off the beast earlier and saw something shiny reflecting off its spine, although with the debris in the air it was hard to tell. I think Calli had known what was coming and protected me from it.¡±


    Nyx punched the ground next to her. ¡°Elites and their f*cking party tricks¡±, she cursed. ¡°Abe, can you get her back to the city safely?¡±


    ¡°I can do it¡±, Abe chimed in. ¡°Her bike¡¯s no good, so I¡¯m the only one who can bring her back anyways. I know a good medic at Magrest. I think he can help. Sorry, Rookie. There¡¯s only room for two.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I hope she gets through fine,¡± Aio stuttered, shock still gripping him. He stepped off the bike, holding back tears. Whether it was adrenaline, shock, fear, or whatnot, Aio wasn¡¯t sure anything could have prepared him for an encounter like this.


    Nyx and Abe looked at each other.


    ¡°Calli¡¯s been through worse¡±, Nyx said. ¡°Yeah¡±, Abe chimed in, ¡°She¡¯ll be okay. The Johrei patch should slow the bleeding long enough for me to get her to a safe place¡±. He placed a hand on Aio¡¯s shoulder, calming him. Abe looked back at Nyx, ¡°What¡¯re you going to do, Nyx?¡±


    She eyed the dead creature, surveying it. ¡°This thing put us through one hell of a fight. We owe it to Calli to pry it clean of parts.¡± Abe nodded.


    ¡°Sounds good. Anyways, Rookie. Help me get Calli up¡±.


    ***


    As Abe¡¯s Suncycle shrunk in the distance, with Calli slumped in the back, Nyx pulled out the handle of her shattered blade. She opened a small hatch on the side of her sword handle, reached into her belt pouch, and took out what looked to be an injection needle. She stabbed the tip of the needle into the hatch¡¯s opening and injected a glowing white substance inside. A few seconds later, the sword¡¯s handle began to glow. Translucent designs of interlocked octagons shimmered briefly before disappearing. Aio did something similar with his shield, but used a replaceable vial instead, ejecting an empty vial, and placing the new one into an open slot, recharging the shield¡¯s Johrei capabilities.


    Nyx issued a non-verbal command, and a Johrei-blade of knife¡¯s length extruded from the handle. She pulled off her cracked Bastion mask before tossing it to the sand. She had a terrifying look on her face. A smile that bathed in the thrill of the hunt, and piercing eyes which shone with anger and regret ¨C a true contradiction of expressions.


    Aio¡¯s leg gave out as he slumped into the sand. He gulped some water he brought with him before wiping his mouth with his sleeve, wanting to go back home. Nyx got close and wrapped her arm around Aio¡¯s shoulder, gesturing with her knife. He looked at her nervously and tried to smile.


    ¡°So¡±, Nyx said, grinning that frightening grin of hers, ¡°Ever skin a god before?¡±

 Chapter 3.1: Trespassers of Neutrality

    ¡°Ms. Rainsong, you¡¯re up in five minutes¡±, the assistant manager said.


    ¡°Kay kay¡±, she responded, waving in acknowledgment without looking at him.


    Ok, you can do this. This is your biggest crowd in a while.


    Mimi finished applying her cyan lip gloss, taking one last long look at herself in the mirror. Her azure hair was tinged with streaks of pink and teal, which complimented nicely with her blouse.


    A little much on the blush, she thought. Oh well.


    A black treble clef symbol was tattooed on the right side of her face underneath her right eye, symbolizing her love for music. Performing at Ecreville¡¯s Psyhi Music Festival had always been one of her childhood dreams growing up. This was the largest outdoor festival for musicians in all of the seven districts in the city of Neo-Kamakura. She could remember singing with her friends in school with just her spoon for a microphone, waiting for a chance to be on the same stage as her idols.


    Time sure flies, she thought dreamily. Mimi couldn¡¯t help chuckling as she put down her lip gloss and began clipping on the button on her blouse.


    Maybe strapless latex and shorts were a bit much. And the leggings do feel a bit tight. Though, I do feel more daring today, I guess. Mimi giggled.


    Still, the manager can¡¯t convince me to get rid of these sneakers. Feet should be comfortable, always.


    The dressing room was a bit humid, but that was okay. Compared to the hell she went through to before becoming a leading idol of Ecreville, the pressures of performance were a walk in the park.


    Smiling to herself one last time, she recited her personal mantra, ¡°Cuter than tomorrow, and wiser than yesterday¡±. She stood up from her stool and glided daintily towards the exit, face beaming with anticipation.


    A loud chant of ¡°Scarlet Wings, Scarlet Wings, Scarlet Wings!¡± could be heard outside. Crowds yelled obsequiously in synchronized admiration, awaiting her and her bandmates¡¯ arrival on stage. Oh, what a lovely sound.


    Crossing the backstage, Mimi stopped just short of the curtains. She passed by two other girls along the way. Cassandra Auburn, a short woman with a golden side-ponytail hanging past her shoulders, who rocked an empire-waist dress lined with ornate black and gold designs, followed Mimi to the curtains. Cassandra peeked her head out, watching the wave of pink, yellow, and purple glow sticks dance in an ethereal blur across the concert grounds. She was shorter than Mimi, and much moodier in her demeanor, although her face never betrayed it.


    Slim shades patterned with a faint sequence of scrolling luminescence on the frames covered Cassy¡¯s eyes as she scanned the crowd carefully. Heavy black eyeshadow covered the top of her eyes. Whatever to hide her face better. Cheers erupted when they spotted her, and she jumped, waving stiffly at them. Cassy was conscious about her heterochromia, even though Mimi thought red and purple eyes looked pretty on her.


    ¡°No longer than 2 hours. I have to attend a dinner date later.¡± Cassy said dryly, handing back Mimi her signature guitar. It was shaped like an assault rifle and colored a deep shade of violet. A switch sat at the bottom of the guitar near the whammy bar and glowing red lights hummed around a metallic half-arch jutting out from its side.


    Cassy herself strapped on two fingerless gloves embedded with touch-sensitive panels, each of which glowed dimly.


    ¡°Based on how your last dinner date went, I look forward to hearing about this one¡±, Mimi said, grinning. She pulled up purple headphones with two jutting antennae on her head and threw on two glowing cyan bracelets, now loosely hanging from her wrist. The headphones began to radiate red at the edges. In the corner, Mimi could hear someone laughing to herself.


    ¡°Yo. You going with Cassy?¡± Mimi asked. The other girl, sitting in the dark corner, looked up from her phone, eyeing the pair.


    ¡°Huh? Oh. Only if the date tries to run¡±, she mused, with that gruff voice of hers. ¡°I think Cassy¡¯s good on this one.¡±


    Maricole Fairlight had platinum silver hair, shorter on one side than the other. Two studs piercing her top left eyebrow reflected the lights pouring in from the stage outside. She rocked a body suit adorned with holographic decals that glowed a soft neon and wore thigh high boots spray painted with a dark violet color palette. Her jacket hung loosely on her shoulders, made of specular fabric which captured the images of the environment around her, blending into the environment like camouflage. A knife pouch rested at the side of her leg, from which she pulled out two drumsticks of twisted design.


    Cassy sighed, remarking, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to go out hunting at night if performing was all we needed to pay the bills.¡±


    Mimi replied, ¡°Hey. We¡¯ll get there. The market¡¯s competitive, and despite that, we still somehow managed to book an opening with Psyhi. We¡¯ve crossed the biggest hurdle already. So c¡¯mon girls. Let¡¯s give em a taste of a real show. Isn¡¯t this what we¡¯ve dreamed about since we were children?¡± A wave of nostalgia crossed, and the other two smiled warmly at that.


    Spotlights illuminated the stage, and the rush of energy was almost palpable. The trio waved at the screaming audience. Men at the front held pink glowsticks high in the air in support of Mimi, while most of the females sported purple glowsticks for Maricole. Yellow glowsticks waved farther back, and from what Mimi could see, it was mostly couples who supported Cassy. Odd following, that.


    Adrenaline begins rushing through Mimi¡¯s blood, and the sound of cheers blurred into a single resonating wave of emotions, washing over her. She¡¯s finally here. And she¡¯ll settle for nothing less than an unforgettable performance.


    ¡°Are you ready, Ecreville!!!!¡± Mimi screamed, her microphone blaring.


    Thunderous applause and cheers burst into the atmosphere and the trio immersed themselves in this moment, ready to make this stage their playground. Even fans and passersby from other districts came by to watch them, and though they may never see these people again, the universal language of music was about to connect them all together for this single night.


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    Mari pulled up her drumsticks. ¡°One, two, a¡¯ one, two three four!¡±


    The speakers blasted with emotion. Mimi and Cassy led with a call and response. Mimi danced across the strings, switching between pentatonics, discordant riffs, and various chord progressions before Cassy took up the response. A holographic keyboard pulled up in front of her and she began a melodious response, alternating rhythms between double-time and half-time, switching keys, and improvising her introduction, before settling back on the original key. Mari kept the drums going in polyrhythmic splendor, making the necessary adjustments to keep the two lead acts shining. The intro began to slow, the crowd began to chant in time with the beat, and Mimi began to sing the first song:


    Synagogue of angels


    Lend me your wings


    And take me to another place


    To make my heart sing.


    But every place, and every stage.


    Oh, some things never change.


    But as long as I can see your face.


    I feel like we¡¯ll get through okay.


    While the trio ran through their set list, two men waded through the dim alleyways and streets a flew blocks outside the venue. A couple of drones accompanied them, scanning the area around the pair for the presence of people. Streetlamps flickered in and out down the block and a subtle cool breeze rustled leaves scattered on the concrete pavement from nearby foliage. Advertisements of holographic design illuminated the walls and windows of various buildings as the pair passed by, shimmering in a variety of colors.


    ¡°You planned this didn¡¯t you? Streets are dead. I hear everybody¡¯s gathered around the large music festival happening at the Psyhi. I don¡¯t remember who the main act was, but word is their lead singer was quite a hot trend recently¡±, Siegren mused. He was a lean but muscular man of taller than average height. His red hair slicked-back neatly across his head and he wore a casual demeanor on his face. He looked up, watching spotlights of varying colors pierce the sky above, hearing low rumbles sound off in the distance. Two moons shone in the night sky, partially obscured by dust clouds.


    ¡°Focus. We¡¯ve got an important shipment to receive today¡±, the other man responded.


    The man next to Siegren had a roughness about him. A cold, calculating look crossed his irises, and any person worth his weight could feel a sense of danger and bloodlust emanating from this man that couldn¡¯t be explained in words. The pair looked similar in features, yet the contrasting atmosphere which surrounded them would make anybody think twice about their relationship. Ying and yang, personified.


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun, brother¡±, Siegren responded.


    The Trepidor brothers, Cadmi and Siegren, were scheduled to meet up with a local distributor from one of the Lost Clans who dealt with unique requests no other distributor would take, given the right incentive. This time, the request was to provide Johrei shards taken off of juvenile Enthipids. The distributing merchant thought it was an unusual request even for him, as juveniles have little to no market value. However, the Trepidor brothers¡¯ payment offer was more than enough to assuage his doubts.


    A couple crossed the intersection in front of them, holding each other tightly. They eyed each other contentedly, oblivious to the world around them. As Cadmi and Siegren approached, they noticed the brothers. The girl¡¯s eyes glazed over Siegren momentarily before landing on Cadmi. The moment she saw his expression, the woman¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s cross the street here¡±, she said, attempting to drag her boyfriend¡¯s arm across the empty street.


    ¡°What¡¯s going ¨C hey!¡±, he replied, as he stumbled his way across the road with his girlfriend.


    ¡°Ah, young love¡±, Siegren said, before he was silenced by another sharp glance from his brother. Those eyes told him to stop wasting time.


    The brothers approached the building they were looking for. A large warehouse sat at the corner of this quiet street. Alleyways and smaller business shops comprised this section of the district, and each of the shops lined the block around them. Most were purveyors of food and trinkets and were closed for the night. The only sound that could be heard was the fading rumble of bass still shaking the air from the distant performance.


    Siegren rapped his brother¡¯s knuckles, ¡°You know how scary your face looks right now right? Doesn¡¯t hurt to tone down your anger a bit, even if you have to pretend.¡±


    Cadmi murmured something inaudibly his brother. Whatever he said, it didn¡¯t sound pleasant. It was like rage had become his default state after what happened in the Fringe.


    ¡°Ooh scary¡±, Siegren responded. The pair had both known each other long enough to understand the other¡¯s feelings. Siegren needn¡¯t say any more. He did worry for his brother though. Both traversed out into the Fringe on separate pilgrimages years back. Although neither shared their experiences with each other, Siegren knew Cadmi probably came face to face with the same entity he saw, a being most would consider a god.


    For better or for worse, that pilgrimage changed the courses of their lives forever, and as a result, both came out of that event reborn as Onyx Technicians. Cadmi, however, was never the same since then. His hostility towards the world, the Clan of Tributes, to criminals of the underground. It didn¡¯t fit what Onyx Technicians were supposed to represent.


    Was he not offered the same pact as me? Siegren thought, but considered it impertinent to the moment. Whatever happens, he¡¯ll stand by his brother¡¯s side to protect him from all the threats without¡­and within - just like he always had before.


    The pair rounded a corner and into an alleyway, stopping short when they reached the back entrance of the warehouse. As they approached inside, a short balding man, stocky and sporting a worn-down suit, bowed to them across a long warehouse floor, a dozen armed guards at his side. Stacks of metallic crates littered the room, unopened, as ceiling lights meters above the parties flickered and hummed, casting the room in a soft ambient light.


    ¡°Ah the infamous Trepidor brothers. Pleasure to make your acquaintance¡±, he said, voice obsequious, but with a hint of curiosity. ¡°I am the humble merchant, Tor. I¡¯ve heard tell of your recent¡­accomplishments.¡± Tor ruffled his mustaches at that last statement. ¡°It must¡¯ve been quite difficult for just the two of you to take down both the Shogun and Daimyo of an elite Division. Why, that hasn¡¯t happened since the war of the Fringe decades ago. I am so curious at how you managed such a feat. I-¡±


    ¡°Spare me your formality, snake¡±, Cadmi interrupted. ¡°Did you bring the parts?¡±


    Tor eyed them warily, before responding, ¡°Well, yes. Two crates of juvenile hides, just like the doctor ordered.¡± He opened the crates with a non-verbal command. ¡°It cost us quite a few men trying to infiltrate the nest where these juveniles resided. I hope, for your sake, that you¡¯ve brought the payment.¡±


    Cadmi glared at the merchant for more than a few seconds and walked up to inspect the goods. Thin carapaces stacked in neat rows, each sleek and refined, as most Bastion metal tended to be. Juveniles, unlike their aged counterparts, carried more of a bluish hue along their carapaces than the otherwise blackened exteriors that adult Enthipids carried. He issued a non-verbal command, and Johrei began glistening like scales, running along the face of the carapace. The light refracting along the Johrei shards was lightly saturated with a soft bluish hue as well.


    Good. They didn¡¯t separate the Johrei from the Bastion metal, Cadmi thought. Although Bastion metal itself had its uses, what truly made Enthipid carapaces special were the Johrei shards which lined the skin of the creatures. It had an unending number of practical uses, and was a hunter¡¯s greatest commodity, activated with a simple mental command. Although check-ups like these were expected, and no merchant would dare double-cross Division hunters - let alone the Shogun and Daimyo of one - Cadmi didn¡¯t trust Tor at all. Something about the way he carried himself, and the way his words always underpinned a sense of false platitudes and veiled threats, pricked at Cadmi¡¯s skin.


    After a few more rounds of inspections over the other pieces, Cadmi turned to his brother and nodded. Siegren produced a chip from his coat pocket. Lines ran across the chips in a multitude of stringed patterns. He tossed the chip towards Tor, who caught it in his palm. Tor issued a non-verbal command into it, and the number 10 [6].00 hovered above the clip in a rotating transparent image of holographic design.


    ¡°Ten million Mon. It¡¯s all there¡±, Siegren reminded. ¡°Now we¡¯ll just take this and be on our way¡±, he said, reaching for the boxes.


    ¡°Well, yes¡±, Tor replied, he said, as he slammed the lid tightly. ¡°This is indeed the money. However, there is a problem, you see - a reason why our humble group afforded to lose more than our fair share of men out in the Fringe for your meager, trivial request.¡±


    He motioned his men behind him. Two began pulling the crates back, while the remaining ten stepped closer to the brothers, hands poised over their weapons.


    ¡°The voices speak you see. And rumor tells me that a rat has recently crawled out of the woodworks. A rat who, with his recent actions, has painted a bounty on his back far greater than any man or hunter could hope to assess. And a rat who, from what I¡¯ve heard down the pipeline, shouldn¡¯t even be alive today.¡± Tor assessed Cadmi as his men pulled out maces, axes, knives, and other Johrei weaponry of varying designs. His eyes swiveled to Siergren, grinning, as if to say there were two rats now.


    Cadmi and Siegren continued to watch carefully, their drones picking up more and more of the enemies¡¯ numbers popping up.


    Cadmi¡¯s eyes widened for only a moment, before sharpening into daggers. Tor wasn¡¯t saying what he thought he was saying, was he? He issued a non-verbal command into his left wrist, hidden under his shirtsleeve. A small hum began to buzz on his arm.


    ¡°How much were you told, Tor?¡± Cadmi demanded.


    ¡°You give me too much credit,¡± Tor chucked. ¡°I know only that someone higher-up on the food chain is very invested in the two of you¡±, he said. ¡°And I¡¯m here to see that my patron is satisfied. We wouldn¡¯t want their money to go to waste after all.¡±


    ¡°Enough of this¡±, Cadmi said, and before Siegren could stop him, all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 3.2: Trespassers of Neutrality

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Mimi shouted, sweat glistening from her face as she raised her hand and then placed a V sign over her eyes, smiling to the audience. The crowd erupted.


    ¡°We hope to see you at our next show!¡± Mari followed. ¡°Our merch store is located at the corner booth for those of you interested in getting our limited-time clothing designs as well as our latest album chips.¡± She pointed behind the crowd at line of merch booths from various bands, indicating their band¡¯s booth as the one in the far right. The line was already getting crowded.


    ¡°Scarlet Wings, Scarlet Wings, Scarlet Wings!¡± the crowd chanted as the three ladies began to exit stage left.


    Cassy chimed in to the crowd before she walked out of view, ¡°And for all my personal fans, I¡¯m keeping my eyes on you.¡± She placed two fingers near her irises and then gestured those fingers out at the crowd in the back with the yellow glow-sticks. ¡°I know all you lovebirds are hooking up just to spite me and it¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°We love you Cassy! Ahhhh!¡±, screamed one of the couples. The audience members started laughing. Even stone-faced Cassy couldn¡¯t help but smile at that.


    The figurative curtains closed and the members of the Scarlet Wings breathed a collective sigh of relief backstage. Mimi¡¯s shoulders relaxed, while Mari and Cassy were both stretching, adrenaline still pumping through their veins.


    ¡°Great job out there, ladies¡±, the assistant manager said, handing them towels, holding a clipboard in the other hand. Paris was a shy boy, but was extremely reliable with scheduling tours, meetups, and other responsibilities when the manager was off drinking with her friends.


    ¡°Thanks darling¡±, Mari said, patting him on his head. He blushed, hiding his head behind his clipboard. She liked teasing him.


    ¡°Um, no problem, Mari¡±, he said nervously, but then cleared his throat. ¡°I have your meet-and-greets scheduled in a few hours at the arena building within the center of the pavilion. High fives, group photos, some souvenirs should all be included. Don¡¯t forget to keep your Q&A sessions to under 30 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Got it¡±, Mimi said.


    ¡°Also, unrelated, but there¡¯s a young woman who¡¯s outside asking for the Valkyries¡±, Paris said.


    ¡°Valkyries?¡± Mari said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Not the Scarlet Wings?¡± The trio eyed one another before Mimi spoke up, ¡°We¡¯re not expecting anyone. Are you sure it isn¡¯t a fan?¡± Mimi asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. She says she¡¯s a songbird, whatever that meant. Said one of you would know what that means.¡±


    Mimi looked bemused, but only for a second. She placed the straps of her guitar around her shoulder, pushing the guitar slightly behind her. A non-verbal command locked the guitar in place on her back, handle facing up.


    Mimi began marching towards the exit, feet quickening with each step. Cassy and Mari had mixed expressions, Mari with a serious look, and Cassy with a bored one.


    ¡°You have any idea what it might be?¡± Mari asked.


    Cassy just shrugged. Mari sighed and the pair began walking after Mimi.


    ¡°Wait¡±, Paris called. ¡°The manager¡¯s expecting you back at the studio in about an hour or so.¡±


    ¡°Tell her we¡¯ll be late. She¡¯s probably drinking with her buddies anyways.¡± Mari said nonchalantly, smiling at Paris. ¡°She can wait¡±.


    The pair caught up to Mimi, and Cassy whispered to her, ¡°Reeks of hunter business.¡±


    Mimi nodded but kept her eyes forward.


    ¡°Even Ecreville, huh?¡± Mari commented. ¡°I just want to go back to my crib and sleep.¡±


    Mimi pushed open the double-doors and walked out into the lot. A young woman was standing there, looking around nervously. Nothing stood out about her, and she didn¡¯t appear to rock any festival merchandise or clothing.


    The woman looked up at Mimi, eyes widening.


    ¡°You¡¯re M-Mimi Rainsong. My boyfriend listens to all your tracks. I-¡±, she paused, looking at the emblem patch on Mimi¡¯s shoulder. A black silhouette of a bird designed in the shape of a musical note, with three stray feathers jutting out from its tail, sat on a patch embroidered onto Mimi¡¯s blouse. She looked to the other two, who also had similar patches on.


    Mimi only gave her a comforting smile, hoping to disarm her tension.


    ¡°I¡¯m- I¡¯m Sara. One of Reina¡¯s songbirds. I was s-supposed to contact her if I saw anything unusual in Ecreville, but I-I was with my boyfriend today and couldn¡¯t f-find a good time to talk to her.¡± She looked around again, as if expecting someone to show up. ¡°A-Anyways, once I was able to reach her, she told me to go to the Psyhi and find the group performing at this stage right now. I didn¡¯t realize that you ¨C ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking¡±, Mimi said, cutting Sara off. ¡°I¡¯m not a songbird, not exactly.¡± Mimi couldn¡¯t exactly tell her that she was Reina¡¯s boss. Most of Reina Igala¡¯s songbirds were just eager civilians who take up local requests posted within various sections of particular districts. Not all hunter board requests involved killing. Most citizens, especially those with no direct affiliation with the major Clans, or who are averse to violence, are nonetheless encouraged, or rather forced under current social norms, to take up some types of smaller miscellaneous requests posted on hunter boards to help reduce criminal activity running rampant throughout Neo-Kamakura. Once their obligations are fulfilled and they complete their contract, the requestor, through the hunter boards, releases them from further duty to the city. Then the citizens can live the rest of their lives in peace and obscurity, making these kinds of requests very enticing.


    This woman, Sara, nodded nervously in response. She made Mimi think about Reina. Reina¡¯s been getting pretty active lately with evolving her surveillance methods.


    Reina¡¯s requests in particular have always been fairly easy. Her signatories, called songbirds, are given a one-year contract to act as the eyes and ears for Reina and report any unusual activity to her based on a list of identifiers which Reina specifies, and sometimes on a case-by-case basis whenever nuanced hunter matters crop up. Each list is catered to a specific district, compiled in accordance with Reina¡¯s vast knowledge of the customs and lifestyles of each of those districts. These local ¡°requests¡± are then completed upon the provision of three notable reports to Reina, directly or indirectly, or upon the expiration of their one-year contract. Only when either condition is met are the signatories finally released from their duty.


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    It also doesn¡¯t hurt that her requests are semi-private, inaccessible by any registered member whose IDs matched those from the Clan of Tributes or other hunter Divisions. Although Mimi was the one who posited the idea of creating the Songbirds, she would never have imagined Reina taking it this far, with such consideration towards each side of the political landscape. It was quite an impressive feat. She¡¯ll have to remember to bump up Reina¡¯s salary later.


    Still, what she¡¯s doing does pose some risk, Mimi theorized.


    Unaffiliated hunters of the Clan of Venerers may catch wind of what Reina was trying to establish with these jobs. Rumors might spread and indirectly perk the ears of Division hunters regarding the Valkyries¡¯ attempt to usurp the Auditors¡¯ influence and their city-wide information network, or worse.


    But, Mimi thought, the triviality of these requests have, thus far, been written off as worthless in most hunter¡¯s eyes. If the Auditors¡¯ who approve hunter requests and execute hunter law, approved to make such requests semi-private, it was safe to say they didn¡¯t suspect a thing at this moment in time.


    And so, Reina, under the supervision of Mimi, had managed to subvert all suspicion and convention, and utilized her vast knowledge of communication and social ecology to amass one of the largest, if not the largest, spy networks in all of Neo-Kamakura.


    And all of it leads back to this moment.


    Mimi¡¯s bandmates looked at each other, eyes pushing the other to speak. Mimi¡¯s having one of her airhead moments again, their eyes seemed to say.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the word, friend?¡± Cassy chimed in, breaking the silence. ¡°You got something for us?¡± Cassy looked at the nervous woman, devoid of tact as Cassy usually was.


    ¡°Um yes¡±, Sara said. Her voice seemed to steady a bit. ¡°I was with my boyfriend a few blocks down from here and I spotted two men who matched the descriptions of one of the Divisions¡¯ Shogun and Daimyo.¡±


    ¡°A Shogun and a Daimyo? Here?¡± Mari inquired, taken aback. ¡°Do you have a name? What did they look like?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t recall their names exactly, but there were two of them, and I recognized the skinnier one. He was tall, and dressed in a coat and had some armor underneath. He looked like one of the men who showed up on the news recently ¨C the one that killed the previous Shogun of the Revenant¡¯s Balance and took over as their leader.¡±


    Everyone had heard about the news, which took the city by storm. Rarely had a Shogun or Daimyo ever been killed in city conflicts, and by non-Division members no less. The last time this happened was in the Fringe, where an internal conflict between members of the Vipers led to a bloody war of succession which forced the Auditors and each district to intervene and disband the remnants of the Division there. A Daimyo was said to have died in conflict that day. Initially, his death was written off as an unfortunate loss in battle against Standard Grade Enthipid swarms, due to multiple slices on his corpse by Enthipid claws. However, evidence later isolated his actual cause of death as asphyxiation. The culprits, hunters of the same team, were marked that day by the Auditors and placed on the hunter boards. None of the marked hunters lived to see the week¡¯s end, and the rest of that Division retired from the public circle indefinitely.


    And so, when the Trepidor brothers first arrived on the scene, many hunters and civilians became suspicious and fearful of another major conflict like that. Mimi in particular looked into this matter and found almost nothing on the brothers, and that was what scared her the most. It implied a heavily guarded secret, and all she knew was that the brothers had some tie to the Lucens Mundi underground black market ¨C the largest black market, known colloquially as the Night Market, since the area was never short of activity. An image of her friend Alyx traced her mind.


    I hope she¡¯s okay, Mimi thought. Sara jumped back, taken aback by the coldness which now touched Mimi¡¯s face. She seemed to notice Mimi¡¯s piercing gaze and began to shift nervously.


    Mimi seemed to realize and collected herself, smiling again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tend to get lost in thought. Anyways, did you see where these two men were headed?¡±


    ¡°Um, I only know that they were heading west, towards the business district. I think it was the one with the restaurants and giant warehouse, although I steered cleared of them with my boyfriend as soon as I saw them. I didn¡¯t get a good look. They looked so¡­¡±


    Sara shuddered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t do more. I told Reina about it the moment I saw them, and she told me to tell you what I knew.¡±


    Mimi replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You gave us more than enough info here. Talk with Reina again tomorrow. I¡¯ll let her know to update your board status by tonight.¡±


    Sara¡¯s eyes gleamed, and an eagerness rose into her voice, as if she wasn¡¯t just sulking a moment ago, ¡°Oh, thank you, Ms. Rainsong. To all of you. I¡¯m really glad I could do my part for the city. Thank you.¡± She bowed twice, keeping her head down the second time. ¡°My boyfriend and I are definitely going to listen to your new album later. He¡¯s super excited for it.¡±


    Mimi put her hand on her shoulder, ¡°I appreciate that. You did well. And I¡¯m always happy to hear someone enjoys our music.¡±


    Sara¡¯s eyes shone with grateful fervor. Mimi continued, ¡°Now dear, keep off the streets for tonight, and get back home safely, okay?¡± Mimi¡¯s voice had a calming tone, almost hypnotic.


    Sara looked up, locking into Mimi¡¯s deep green eyes, before nodding her head. ¡°Ok¡±, she agreed. ¡°I will do as you say, Ms. Rainsong.¡± She turned around slowly and walked away from the venue, pace rhythmic and deliberate.


    The trio looked at her as her figure receded in the distance.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be, right?¡± Cassy said, somewhat skeptical.


    ¡°I mean, there¡¯s not a lot of people who match their appearances. A hit maybe?¡± Mari added.


    ¡°Nobody¡¯s fool enough to mark a Daimyo, let alone a Shogun¡±, Cassy interjected. ¡°But at the same time, I can¡¯t think off another reason why two of the top brass of any Division would set foot on neutral ground.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk¡±, Cassy said, eyeing Mimi slyly. Mimi ignored her jest. They went through the proper border procedures, and they agreed not to seek out hunter business while in the city ¨C but nobody said anything about hunter business coming to them.


    ¡°We would have been informed if any Division members crossed the district borders. Since that didn¡¯t happen, they either bypassed security somehow, or Sara was lying earlier. However, I don¡¯t think she was lying. The frequency of her voice just didn¡¯t give me that impression.¡± Mimi said.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s settled then¡±, Cassy remarked. A tension began to seep into the air as the trio contemplated in a momentary silence.


    ¡°The Trepidor brothers are here in Ecreville.¡± Mimi said at last.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any public requests out for them yet¡±, Mari said.


    Mimi added, ¡°And Reina never brought up any unusual activity on the private channels either.¡±


    ¡°Personal request maybe?¡± Cassy chimed in.


    Mimi pondered over that, but could only say, ¡°Maybe¡±. Then Mimi gestured to the other two. ¡°Either way, we need to scout out the business district. Have Reina send a few songbirds into the area later, Cassy.¡±


    ¡°Will do¡±, Cassy replied, giving a half-hearted salute.


    ¡°And Mari, I need you to work with Reina. You should be able to hack into the hunter database at a surface level. Don¡¯t try to break in too deep. We don¡¯t want to alert the Auditors. However, scan through the personal requests and find any that have been directed towards Ecreville or Lucens Mundi recently.¡± Mimi ordered.


    ¡°Lucens Mundi?¡± Mari asked, confused. ¡°Why there?¡± And then it dawned on her.


    ¡°I think you know. Other than us, the Night Market is the only place where we can find people who might know about Cadmi¡¯s true affiliation. Whatever this is, it may be more dangerous than we expect. Be careful, both of you.¡±


    ¡°The contract is sealed¡± both said, bowing. A maxim of encouragement, to keep to the promises made and received.


    Cassy zipped through the streets and off towards the business district. Her movement blurred under the night sky, at speeds no normal human could reach. On the other hand, Mari crouched down, prepping herself, before launching herself dozens of feet in the air and onto the top of a nearby building. She hopped from one rooftop to another until both ladies were out of sight.


    A holographic magenta visor began wrapping in an arc around Mimi¡¯s eyes, each end tapering off near the ear cups of her headphones.


    And I have something I have to confirm for myself¡­Mimi thought, walking east, towards the Ecreville security border.

 Chapter 4.1: Upgrades

    Aio glanced at Nyx as they neared the western gate of Magrest. As one of the seven major districts which make up the last great city of Neo-Kamakura, Magrest was known as the premier militarized compound of Neo Kamakura and one of the two major entrances into the city from the Fringe wastelands. The city could only be accessed from the Fringe by going in through the western gate at Magrest, or through the eastern gate located at the Tresgate district, from what he knew.


    Magrests¡¯ fortress walls spanned across the entire western front, miles to each end, and were fitted with battlements, infantry, and turrets used to halt the advance of local Enthipid hordes. Though attacks seldom occurred this close to the city, it has happened in recent history, during the war of the Fringe, which nearly led to the collapse of one of the major sections of the fortress ¨C nearly.


    Such were the consequences of laxity, as the city council was reminded and since then, a small contingent of patrolmen were stationed at each section of the wall, rotated each half-day, so that Magrest was never caught off guard like that again. No Enthipid had reached within half a mile of the walls since, not alive at least.


    The Clan of Voices wouldn¡¯t like what we¡¯re doing to their ¡°deities¡±, Aio thought. Just another problem hunters have to deal with on the day-to-day.


    Without considering the presence of the Divisions, Magrest already had enough armies, vehicles of war, technicians, engineers, and local militiamen in this city to maintain a concentrated war effort for years against any number of hordes. But now, three hunter Division groups currently resided in Magrest, which was unprecedented for a district. Any single Division is enough to wipe out an entire army or even contest against Elite Enthipids, the advanced form of the giant carapaced monsters which lived out in the wastelands.


    It isn¡¯t just the hunters. All of Magrest has been more active than I last remember, Aio thought.


    As the gate neared, Nyx looked up. The patrolmen spotted the pair, watching warily from a distance. There seemed to be more of them here than she remembered. Her thoughts aligned with Aio, though in her case, she knew the reason.


    Aio was sweating buckets at this point. He couldn¡¯t wait for the cool air inside the city walls. Honestly, he never expected he¡¯d be in this predicament, carrying the core of an Elite Enthipid in his own hands, living the life of a hunter ¨C a Division-hunter no less. He was a war orphan who didn¡¯t remember much of his childhood outside of the orphanage. All he could recall of life, before all this hunter business began cropping up, was the warm broth Madam Roberta made, his brothers and sisters at the orphanage, and his time volunteering to save up money for an education.


    It was at that orphanage, however, that he came face to face with Casimir Lionnane, renowned hero of the underground, and set a series of actions which would see him part of one of the most feared Divisions in Neo-Kamakura: The Blackbirds.


    Aio looked at the core of the Barbed Enthipid they killed in his hand. It was orb-shaped and still beat like a heart in his hand. The core was always so small, and only ever seemed to exist within Elite-Class Enthipids or higher. The carapaces were a different matter however. Why were they so heavy?


    Unfortunately, without Calliope¡¯s pocket-space or Magrest¡¯s vehicles to load the rest of the metal they carved out of the Elite, the best Nyx and him could bring back were enough parts to craft him a weapon and a pair of armor pieces. Still, Elite Bastion metal and its Johrei were considered high-value commodity in the city. Pieces strong enough to withstand artillery munition; cores with special capabilities specific to each Elite which could be added onto weaponry or armor as modifications or, in the case of Supplementors, surgically grafted to replace one¡¯s own heart; armor pieces, which Augmentors grafted onto their body for increased benefits to armor-set abilities without the limitations of being stuck with one core as Supplementors were. The list of benefits was endless, and soon, Aio was about to get his own set. He smirked to himself.


    Nyx hand-chopped the back of Aio¡¯s neck, wringing him out of his thoughts.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Aio said. ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here already¡±, Nyx chimed in. The gates of Magrest loomed over them, towering over at least three-stories high.


    Nyxandria didn¡¯t seem to have trouble carrying the heavy armor parts. The extra strength boost she received when donning full plate Standard-Grade armor made from the carapace of a strength-based Enthipid they had killed a few weeks back gave her plenty of leeway with manual labor like this. Still, it wasn¡¯t as if she enjoyed the haul any more than Aio did.


    ¡°Halt¡±, the captain of the gate guards called out from the wall as the pair approached. ¡°Name, affiliation, and purpose please.¡± This was standard procedure, as new information from the Fringe had to be recorded on the hunter board database for future use by the city.


    ¡°Nyxandria Imeraza, Clan of Venerers, Blackbirds¡±, Nyx answered back. ¡°I¡¯m here to bring back parts of the Elite Enthipid we hunted to a blacksmith¡±.


    A murmur rose from the walls.


    ¡°That Division?¡±


    ¡°Wait, did she just say they killed an Elite? Just one team?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard their leader single-handedly took out an entire hunter squad once.¡±


    ¡°And the rebellion at Lucens Mundi ¨C ¡±


    ¡°Could you soldiers pipe down!¡± the captain bellowed. ¡°Nyxandria was it? Your words have been recorded. You may proceed.¡± He motioned for the guard next to him to raise the gates. A minute passed, and the sound of metal grinding echoed throughout the walls, as the heavy metallic gate lifted up. Johrei shimmered on its surface, and once it stopped, Nyx and Aio passed through.


    Curse the Lost Clans and their promotional strategies. Can¡¯t have my guards idolizing every hunter that walks through the gate, the captain thought, resuming his patrols.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    As they walked, Aio said, ¡°Sorry I wasn¡¯t of much help.¡± He kept looking away from Nyx, embarrassed and, if he was being fair, partially intimidated by her.


    She looked at him while dragging the Johrei net containing the Bastion metal parts behind her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. That wasn¡¯t half bad for your first Elite encounter. Not like I was any better the first time I became a hunter. You¡¯re still new at this kid. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Aio said, eyes beaming. ¡°You struggled too? Like me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all your getting from me¡±, Nyx replied.


    ¡°Oh¡±, Aio replied, embarrassed.


    A large town square appeared before them, a fountain sitting at the center. Children ran around the stone-tiled ground, playing pretend games of The Hunt, whilst the parents smiled and conversed, enjoying lunch under the shade of the local restaurant¡¯s canopy. Despite its military focus, Magrest residents molded their own little pockets of quaint charm within sections of the district. Her brother might¡¯ve liked this but Nyx cared little for this type of lifestyle.


    ¡°C¡¯mon¡±, Nyx said, ¡°blacksmith¡¯s a few blocks down¡±. As the pair walked towards the center of the square, passersby gave them quick stares, curious about the latest hunt. However, Nyx shot them a sharp glance, and the onlookers jumped and went back to their own business. However, some still shot wandering looks toward the pair¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Stupid Lost Clans, putting hunters in the spotlight¡±, Nyx mumbled angrily as she hauled the Johrei net over her shoulder. A certain gate captain would have been ecstatic to find such shared sentimentality, though neither would ever know of the other¡¯s feelings on the matter, sadly.


    Aio looked up at the looming black building in the distance. According to his studies, Magrest was known for its state-of-the-art octagonal defense platform ¨C a towering structure which contained all the latest wartime gear and equipment. The platform, called the Era of Peace, was capable of deploying hundreds of Suncycles, Skytrains, and Strato-Rollers to fend off against waves of Enthipid hordes in record time. Thousands of soldiers were stationed in the building and the base itself was rumored to have access to a special type of rail-cannon and additional defense turrets which lined the walls for the day the gates of Magrest were finally breached. Though it has yet to occur, it didn¡¯t seem anyone was na?ve enough to believe that it wouldn¡¯t happen one day.


    I wonder if that¡¯s where the Division hunters lived too, Aio thought, before Nyx¡¯s words cut his thoughts short.


    ¡°Wrong way, rookie. Keep up. We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Coming¡±, he said, catching up to her. Time passed as the pair walked past rows of alleyways, buildings, intersections, and the like. Aio put his hands above his head, shielding his eyes from the sun, which shone above brightly. It was bright out today, but the city itself wasn¡¯t too hot. He looked up. A large Johrei shield shimmered up in the sky above them. Originally intended to protect the city from airborne Enthipid attacks, it served a secondary purpose of regulating the extreme heat which persisted in the Fringe. Where the shield spawned from, and how it managed to mitigate the heat, Aio was unsure of, but he was grateful for these small blessings, nonetheless.


    After walking for a few more minutes, the pair pulled up by a shoddy looking shop. A hologram blinked dimly above the entrance door which read ¡°Open for Business¡±. The garage door next to the entrance was lifted up and locked in place by chains. The sensation of heat wafted towards the pair¡¯s direction as the sounds of bustlin¡¯ men and women, and the whirring and grinding of machinery, could be heard inside. A sign hung above the entrance, which simply stated ¡°West Wing Forge¡± and carried the symbol of a hammer and anvil.


    Aio noticed an open fire sitting in the center of the room, surrounded by various mechanical hands working efficiently at an unknown piece of equipment. Consoles were placed in neat rows in different sections of the shop, manned by groups of men and women, and as the pair entered, they were greeted by an older lady in her late 40s, wearing a dusty apron lined with mechanical sockets and a simple Johrei face shield. Hair wrapped up in a bun, and a bandana tied around the top of her head, she exuded a surprisingly commanding presence for someone with such a motherly face. Her body was all muscles, hardened by work and grit, an indicator of her work ethic in the forge.


    She turned off the blowtorch in her right hand and eyed the incoming pair with a welcoming expression until her eyes landed on the net behind Nyx.


    Her eyes hardened for only a moment. ¡°Pa!¡± she yelled. ¡°We got ourselves a big one!¡±


    ¡°What you say, Ma?¡± a gruff voice responded in a piercing, but muffled tone. A moment later a bulky man with gray hair, bald at the scalp, who looked to be in his late 40s as well had walked up towards the pair. Muscles bulging under his sooted work sleeves, Ma and Pa were match made for each other. He also donned a similar dusty work apron as the woman, except his had various tools strapped alongside the surface. As he eyed the pair up and down, he kept his gaze on the net and then turned to Nyx.


    ¡°I know you. You¡¯re that gal from the Valkyries. I don¡¯t forget a face like yours.¡± he said, lifting his face shield while while pointing a held wrench at Nyx. ¡°Nyxandria, was it? I apologize, I¡¯m not particularly good with names.¡±


    Aio was confused. ¡°Valkyries?¡± Aio asked. He knew of the infamous all-girls hunter Division which were stationed in the district of Necronova. All he knew was that its members were devastatingly efficient at completing hunts, but not much more. They were actually quite secretive, now that he thought about it. And Nyx was part of that group?


    ¡°Yeah, old story. Don¡¯t think too hard on it, Aio. I haven¡¯t been with them since Caz recruited me a few months back.¡± Nyx mentioned.


    The old man¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Caz? As in Casimir Lionnane? You¡¯re with the Blackbirds now?¡± He laughed heartily. ¡°Well, pick me up and toss me to the Fringe, Caz is one of my best customers. Any member of the Blackbirds is welcome.¡±


    Aio, however, was somewhat surprised. The old man didn¡¯t question Nyx¡¯s status as a defector, something that brings all hunters chagrin. Division hunters were family essentially and loyalty was the law of the land. Leaving one, though nothing in the books says you can¡¯t, amounts to the deepest form of betrayal, and in a society dictated by the hunt, not every defector meets a happy end.


    As if he could read Aio¡¯s thoughts, the old man chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry lad. I don¡¯t pry. So long as the metal¡¯s good and the money flows, you can count on me to get you what you need.¡±


    The old woman interrupted, patting Pa on the shoulder, ¡°Pa, look at her face. She¡¯s got to be related to that Imeraza fellow.¡±


    ¡°Curse the clans, you¡¯re right. Well, well, I would have never guessed it. Are you-¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±, Nyx interrupted, putting her hand up to stop him. ¡°Cyriak Imeraza is my twin. Now can we get to business? I would love to chat, but the Blackbirds just killed an Elite out in the Fringe, and we need to get this kid some more armor, and maybe a better weapon. We¡¯ve got a high-priority hunt coming soon and I don¡¯t like wasting time.¡±


    Ma nodded approvingly but Pa narrowed his eyes at the both of them.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Aio¡±, Aio said meekly, raising his hand. ¡°I¡¯m new. Nice to meet you, sir.¡±


    Pa¡¯s stern expression lingered for a moment before turning into a toothy grin. ¡°Well, Aio is it? Well-mannered, I see, unlike the young lass here.¡± Nyx stared daggers at the old man.


    ¡°I¡¯m Soren, and this is my wife Mirelle. You can just call us Ma and Pa.¡± He looked back at Nyx. ¡°Yeah, we can get you what you need. There¡¯s a reason why the Blackbirds come to us for their blacksmithing needs, and I aims to get you only the best. Let¡¯s step into the office so I can do an appraisal. We¡¯ll work out the contract details inside.¡±


    Despite his soreness, and exhaustion, Aio felt excited.


    A new weapon, he thought, looking at the core he held in his hand, which still pulsed gently.

 Chapter 4.2: Upgrades

    ¡°Name?¡± the guard asked. He yawned, not looking up from his clipboard. A series of lights and words generated above the clipboard in holographic lettering. He seemed glued to the clipboard, purposefully avoiding the eyes of the people in front of him.


    ¡°Alexis Sable¡± Alyx said. Telling the name to a border guard wasn¡¯t necessary, but for the purposes of efficiency and formality, many still do. To some guards, its an extra safety measure to prove the name stated matched the name in the system. Alexis Sable wasn¡¯t her real name, but it was the one she used.


    ¡°Alexis, Alexis¡± the man said, searching through his device, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t see an Alexis in our database.¡±


    ¡°Check again¡±, Alyx said. Caz noticed movement under her sleeves.


    ¡°Oh, there you are. I¡¯m not sure how I missed that. Apologies Ms. Sable. I just need your ID now.¡±


    Caz, standing behind her, looked at Alyx curiously, though behind his frustum hat and semi-opaque Johrei shards hanging down from the hat¡¯s rim, no one could tell.


    Alyx pulled up her arm. The long black sleeve she held forward had three small glowing squares on it. One of them lit up and generated a holographic ID in the air. The officer heard the hum from the hologram, and raised the scanner to scan the ID, still not looking up from his clipboard.


    Somebody gasped next to the pair, but the officer ignored it. The officer just wanted to get on with his day so he could go home. He had better things to do, meeting his innate goal of becoming the titular archetype of a person who could care less about anything around him. Just like how the artist pours their entire heart into creating a masterpiece, he pours his entire heart into disregarding the objective reality that surrounds him on the daily. It was a feat that was so stupidly impressive, Caz couldn¡¯t help but feel amused watching him.


    ¡°Alright. ID matches. Welcome to Ecreville. Next!¡±


    Alyx strode through the metal detector with no difficulty. Caz found something odd, and risky, about an Onyx technician refusing to carry any of her tools on her, especially given the circumstances of the current hunt. I guess in this case, there was a valid reason.


    As Caz pulled up, the same guard began again, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Casimir Lionnane¡±, he said.


    The guard paused, as well as several of the onlookers next to him. The guard looked up at the imposing tall man in front of him. A little more than six feet, Caz was strapped from head to toe in Bastion armor. Gauntleted wrists whirred, a raven-black chest plate with a glowing core at the center, legs wrapped in in bastion metal with segmented designs, the large hat he wore obscuring his face, and a large, twin-pronged halberd as tall as him locked into his backside, unactivated, gave the guard the impression of a walking armory. He looked almost¡­inhuman.


    Most of the onlookers talked in hushed whispers amongst themselves. Most rarely get to see a Division hunter in person, but to witness an Augmentor ¨C that was a treat no one thought to see in Ecreville of all places. Inners, which consisted of Augmentors, Supplementors, and - though many try to discredit them - the Enhanced, didn¡¯t just wear Bastion armor - it was part of their bodies, grafted on - a second skin, so to speak.


    For Casimir, his armor guarded all of his vital organs, save for his ¡°heart¡± ¨C an Elite Enthipid core - which was visible within a spherical armor slot nestled behind a thick layer of translucent Johrei shielding and synchronized to his adjacent armor sections, giving Caz the benefit of replacing Enthipid cores on the fly, and thus utilizing the various creatures¡¯ abilities. Since the core serves the same function that his heart once did, depriving it would lead to his inevitable demise, but Augmentors had the advantage over Supplementors in that his body would provide reserves of oxygen that would keep him alive for a good amount of time before things become fatal. In every aspect, save for potential of the condition known as the Voices of Madness, an Augmentor was a superior human specimen.


    Alyx recommended subtlety coming here, but given Casimir¡¯s reputation, he believed there was no point in hiding his identity.


    ¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re ¨C¡±, the guard stammered, before reducing the volume of his voice. ¡°I ¨C I¡¯m sorry sir, we don¡¯t allow h-hunter business within Ecreville.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No hunter business¡±, Caz replied smoothly. ¡°I¡¯m just here to take in the sights. I¡¯m a huge fan of music and heard the Psyhi had a music festival happening nearby. You wouldn¡¯t deny me such recreation, would you? Cause that would be a problem.¡±


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The guard, though somewhat fearful, looked at Caz questioningly. He couldn¡¯t tell what Caz was thinking. The onlookers around him didn¡¯t know whether to approach Caz to ask questions or fall back from the intimidation of his presence.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have any current infractions in Ecreville. So long as it stays that way, I won¡¯t deny you access. Still, if I could ask you to drop off your weapon sir? I can¡¯t have you bringing that into the district. I hope you understand.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this?¡± Caz said, pointing his thumb to the halberd at his back. ¡°You have heard that I¡¯m an Augmentor, right? This thing¡¯s a part of me. If you separate it from my person for too long, I would actually just die. And we can¡¯t have that can we, haha?¡± Caz gave a booming laugh. The guard wasn¡¯t laughing however, and instead looked anxiously at the other guards, who looked just as unsure at how to deal with this situation.


    All that Caz said about the halberd was a lie of course, but no one outside of technicians and Division members knew enough to say otherwise. Alyx sighed waiting for Caz to finish his spiel. That man was going to be the end of her. The guard looked nervously at the halberd and then back at Caz, wondering which course of action he should take next.


    ¡°Um, yes, yes. I u-understand. Of course, Mr. Lionnane. However, I think I would need to discuss this with ¨C ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡±, a woman¡¯s voice chimed in. ¡°You can let him through. He¡¯s with me. I invited him to watch the Scarlet Wings live today.¡± She looked at Caz. ¡°Looks like you missed my debut, but I can still get you backstage access if you want meet the bandmates.¡±


    Caz smiled under his hat. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame. I¡¯ve always been bad with timing. I¡¯d love to get a tour around the place, if you¡¯ll have me.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Rainsong? What are you ¨C¡±. However, the guard steadied himself. ¡°Casimir Lionnane, you may enter. But keep to the festival venue if that is your purpose. Please understand we don¡¯t want to attract civilian attention to¡­a man of your repute.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Caz replied with a tad too much exaggerated formality. When he walked through, multiple alarms in the metal detector rang, but the guards did nothing.


    ¡°Lead the way, Ms. Rainsong¡±, Caz stated.


    Mimi gave an amused look at him before turning towards where Alyx was. They walked toward her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only waited five years for you to finish that debacle¡±, Alyx said, looking up at Caz. She was not entertained.


    ¡°Yo¡±, Mimi said, raising her hand in greeting.


    ¡°Hey, Mimi¡±, Alyx greeted back. They high-fived. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you found out we were coming. You always seem to know what¡¯s going on before anyone else does.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe not you in particular, and especially not the Blackbird himself¡±, Mimi replied, eyeing him up and down. She nodded approvingly. ¡°But I am keeping my ears open to anyone notable from Lucens Mundi who pops their head up around here.¡±


    Alyx¡¯s ears perked up at that. Mimi was maybe a little too good at what she did. Alyx had known her for a long time, even back when Mimi was the Daimyo of the Valkyries, and although Mimi may not realize it herself, Alyx knew Mimi¡¯s ability to gather, manipulate, and distribute information was unmatched by anybody in the entirety of Neo-Kamakura. Even the Clan of Tribute¡¯s vast network of eyes and ears didn¡¯t have the knowledge she had, nor the pull over people she carries, although that latter trait might be attributable to more than just her natural charisma.


    ¡°So you know, huh? Anybody else know we¡¯re here?¡± Alyx inquired.


    Mimi responded, ¡°Other than those people and guards you just announced yourselves to? No. And don¡¯t worry about them. I¡¯ll have that taken care of.¡± She looked over towards the border station and waved with a smile at the guards, who had been watching the trio warily. They jumped at her noticing them and returned to scanning IDs.


    ¡°Anyways, I know who you¡¯re looking for, and as of these last few minutes, I even know where they¡¯re located.¡± She grinned mischievously. ¡°But we¡¯ll talk somewhere more private about it. There¡¯s¡­matters I want to clarify with you two first. Come meet me backstage at the Psyhi. I¡¯ll have some tea prepared.¡±


    They? Alyx thought, and then she had a revelation. In that moment, Alyx¡¯s respect, and fear, for Mimi grew.


    And with that, the trio began walking towards the Psyhi Music Festival.


    ********


    The Ecreville border guards began discussing in low voices over their comms.


    ¡°Have a few men follow those three. I don¡¯t know who the little girl is, but Mimi and Casimir are both Division Shoguns. Whatever they say they¡¯re doing, I don¡¯t buy it one bit, over¡±, the captain of the guards said.


    ¡°Yeah, definitely hunter business, over¡±, another guard stated.


    ¡°Who are we sending to watch? We still have to keep watching over the borders, over¡±, a third guard asked.


    ¡°Should we let the Auditors know about this, over?¡±


    ¡°No, involving them always causes major problems later on, over.¡±


    ¡°I think Mimi knows we suspect her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy. She¡¯s just friendly. Comes with being an idol, y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously insinuating that? Did you not just hear that part where I said she is a Shogun, AKA the leader of one of the most dangerous hunter groups in the city? How ¡®bout you ¨C Oh hello there. Are you here for the festival? I¡¯ll need your name to start.¡± The guard cut off his comms.


    ¡°Can we stop squabbling like children fresh off the teat? The captain is the one who decides what we do in the end. And quit talking over each other. Say ¡®over¡¯ when you¡¯re finished speaking, over.¡±


    After a momentary pause, the captain spoke again, ¡°Men, get in touch with the local patrols around the Psyhi festival. Ask them to keep watch over Mimi Rainsong and the Blackbird. If they ever leave the venue, I want them to report to me first before bringing anything to the local Auditors. Before we take any rash actions, I want to know exactly what they¡¯re doing here. We¡¯ll figure out what to do next after we¡¯ve gathered more information, over.¡±


    ¡°Yes, captain¡±, the other guards announced in unison.

 Chapter 5.1: Deal-Breaker

    Cadmi Trepidor pulled the bladed instrument out from the last mercenary¡¯s body. Nodes glowed in tandem across various spots on his coat, which dimmed a moment later. The bladed instrument began changing shape as Johrei shards near its edges slowly retracted; the bastion metal underneath reverted back into a small shield design, which Cadmi placed under his coat.


    Voices began whispering into Cadmi¡¯s mind, only for a moment, but his vision blurred temporarily, and his head rang with pain. Cadmi didn¡¯t exert himself that much, did he? He closed his eyes, feeling the Johrei coarse through him, running through his chest, where his Enthipid core was located. It was a feeling of vastness, his eyes locked into the stars, and then, after what felt like an eternity, he was back on the ground. Everything seemed okay, but his condition¡­was it getting worse? He opened his eyes again, staring at the corpse under him, angry that this rabble may have accelerated the Madness within him.


    His brother Siegren seemed fixed on the man standing upright in front of him. ¡°Tor. You know you shouldn¡¯t have done that. You really think a few dozen men were enough to take us down? We didn¡¯t cheat our way to becoming the new leaders of the Revenant¡¯s B - well I guess it¡¯s Revenant¡¯s Forge now ¨C by doing anything underhanded. We killed the previous leaders fair and square. We. Were. Just. Better.¡±


    Siegren began placing his own shield behind his back. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t change the size or shape of his like his brother¡¯s. Cadmi¡¯s weapon was especially unique amongst the hunters.


    Tor¡¯s eyes widened and attempts to speak were met only with his gurgles and gasps.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to talk for another minute or two. And you won¡¯t be able to move for a few more minutes after that. I suggest you get comfortable. My brother and I have some things to discuss with you¡±, Siegren stated as he pulled out a hilt from his side. He issued a non-verbal command, and a short blade appeared, refracting dimly from the lights in the room. Tor shook in terror as Siegren inched closer, blade inches away from the surface of his flesh.


    Cadmi interrupted, ¡°Quit playing around, Siegren. We¡¯re getting the goods and leaving.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Alright. I¡¯ll get to work. I still have to take care of the trap. Be right back¡±, Siegren responded as he casually walked away towards the entrance of the warehouse. He picked up his broken drone on the floor, an unintended casualty of the skirmish earlier. He will have to get it fixed later.


    When he reached the backdoor, he noticed it was warded from sound with a thin layer of Johrei before the battle started. The fools trapped themselves thinking they could trap the brothers.


    Cadmi began walking towards Tor, who convulsed in fear. Tor continued to stand upright, body unable to move. He tried to yell managed to squeeze out a hoarse whisper this time around.


    ¡°Please. Don¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°Ah good,¡± Cadmi said. ¡°You can speak now.¡± His tone had no hint of amusement, nor urgency. It was just cold, unfeeling logic.


    In the next moment, a fist planted itself into Tor¡¯s stomach, knocking the wind out of him. It had so much force behind it that Tor could only picture a sledgehammer. Tor coughed up blood, which splattered in chunks across the floor, with some of it bouncing off of a shimmering shield on top of Cadmi¡¯s coat. The pain was unreal.


    Yet, Tor¡¯s mind raced, his merchant¡¯s instincts kicking in. There was no use fretting over the inevitabilities in life ¨C a mantra which kept Tor alive all these years. Instead, one should think about the opportunities of the moment, and in this moment, he kept his eyes peeled for any information, which might lead to his eventual escape from the brothers. He thought about Cadmi¡¯s coat earlier.


    Wearing Johrei shields on top of civilian clothing wasn¡¯t unheard of, but for a marked hunter, doing so is tantamount to a death sentence. Bastion armor not only gives you an extra layer of defense and ability perks if you wear the full set, Johrei shields which haven¡¯t been separated from the armor were more potent, and lasted longer than just the shield alone. This was part of the reason why Enthipids were naturally so difficult to deal with. Therefore, there was only one explanation behind Cadmi¡¯s ridiculous strength, despite him not wearing a noticeable armor set.


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    ¡°You¡¯re [cough] you¡¯re an Inner aren¡¯t you?¡± Tor managed to squeeze out through fits of blood.


    Cadmi spoke, ¡°Yes, a Supplementor to be exact.¡±


    Tor looked confused. Supplementors didn¡¯t graft armor. Only Augmentors did.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t get my strength boost from any armor¡±, Cadmi said, as if he knew what Tor was thinking. ¡°In fact, my status as an Inner had nothing to do why I¡¯m so strong¡± he continued, before delivering a weighted kick into Tor¡¯s ribs. He could hear cracking beneath the torso as Tor began screaming in agony.


    Wait, this isn¡¯t how it was supposed to go, Tor began thinking.


    Cadmi¡¯s tone darkened, ¡°Who sent you after me, and why?¡± A seething aura emanated from Cadmi. He was not playing games.


    ¡°I won¡¯t disclose my client¡¯s name. You should know that, as a hunter. It is law. You should have known better than to flaunt what the Auditors set i- ¡±. Another kick into Tor¡¯s ribs. Something snapped. The pain hit a breaking point, and the room began to grow dimmer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know. Regardless of whether or not you tell me, I¡¯m not letting you live today. I can however, kill you quickly to ease some of that pain, or we can make this very, very painful.¡± Before Tor lost full consciousness, a shock ran through his body, and adrenaline shot him wide awake. Pain streamed through his mind, and tears began streaking down his face. Through watery eyes, Tor noticed one of the nodes glowing on Cadmi¡¯s coat. When it dimmed, Tor noticed a bluish hue to the metal around it.


    ¡°The¡­the juveniles. That¡¯s how¡­¡± Am I going to die?


    No. Pain was a non-factor to Tor. He escaped all the hunters during the Twindust incident years ago, and he could escape this too. He could not allow himself to doubt. That was when it was truly over. It was getting harder and harder to push those thoughts away, however. He had to believe that there was more to living in this society, than just the hunt, the violence, and the lack of meaningful choice.


    ¡°Bingo¡±, Cadmi said squatting down to look at the paralyzed Tor writhing prone on the floor. ¡°Juvenile carapaces are surprisingly adaptable. Even the metal itself is able to change shape with the Johrei, given the right amount of tinkering. And its Johrei capabilities¡­well, let¡¯s just say one could explore a whole avenue of abilities with the right combination. Something Standard-grade armor, or even Elite-grade armor couldn¡¯t replicate.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡± Tor pushed out, spasming in pain. He made great effort at maintaining composed words between the throbbing torment pricking at his body.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Supreme-grade capabilities. And all I need is a stock of ¡°useless¡± juvenile carapaces.¡± Cadmi¡¯s tone finally adopted somewhat close to a mocking edge to it. He placed his foot on Tor¡¯s face, pressing down. The weight began to cause Tor¡¯s face to contort. ¡°Now tell me, who sent you? I won¡¯t ask again,¡± Cadmi demanded. This was when a part of Tor finally realized, this might be it. The last opportunity he had¡­


    For the first time in his life, Tor began to reflect. He was supposed to be a simple merchant, following in the footsteps of his father, and yet here he was, crushed underfoot by newly-minted assailants whom his client guaranteed they would win against. When did he fall so far? Where did he go wrong? Nothing¡¯s been going right for him since the Twindust incident years back. And now, even with one Augmentor on his side, and some of the most experienced mercenaries from the Lost Clans, they couldn¡¯t win against two measly individuals. Were all the Division leaders this strong? Perhaps they were, and he just never noticed, believing himself strong for escaping them once in the past.


    ¡°C-n o-t-butes¡± Tor tried to say.


    Cadmi lifted his foot just a smidgen. ¡°Hmm? What was that?¡±


    ¡°One of the higher-ups, f-from the Clan of Tributes. I don¡¯t know his name, and he only contacted me through the hunter boards. I think, I think he¡¯s acting on his own, but if word gets out, you¡¯re dead. I¡¯m the only one he contacts. I can put in a good word. Just let m-¡± Cadmi crushed his skull underfoot. Tor died instantly.


    ¡±Pathetic,¡± Cadmi said, admonishing how easily broken he was, and how quick he was to betray his own. He hated the ugliness of the weak-willed like him.


    The Clan of Tributes¡­Cadmi pondered.


    What does the leading corporation, and one of the three great Clans of Neo-Kamakura want with him? He¡¯s never put his name out there before his ascension into leadership with the Revenant¡¯s Forge, but he and his brother did create quite the spectacle, so maybe it¡¯s that. But they couldn¡¯t have known much more than that. The Clan of Tributes wasn¡¯t the type to step in just because of internal conflict between hunters. Even a Shogun¡¯s death was jurisdiction of the district councils and the Auditors. Could it have something to do with his ties to the underground?


    No¡­nobody knows. Even in the underground, the secret was kept tightly guarded for decades. If there¡¯s anything I can trust those science junkies to do is to keep their mouths shut.


    But if it was that¡­then this was going to be a monumental problem.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve set the trap¡±, Siegren said, motioning back towards Cadmi. ¡°We¡¯ll probably need to move some of the bodies here later, in case anyone comes through ¨C¡±


    ¡°No time. Bring the crates. We¡¯re heading out. Now.¡±


    Siegren could sense something off about Cadmi, and his expression grew serious. He took one look at the headless corpse next to Cadmi¡¯s foot, and back at him, and nodded.

 Chapter 5.2: Deal-Breaker

    The assistant manager brought some tea over for Alyx and Caz, placing it on the round table in front of them.


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m not of a tea guy¡±, Caz said.


    ¡°Is that Chamomile?¡±, Alyx asked, pointing at Caz¡¯s tea.


    ¡°Yes¡±, the assistant manager replied. ¡°Vitadale imported. I hope it¡¯s not too hot¡±.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do¡±, Alyx said, taking Caz¡¯s teacup too.


    Mimi, Alyx, and Caz all sat backstage within a room set aside for the Scarlet Wings band. Mimi waved the assistant manager away, thanking him beforehand. She turned her head towards the pair, leaning on her elbows with locked fingers.


    ¡°Sweetie, isn¡¯t he?¡± Mimi asked, tilting her head at the door where the assistant manager just walked out. ¡°Name¡¯s Arlin. So polite. He¡¯s shy around girls haha. An Ecreville native all his life, so he¡¯s never witnessed the hunter lifestyle firsthand. He¡¯s the manager¡¯s friend¡¯s son who had apparently been a local tour scheduler for a different company at the time, but got laid off for no reason in particular. He¡¯s been very good about his job so far and the others seem to like him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Caz asked. Alyx sighed. He probably didn¡¯t mean to come off as blunt as he did.


    Mimi still smiled casually. ¡°The point is, I like what Ecreville brings. Something different from the busy oppressiveness of hunter culture. It feels almost serene in a way. And after getting a taste of this lifestyle, I would do anything to protect it. That includes whittling out threats such as the Trepidor twins from this city.¡±


    Caz and Alyx looked at each other. She was impressive.


    ¡°Seems both brothers were involved after all. And you knew our target¡­how?¡± Caz asked. Alyx, on the other hand, had a hunch.


    ¡°You hear things here and there. People talk you know? I just keep my ears open¡±, Mimi stated. She tilted her head in a cute manner. ¡°Last I heard, they¡¯re at the storage warehouse located in the business sector downtown.¡±


    She may act ditzy, but she befits the title of Shogun. The pair remained silent.


    She puzzled out what they wanted and surrendered the answer. ¡°You know, you could do a lot, spreading rumors around the city. Tell one person one thing, and another person hears. Before you know it, you have hundreds of eyes subconsciously noting the presence of two men with chiseled features, somewhere in their late 30s, with dark copper hair. Even in the night, you wouldn¡¯t miss such an obvious sight, if you¡¯re looking for it. And all because you put a word in one gossiping ear.¡±


    ¡°Little songbirds, I¡¯m assuming?¡± Alyx noted.


    Mimi looked to Alyx, and then passed a glance by Caz, who was staring back intensely.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡±, Alyx said. ¡°You can trust him.¡±


    Mimi chuckled, ¡°And here I thought I had strong connections. You always surprise me, Alyx.¡± She exaggerated a stretch, yawning. Every little action, made to disarm tension. ¡°And yes, my little songbirds. You can never know too much.¡±


    Arlin came in with some desserts. ¡°Parfaits?¡±


    ¡°Yes please!¡± Mimi said, grabbing a napkin and snatching one daintily from the box Arlin held.


    ¡°Gimme¡±, Alyx said, taking one of the plates, and loading a boatload of parfaits on hers.


    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m not much of a desserts guy¡±, Caz said.


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    ¡°Do you like anything?¡±, Alyx chided. ¡°Anything at all?¡±


    ¡°I like moving conversations forward,¡± Caz retorted. Alyx sighed and Mimi only chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be all dear¡±, Mimi said, smiling at Arlin. He blushed as bowed before walking out the door. Mimi took a few bites before placing her parfait down gently on her plate. Graceful, even when eating.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Mimi continued, ¡°my spies have been keeping their ears open, but it seems that there were more than a dozen men who entered that warehouse before the brothers supposedly did. As of just a few hours ago however, only two people were noted to have left the building, although the little birdie I had there was a bit too far to see who it was. Still, we can assume. Either they¡¯re still in there, or something happened, and the brothers booked it. My bet¡¯s on the latter.¡±


    Mimi stood up and dusted herself off. ¡°Regardless, all the businesses in the area are closed now, and from the looks of it, patrols outside have been watching us. I can slip you past them and get you to the warehouse to find out what¡¯s really been going on.¡±


    ¡°I think there were at least two sets of patrols from what I¡¯ve seen before we entered. Six guards each. And a group of four stationed a bit further out. Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯re making a move yet¡±, Caz added. Alyx didn¡¯t notice any patrols. Hunters really are something else.


    ¡°So long as we¡¯re just here for the festival like they expect¡±, Mimi added, ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll do anything rash.¡± She stretched and placed her headphones on and handed the other two a set of headphones as well. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ve got a meet-and-greet with my fans at the arena. I¡¯ll get you that opening you wanted.¡±


    *******


    Calli¡¯s eyes opened, gazing at the white ceiling. Her body ached and her mind swam fuzzily. Where was she? Oh right, the Barbed Elite. That wasn¡¯t the worst beatdown she¡¯s received, but it¡¯s up there.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Calli¡±, a voice sounded.


    Calli¡¯s eyesight was somewhat blurry, but that voice, and that hazel-colored, pointed, bushy beard.


    ¡°Abe, did we win?¡± she asked. Abe looked exhausted, with more creases lining his eyes than usual. He was starting to feel the pangs of old age. Calli would¡¯ve wanted him to retire with his wife and kids. Hunter life isn¡¯t for someone like him, but Abe never backed down from the job.


    ¡°Yeah¡±, he said. ¡°The Elite died trying to kill us. Would¡¯ve seriously wounded Nyx if you didn¡¯t step up.¡±


    ¡°She would¡¯ve avoided it regardless. She¡¯s quick on her feet.¡±


    Abe¡¯s lips drew into a line. Perhaps that was true.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, okay?¡± he said. ¡°All that matters is that we¡¯re alive. The medic¡¯s going to take another look at you in a bit, but I think you¡¯ll be fine. A bit of stitching, and some Johrei patches to cover the hole where the injury is for the moment, but you should be able to get back on your feet in a few days.¡±


    Calli just stared up at the ceiling from her bed. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t cut out for this kind of lifestyle herself. She laughed in her head. What did Caz see in her anyways? It always seems that whenever the team goes out on high-profile missions, either Abe or Cyr have to save her from ruining everything. Still¡­


    Do you think you¡¯re not good enough? You shouldn¡¯t doubt yourself. I don¡¯t doubt you. So don¡¯t make a liar out of me.


    Caz had a funny way with words. He recruited her up like he did with most of the newcomers. Another urchin from the street who had nowhere else to go. When she first met him, she was just a teenager, a leader of a rag-tag group of misfits who swiped possessions from others and sold the objects or ate them, just to survive. Caz was surprised when she managed to steal one of his Johrei vials off of him. When he cornered her in the alley, she was scared half into heaven, until he reached out his arms and asked her to join his squad.


    She thought fondly of the memory and coughed trying to laugh, groaning from the pain of the injuries instead.


    ¡°How¡¯s the rookie?¡± she spoke, with some mild strain.


    Curse the clans, this hurt.


    ¡°He did good. Natural hunter, even if he doesn¡¯t see it. Nyx is taking the Elite parts to a shop with him to get some upgrades. I can¡¯t believe we took him out to the Fringe with just a chest plate. Either Caz or Nyx, whoever put him up to it, must¡¯ve been mad haha.¡± Abe regained some mirth and Calli smiled weakly.


    Calli strained, ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice if I could¡¯ve helped them out. There¡¯s no way they can take all the parts on their own, even with Nyx¡¯s enhanced strength.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Abe said, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°We got enough gear as it is. The kid¡¯s the only one who needs it if anything. Once he gets it, I think he¡¯ll be a force to be reckoned with.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s already improving faster than I did. He¡¯ll beat me in no time.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡±, Abe said, eyebrows creasing.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know. I¡¯m just being self-depreciating. I¡¯m happy for Aio.¡±


    Abe stared at Calli for a bit, and then nodded, standing up from the stool he was sitting on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check back later. Going to make a stop in the district for some additional vials. We¡¯ve got a big hunt coming and Caz needs us ready as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh joy¡±, Calli said, before closing her eyes again and dreaming about the good times.

 Chapter 6: The Opening You Need

    ¡°Ok, next¡±, the bouncer called out.


    Men and women lined up in neat rows, eager to get their merchandise signed by each of the Scarlet Wings band members. A couple in the back bounced up and down ecstatically while waving frantically at Cassy. Cassy waved gently and smiled back, before flipping the finger at the couple.


    ¡°Oh my gods, we love you CASSY!¡±, the girlfriend screamed, almost fainting from excitement.


    Cassy said in a low voice to the bandmates sitting next to them, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the manager passed out from drinking. Didn¡¯t she say she wanted to meet us?¡±


    ¡°Probably for the better today¡±, Mari replied, signing off on two tune-chip album covers. The chips themselves can hold thousands of songs, but most artists follow the traditional route of keeping things between nine to twelve tracks. Mari continued, ¡°We might have bigger concerns on our hands.¡±


    The line progressed, and each fan got their chance to shake hands and take photos with the three bandmates. Excitement notwithstanding, more than a few eyes darted incredulously towards the tall brooding figure standing beside Mimi.


    ¡°Woah. That¡¯s a cool costume. You a cosplayer? You look just like the Blackbird. Can I get a photo with you too?¡±, one of the fans said, after Mimi signed off on his T-shirt.


    Alyx could barely hold back her laughter. ¡°Yeah, Mr. Blackbird¡± she said, her lips quivering in barely-restrained merriment. ¡°You really nailed the look.¡±


    Caz glared at Alyx sharply, and then at Mimi, ¡°So where¡¯s this opening you so proudly boasted of, Ms. Rainsong?¡± The fan sensed the hostility in Caz¡¯s voice and took a step back.


    ¡°Sorry¡±, Mimi told the fan. ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse him. The big man¡¯s had a rough day and isn¡¯t taking any part in any photos. Instead, I¡¯ll throw in a free set of decals for being such a great and patient fan. I¡¯ve seen you at a few of my concerts and I love that you¡¯re always here for us. You¡¯re my idol too.¡± She pulled up peace sign, gave the fan a wink, and then blew him a kiss.


    The fan caught the kiss, fluttering on light feet, before the bouncer chimed in, ¡°Time¡¯s up. Next!¡± Dragging the content fan away, the next person in line pulled up.


    ¡°Disgusting,¡± Caz mumbled.


    Mimi shook her head but didn¡¯t look too offended. ¡°Don¡¯t worry big man. The meet-and-greet¡¯s almost done. I know your heart can¡¯t take such cuteness. Once it¡¯s over, get ready to follow me and Mari to the warehouse,¡± Mimi said quietly to Caz.


    Kids came along with their mother, each wearing specular jackets like Mari, while the mother wore a T-shirt with all the bandmates drawn on in a 2-D artstyle. Mari waved them over to her side of the table, talking ecstatically with the mother while the children laughed. Some of the kids high-fived Mari, who beamed a welcoming smile back at them, and at the parents.


    The bouncer announced, ¡°Five more minutes. Any fans left will have to come back next time. However, you can stop by the entrance where you¡¯ll find free merchandise as thanks for your visit today.¡±


    ¡°Cassandra, you¡¯re not coming?¡± Alyx asked, leaning against the wall, looking somewhat bored.


    ¡°Not today. I¡¯ve already had my hands full with someone earlier. Too tired. Plus, Reina needs me back at Necronova for a briefing by tomorrow morning. There¡¯s been movement within the Clan of Tributes. They say members of their Imperial Court there have been sending out their personal investigators into the other districts for reasons we¡¯re still trying to discern. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need me there. Four Division hunters should be enough to take on even the Trepidor brothers.¡±


    Caz mentioned, ¡°You sure you should be telling us all this? Seems pretty important.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡±, Cassy responded. ¡°You¡¯ve told us all about your personal bounty request details, and Mimi trusts you, so I trust you. And believe me when I say, you¡¯ll find no better judge of character than our leader here.¡±


    ¡°Aww stop it,¡± Mimi said, putting her hands on her cheeks and shaking like she was embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re such a tease.¡±


    Mari thanked the mother and the kids, who waved back before heading out.


    A good three dozen people were still waiting in line before Mimi got out a small microphone which generated a Johrei shimmer. Alyx raised an eyebrow. Mimi¡¯s voice amplified in the next moment.


    ¡°Time¡¯s up darlings. I¡¯m so sorry. We¡¯re done with the meet and greet for today!¡± She closed her eyes and turned her head, making fists with her hands and holding them up to her face like a cat does with a paw. ¡°For all of you who are left, don¡¯t worry. We have a follow-up indoor performance tomorrow, with sound-checks and a special announcement regarding our future projects. Come check us out then!¡± Mimi looked around, as if in thought, and then looked back at Caz, nodding her head ever so slightly.


    Caz uncrossed his arms, and straightened, ready for what¡¯s coming next.


    Mari whispered to Alyx, who looked a bit nervous, ¡°You sure you want to come along? No shame in backing out now. You¡¯re not really a fighter, no offense.¡±


    ¡°Normally I wouldn¡¯t come along for a hunt, but¡­this is a personal matter. I have to be the one to see it through¡±, Alyx said, eyes looking at nothing in particular.


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    Mari paused for a moment before nodding. ¡°Then try keep up, ok? Things are about to get spicy.¡±


    Mimi announced into the mic, ¡°Hey, I will personally lead you guys out. Each of you gets a free hug and heart-hands from me as a special service as you walk out. And I hope you stay a little bit to hear my words of appreciation for all the support you¡¯ve given me throughout our idol careers.¡±


    The crowd cheered, yelling Mimi and the other band member¡¯s names.


    As Mimi led the crowd outside, she pushed open the double-door entrance into the pavilion, where a large crowd of people walked about, looking through the festival attractions and talking amongst themselves. Some were sitting at benches eating food from one of the local food stands. Dozens dressed up in various colors representing each of the different bands. Men and women in neon decal, heavy make-up, and hairstyles of all varieties looked through the various booths for merchandise deals, and in the corner of Mimi¡¯s eyes, she spotted a group of guards, eyeing her casually.


    They acted as if nothing was going on, but Mimi knew better. As the crowd behind her gathered, she motioned them towards the grass in front of her, hugging and making heart-shaped signs with her hands for each of the guests passing by. Mari did the same, and Cassy only stared daggers at her fans as if they were utter trash before turning away and harrumphing, which, oddly enough, most of her fans squealed joyfully over. Caz couldn¡¯t comprehend it.


    ¡°You see all of them?¡±, she whispered to Caz.


    She couldn¡¯t tell if Caz was scanning around behind his Johrei shards, but he affirmed a moment later. ¡°Group of four is up there, on top of the high rise across the street from the pavilion.¡± Mimi a glint shining from where Caz pointed out.


    Mari noted, ¡°Not really taking any chances, are they?¡±


    Mimi pulled up her microphone again, and more Johrei shimmered in the light. The more Johrei one used for offense, the less you had for defense. All Johrei came from the same pool, unless kept independently in vials for weaponry and the like. Mimi knew this, but proceeded to expend more than usual. At that moment, her voice reached the entirety of the pavilion. Her vocals weren¡¯t loud on a decibel-scale, but the crowd could feel every word, as if she was standing next to each person, speaking directly to them. It was a soothing, almost melodic sound.


    ¡°Hello. Testing testing. Just stand there a moment while I figure this out. Ok. Can you all hear me?¡± Mimi asked, putting her other hand in a thumbs-up motion while looking around the crowd. They all raised a thumbs up in the air. Others in the distance started turning toward her, some looking confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a year since the Scarlet Wing¡¯s first debut in Necronova. During that time, we had our ups and downs. Well, mostly downs. Those first steps are always the hardest. Advertising in-person, performing at the local mall or on the street, we didn¡¯t have a lot of resources to move onto the next stage, but¡­¡± Mimi smiled. ¡°We did have our loyal fans ¨C a strong community of people who gave us hope, when we were at our lowest points in our careers. There were only a few in the beginning ¨C ¡±


    Mimi named a few names, and a couple members of the crowed cheered, while other nodded their heads. She smiled warmly.


    ¡° ¨C but before we knew it, we climbed up the charts. We ended up getting interviews with local podcast stations, sold out at our first convention concert, produced five albums under a major record label, created multiple hit singles, and now¡­we¡¯re finally here at Psyhi. It¡­.¡± She began tearing up. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have done it without you, our loyal fans, our friends, our staff. Thank you all. Thank you to those listening for the first time. Thank you to the other acts and Psyhi for such a wonderful and fun event! Thank you!¡± Her voice became hoarse as she began crying. Mari smiled in the background. Audience members began cheering their support, some professing their love, and even the onlookers clapped in the background.


    ¡°So, before we head out for the day, I¡¯d like to impart one last word to all of you. Stay here and enjoy the festivities. Live your lives to the fullest. Come see our show tomorrow, but stay here and support the other artists. We¡¯ll be here, so no need to worry about us. Just enjoy the shows and event for now. After all, there¡¯s still a lot of Psyhi music festival left to explore!¡±


    When she finished, everyone started walking around the pavilion, each with a beaming smile on their face. The guards watching them, began looking towards the booths, the other stages, and headed there to check out the merchandise. The four guards on top of the high rise disappeared from view.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone¡±, Caz said. He looked around. He wanted to chase after them, but something compelled him to stay and watch, ¡°What¡­did you do?¡±


    Mimi put a finger on her lips and leaned forward, ¡°A siren never reveals her secrets.¡±


    Mari chimed in, ¡°She gave us the opening we needed. Don¡¯t worry, the effects aren¡¯t as strong with Inners. As an Augmentor, it should only feel like subconscious influence to you. For the guards and civilians however¡­¡± She looked to the crowds of people circling around the venue. Each person¡¯s eyes were so focused, as if they wanted nothing else in the world except to have a good time at the festival.


    Mimi pouted. Mari gave her a wry grin, ¡°Don¡¯t be cute. You were going to tell them anyways. C¡¯mon, no one¡¯s looking at us now. We should head out.¡±


    Mimi sighed. ¡°Ok, follow me. Caz, you¡¯re not rocking an agility-set right?¡±


    ¡°Strength¡±, Caz replied.


    ¡°Hmm. Well, I only got one of those on me at the moment. Mari, you know where it is. Lead Caz there. And bring me my set.¡±


    Mari grabbed a nearby bag and swapped out her armor set. Pocket-space armed, she punched the air and pulled out a series of thin carapace armor pieces, including shoulder-blades, gauntlets, greaves, shoes, and a simple flat chest plate for the front. Handing them to Mimi, each fitted snugly, adjusting to Mimi¡¯s body and interlocked by Johrei shards as Mimi put them on. Her headphones, which Alyx just found out, were technically a modified Enthipid helm. With that, she had the full set, and a burst of adrenaline began surging through Mimi¡¯s body.


    She felt raring to go, hopping up and down to test the weight. Armor sets could be as heavy and sturdy as Caz¡¯s or as light as Mimi¡¯s, which also adds subtlety, as hunters don¡¯t often immediately recognize another hunter who is using light armor, the design of which looks almost part of the clothing. These types of armor were more oriented towards Johrei-shield protection and contained less of the Bastion metal underneath. Regardless, the lower weight made agility users even faster than they otherwise would have been, and faster than other types of armor set users.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this¡±, Mimi started.


    ¡°Hey, what are you- ¡± Alyx began, as Mimi princess-carried Alyx under her arms. ¡°We¡¯ll head there ahead of you Caz. Don¡¯t wait up okay?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright?¡± Caz mused.


    ¡°Aww. You worried big guy? Despite how cute I look, I am still a Shogun¡±, Mimi said. She winked at Caz before springing up to the top of the nearest building, jumping from one rooftop to the next. Caz just shook his head.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s this way¡±, Mari said, running down the road after Mimi. Caz took one quick look at the venue. All the guard patrols were still there, eating food and celebrating with the rest of the festivalgoers. None looked his way.


    ¡°A siren, huh?¡± he murmured to himself, before following Mari. As he contemplated, Caz finally realized why none of Mimi¡¯s patrons ever inquired about her status as a Division hunter.

 Chapter 7.1: Crafty Ones

    ¡°Not bad at all, Aio.¡±


    Cyriak Imeraza, brother to Nyxandria, and a long-time friend of Caz, parried multiple incoming chitin spikes with his bladed knuckledusters. Sparks flew as the redirected spikes pierced the dirt beneath Cyr¡¯s feet. A few spikes slipped through his defenses and hit him in the shoulder, damaging his Johrei shield. Another hit there and that part of the shield is done for, armor notwithstanding.


    Nyxandria called out to Aio and Cyr, ¡°Abe¡¯s almost here. Make this the last round. I think the Rookie¡¯s gotten enough practice with his new weapon.¡±


    Cyriak dodged another set of spikes before charging in at Aio. Aio pulled back on his bow and readied another volley. He issued a non-verbal command, and a crystalline Johrei arrow manifested at the nock. He fired the arrow and activated the weapon¡¯s core effect. As the arrow streamed through the air towards Cyr, he tried to sidestep, only to find the arrows redirected itself towards him.


    Ah, so he¡¯s figured it out.


    The arrow tip exploded mid-flight, releasing another hail of chitin spikes.


    Aio aimed specifically for his shoulder, where the shield was weakest. Cyr was too close to dodge all the spikes this time. In the moment however, Aio¡¯s eyes widened. Cyr took his knuckledusters, one in each hand, and issued a non-verbal command. The blades arched in front of him, and with it, a stream of Johrei shards manifested where each swipe glided through the air, creating a pattern of flowing lines in front of him, hanging in midair. The chitin spikes collided against the makeshift shield which Cyr just made, breaching the air with the sounds of shattering glass.


    Adrenaline filled Aio¡¯s veins. This fight took all his ingenuity and focus, and Cyr, despite being less active than the other members, felt more rehearsed in the art of battle than anyone he¡¯s sparred against so far, save for Caz and Nyx.


    Cyr closed in quickly on Aio and began to swing down, knuckled fist within inches of Aio¡¯s face. Aio began to panic but tried to keep his thoughts focused. Thinking quickly, Aio raised his hands up to block with his bow. Cyr stopped mid-air. Aio was stunned.


    A feint.


    Another second later, a boot kicked Aio square in the chest, causing him to fly backwards. The bastion metal held, but Cyr was stronger than he thought, and the blow knocked the wind out of him. While Aio was taking his time getting up, Cyr started charging in again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just focus on the weapon. Attacks can come from any direction, Aio¡±, Cyr said commandingly, whilst raising his hand for another blow.


    Like last time, Aio raised his bow, the center of it set in the path of Cyr¡¯s fist.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned from last tim- What the?¡± Cyr began, before jumping back from a bladed slash across where his chest had been. Cyr pivoted his foot at the last moment and leaped back, and Aio barely missed his mark.


    Cyr recouped himself and looked forward, dust skidding from his foot as he slid back from the dodge. In Aio¡¯s hand were two daggers, each curved in a convex design like a scimitar. At the ends of the pommel, Cyr noticed shimmering Johrei shards and began to chuckle.


    ¡°Kept your best hand for the end, huh?¡± he said readying a defensive stance.


    Aio then held both daggers up in opposite grips ¨C a battle-ready stance. As Cyr waited for Aio to approach, he noticed Aio smirking. Aio issued another non-verbal command. A string of Johrei extended from the pommel of the daggers and interlocked together, becoming the same bow Aio had just used earlier.


    A versatile weapon, Cyr thought. At this distance, Cyr didn¡¯t have a way to close-in. Looks like he¡¯ll have to get a little more serious this time around.


    Right as Aio was about to fire, a voice chimed in.


    ¡°Ok, that¡¯s enough for today¡±, Nyx announced, as Abe walked in through the training ground¡¯s doorway. ¡°Let¡¯s just call this one a draw for now.¡±


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    ¡°A draw?¡± Aio said excitedly, looking back at Cyr. Cyr smiled, nodding back to Aio. The pair had been testing out Aio¡¯s new armor set and weapon. It had been a set of daggers which could combine into a bow, and at the time Aio requested the weapon be made, the blacksmith Noren was genuinely surprised at its ingenuity. Cyr didn¡¯t know about the weapon¡¯s features when they fought, but he adapted masterfully, which caught Aio¡¯s breath. Additionally, they found out that the armor pieces made from the Barbed Enthipid enhanced Aio¡¯s perception after having him try out the gear the first time. Perception armor sets were amongst the rarer types, as Enthipids of that nature typically avoided confrontation with hunters, using their enhanced senses to avoid chance meetings.


    The Bastion metal that Aio brought to the blacksmith Soren only provided enough material to make chest plate and gauntlets, but Soren was able to find some Standard-Grade armor parts to fill in the rest of his armor, for a discounted price. Though the armor may be weaker in the joints and legs than it was on the torso or arms, the overall set effect granted by the armor pieces still improved Aio¡¯s perception to the same degree a full Elite-grade armor set would have. However, it was said that a full Elite-Grade set contained even more benefits, especially when the metal came from the same Enthipid corpse. Though the Johrei pool from which Aio could draw from in his hybrid armor set weren¡¯t as abundant as in a full set, he would have to make do for now.


    In the end, Aio¡¯s five senses were greatly enhanced. His vision especially, had sharpened to the point where distant objects seemed close and as clear as day to him. Whether it was luck or fate, Aio had become a marksman, and despite a shaky start, he seemed to be a good one.


    ¡°Your dagger play could use a little polishing,¡± Cyr noted. He patted Aio¡¯s back. ¡°Still, I think you¡¯ve got that grit in you. Whether you think so yourself, you¡¯re a real hunter now.¡± Cyr stated. Aio¡¯s heart fluttered. Cyr was one of the members who first introduced himself to Aio when he joined the Blackbirds. He made Aio feel comfortable being part of the team, even though Aio was incredibly nervous in the beginning. To hear him praise Aio was the kind of validation Aio didn¡¯t know he needed.


    ¡°That was passable, Rookie¡±, Nyx said. Her face broke into a hint of a smile. Cyr had always told Aio that despite how she acts, Nyx was a softie who actually cared about people a lot. Though she was still terrifying. That was also true.


    The training grounds where Aio and Cyr fought were specifically set aside for hunters and the local militia in Magrest. The district had numerous training grounds like these scattered around and the one they chose was located close to the infirmary where Calli was staying at. Cyr had dropped by to see Calli after hearing about the news of her injury, but after he finished his visit and rendezvoused with his sister, he noticed Aio¡¯s new gear and asked if he wanted to spar with him. Aio, more than exhilarated to train with one of the top fighters of a legendary Division agreed wholeheartedly and in the two dozen or so rounds they fought, Aio had won none of them.


    But now, he had his first ever draw against a Division hunter. Cyr was impressed at how quickly he adapted. No wonder Caz picked him up. This kid has potential.


    Abe walked into the grounds and spotted the group. He waved and they waved back. After pulling up beside Nix, he spoke in that deep rumbling voice of his, ¡°Calli will be fine, but she¡¯s going to need some time off. A few days at least.¡±


    It is what it is. Nix sighed. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to have to head out soon. One of Reina¡¯s songbirds promised to watch over her for us until we finish this hunt. We don¡¯t have to wait up for her. She knows where Calli is.¡±


    She pointed to the others. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re coming with me and Abe.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±, Aio asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was coming along?¡±


    ¡°That was before I realized who the target was. It¡¯s a personal request to hunt the leader of the Revenant¡¯s Forge¡±. Her tone grew harsh and she walked slowly to Aio, towering over him, even though she wasn¡¯t that much taller than him. ¡°Tell me Rookie. You really think you can take down a Daimyo, let alone a Shogun? This isn¡¯t training or school, kid. These are Division leaders, each potentially a threat level on par with Elite Enthipids. You couldn¡¯t even beat Cyr, so what makes you think you can take on the best?¡± This was the scary Nyx he was used to.


    Aio gritted his teeth. It was times like this that he didn¡¯t back down from Nyx. He had not taken part in a high-stakes bounty like this yet, and Caz said he needed all of them for this hunt. Grounding his feet, Aio retorted, ¡°You don¡¯t call the shots here. Caz does. When I joined, he promised I was free to do my own thing. That was the only way I was going to join your Blackbirds, famous or not. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve stayed behind at the orphanage. Even if you are the Daimyo here, I¡¯m not afraid of you. No more minor capture hunts. I¡¯m done with training. I¡¯m joining this hunt even if I have to go through you to do it.¡± Aio¡¯s face was one of sheer determination and he clutched his bow tightly, trying to quell his rising frustration.


    Nyx stared long and hard at him. She exuded a commanding aura, and even Cyr and Abe began feeling restless. Cyr was about to break in when Nyx started, ¡°You¡®ve got half a spine at least, Rookie. Fine. You can join. But this is the real deal, kid. You might die. And if you can¡¯t keep up, don¡¯t expect me or any of us to save you.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t cry when you¡¯re the one who needs me saving you.¡± Aio responded, sticking out his tongue. Nyx grinned. Cyr felt a sense of relief. His sister was a big softie after all.

 Chapter 7.2: Crafty Ones

    Mimi dropped Alyx off a few blocks away from the storage warehouse where the Trepidor brothers were allegedly sighted. A few passersby spotted Mimi traipsing through the district earlier at inordinate speeds, chalking up the strangeness of seeing the tall woman carrying a petite woman in her arm as just another day in the city.


    In situations like this, ¡°hunter business¡± typically became the convenient excuse for civilians to write off the novel happenstances which would have otherwise drawn their insatiable curiosity. In Necronova, however, hunter activity skirted the active policy set by the district which prevented the conducting of any hunts while within the district borders. These days, the average residents are smart enough to adhere to the city¡¯s guidelines and, appropriately, stay the hell away from ongoing hunter activity within their vicinity, lest they find themselves caught in the crossfire of the hunt. However, a few wary individuals decided they were going to report what they¡¯ve seen to the local Auditor¡¯s office.


    Mimi understood this, but paid it no heed. The pair would be in and out of their intended destination in no time. As Mimi began walking cautiously through the streets, Alyx trailed behind. Neon signs and lights covered the pavement beneath them in an ambient cyan glow. The two moons above them, hidden behind the dark amber clouds of dust which littered this wasteland planet, shone brightly overhead. Twin full moons in particular ¨C a rare day indeed. Focused on the task at hand, neither woman paid it heed.


    ¡°Keep your eyes sharp¡±, Mimi warned. It was close to midnight at this point, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any traffic or people in this part of the district, save for the occasional drone passing by which scanned the streets and walls of nearby buildings. From what it was focusing on, namely wall piping, home meters, asphalt integrity, and every streetlight it passed, this probably wasn¡¯t an Auditor¡¯s drone, but rather one of the local city maintenance drones documenting things for repair the next business day. Mimi breathed a sigh of relief, though she didn¡¯t relax her level of alertness.


    She spoke, ¡°From what Reina gathered, it doesn¡¯t seem like anybody had been seen leaving the building since the first sighting of people entering. I can only think of a one or two reasons why, and if my guesses are right, I suggest that you let me take the lead first.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the hunter. You know best,¡± Alyx said somewhat dryly, feigning nonchalance, though her increased heart rate conveyed otherwise.


    They crossed the street and approached the warehouse¡¯s front entrance. It was an older type of security door, outfitted with voice recognition scanner as well as a few scan locks for authorized ID chips. As expected, the door was locked from the inside. Though the measures were secure, older doors like this didn¡¯t have a silent alarm feature like the newer models do.


    ¡°Should we find another way around?¡± Alyx asked. Mimi just stared, and pulled off one of her two cyan bracelets, and placed it vertically against the lock. A moment later, a Johrei blade pierced the metallic lock, and the door swung in ajar.


    Blades could be hidden in everything at this point, Alyx surmised.


    ¡°We could be seen¡±, Alyx whispered loudly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve kept my eyes open. The closest person is at least several blocks away from here now,¡± Mimi responded, walking in first. ¡°This isn¡¯t my first gig you know,¡± she said with a wink.


    As the pair stepped into the building, a hallway with several unused rooms on the left appeared, as well as a large window several steps ahead which faced the interior of the storage grounds. Neon luminescence glowed through the windows as the pair approached and turned around to look through it. And that¡¯s when Mimi noticed it.


    It was chaos. Boxes and broken wood lined the warehouse floor, scattered about along with its various contents. Lying on a floor next to the boxes, Mimi could see blood traces strewn about the floor. Though difficult to notice, a few bodies could be seen up strung from the railings of the mezzanine above. Their bodies appear half-dissolved. Several limbs dangled from a few boxes above them.


    Hunter¡¯s Curtain, Mimi thought. This was shoddy cleanup work. The brothers must have been in a hurry, or maybe they were just here a moment ago. Either way, they needed to investigate further before the bodies completely dissolve.


    Mimi pulled out her other bracelet, holding one in each arm. Alyx saw the scene as well and was mortified at what she was witnessing. Though she felt like running, or puking, she steeled herself and focused on the path in front of her.


    ¡°I think you should stay back for now. This could be an ambush. Let me investigate first. I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s clear,¡± Mimi warned.


    Alyx looked like she was about to say something, but stopped herself, instead nodding slowly.


    ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± Alyx said.


    Mimi smiled, ¡°Always am. Once we get back and this is all over, let¡¯s get that bed head of yours fixed, okay? There¡¯s a level of professional decorum one expects when going in for the hunt.¡±


    Alyx returned the smile with a halfhearted one. Her face still bore an expression of worry, but Mimi only turned around and began moving forward.


    Mimi ran and rounded the corner of the hallway. A double-door, implemented with the same outdated security measures, barred entrance into the warehouse floor. Mimi gently broke open the doors. Cautious, she peered around the area and, when she saw nothing, she began to walk slowly towards the warehouse floor. A few paces in and the curious sound of broken glass suddenly touched her ear. She looked down but saw nothing.


    What was that?


    Mimi moved towards where the bodies were sprawled and found¡­nothing. Where were the bodies? She scanned around her. No sound, nothing.


    This smelled of a trap. She needed to regroup with Alyx and figure out what in the hell is going on. Just as she looked towards the window where Alyx was standing, she noticed the silhouette of a figure too tall to be her friend.


    In the next moment, the glass shattered outwards as bullets rained through the room towards her. She quickly jumped out of the way, expending some of her armor¡¯s Johrei reserves to accelerate the dodge. The metallic crates in front of her began chipping away under the pressure from the gunfire on the other side.


    What did this bastard do to Alyx?


    She pushed away her thoughts for now. She needed to find a better position. It was rare to see a hunter use actual bullets. The reason being was that most Standard-Grade hunter armor could withstand a volley of shots before the shielding gave way. This is why modern gun users typically imbue Johrei onto their individual bullets, making them more likely to pierce armor, or opt for heavier artillery like grenade launchers. However, this came with its own drawbacks.


    Johrei weaponry is typically made to operate as a reusable asset. Even without the vials to recharge a blade for example, a Johrei blade will naturally recharge over time, although at a slower rate, so long as the Bastion metal it was synced to was still intact. For this reason, most hunters keep a backup sword hilt on them. But guns are different. Because most of the bullets break upon impact, the Johrei imbued into them dissapear as well, making it a costly expenditure for hunters. Except for the rare occasions where guns operated as the perfect counter for targeting specific points of an Enthipid¡¯s body out in the Fringe, you almost never see hunters use guns anymore for a bounty hunt.


    That¡¯s what made this such an unexpected threat. A shower of bullets continued to chip away at her cover, and Mimi was forced to move to the next box. She could see the shimmering glow of Johrei from each bullet that whizzed by her. A stray bullet hit the shielding on her leg, causing it to shimmer and crack. The impact caused her leg to go numb for a second.


    ¡°Shit¡±, she said. There had to be a way to close in on him. She wished she brought in better defenses for this. She didn¡¯t have a lot of cover in this position to work with.


    Think, Mimi, Think.


    She looked at the stacked boxes above her and had an idea.


    The assailant reloaded, all while keeping watch. The target¡¯s cover was limited, the back entrance was blocked, and she could only make a run in two directions from where she was. Right as the assailant readied to chip away at what little cover she had left, he saw a something blue escaping out from behind the boxes to his right. He fired, pelting Mimi with a barrage of bullets. Only¡­


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    That wasn¡¯t her. A distraction? He didn¡¯t see her make a run in the other direction. Right as the riddled blouse dropped to the ground, he lugged his gun back to fire at Mimi¡¯s cover, believing her to still be hiding in the same spot. In that moment however, he noticed a silhouette leap from the top boxes, grabbing the railing of the mezzanine and dashing across the top floor towards the large stack of crates in the center of the room. She was fast.


    An agility user?, the assailant thought. She looked familiar. It couldn¡¯t be. He turned his gun to fire at her, but she leaped from box to box, each shot missing her by a hairsbreadth as she utilized the limited cover she had in between.


    Damn rat.


    She got closer with each jump. He needed a perfect moment where she was airborne. The only way out was through him, and she had to reach him eventually. Dodging to and fro wasn¡¯t going to cut it, and she would have to put herself out in the open eventually. He saw a glimpse of a dark object peeking out from the box to the left - a Bastion armor piece.


    ¡°I¡¯m not falling for that again!¡± he said, raising his gun above the boxes in anticipation as the dark object Mimi threw flew left out of the cover in an arch. It was then that the assailant realized something. Armor abilities could only be utilized when you have the full set. Having any part detached or broken off would cause you to lose access those abilities after a few seconds, unless you were an Augmentor. There was no way she could make that leap like she did earlier.


    She tricked me.


    Mimi jumped left out of cover and caught her pauldron mid-air, regaining her speed boost. As the assailant rounded his gun to fire at her again, bullets fracturing the surrounding area, Mimi threw the pauldron directly at him. He fired at it, but realized it was soaking up the bullets with its remaining Johrei, giving Mimi an opportunity to move. As he sidestepped to avoid the impact of the Bastion metal, he saw Mimi propped horizontally against one of the metal crates, and realized what she was about to do.


    He pulled the trigger before she jumped, but then realized he was out of bullets again. Mimi began to squat against the crates, utilizing the few precious seconds of speed she had left, keeping her knees primed. He quickly pulled out a magazine as Mimi jettisoned from the crate, and propelled in a straight line towards him ¨C one last burst attempt to close in. His magazine clicked back into place when she was a few feet from him and he raised his gun, firing off another hail of bullets. She was wide open.


    Mimi pulled up her bracelets, and extended two hidden blades from them, creating a cross. She reduced her body¡¯s vulnerable zones when she decided to make a direct beeline at him. It meant the bullets have a low chance of hitting her so long as the blades maintained to protect her face. However, the improvised Johrei shield barely lasted against the barrage and the blades shattered almost instantly. A few stray bullets began to push their way through towards her. Just as the assailant was assured of his victory and smiled inside, he reeled back at what happened next.


    Mimi knew the blades wouldn¡¯t protect her. In fact, she planned for it. She only needed enough defense from the blades to get her within range of him. Additionally, the blades shattered much too quickly, which is something the assailant seems not to have noticed. All of the Johrei which the assailant thought was being routed into her blade, was instead routed into her core¡¯s ability.


    As the assailant¡¯s eyes widened, Mimi screamed.


    A sonic screech emitted from her mouth, blasting a wave of destructive force that launched the assailant backwards, repulsing the bullets that had nearly reached her. The rest of the window shattered as the assailant slammed hard against the concrete wall behind him, glass pieces slicing against his face and arms. He reeled from the recoil as several of his bones snapped, and he coughed up copious amounts of blood, struggling to get up.


    Mimi landed on the ground outside the large window in front of him, protected from the fall damage by the pushback momentum of her siren¡¯s scream. She looked at him, and he looked back.


    ¡°A¡­Supplementor¡­I never [cough] knew, you had such a card¡­¡±


    Despite the victory, Mimi was far from ok. She staggered momentarily but tried to stabilize herself as she stepped closer to the assailant. A few stray bullets caught her on her left leg, and one on her right arm. She looked at him, eyes full of murder.


    ¡°Siegren Trepidor. I didn¡¯t take you for a fool, coming back to the scene of the crime.¡± Mimi growled in seething rage.


    Siegren slumped back against the wall, unable to stand. A large glass shard caught on his leg and he was spent. He chuckled wryly, ¡°The Valkyrie herself. I knew they¡¯d send someone, but I didn¡¯t think it would be you.¡±


    Siegren couldn¡¯t move. All he could do was process what he was seeing in front of him. Was this who Tor was referring to? Perhaps. But I shouldn¡¯t assume. I need to inform Brother of this though, Siegren coughed up blood again, straining to breathe.


    ¡°You better stay alive long enough. I have some questions for you before your date with the devil¡±, Mimi said, hopping briskly through the now-shattered window in front of him. Even with part of her armor set missing, she still had some agility to her.


    She¡¯s been diligent with her training it seems.


    ¡°You know how this goes Mimi¡±, Siegren lectured, tone amused. ¡°From one [cough] argh¡­ Division hunter to another, you know I would choose death over disclosure.¡±


    Siegren reached into his coat pocket, and before he pulled his hand out, Mimi caved in his chest with her boot, and his heart stopped. Siegren died on the spot. Whatever he was planning to do, he wasn¡¯t going to get the chance to do it.


    It was then that Mimi¡¯s eyes began to dim. She was losing a lot more blood than she expected. The puncture in her leg began to throb heavily.


    Have to find Alyx. Have to call¡­Reina¡­


    Mimi succumbed to her wounds as well.


    After an indefinite period, her eyes opened. She was lying on the ground, with Alyx knelt down at her side.


    ¡°Mimi! Thank goodness. What happened?!¡± Alyx was teary-eyed. Mimi smiled at her friend.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay Alyx¡±, she said, reaching up to squeeze Alyx¡¯s cheek. It was soft and squishy, comforting to Mimi. ¡°Siegren¡­he was here. I¡­¡± She was at the spot where the window was earlier. However, it was perfectly intact.


    Alyx was gasping between breaths, panicked for her friend. ¡°I was here waiting like you asked, but after you rounded the corner, I heard a thump and saw you collapsed at the entrance. I thought someone got you and tried to pull you back in. I don¡¯t really know how to fight, but I wasn¡¯t going to let them get you.¡± She hugged Mimi tightly.


    Mimi¡¯s eyes began to focus. ¡°Entrance? What do you mean? I was fighting Siegren. He removed the bodies somehow. He¡­¡±


    Alyx looked confused. Mimi thought about it for a moment before asking, ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°About ten minutes or so. Your heart rate slowed, and your eyes looked¡­blank. I thought - I thought¡­Well, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay now. Don¡¯t ever scare me like that again!¡± Alyx said.


    Mimi sat upright. Alyx tried to help her, but Mimi put up a hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m okay now¡±, Mimi said reassuringly. Her neck ached as she stood up and stretched her back. ¡°I think the Trepidor brothers set some kind of trap for us.¡±


    ¡°Trap?¡± Alyx wondered.


    ¡°Yeah. Alyx. Siegren knows I¡¯m a Supplementor now¡­I thought I killed him, but now, I¡¯m starting to suspect otherwise. I had a whole fight with him, right on the warehouse floor. He was here behind the window. I thought he had done something terrible to you.¡±


    ¡°I never saw anyone,¡± Alyx said.


    ¡°I know that now.¡± Mimi¡¯s head hurt and she was still feeling the effects of waking up from a stupor. ¡°Alyx, I think he¡¯s also a Supplementor. A perception-type most likely. Those who can manipulate perception are particularly dangerous. Taking in what you¡¯ve told me, I think an hour in that false place he trapped me in is no more than a moment here.¡± She paused, chiding herself for underestimating the enemy.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m still a foolish one,¡± Mimi stated, sighing audibly, eyes closed.


    ¡°What?¡± Alyx said, worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just disappointed. Siegren knows my powers now, and I only suspect his. That was a bad tradeoff. I¡¯m guessing the brothers knew they weren¡¯t going to be able to hide all these bodies in time and set a trap instead.¡± She remembered his words.


    I knew they¡¯d send someone, but I didn¡¯t think it would be you.


    ¡°Alyx, were you the only person who marked Cadmi originally?¡± she asked.


    ¡°From what I could tell. The hunter boards didn¡¯t register any active public bounties for him,¡± Alyx responded.


    ¡°And Reina didn¡¯t catch any private bounties either. What are the chances someone would put out a personal request?¡±


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Alyx started, but then thought about it for a second. ¡°Well, improbable. I can¡¯t really tell you why right now, but there are¡­reasons why no one would go after the brothers.


    ¡°Well, I guess no hunter worth two Mon would want to go after someone of their caliber. At least no logical hunter,¡± Mimi replied. Alyx didn¡¯t bother to correct her. This wasn¡¯t the real reason why clients lacked incentive to put out a hit on the brothers. Alyx just nodded in agreement without saying anything, knowing Mimi could tell if she lied.


    Mimi wanted to investigate into this matter further. Something bigger than just Alyx¡¯s personal grudge might be involved with the brothers. Their history, their recent rise to power, all of it reeked of duplicity.


    ¡°I-¡± Mimi started, as the doors burst open behind them. Mimi turned quickly, readying herself, although part of her was still recovering from the aftereffects of her unconscious state earlier. However, she felt relieved when she saw that it was just Caz and Mari.


    ¡°Woah, what reeks in here?¡± Mari said. As if those words triggered something, Mimi finally paid heed to the smell of the rotting corpses on the other side of the wall. Alyx, surprisingly, didn¡¯t seem to be fazed. It was an almost palpable, gut-wrenching scent.


    ¡°Bodies¡±, Caz said. He figured it out quick. ¡°I¡¯m surprised. Shoddy cleanup work. The brothers must have been in a hurry.¡± He had the same thought as Mimi originally.


    ¡°And we should be hurrying up too. Auditor drones are starting to pick up traction in this area due to reports of hunter activity from some local civilians. Let¡¯s not stay here longer than we need to,¡± Mari stated.


    Mimi agreed and helped catch Caz and Mari up on the events they had missed. Mari looked perplexed, and Caz, well, she couldn¡¯t tell what Caz was thinking behind his veil.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Mari said, after the recap. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you went through all that and couldn¡¯t even get to investigate the bodies in the end? The door¡¯s right there.¡± She pointed.


    ¡°Well, yes. But like, I was ¨C what are you trying to say, Mari?¡± Mimi scolded. She pouted again and Mari laughed. Caz interrupted them.


    ¡°Enough. We can discuss all this later. For now, we need to find out exactly what the hell happened here and what the brothers were trying so hard to hide.¡±

 Chapter 7.3: Crafty Ones

    Cadmi and Siegren Trepidor walked inside of a room bathed dimly in greenish tint. A cursory inspection of this room would have revealed the odd equipment scattered throughout. Beakers which were sealed off, containing granulated Johrei particles in liquified form, sat on tables set full of various lab devices; Bastion plates of different hardnesses were laid out in stacks against a bench, scanned individually by an overhead drone; Notes and blueprints sat in folders stacked up against a shelf nearby, with images of various Enthipids peaking out from the folio.


    The brothers had been using this place as a temporary outing to conduct research whenever they weren¡¯t busy handling business with the Revenant¡¯s Forge. Cadmi looked at the messy room, thinking about the convenience the Onyx Technicians afforded him, when he and his brother were last afforded access to their laboratories. Now they had to make do with what they had. Despite the title he gained, Cadmi had never truly been part of the Onyx Technicians, not like his brother, and the history surrounding it had always left a bitter taste in his mouth, which, Cadmi admitted, was one small part of why he defected with the Technicians.


    The other reason¡­the corruption and secrets this city hid for the past century¡­if not for the truths he learned out in the Fringe, would he have continued to live the way he did? Would he have remained a street urchin, sheltered under the care of his surrogate father Orbis? No. Orbis was the catalyst to all this. An Onyx technician, a former member of the Revenant¡¯s Balance - Orbis was also friend of their father, the former Shogun of the Revenant¡¯s balance. This knowledge had been kept secret by Orbis all the way up till his point of death. Had Orbis not told them the truths before he died, Cadmi would not have been where he is now.


    His brother never had to come along, but he knew Siegren wasn¡¯t the type to budge when it came to family, and Cadmi had no choice but to let the matter go. When he finally ventured out into the Fringe to die, Siegren joined him and carried Orbis¡¯ body with them, as per Orbis¡¯ last request. It was a journey of nightmares. Cadmi, at that time, didn¡¯t carry much will to live and only ventured out to honor the last wish of family before meeting his own end. What he came to witness in that long journey was, to this day, something he considered to be his greatest revelation, and his most regrettable memory. He and his brother became Onyx Technicians from then on ¨C his brother true, and Cadmi, a false one. Regardless, Cadmi¡¯s new ambitions drove him to live once more.


    After the events at the Fringe, the transition to the now-called Revenant¡¯s Forge was rocky, for lack of a better word. Their predecessor took over the position of Shogun from their late father. What their predecessor didn¡¯t realize was that the brothers had rightful title to the leadership. The discord that followed caused half of the original members to rebel internally, leading to a bloody war of succession that ended with the brothers¡¯ victory.


    And yet, the troubles persist. Because of their status as fugitives, they had no choice but to lay low. They were still leaders of the Revenant¡¯s Forge by right, but hunter society heavily scrutinized those who would cause disruption to the power balance set by the districts, especially when the usurpers had no pretext for doing so in the eyes of the public. It was one of the few domains where killing was frowned upon as most Shoguns and Daimyos pass on succession through apprenticeship. The previous Daimyo becomes the Shogun, and a veteran member of a Division is chosen to take up the role of Daimyo. This is how it had been and, save for the brothers¡¯ actions, this is how it was expected to continue.


    The brothers¡¯ makeshift laboratory was located deep in the heart of New Celebrant, a religious district which worshipped the Enthipids as deities. The building they were staying in, home to the Revenant¡¯s Balance at one point, was built alongside one of the many canals which ran beneath the district. The adjacent canal was connected directly to the base of a local Church of Voices, ran by the Clan of Voices, who were the main political force in this city. Though this district was considered a sanctuary city, the city itself had a very transparent reporting system which most locals could check through the hunter boards. It is in this system which granted the brothers a measure of security, as members of their Division are keeping a constant check on incoming migrants or hunters who may pose a threat to the brothers.


    There was, however, another problem they had to deal with, in the form of the other main Division registered with the Clan of Venerers in this district, but Cadmi put that out of his mind for now. They managed to sneak into this district, and Cadmi planned to keep their anonymity at all costs.


    ¡°You finished with the repairs?¡± Cadmi asked, not turning to look at his brother, who was tinkering with his broken drone.


    ¡°You know,¡± Siegren started, twisting a few screws with his screwdriver, ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that we should implement some extra security measures for these things. I mean, a few stray slashes took down its shield and its only real purpose is to act as portable pocket-spaces for equipment swapping.¡± After tightening the screw, he issued a non-verbal command and the screwdriver head he was using, which was comprised of Johrei, retracted back into the base of the screwdriver.


    ¡°It scans for anomalies and hidden presences as well, brother,¡± Cadmi replied calmly. ¡°You said yourself that these things can¡¯t be retrofitted with anything that any hunter worth their salt couldn¡¯t deal with. Guns are practically useless unless hunters are willing to invest in the extra cost-expenditure in Johrei bullets just to take down a support drone, and the drones don¡¯t have enough accuracy or predictive capabilities to deal with any hunter for more than a second or two.¡± He looked at one of the juvenile carapaces sitting on the table. It¡¯s Johrei shimmered as a nearby machine scanned the metal, marking the points of incision necessary to separate the Johrei from the shell.


    ¡°Although,¡± he mused, ¡°maybe there¡¯s a way around this issue. Do you remember the experiments where I embedded electrical charges into a Juvenile Enthipid¡¯s Johrei, and the results of that experiment?¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Siegren raised his head up to look at him, ¡°Yeah but I don¡¯t how blue shards ¨C¡±


    Siegren¡¯s vision suddenly began dimming as a collage of visions began playing through his mind, one after another. His heart rate slowed, and he strained to breathe or move. The white¡¯s of Siegren¡¯s eyes began to flood into his pupils as he began to lose consciousness. He tilted to the side, falling over slowly to the floor.


    ¡°That¡­bitch¡­,¡± he whispered, and collapsed to the ground.


    Cadmi heard a thump behind him and swung around, wide-eyed. Though his shock remained, he was able to collect himself slowly. His brother wasn¡¯t facing a life-threatening situation. He¡¯s seen this once before. Someone must have overcome his trap and killed him in that world. But Cadmi knew how to wake him up. He would have to, otherwise his brother would be stuck in this stupor for quite some time.


    Not more than a quarter of an hour later, Siegren woke up in a cold sweat, ¡°I¡¯ll kill her!¡±, he screamed. Electric shock still coursed through him, and the adrenaline clouded his normally level-headed nature.


    ¡°So,¡± Cadmi said, ¡°who was it?¡± His brother needed no explanation of the situation. Siegren looked up at the drone hovering above him. It crackled electricity from a mounted rifle point, attached to its bottom end. Johrei shimmered at the twin-pronged barrel, which glowed a bluish-hue, indicating it was Johrei shards of a juvenile.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you meant about the workaround,¡± Siegren said, studying the floating drone. He sat up casually, looking at his brother as if he wasn¡¯t just killed inside one of his quantum traps. Those who died in that world were rendered unconscious and paralyzed in real life, including himself. However, as the host of the ability, if he had won that exchange, he could¡¯ve kept the Shogun he fought paralyzed for as long as his Johrei reserves held out, even after she wakes up from her stupor.


    However, it was the armor set¡¯s secondary ability which Siegren wanted to utilize - the ability to sync his perception with the one he killed in the quantum trap. During the state of paralysis, he was able to see, hear, smell, and taste all that his captive perceived, and even feel the emotions that his captive felt, during their time of paralysis. Though it was broken once they break free from their paralyzed state, it proved to be quite useful for Siegren on more than one occasion. That¡¯s why Cadmi often left interrogations to him, except in certain circumstances. It was through this that he was able to break Tor and find out from him that someone from the Clan of Tributes hired Tor¡¯s group to go after them.


    ¡°It was Mimi Rainsong. I don¡¯t know why she was there, but it¡¯s clear somebody marked us. I don¡¯t see what connection she has with¡­the Technicians, but I think the Clan may have been involved.¡±


    ¡°Was it just her?¡± Cadmi asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Siegren responded. Though he couldn¡¯t be one-hundred percent certain, the type of trap Siegren laid out could be triggered by multiple people who walk into its vicinity. Though he would more than likely have lost the ensuing battle by doing so, in this case, it would have offered more insight into who his pursuers were.


    Cadmi looked thoughtful before Siegren started again. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it in a bit. I¡¯m still a little dizzy. Firstly, what¡¯s going on there?¡± Siegren said, pointing at the drone.


    ¡°A breakthrough, of sorts.¡± Cadmi lowered his voice, even though there was no need. It was strange to see him this excited, ¡°I had a theory about how we can store and release electricity through Juvenile Johrei shards. Remember that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you already explained that to me before. Also, you weren¡¯t worry that I might¡¯ve been injured by your little stunt?¡± Siegren asked.


    ¡°I kept the voltage relatively low. Plus, you¡¯re an Inner. It¡¯s not like anything as weak as a shock would do much to you.¡± Cadmi ignored Siegran¡¯s grating expression. He pressed forward with his conversation. ¡°Siegren, it¡¯s not just that Juvenile shards could store natural elements. It¡¯s more than that. It¡¯s a channeling conduit. It channels the effects of various qualities through it, which is why I had the drone push electrons through a conducting loop and run it through the Johrei. It¡¯s able to redirect stored energy as well as natural elements.¡±


    ¡°So? Are you saying we¡¯ll just outfit our drones with what? Portable long-distance tasers in future battles?¡± Siegren said. ¡°How do you expect us to¡­wait¡­a channeling conduit?¡±


    Cadmi smiled. His face seldom did so to Siegren it looked like a demon¡¯s smile. ¡°A channeling conduit. I¡¯ve seen it brother. Not just for elements, or energy, or effects, but¡­for Johrei as well.¡± Siegren¡¯s eyes grew wide.


    ¡°That ¨C that means that, ¡± Siegren started.


    ¡°What it means, is that Inners like us are about to turn hunter society on its head.¡± He put his arm out for Siegren, who grabbed on. Cadmi hoisted him up and put a hand on his brother¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°This might be enough to take down the Clan of Tributes¡±, Siegren stated.


    ¡°I intend it to be¡±, Cadmi replied. ¡°Now c¡¯mon, let¡¯s talk about what happened back there at the warehouse.¡±


    *******


    Cassandra walked through the streets of Necronova. She decided to try on a sky-blue A-line dress today. The coloration module which swapped out the colors for her in the changing booth of the clothing store she left cost her almost 400 Mon.


    What a rip off, she thought, but sighed to herself. She realized she needed to get rid of her purchase tendencies. It¡¯s not like the Valkyries were going to spot this as a business expense.


    As she rounded the corner, sun breaking through the noon clouds, she checked out the sign of one of the local bakeries. A second later her comms sounded in her ear. Her watch lit up, projecting Reina¡¯s name. That¡¯s odd. Reina hardly contacted her through an open channel, given the local Auditors¡¯ close watch over all active communication lines within a district.


    ¡°Morning boss,¡± Cassy said, issuing a non-verbal command into her ear, and picking up the call.


    ¡°You know I hate it when you call me that¡±, Reina replied on the line. Reina Igala wasn¡¯t usually the nervous type, but when news actually surprises her, which is rare, she tends to sound antsy.


    ¡°Everything good Reina?¡± Cassy said. ¡°You don¡¯t usually call through this line.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because as of yesterday, the ¡®machine became faulty beyond repair¡¯¡±, which Cassy knew, was one of Reina¡¯s many paranoid and cryptic ways of circumventing the actual statement of ¡°The Auditors managed to find another one of my private hunter lines and shut it down, so now I have no choice but to call you on a regulated channel¡±. Cassy laughed, despite herself.


    ¡°You little ¨C ugh ¨C anywho, I¡¯ve got Mimi here looking for you. I know you¡¯re planning on gorging yourself full of pastry, but our leader needs you, like now. This regards last night¡¯s uh, visit, to the business sector downtown in Ecreville. Band stuff, you know how it is. Anyways, I need to take my thirty right now, so I will catch you later! Toodles.¡±


    ¡°You nerd! So it¡¯s okay for you to eat while I have to ¨C ¡±, but Reina hung up on her. She looked longingly at the store¡¯s sign in front of her which said ¡°Bread and Breakfast¡±, and shedding a tear inside her heart, she turned around and began walking towards the Valkyrie HQ.

 Chapter 8.1: Rendevous

    Aio looked at his watch as he placed the new chip inside. Whenever a hunter completed a mission, data from the mission automatically updated into a local chip. Aio had inserted the chip earlier into one of the stations in Magrest which housed an active hunter board. The system documented the updates related to recent Fringe hunts, and Auditors review the details of the hunt on their end. After the mission details have been screened and assessed, the hunter boards update the chips with the proper rewards and details. Although the Magrest gate guards visually confirmed Aio and Nyx¡¯s kill earlier, and likely would have notified the Auditors by now, most hunters still follow this formalized process as added verification of their hunt, on the off chance that the Auditors failed to become notified.


    Currently, Aio rocked in his seat as the Sky-Train he was riding in pivoted towards the district border. This bulky military vehicle was mainly used for the deployment of troops en masse during large scale assaults in the Fringe, but Magrest has provided a few like the one he was riding in as a convenient way for civilians to travel between districts. These modified versions have been stripped bare of all weaponry and operate against established Johrei-powered rail lines, requiring constant maintenance around the clock from groups of specialized engineers stationed at each respective district.


    Aio felt a bit queasy. He had never been good about riding passenger in one of these things. Next to him, Abe, Nyx, and Cyr were talking amongst themselves about casual hunter matters, such as weaponry and the like. He looked at the other passengers, some of which were sleeping and some who were looking through daily news projected by their watch onto a floating holo-screen. Aio didn¡¯t understand why he was the only one to feel this queasy.


    A beeping sound in Aio¡¯s watch indicated that the updates have been processed, and a 20 [3].00 popped up in shimmering holographic text above his watch. Twenty-thousand Mon. Aio had never gotten so much money at once before. Even when he was helping at the orphanage back in the day, it would¡¯ve taken him more half year to get this much in payment.


    Abe smirked at his side, ¡°Well, looks like you got your first big payout. And an Elite to boot. Throw in half of that, and you¡¯ll be able to cover the equipment costs that Nyx had to spot for you.¡± Aio looked at Abe and quickly swung to Nyx with a pleading look in his eyes.


    Nyx chimed in, leaning back on her seat, face sleepily looking at the ground, ¡°Abe, don¡¯t tease the kid. Those upgrades were on me. Let him spend his earnings the way he wants.¡± Aio thought she looked contemplative about something, and maybe a little bit annoyed, but then again, she often looked annoyed at one thing or another.


    ¡°Never pined you for the charitable type, sister,¡± Cyr said beside her, giving her a light fist bump to her shoulder. She didn¡¯t look up.


    ¡°Never pined you for the ¡®don¡¯t know when to shut the fuck up type¡¯,¡± Nyx commented, still not looking up from the ground. Ok, she was angry about something, but then sighed. ¡°Sorry, brother. You didn¡¯t deserve that.¡± However, Cyr just laughed it off like it wasn¡¯t anything unusual to him. A good-hearted guy, he was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re so patient with me¡±, Nyx said, smirking to herself as well.


    Aio looked incredulously at the pair. Abe called out to him, ¡°So Aio, you¡¯ve looked over the mission briefing right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh yeah, I did¡±, Aio said.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Apparently, the personal request sent to Caz from this person named Alyx entailed the bounty for the head of a Division Shogun named Cadmi Trepidor. A lot of details had been omitted from the hunter board report for anonymity reasons, but currently the team was on its way to see Caz and the client in person at Necronova. Not much else was disclosed.


    ¡°I saw the report. Forgive me for bringing this up, but¡­I feel like I¡¯m a bit out of my element here¡± Aio said. It was true. Aio had come from basic training with Calli and Abe, reading up on hunter manuals and history books gathered from training centers held in other districts. And when he finally began his first expedition mission with the team, he gets thrust into a fight with an Elite Enthipid, a superior species of Enthipid which can take down multitudes of militiamen from the Lost Clans and Magrest soldiers on its own, to getting sent on a quest to take down not only a Division hunter, but a Shogun leader at that. Between the monster and a Shogun, Aio didn¡¯t know which one was worse.


    ¡°I just,¡± Aio started, ¡°I just don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had enough training to be out there with you guys. I almost died last time and I don¡¯t want to be the one to drag you guys down.¡±


    Abe reassured Aio, ¡°Hunting missions have been a little more active as of late, but even an Elite or hunting a Division leader isn¡¯t outside the realm of possibilities. Got to start somewhere. I mean, Caz had to fight in the war that saw the end of the only Supreme-grade Enthipid ever to break through our city when he was about your age.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Aio said incredulously.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s how he was moved up to Daimyo before. So Aio, things like this are always going to be tough, but it gets easier. With mentors like us, trust me kid ¨C you¡¯re going to get far.¡± He gave him a thumbs up. Although Aio had heard this type of spiel before, there was something different about it when it came from Abe. His optimisim was infectious.


    ¡°Plus, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re sending you to the front lines¡± Cyr mentioned. ¡°Me and Nyx here will be handling most of that with Caz. Abe¡¯s backing us up in the mid-range. You¡¯re mostly here to watch and keep recon. And you¡¯ve got a good position to start. You¡¯ll be our first ever sniper Aio.¡±


    ¡°But all I have is a bow¡±, Aio said.


    ¡°A bow, Nyx added, that¡¯s powered by Johrei. Trust me, your scope is good enough and so long as the Johrei charge in those arrows maintain, those arrows will travel for as long as they need to before they hit a target. Plus, the the weapon and ammo are linked. Just like Calli¡¯s glide-rifle, you can guide the trajectory or vary the speed of the arrow, as long as the Johrei charge maintains. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve felt it, even if you didn¡¯t realize it yet.¡±


    Aio did feel something unusual happen in his last training session with Cyriak. It felt like one of those arrows should¡¯ve missed but instead inched ever so slightly to the right when Cyriak moved to dodge. He swore he had misaimed at first. Now things made more sense.


    ¡°Using both would cause it to travel smaller distances and you would lose control over the arrow¡¯s trajectory. I recommend you train more later to find a good balance of speed and direction. It¡¯s what we all have to go through whenever we upgrade our gear.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t know you could do all that. I thought it was just the core¡¯s effect in the arrow that really made a difference.¡± Aio remarked.


    Abe turned his head toward Nyx, ¡°Never pegged you for a weapon¡¯s fanatic.¡±


    Color bloomed on Nyx¡¯s face in embarrassment and irritation. ¡°Is everyone here just to piss me off today?¡± She snarled, teeth bared. Everyone got a good laugh and even she fell into it eventually.


    Everybody had a good time before the Sky-Train finally announced the stop at Necronova¡¯s main station. The team stood and began to walk out the sliding doorway.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, rookie,¡± Nyx said. Her faced creased as she struggled to say her next words. ¡°Destination¡¯s a few blocks from here.¡± There was that annoyed facial expression again.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± Aio asked curiously. ¡°And are you okay?¡±


    Cyr scratched the back of his head, chiming in, ¡°Nyx¡¯s got a bit of history with the place we¡¯re heading to. We¡¯re rendezvousing with the boss at the Valkarie base. He¡¯s there with Mimi Rainsong as we speak, waiting for us.¡±


    Aio was stunned for a moment, and his words didn¡¯t reach his lips as he tried to process the words that were just uttered. This wasn¡¯t in the briefing. His mouth hung open.


    ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 8.2: Rendevous

    An older man thumbed the small ring in his hand, before placing it over the index finger of his left hand. A small black agate stone, glossy under the room lights, sat in the center of the ring.


    He eyed the stone with nostalgic sentimentality, noting the chalcedony bands which painted a curved design upon the surface of the stone. Had the bands changed its shape ¨C had only one minute difference existed ¨C it would have ceased to be what it was. Destiny versus choice, an unnoticeable duality embedded into the roots of all rational thinking. He cared only for the latter, ignoring the balance set for him by the universal precepts.


    It was in this, the small changes, that made the older man smile inside. No one could truly fathom the depths of change, but those with the opportunities to capture those changes, should be prepared to do so. All we can do is choose the path to walk on, and give ourselves the tools to move forward, even if the journey¡¯s end is inevitable. For the one who leaps for the stars, must first learn to walk.


    The room he sat in was lavish. Ornate figurines lined the shelves alongside the left wall, and on the right, manuscripts and volumes of philosophical, sociological, and anthropological works from the brightest minds of times long past gave the room an air of antiquated gravitas ¨C a dichotomy of indulgence in the material and the immaterial. A fresh, rustic scent filled the room, far different from the metallic fragrance which permeated the city, and even further still from the toxic virulence which pierced the atmosphere surrounding the Fringe wastelands. He favored the past. It was a time once relished, a time long conquered, but its significance remains nonetheless, a reminder of the price we paid for a semblance of peace.


    ¡°History is written by the victors,¡± he said to himself quietly, as he leaned back in his chair, contemplative. It has been a long time ¨C long enough that the origins of the quote were lost even to the great scholars of ancient history - and yet, the phrase persisted, evidence of its pertinence in a world driven by conflict, unmarred by the forge which shaped time and space, and led humanity to its current predicament. It was a necessary predicament to be sure, but not one without regrets. And though he could never truly know if the words remained the same as they were, he was sure that if he made that mistake, then every historian and wartime commander in his time did as well.


    A knock rapped at his door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he said, still leaning back on his chair.


    A young woman in her late twenties walked into the room, holding a box. A golden mask with butterfly wings covered her face, and the shine of her eyes poked through the slits, gauging the man in front of her. Glowing letters raced in front of her mask, scrolling through in a seemingly endless cycle. She had lengthy, raven silky hair, and wore a long and formal court dress, layered in colorful robes with intricate glowing designs of patterned bands. The dress dragged beneath and behind her, hiding her feet from view. Despite the difficulty of movement which the dress seemed to convey, the woman glided smoothly across the floor as she approached. Johrei webs circled around her, and she exuded an air of regality, clinging on to the vestiges of her life as a Vitadale noblewoman.


    ¡°Imperial Chancellor,¡± she said, bowing her head, ¡°Daijo-Daijin. I come to you with reports on the latest developments in the Ecreville district. Additionally, there is a matter of urgency I wish to ask your permission to undertake.¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Imperial Chancellor Timur cocked an eyebrow at her disapprovingly. ¡°Hunters¡± from the Clan of Tribute rarely fail to observe the hierarchy of command set under the rules of the Clan. They were of the lowest rung in the clan, mercenary lapdogs whose only job is to see the will of the Clan exacted. Even this woman, the infamous Phantasma of the Golden Order, on par with any Daimyo from one of those wretched hunter Divisions from the Clan of Venerers, has no ground to blatantly disregard the chain of authority set by him and his council. Had the Emperor not valued her skills in assassination and investigation, and had she not been bound into an oath of loyalty to the Clan¡¯s deepest secrets, he would have had her executed long ago.


    ¡°Should you not have brought this matter forth with the Imperial Court? You do understand that what you¡¯ve done is unacceptable. Should I wish it, you could be dragged away under suspicion of treason against the order of the council.¡±


    She remained silent, keeping her head bowed. In response to his statement, she held up the box and said, ¡°You sent me to investigate the massacre at the warehouse which happened in the Brusk section of Ecreville district.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I recall. What. Of. It?¡± Timur said, patience thinning to a line. These hunter investigations were par for the course for the Clan of Tributes, who needed opportunities presented through information to recapture public influence across the city. With Auditors in control over the hunter boards, the Clan had to resort to other methods of gathering intel over the current state of the city. What most hunters failed to understand, is that an image of order had just as much power over the populous as order itself, and the Clan of Tributes was exceptionally good at creating that image. Sure, opinions on the Clan¡¯s policies have always proved divisive amongst the locals, but no one ever questioned the ability of the Clan to enforce its policies once enacted.


    All the Clan needed was a foothold that will let them gain control over hunter dynamics, currently relegated to the Auditors by the combined authority of the other districts of Neo-Kamakura under the ¡°Second Agreement¡±, a series of contracts between the districts which are bound as law and enforced zealously under the watchful eyes of Neo-Kamakura¡¯s governing bodies and their respective hunters. This was only one of the many grating checks and balances under the Second Agreement which limited the once vastly encompassing authority that the Clan of Tributes held over the citizens. Contracts, in an unintended way, became the heart of this city¡¯s order. To break the contract, is to forfeit all rights, a rule respected by marking one for death by the Auditors, to the twisted thrill of all other hunters.


    The woman paid no heed to Timur¡¯s cold words, ¡°On my way there, I was intercepted by a man claiming to be be the benefactor of the people who had died in that warehouse. He gave me this and told me to keep it as it was, and that I must send it to you alone and no one else.¡±


    ¡°And you expect me to open a box given to me by any lunatic who walks brushes past you on the road woman? Leave now!¡± he shouted.


    The woman remained still. ¡°The man said that you would reject my explanation and told me to say, ¡®Irony isn¡¯t it, that the Clan of Tributes, who once sacrificed everything in tribute towards the future, rejects all that they once stood for. If you don¡¯t want to see your everlasting order descend into chaos, I suggest that you assist me with a simple hunt, and the marking of two particularly tenacious individuals.¡±


    Those words.


    Phantasma chimed in, ¡°I recommend thorough consideration be exercised towards this matter, Daijo-Daijin. After all, is it not your fear of the past - the lingering embers of humanity ¨C that drive you to send out investigators, such as I, throughout the city?¡±


    Timur was blinded by fury at the insolence of her words. But, there was a reason he was in the position that he was. If not for his restraint during crucial moments in his career, he would not have had such a celebrated rise in power amongst the Clan, and this was most certainly a crucial moment.


    ¡°Hand me that box woman,¡± he shouted. Phantasma bowed slowly again, gliding towards him in that uncanny way of hers, before placing the box before his table. Timur opened it to find¡­

 Chapter 8.3: Rendevous

    The meeting room, though large, was getting more packed. Holo-screens lined the corner tables as a woman flipped through screens monotonously.


    ¡°Why here?¡± Reina asked. Though her leader was endearing, Reina couldn¡¯t help but feel the word torture was appropriate in this circumstance. A loner like herself shouldn¡¯t have to endure so much social energy. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not like there weren¡¯t other rooms.¡±


    Mimi just clapped her hands in thanks and tilted her head in a practiced innocence, ¡°Rei, you should get out more, meet new people ¨C I¡¯ve brought ¨C¡±


    ¡°I know who you¡¯ve brought, stupid leader,¡± Reina responded. ¡°Anyone with half an ear out to the world knows who you¡¯ve brought. I¡¯m still on my break and you decided to barge in here with the most dangerous man in Lucens Mundi, and your little pixie friend there.¡± She pointed at Alyx.


    Casimir, leaning back onto the wall, looked at Alyx. ¡°So, you¡¯re just going to take that? Also, what are you doing?¡±


    Alyx looked up sleepily, ¡°I mean, she¡¯s not wrong. And I¡¯m whittling wood as you can see.¡±


    ¡°Whittling¡­what?¡± Caz replied, confused.


    ¡°What else is there to do? You didn¡¯t want the conversation to start without everyone here,¡± Alyx said. She continued to shave off the edges of a wooden figurine using her Johrei knife. Caz didn¡¯t say a word as he watched her knife edge peeling away at the wood. It started to resemble the shape of an ancient creature known as a raven, the namesake of the Blackbirds, though no one has seen one this generation. As long as Neo-Kamakura had existed for, ravens had been assumed extinct. The only birds which roamed around these days are those being kept in the special wildlife refuge in Vitadale. Reina looked at Alyx¡¯s carving with interest as well while biting down on her sandwich.


    Alyx added in, ¡°Just a note, Caz. I don¡¯t actually care much about these little hobbies I do, and if I could¡¯ve helped it, I wouldn¡¯t have put myself out there to try these things. In fact, I would¡¯ve tried avoiding dealing with Cadmi and his brother altogether. These things are all so burdensome.¡±


    ¡°You never seemed to enjoy the hunt like hunters would,¡± Caz agreed thoughtfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m a pacifist, you know, not that anyone really appreciates that concept anymore. These things that I do,¡± she said, gesturing with her knife hand, ¡°they don¡¯t match my goals, dreams, or who I see myself as at all. But¡­someone¡¯s got to take care of these matters. Matters that we hate to do; Matters that we gave up doing long ago. We¡¯re slowly losing our sense of purpose as a people and¡­there are things other than just the hunt you know? If only we opened our eyes a bit more.¡±


    Caz didn¡¯t move an inch, ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole!¡± Alyx ranted, clutching her wooden bird tightly. She exploded. ¡°Do you ever use your bird brain for anything? To think I used to think you were so cool, before I actually got to know the real you and realize just how much of a bum you are!¡± She tossed a cushion at him, which bounced off him. Caz shrugged while Mimi chuckled softly. Reina was still eyeing the little bird carving curiously.


    At that moment, a knock came at the door.


    Cassy came in, looking prim and fashionable as usual.


    ¡°Auntie Auburn, welcome back,¡± Reina exclaimed.


    Cassy drew her lips to a line. ¡°That¡¯s how we¡¯re doing it today? You look like you haven¡¯t seen the sun in weeks. Having fun haunting the Valkyrie base?¡±


    Reina pushed up her glasses, dressed in a sweater too big for her, with bed hair that made Alyx¡¯s look prim and proper, and sniffed with contempt at Cassy. Caz did notice from the side how pale Reina looked, like a ghost. Good thing no one could see him watching under his hat. He didn¡¯t want to speak up, recognizing the tension between the two.


    ¡°You know, I have the right to kick you out of my room,¡± Reina said.


    ¡°Good, I didn¡¯t want to see your gremlin face anyways. I had a perfectly good day today before you decided to call.¡±


    Mimi clapped her hands. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ve been patient with everyone¡¯s bickering for long enough. As your Shogun, I ask kindly that you stop arguing.¡±


    ¡°Yes boss,¡± both girls said submissively.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Cassy wondered. ¡°Where¡¯s Mari? Wasn¡¯t she with you guys?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s awaiting the arrival of Caz¡¯s team at the station. It¡¯s not easy finding our base here so she¡¯s leading them. They should be here shortly,¡± Mimi replied.


    As if on cue, another knock came by the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Mimi said.


    Abe poked his head in. ¡°Party started already huh?¡± He stroked his beard thoughtfully, before leaning against the nearest wall.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Mimi said. ¡°Your boss here was waiting for you to arrive. We¡¯ll get ¨C ,¡± she stopped, watching the next person walking in through the door.


    Nyxandria spared a quick glance at Mimi, expressionless, and walked over familiarly to the couch Caz was sitting on before seating herself next to him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve cleaned up the place, little songbird,¡± Nyx said.


    Mimi¡¯s face was pure ice, looking at Nyx as if she didn¡¯t have the time to indulge her, but her words were nothing but unresounding fury, ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say? After all you¡¯ve put us through? I- ¡±


    The door creaked as Aio stepped in, bow strapped over his shoulder.


    ¡°Um, hello,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Aio. Blackbird¡¯s newest member. Nice to meet you all.¡± He saw Cassy and Mimi, and kept his head down, moving towards the corner.


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve got a seat for you Aio,¡± Caz said, indicating the open spot on the couch. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger. Come here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ok,¡± Aio replied moving slowly towards Caz. He placed his bow against a wall and seated himself beside


    ¡°So you¡¯re the apprentice huh?¡± Mimi said, collecting herself. ¡°Caz mentioned you a few times. Says you¡¯re a fast learner.¡±


    ¡°Really?,¡± Aio said excitedly, looking up only to find himself staring into Mimi¡¯s green eyes.


    Wow. Her green eyes are captivating, he thought.


    ¡°You gonna keep staring kid?¡± Nyx added. Abe laughed. Aio jerked away, embarrassed. Mimi chuckled quietly. Mari walked in shortly after, greeted by everyone.


    ¡°Found the crew,¡± she said.


    Alyx chimed in once everyone settled in, ¡°Ok, now that we have everyone here, let¡¯s go over the mission details. Although I didn¡¯t expect the Valkyries to join us initially, it doesn¡¯t hurt to have a few friends deal with this hunt.¡±


    She laid down a map. ¡°So, we should all know by now, that I¡¯ve sent out a personal request to the Blackbirds through the hunter boards recently. The target of this hunt is Cadmi Trepidor. I can¡¯t give away too many details, but all you need to know is that Cadmi, and his brother who decided to include himself in this, were both members of the Onyx Technicians. For reasons we¡¯re still unsure of, Cadmi had decided to abandon the underground and began to set a name for himself in the surface. It began with the deaths of the leaders of the Revenant¡¯s Balance, and since then, he¡¯s been taking down various members of the Lost Clans and the Clan of Tributes, including some notable unmarked individuals.¡±


    Alyx looked quickly at everyone, who seemed attentive. Satisfied, she continued, ¡°His brother is now added to the list of targets. My expanded personal request was approved by the local auditor, an old friend of mines and the payout will be doubled from what was listed originally. Two-million Mon per head.¡±


    Abe whistled at the price, while Aio looked shock. That was even more than they received for killing the Barbed Enthipid, which provided them enough Mon to cover provisions in the base for weeks.


    Alyx continued, ¡°For reasons I can only guess at, the brothers have been flaunting hunter law set down since the founding of the city, and their active killing spree of various people, with no regard for the mandates set down by the Second Agreement of the city, is absolutely unacceptable. Onyx Technicians are not hunters. And we especially do not attract attention to the powers which govern the surface. If word was to get out that Cadmi was once one of us, we¡¯d¡­¡± She paused. ¡°- just know that we¡¯d have a lot of questions to answer for. But regardless of how we¡¯re viewed, we protect and serve the greater interests of the underground, whether in assistance of hunters, or through volunteer work.¡± She looked resigned, but smiled at the others in the room.


    ¡°I trust you all. Please, I¡¯m asking not only as the client, but as my friends. I thank you for assisting me with this, even though you all have your own busy schedules.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Caz said, patting her head. She looked ready to resist, but relaxed and let him. ¡°I¡¯d never let down my favorite tech junkie.¡± He pulled his hand away, watching the map carefully. It outlined seven surface districts which in its entirety made up the great city of Neo-Kamakura: Vitadale, Necronova, Tresgate, New Celebrant, Magrest, Ecreville, and Lucens Mundi. Six districts connected to another through a series of large bridges and all six had bridges which crossed through the seventh district of Lucens Mundi at its center, which was home to the Night Market below ground, and the base of the Clan of Tributes at its surface.


    Alyx pointed at the map, ¡°Now recently, Mimi and I have encountered resistance in the storage warehouse located here at the business sector of Ecreville. Mimi will go over what she saw there, but for me, my investigations of the corpses led to some interesting discoveries. First, I identified something interesting regarding the headless corpse in the center of the warehouse floor. DNA diagnostics pinned the man as Tor, a notable merchant of the Lost Clans who was infamous for his dealings with rare and unique products. However, he had gone into hiding after he had been marked for the marketing of the Twindust hallucinogen.¡±


    ¡°I heard about that,¡± Aio said. ¡°The drug was pulled off the market after its distribution caused a major collapse in the economy and mass addiction crisis. Local war and rebellion amongst members was just one of the many atrocities which happened across several districts as a result of that drug. After that, he was listed on the public boards as an Elite-grade priority target.¡±


    Aio thought what was being said, and he wondered if the quashed rebellion that happened to him during his childhood was one of the byproducts of the Twindust crisis. Without the rebellion there, he wouldn¡¯t have met Caz, and become the person who he was today. In some twisted way, I guess Tor gave him an opportunity in life that he never would have imagined had he still been volunteering with his former caretakers. He wondered how his old friends were doing now.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mari replied. ¡°However, he managed to escape both the Clan of Venerers and registered hunter groups from the Lost Clans. It¡¯s been years since we¡¯ve last heard of him. And now, he shows up only to die like this. This doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Alyx said,¡± There¡¯s more. One of Tor¡¯s mercenaries who died was found to be an Augmentor, though from which hunter group I couldn¡¯t find out. The fact that the information was hidden from me on the public hunter boards, means only one thing.¡±


    ¡°A hunter Division was involved. They¡¯re the only ones who could act on the receiving end of private hunts and personal requests, meaning any information about them would be hidden from the public,¡± Cassy mentioned. She looked bored, but eyed Nyxandria sitting at the corner every now and then. Nyx did not miss her gaze but chose to ignore it.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take some time,¡± Reina said, ¡°but I can probably try to break into the hunter¡¯s database. It¡¯s going to take a while. I can¡¯t allow myself to catch the attention of the Auditors again, so if security counteractions become dicey for me, I may need some field assistance at that time.¡±


    ¡°Just let us know when and I¡¯ll have someone assigned to assist you,¡± Mimi said.


    Nyx asked the group, ¡°Which groups were involved in the original hunt of Tor all those years ago?¡±


    Caz replied, ¡°If I recall, the Vipers, Paladins, and the Revenant¡¯s Balance were the Divisions who actively sought his head at the time. Some came close to cornering him, but he somehow fell of the radar, and no one has gotten close to him since.¡±


    ¡°Was that Revenant¡¯s Balance or whatever, related to the Revenant¡¯s Forge?¡± Aio wondered.


    ¡°Same group¡±, Caz said. ¡°Renamed after the Trepidor brothers took hold of the Division. Their base, like most Division bases, are kept hidden from even the Auditors to this day.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you have to provide that information when you register with the hunter database?¡± Aio asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be bad if they caught you? I recall the consequences of this could reach levels similar to executing bounties as an unlisted hunter. You would be marked and eventually killed.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mimi said, ¡°but we just report a different address than the one we actually reside in. Too much risk to let others know more than they should, even if that information is supposedly kept private by the Auditors upon registration. Have you checked the boards before Aio?¡±


    ¡°Recently, a few times just to see if any new bounties are up,¡± Aio responded.


    ¡°Did you ever check for Division hunters there? Have you noticed that even though the number of Divisions in a district is listed, the names and information about the Divisions and its members are redacted? Trust me, hunter boards are not as reliable as they should be on paper. Auditors do want to protect Divisions to some degree, because their notoriety paints a target on their back for other hunters to try to usurp them. In fact, the only time anything Division-related pops up on the boards are when a member¡¯s been marked. In the end, you¡¯d fare better finding leads elsewhere. Try word of mouth for instance. Surprisingly effective at offering new information for hunters.¡±


    Caz added, ¡°There¡¯s just not enough Auditors out there, so they can¡¯t check on everyone all the time. Day after day, new hunters are registering in the system and hundreds of quests and approvals have to be managed or screened by local Auditors. You¡¯re correct in theory, Aio, but no one has ever faced more than a slap on the wrist for stuff like this before. Privatizing information for Auditor¡¯s eyes only, makes the administration process easier for them. They¡¯d rather not deal with the clean-up process for making a Division¡¯s information public. It¡¯s just not worth the Auditor¡¯s time or resources.¡±


    Reina chimed in, half-awake, ¡°You¡¯re going to learn real soon kid, that even though the original Agreements are absolute in this city, you¡¯ve only truly broken the rules if you get caught. Hunters do have their own unspoken pacts, and this is one of them.¡± She finished her sandwich and turned her chair back to her screens.


    As long as you don¡¯t get caught huh? Aio thought. As he was thinking this, Mimi, Caz, and Reina glanced at each other, wondering when they suddenly decided to become teachers for this young boy.


    ¡°Is that why we can¡¯t approach the Revenant¡¯s Forge Division to find out more about their bosses?¡± Aio asked.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Alyx responded. ¡°No one¡¯s seen any of the members as of late. I think the brothers are keeping them close to the chest to avoid any questioning by outsiders.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s where I come in,¡± Mimi said, puffing up her chest. She pointed to the map. ¡°If there¡¯s any team that can find a hiding rat, it¡¯s the Valkyries. Now before I talk about our search, I wanted to let you all know what happened back at the warehouse.¡± Mimi relayed to the group the details of her time at the warehouse, the trap she activated, and the battle she had against Siegren, and his supposed death at her hands.


    ¡°It has to be a core ability. Likely perception-based,¡± Caz commented cooly.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Aio asked. Caz started but Abe chimed in first.


    ¡°It is what it sounds like. Johrei-related abilities don¡¯t come from thin air. You know how full Standard-grade armor sets and above grant us certain boosts in abilities right?¡±


    Aio nodded. ¡°Yeah, strength, agility, dexterity, perception, and a fifth one right?¡±


    Abe said, ¡°Not too shabby, Aio. You¡¯ve been keeping up. But there¡¯s actually more than five types, though they are so exceedingly rare, you¡¯ll likely never encounter them. A healing-focused armor set is carried by a Tresgate Daimyo, just to name one of those rarer types, and I¡¯m talking about much more potency than the on-the-fly bandaging we use with Johrei. Another example of a rare ability type is Calli¡¯s.¡±


    Aio thought for a moment. ¡°Pocket space?¡± he muttered to himself, but Abe heard it.


    ¡°Exactly. Abilities that allow you to draw power from a separate space, although we tend to call abilities related to it ¡®summon abilities¡¯ because the rare breed of Enthipids that utilize this space would often use it to summon hordes of smaller Enthipids.¡±


    ¡°Just like how Calli summons weapons¡±, Aio added.


    Abe nodded in agreement. ¡°This is the reason why we still haven¡¯t been able to kill the Phase Elite even after all these years. It would always teleport away through a separate space before anyone could deal a finishing blow on it. Usually, these upper echelon abilities only manifest when an Elite is reaching the transition stage of becoming a Supreme-Class Enthipid. That doesn¡¯t happen unless it had been keeping itself alive for along time, usually decades. Rare does a hunter ever let an Elite get that far in strength.¡±


    The thought that Elites could change their abilities depending on their growth was actually news to him. Is that just common knowledge? Does that mean the abilities in an armor set could actually be changed?


    As if Alyx read his mind, she interjected, ¡°Aio, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but no one has ever been able to replicate the natural changes of an Enthipid. We¡¯ve barely scratched the surface of understanding those creatures, let alone managed to figure out how to alter abilities within armor or cores.¡± Alyx did look contemplative though, but then shook her head before continuing.


    Once Abe saw Alyx wasn¡¯t going to continue, he stated, ¡°In summary, cores and armor abilities complement each other and derive from a similar idea of ¡®power¡¯ that the Enthipid had when it was still alive. This is why your armor set focused on sensory enhancement and your weapon¡¯s core abilities created chitin spikes. The Barbed Enthipid was likely a long-distance fighter who utilized its exceptional eyesight and sensory perception to kill hunters from afar. Cornering it in close range combat made it much easier to deal with.¡±


    ¡°And you think Siegren¡¯s ability comes from perception as well?¡± Aio said.


    Mimi replied this time, ¡°Yes. Perception can come in various types, including sensory enhancement, but I think the type of perception Siegren had, focused on dulling and manipulating one¡¯s mental perception. Like a hallucinogen, but shared between the host and the target.¡± Explaining it like that seemed to have triggered a thought within Mimi. ¡°I¡¯m sure he was a Supplementor like me.¡±


    ¡°And what made you realize this?¡± Abe asked.


    ¡°If his weapon had held the Enthipid¡¯s core, it would not have caused the degree of perception manipulation I went through. I really felt like I was really there fighting him, and thinking back, I am certain I died from blood loss due to bullet wounds after I had killed him. Once Alyx woke me up and I relayed to me what had happened, I started suspecting his status as an Inner. Time moved differently in that world, the same way hours in a dream could feel like minutes in reality. The fact that I didn¡¯t die, likely means that the ability had no true physical effect outside of what our minds imparted on us during that experience. The most damning evidence that he wasn¡¯t an Augmentor, was that he had no Bastion armor at all. Only a light Johrei shield over a black coat. Though perhaps that was also part of an illusion meant to misdirect me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always another layer,¡± Cassy said. This was a common hunter maxim, meant to describe the mind games involved in the hunt. ¡°What if he could harm you in real life, but couldn¡¯t do it that time because he died in that world?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Mimi said, ¡°Although we don¡¯t have any way to prove it right now.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the game plan boss?¡± Cassy said. She seems notably more excited than earlier, a tone of anticipation touching her words.


    Mimi continued, ¡°We could use this to our advantage. For some reason, Siegren assumed I was sent by someone to kill him. Though true now, it wasn¡¯t the case when we fought. Disregarding the implication that there¡¯s someone else out there going after the brothers for now, it is likely that Siegren believes I was the only one there in the warehouse that night. He knows my ability, and he¡¯ll be ready for me and maybe even my team, but¡­¡± she looked to the others, ¡°he won¡¯t be ready for you guys¡±. She looked at Caz and his crew.


    ¡°Element of surprise,¡± Caz said. ¡°Though we still don¡¯t have enough information on Cadmi¡¯s abilities. If anything, we need to find a way to distract one while fighting the other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be a problem if its all of us against them. We just need to plan this out well.¡± Mari chimed in.


    ¡°Assuming they don¡¯t involve the rest of the Revenant¡¯s Forge¡±, Mimi said. ¡°More likely than not, they¡¯ve got their own ambush waiting for us. We need to paint a false impression of our numbers somehow, though that requires people strong enough to survive an ambush.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the bait for the others¡±, Caz said. ¡°I¡¯m a strength Augmentor, so I can tank hits most other people can¡¯t and survive. Plus, with the intel you gave me about Siegren¡¯s own physical capabilities, well¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mimi wondered, putting an index finger under her chin and tilting her head.


    ¡°He¡¯s saying Siegren didn¡¯t sound like much of a combatant since even you were able to take him,¡± Nyx spoke. Mimi was not pleased with that.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Mimi said sharply. The two glared at each other with iciness. ¡°I defeated him, and I can do it again. In fact, I¡¯ll be the bait. He only knows I¡¯m going after him right now.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon little songbird,¡± Nyx began. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten stronger, but you were never a fighter. If I didn¡¯t force you to spar regularly with me all those years ago, you¡¯d still be that stuck-up little girl obsessed with being a pop idol. That¡¯s not how this city operates girly.¡± She waved her hands nonchalantly, while Mimi¡¯s face reddened in embarrassment. ¡°That kind of mentality will get you killed. Shoguns can¡¯t be weak.¡±


    An idol? Aio thought curiously. He¡¯s only ever heard about them from the orphanage from one of his old friends. He¡¯s never seen one live until now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you! You ¨C ¡± Mimi¡¯s face flushed. She was so angry she pouted and tears began forming in her eyes, but she held them back. She told herself she would never let Nyx get under her skin again, but¡­


    ¡°Ok, no more fighting here¡±, Caz chimed in. ¡°Nyx, apologize. Mimi is our ally for this mission and I want us to be able to rely on each other without all this arguing, okay?¡±


    Nyx harumphed. Mimi said nothing, gathering herself and presenting herself as calmly as she had been earlier. ¡°Sorry,¡± Nyx murmured in a voice so low it was almost inaudible.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Mimi said, putting her hand to her ear as if to listen better.


    ¡°Listen here¡±, Nyx retorted, stading upright. ¡°I ¨C¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Caz interrupted, ¡°Just to inform you, Nyx wasn¡¯t speaking on my behalf earlier. I wasn¡¯t implying you were weak, Ms. Rainsong. You did well against one of the major threats to this city. What I was going to say, was that Siegren¡¯s weapon you described wasn¡¯t the one he used to kill Artemis during the insurrection.¡±


    Mimi said, ¡°The Revenants Balance incident you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±, Caz replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure any hunter worth their salt saw the footage of that event. He had used a completely different set of weaponry.¡±


    ¡°A shield and blade,¡± Mari realized. ¡°Like his brother. They were close-range fighters from what I¡¯ve seen of them, so why?¡±


    ¡°Number of reasons potentially¡±, Caz replied. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to confuse our sense of his fighting prowess, make us undermine him, or maybe he sets these traps and battles at a distance for the purposes of scoping out the enemy¡¯s abilities. Assuming his trap can¡¯t kill people directly, I would assume the best way to utilize it would be to gather information. It¡¯s harder to analyze when you¡¯re in the thick of it, especially in close-range combat. There¡¯s no time to think, and he probably knows this too.¡±


    ¡°Smarter than I pegged him for if that¡¯s the case,¡± Reina chimed in. ¡°But then again, he is cut from a similar cloth than Alyx.¡± Alyx only sighed at that, conflicted on whether or not to agree.


    ¡°Information huh?,¡± Mimi noted. ¡°Although, this kind of tactic can backfire. He may know some of my tricks, but I¡¯ve managed to figure more out about him as well. If we position ourselves well for the upcoming confrontation, dealing with him should be manageable.¡±


    ¡°Well, regardless of Siegren,¡± Nyx stepped in, ¡°we still have his brother to deal with. The records only show him as a capable combatant, but no one¡¯s ever seen more than a few recordings showing the tail-end of the battle against the Revenant¡¯s Balance all those years ago. To me, open combat against the brothers should be a last resort.¡± She looked at Mimi, who averted her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re hunters, not warriors. A clean, quick kill is always preferable to an announced conflict.¡±


    Caz looked thoughtful. ¡°You¡¯re right, but we still have the matter of finding them first. I propose we check for leads in groups. We¡¯ll check the likely locations where information of the brothers might be found.¡±


    Reina swiveled her seat around again, and stated, ¡°Excuse me. I think you can let me handle the searching. Just focus on refining your strategy against them.¡± The contrast between her unkempt look at her statements belies a sense of competence, but Mimi vouched for her, so there wasn¡¯t much else to say.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Igala. How do you propose to do that?¡± Caz asked with no hint of criticism. He was genuinely curious.


    Reina pushed up her glasses and rubbed her baggy eyes. She stifled a yawn as she responded, ¡°Why, by cornering them. You don¡¯t reach your hand into the rat¡¯s nest. You flush em out instead. Give me a few days to figure out how to access the secure lines in the hunter boards and I¡¯ll guarantee they¡¯ll have no place to run to.¡±


    Caz looked at Mimi, who smirked. Caz nodded.


    ¡°Okay then. Let¡¯s go over the plan in more detail then.¡±

 Intermission Chapter: Infiltration Warfare

    What is this?, Auditor Joen Malik thought, looking at the string of static which crossed its way through one of the holo-screens in front of him. He was sitting inside a cuboid office, adjacent to numerous other Auditors working tirelessly around the clock to manage and organize the flow of hunter information which passed to and fro from the local hunter boards. A small fern sat next to his desk, propped up on a small shelf ¨C it was a gift from an old friend in Vitadale and had brought in some nature to this otherwise dreary place.


    The static discrepancy he witnessed appeared to originate from a private channel, which he didn¡¯t have authorization to access. However, nothing said he couldn¡¯t trace its origin. It said ¡°Clan of Tributes, outgoing call, reception hall¡±.


    The areas around Joen¡¯s eyes, his arms, and legs, were ¡°tattooed¡± with a type of Johrei infused marking which heightened his sense of perception. His was the weakest form of an Augmentor, searing granulated Enthipid parts into his body ¨C rather than grafting - for the purpose of allowing him to rife through his routine paperwork and general hunter board obligations without error.


    He scratched his head looking at the screen, thinking about what this could mean. Whenever one of the hunter channel servers gets forcibly rebooted, shut down, or faces a power outage, static lines usually appeared on the Auditor¡¯s side, though such actions usually required troubleshooting reports to the Auditors themselves from backup channels. It was a rare that this type of event happened, and even rarer to see it unreported as the server farms in the city are one of the few places that aren¡¯t short of personnel or replacement parts. These types of issues were usually fleeting and resolved within minutes, and if not, the Auditors send specialized technicians to go and check the matter out. None of that happened here.


    He leaned back now, staring at the vaulted ceiling above. The ceiling¡¯s bluish glow permeated throughout the room, although the lighting was dim, which created a sense of melancholy tranquility. It was an intentional design since keeping the lights active while the Auditors were at work would only do more harm than good as their increased visual perception can¡¯t tolerate bright lighting conditions for long periods of time.


    What many hunters don¡¯t realize, and what the Auditors have been taking advantage of for the past few decades, was that perception-based armor not only honed one¡¯s senses, it also allowed one to process sensory-based information at a much more efficient pace than the average person could. This allowed the average Auditor to conduct administrative duties with a low margin of error. And though it provided no defensive or combat capabilities, as Augmented armors typically do, Joen¡¯s makeshift tattoo ¡°armor¡± application was a subtle nod to the ingenuity of the city council¡¯s researchers and technicians which not only minimizes the Voices of Madness, but also opens the door to new ways to imbue armor as Augmentors.


    Joen, a senior Auditor at one of the district-level Auditor stations at Lucens Mundi, was aware that the actual technology of this unique armor variant derived from one created by an Onyx Technician in the past, long deceased and erased from public memory, but no upper-management Auditor with any common sense mentions it because of the Onyx Technicians¡¯ affiliations with the criminal underground. Lower-level Auditors are unaware of the group as anything but a nuisance who exist only to squander city resources and it was his job to keep it that way. Not everyone is to be trusted with information, especially one as potentially damaging to the Auditors¡¯ reputation as this.


    Their jobs depended on changing with the times. These tattoos also allowed Auditors to manage resources. By using the parts of the same Enthipid and granulating it into particles, multiple Auditors could receive the perception-boost granted by the metal. However, the effect itself gets weaker as more and more people receive the perception-effect from the same set of Bastion metal, making it more impractical the larger the team gets. Some have tried wearing perception-armor sets from a different Enthipid on top of their Augmentor tattoo armor to counteract this, but the results produced were¡­well it was safe to say those risky individuals will never be functioning members of society again. Though compatibility issues never arose when it came to grafting, it was strange that it would do so in this niche circumstance.


    In spite of its drawbacks, having teams of Augmented Auditors has been a blessing when monitoring thousands of bounties, reports, hunter channels, and the like, especially with the shortage in manpower recently due to recent furloughs and the increase in hunter applications. Without his enhanced senses, who knows if he could have kept up with the daily demand. And it is precisely because of this perception-boost that he noticed this static discrepancy in one of the private hunter channels.


    Was this an error? Perhaps this was a troubleshooting issue after all. Maybe the Clan of Tributes didn¡¯t notice it? Why do I have to deal with these mundane matters?


    In times like this, were the Auditors allowed to bypass protocol and attempt to access the line that they themselves granted to the Clan after the Second Agreement? The city did give them the private channel as recompense for limiting the Clan¡¯s overall influence in the city through checks and balances and deferment to the unified district council¡¯s decision. Perhaps it was better to inform the Clan of Tributes instead.


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    As he racked his brains to think of the next course of action, another Auditor next door peered over his office wall.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you worked up Joen?¡±, a younger man, clean-shaven, asked. His tattoos were of a different design than Joen¡¯s, resembling a serpentine creature of some kind. Aesthetics were unnecessary for work, but this younger man, Pater, had been honest in his work and had, on more than one occasion, helped him out with technical issues like this.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been noticing a static discrepancy in the system recently on one of the Clan of Tributes¡¯ private lines. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s an issue with the server, or what? Can you come check this out for me?¡± Joen asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s unusual¡±, Pater said. ¡°You¡¯d think they¡¯d report this to you by now. Maybe no one¡¯s there at the moment.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m calling the reception hall. There can¡¯t be a lack of personnel there to not have noticed this,¡± Joen clarified.


    Pater walked around, coffee still in hand, and set down the cup at Joen¡¯s coaster before connecting his headset to the system to listen in. He thumbed one of the menu options on the holo-screen, and a red mark appeared, indicating the channel has been set into ¡°restricted mode¡±.


    ¡°I was taught in the manual that if the lines ever have any trouble, and no one is there to report about it, that we have temporary leave to block the lines and access it ourselves to confirm whether there are any audio artifacts that may be indication of a larger problem with the server farms. After all, these server farms are Johrei powered, so the presence of static discrepancies should be taken with much more seriousness and caution than older technology that still run with electricity.¡±


    ¡°You know better than most when it comes to these things¡±, Joen mentioned. ¡°I think I¡¯m getting a little too old to understand these updates in technology¡±.


    ¡°It¡¯s just part of my job description. Plus, my direct supervisor hasn¡¯t been giving me a lot of work to do recently, so I study up on things like this.¡± Joen nodded in approval.


    Pater began listening in carefully to the line, adjusting the virtual knob on the holo-screen to isolate the frequency. The graph in front of him began showing signs of activity, which Joen found odd. Didn¡¯t he just restrict access to the channel?


    ¡°No problems here¡±, Pater said, dryer tone than usual. ¡°The static discrepancy you¡¯re hearing is just a byproduct from one of the monthly troubleshooting tests handled by the city engineers. Nothing that concerns us at the moment.¡±


    Joen thought, They did that for the old server farms that were powered by electricity, but for Johrei lines like this, was that still a thing?


    However, Joen put it out of his mind. Pater knew better than he when it came to these matters, and he wrote up his troubleshooting report for the day, chalking this matter up as resolved.


    Maybe my age is catching up with me, but I find myself caring less and less about this job each day, Joen thought. After this, he was definitely going to visit the spa for some much-needed relaxation.


    *******


    ¡°Wow, that was impressive¡±, Caz said, looking at Reina¡¯s screen. ¡°Why the Clan of Tributes?¡±


    ¡°Well, I hate their guts¡±, Reina said. ¡°Plus, I need a guinea pig to redirect the attention of the Auditors should they ever get suspicious. This would¡¯ve normally been harder than it was, but luckily, I have Mimi here to help me.¡±


    Mimi looked somewhat exhausted.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Caz asked.


    Mimi put one finger up, asking him to wait, her other hand on her knee. She panted for a moment before standing up, stretching her back.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay now¡±, she said.


    ¡°Sonic influence, right?¡± Caz inquired. Mimi nodded. Maybe she was showed too many of her cards to the Blackbirds, but right now she just wanted some water.


    ¡°Yeah¡±, she said, still out of breath. ¡°That¡¯s one of the abilities my core gives me as a Supplementor. But usually, I don¡¯t get this tired unless an Inner was involved. It would appear there are Inners within the Auditor¡¯s circle and its much harder for me to impart influence over Inners than it is for normal non-enhanced individuals. But the plus side is that once I overcome that barrier, the influence itself is much stronger than it would be against Outers. Whoever was at the receiving end of my call should theoretically forget about this whole conversation once they snap out of their stupor.¡±


    ¡°I remember your subordinate saying that you couldn¡¯t affect Inners to that degree. That it would only feel like ¡®subconscious¡¯ influence¡± Caz said. ¡°Now I¡¯m hearing you¡¯re basically able to mind-control Inners.¡±


    ¡°Oops,¡± Mimi said, knocking her hand on her head. She tried to puppy-dog eye Caz, but unable to tell his expression behind his veil, she dropped the act. ¡°We didn¡¯t fully trust you guys then. I¡­ordered my subordinates to spread misinformation as a contingency to people I don¡¯t know too well, in order to prevent the leaking of Valkyrie secrets and to misguide any potential adversaries who may stumble across our intel. Don¡¯t take it too personally as I only worked with you initially because Alyx vouched for you but¡­we¡¯re friends now. Plus, I¡¯ve seen how you and the rest of your crew interact, and I¡¯ve concluded that the Blackbirds are good people, even if you are a bit disorganized.¡±


    Caz crossed his arms, as if unconvinced.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Mimi began, ¡°I ¨C wait. Why am I apologizing? I owe you nothing.¡± She pouted.


    Caz laughed. It was a hearty laugh, full of mirth. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you. I know that hunters keep things close to the chest. You never wondered why I never said anything about my own abilities?¡±


    Mimi started at him, surprised she never thought about that. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn¡¯t think of what to say. But she was glad he was being up front with her.


    ¡°Anyways, you¡¯ve been a great help Mimi. You too Reina,¡± Caz said, nodding towards Reina, who only raised her hand, eyes glued to her holo-screen.


    Mimi still hasn¡¯t fully recovered the wind from her sails from the call, and her sweat glistened under the room¡¯s lighting, but she put up two victory signs, smiling brightly. Caz chuckled.


    ¡°Alright then¡±, he said. ¡°Reina, now that Mimi¡¯s done with her part. You good if we head out?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she responded. ¡°I just needed the private channel. Now we should be able to contact each other without being overheard by third-parties. Good hunting out there, Blackbird.¡±


    Caz nodded, heading for the door. Mimi followed, walking briskly beside him with a hop in her steps. ¡°Keep in touch, Reina,¡± she said, winking. She looked at Caz. ¡°So, Caz, where do you want to go first?¡±

 Chapter 9: Homebound

    ¡°What were your friends like, back at the orphanage?¡± Cyr asked.


    Aio looked at Cyr in mild bemusement. Aio wasn¡¯t asked about his past too often. It was the kind of thing, Aio realized, that most hunters didn¡¯t pry into. Your life was your own, and hunters respected the sanctity and privacy of one¡¯s past. As long as it didn¡¯t affect the hunt, it wasn¡¯t any concern of theirs. It was both a way of keeping one¡¯s mind towards the hunt in a professional capacity, but also to prevent hunter squads from forming deeper connections with one another, as such closeness leads to its own set of problems upon the passing of fellow members.


    This notion of respected privacy wasn¡¯t all too uncommon in Neo-Kamakura, but Aio personally didn¡¯t think it turned out how society envisioned it. After all, members of the Blackbirds, and even the Valkyries from what he¡¯s seen, were pretty tight-knit. However, upon reflection, the closeness between the two Divisions feels more in-the-present, if anything.


    Aio responded, ¡°I was once raised in Madam Roberta¡¯s orphanage located in the underground. There were about 20 of us or so, a mix of boys and girls. I had a few caretakers whom I care for very much, and all of the children were friends of mine. It was located a little way off from the Night Market, east of it, in a small village known as the Forest Village.¡±


    ¡°Ironic name, that,¡± Cyr mentioned.


    ¡°Villages in the underground are all like that. We name based on things we no longer have, but still secretly wish for. I think it is a reminder of what we could have again, if we kept our eyes towards the future.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Cyr said. He was walking casually, hands behind his head. ¡°Have you kept in touch with any of your friends still since joining us?¡±


    ¡°I send them letters sometimes. My closest friend Arlan has taken up my spot leading the volunteering services after I left. Things are going well for the most part although¡­¡± he paused. ¡°Well, ever since the rebellions, and the general living conditions of the underground, a few of my friends have left, and some had even gone missing. No one talks about it, but it¡¯s not uncommon for those in the underground to turn up dead, for one reason or another.¡± Aio looked melancholy, eyes staring off into the distance in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Cyr said. ¡°I know how hard it is. I¡¯ve had my own share of losses. Me and my sister both.¡±


    Aio looked up at him. Cyr tried to keep his expression neutral, but his eyes betrayed a sense of longing.


    ¡°Well,¡± Cyr continued. ¡°Since we¡¯re in Lucens Mundi anyways, why not go to the underground and pay them a visit? From what I see, it¡¯s on the way. We¡¯ll make a stop at the Night Market, look for some information about the Trepidor brothers, and head east towards Forest Village. After that, we can go back around and find this ¡°Guardian¡¯s Village¡± that Alyx mentioned and see if we can¡¯t learn a little bit more about the Onyx Technicians. Three birds with one stone.¡±


    Aio beamed excitedly. ¡°Yeah! Wait, three what now?¡±


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Cyr said. ¡°Just an older man¡¯s lingo.¡±


    The pair reached a market square located out of the way in the city. Aio could see the Clan of Tributes¡¯ three golden towers looming in the distance towards the district center, each with a jagged design, like fingers clawing at the sky in an incongruent geometric pattern.


    The streets saw the hustle and bustle of dozens of shopkeepers and vendors. With every tent they passed, Aio could hear things like ¡°the freshest fruit this side of Neo-Kamakura, sourced directly from Vitadale. Only twenty-give Emperor Dollars for each pound!¡± or ¡°limited time offer for our latest in weaponry for new hunters looking to make their name known in the Fringe. We¡¯ve got polearms, halberds, cutlasses, scimitars, shields ¨C you name it! Discounts for affiliates of the Clan of Tributes upon proof of identification.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost as lively here as it is in the other market,¡± Aio said, keeping his voice low so as not to arouse suspicion. The Clan of Tributes regulated activity on the surface. Everybody knows that the Clan is aware of and trying to remove the Night Market underground, but due to its vast economic influence across the city, its vehement opposition to the Clan of Tributes, and it being the home to some of the most infamous hunters in the city, the Clan has had little to no footing in breaking through into the Market. Each Clan member¡¯s name is required by the 2nd Agreement to be publicly registered in the hunter board database, and the Night Market has actively enforced a no-access policy to any members registered with the Clan. Even if the initial screening fails, hunter patrols make rounds through the Night Market to make sure any known or recognized members who have snuck their way into the vicinity are outed on sight, or worse.


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    ¡°What makes the Clan of Tributes so influential?¡± Aio asked, a curiosity that no one ever seemed to talk about with him. Clan wars were only things you heard about in passing at the orphanage, and the only one he had any interaction with back then was the Lost Clans, which most don¡¯t even consider a Clan, but rather a mishmash collective of miscreants, outcasts, the excommunicated, etc. of functioning society.


    Cyr thought about it a moment, but only for a moment, before responding, ¡°I guess the easiest explanation is that the Clan is technically one of the founding entities of our city.¡±


    ¡°Really? What do you mean by technically?¡± Aio responded.


    ¡°I said technically because the Clan itself has no direct connection to humanity¡¯s founding, despite all the boasting they¡¯ve done over the years. Their tenuous ¡°connection¡± to the city¡¯s founding comes from their ties to the current head¡¯s great-grandfather, who was part of the original expedition team -Alyssa¡¯s expedition team- which converted a rag-tag village settlement to the monolith of a city we know as Neo-Kamakura today. By the time the Clan was made, Neo-Kamakura was already a well-established settlement. And this was way back, before Johrei was even a thing yet.¡±


    ¡°Expedition? How did anyone survive out here before Johrei was found?¡± Aio questioned. It was impossible for Aio to imagine. Humanity couldn¡¯t win against the Enthipids and wouldn¡¯t survive the harsh weather conditions of the Fringe if not for Johrei.


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. Our history prior to the founding had been lost for a long time now. Supposedly the last documents recording the matter are found deep in the Fringe, in the danger zone. No one has ever made it out of there alive. Or¡­at least that¡¯s what everyone says.¡±


    Aio thought upon that matter for a moment. He never cared much about history, but it wasn¡¯t as if he was curious about why Neo-Kamakura stood as the only place¡­where humans still thrived.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Cyr added. ¡°The Clan holds little sway over Division hunters, so you need not worry. They¡¯ve lost most of their governance power when the city council voted to split the responsibilities and governance of the Clan of Tributes amongst multiple bodies of power. I think they saw the budding oligarchy that was the Clan at that time and decided they had too much pull over the small tribe of people that survived the wastes back then.¡±


    ¡°Is that why we have the three major Clans?¡± Aio asked.


    Cyr placed his hand on his chin as they walked, thinking of an answer. Nearby kids were running past, playing with a small robotic rat designed to offer entertainment. The merchant tents began to thin as quaint mom-and-pop shops began cropping up around them, each sporting a themed look meant to draw in visitors from other districts.


    ¡°In a way,¡± Cyr began, ¡°though what the council established was not the Clans themselves, but rather the set of rules which allowed for the establishment of such bodies. The founding Agreements, which they called it, created the contract-focused society we live in today. There are contracts between hunters and clients, between the city and its populous, between business partners, and more. Anything signed and sealed is law, and we¡¯ve been doing it this way for as long as I can remember. The Second Agreement just happened to create a large-scale, representative-based discussion on what committees would oversee which parts of society, which, among other changes, effectively limited the broad jurisdiction of the Clan of Tributes. You should know most of those bodies by now.¡±


    ¡°The Clan of Venerers for Division hunters, the Clan of Tributes for¡­finances and mercantile trade I think, and the Clan of Voices for religion, immigration, and basic matters of work and living?¡± Aio said, counting off on each finger.


    ¡°Almost. You¡¯re missing the Lost Clans, which cover anything outside the jurisdiction of the other Clans, and occasionally works with the Clan of Venerers on military and martial operations. You see them a lot running about Magrest and Tresgate. Lastly, there¡¯s the Auditors, who operate independently as administrative heads of all things hunter-related, whether it involves Division hunters, the hunter job boards, hunter education, hunter communications, or regular hunter groups from the Lost Clans. Even the Clan of Tributes has to be careful. Though they can¡¯t technically have official ¡®hunters,¡¯ the Auditors can still go after them if their activities constitute a ¡®substantial involvement¡¯ in matters normally delegated to a hunter.¡±


    ¡°And that has happened before?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Cyr responded assuringly. ¡°And they got punished egregiously for it. You never break the Agreements, nor any contract. It¡¯s probably why we don¡¯t hear much about the Clan of Tributes anymore. They like to keep things covert these days.¡±


    ¡°What happens when a contract is broken?¡± Aio asked, though now he had a notion.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say you¡¯d be lucky if all you got was long-term imprisonment and leave it at that¡± Cyr said.


    That was a lot for Aio, but the city¡¯s had decades to work this system out. In a way, this revelation has helped clarify many of the things Aio was confused about before regarding the world around him. He had always felt so ignorant of things, especially during his youth, when all that mattered to him was whether or not the floors were clean or if he would pass Madam Roberta¡¯s weekly quizzes.


    ¡°A lot to keep track of, but I feel like I¡¯ve learned a lot. Thank you.¡± Aio said.


    ¡°No problem. We don¡¯t get to talk much so it was nice to get to chat a bit. Plus, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but we¡¯ve arrived at our destination.¡±

 Chapter 9.2: Homebound

    Aio was surprised and looked up at the ramshackle building in front of him. A sign hung up that said ¡°Starfront¡±.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Aio inquired.


    ¡°A saloon,¡± Cyr said, ¡°and one of the hidden entrances into the Night Market.¡±


    A shoddy metal door perched on rusted hinges marked the entrance to this building. The walls¡¯ rustic design felt anachronistic and quaint when compared against the modern buildings of which Aio was accustomed to, such as those sporting minimalistic and efficient designs built specifically for practical use and technological compatibility with a variety of over-the-counter quality-of-life holo-devices. This saloon¡¯s look couldn¡¯t have been how buildings looked back at the founding of the city, could it? Whatever the case was, Cyr decided to push past Aio and swung the double doors open.


    Patrons were loudly singing in one corner, as the bartender began shaking a tin full of ice and liquor, whipping the drink inside before straining a particularly delectable-looking drink with a greenish-hue over ice in a rocks glass. Too bad Aio was underaged. One of the caretakers back in the day then said there was nothing like some good booze to get you through life¡¯s troubles, and that he would take Aio out once he was of age. Aio wondered how he was doing, that old man Trimbotin. The man was never very good at being a caretaker, but he was funny.


    Cyr scanned the area before walking towards the bar. A lady carrying a serving tray had noticed them, pausing for a moment before scuttling towards them, drinks sloshing and food sliding on top of her food tray, holding on for dear life.


    ¡°Welcome guests. Drinks for you? And food for the kid?¡± she said, looking at Cyr and Aio. A charred meat of some unknown variety sat on top of the plate that she carried on the serving tray. It did look very delectable, but then again, Aio thought most food looked pretty good in general, at least compared to what he was used to back in the underground.


    ¡°No thanks Cyr said. We¡¯re not-,¡± he started.


    ¡°Then how about a guide? For your trip to the underground,¡± she said, smiling. She moved the tray forward, offering the food. ¡°Still, you can¡¯t go wrong with some free food.¡±


    Aio looked surprised, but Cyr just watched her carefully.


    ¡°Ah I see,¡± Cyr said. ¡°You¡¯re one of the Songbirds.¡± Aio wore his heart on his sleeve, so it was easy to tell the moment his face changed from surprised, to realization, to acceptance.


    He needs to work on that, Cyr thought.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Vera. And to whom do I owe the pleasure to?¡± she asked. The woman had puffy golden locks, a mole under her left eye and a comforting, though somewhat plump face. She sported a blue waitress¡¯ apron, fit with the standard mis en places¡¯ such as utensils, pens, napkins, and a portable register on her hip for finalizing customer transactions.


    Cyr gestured with his hands. ¡°I¡¯m Cyr. This is Aio. Ms. Vera, what, may I ask, did Reina want from you specifically?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shouldn¡¯t ya¡¯ll know better than I? I was simply told to help two young men with directions who fit your descriptions and that these two young men would provide me with more details when the time came.¡±


    Cyr thought over that. Reina was probably being cautious with her wording so as not to divulge too much through open communications. Aio bit into the food. It was indeed better than he thought. He looked optimistically at it, and then at Vera.


    ¡°So, are you here to help us get to the village?¡± Aio asked her. For some reason, Cyr gave him a stern look.


    ¡°Hm? Oh yes, whenever you¡¯re done with your meal of course, I¡¯d be happy to show you the way,¡± she responded. Aio nodded, gorging on the meal as quickly as he could.


    ¡°Well, Ms. Vera,¡± Cyr continued, ¡°Would you be alright if we made a stop somewhere along the way?¡±


    She looked at him, smile unchanging. ¡°Of course, deary. Take your sweet ol¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Come on Aio. Just take your food to go,¡± Cyr said.


    ¡°Mmr-mmh pokay¡± Aio mumbled, mouth full. Cyr shook his head in exasperation, walking towards the bartender.


    The bartender looked at Cyr, and then back at Aio, who was hastily packing up his remaining food in an empty box that khad handed him. Vera¡¯s eyes locked onto the bartender, who caught her nodding in affirmation. The bartender gave a slight nod in return.


    ¡°So, you want the good stuff in the back, right?¡± the bartender stated. He was polishing a wine glass, which was fairly spotless to begin with.


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you¡¯re wording it, then yes. I want the good stuff,¡± Cyr responded.


    ¡°And how will you be paying for access to it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°With Mon,¡± Cyr stated with no hesistation. ¡°I will be paying for it with Mon.¡±


    The bartender nodded, satisfied. ¡°Ok then, right this way. Vera! I need you here.¡±


    ¡°Coming,¡± she said.


    ¡°Just between you and me,¡± the bartender whispered to Cyr. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find a more reliable guide. She¡¯s been working extra hard as of late. Not sure what prompted the change, but her work ethic change has been night and day since last week. Almost like a new person haha. Something good must have happened.¡±


    Cyr just listened silently as the man walked around an opening in the corner of the bar. He motioned for Cyr to go around the back to get to him.


    A gossip type, Cyr thought.


    As the three people followed the bartender down a wooden walkway, the walls of the building around them began transitioning from wood into stone. The next thing Aio realized, they were walking through a cavern. Lanterns hung from every side, bathing the walls with the glow of muted orange, and the smell of sulfur permeated the air. It was a familiar scent, and one that evoked nostalgia in him.


    Aio, who was wearing his armor at the moment underneath his clothing decided to issue a non-verbal command. He subtly increased his perception for a brief moment, taking in the air of a world beneath the world for which he once called home. Although, in reality, he could be far from the village where his orphanage was located at, the atmosphere felt all the same.


    Most villages of the underground, save for those surrounding the Night Market, were pretty far and apart from each other. The caverns which travelled to and fro spanned across the entire underground, a network of cave systems like anthills which encompassed the radius of Neo-Kamakura, if not larger. Most were unsuitable for human habitation, and as such have only ever been used as alternative routes for travel, although environmental factors such as noxious chemical air, or the occasional encounter with one of the rarer types of subterranean cavern Enthipids, precludes most of the unprepared travelers from making the foray.


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    Entrances into the underground were few, allegedly, but Aio knew of the existence of hidden entrances, though not the one he just took. The two worlds of the surface and underground were, for the most part, the difference between the elite and the peasantry, the difference between those with power and those without, and both sides were fiercely determined to prevent interference by the other.


    After a series of twists and turns, the bartender finally stumbled upon an opening, beyond which revealed a colossal cavern. Rays of gold bathed the cavern from holes in the ceiling. In the distance, Aio could see vermillion lines dotting the landscape, lights from a district-sized series of building lined up across a somewhat elevated slope, illuminating the cave around them. Below, Aio saw rovers and carts of various sizes take loads of what appeared to be glowing cyan ores into the city. The sound of marchinery, drillbits, and pickaxing dotted his now-enhanced ears and the smell of sulfur grew almost unbearable. In that scent, Aio noticed¡­something different. A scent he had never processed before¡­an almost empty smell, if not for the lack of a better way of describing it.


    And just like that, it was gone. What was that? All that remained now was the sulfur pouring through his nostrils again, and the radiance of the Night Market¡¯s lights in the distance. Aio began to cough.


    He released his Johrei, and his senses dulled to normal levels once again. The bartender looked back at the trio, focusing on Vera, and then at Aio.


    ¡°You should always have your mask prepared for times like this kid,¡± he said. Aio pulled out a small mask that Caz lent to him, placing it over his mouth. He issued a non-verbal command and it locked onto his face, small Johrei shards covering the sides of his cheek. A filtered flow of air entered his mouth, free from the chemicals outside. He looked at Cyr, who had already placed a mask without his realizing. Surprisingly, Vera didn¡¯t seem to have one.


    ¡°Well, this is as far as I¡¯ll take ya,¡± the bartender continued, ¡°I still have the bar to tend. Vera, you know the way into the city, so you can lead the others. That there in the distance is the Night Market. If you two need any help, Vera can answer any questions. This isn¡¯t her first rodeo.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Aio said. The bartender grunted. Cyr remained silent but nodded. The bartender nodded back.


    As the bartender¡¯s figure receded into the darkness of the caverns, Vera began to take point. ¡°Be careful on your way down the slope,¡± she said. ¡°The fall has even been known to heavily injure those with Johrei protection. From here, it¡¯ll be an hour¡¯s travel before we reach the entrance to the city.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Cyr responded. If he recalled, an hour was actually pretty quick since no entrance from the surface led directly into the Night Market. This was an early precaution taken by the founders of this pseudo-district in order to avoid the scrying eyes of the city leadership, Auditors, or Clan of Tributes at the time. Though, it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise these days as everyone knew of its existence. People probably didn¡¯t think that it was worth trying to take down, given the scale of the district, its longevity, its security, and surprisingly, it¡¯s benefit to the economic stability of Neo-Kamakura. Goods not produced by the Clans could be created and afforded at cheaper prices in the Night Market. Hunters who die out in field have their weapons recycled back into the public domain, renewed, and sold again, thus contributing to the financial predictability that helps with the financial stability of the city. And the Onyx Technicians, clad in mystery provide state-of-the-art equipment for hunters of all backgrounds, given the right incentive was provided. In fact, their prowess in innovation was stated to be second only to the Clan of Tributes and their research department, though Aio knew the truth to be the reverse.


    Vera stepped up and began walking down a nearby slope, carved out by people to form a makeshift trail towards the city. ¡°C¡¯mon, better to head down there now while we still have light pouring in,¡± she said. Aio and Cyr followed suit. Nothing but the sound of the reverb of machinery and running water could be heard across the cavern, and for the most part, the walk to the city was mostly uneventful, if not exhausting.


    Cyr however, was still being cautious. Although rare, it isn¡¯t unheard of for Enthipids to crawl out of the woodworks and attack people in the underground, especially in the outskirts of districts and towns where humans did not preside in. Aio checked every now and then as well, as he was taught, but found nothing out of the ordinary.


    And that empty smell is gone still, he thought. Well, he was wearing a mask now. And maybe it was just his imagination earlier, though he was careful not to rely on the convenience of that thought. A hunter should never assume, lest he be killed in the line of fire.


    When the trio finally reached the city, a local guard patrol stopped them. They saw Vera however and, realizing she was acting as a guide again, let the trio into the Night Market. Like Lucens Mundi, the underground market bustled with activity, though there was definitely a more organic feel to it. Bargainers argued prices at every corner; men and women dressed up in mismatched armor of varying kinds lined the streets; kids in shaggy clothing stood behind booths, helping out adults with reorganizing shelves, purveying goods, or engaging in conversation with potential customers and the like.


    Despite its reputation as the largest black market in the underground, crime seldom occurred in the Night Market, and a sense unspoken camaraderie bound the locals to the predictable monotony that became the staple of the Market. No one dared to steal when they could buy, and no one dared to waste time, when they could be productive. Such is the hidden contract that the people of this city have come to expect, which is why disruptive outside factors such as the interference of the Clan of Tributes saw no welcome in the Market¡¯s borders.


    The trio ignored the local merchants attempting to draw them in, commenting on their armor and their ¡°looks¡± as hunters. Some attempted to entice Cyr and Aio to ¡°refurbish¡± their armor, looking worse-for-wear, allegedly, while others asked if either were interested in their local delicacies, which, to be honest, Aio kind of missed. Though most of the food came from Vitadale, the Night Market has been known to raise their own variety of nighttime plants which can¡¯t be found on the surface.


    ¡°So,¡± Cyr started, as they walked past a few apartment buildings ¨C residential living quarters which existed in blocks set between sections of markets and business offices. ¡°We haven¡¯t told you where we wanted to go yet. Where are you taking us?¡± he asked, somewhat curious, if not suspicious.


    ¡°Just let me know and I can take you there. For now, I¡¯m just meeting up with a local nearby to relay some updates about an unrelated matter. It won¡¯t take long,¡± she said.


    ¡°I see¡±, Cyr said. ¡°Aio, you can tell her. They¡¯ll be times like this when you¡¯ll have to take lead on an assignment.¡±


    Aio looked at Cyr, mouth open as if about to say something to him, but decided against it. He looked to Vera instead, ¡°It¡¯s the Little Miracles Home, run by Madam Roberta,¡± Aio said.


    Vera nodded her head. ¡°That one? That¡¯s actually quite the well-known orphanage. Talented kids of all walks of life came from that place. I knew a few myself, though they¡¯re not around anymore,¡± she said cooly. ¡°When was the last time you saw that place, young man?¡±


    ¡°About seven years ago I would say,¡± Aio responded. ¡°Before I was taken in by the Bl-¡± Cyr looked at him, face unreadable. Aio corrected himself. ¡°Before I was adopted by my current family.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, you don¡¯t have to be afraid. I could tell both of you are hunters just by looking at you, though Reina didn¡¯t give me much detail of whom. All hunters are welcome in the Night Market, as long as they follow the rules and don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± She smiled, but her eyes did not look at them assuringly at all. Her eyes seemed to be looking elsewhere.


    Casimir Lionnane was a renowned figure in the underground, but the Blackbirds, though registered with the Clan of Venerers, have little to no discerning information about the other members outside of Caz and Nyx. In the eyes of hunter society, Aio was practically a ghost. Even Cyriak didn¡¯t get much notice from other hunters, since he hardly makes public appearances, preferring to keep to the shadows whenever he conducts his hunts. This provided its own type of advantage ¨C the less people who know about their status as Division hunters, the better.


    After walking for a few more blocks, a large series of steps heading up a sloped road paved the path in front of them. At the top of the slope was a simple gate, held together by a traditional lock mechanism. Trees with a variety of darkened leaves, native to the cave system, lined the edges of the steps, conveying the impression of a location that cared for its presentation. These trees needed very little light to thrive, and glowed cyan during the late night, giving the steps an almost ethereal vibe. It was a familiar place to Aio, and one he had spent half his youth in.


    I¡¯m home, he thought, as Vera led the pair up the steps and towards the orphanage.

 Chapter 10: Golden Order

    Calliope began strapping on her gear. She touched her chest. A stinging sensation coursed through the scar left behind on her body. The pain was still there, but it was bearable.


    Boots, gauntlets, greaves ¨C everything looked good, she thought. She placed a couple of chips at the stand ¨C a tip for the hospital staff as thanks.


    All that was left was her chest plate. She looked to the stand next to her. Abe had gotten her chest plate repaired and placed it there for her. He had his own mission to handle, so he hadn¡¯t been able to stay long. Seemed like all the Blackbirds were busy right now.


    Including myself, she thought, pulling up the chest plate and equipping it on herself. She issued a non-verbal command, and the armor¡¯s set effect activated. A pocket of air began distorting as Calli reached upwards. She pulled out her glide-rifle.


    The pocket space itself was limited, holding about a small closet¡¯s worth of goods. She usually only carried the essentials for dealing with different variety of enemies which included weapons for anti-infantry, anti-Enthipid, medium-range, and close-quarters combat. This armor set ability precluded her from using abilities that the other team members had. She couldn¡¯t move quickly like agility users, nor did she have additional strength and durability like Caz did. But she did get to choose from many options, and though not as adaptable, the glide-rifle sufficed for traversing through the modernized landscape of Magrest, so long as her Johrei held.


    Cyr had left a message for her on her comms. They were to rendezvous at the Night Market by nightfall tomorrow by Alyx¡¯s base. She had more than enough time.


    She opened her window, letting the cool air waft in through the room. The curtains flapped as Calli breathed a long breath. It was about time. She couldn¡¯t bear being caged up any longer in this stuffy hospital setting. Birds were meant to fly.


    She aimed down the sights and targeted a rooftop a few blocks away. After years of using her gun, she intuitively understood the bullet drop distance of her weapon. Aiming slightly above the rooftop, she fired off a shot. A trail of Johrei shards followed the arc of the bullet in the air, solidifying midair in a gleaming, translucent line. They would only last about fifteen seconds or so, given the amount of Johrei that was in that bullet. The bullet connected with the top floor of the building and Calli pulled out a carabiner, attaching it to the Johrei line. She held on to the carabiner, issued a non-verbal command, and began gliding through the air towards the rooftop, speeding down her makeshift zipline, heading in the direction of Lucens Mundi.


    *******


    ¡°What if the Auditors or patrols find us?¡± Gargam said. He pulled on his beard, anxious about local district patrols. A pool of blood gathered in front of a woman in her mid-30s. The woman¡¯s eyes began to dim, and the only sensation remaining was the lingering pain of the stab wound in her chest. Another casualty in the alleys of Magrest.


    The older man, Antonitus, smoked from a small cylindrical object. He issued a non-verbal command, and the ¡°steamer¡± device, as the youth called it these days, burned the Twindust drug within. Antonitus was largely used to its effects at this point, and it took more than the average dosage to affect him.


    He responded to Gargam, ¡°It¡¯s not like we were going to let her follow us all the way to base. You heard Cadmi¡¯s order. We¡¯re not to let anyone know where any of our members are hiding, no matter what. Plus, I know this area. The guards are out for the moment and the drones don¡¯t patrol here during this time. Plus, we¡¯re in the blind spots of any local surveillance. We¡¯ll get someone to dump the body later.¡±


    ¡°Shame,¡± Gargam said. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem like a hunter at all.¡± He looked at the pool of blood beneath his feet, and at the woman, whose jacket held the embroidered symbol of a bird with three tail feathers.


    *******


    Mimi and Caz cruised down the streets of Necronova. They were waiting in the city before heading to the station, their Sky-Train ticket scheduled three hours from now.


    ¡°Abe,¡± Caz said through his comms, ¡°what¡¯s the sitrep on your search, over.¡±


    ¡°No luck yet boss. I had a tough time getting into Vitadale, but there wasn¡¯t a word on the street regarding any Revenant¡¯s Forge activities, or of the brothers. The nobles here have been less than forthcoming to visitors, to say the least. I think it¡¯s time I headed out for Tresgate next, over.¡±


    ¡°Copy,¡± Caz replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be at Necronova with Mimi until the Sky-Train arrives. Maybe there was something we missed from before. If I don¡¯t follow up in the next two hours or so, I want you to reach out to the others for a status update, over.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Roger,¡± Abe replied, and the comms cut.


    Caz sighed. There weren¡¯t many clues to go by, and most of the authorities had already patched up the cleanup work at the murder site at the warehouse. There were no tracks left behind by the brothers, which was par for the course for any Division hunters. However, this meant the Blackbirds were going in blind, trying to chase ghosts. Mimi did mention an interesting tidbit though about Tor, the merchant, however. Records from the hunter boards regarding the hunt for Tor during the Twindust indicated that when Tor was still active, he frequented certain districts more than others when conducting his services. This included Magrest, Tresgate, and Lucens Mundi. He could understand the latter, as that was where the Night Market was located, but the first two had piqued his interest. These were military-centered districts. Was he selling more than just drugs?


    Mimi hummed a song, walking alongside Caz without a care in the world. He wondered how she could be so carefree. Everyone was spread out over all the districts, trying to find some answers, and he felt his role in this was a little too¡­lax, given the circumstances.


    ¡°Cyriak, Aio. You there, over?¡± Caz asked over the comms. No response. They must be underground now, though he did tell Cyr to contact him periodically through a private line from one of the dedicated terminals down there.


    Calli said she was on the way to meet them, and Nyx said she was heading out to New Celebrant to check for any leads. Alyx was back at her base near the Night Market ¨C said she had more work to catch up on with the Onyx Technicians, and that she¡¯ll meet up with Caz tomorrow if she can. Maybe she can rendezvous with Cyriak and Aio down there. As for the Valkyries¡­


    ¡°How¡¯s your team coming along with the search?¡± Caz said. Mimi continued to hum for a while, a hop with each step. Onlookers eyed them as they passed through the streets of Necronova. This wasn¡¯t exactly a quiet city, and the pair were household names, for different reasons. Caz thought that they weren¡¯t exactly being subtle here, but Mimi had mentioned that taking advantage of large crowds was an underutilized form of subterfuge other hunters don¡¯t take enough advantage of. In large, public places like this, it is just as easy to hide, and just as unexpected to hunters, as sneaking around quietly in the middle of twilight. She was in her element when she was in the middle of crowds, and hardly anyone is stupid enough to attack them in broad daylight, where the Auditor¡¯s eyes are always watching.


    ¡°Cassy and Mari are looking through Ecreville right now and Reina has her songbirds across each district scouring every corner for any sign of the brothers,¡± Mimi said.


    ¡°And of the Revenant¡¯s Forge members,¡± Caz added.


    ¡°That goes without saying, Mr. Blackbird. I¡¯m not a Shogun for nothing, y¡¯know,¡± she said with playfulness. ¡°Hey. Loosen up a little. I trust my team to get answers soon. Just relax for now. I never see you enjoy the district life.¡±


    Caz grumbled. He was too old for the energy this district gave off. Everywhere he looked, vibrant advertisements lining buildings as tall as the sky, interrupted by youthful faces with fashionable clothing walking to and from stores marketing questionable goods such as action figures, avant-garde artwork, music-chips, and the like. Themed cafes fronted by hosts wearing costumes of exaggerated designs and colors jumped out at him and the atmosphere felt incessantly noisy, to say the least.


    No amount of space was wasted in this place, free from hunter activity. Johrei railways criss-crossed above him, carrying crowds of passengers above the banner-lined scenery of Necronova. Grand parks and museums concentrated en masse in the center of the district as distinctive hallmarks highlighting the dichotomy between the antiquated and novel, an intentional design choice that this district wanted to convey.


    Technological advancements, such as memory storage bank terminals cropped up every other block or so. Supposedly, a person could relive old memories with their friends, using a modified version of a perception-based Johrei technology. It reeked of something the Onyx Technicians would have made, but Mimi told him it had a local corporation from the Lost Clans named the Leaf¡¯s Wind which had brought this technology into the public sphere.


    He could hear passersby chatting, without a care in the world, gallivanting about their day to day without any understanding or fear of the dangers outside of the district.


    ¡°Hey, have you heard about the new teleportation technology they¡¯re testing out at the Leaf¡¯s Wind lab?¡± one person said.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten the signed trading card I wanted yet. You would think that after running through four box sets, I would have seen it by now,¡± another remarked.


    ¡°Dad, when are we going to ride the new ride at the mall?¡± a young girl protested.


    Caz¡¯s face was nothing but impatient at this point, though no one could see it. The onlookers continued to eye them, clearly aware of their presence here in this city. Mimi happily signed some autographs, but most steered clear of Casimir, afraid of the presence he exuded, though that didn¡¯t stop people from keeping a fixed distance from the pair. Have they never seen a hunter before? Are they threatening him? No, he knew why, but just didn¡¯t want to deal with it at the moment.


    Caz had a job to do, and a team that he needed to watch over, and he can¡¯t do that waltzing through movie theatres, bookstores, and collectibles shops, with a woman who was supposed to be one of the most efficient Division hunters in the business. All he saw was a young, carefree idol girl, who wanted to skip across the streets in ignorant bliss.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been exuding a negative aura these past few minutes,¡± Mimi said. She chuckled. ¡°C¡¯mon Caz, take a load off. There¡¯s this clothing store that opened up down a few blocks from here that I¡¯ve been dying to try out. Maybe you can find something to wear other than your exoskeleton. That¡¯s the same thing as walking around naked to most hunters, y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°My body is literally metal. I don¡¯t have anything to be embarrassed about. Shouldn¡¯t we be investigating?¡± Caz said.


    However, such complaints fell on deaf ears, as he found himself holding Mimi¡¯s bags in front of the dressing room at the local department store moments later.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± Mimi said, coming out the dressing room in a cozy, cream-colored tank top and denim jeans.


    Caz sighed loudly in his heart.

 Chapter 10.2: Golden Order

    An almost ethereal splendor bore down upon the antiquated manor. Series of lights gently caressed the windowsills and rooftops of the place Aio once called home, drowning the manor in a sea of warmth, the embodiment of anachronistic charm upon which Aio¡¯s memory fondly attributed. Chipped wooden walls outlined the surface of the building, and the entranceway bore the rusted wooden visage of a once ornate design of unknown origin. Patches of plants could be seen outside, growing under narrowed streams of light targeting a specific spot surrounded by perimeter of wooden fences. Aio was familiar these plants, which sprouted cavern-fruit under low-light conditions. They weren¡¯t hard to maintain, and the fruit had a an almost bitter quality to it, balanced out by subtle hints of minty tartness. He never much enjoyed it, but thinking about it caused nostalgia to swell within him.


    This image painted itself in Aio¡¯s mind, and part of him still couldn¡¯t believe it. He was home again.


    ¡°So this is the Little Miracle¡¯s manor huh?¡± Vera said. ¡°It¡¯s quite quaint.¡±


    Aio looked up at one of the second-floor windowsills, noticing a shadow.


    A little bit wouldn¡¯t hurt, he thought, issuing a non-verbal command. His eyes sharpened to the utmost and the definition of the silhouette cleared before him. A young kid, probably no older than eight, peered back at him with hazel-colored eyes. The kid hopped down from something, and disappeared.


    Aio grinned. He was that curious once. Seemed like the orphanage was still going strong. There were probably going to be a lot of new faces he didn¡¯t recognize.


    Suddenly, he noticed it again. An empty smell. He looked up, he looked around but saw nothing. And just like before, it was gone. Additionally, a small buzzing sound that wasn¡¯t there before could be heard, although that went away just as quickly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cyr asked. Aio looked surprised and stammered to get his words in.


    ¡°Oh um, it¡¯s just, I saw a kid up in the window,¡± he said. ¡°Looked like there¡¯s going to be a lot of new faces I don¡¯t recognize haha. I hope they still remember me.¡±


    Cyr patted Aio on his shoulder, ¡°Well, you remember them. I don¡¯t see why they wouldn¡¯t.¡± Aio looked over to Vera, who smiled, but for a brief moment, he swore she was looking through him. However, that impression disappeared in a second, and he wondered if he was just imagining things.


    The trio walked up to the front porch, and Aio placed his hand on the door knocker, swinging it against the door a few times. The sounds echoed slightly in the cavern. There was no response for a minute, but when Aio was about to knock again, he heard the sound of shuffling feet.


    The door creaked open and an older man peaked his head through. ¡°Who is it?¡± A familiar timbre reached Aio¡¯s ears, and though the voice sounded more raspy than he last remembered, he¡¯d never mistake who it was.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Mr. Trimbotin,¡± Aio said. The old man opened the door, hair white and scruffy. He had much more wrinkles than Aio remembered and squinted at Aio for only a moment, before his eyes widened and a big toothy grin plastered onto his cheeks.


    ¡°Why, if it isn¡¯t the little runt, Aio Semerand. You¡¯re finally back home. Took you long enough,¡± Trimbotin responded. He looked stern, arms crossed, but Aio knew it was his way of looking tough. Trimbotin was always a softy. Aio went in for a hug, and Trimbotin, who was much shorter than Aio now returned the hug, holding tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore,¡± Aio responded cheerfully.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you again,¡± Trimbotin said, eyes tearing up. ¡°You should let us know next time you decide to leave for years, instead of having the Blackbirds tell us.¡± He gestured towards Cyr and Vera. A verbal arrow pierced through Aio¡¯s heart. He realized he never told anybody, except his closest friend here, about his departure to a hunter Division. He looked to Cyr and Vera, and despite his smile, Cyr looked¡­deadly serious. As for Vera, the image of a serpent ran through his head.


    What¡¯s with this intimidating aura?


    ¡°Come in. Come in. Any friends of the runt here is a friend of mine,¡± Trimbotin said invitingly. ¡°Be careful with Madam Roberta however. She has an even nastier tongue than I, haha.¡±


    ¡°You do us such honor, Mr. Trimbotin. But me and Vera have some hunter business to discuss right now. We¡¯ll leave Aio in your hands for now. I¡¯ll come back to fetch him, or he can come find us later when he has time,¡± Cyr said. ¡°If there¡¯s food left over later, we¡¯ll be here for sure.¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± Mr. Trimbotin said. ¡°Busy lifestyle out there, ain¡¯t it? It¡¯s okay, I understand that hunters got things to take care of. Come on, Aio. Let¡¯s leave them to their business. I¡¯m sure Ilia and Reyland would be ecstatic to see you again, assuming Madam Roberta doesn¡¯t find and scold you first.¡±


    Aio looked confusingly at Cyr. Madam Roberta wouldn¡¯t turn away hunters. It wasn¡¯t as if orphans from here hasn¡¯t pursued the path of the hunter before. He looked into Cyr¡¯s eyes, who shook his head slightly, as if reading Aio¡¯s thoughts.


    Something was wrong¡­Aio thought. He didn¡¯t quite understand the languages that hunter speak. There¡¯s always another layer.


    Cyr didn¡¯t correct Trimbotin regarding Vera¡¯s status as a guide, and not a member of the Blackbirds. And what was it that Cyr said?


    While Aio pondered the matter, Trimbotin eased him into the manor. The hallway leading into the common room glowed with the warmth of the hearth, an ancient method of providing light and ambiance to a home. Aio took a look back at the entranceway, but the others were already gone. He looked forward again, and as he rounded the corner, he was met with a bunch of young and excited faces, as well as some older familiar faces.


    An older boy looked to Aio, speechless. But seconds later, he walked up to Aio, placing his hands on his shoulder. Riven, Aio¡¯s best friend during his time in the orphanage, looked the same as he remembered, just bigger. Brown, puffy hair, and wide eyes, wearing glasses of an older design, he exuded the air of adulthood now, though he could do without the khakis and plaid shirt. Still, Aio felt he hasn¡¯t changed much at all, because that was how he had always been, in Aio¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°They found out any way, huh?¡± Aio asked.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t me,¡± Riven responded. ¡°Mum¡¯s the word.¡± He placed a finger on his mouth, indicating that he kept quiet about Aio¡¯s departure.


    Riven continued, ¡°¡®Bout time you returned. You¡¯ve still got some chores left over.¡±


    Aio laughed and the two best friends hugged it out.

 Chapter 10.3: Golden Order

    ¡°So,¡± Vera said. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    Cyr looked at her, walking towards the Night Market. ¡°Do you know of the cemetery outside of the Night Market? The one with the statue of our founder?¡±


    ¡°There were multiple founders,¡± Vera responded.


    ¡°But only one who mattered,¡± Cyr shot back.


    She eyed him, and then sighed, ¡°Yeah, the one with Alyssa Kamakura. I know of the place. The Carrion Cemetery located east of the Market.¡±


    ¡°I need you to lead me there. There¡¯s something I need from one of the graves for our next hunt,¡± Cyr said. Silence followed, and her eyebrow shot up at his suggestion of grave-robbing, but Vera ultimately nodded.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re from around here,¡± she remarked.


    Cyr kept silent for a while before responding, ¡°A long time ago, I was.¡±


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she said, voice darkening, as she led Cyriak Imeraza outside of the Market. Almost an hour had passed, and more than a mile of trekking through merchant stands, mining facilities, and the district border guards, saw the pair arrive at an old monastery, located at the outskirts of the Market, a few miles out. It¡¯s pointed roof towered over the large statue of a woman dressed in an old coat. Wearing an embroidered headpiece marked with the symbol of a tripedal crow - a reference to lost mythology and a testament to the species that represent Neo-Kamakura, the statue of Alyssa Kamakura looked pristine, even after all these years, despite that creeping outgrowth which surrounded the dirt around her.


    Caz did mention the Blackbirds were tied to Alyssa. This was probably what he meant, Cyr thought. Cyr actually cared about history more than his friends realized. It is through history, that we learn not to repeat the events of our predecessors and allow us to forge a path towards the future. Though he seldom voiced his thoughts, he always wished life in the city was better, where violence and fear weren¡¯t considered part of the everyday.


    ¡°Ok, we¡¯re here,¡± Vera said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like anyone¡¯s visited here in ages.¡± She began patting shaking her arm as if dirt caught on it, though there didn¡¯t seem to be any. ¡°Just grab your gear so we can move out. You still haven¡¯t told me where we¡¯re supposed to be going after this.¡±


    Cyr did not respond. Instead, he walked up to a set of granite gravemarkers, three in total. Each bore a faded imprint of the names, ¡°Toriel Imeraza, Malakai Imeraza, and Zariah Imeraza¡±. They were his late parents and sister, respectively, and he watched in silence, reminiscing of his past. Most of the Blackbirds like himself, were born in the underground, as that was where the dregs of society had been relegated, when the surface could no longer tolerate and sustain them. His parents were poor, but hard-working individuals, who provided for the Imeraza trio back then ¨C now duo. He looked at the cavern flowers which grew around the grave. They glowed a soft-blue and such flowers could be found near sites of death like these. Zariah had always found them beautiful though, and so, she lay there with them, in symbiotic peace.


    Daily life had been particularly hectic even back then, back when the place now known as the Night Market was simply known as the Refuge. It was a community where those who have faced hardships in the surface could escape to - to start a new life - and members from all walks of life travelled here. This included the poor, the outcasted, the orphans, and¡­the marked. Though many villages existed outside the Night Market, none had the Refuge¡¯s prosperity, nor its ease of access to Lucens Mundi¡¯s resources above it. Those outskirt villages numbered in the dozens, though the presence of subterranean Enthipids and the harsh terrain made such journeys arduous unless you knew of the entrances above which lead down to those villages.


    And so, excluding the wandering villagers who ventured deeper into the caverns all those decades ago, the Refuge became the home for many people. Defenses were fortified to prevent invasions by Enthipids, runners brought materials in from the surface, sometimes in less than legal manners, and life prospered.


    At some point, the Clan of Tributes, working with local hunters of Lucens Mundi, orchestrated the events that led to one of the first great purges ¨C and later rebellion - of the underground, and fostered the longstanding hatred for the Clan of Tributes which persist to this day. It was there where - in the hunt for marked individuals hiding amongst the shacks which served as homes at that time - the Golden Order of the Clan of Tributes had one of their ¡°investigators¡± burn the district down to ashes, and Cyr¡¯s parents and sister died in the fires. Cyr would have died there too, but Nyx ¨C the overprotective sister that she was ¨C carried him out of his burning home on his back. She had passed out that day and would never know that members of the Clan of Tributes tried to kill them afterwards, tying up loose ends. She had not known that a young teen named Casimir at that time single handedly took down all but a few of the Clan members that day, and inspired Cyr to take up the mantle of the hunter.


    They were not happy memories, but he doesn¡¯t regret being the person that he is today. He always preferred to stay in the shadows, and though he always acted serenely amongst in his friends, deep-down, he had a deep-rooted hatred for those Clan of Tribute members who got away and had been searching for them ever since.


    He placed his hand on the grave markers and then planted one of the nearby flowers on top of his sister¡¯s grave, patting the dirt gently to lock it in place.


    Sorry sis, this is going to get ugly.


    ¡°Well?¡± Vera said, brushing her hair back behind Cyr, who was still crouched over his family¡¯s graves. ¡°Did you find what you were looking for yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cyr said. ¡°I found it,¡± and he spun around, blade in hand, aiming for Vera¡¯s throat. It clanged against a Johrei shield, guarding her bare neck.


    She had anticipated this? Cyr thought. No, she¡¯s just that cautious.


    ¡°Now, what did I do to deserve this kind of reaction? I¡¯m shocked,¡± Vera uttered.


    Cyr said, ¡°Your calm tone betrays your words. Who are you?¡±


    Vera chuckled, ¡°Won¡¯t even indulge me? Let me guess, you wanted me to lead me away from your teammate. Find a nice quiet spot to confront me, away from the innocent.¡± The imagery of her appearance faded, and a new one replaced it. She watched through the openings of a golden butterfly mask, metal glinting against the beams of light which poured through from holes in the cavern ceiling above. Neon letters which raced feverishly in front of her mask, and she locked eyes with Cyriak¡¯s, smiling devilishly. Cyr wondered briefly if what he saw was a holographic disguise earlier. Those were quite expensive to produce.


    Bands of light began glowing down her newly-formed formal court dress, as she readied herself for the fight.


    Cyr began, ¡°When we went through the mines saturated in sulfur, I noticed you never put a mask on. Even a Johrei mask leaves shard traces in the air. Yet I saw nothing on you and there were no signs that you were affected. You waltzed through the smoke and debris like you were breathing fresh, spring air.¡±


    The primary reason was Aio¡¯s unusual expressions during the trip that caught my notice. If not for that, I may not have focused on Vera as much as I did. He isn¡¯t the type to let his mind wander like that, Cyr thought. He would have to teach Aio proper subtlety of emotional display however, when he returned to base, but this time around, his lack of subtlety proved to be beneficial to Cyr.


    ¡°Perhaps, as an underground resident, it was just something I was used to,¡± Vera said, baiting the rebuttal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. I had lived here for most of my life, and even my body struggles to tolerate the putrid, rotting air of the Market environment, let alone the mines. You know what sealed it for me?¡± The bloodlust was emanating from Cyr, and the calmness that he once sported evaporated, replaced with an unadulterated coldness. ¡°You never corrected the old man at the orphanage that you weren¡¯t part of the Blackbirds. Did you take your time thinking over that? Do you take me for an imbecile? You knew we never mentioned it to you.¡± He pointed his Johrei-lined blade at her.


    The two began stepping lowly to the side, circling around each other in pace while navigating the tombstones and gravemarkers surrounding them. Soil crunched beneath their feets and the footing was uneven, but neither took their eyes off each other.


    ¡°Clever man, aren¡¯t you? Though reckless, I would say, for basing your suspicions on a mere hunch,¡± Vera said after a long pause, flashing rows of needles from beneath her long robes. She tossed them at Cyr, who swiped at the air. A stream of Johrei trailed from where his slash had been, acting as a shield which deflected the needles. A sizzle could be heard from the needle points as Johrei shards dissipated.


    ¡°I do admit,¡± Vera said, ¡°I do tend to underestimate my opponents, with good reason.¡±


    Acidic needles, held in place by Johrei against the needle¡¯s tip, Cyr thought. Underhanded tactics like this were common amongst the Clan of Tributes, and looking at her decorated mask, it clicked for Cyr.


    ¡°What is a member of the Golden Order doing down here in underground? How did you evade the border guards?¡± Cyr said. His tone was pure ice, the opposite of his sister¡¯s outward fury. Night Market security was no laughing matter. Even the Valkyries would find it difficult infiltrating the district uninvited.


    A brief flash of surprise crossed Vera¡¯s face, replaced immediately by the cool, unaffected expression of a cold-blooded killer. ¡°How indeed?¡± the woman said, pulling out a needle-like blade from within her bell sleeve. Protrusions twisted around the blade like roots, a spiral pattern of serrated edges, giving the blade an almost organic look to it.


    ¡°Perhaps for a Clan member, it would have been difficult. But for Vera, the kindly guide who assisted the Valkyries¡¯ allies with safe travels into the underground?¡± She chuckled.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me,¡± Cyr snapped back. ¡°You violated Clan law. A Clan of Tributes member can¡¯t act in capacity of a hunter. And even if you could, I am not a marked individual. Once the Auditors find out ¨C¡±


    ¡°They will find nothing,¡± she interrupted. She thrust her blade, Cyr sidestepped but continued to keep his peripheral locked on the blade. A brief thought invaded his mind. He found it odd that she carried a traditional blade like this, rather than the Johrei ones most opt for these days due to its ease of carry and concealment factor. She pulled back her arm, attempting a return slice. However, Cyr blocked the attack, and Johrei slid against Johrei, generating sparks of translucent shards.


    The pair jumped back simultaneously, out of reach of an immediate attack, and began circling one another slowly. Gauging each other, the pair looked for any openings in the other¡¯s defenses. Vera continued, ¡°Did you not say yourself that were hunting someone? There is a marked hunter involved after all, unless you mean to say you were lying to me, your dedicated guide?¡±


    Her mocking tone infuriated Cyr. She knew damn well she was skirting the truth. Cyr made the first move and dashed in, settling his sword at his side in a tall guard stance. He made a lunge at the masked woman. She pulled her sword up to defend.


    The blade arched towards her and in the last moment Cyr issued a non-verbal command, retracting the blade completely. It was a feint. The hilt of the blade arched passed her sword, and he issued another non-verbal command, extending the blade again. The extended blade would impale her in the chest right here.


    However, she glided back, as smoothly as water, and the blade failed to reach her. At this distance, there was no way she could have moved so fast, especially not in the dress she was wearing, which dragged behind her. She didn¡¯t look the fighter, but she understood and responded easily to what Cyr was doing, which confirmed one thing for Cyr¡­


    An agility type.


    As she dashed back, the woman brought up her bell sleeve, and swiped at the air. Her hand, hidden within her sleeve, tossed another set of needles at Cyr. He noticed the glints under the cavern lights, sidestepping at the last moment. The practice against Aio¡¯s chitin bow actually helped Cyr prepare for this scenario more than he realized. A projectile war was something he was vastly familiar with.


    Cyr retracted his blade back to its original size. There was a limit to how far any particular blade could reach, and doing so uses up a lot of its Johrei storage. He needed to be conservative. From what Cyr remembered, Clan of Tribute members had a deep-seated hatred for Inners, meaning that none of their members should, in theory, be utilizers of hidden armor abilities.


    He dodged another set needles, jumping out of the way. Dirt melted where the needles landed, and a sizzle could be heard.


    However, it¡¯s foolish for a hunter to assume. Curse the Clans for putting me in this situation. Aio needs to get out of here. She might not be the only Clan of Tributes member who¡¯s slipped through into the district, Cyr thought.


    A quick exchange of blows followed. She thrust her weapon at him, the needle point followed by serrated edges would tear through flesh if Cyr was careless. He parried thrust after thrust, and returned slash after slash, and even with the dexterity enhancement he received from his armor set, his moves were still an echo of his sister¡¯s techniques. It was good enough for now, as the sounds of metal clanging echoed throughout the cavern. A few attacks from each side broke through, and Cyr¡¯s Johrei shield shimmered, taking the brunt of a few pinpoint attacks.


    Her precise stabs dealt more damage to a smaller area of shielding, even if his own attacks covered a wider area. Given how their exchange went, he was sure she was targeting the same spots over and over again, and his shielding there would give way first.


    That¡¯s some absurd skill with the blade, he thought, a hint of begrudging respect blooming on his face.


    Perhaps he could get the border guards involved? How far was that? Too far. Even the noise of battle wouldn¡¯t reach them given how far out this monastery was. He lost his element of surprise ¨C a gamble he was willing to risk. He needed to kill her without alerting others, lest he face the wrath of the Auditors.


    Cyr was sweating. He needed to buy time somehow. Even assuming this Clan member was an Outer, that doesn¡¯t preclude her from equipping her weapon with an Elite¡¯s core, like Aio did, though the effects gained through that would always be a lesser version of those utilized by Inners. He looked to her thorny blade. Did he remember seeing a core there? He didn¡¯t remember, cursing in his mind again for his carelessness.


    He still had a few surprises up his sleeve, and it was time to use one now. He ran towards her, hands holding his blade aloft, ready to initiate an overhead slash. It was an obvious feint, just like his first attack. Vera, or whoever this woman was, took the bait, readying herself to step back, sword held up half-heartedly in defense. In that moment, Cyr threw the blade straight at her, using the dexterity boost of his armor to give him pinpoint accuracy in his throw. At this distance, it was too fast to be sidestepped, and she couldn¡¯t step back far or fast enough, even with her added agility.


    Vera had no choice but to block it, swiping her sword upwards to knock the Johrei blade out of his trajectory. This man must be crazy, she thought, giving up his weapon for such a small opening.


    As she began to get back into a fighting stance, her eyes widened. Cyr, was already next her, bearing down on her with knuckle dusters in each hand, ready to deliver a killing blow with a hard right hook. He aimed for her face, knowing her blade was still recoiling from deflecting the sword he threw.


    Vera tried to back up, but he issued a non-verbal command and the blades extended, arching and hitting her shield. The recoil knocked her back, breaking her Johrei shield as she threw another set of needles, aiming for the points of Cyr¡¯s shielding that were weakened from earlier. However, the arc of the knuckledusters left behind a stream of Johrei in midair, which acted as a makeshift shield. This trail of Johrei absorbed the damage from the needles and dissipated a second later. It echoed how he blocked Aio¡¯s attack during training.


    Vera looked surprised and held at her face where the knuckleduster strike landed. Her shielding failed and blood trickled down the side of her face. She touched her cheek, fingers now red, and smiled. Shielding broken in one section of the body stayed broken until the armor¡¯s Johrei stock was replenished, or in the case of Inners, naturally regenerated over time.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± she said.


    Crazy bitch, Cyr thought, as she lunged at him, going on the offensive this time. She thrust her blade at him again. With his knuckledusters, Cyr¡¯s defense was severely hampered as he didn¡¯t have as much range as he did with his blade earlier. Instead, he expended more Johrei and swiped at the air with both hands in a cross pattern, creating a makeshift X shield in midair. Her thrust collided with his shield, shattering it. However, her attack¡¯s momentum slowed just enough for Cyr to react. He began to sidestep again, raising his right hand to bear down on her once more.


    Vera was abundantly aware of the downside of increasing agility when donning lighter armor. Her dress, lined with thin layers of Bastion metal, couldn¡¯t possibly stop the force of his next strike, and though she might be able to step back in time, at this range, she couldn¡¯t avoid taking significant damage. However, the mark of a true hunter is the ability to reveal all the cards of the opponent early on, whilst only revealing your own, at the very last moment.


    Right as the knuckledusters were about to land on her cheek, Vera issued a non-verbal command. Johrei blades jutted out from the gaps located on the grooves of her weapon¡¯s blade, which looked like ¡°roots¡± spiraling around the stem of a plant. The Johrei blades curved and stabbed into Cyr, breaking his shield and puncturing him. He reeled from the attack, clutching his side with his right hand, as he jumped back and created a makeshift shield in the air with his left hand.


    He looked at her, pain coming in waves. Vera¡¯s weapon now had smaller Johrei blades protruding from it. The blades gave him the impression of an old flower, the Lotus flower. From Cyr¡¯s view, this weapon acted more like a spiked mace than it did a sword. His assumption earlier cost him the advantage, though part of him commended her for coming up with such a clever use of a weapon. This many blades had to have expended a great deal of the weapon¡¯s Johrei storage, which is probably why she didn¡¯t extend the blades until an opportunity presented itself.


    He didn¡¯t have time to recover. She closed the gap in an instant, shattering the shield with her bladed flower mace. Right as he tried to take advantage of the slowed momentum of the attack to move out of the way, she tossed another set of needles at him. This time, it pieced his skin causing great agony. The injuries sizzled, but it was then that he realized something. What she hit him with, wasn¡¯t acid. Something was off.


    He looked up at her using his extended blades to parry her strikes. However, he didn¡¯t have nearly enough range to reach her, and the heavy blows from her weapons were breaking through his defenses, nicking and slashing at various points of his arm. He was bleeding from multiple spots, even if he managed to keep her away.


    ¡°You¡¯re not looking too good there, hunter,¡± she taunted.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Cyr said. He needed an opening. He stepped back, navigating the grave markers and tombstones to give himself more space. However, it was of no avail. Vera glided easily around each obstacle, navigating the muddy terrain without a single misstep. Though Cyr noticed she was notably slower than earlier. That Johrei she lost from his blow earlier meant she had to be frugal with the remaining Johrei she had. Her abilities were cut down significantly, and he could use that to his advantage.


    The light from the caverns shone brightly where he was currently standing, right beneath statue of the founder, Alyssa Kamakura. He took a deep breath as she approached nearer and solidified the strategy in his mind. He issued a non-verbal command, and dashed towards Vera, removing and tossing his right knuckleduster at her face, where her shielding is weakest. The knuckleduster maintained its Johrei-extended blade at the front, and this time, instead of making the same mistake of swiping the weapon away, she held her mace in front of her face, blocking the strike.


    With her weapon close by she was able to react much faster and bring her weapon to bear, keeping an eye out in case he tossed his remaining weapon at her. Once she noticed he hadn¡¯t, she used the advantage of her range to swipe the mace horizontally at him. With his momentum carrying him forward, there was no time to dodge back. She had him.


    Cyr smiled and Vera¡¯s eyes widened. At the moment of her swing, he stepped on one of the tombstones and hopped into the air. There was no way he could hop high enough to avoid her strike, but at that moment she realized.


    That¡¯s why he threw it, she thought.


    Cyr had hopped onto the trail of Johrei created by the thrown knuckleduster from earlier, taking a little inspiration from Calli¡¯s way of fighting. Though the Johrei itself didn¡¯t have enough strength to maintain his weight for long, it gave Cyr just enough of a foothold to jump up again ¨C a second jump in the air, which barely avoided her swing.


    She couldn¡¯t retract her attack, as the weight of the weapon was too great for her to bring her weapon to bear. She knew she was vulnerable this time. As she released her weapon, readying her feet to move out of the way, while raising her other arm to block the attack, Cyr¡¯s knuckleduster swung down, Johrei blade extended, and pierced her upside her head. She let out a muffled gasp, before collapsing to her knees, and falling to the ground.


    The cavern silenced and the light shone over Cyr¡¯s bloodied body. This Vera, or whoever she was, didn¡¯t fight like any hunter he¡¯s fought before. She was stronger than most hunters, probably even at the level of a Daimyo or Shogun. As he looked at her corpse lying facedown on the ground, he released a large sigh, thankful that the battle was finally over.


    ¡°In a cemetery no less,¡± he laughed softly. Oh, the irony. The pain burned at his side from her earlier attacks. Puncture wounds from the needle, and a blow from the mace. He¡¯ll need at least a few days of bed rest for this. His vision began to dim and he held his hand to his face to steady himself, eyes getting foggy. It was then that he noticed something was off.


    Vera¡¯s corpse wasn¡¯t bleeding¡­at all. ¡°Where ¨C¡± he began.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he heard a voice behind him say. And before he could turn around, multiple blades pierced through his chest, impaling him. The flower mace had found its mark.


    ¡°How¡­¡± Cyr said, as he coughed up copious amounts of blood.


    ¡°The needles took longer than expected, but it seemed they did the trick. Johrei weapons that alter one¡¯s perception, and dull¡¯s one¡¯s senses.¡± She gripped her weapon¡¯s hilt tighter, twisting it against his flesh. He grit his teeth in pain. ¡°Not all of the senses are affected at once, unfortunately. Still, it was enough to fool you into believing I died.¡±


    ¡°Who-¡± he started, before she violently ripped out her weapon from his backside, causing him to collapse to the ground. His vision blackened.


    ¡°Phantasma, or the Golden Order¡± she said. ¡°The Vera you were supposed to meet had met her end long before you came into the saloon.¡± She retracted her weapon¡¯s blades, as Cyr¡¯s eyes tried to look at her from the ground. She took off her mask and took out a Johrei vial, replenishing her Johrei stock. Her eyes were hauntingly beautiful, a face no one could forget.


    ¡°You were the one¡­¡± he began. The only who killed the Imeraza line. Before he could finish his words, he let out his last breath. On that day, Cyriak Imeraza died, his corpse strewn next to the graves of his family. Alyssa Kamakura¡¯s statue towered over him, her face one of etched solemnity. From the statue¡¯s view, it looked as if she watched over him, as she tried to do for her people, all those decades ago.


    Vera swept her eyes over Cyr¡¯s remains. A worthy opponent indeed. If the Blackbirds were involved in the Trepidor incident, this might be a bigger issue than she realized. Now she needed to find a way to get that young Blackbird to further her investigation, whilst hiding this man¡¯s corpse from him at the same time. Things didn¡¯t go as she planned this time she thought, but it wasn¡¯t as if she got recruited into the Golden Order for her lack of adaptability.


    Phantasma placed her mask back on, activating its holographic effects across her body. Golden locks appeared on her head, and a mole formed under her left eye, giving her the appearance of Vera once more. Her noblewoman¡¯s dress faded, causing the air to shimmer ever so slightly in the air. Maintaining the disguise didn¡¯t require much Johrei, though she needed to reissue a non-verbal command every now and then, to adjust its appearance under different lighting situations.


    A series of lights began flashing behind her visor.


    Leave now. Others coming. No time.


    She sighed internally. Looks like there wasn¡¯t even enough time to use a Hunter¡¯s Curtain to rid of the body. She retracted her weapon, placing it beneath her sleeve, and into the pocket-space generator attached to her arm. Despite all the advantages in equipment the Clan had provided for her, taking down a Blackbird took more out of her than she expected. It has been a while since she executed a mission in such a shoddy manner.


    But what¡¯s done is done, she thought to herself, and looked towards the Night Market buildings out in the distance, ready to continue her investigation.

 Chapter 11.1: Imposters

    Calli stood motionless atop the slope, looking down at the golden rays shining down on the cavern below her, and at an old monastery, overlooking a vast graveyard.


    This can¡¯t be real, right? Calli had thought earlier, when she arrived near the Night Market. She took one of the side entrances into the underground which was accessible only by gliders like herself, as attempting to enter otherwise would spell a 100-foot drop into certain death, even with Johrei shielding.


    She spotted a body from atop the slope, about half a kilometer out, lying prone under one of the moving sunbeams shining through the gaps in the cavern ceiling. At first, she wondered if there was a hunt nearby, but didn¡¯t see any signs of another hunter. Either the hunter took proof of the hunt, or they dragged the body in front of the Auditors themselves, dead or alive.


    But the raven black jacket and jumpsuit, plus her memory of what this monastery meant to one of her closest friends, and the pieces fit together in her mind. And yet, she rejected that reality.


    It can¡¯t be. It can¡¯t be. It can¡¯t be real, she repeated to herself, refusing to believe that that was Cyr, lying dead on the dirt floor, surrounded by once blue cavern flowers, now tinged red by the pool of blood nearby.


    But when she arrived, she could deny the truth no longer. Cyriak Imeraza, hunter of the Blackbirds, had passed on. From what she could see, he was ripped apart by something, or someone. A torrent of emotions raged inside Calli at that very moment. Pure anguish at his death, rage at his killer and, though she tried to reject it, part of her blamed herself, for not getting there on time ¨C for burdening her team once again.


    Cyriak was a stoic person, but his presence was of great comfort to the Division during the early days. He was the first recruit of Caz after he became Shogun of the underground and had, through his connections, helped Caz expand his team to what it was today. Without him, the team would have broken apart, especially after the previous Daimyo left, due to the callousness of Casimir at the time. And without him standing as Caz¡¯s advisor during the peace-talk negotiations following the Clan¡¯s alliance with Taysa Polaris in the great purge of the underground, war would have destroyed Lucens Mundi entirely. Through them, a balance of power was maintained, an unwritten contract between the Imperial Court of the surface and the leaders of the underground. Things would have been much different back then, and we wouldn¡¯t have changed for the better, if not for Cyr¡¯s wisdom. He was the glue that tied the Blackbirds together, a capable mentor to new recruits, including her, and the heart of the team, that kept the Blackbirds from losing themselves to the dark realities of Neo-Kamakura, and the pointless futures it represented.


    And now he was gone, and she was too slow to save him.


    She glided down to the center of the cemetery, to where he was. Though her heart ached, she was surprisingly calm right now. Death was so common today, so ingrained in society, that few hunters or civilians, save for the paranoid ones, cared much for a corpse found within the city.  Often corpses were left alone until a report was made, and a cleaner was expected to be sent by the Auditors to pick up the body. It was only upon confirmation of an unmarked individual during the autopsy process that Auditors begin to ask questions. However, by then, the perpetrators have usually long fled, and the case gets filed away.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Still, this was Cyr. She shook away her thoughts. Shaken as she was, she needed to search the area for clues. She would have time to grieve later. However, despite leaving the body behind, a thorough sweep of the location garnered nothing of value.


    No Hunter¡¯s curtain. Cyr¡¯s body was fresh. Cyr wasn¡¯t marked, so why would someone just leave his body behind? She looked around. No traps from what she could see.


    She reached into her pocket-space and pulled out a goggle of a streamlined design. She put on the goggles, and with a non-verbal command, the device activated and began highlighting the surrounding environment in a desaturated color scheme. This device operated as a thermal scanner, looking for signs of heat in the area, but the mode could be changed to one which highlighted Johrei residue in the area.


    There was more here than she expected. Though she couldn¡¯t differentiate between Johrei types, at least she knew whatever it was that killed Cyr, was human, and not a subterranean Enthipid. She grit her teeth. The Johrei particles danced in the air, spread out in a frenzy ¨C a sign of the aftermath of battle. Whoever killed him left no other trail. She cursed her own helplessness.


    Something did pique her curiosity, however. Two faint trails of Johrei, a consistent distance apart, seemed to move this way and that throughout the area. Going by what she knew to be Cyr¡¯s footprint intertwined in the mix, she could approximate what had happened. Did the killer use a vehicle of some kind? No, there wasn¡¯t any that left two treads like that, especially one that skinny. If anything, this trail seemed akin to a cleaner¡¯s crew carrying a body across a field before tossing it on the back of a Suncycle. But Cyr¡¯s corpse was still here, so there couldn¡¯t have been cleaners¡­For now, Calli pushed those thoughts aside.


    I have to get to Aio. He had to have some information about whoever might¡¯ve done this, or he might be the next target. Whatever the case, she needed to get to him quickly.


    But¡­


    Calli took another glance at Cyr¡¯s body, holding back the sickening feeling welling up in her gut. The least she could do, was give him a proper burial. Once that was done, she needed to contact Caz and relay what happened. As for Nyx¡­she wasn¡¯t sure when the best time would be to tell her. She looked around at the grave markers around him¡­


    Imeraza. Did you choose this place, Cyr? Did you know this would happen?


    She pulled out a handle attached to a Johrei generator. With a non-verbal command, it formed into the shape of a shovel. One of its many preset designs.


    She stabbed the shovel into an empty space to the right of the grave marker carrying the name ¡°Zariah Imeraza¡± on it and began lifting off the soil. She threw the soil aside, forming a small pile. Again, she dug. And again. And again. All while repeating Cyr¡¯s name in her head, so that she would forget what had happened today, promising herself she would never let something like this happen again.


    Internally she apologized for being so weak. To herself, to her team, and to Cyr¡¯s family next to him. It was then, as she dug, that her goggles picked up a trace shimmer of white hiding under the roots of a small, blue flower.

 Chapter 11.2 Imposters

    Alyx stretched in her seat, stifling a yawn.


    Another failed test, but not without its perks.


    After a rigorous trial and error process, leading to numerous micro-implosions of Johrei shards ¨C thank goodness for her remembering to wear a face shield this time ¨C she found that Juvenile shards, separated from the adhered Bastion metal, fostered the capacity to shape the metal, even when it was no longer synched with it. This was impossible and went against all she knew originally about Johrei as a concept.


    Though currently, all she had was a standing hypothesis.


    More research after all, she thought.


    Alyx had mixed feelings about her method of discovery. She tried pushing the level of Johrei to its utmost, something normally impossible. Johrei abilities could only be pushed so far before it entered a state most hunters dub ¡°overburn¡±. If it passes that threshold, the Johrei burns the remaining storage all at once, resulting in the instantaneous loss of all associated abilities, at least until the stores of Johrei were replenished or regenerated. This is why strength users can¡¯t push their strength thresholds to absurd degrees, no matter how large of a Johrei pool they had in their armor.


    Juvenile Johrei was different, however. She found she could push Juvenile Johrei past its brink, albeit slowly. Doing so even a fraction of a second too quickly would result in the shards imploding on her. However, it was in one of these implosions where she noticed shards that collided with the nearby Juvenile carapace actually warped parts of the metal¡¯s surface. This shouldn¡¯t be possible given how weak these shards were. Even juvenile carapaces had enough defense to withstand a basic blade strike, without anything more than a small crack or chip. The warping though, was different than damaging the metal. It looked similar to how putty could be molded under one¡¯s hands.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    So what if, Alyx theorized, Bastion metal didn¡¯t affect Johrei? What if Johrei somehow affected the metal? Could the Onyx Technicians have had this all backwards? I mean, it was comprised of a molecular structure similar to that found in living creatures.


    She had always found it odd that cores of Enthipids never seemed to do much when the Johrei around it dissipated. Could it be that Johrei was the actual source of all the abilities of the Inners, and not the cores themselves? Come to think of it, no one is stupid enough to wear Enthipid armor sets that don¡¯t have Johrei synched with it, though she has seen a few hunters wear Johrei shielding on top of non-metallic clothing.


    And there was the enigma of the cores themselves. None of the Technicians were able to ascertain exactly what these things were, only that their outer shell comprised of a thin layer of Bastion metal. Breaking them open in the past had resulted in major damage in the past, resulting in the deaths of multiple researchers, so to this day, no one had dared attempted to replicate the early experiments.


    Alyx was finding all this quite interesting. However, with the bags gathering under her eyes from the hours of experimentation she conducted today, maybe it was time for her to relax. She decided to boil some noodles and reverse engineer an old idea that humans had back in the day known as video games.


    After that she would sleep a beautiful sleep. Oh sweet, sweet slumber.

 Chapter 11.3: Imposters

    ¡°Sorry I left without saying anything,¡± Aio said, facing down the stern stare of Madam Roberta in her office. Her hair was almost completely gray now, tied up in a bun behind her head and she said nothing for a moment. Wearing a dark gray, long-sleeve shirtdress with a steel teal geometric banded design, she exuded the same strength of will that Aio had always remembered from her, though her sunken cheeks and crow¡¯s feet eyes carried with it the passage of aging ¨C something Aio felt saddened about for reasons he couldn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°Young man, I do not think I could say more to you than I haven¡¯t already said a thousand times before.¡± She was tapping a pen on a binder in front of her, thinking carefully of her next words. It looked like she was handling some paperwork before caretaker Linda and Trimbotin escorted Aio into her office upon Madam Roberta¡¯s request.


    Madam Roberta continued, ¡°You think I¡¯d be mad over the mere fact of you leaving to pursue your dreams of a hunter? Do you realize how many orphans from this facility has gone down the same route as you, and the number who had given up on that dream? No, young Mr. Semerand. It is not what you seek which brought you here before me. It is your callous disregard towards your peers, and those who care for you, which I cannot abide by.¡±


    She slammed the table with her other palm, causing Aio to jump back. He couldn¡¯t get a word in, fearful and respectful of the woman who had terrified him during childhood. Madam Roberta continued, ¡°You do not leave your friends and family behind like that again young man, not without a proper goodbye you hear? Do you know how much your absence has affected us, and how much we had to adjust?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aio said meekly, looking down at the ground.


    ¡°Sorry? No Aio, I am sorry. I am sorry that I was not good enough to teach you the proper way of being considerate. Maybe then you would have at least kept to the etiquette of farewells.¡± Aio looked up, and he saw an unchanged expression on Madam Roberta¡¯s face. However, he noticed that her eyes softened, looking at him as the child that brought a bit of light into the Little Miracles orphanage, when the world outside was dark.


    ¡°When you leave this time,¡± she said, ¡°just remember to give your companions and caretakers a proper goodbye this time, okay?¡± She smiled, something that looked foreign and more intimidating than her usual expression to Aio. However, he felt reassured, as if some kind of weight lifted off from within.


    ¡°Okay, I promise¡± he said, giving a small bow of the head.


    ¡°Good,¡± Madam Roberta responded, ¡°You may go now. You¡¯ll find some leftover sponge cake in the dining room table. Make sure you clean up after yourself. You were always a messy eater.¡±


    Aio blushed a bit at that. He hasn¡¯t been like that for a while now, not after he got scolded by Nyx for that. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, before standing up from his seat and walking towards the exit.


    Out in the living room, he found a group of young children playing with some action figures on the ground next to a hearth. Two of the caretakers sat on a nearby couch, one of them knitting a small sweater in a rhythmic motion.


    Some of the action figures the kids were playing with looked like shoddy renditions of famous hunters from previous eras. He only knew some of them by title, as history of these hunters get lost to time. There was the Arcanic, who was a Supplementor who had the ability to induce magnetic forces upon any nonliving object; the Orion, who Aio had been studying recently for one of the few hunter marksman who was able to get the kill-shot at impossible distances or angles; the Truthseeker, who was the previous owner of the infamous weapon Gloam of Stars ¨C now owned by Taysa Polaris of the Paladins; and even¡­the Blackbird?


    Riven noticed Aio watching the children playing and called out, ¡°Welcome back hunter. I see you¡¯ve survived hell.¡± Aio looked at his friend, brushing off nonexistent dust on his shoulder, as if Madam Roberta didn¡¯t terrify the living ghost out of him.


    ¡°Blackbird! Blackbird!¡± some of the kids began saying when they saw Aio by the doorway. They all gathered around him, asking him about his adventures, wanting him to join them in some fun and games. Aio was somewhat overwhelmed by all the positive reception he¡¯s been getting. He didn¡¯t have much to say. Not counting his current mission, he only ever embarked on a few minor capture bounties and the Elite Enthipid hunt.


    He shrugged sarcastically at Riven, as if to say it was no big deal. Something of a joke between them, as they were both terrified of Madam Roberta since childhood ¨C the two played off encounters with Madam Roberta as proof that they have exceeded the other in a contest of bravery.


    ¡°Just another day at the job,¡± Aio said.


    Riven laughed, and walked up to Aio, plate in hand. The sponge cake sat nicely on top, looking delectable. ¡°Here, we saved this one for you.¡±


    And so that day went by. Aio played board games and role-played the hunt with the children, and he caught up with Riven and the caretakers about his time spent with the Blackbirds. They were intrigued as Aio rehashed how Caz picked him up trying to outmaneuver him in the streets during the rebellion, his studies of hunter law and tactics under the tutelage of Calli and Abe, and his training sessions and lessons on hunter mindset with Cyr. His most proud memory was his first ever bounty hunt, where he worked with the team to capture a local group of mercenaries who attempted to take hostage a high-ranking district council member in order to prevent the passage of new hunter policies which would create stricter screening procedures for identifying hunters in New Celebrant.


    Caz had showed how capable he was at that time as the leader, evacuating pedestrians to remove the chance for collateral damage, before navigating a coordinated effort with his team that forced the mercenary group to take a route which led to a dead end. Aio had admittedly been bait at the time, as his presence intimated the impression of an easy target, and the mercenaries ended up chasing after him before turning into an alleyway that resulted in a flanking maneuver by the rest of the Blackbirds. Aio definitely made his part of the story sound more impressive than it was, and the children seemed ecstatic about it.


    After a few hours, the caretakers took the children to their rooms to sleep, leaving only Aio and Riven behind.


    ¡°So,¡± Aio began, ¡°whatever happened to Rebecca?¡± Rebecca Caltrop, Riven, and Aio formed a trio back then that was more tight-knit than any other group at the time. She was always the mature one between the three best friends, keeping Riven and Aio out of trouble whenever they decided to play one of their local pranks on the caretakers. She would scold them when needed, and play with them when needed, and always seemed to know exactly what to say, whenever Aio was having a bad day. Aio wondered how she might have felt about his departure all those years ago?


    Looking at the gloominess etched across Aio¡¯s features, Riven put his hand on his shoulder, ¡°Hey, you good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Aio responded. ¡°Just wondering how she took my¡­y¡¯know, leaving you guys and all.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Not very good haha,¡± Riven said jokingly, but his tone was still serious. ¡°You really hurt us, y¡¯know, when you left without telling. We made a promise to each other that we wouldn¡¯t keep anything from each other like that. I took it somewhat personally, but I respected your decision in the end. After all, being a hunter has always your dream, and if I were in your shoes and met the Blackbird himself, I probably would¡¯ve just let them whisk me away the same way.¡±


    Aio opened his mouth, but couldn¡¯t think of the right words to respond with. Instead, he drew his lips into a line, and nodded.


    ¡°Rebecca especially didn¡¯t take it that well. I had never seen her so angry before. At the time, I didn¡¯t say anything. She was smart and I thought she would cool down, given time. I never expected ¨C¡± Riven said. His words trailed, but only for a moment. ¡°I never thought she would go after you like that. Said she was going to be a hunter too and find you.¡±


    Aio shuddered. He knew Riven probably meant to say she would look for him, but sometimes she didn¡¯t have that glint of ferocity in her eyes that made Aio think she might be serious in wanting to end him whenever he was up to no good.


    ¡°So, she just left? Why? She never wanted to be a hunter. She knew about my hunter dream, and listened to me ramble on about it for days, so I don¡¯t see why she would leave to go after me?¡± Aio said.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t get it?¡± Riven asked, but Aio shook his head. Riven only smirked and patted Aio¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t worry about it. Whatever you may have remembered about her, she still chose to be a hunter in the end. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you bumped into her in your next mission. When that happens, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to handle whatever happens next,¡± he said with a mirthful tone.


    Aio looked questioningly at Riven. He didn¡¯t get Riven¡¯s vague phrasing of words sometimes. Either way, he¡¯ll have to find Rebecca one day and apologize to her properly.


    ¡°I need some fresh air,¡± Riven said. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s head to the balcony.¡±


    Aio walked with him and opened the screen door leading to the orphanage¡¯s balcony. From here, he could see most of the Night Market down the hill below. Its lights fanned out like fireflies in a cave. Along the walls of the cavern he could see bright neon lights, Johrei-lanterns, which were set up by the local mining crew to help travelers navigate their way into the district. Aio, Riven, and Rebecca used to frequent this sight, talking about life, and watching the lights dance in front of them, illuminating the cavern in an almost ethereal fog that ignited a sense of nostalgia and peace within Aio.


    ¡°So, we going to talk about life and games like we used to?¡± Aio asked, leaning over the balcony, resting his head on his arms, and looking at Riven.


    ¡°Not this time,¡± he said. For a moment, he looked at the lights in front of him, and spoke, ¡°Aio, why did you come back this time?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I know you. You¡¯ve always been an independent spirit. You¡¯re not tied by the notions of sentimentality, and honestly, I could only picture you ever coming back to visit once you¡¯ve become a full-fledged hunter, which, by the way you described it, you are not.¡±


    Riven¡¯s glare was daring Aio to prove him wrong. Aio acquiesced. There were times he felt his best friend knew him better than himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit the Guardian¡¯s Village. Apparently, that place has clues, or some kind of insight, to a major hunt I¡¯m currently part of,¡± Aio said.


    ¡°Sounds like a big deal, though I¡¯ve never heard of this Guardian¡¯s village,¡± Riven responded, looking thoughtful. The lights in the distance flickered and moved, as businesses began closing for the night. ¡°Then again, the caverns down here are almost as big as the city above. I wouldn¡¯t rule out other villages as prominent as this one.¡±


    Aio thought about it, realizing just how little of these caverns anyone¡¯s explored. Perhaps it was the fear of the native Enthipid hordes which lurked in the dark corners of the underground, but Aio felt that it may have to do more with everyone¡¯s attachment with this Market and the simple lifestyle it offered. There had to be more people out there, settled down in their own little communities, thinking the same things Aio was thinking about now.


    Silence passed for a while, interrupted by a rustling beneath them. Aio activated his Johrei on instinct. Perhaps he was being a bit too cautious.


    His vision sharpened and the blurry atmospheric darkness that encompassed the landscape in front of the pair became clear to Aio. He could hear the sound of footsteps below him somewhere and tried to peer closer at the source. A silhouette of a woman began inching closer towards the lights of the orphanage.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but overhear you two talking up there,¡± a voice said. It was Vera, walking clear into Aio¡¯s view from below. Riven looked at her curiously as well. ¡°Guardian¡¯s village right? Yeah, I know about that place. I can take you there.¡±


    ¡°Friend of yours?¡± he asked.


    ¡°More like a guide,¡± she said. Aio was relieved it wasn¡¯t anyone dangerous who showed up and began to release his enhanced perception. However, right as his ability began to flicker out, he caught a familiar scent. An empty scent.


    Again? he thought. Something about that scent nagged at him. It had a familiar quality to it that he couldn¡¯t quite pin down.


    He hesitated to fully let go of his ability but realized how ridiculous he must be acting right now. She was not an enemy, though something felt off in the back of his mind ¨C a hunch. And Cyr taught him never to disregard hunches.


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason it happens,¡± he would always say. ¡°So why not give it it¡¯s due respect?¡±


    Thinking about him, Aio noticed someone missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Cyr?¡± he asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you accompany him?¡±


    Vera responded nonchalantly, ¡°He said he was going to get something from the Market and told us to go on ahead to the village first. He said he¡¯d rendezvous with us later after he¡¯s finished his business.¡±


    ¡°Oh ok. Lemme just confirm with him then,¡± Aio said. A chill ran down his spine, and he swung his head towards Vera. However, all he saw was a smiling, unassuming face.


    ¡°Sure thing. Just let him know we¡¯ll head out now,¡± she said brightly.


    Was that just Aio¡¯s imagination?


    Putting aside that odd feeling for now, Aio issued a non-verbal command to a communications device located within his ear canal. However, all he heard was a light static coming from the other end. It seems like there was no reception here either.


    Riven just looked at Vera, and he seemed pretty fixated on her. His expression barely faltered since the conversation began ¨C a cold expression, which Aio knew as Riven¡¯s poker face.


    ¡°Comms are down. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m getting a signal from here,¡± Aio said. He noticed Riven give a slight head tilt towards the living room behind them.


    ¡°Hey, Vera. I¡¯ll be down there in a bit, but do you mind if I spend a bit more time catching up with my friend here?¡± Aio said. ¡°It won¡¯t take long, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Go ahead,¡± she said, eyes smiling.


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Riven said, walking back towards the inside. He paid Vera no heed as he opened the screen door and walked into the living room. Aio followed suit.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Aio asked, as Riven shut the screen door behind them. Riven kept an eye back towards the outside where Vera was before turning to Aio.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust her,¡± he said. ¡°The inflection of her voice, the way she carries herself¡­you know I¡¯ve had to deal with a lot of liars in my life before.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember¡± Aio said solemnly, remembering Riven¡¯s family hailed from Vitadale. His parents were scheming nobles who had always lied and mistreated him, and met their ends when they were marked and killed by hunters hired by lesser branches of the family. Though Riven expected his uncle and aunt to take care of him afterwards, but they wanted to have him killed too, to remove him from the line of succession. Luckily, Riven was naturally perceptive to other¡¯s intentions, and ran away before anything could be done to him. A chance encounter with a surprisingly trustworthy Auditor afterwards led Riven to Madam Roberta¡¯s doorstep, but the burden of his past always remained with him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what she wants from you, Aio,¡± Riven remarked, ¡°but you shouldn¡¯t trust her either. I don¡¯t think Cyr left for the reasons she said. I want you to promise me you¡¯ll not do anything reckless, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aio responded. He took Riven seriously on matters of people, as Riven had always been the sharpest one amongst his closest friends. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°And if you see Rebecca, tell her she was wrong, and I got to see you first haha,¡± Riven added. He laughed and Aio had smirked in response.


    ¡°Take care now, okay? See you again in a few years.¡±


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll visit sooner next time,¡± Aio said. He gave a content smile, knowing it would be a while before he saw his friend again. ¡°Take care too, Riven.¡± He opened his arms wide and the two best friends embraced each other one more time.


    Moments later, Aio stepped out the door and joined up with Vera outside.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. Lead the way.¡±


    And Vera smiled silently.

 Chapter 12.1: Networking

    Chapter 12: Networking


    If there was anything being in the Valkyries had taught Nyx, it was that information was power. Mimi had become quite proficient at it recently, from what Nyx had seen, though most of the credit could be attributed to her little savant, Reina.


    She was much less talkative before. Guess Mimi broke her out of her shell somehow, Nyx thought.


    At this rate, Nyx wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if Reina was Mimi¡¯s Daimyo from a purely utilitarian standpoint, though Mimi never mentioned who her own Daimyo was. Another one of her many secrets.


    Border security to New Celebrant was not as strict as security into Necronova. For one, this district was known for its open-arms policy towards refugees arriving from other districts, as determined by the cardinals of the Clan of Voices, who were the main political force in this district. Those who lost family members to the hunt, Fringe war orphans, and any persons who seek solace in the religious extolment of the Enthipids were all welcome here, and encouraged to partake in the churches to help absolve themselves of regret and sin.


    Crime in the district also remained surprisingly scarce due to the presence of the Hunter Division known as the Paladins, led by the Shogun Taysa Polaris. Those who end up violating the rules of the district were more likely to be marked for the hunt by local Auditors than other districts, and Taysa¡¯s famed fervor against stamping out the ashes of conflict has gained her a fearful reputation that has dissuaded most ruffians and vagabonds from causing trouble, especially with her reputation as both a member of the Clan of Voices and the Clan of Venerers, a rarity amongst the Clans.


    If there was a first impression that New Celebrant gave to its visitors, it was that the buildings here were mostly bright white ¨C an angelic city to say the least. Shiny exteriors of faux radiance dominated the atmosphere of this once humble district, and now, with the clean streets, robed clergymen walking occasionally down the road with devout followers, and the strange humming which seemed to radiate from the walls of the buildings, Nyx couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed at sheer pompousness of it all. And yet¡­


    Nyx looked over at the monastic chapels which scattered around the various street corners of the district. Even from a distance, tall bell towers clad in raven colored metal covered the walls of the chapels ¨C a testament to the clergy¡¯s devotion over their deified Enthipids. It contrasted heavily against the other buildings surrounding it, highlighting its importance. These chapels, unlike the rest of the city, were constructed using Enthipid carapaces, a unique application of Bastion metal not seen in any other district. The Clan of Voices claim that those of the true faith could hear the voices of enlightenment from within the walls of the chapels. Though Nyx didn¡¯t buy the reasoning, she didn¡¯t rule out the possibility, because she suspected such ¡°voices¡± might have been attributed to the works of something else ¨C the Madness of the Inners.


    She pushed her thoughts aside for now and pulled up a hood, placing a mask on her face, attempting to look the vagrant. There are those scavengers who venture into the waste for resources and come back into the city who look like her right now. No one really stops them, because no one really cares, and those who venture out don¡¯t often have a choice. The poor man¡¯s privilege, as some in the underground call them, because these ¡°divers¡± of the waste face little to no acknowledgment, even amongst the Lost Clans, whose jurisdiction technically encompass such individuals. Though she blended well with the crowd next to her, walking through the district gates, a guard spotted her on the way in and called out to her, ¡°Halt!¡± he said.


    Nyx froze. The guard singled her out amongst the wave of people. What was going on? She looked to the guard, putting on her most cordial voice, ¡°Is there a problem officer?¡± The guard looked at her for a moment and spoke, ¡°You¡¯re looking for Euphony¡¯s Chapel down by the plateau East from here. Just hug the wall on the left side and look for the three towers which mark the great Chapel. You won¡¯t miss it. They take divers like you as refugees and will help you get acquainted with district customs. You¡¯re free to check the district out afterwards, but I ask that you get your papers sorted out there first so there aren¡¯t any problems with the local patrols later. They do periodically scan your ID chips.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He was friendly. The guard didn¡¯t ask for her name at all, though Nyx wasn¡¯t too worried. Reina said her ID had been tweaked a bit to allow Nyx to bypass the security of the district under the false identity of Bridget Doe, though this chip would only function in areas where Reina had an direct open signal to the chip. Where the signal was dead, Reina¡¯s code bypassing the Auditor¡¯s communications line would cease to transmit remotely and Nyx would find herself in a bit of trouble should she need to access any local terminals, or if a local patrol comes by to ID her.


    The guard thought about it for a moment and decided to scan Nyx¡¯s ID chip anyways. ¡°Sorry, I normally give refugees the benefit of the doubt, but since I have you here, I might as well do my job.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite alright,¡± Nyx said, in the best empathetic voice she could muster. ¡°I understand what it means to meet the obligations of others.¡± A bit of truth in there, and the officer nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Bridget Doe, looks like you¡¯re good. Have a good day, miss,¡± he replied, tipping his officer¡¯s hat to her. She smiled and began walking down the streets towards direction of Euphony¡¯s Chapel.


    Across the street from her, two men were watching the borders carefully. One man, clad in dark gray, with a red sash across his waist, commented on the scene he just saw.


    ¡°This city¡¯s been getting pretty packed lately. With the influx of outsiders coming in, it¡¯ll be harder and harder for us to keep an eye out for the Valkyrie members walking through the gate. That, or any Clan members, though I doubt any notable member would ever show up in a district that worships the very thing they hate.¡±


    The man, Imad Wren, was a scout for the Revenant¡¯s Forge. One of the few members who stuck around when the Divisions was still known as the Revenant¡¯s Balance, he had never liked their previous leader, and jumped ship when the Trepidor brothers took reign, even killing one of his old ¡°friends¡± in the process. It hurt to do what he did, but not that much¡­not as much as it should have been.


    The man beside Imad looked at him through a rusted Bastion mask, insectoid in appearance. Draped in a burnous, a hood over his head, he looked much the refugee himself. The man didn¡¯t comment on Imad¡¯s statement, but instead kept his eyes tracked on the hooded woman walking away from the border guard.


    ¡°Does that woman look familiar to you?¡± the man said, cutting Imad off, pointing a twig-like finger at Nyx.


    Imad looked at the hooded figure, whose body disappeared behind the Inn around the corner.


    ¡°Not sure, Yora. Looks like another vagrant to me,¡± Imad replied honestly. ¡°Why? You know her?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps not.¡± Yora Malikova said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her face before, but she feels familiar somehow.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re that worried, I can check her out for you. Just keep watch here okay and let me know if the boss needs anything later,¡± Imad added.


    Yora nodded. Yora was one of the newer additions to Cadmi¡¯s group. Imad didn¡¯t know him too well, as Yora tended to keep to himself, but he was often paired with him on scouting missions and found him to be a fairly reliable fighter. Apparently, the Trepidor brothers knew of him prior to starting the Revenant¡¯s Forge and wouldn¡¯t comment on him when asked, stating no more then the fact that he was a member of the Lost Clans.


    Imad felt that their Division was being held together by plywood and tape, attributing their continued coherence as a team to a mix of their fear of Cadmi as a leader, reluctance to return to their earlier lifestyles, and convenience.


    Did most Divisions face similar grievances? he thought. Such contrivances mattered little, however. Personal trust was a rare commodity, but professional trust ¨C at least that still existed in some form or another. Yora trusted him enough to monitor this strange woman whose face now hid, shadowed under the brilliant sunlight. As he moved up the slope of the district towards the direction the woman was heading, he wondered how the others were doing.

 Chapter 12.2: Networking

    Reina pulled up her feed, watching information scroll before her eyes while she munched down on some simple boiled noodles. She added an egg into the noodles and watched the yolk dissipate amongst the broth. Noodles always tasted better this way.


    If Cassy was here, she would¡¯ve found Reina¡¯s current situation uncultured. Wearing a plain white t-shirt, dark bags under her eyes, hairs splitting off at its¡¯ ends, and wearing glasses loose enough that it hung for dear life on her narrow nose bridge, Reina was the poster child of a shut-in. But the only thing is, she wasn¡¯t really one. Appearances can be deceiving, and she chooses to forego ill necessities such as fashion, for the sake of doing her job in the most efficient way possible.


    Today, she was looking over the data gathered by Mimi and Alyx regarding what they¡¯ve seen in the Ecreville warehouse, where the bodies of dozens of mercenaries were held, trying to glean any information that might prove useful to Mimi in the hunt for the Trepidor brothers, though just the scene of the battle alone piqued her interest.


    She stopped at the photos of the bodies, looking through each of them in turn. On another feed, she pulled up the autopsy reports. Though she hated relying on the Auditors for anything, she had to admit that their organization does offer a fair amount of transparency when it comes to providing requested information. Apparently, a few of the bodies were dissolved to the point of nonrecognition due to the Hunter Curtains placed over the corpses. By the time Mimi and Alyx had begun sifting through the warehouse grounds, only a few corpses contained enough identifying elements to be considered usable.


    From the facial recognition software Reina possessed, most of the recognized deceased were members of a variety of unrelated underground mercenary groups. At first glance, there didn¡¯t seem to be a connection between any of them. However, some things didn¡¯t click for her. Inners should all be registered with the hunter boards, so the dead Augmentor from the warehouse should still have information on him. However, scanning through the files, it appeared none of the current records match his DNA, which gave Reina pause.


    Mulling over the issue, she decided to investigate older records and let her system run through the various names of each major Division. This was going to take a while, so she decided to boil some more noodles. As she waited for the results, she pulled up another screen, looking through the information about Tor, hoping to find something.


    Why would they take out his head? she thought. His method of death seemed too clean, as well as gruesome, to be anything other than deliberate. She let the possibilities run through her mind, thinking back to an ancient tradition where wartime commanders would take the heads of their enemies as trophies in a victorious battle. It sounded stupid, but she didn¡¯t have many other leads currently, so she gave every possibility its due consideration.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    So, who wanted him dead? Too many to name. However, the groups that kept popping up were the Vipers, the Paladins, and¡­


    The screen on her left pinged, stopping at a 100% match. The name on the screen was marked ¡°Deceased¡± and read ¡°Orbis Valotruant.¡± Her face was stuck in surprise.


    It can¡¯t be, she thought. But, if he really was a member of the Revenant¡¯s Balance, then it would make sense why he would go after the new leaders. But why work with Tor to stop the brothers? Did the Revenant¡¯s Balance collude with him, rather than go after him, like she originally thought?


    Reina racked her brain. There had to be more to this. She needed some of the deeper records from the hunter boards although she wasn¡¯t certain if her authorization extended so far. Why did Tor wait until now to make an appearance?


    As she delved through the hunter board files she faced pushback after pushback. Classified. Classified. Classified. She slammed her fist on the table. She wasn¡¯t getting anywhere. She looked to public records regarding the event in the past.


    POV surveillance drones capturing the event showed the Vipers chasing Tor across the air space on their Suncycles. Tor wasn¡¯t on his own but appeared to be ducking in and out of alleyways in what looked to be¡­Lucens Mundi? If she recalled, Taysa Polaris from the Paladins were the ones who were the closest to capturing Tor at this time, but he managed to escape under the veil of darkness. There was only one place he could have gone.


    The Night Market, Reina thought.


    A thought struck her. Who authorized the recording of these videos? It wasn¡¯t the Auditors it seemed. Some were POV shots from various team members, but some of the overhead shots documented the events from above, showing Tor disappearing under an overpass into darkness. After that, the recording stopped, and she could see no more.


    Just then, a notification ping popped up on one of her other screens, indicating that one of the lost signals from the week prior had popped up again.


    Vera¡­she noticed. One of her songbirds. Just as quickly as it came, the signal disappeared once more. Reina didn¡¯t remember posting her in Magrest. However, she¡¯ll have to check on that later. Signals come and go all the time, and she knew Vera frequented visits to the underground, where signals often failed. Perhaps there was an underground location beneath Magrest she was unaware of. Regardless, she had a more important matter to attend to right now.


    She turned to look back into the metadata of the recordings from earlier. The system denied her access, but she inserted a dummy access program which feigned attempts to break into the file, while she did her actual hacking work through the backdoors. Looked like it worked, and what she saw was ¡°Council_IC_Shot4¡±.


    IC¡­as in the Imperial Court? The Clan of Tributes were watching over the Twindust event?


    There were no records that the Clan sent out any militia men to mitigate the conflict, and everyone knows they couldn¡¯t utilize hunters as per the Second Agreement of the city. And yet, there were multiple footages of the same event. Was the Twindust event really so bad that the Clan had to get involved? There were too many pieces of the puzzle missing.


    ¡­Shit. My noodles got cold¡­


    Careless. Careless. Careless Reina. She groaned loudly to the ceiling.

 Chapter 12.3: Networking

    Caz looked out at the district expanse from the behind the large tempered windows of the rooftop bar known as the Blooming Star. Located on the twenty-fifth floor of the Necronova high-rise named the Laniakea Oasis, it was one of the more prestigious locations for shopping and dining in all the district.


    Vines dangled from wooden support pillars perched on top of Caz¡¯s head, and he looked back at the bartender shaking two tins vigorously before pouring the contents into a stemmed glass. Paintings hung on nearby walls, giving this floor an almost bucholic atmosphere.


    ¡°Your Manhattan is ready, sir,¡± Caz heard him say. It was a popular drink which the establishment claimed was named after a city from a time long past. Though it did peak Caz¡¯s curiosity, due to his physical structure as an Augmentor, drinks like that did little for him. More importantly¡­


    ¡°What, pray tell, are we doing here?¡± Caz asked, voice unable to hide his irritation.


    ¡°Well, I was thinking of trying out the Neo-Tokyo Mule. I heard its all the rage around these parts,¡± Mimi responded, pointing at various item menus from across the table they were seated as. ¡°Ooh, this one looks nice,¡± she murmured quietly to herself, eyes sparkling.


    Caz wondered how he ended up here. He swore they were here to catch two fugitives. Instead, not only has he joined the the supposed Shogun of one of the most renowned hunter Divisions on a shopping spree, followed by a fancy dinner, now he¡¯s here at a rooftop bar, waiting for her to pick out a drink from a local ¨CStolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°What about the mission?¡± Caz whispered very loudly, interrupting his own thoughts. How did he let their investigation get to this point?


    ¡°Relax,¡± Mimi said, smiling mischievously. ¡°I told the others to contact me if they find anything. Trust me. The Valkyries aren¡¯t known for our efficiency for nothing you know. You should relax.¡± She pointed at the menu in front of Caz.


    ¡°I recommend the marinated bluefin right here. Born and raised in the Vitadale fish farms, it¡¯s one of the rarest delicacies you¡¯ll ever try anywhere. Tinged with a bit of salt and cooked with their special sauce, it¡¯s to die for. Yum!¡± Mimi placed her hands on her cheeks, trying to hold back her excitement.


    Caz just looked down, wondering if he made the wrong choice teaming up with her. ¡°Y¡¯know, Mimi. This is great and all, but¨C ¡±


    Just then Mimi¡¯s communicator went off. ¡°Ooh, one minute. It¡¯s for me,¡± she interrupted. Caz just watched incredulously.


    After some rigorous nods, followed by a number of ¡°I see¡± and ¡°go on,¡± Mimi had a satisfied look on her face.


    ¡°Reina, reliable as always. Send me the coordinates and we¡¯ll be there in about¡­two hours or so. Kay kay. You really got to go out sometime. Try something other than your noodles. Alright, will do. Keep updating me if you find anything else. Toodles.¡±


    Mimi hung up. ¡°Well, looks like Reina might have something for us. I¡¯m going to need your help infiltrating the Imperial Court.¡±


    Caz looked at her, then back out at the vast scenery of the district. Is this what chaos looks like? A green-eyed woman with cyan tinged hair with pink streaks, who loved to dress in cute clothing and kill people in her free time? He had a million things he wanted to say, but instead just sighed loudly to her.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll try the bluefin after all.¡±


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Mimi smiled, clapping her hands together approvingly. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come around.¡±

 Chapter 12.4: Networking

    ¡°And do you have the necessary proof for initiating this hunt?¡± Auditor Bren asked.


    ¡°Yes. As we speak, my assistant is sending the footage over to you now,¡± Timur replied. He smiled professionally from the screen in front of the Auditor, though no mirth reached his eyes. Auditor Bren was used to seeing this kind of look from hunters, but from one of the Imperial Court ¨C that did raise some suspicions from him.


    A moment later, the Auditor¡¯s holo-screen pinged and a file marked ¡°Brusk_footage_IC.V¡± was sent over to Bren. The file was an hour long, and after reviewing its contents, Bren told Timur he¡¯d have the other Auditors review the files, but that Timur¡¯s request had merit to it.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have a word about your ¡®investigators¡¯ after this, and how they managed to acquire Ecreville security footage, but for now, you¡¯ve passed the preliminary assessment. Your file does bring up concerning matters, and for you to request this publicly¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I hope for your sake, you keep out of hunter matters from hereon. There will be no more warnings,¡± were Bren¡¯s exact words.


    Timur understood and logged off.


    It was just a waiting game now, and Timur expected it to end with a public request for all hunters to go after the Trepidor brothers. After all, if word gets out murder occurred on Ecreville¡¯s neutral grounds, there would be no end to the questions facing the Auditors, and to a lesser degree, the Clan itself. Both organizations put at risk, held aloft by the strings of unknown third parties. He thought back to the contents of the box, sent to him by someone, or those, who knew about the Clan¡¯s deepest secrets.


    Tor¡¯s damaged head, as well as the head of a Clan member, a message stating that there resides a piece of God in the underground, and a request to the Clan to have the brothers marked by any means, with an implied threat of exposing the Clan¡¯s greatest secret¡­


    Timur had always suspected a mole amongst the Clan. Money from the treasury seemed inconsistently low when compared against the weekly financial records these past few months. He knew the financial department¡¯s members, and vaguely recognized the head in the box at the time to be one of their members, Crea Rollick.


    This was concerning. The fact that a Clan member was ousted as a traitor, was a concerning revelation indeed. The Clan had never failed to dissect every facet of their prospective members¡¯ backgrounds and lives during recruitment, especially with the Clan¡¯s vast investigation network and their paranoid levels of scrutiny towards guarding confidential information. The fact that a mole, though one lower of rank, was living amongst the Clan this whole time, and working with an external entity who knew more about the Clan than most council members, signified a bigger conspiracy in the works.


    Timur sighed audibly and pinched his temples in frustration. To alleviate the Auditors, who had suspected hunter activity within the Clan because someone leaked information that someone from the Clan was investigating the Brusk warehouse incident and potentially had a hand in the matter, the Imperial Court had to denounce Crea in front the Auditors, stating that he hired hunters and ended up getting himself killed to satiate his own selfish desires, and that he did not represent the Clan and that the Clan had proof of his treachery.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    It was only through this that the Clan managed to slip by the Auditors further inquiry into the matter, though the Clan seemed to be on thin ice with the Auditors now as a result. At worst, the Clan may still be garnering suspicion with the Auditors, and at best, it shows corporate negligence and an inability of one of the three major Clans to keep track of its own people.


    Nonetheless, the death of the mole gave the Clan leverage with the Auditors, and though Timur hated to admit it, the unknown entity who delivered the request probably wanted the mole dead, so the Clan could have a basis upon which to present the video evidence of the warehouse events that day, which was recorded in secret by this unknown outside entity. After all, the video¡¯s digital footprints were easily traced back to Crea¡¯s downloaded files, probably an intentional action by Crea¡¯s supposed superior to oust him.


    That¡¯s the beauty of public hunt requests. Its purpose is to maintain order within the city, regardless of the personal motivation of the one who provided the information. And the Clan always had a reputation for zealousness against those who disrupted public order, so it was believable that their intentions to want to get rid of the Trepidor brothers came purely from a place of respect for legal order.


    Still, things are about to get messy, Timur thought, anxiously fingering his agate ring. The prices for the brothers¡¯ heads are exorbitant, and once word gets out that they¡¯ve been marked, they¡¯ll be no stopping the inevitable chaos which will ensue.


    I guess it¡¯s about time to head to the council chamber, Timur reminded himself.


    He grabbed a nearby cane, propping himself up, and stepped down the hallway outside of his office quarters. Gold filigree lined the ceiling walls above him. With each marble pillar he passed, a painting hung on the wall, each portrait depicting the previous Daijo-Daijin before him, all the way up to the founder of the Clan of Tributes, and Alyssa Kamakura¡¯s friend, Cain Liu, whose portrait hung right next to the entrance to the chamber of the Imperial Court.


    Before he entered, a message popped up on his watch. A small holo-screen notified Timur of a scheduled update with one of his investigators. He rung the investigator up.


    ¡°Alokar, I need you to look into something for me after your news.¡±


    ¡°Acknowledged,¡± Alokar said. ¡°Regarding Phantasma, we lost connection with her a while ago. She headed underground, but didn¡¯t come back up for her scheduled reports. The last message I received from her is that two suspicious hunters, both male, came in contact with her. She¡¯s looking into the matter, but they seem to have a connection with the Valkyries.¡±


    Timur thought about this, but realized he didn¡¯t have much time at the moment. He had to enter the council chamber.


    ¡°Alokar, I want you to check in on Phantasma, if possible. No Clan affiliation. Report back only when you¡¯ve made certain of her status, and do so through our informants, not through our private lines. We can¡¯t afford to have you tied back to us. You understand the consequences?¡± Timur knew the question was a redundant one.


    ¡°Of course, Daijo-Daijin. It will be as you command.¡±


    ¡°Good. And one other thing. When you¡¯re done with that, I need you to find out who is this point of contact that Crea Rollick was¡­exchanging pleasantries with. Normally, I¡¯d have Phantasma do this herself, but I think your particular¡­skills¡­suits this kind of operation better.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Will that be all?¡±


    ¡°For now. Report back to me in the next 72 hours.¡±


    ¡°As you say,¡± Alokar responded. The moniker, Unknowable, suited his nature, and he left without a trace.


    Whatever happens next, the dice have been tossed, Timur realized.


    Some inconvenience this had all been, and the fragile order that his line of succession sought to maintain seemed to be unraveling before his eyes. Though others of the Court seemed certain of their hold on power, Timur knew better than to underestimate the circumstances. There had to be a connection between all these events. A hunch was all Timur had to work with, but it¡¯ll have to be enough for now. As he thought about the Clan¡¯s future, he sighed and pushed open the double doors of the council chambers, striding into the viper¡¯s den.

 Chapter 13.1: The Muse

    Calliope rushed towards the orphanage, looking for Aio. She reviewed the information in the audio chip that Cyr left behind.


    The Evening Flower, known more colloquially as the Wanderer¡¯s Muse, was a flower Calli saw Cyr purchase often before disappearing for days at a time. Tied to poets of the past, the flower was often used in writing, a representation of lingering hope in darkness, a sentiment shared all too closely by the denizens of Neo-Kamakura, and the underground alike.


    It¡¯s always family, she thought. Calli began to recall her own parents as she began pushing her way through crowds of people in the Night Market. Her parents¡¯ faces appeared fuzzy in her memories, but the emotion she felt ¨C one of happiness ¨C those remained with her.


    Oh Cyr. What was so important that you had to do this? she thought with regret. You still had your sister. Why? Why¡­


    The ID chip he left behind, placed under the Wanderer¡¯s Muse of his sister¡¯s grave, recorded a garbled conversation between himself and a woman. Though the contents were hard to make out, she recognized the words ¡°Golden Order¡± in the conversation.


    The Clan? Most Division hunters suspected that the Clan secretly implemented their own hunter teams, but no solid evidence was ever provided. The Golden Order was the prime candidate for these suspicions ¨C an investigation team that always seemed to show up at the scene of the deaths of a number of big names over the years. Names like the Four Brothers of the Seasons, the Carrion, and even Caz¡¯s old mentor, Amaritas.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    And they¡¯re here in the Night Market? she thought.


    She wasn¡¯t going to let this assailant get away from her, not after what she did to Cyr. But¡­if she was strong enough to take on Cyr, who was considered his sister¡¯s equal at one point, she must be potentially as strong as a Daimyo. There had to be a way.


    Then, it came to her. Perhaps, the greatest enemy this assailant should fear isn¡¯t a member of the Blackbirds. Calli stopped in her tracks, and skidded, looking around at the eyes who fell on her. There was no curiosity in the hardened eyes of the Night Market crowd. They have all seen their fair share of troubles in the past, and were no strangers to the world of violence. Surviving Taysa Polaris¡¯ purge attempts in the past, fighting through the Twindust rebellion, and surviving past waves of subterranean Enthipid swarms, these men and women were hunters in their own right, even if unofficially.


    Yet, the Night Market was vast, and its people lived out their daily lives like any other, living below the radar, just outside of the law. Calli frequented this place often enough, noticing the atmosphere ¨C one that yearns for normalcy no different than anyone else¡¯s. Should the Clan extend control over the underground like they did at the surface, all they¡¯ve built up over the years, would be shattered. It was for this reason why they¡¯ve never allowed a Clan member to skirt the entrance of the underground, and why none who ever managed to enter, ever escaped.


    And one of them was here right now¡­


    And so, Calli checked her balance and began asking around, seeking those who were open to putting a little extra Mon in their pocket, and the notion of a challenging hunt.

 Chapter 13.2: The Muse

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this place up close,¡± Mimi noted, looking up at the jutting towers above her. A mixture of gold and white, the tower¡¯s walls were intricately designed with symmetrical patterns and curved segments of roofing and tiles. Johrei shimmered at its surface, gleaming under the orange skylight, and two golden creatures of unknown description rested in front of the main entrance. With elongated bodies, scaled like a serpent, sporting a lion¡¯s mane, Mimi found the spiritual context given by these creatures ironic, given that the Clan of Tributes were one of the most prominent factors in dampening religion across Lucens Mundi, especially when it came to the Clan of Voices and their worship of the Enthipids.


    The vast expanse surrounding the towers were mostly barren, save for barriers circumscribing each of the three tower foundations. In the distance she could see several minor bridges, connected to the Clan of Tributes¡¯ bases, and further down, Mimi could make out the outlines of skyscrapers encompassing the outer section of Lucens Mundi, each building shimmering under the heat waves. Further down, she spotted Magrest¡¯s large defense platform, the Era of Peace. It was noticeable even at this distance, set past a series of major bridges overlooking an enormous canal. Looking away from the urban scenery, Mimi turned her attention to the smaller body of clear water surrounding them. With symmetrical designs, access to natural resources, and a design structure that could weather any war ¨C Mimi thought that whoever designed this place was was a forward-thinker.


    ¡°Reminds me of a moat,¡± she muttered. ¡°Isolated as the Clan is, they seem unusually prepared for combat eventualities. Look at this. Even the architecture and terrain offer few alternative routes of approach and retreat, and there¡¯s practically no cover past this perimeter, except on the Clan¡¯s side. Lucens Mundi¡­what an unusual district. It¡¯s a night and day difference between these over-embellished towers and the rest of the district, and between the rest of the city and the Night Market below.¡± Her eyes trailed as her thoughts lingered on the matter. ¡°Three separate cultures existing together in one place. I¡¯m surprised you guys don¡¯t butt heads more often, given how antagonistic the Clan and Night Market are to each other.¡±


    Caz grumbled. He was all too familiar with the Lucens Mundi internal politics and would rather steer clear of it if possible. He looked up at the drones floating overhead, a dozen meters above the pair. Though the Clan had surveillance drones sweeping the area, Reina outfitted the pair with jammers that hid their visages from the line of sight of any machine. It wasn¡¯t a permanent solution though, as the Johrei reserves for this would run out in about an hour or so.


    Their goal here is a simple one. Reina needed the pair to infiltrate the towers and plant a beacon chip into one of the Clan¡¯s server farms. She had made surface level sweeps through the databases of the Clan¡¯s files and found an interesting reference to the Imperial Court. She wasn¡¯t able to access the file directly and the file itself was renamed and transferred elsewhere recently, much to her dismay. In order to bypass the Clan¡¯s security walls, she needed a more direct approach, and asked Mimi and Caz if they could help her.


    Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be a task that two Shoguns would undertake, but Reina suspected something bigger was going on, and that it may have involved the Trepidor brothers. Ties connecting the Clan to Tor¡¯s Twindust rebellion have been found. Taysa and her Paladins were the closest to capturing Tor at the time, representative of Lucens Mundi, where the Clan was located. The Revenant¡¯s Balance was a major player at that time as well. And reviewing the footage, it was clear the Night Market was most likely where Tor ran off to, yet he suddenly popped back up on the radar just to die by the Trepidor brothers¡¯ hands. The same brothers, who were Onyx Technicians of the Lucens Mundi underground, just like Alyx. Though the connections were tenuous, if not speculative, enough ¡°coincidences¡± start to shape into patterns, and Reina had a knack at picking out patterns.Stolen novel; please report.


    Caz started, ¡°Reina says the Clan had recently halted their public broadcasts for current hunts, and there was evidence that correspondence had been exchanged between the Clans and local Auditors recently, though Reina couldn¡¯t access the logs for that. The timing for these events were too close in proximity to be a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°To think she stumbled onto all this trying to access access their private communication lines for her own personal use,¡± Mimi responded. ¡°Reina sure does love party-crashing.¡±


    Mimi closed her eyes, leaning on one leg and crossing her arms. She ran through the strategy they¡¯ve agreed on in her head one last time before speaking, ¡°Caz, the Clan had more than one server farm and normally, to find the one that Reina wanted, we would¡¯ve had to look through the specific floors where the servers were located within each of the three towers. Finding out which server farm held the information relevant to the exchange between the Clan and the local auditors would typically entail a significant amount of risk and probing on Reina¡¯s end. She¡¯s been caught hacking their network before, with more than significant consequences, and I don¡¯t want her to go down that road again.¡±


    ¡°And yet, she was able to find out where the server was,¡± Caz replied.


    ¡°Luckily, this time, she already had access to one of the Clan¡¯s smaller private channels. With a little encryption to hide her eavesdropping among the Clan¡¯s communications, and a little reverse tracking, she managed to narrow down the relevant server to the center tower, 30th floor.¡±


    Mimi¡¯s communicator buzzed, and she picked up.


    Reina spoke, ¡°Hey boss. Be careful in there. There¡¯s been some chatter about reorganizing security in preparation for an upcoming major conflict that is expected to happen. Security seems to be tightening up in there for reasons I¡¯m not quite sure of, so I doubt you¡¯d be able to sneak in without someone noticing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Caz and I talked this out already. We won¡¯t be sneaking, well¡­at least he won¡¯t. Just phone in if you need to update us about anything.¡±


    ¡°Roger,¡± Reina replied.


    Caz tapped Mimi¡¯s shoulder and she turned her head to look at him. Caz gestured with his hand, indicating there was something else.


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Mimi said, speaking to Reina again. ¡°Caz said he transferred authorization to you to pick up any incoming communications on his behalf. Apparently, the Clan has a method for preventing any signals transmitted from inside the towers, so once we¡¯re in there, we¡¯re on our own. He¡¯s going to be a little busy in the next hour so could you to pick up any incoming calls for him, especially any that come from Calli, Aio, or Cyr?¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Reina replied. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Mimi thought about it for a second, ¡°Try to get in touch with Alyx when you get the chance. Tell her what we know and keep her updated if you find out anything new. We might get a lead on the current hunt soon. Mimi out.¡±


    Mimi released her comms and looked up once more at the tower¡¯s expanse. From this angle, the towers looked extremely bright. Sunlight pierced through the city¡¯s sky barrier above them. Though the sun loomed grandly, Mimi felt only a mild warmth, due to the barrier¡¯s mitigating effects. It would¡¯ve otherwise been a nice day to take a stroll around the district.


    She primed herself, equipped with a speed-based armor set this time around. As usual, she preferred light armor, almost indistinguishable from clothing, save for the Johrei which occasionally shimmered on the surface of her torso. Fortunately, with the way this tower was designed, carvings and all, she had more than a few handholds needed to propel herself upwards.


    Taking one look at Caz, who nodded at her, she smiled wickedly, and then bolted up the side of the tower, hopping from one foothold to another. She was a natural at this and before the minute passed, she climbed three stories.


    Caz stared forward at the tower¡¯s entrance and readied himself for his part.

 Chapter 13.3: The Muse

    A bunch of men and women sat around a table, holographic cards floating in front of them. They were playing a game of Founder¡¯s Folly, a popular card game played amongst the various Clans. Each person had access to four cards to start, a founder card, and three randomly drawn cards that either encompassed building, destruction, or business collaboration with another player. With each of the three cards you use, you get to draw another one next turn. The goal of the game is to utilize your founder¡¯s strength, along with the three cards in your hand to try to build up your district before the others. Played over two to four rounds, depending on the number of players whoever had the most districts in their possession by the end of the rounds wins the game.


    When a full cycle has completed, with each player getting a chance to play their turn, the dealer sets down a random encounter card. In it, a random development or hindrance may occur, which includes things like permit-use limitations, increased infrastructure costs due to varying circumstances, and worst of all, an Enthipid attack, which is categorized into three grades, each of which requires your own resources and turns to defend against. A successful win against an Enthipid gains you little unless you play smartly and prepare ahead of time, and a loss could cause you to fall behind everyone else. Once you¡¯ve developed your district enough, the player is able to use their obtained resources to start a local hunter board, in which players can target other players and their resources. This is when the game really got crazy, as those who have established hunter boards could turn the tide of the game, even if their resources end up low. This game required strategy, and a mindset fitting for a hunter in order to get ahead of your peers.


    As Kat, one of the regiment sergeants of the Clan¡¯s local militia, readied to play her trump card, which would turn her five-game losing streak into a victory, she heard a creaking at the tower¡¯s entrance. She nudged her companion nearby, jerking her head towards the door. He nodded in response. The Imperial Court had issued an edict mandating a reorganization of Clan staff and troops for reasons they haven¡¯t explained. The Clan¡¯s militia was the standard regiment allowed within all of the major clans. They weren¡¯t hunters, but could be called upon to defend whenever a Clan¡¯s operations would be jeopardized by local hunter activity. They did not owe their allegiance to any particular clan, but once payment was set, they were bound by contract to fulfill their limited roles unto completion. Magrest was known for housing the most militia members in one place, but as of these past fourty-eight hours, Kat saw more troops walking in and out of the Clan of Tribute¡¯s headquarters than she had ever seen in her entire time working career. Even Magrest¡¯s numbers felt minute compared to the number of people inside the headquarters right now. Something big was about to happen, but she wasn¡¯t sure what.


    However, this meant she was keenly aware of anything that might happen over the next few days. As her companion neared the door, the others sitting at the card table caught wind of Kat¡¯s demeanor. They picked up their nearby cudgels, readying themselves for whatever may come. Johrei began creeping along the surface of the weapons. These were weak weapons, but easy to produce, as resources were limited.


    These will have to do for now.


    Some riflemen occupied the stairwells, waiting to provide support if needed, as well as medics standing watch from behind. The Clan did warn they might be expecting company, but this felt much earlier than expected. The troops haven¡¯t even been given the orders to set up perimeter defenses around the outside yet.


    Kat¡¯s companion kicked the door open and, seeing nothing, eased the grip on his cudgel.


    ¡°We¡¯re really getting worked up over nothing right now,¡± he said, turning back to walk towards the table. ¡°Kat, you sure you ain¡¯t trying to cheese your way out of another lo-¡±


    Right as Kat¡¯s companion was about to finish his sentence, he was knocked out by the rear end of a long metallic staff. It was then that Kat realized who the man at the door was.


    ¡°Sorry about the rough entry. I couldn¡¯t find anyone outside to speak to. And the intercom ¨C seems like someone forgot to turn it on. I know, crazy thinking, but putting two and two together, I¡¯m getting the sneaking suspicion that the Clan of Tributes is holing themselves in this tower because they want to. That couldn¡¯t be the case, could it? They have nothing to hide after all.¡±


    The militiamen were frozen in place by the absurdity of the situation. Kat was the first to get her bearings back, and her eyes began to focus in anger at this incoming threat. Something about him seemed familiar.


    Caz continued, ¡°I¡¯m glad your companion there was gracious enough to open the door for me. Saves me from having to break it down. Now then, I need one of you to bring me to your council. I have something to speak with them about.¡± He began striding in towards the center of the room slowly.


    ¡°No?¡± he said, as he closed in. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be connected with the Imperial Court. Mercenary hires?¡±


    Caz¡¯s presence emanated across the minds of everyone in that room, and hesitation followed their action. Kat had no qualms about eliminating this newfound threat here and now and commanded, ¡°What are you all doing?! Hunter or not, this man has trespassed on the Court¡¯s territory.¡± She looked at Caz, face unreadable behind his Johrei veil, and charged in roaring.


    ¡°Uooaahhhh!!¡± she screamed, lifting her Johrei cudgel in her right hand, ready to strike. Caz stood, unmoving.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Let the first be the feint, she thought, recalling her training. Right as she was about to swing down, she planted her left heel, and threw the cudgel straight at his face, aiming to obscure his vision. The weapon clanked against the Johrei veil hanging down from his large frustum hat. Weapon throwing was an oft frowned upon tactic, for its considerable risk, and severe disadvantages. However, Kat was made leader of the militia for her particularly unique brand of combat ingenuity, and, placing a hand on the Johrei knife at her waist with her left hand, pulled it out aimed at his right flank, bring her blade down in a cross-slash.


    Vision obscured by the cudgel, attacking the opponent¡¯s dominant side, with my dominant hand, Kat thought, running through the methods of attack she postulated on over the months, settling on this one.


    Keeping an eye on the halberd that this unknown hunter carried, she aimed for his wrist, attempting to injure his weapon hand, as well as block any incoming retaliation. If she¡¯s lucky, she could keep his weapon hand in place while the others focus on him from the side. However, right as the blade was about to hit its mark, Caz let go of his halberd and jumped back.


    Kat began to look up, not anticipating that he would relinquish his weapon as well. However, assuring herself that this outcome was acceptable and that he would be at a disadvantage regardless, she turned her head up to look at him, only to feel a crack against her face.


    She flew back from the impact, Johrei shields barely holding out and landed with a thud on the floor. Her eyes darted to the tall hunter and saw him deflecting Johrei bullets with the cudgel she had just thrown at him. His head tilted down, the frustum hat absorbed the remaining bullets like rain against an umbrella. Just as he began to look up, four armed guards jumped him, raising their cudgels in unison, activating its Johrei properties in an attempt to break through the tall hunter¡¯s defenses.


    Kat tried to stand, feeling dizzy from the prior impact, and found two of the men downed in front of her. The other two looked shock.


    What happened? she thought.


    ¡°With just his hands?¡± one of the remaining guards cried out, shocked. The other panicked and tried to attack again, only for Caz to grab his arm, lifting him up in the air. The man screamed as bones began straining under the pressure of Caz¡¯s grip, and in the next moment, Kat heard a snap as the guard¡¯s ulna shattered under Caz¡¯s hands. The Johrei shield dissipated, failing to protect its host and Caz dropped the man back on the ground, who screeched in agony.


    ¡°Strength build!¡± Kat relayed to the others loudly. ¡°He¡¯s an Inner!¡±


    Dropping the guard provided an opening as another volley of bullets hailed towards Caz. He didn¡¯t even dodge. The bullets hit its mark, and the gunmen felt a tinge of satisfaction. However, as the like smoke from the shots dissipated, they found Caz standing upright, looking at the gunmen.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even take any damage,¡± one of the gunman said. The pristine armor of this tall hunter in front of them failed to show the fluctuating glimmer that typically accompanied the impact of weaponry against Johrei shields. Instead, was he blocking it¡­with just his Bastion Armor? That didn¡¯t make any sense. How was he this strong?


    One by one, Caz began casually knocking out the men standing in front of him. Bullets continued to track their target, and men surrounded him in droves, but he shook each of the militiamen off. The presence alone caused the remaining troops to hesitate. Kat stood up, room still shaking from the blow she received, waving her hands to the others in loud command, ¡°Smoke out!¡±


    A volley of smoke grenades were lobbed at Caz¡¯s feet and he looked down. In the next moment, the entire tower floor was covered in a shroud of dust and smoke, obscuring the silhouettes of all but the closest of the militiamen.


    When it was cloudy enough for Kat to sneak behind the hunter unnoticed, she pulled out her blade again, this time aiming to stab through his heart. The blade cut through the back of the cloak he had adorned, and then stopped dead on his skin.


    No reaction?


    To Kat, it appeared as if the metal itself stopped her blade. But that was impossible. Even Elite-grade armor would nick at a point-blank stab from a Johrei-infused blade. Did this have something to do with his ability? If that¡¯s the case, she had to aim for his core. However, at that moment she jumped back, noticing motion from the tall hunter.


    She readied herself to defend, only to find him strolling casually to his dropped halberd. She was flabbergasted at blatant disrespect of this man. And it was then that it dawned on her ¨C his height, his raw strength, and his seeming invincibility ¨C she¡¯s heard of the hero of the underground, but her mind didn¡¯t register the possibility he would be here. Why was he here?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for war,¡± Caz said, ¡°though all of you made it pretty clear that you don¡¯t mind starting one. I need to speak with your council. Something of great importance has come up and I require information. Auditor rules state that any hunter may freely request information that may be of relevance to a high-priority hunt, and that the holder of such information must be available to hear the request out, even if such information is denied access, in which case, a hunter may appeal to the Auditors directly. By barring access to this tower, and denying all communication to the Clan of Tributes, you have effectively forfeited your right to a claim of trespass under hunter rule and must bring me to your council.¡±


    Kat, anger reaching a breaking point, took all she could to quell her rage. She looked at the men around her. She was in no position to deny him, not that she could stop him anyways. The Blackbird was infamous for having never faced defeat in all his years as a Division hunter.


    ¡°Look, Blackbird,¡± Kat said, spitting blood on the floor. She could hear some muffled gasps in the back, but ignored them, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but your words ring hollow. You need to give us the name of the bounty before we can accede to such a request. If you¡¯re telling the truth, we may forgive you for your obstruction in Clan business and for the collateral damage you¡¯ve caused on unwilling participants of the hunt. If you think you can get away with what you did, the Auditors aren¡¯t going to side with you once we take it up with them, and you¡¯ll have to answer to them. And don¡¯t even think about lying. We both knows what happens to those who lie about a rule of law of this magnitude.¡±


    Silence followed for what seemed like minutes, but after a few seconds, the Blackbird responded, ¡°Now you¡¯re more rational than I gave you credit for. You¡¯ve held back your anger and even attempted to hear me out, despite what I did coming in here. I had you all wrong it seems.¡± He chuckled at that, which only further enraged her. She clenched her fist to the point of bleeding.


    ¡°The leaders of the Revenant¡¯s Forge, Cadmi and Siegren Trepidor. They are the hunt,¡± he replied matter-of-factly.


    Kat dropped her weapon in shock.

 Chapter 13.4: The Muse

    Mimi had fought an Elite Enthipid years ago with Nyxandria and Mari, back when she she was still the Daimyo of the Valkyries. A creature with eight pairs of extended, sharp black wings and an elongated ridged mandible which curved at the bottom, the giant Enthipid easily reached 30-feet in length, gliding through the air in a slow, deliberate motion. When the crew had approached its vicinity, it easily detected them, and uttered a cry so piercing, it short-circuited the communicators that Mimi had at the time and forced the team to take drastic countermeasures.


    This Enthipid, known as The Siren, was a high priority hunt, and appeared more docile than other Enthipids of the same class. However, it¡¯s specialized ability allowed it not only to emit high frequency sounds at levels unfit for living species to deal with. The moment Mimi saw this beast, she knew she just had to have its powers.


    And she hasn¡¯t gone a day without utilizing its benefits¡­


    Currently holding on to the ridge of the 29th floor window of the Clan of Tributes tower, Mimi looked up. No windows on the 30th floor. Should she aim for the 31st floor and head down or go up from the 29th? She placed her ear against the building, issuing a non-verbal command, activating her core¡¯s ability.


    She began to perceive footsteps. Eyes closed, the world appeared black to her, interrupted periodically by pictures of vague, white images. Every time a foot rapped against the floors above and below her, ripples of sound reach Mimi¡¯s ears, and she becomes able to see the environment around her. Echolocation, similar to the creatures held in Vitadale known as bats, Mimi was capable of manipulating such aspects of sound because of the Siren¡¯s core which replaced where her heart once was.


    Enthipid cores allowed users to utilize abilities similar to those of the deceased Enthipid from which the core was taken from. However, these abilities were often limited in-scope and needed focused stores of Johrei to utilize. Since Johrei disperses quicker over a wider area, cores were often used in conjunction with compact weaponry only, such as guns or blades, and not with larger or bulkier equipment like vehicles or armor. This was also ideal from an economic standpoint, as cores were rare commodities that were only found on Enthipids of an Elite-class or higher.


    This is why Mimi often utilized headphones or microphones because they amplified aspects of her specific abilities.


    Though a recurring issue caused by Enthipid cores was that it burned through Johrei stores quickly, leaving hunters unable to use any remaining stores to power their shields. In most cases, the abilities granted by these otherwise supposedly divine objects, were used very sparingly.


    For Inners such as Supplementors and Augmentors, these issues were not present as the cores ¡°tap into¡± the person itself, a symbiotic connection that allows Inners to utilize Johrei cores to its maximum potentials, similar to the Enthipids who hosted it prior, though the issue of burnout caused by trying to push too much of the Johrei¡¯s abilities at once is still present, as well as the rarer, but more devastating problem -  the Voices of Madness. Admittedly, Mimi had not faced that particular problem recently, and she continued to count the stars that she wouldn¡¯t anytime soon.  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    From what Mimi could hear, it sounded like the patrols are patrolling through a set path around a room. Though the sounds were dim, she could hear whirring coming from inside the room, and tried to focus her hearing even more, burning through more Johrei in the process.


    An image of a server farm appeared. Bingo. However, right as Mimi was about to climb up higher, a sudden coarse noise permeated within her mind, almost causing her to lose her grip.


    The sound felt like gibberish, whispering into her mind in a stream. However, within the sounds, she swore she caught the syllables of what could almost be made out as the word¡­pact.


    She released her ability, and the whispers disappeared along with it. Clutching her head with a free hand, which became dizzy for a spell, she cursed herself for trying to push her powers to far. The Voices of Madness get louder each time she pushes her abilities too far. She needed to keep everything in moderation.


    Jinxing herself like this¡­Mimi should have known better.


    Mimi pulled herself up higher, towards the 31st floor, deciding on the higher vantage point and began sneaking around the hallways. The walls were dim, lined with dark red and dull gold paint, contrasting in hue against Mimi¡¯s cyan top. She should¡¯ve chosen something a bit less flashy to wear today.


    She could hear guards talking in the stairs beneath her.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the first time this happened,¡± a male voice said.


    The coarse female voice responded, ¡°Still, to attempt to break into our systems, knowing how the Arbiters dealt with hackers in the past...¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not agreeing with their actions or anything, but I understand the risks and rewards involved. If every action against a major Clan, big or small, is considered a felony, then you might as well go for the bigger crimes,¡± the male continued.


    ¡°And how about the notion that you shouldn¡¯t be doing this at all? You¡¯re giving those rotten groups too much credit. If this argument of yours is so solid, then why have we only seen the same signatures hacking into our system? It has to be from one source, though admittedly, they are doing a pretty good job at concealing themselves.¡±


    Oh Reina, you¡¯re getting careless, Mimi thought.


    ¡°Anyways, the Daijo-Daijin already knows about-¡± the man started right as Mimi drop kicked him in the face.


    ¡°Who are-¡± the woman began, raising her gun. Mimi jumped up from where the man stood, kneeing her beneath her chin. Blood spurted from her mouth as she fell backwards, gun dropping to the ground.


    Mimi looked around, scanning for any other guards in the area. When none showed up, she listened in quickly, confirming the fact, and then looked at the bodies which lay unconscious before her.


    Idea popping into her mind, she dragged the bodies into a nearby closet, undressing the woman, and wearing her clothing. She tossed her colorful clothing outside a nearby window, towards a pole hanging off the side of the building, planning to get it back later.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem,¡± she said, using her core abilities to modulate her voice.


    What did she sound like again?


    After a few adjustments, she was satisfied. Her voice adopted a coarse tone to it, like the woman had. She grabbed a piece of cloth from the man¡¯s sleeve, ripping it off and tying it around her mouth like a mask. Picking up the gun of the woman her hand, she began walking down the hallway, following the patrol path they were taking earlier to get to the server room.

 Chapter 13.5: The Muse

    ¡°Abraham, was it?¡± the attendant of the plantation said. Despite his role, he donned a wing-tipped tuxedo, colored in red and gold, the color of the Etresca familia.


    Pretentious air, Abe thought to himself, not relishing the absolute state of obliviousness this place manifested. The plantation, which spanned a little more than a few acres, held multiple floors of farmland. A gigantic atrium which could be seen all the way from Lucens Mundi, each floor had its own set of greenhouses and crops, and looked to be managed around the clock by hand-selected personnel, and drones with routine instructions. Strange creatures of varying rarity such as goats and sheep could be seen grazing in the area, as well as winged creatures of colorful variety.


    This place was straight out of a fairy-tale ¨C a place frozen in a point of time when life was much simpler, and lives didn¡¯t focus on the hunt. The great noble familias, numbering a dozen or so, owned various atrium farmlands such as the one here, and were the primary importers and exporters of produce, rare delicacies, and exotic species. It was their monopoly on such products, and their stringent security, that keeps Vitadale safe from the dangers which plagued the other districts.


    Abe was just about done with this place, having left his weapon behind at the border. Once he had this final meeting with Valurian Etresca, the Countess of this establishment, he was out of here. Out of all the nobles here, it was said that she carried the most information about unusual happenstances, despite the increasing notion that this entire district lived in its own self-created bubble. Valurian was also, unbeknownst to most, one of the Mimi¡¯s Songbirds who chose to continue her contract, rather than finalize it in favor of retirement. It¡¯s said she was somewhat of a thrill-seeker, and the prospect of being an info-broker - in a place where hunts were so rare that one would compare it to Ecreville, which barred hunting altogether ¨C greatly enamored the young Countess.


    She also seemed quite competent, from what he heard, and had rid her estate of all those who were deemed liabilities at efficiently maintaining her lands. Though he was warned by Reina to be careful around her. She wasn¡¯t above using¡­questionable means at obtaining the information she needed, and getting her way, regardless of the opposition. If not for her background scheming, her brothers would have been the next in line to inherit the estate after their father¡¯s passing. Instead, through bribery and blackmail, she convinced the local court and Auditors, to issue a bounty against the brothers which, due to her ¡°generous¡± heart, only amounted to excommunication from the district, rather than a full execution. Nonetheless, she now ran the 3rd largest noble estate in all of Vitadale.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As the attendant led Abe into the manor house, he stopped, prompting Abe to wait.


    ¡°Now, be sure to pay your due respect to Countess Etresca upon seeing her. Bow your head and wait until you are addressed, and by no means refer to her in any other manner except by her title. There isn¡¯t much we can do about your¡­attire,¡± the attendant said, looking Abe up and down, mustache ruffling in a barely veiled expression of contempt, ¡°but Lady Reina has convinced the Countess to allow you passage to ask her what you needed to ask. Once your matters are concluded, we¡¯d be happy to escort you to the border as quickly as possible. We know you have urgent deadlines to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Abe said. He wasn¡¯t so much annoyed with them, as he cared little for their games. In Vitadale, those of notable standing have learned to fight with words, rather than with weapons, which was something that always perplexed him. How was order ever maintained in such a society, when only verbal duels were ever used to settle disputes and matters involving the contract and law? Especially those involving the marked? Instead, Vitadale¡¯s policy to excommunicate the dregs of the district onto other districts has caused more problems than solutions, and left a bitter taste in Abe¡¯s mouth, as those irredeemably obnoxious vagabonds eat up the other districts¡¯ resources, whilst still maintaining their pompous attitudes from their time in Vitadale.


    He saw more than his fair share of such scum in Lucens Mundi. In the end, they end up, more often than not, as homeless shadows of who they once were, yet maintain the fa?ade of dignity, making no friends along the way, in either the general populous or even amongst their fellow fallen peers. Their presence is just bad enough not to be considered a crime, but their inexorable habit of eating up a city¡¯s resources while offering nothing in return, abusing those with less power than them, and convincing those beneath them through fanciful exchanges of dialogue, that this was their lot in life, has caused more long-term economic and societal damage than any petty theft could.


    He began running through the locations he needed to visit next, After this, it¡¯ll be Tresgate. I¡¯ll need to meet up with Cassandra and Maricole at the Southern Ribs sector there next.


    He hadn¡¯t heard back from the others in a while. Caz is busy with his infiltration operation with Mimi. He couldn¡¯t reach out to Cyr, Calli, or the rookie at all. They were probably still underground. As for Nyx¡­well, he thought she¡¯d be fine on her own and didn¡¯t really want to talk to her at the moment. She was quite the scary individual when interrupted in the middle of a scouting mission.


    A servant came walking out of the manor, whispering into the attendant¡¯s ears. The attendant, in his usual long, drawn-out drawl, looked to Abe, ¡°The Countess is ready for you.¡± He gestured with an open palm towards the doorway, leading Abe in.

 Chapter 13.6: The Muse

    When Abe entered the manor, the sight of its vast interior caught his eye. Though he was surprised somewhat, he maintained his calm immediately after. This manor was larger than the entirety of the Blackbird base. Marble stairs, leading up to the top floor by a pair of silver, embroidered railings pressed up against the walls of the interior. A chandelier ¨C one of the most wasteful uses of light ¨C hung neatly from the ceiling, sparkling against the sunlight which shone through from a tall, arched window against the elevated middle base of the stairs.


    ¡°If you would please follow me,¡± said a maid from within the doorway. A few other maids and butlers stood next to her, heads bowed, honoring Abe as a guest. Abe grunted, but nodded his head and began following the maid.


    The pair began walking up the marble stairs, turning right and heading down the large expanse of a hallway. As they passed an endless series of rooms, the pair found themselves in an arched skywalk, sunlight poured through the arches. The warmth and atmosphere here felt almost dreamlike. As Abe looked down at the scenery below him, he saw farmers and servants toiling away at the acres below, or assisting in other mundane matters. He wondered if this is how the wealthy had always lived, avoiding the reality outside, or if there was another reason for this strangeness.


    ¡°The Countess¡¯ room is up ahead,¡± the maid said, walking towards a set of towering, ornate double-doors. Two guards stood posted on each side, carrying what looked to be simple Johrei javelins and donning standard Bastion armor. They felt¡­somewhat flimsy when compared to the average hunter in Lucens Mundi, or any other district for that matter. However, they spoke no word, eyes never straying from Abe as the maid approached and opened the doors.


    Well, they have the discipline¡­he thought.


    A large chamber with tall ceilings opened up before him. A little like the monasteries of New Celebrant, the room itself was adorned with stained-glass windows and a small set of stairs leading up to a throne sitting in the center. A large patterned red and gold carpet strewn out in front of him invitingly, the crest of the Etresca family sitting weaved into its center.


    A young woman, who seemed to be in her mid-twenties, sat on the large, embroidered seat at the end of the room. Banners of similar red and gold design hung behind her and a small drone floated above her head to her left, facing Abe, though Abe couldn¡¯t tell if it was truly watching him, as it had no eyes.


    In the corner, Abe spotted a lone hooded figure, who was sitting on the stairs, acting inconspicuous. A hunter, no doubt, but of what nature, Abe couldn¡¯t quite discern.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Erik,¡± the woman spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You may leave now.¡±


    The man, Erik, stood from where he sat and began walking slowly towards the set of double-doors behind Abe. When he walked out, the maid from earlier, closed the door behind him. She was still inside the room, which he found strange.


    ¡°So I presume you¡¯re the Countess calling the shots around here?¡± Abe asked.


    ¡°And I presume you¡¯re Mr¡­what was your last name again?¡± Countess Etresca asked back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t got one. Parents died when I was young. Not all the kids of the underground get to live with such privileges,¡± he replied. ¡°Just call me Abe.¡±


    ¡°I¡­see,¡± the Countess said, face stoic. Her voice though, betrayed a hint of pity.


    ¡°Look, let¡¯s just get this over with. We both don¡¯t want to waste each other¡¯s time, and I got bigger hunts to catch. I need some info, and I hear you¡¯re the one who¡¯s got them.¡±


    Countess Etresca, whose almost-white hair shone brilliantly against the light streaming through the windows, began to stand from her throne. Even at her higher elevation, she wasn¡¯t very tall. Her long, frilled dress, designed with some type of shiny fabric and interwoven with an intricate web of complex patterns, stood out against the stone gray walls behind her. She looked at Abe with an expression that mixed fascination and disdain with a healthy dose of intrigue.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Reina did say you weren¡¯t going to listen to any of my servants¡¯ advice.¡± She began to laugh. ¡°A fresh of breath air. I didn¡¯t expect you to bow or anything, but to speak to a high noble of Vitadale like that. Had it been with any of the others, they might have forcefully evicted you from the premises already. But¡­¡± She smiled, pausing.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± she continued. ¡°What information do you seek?¡±


    Abe pulled on his beard thoughtfully.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the events which conspired in the Brusk sector of Necronova recently?¡± Abe stated.


    ¡°Only bits and pieces. The Auditors who arrived at the location were being very discreet about what exactly happened there that day, but enough witnesses were around the area afterwards to confirm something conspired between the hunters and even rumors of Division hunters¡¯ involvement began circulating.¡±


    ¡°Well, to put it bluntly, cause I need us to work together on this,¡± Abe began, thoughtful, ¡°the Trepidor brothers, leaders of Revenant¡¯s Forge, were involved in a massacre at the warehouse in that district. A lot of men died that day, for reasons we can¡¯t quite figure out. However, one thing we did note was that one of the mercenaries who died that day, had connections with Vitadale, as well as some other districts.¡±


    Valurian Etresca¡¯s eyes widened a bit, but she calmed down a moment later, as dignified as the noblewoman she represented.


    Abe continued, ¡°Did you hear of a man named Tor before?¡±


    ¡°The merchant?¡± Countess Etresca responded. Abe nodded. ¡°I know of him. Why?¡± Abe didn¡¯t notice the subtle clenching of her fist at hearing his name.


    ¡°The Twindust rebellion. I¡¯ve heard some of his product was directly manufactured and imported from Vitadale itself.¡±


    Etresca said nothing for a while.


    ¡°¡­Yes. Though none will admit it, there has been connections between him and a few of the noble hosues including¡­¡± she scowled in frustration, ¡°- including our own. My brothers were receiving part of the profits from that terrible incident, and once I caught wind of their dealings¡­I knew our house would fall if that information were to ever escape.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with telling me this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You shared the details of the events in Necronova. That¡¯s information few are privy to and it seems you understand the necessity of quid pro quo. Since you offered first, it is only natural I share my knowledge as well.¡±


    ¡°Reina did seem to like you quite a bit,¡± Abe mentioned.


    The Countess seemed pleased at that. ¡°Well, she¡¯s always had good taste.¡± She began to walk down the steps in front of her, speaking as she eased her way towards a long, draped table near one of the walls. Paintings hung from above, depicting a number of faces Abe didn¡¯t recognize. The Countess grabbed a strange round pot with a curved spout, and poured a dark yellow-green liquid into a strangely designed porcelain cup.


    ¡°Tea always helps me calm down,¡± she said.


    ¡°About the-¡± Abe began.


    ¡°Tor wasn¡¯t always a merchant. He was originally known as Toren Dydrian, a minor nobleman. He was¡­a strange individual, who loved to venture, telling those he passed of the great offerings bestowed upon us by the outsiders, which is nothing but colloquialism to non-resident ears. Apparently, my brothers, as well as some other noteworthy influential noblemen, got caught up in his Twindust scheme during its early stages. With the backing of a Division hunting group, Tor was able to circulate a steady supply of Twindust throughout all of Neo-Kamakura. At least¡­until the rebellion caught up with and he was marked and ultimately ousted.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Abe asked, putting out his hand to stop her from continuing. ¡°You¡¯re saying that a Division was working with him? How come no one ever brought this up before? Are you sure what you¡¯re saying is real?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Countress Etresca said, bringing her hand in and taking light sips from the tea. ¡°I knew it was a Division because I overheard my brothers talking with one of their members. He was a man with green hair tied up into a ponytail. He had some kind of strange suit on, with patterns etched onto it. And the way he spoke-¡±


    She remembered this strange man, whose voice grated on her ears like nails on a chalkboard. He was tall, and skinny, and seemed to mention something about keeping ¡°it¡± safe. After that, Tor disappeared, never to be seen again¡­until recently.


    ¡°-the way he spoke just reminded me of an interrogation. Someone who, like myself, tried to glean information from the smallest slip of the tongue. Someone who, despite no one else noticing, had already resolved to kill my brothers on the spot, had they refused Tor¡¯s offer.¡± She paused, face serious. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until later until I realized his resemblance to a member of the Division group which was sent to hunt Tor during his initial persecution. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the news yourself, given the information Division hunters are privy to.¡±


    The man sounded familiar to Abe¡­


    It couldn¡¯t be, right?


    The leader of the Vipers Division, Urien Vasser.

 Chapter 13.7: The Muse

    Imperial Chancellor Timur waited for the council members to slow in their discussion on current day matters. A tension rose the air, each member now anticipating the upcoming conflict that would occur when the first Shogun and Daimyo bounty gets released for the first time in years. Anticipation of rebellion from the Clan of Venerers would be only the starting point, as the Auditors, the instigators of the contract, would also face backlash, regardless of the objective criterion for instigating the hunt.


    ¡°And what of the involvement from the Valkyries? Do you think they¡¯ll just sit idly by? It¡¯s clear they have involvement in this matter,¡± one councilwoman said, standing from her seat.


    Another councilman clasped his fingers together, elbows on the table, ¡°Was their involvement not simply because of the Brusk events occuring while they were present in Necronova? They have always been opportunists, and though they may seek more information about the two brothers, I doubt they would trace the brothers actions to our folly all those years ago.¡±


    ¡°You really believe that? After our confirmation of the death of Tor? The same Tor, mind you, who had relocated the first heart into the underground? What if this gets out into the open? Won¡¯t our actions be taken in a negative light? People will question why we have an entire battalion stationed here,¡± a third councilman retorted, an older gentlemen whose hair was graying at the edges.


    ¡°Now, now,¡± Timur stated, speaking calmly, ¡°let¡¯s not fret over the hypotheticals. We are simply doing our duty as citizens of this great city, and no one could blame us for taking precautions. We are, after all, bound by the law to report high-priority violations should it become apparent. The Trepidor brothers violated the pact of neutrality passed under Necronova¡¯s jurisdiction. We are simply doing our due diligence.¡±


    ¡°But-,¡± the councilwoman began.


    ¡°Additionally,¡± Timur said, cutting her off, ¡°I have one of my best investigators looking into the matter now. She is very near finding what we have been searching for all these years.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the third councilman, named Elias, questioned. ¡°How can you be sure?¡±


    ¡°Her resume speaks for itself. Phantasma had never failed a single mission since she began. You all know this. Additionally, she has¡­a lead. A third-party of unexpected origin has recently been searching for a particular village in the underground. The Guardian¡¯s village. She¡¯s heading there with them as we speak, and if her instincts are correct, as they always have been, we might find the heart located there after all.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°How does she know?¡± the councilwoman, Diana pressed.


    ¡°Because the person she¡­replaced, was a Valkyrie informant, one that seemed suggest the Valkyries know more than they¡¯re letting on, and that this new third party is the key to helping them find what we have been searching for, for quite some time.¡±


    The council members relaxed, some resting back in their seats. ¡°If you¡¯re right, Timur,¡± Elias began, ¡°we maybe able to salvage years of ruined reputation after all. By the way, who is this third party?¡±


    ¡°It is-¡±


    Just then, an attendant opened the door to the hall, ¡°I apologize for the interruption, but this is an urgent matter I must relay to the Daijo-Daijin.¡±


    Timur, amused at the timing, waved the attendant in. ¡°Come in. What is it you wish to say?¡±


    Timid, the attendant, walked close within earshot, speaking only for the Imperial Chancellor to hear, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s word from the lower levels, that the Blackbird has infiltrated the towers. He says he wants to speak to the council.¡±


    Timurs eyes widened. He was not expecting this. Why him? Why here? Did information leak about his plans regarding the Trepidor Brothers? His investigations?


    No¡­never good to assume. Too many variables factor against that idea.


    However, the Blackbird wouldn¡¯t have come here unless he known something was up.


    Thinking, Timur started putting the pieces together. Phantasma said that the Valkyries were to guide Blackbird members into the Night Market¡­perhaps, their affiliation is more than Timur had given credit for.


    The two men whom Alokar mentioned¡­Timur did follow up with Alokar and found the descriptions of one of the men to match his memory of a particular BlackBird member. However, that wasn¡¯t enough for surety on this matter. Who was the other person? Assuming the Blackbirds were involved¡­things would make more sense. They are Lucens Mundi residents after all, deeply tied to the Night Market since its early days. Additionally, there have been rumors that an Augmentor who looked like the Blackbird was roaming around the festival in Ecreville during the Brusk incident.


    Aligned goals between Divisions of the Clan of Venerers wasn¡¯t unheard of, but the Blackbird¡¯s presence here couldn¡¯t be explained unless he had a knowledge source that far exceeded what their Division was capable of. The only other division with that much intel, was¡­the Valkyries.


    They¡¯re working together, Timur thought, and began to stand up. It had to be.


    ¡°What is it, Timur,¡± Elias asked. The other council members were looking at him.


    ¡°Something urgent came up that I need to attend to,¡± Timur said. ¡°Please continue your meeting as is without me.¡±


    The attendant began to speak up, ¡°But what about-¡±


    Timur placed a hand on his shoulder, staring daggers, shutting him up. He leaned in, whispering to the attendant, ¡°I shall meet with the Blackbird personally. You are not to inform the others until I give the word.¡±


    The attendant nodded nervously, eyeing the other members of the council quickly, before turning his head away, following the Daijo-Daijin out of the room.


    Timur, plagued by thoughts, needed to confront this new variable, and needed to find out just exactly how the Valkyries knew what they were planning.

 Chapter 13.8: The Muse

    ¡°Ok, all done,¡± Mimi said, inserting a chip into a small terminal sitting in the center of the server farm. Apparently, terminals like this were commonly used for large-scale infrastructure maintenance and operation within facilities. Did the Valkyries base have one? Mimi couldn¡¯t recall. Ignoring her thoughts, she pinged Reina.


    No response.


    ¡°Reina, you there, over?¡± Mimi called again, isolating her voice with some Johrei so that no one else could hear her even if they were nearby. A lesser-used ability, as this one tended to eat up more stores than usual.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± Reina replied. ¡°Someone killed my Songbird, over.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mimi said. ¡°Is this important? We can discuss this later. Are you able to access the servers now, over?¡±


    ¡°Affirmative. I¡¯ll handle that from my end. But boss, this death¡­it¡¯s Vera. She was the contact that Aio and Cyr were supposed to meet. The cleaner¡¯s database found someone whose DNA matched hers during an excavation of one of the local reservoirs near the border of Lucens Mundi, only a a mile or two away from where I last lost contact with her. She was wrapped in a hunter¡¯s curtain, but luckily, a part of her body detached under the water at some point and got stuck in the blades of one of the reservoirs¡¯ filtering systems, giving us at least some forensic evidence to work with. It¡¯s her. Boss, I don¡¯t know who Cyr and Aio met up with, but its not Vera, over.¡±


    Mimi needed to get out. She didn¡¯t have time to think this over. ¡°I¡¯ll let Caz know when I see him, but focus on getting us information from the Clan pertaining to the Trepidor brothers, and that other matter I asked you to look into, over.¡±


    ¡°Roger, over,¡± Reina replied, and then cut off her comms.


    She placed her ear against the door, listening intently to the footsteps walking by. There were scattered footsteps moving hastily in the floors beneath her. Caz probably got their attention by now. However, Mimi did notice something odd. A strange tapping sound, and yet, she couldn¡¯t quite picture what was causing that sound, with all the ruckus happening around. Suddenly, the tapping stopped and the image that was about to form in her mind disappeared, as the sounds reverberated no more. It didn¡¯t feel that close however.


    Mimi decided to take the risk, easing open the doors. Keeping her footsteps silent, being mindful of her lowering Johrei stores, she began to make her way back outside.


    However, suddenly, an older man crossed into her view. Cane in hand, their eyes locked, and the man¡¯s eyes widened, and then narrowed.


    How did he bypass my hearing? Mimi thought. His face seemed familiar¡­


    ¡°Now, this is a welcome surprise, Ms. Rainsong,¡± the man said, and suddenly it clicked for Mimi.


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    ¡°Daijo¡­Daijin¡­¡±


    ¡°In the flesh,¡± Timur replied as began walking down towards Mimi. Mimi stepped back, unsure of her next steps. The window was at the end the hall and she needed to get past him to get there. She could hear guards moving up the stairs from a few floors below as well as something larger between them¡­


    That had to be Caz. Was he captured? Why is he surrounded by others?


    As she eyed for a way to get around him, Timur spoke up. His voice was eloquent, practiced beyond years, and he had an air of dignity about him that belied the Clan¡¯s representation of him, and the rumors which surrounded him.


    ¡°Ms. Rainsong, need I remind you that trespassing onto Clan property without proper authorization, is grounds for marking.¡±


    A sweat beat rolled down Mimi¡¯s neck. This was just one man. Why was she so worked up? But she realized. In all her years, no one¡¯s footsteps had ever eluded her. He was clearly different from the rest.


    ¡°What can I say? I got lost,¡± she replied. Her head ran through the scenarios. There wasn¡¯t too much doubt in Mimi¡¯s mind whether she could take him on in a straight fight. A Shogun is a Shogun, feared as the greatest hunters of the last city, even if she was on the weaker end of that spectrum. The oddity that concerned his silent approach implied he had some kind of Johrei ability, though Mimi doubted it was something that could overcome her abilities as a Supplementor. Clan of Tribute members have always been hard advocates against the use of grafted Enthipid cores or armor as part of their bodies ¨C something Inners like her were perfectly content with. Without that, a person could never tap into the full potential that such cores and armor offered, including its expanded range of abilities.


    However, she can¡¯t risk harming the leader of one of the three great Clans. Doing so, especially in such an unauthorized fashion, despite being a representative of the Clan of Venerers ¨C this would only spell trouble for both her, and the Clan she represented. At best, it would shift the power balance of the city back into the hands of the Clan of Tributes, and at worst¡­


    This could be considered a declaration of war between the Clans. Mimi didn¡¯t want to think about the butterfly effect this would cause throughout the public sectors of the city. The Clans were pillars upon which the public relied upon for the enforcement of contract and law. It is the sole source of stability which, should it ever face internal confrontation - in the wake of this nightmarish planets of monsters and death ¨C it would destabilize and dismantle the foundations upon which the citizens relied on for their fragile peace. The word of the Clans, regulated by the Auditors, and given authority by the councils of the city, stood as a beacon of hope in a grim world.


    Timur noticed Mimi standing up straight, green pupils eyeing him fiercely, and raised an eyebrow. They were clearly nowhere near the ground floor, where visitors could get permission to enter the higher floors.


    ¡°I see. Well, if you¡¯re still worried, don¡¯t be. I¡¯m just here to talk. Nothing more. I could never defeat you or any Division hunter in a battle, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have some advantage over you here,¡± Timur said pausing. ¡°I may have the answers you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Mimi asked.


    ¡°Surely, you¡¯re aware, are you not?¡± Mimi remained silent as Timur continued. ¡°About why the brothers overtook Revenant¡¯s Balance? About why they¡¯ve committed unauthorized murder in a highly regulated district with a pact of nonviolence? How one of them became an Onyx Technician himself?¡±


    Mimi¡¯s eyes widened. She was stunned by the implications of his words. Though the data Reina is trying to access was more important to her at the moment, she couldn¡¯t help but be drawn by the notion of Timur¡¯s words.


    ¡°And why,¡± she started, ¡°are you willing to give up such secrets?¡±

 Chapter 14.1: Lotus Bloom

    Calli and her ragtag group of improvised hunters began to march towards the orphanage located at the top of the hill.


    ¡°And you¡¯re saying that you¡¯ve seen these two individuals at this orphanage?¡± Calli asked.


    ¡°Yes, they fit the description you¡¯ve given us. One of the border guards spotted one leaving the Market earlier accompanied by an unfamiliar woman. As for the kid you¡¯re mentioning, he¡¯s probably still back at the orphanage,¡± said a tall hunter, who went by the name Gravel.


    ¡°Something about that woman seems familiar¡­¡± another hunter by the name of List said. Hair tied up in a ponytail, and outfitted with standard leather equipment, she seemed more of a scout, than a hunter. She was contemplating for a while, with Calli watching her, before speaking up again, ¡°Maybe it was just my imagination. I¡¯ll let you know if something comes up.¡±


    Though this woman didn¡¯t fit any description that Calli knew of any Golden Order members, it was the best lead she had at the moment.


    ¡°Okay, just let me know.¡±


    Calli looked up at the familiar streets of the Night Market, and the nearby slope which led up into the Little Miracles Home. So this is probably where Aio came from when Caz found him, Calli thought.


    ¡°Be polite to Madam Roberta, ok? She¡¯s done a lot for-¡± another hunter began.


    ¡°I know who she is, Kenan,¡± Calli replied, cutting the disheveled looking hunter off. He had a couple of scars and face tattoos, and was of strong build, despite being a bit shorter than average height. ¡°I used to live around here too, back in the day.¡±


    The group of five, including Calli began to trot up the slope until they reached the gateway which led to the orphanage. With only the light of some lanterns and beams of sun rays coming down from the cavern above, it looked no different than how she remembered it when she passed by this area all those years ago.


    ¡°Let me head in first. A group of hunters would look a little bit suspicious hanging out around an area full of kids,¡± Calli said. The others looked at each other and nodded.


    Gravel spoke up, ¡°Did you want us to keep an eye out for the woman as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, if you spot her nearby. Feel free to follow, but don¡¯t engage unless she spots you first. If that happens, you can either retreat and report back to me or try to capture her, but do not kill her unless absolutely necessary.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s a tall order, miss,¡± Gravel said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw in a little extra if you do ¨C make it worth the effort,¡± Calli responded, pulling out another chip for the crew to inspect. After confirming the amounts, their eyes beaming, they agreed to her request.


    Running unofficial requests like this¡­good things there aren¡¯t any Auditors here to judge, Calli thought.


    Opening the gates, Calli walked into the general vicinity of the orphanage. She looked at the leaves on the ground, which fell off from the unusual trees which surrounded the path leading up to the building. She approached, knocking on the door lightly. A few moments later an older man peeked out, voice questioning.


    ¡°Um, who is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Hi, sorry to bother, but did a kid named Aio come by here recently. I¡¯m one of his mentors from the um¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you a Blackbirds member as well?¡± the man asked. He pulled back the door a bit more. ¡°Come in, come in. Aio¡¯s best friend was waiting for this Cyr guy to come back to talk to him about Aio, but it¡¯s been a while and you¡¯re here so maybe you might be able to speak in his place.¡±


    A pang of pain shot through Calli.


    ¡°Oh, ok, sure,¡± she said, voice straining to maintain normalcy.


    Kids watched intently as the tall woman and the old man began walking down the hallway towards the living room. When she approached, she noticed a kid sitting next to a hearth, facing the flames from a short distance.


    ¡°Riven,¡± the old man said. ¡°I found another friend of Aio¡¯s who came by. This woman-¡±


    Riven spun around, looked at Calli, and Calli swore his now calm eyes had a hint of panic in them just a second before.


    ¡°What was your name again miss?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°Calliope¡±, she replied.


    ¡°Trimbotin,¡± he said. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave discussion of Aio to you two. Come along now kids,¡± he said, shooing the peeping kids looking at Calli from the end of the room.


    Riven spoke, ¡°Are you really from the Blackbirds?¡± A surprising question.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that I was?¡± she said.


    He thought for a moment, eyes sharp.


    Kids pretty analytical, despite his age, Calli thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m not fully convinced, but¡­I don¡¯t get bad vibes off of you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I guess,¡± Calli responded.


    ¡°How do you know Aio?¡± Riven asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s the little pipsqueak rookie who underwent basic weapons and hunter training with me back when he first started. The Blackbird himself saw to it that he had a round of tutoring with each of the hunter members, to understand our strengths and weaknesses, and learn from a number of different sources.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think of him?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± Calli said. She thought about her response. Was this kid more likely to help her if she told the truth? He was clearly probing her for some reason. Why? Was he naturally suspicious?


    No¡­Calli thought. He knew something was up and wanted to assess whether or not I could be trusted.


    ¡°I think,¡± Calli repeated again, ¡°that the rookie is too na?ve when it comes to trusting people.¡±


    ¡°You got that right,¡± Riven said, and he smiled for the first time. ¡°Okay, I trust you and¡­I wanted to let you know, that I think Aio might be in trouble.¡±

 Chapter 14.2: Lotus Bloom

    Nyx was surprised. It wasn¡¯t until she reached the intricately carved double-doors of Euphony¡¯s Chapel that she realized someone was tailing her. Not every hunter was capable of that, but as far as she was concerned, their attempt ends here.


    She opened the door, stepping inside, and found herself staring at a large altar sitting beneath intricately marbled walls flecked with black and silver metallic patterning. The crowd was minimal today, as only a few disheveled individuals stood near the podium, their eyes cast forward as a man in uniform began scanning their ID chips. A small table sat at the corner of the room, brochures sitting on top of its draped surface.


    She was here only as a formality and needed to move forward with her mission sooner than later. Keeping her eyes on the door for the tail, she began standing behind the line of visitors, who crowded the left side of the room, next to rows of wooden benches which extended halfway across the tiled floor.


    Nyx only caught a peripheral glimpse of the red sash on the tail¡¯s waist. It wasn¡¯t too common of a fashion choice, so if he decided to step in she would know. Assuming he was a hunter of any notable standing he wouldn¡¯t ¨C


    No, not with these many people around, she thought. Auditors are a huge deterrent for hunters when unmarked hunts have conducted. Punishment varies depending on the type of hunt, the status of the hunter and hunted, and the collateral damage involved, but rarely does it involve something as light as a simple fine.


    ¡°Next,¡± the guard at the center of the room said, as the line began moving forward. Nyx moved along with the wave, darting her eyes every now and then at the mosaic glass windows which covered the sides of the building. Its design allowed light to pass through, illuminating the tiled floor, but its opaque design precluded any clear image from forming in a passersby¡¯s eyes.


    The line continued to move until it reached her turn.


    ¡°Name and purpose?¡± an older gentlemen said. He had on a strange ornately designed white hat, bands surrounding its edges made up for a strange specular material. These mitre hats were common amongst the clergy in this district and were symbols of status amongst those from the Clan of Voices.


    The clergyman waited patiently as Nyx responded, ¡°Bridget Doe. I¡¯m here as a refugee.¡±


    The older man eyed her for a moment, and then nodded, ¡°It seems more and more divers like you have been frequenting our humble district. Fret not, the Clan of Voices welcomes you with open arms.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. So do you just need to scan my ID or something?¡± Nyx asked.


    ¡°Ah, yes. It¡¯s just policy. Afterwards, we¡¯ll provide you some basic information about the various institutions here, including food, and where you can find temporary shelter in the meantime.¡±


    Once Nyx passed the ID verification ¨C luckily, no second attempt was needed - she asked the clergyman about the entrance, ¡°So it¡¯s just that one door to get in and out of here?¡±


    The clergyman looked at her, somewhat confused, ¡°Why no, dear. We have multiple entrances in this location. That entrance there is just the one leading to the main service area where the altar is located. However, if you go past the office located at the end of the corner hallway, you¡¯ll find another entrance there.¡±


    The clergyman seemed very trusting, or he¡¯s just confident. Not much happens around this district, given Taysa Polaris and her Paladins¡¯ brutal enforcement of order across the roads here. She saw at least one of her Division hunters patrolling on her way up to this chapel. It would make sense the clergy could act so stoic handling so many different personalities walking through the district.


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    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nyx said. She waited patiently in the church as others began to flood into the room. Walking up to the guard, she pointed down that same hallway, ¡°You have a restroom down that hall?¡± The guard nodded, and Nyx nodded back, walking down that direction.


    When she reached the end of the hall, she saw the office the clergyman mentioned, scanning the area for an entrance. She found one to her left, walking past a couple of rooms where men and woman could be heard praying. She picked up a brochure on the way out.


    Couldn¡¯t hurt to know a bit more about this district, she thought. A noise rang in her ear. Shocked, she swung her head behind her and looked back.


    Nothing.


    Above her, she noticed the walls of this place were lined in that same strange specular material. Parts of the paint were chipped off from it and she recognized the underlying texture.


    Oh, that¡¯s right, she thought. Bastion metal.


    And those sounds must¡¯ve been the deific ¡°voices¡± those who come here to worship claim to here. Nyx knew better. She shouldn¡¯t stay here too long, lest the Voices of Madness affect her. It appeared the sounds affected her inside one of these Chapels even when she wasn¡¯t activating her Johrei abilities. Perhaps it was due to her status as an Inner? Regardless, it was not something relevant to her at the moment.


    Stepping outside, she found herself in an empty street. Dilapidated roofing lined houses of identical design down multiple blocks, from what it seemed. Were these the shelters? The monastery here seems to block much of the view to the back streets here from the first entryway.


    She rubbed the back of her head, wondering how to get back to the main street sections. A lot of the areas here were walled off, leaving little flexibility as to direction. She could just hop over these walls, but that would be crude, if not suspicious.


    She walked forward, pulling out her brochure. With the way the sun hit, a large shadow cast over her from the monastery, making it hard for her to read. When she stepped out into the first intersection of this quiet neighborhood, she dropped a small ball with intricate patterning onto the floor. Noiseless, the ball latched onto the pavement, opening up into a segmented disc.


    Chuckling to herself, she put the brochure back into her pocket, feet stopping in the middle of the world.


    ¡°How¡¯d you figure I was following you?¡± a man with a coarse voice said. Imad Wren, appeared from a small alley behind Nyx.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully polite for a hunter,¡± Nyx responded, turning her head around. She smiled mischievously. A beautiful smile, though one not lacking ill intent.


    The man looked at her curiously, before chuckling, ¡°You¡¯re a curious one dear.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± Nyx said, as the pair began to circle around each other, maintaining a set distance. ¡°Why follow a refugee like me?¡± She raised her arms up, placing her hands on her chest, as if offended. Imad eyed her carefully, wary of weaponry.


    ¡°A refugee that can tell when a hunter is tracking them?¡± he responded, voice impressed, ¡°Either you¡¯re the biggest liar or the biggest fool.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just not that good at tailing people,¡± Nyx responded. That got a response from Imad, who squinted at her. Nyx was attempting to demean him, getting him to divulge any information. Riling someone up was often the best way of accomplishing that, given how little information she had on her at the moment.


    Imad sensed something was up however, ¡°You¡¯re smarter than you look¡±. Nyx¡¯s eyebrow twitched from that. Her natural temperament was more aggressive than other Blackbird members, but she was smart enough to recognize that he¡¯s trying to do the same thing she¡¯s doing to her.


    In that moment, Nyx decided to try something different. She smiled, and Imad raised his head.


    Then she ran off, sprinting down the road and turning the corner.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Imad said, realizing that she intentionally circled herself to get him to reposition himself so as to not block her path of escape.


    He chased after her, and right as he did, he heard a click on the ground.


    An explosion of smoke and gas engulfed him. The blast was quiet enough that only those who had already been looking this way would notice the smokescreen. It was then, in a coughing fit, and as he began to lose consciousness, that he had begun he realized he¡¯d been playing into her hands this entire time.

 Chapter 14.3: Lotus Bloom

    Aio began thumbing a small necklace worn underneath his shirt. A memento Riven had given him before Aio departed with Vera, it carried the design of a creature with a long beak. Specular in nature and made of a durable metal of an almost familiar feel, Riven told him it was shaped to resemble the head of a Raven, the bird upon which the Blackbirds were based on. Apparently, he had snuck off into the Night Market to get it for him after his original departure all those years ago, knowing he¡¯d come back some day.


    As the pair approached a ridgeline, they could see a small trail of fire, burning out in the distance. The sun was beginning to peek through this section of the cavern through a large hole directly above them. It shone upon a large expanse of flowers which stretched out for miles below them. These cavern flowers looked quite similar to some of the ones Aio had seen earlier near the orphanage.


    The pair didn¡¯t speak much as they began to move downslope, finding footing on a flat patch of dirt leading to a shallow marsh that bordered the flower field. In the marsh, Aio could spot a strange plant which shone a strong red under the piercing sunlight streaming in from above.


    ¡°A night lotus,¡± Vera said, speaking for the first time in what seemed like hours.


    ¡°You¡¯re familiar with this plant?¡± Aio asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s one I adore dearly. A plant that often appeared in my hometown, though its been a long while since I¡¯ve seen it last.¡±


    She looked genuinely melancholic as she stared at the patches of night lotuses wading through the water below. However, the speed at which her expression changed back to her usual chirpy self made Aio wonder if what he saw was just his imagination.


    They waded through the marsh, shoes getting dirty in the process.


    ¡°I absolutely hate the grime,¡± Vera muttered. ¡°Better be worth it kid. What could be so important in that village that made us go through rocky ridges and dense swamplands?¡±


    Aio didn¡¯t answer her. Vera watched for a second, but then turned her head forward again, towards the village.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure myself,¡± Aio finally spoke. ¡°Just that I¡¯d learn a bit more about where my friend came from. That it was something important.¡±


    ¡°You must be close with this friend to have to make a journey all the way out here of all places,¡± Vera responded.


    ¡°Yes. A very reliable, though quirky friend.¡± Aio paused for a moment. ¡°Vera, how did you know where this Guardian¡¯s village was anyways?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say Vera the guide knows her way around the underground,¡± she responded, winking and pointing to herself.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    As the pair continued forward, trudging through the marsh, pushing aside the lilies which held the night lotuses, Aio quietly activated his Johrei, boosting his perception. In a large cavern like this, its not uncommon to hear the stories of travelers who have been ambushed by the rarer types of subterranean Enthipids who inhabit this region. Reports mention the primal nature of these Enthipids, more aggressive than their surface counterparts, whose carapace blended naturally with the muted navy rock which covered the surfaces of the underground caverns beneath the city.


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    Listening in, he could not hear the sounds of any movement in the distance. He focused his eyes instead, looking at the village out in the distance. It was surprisingly dark for a village, though small patches of light hinted active civilization. The vibrancy of the cavern flowers around him seemed all the more apparent as a glow appeared to permeate the air around them. It was pollen, he realized ¨C a strange pollen which glowed faintly under the shadow of the cavern. It clung to Vera, though it seemed not to bother her. It was then, as he engrossed himself in the environment, that he heard a small faint sound ringing in the distance, coming from the direction of the village. It thrummed with what sounded like a deep wind, stopping and starting again.


    As he tried to focus his ears to hear, he heard something that sounded almost like a word.


    ¡°Lost¡­¡±


    Just as his mind jumped from the sound of that strange wind, he smelled an empty scent, just like before. The pollen around him was being pushed away from him, like he was repelling it somehow. Then he looked up, ready to ask Vera if she noticed the same thing, until he noticed the pollen was moving away from her as well.


    Something clicked for him just then. A theory. That this strange pollen was avoiding the pair for a reason. All options considered, there could only be one thing.


    Johrei.


    As he stepped into the ray of light, shining down from the cavern ceiling ¨C its expanse covering several acres ¨C his eyes blinded momentarily.


    In that moment, his other senses sharpened, just quick enough for him to hear the sound of a blade swiping through the air.


    Almost on instinct, he jumped back, evading the strange weapon which Vera now held in her hand.


    Reina¡¯s Songbird, Aio concluded, was herself a hunter.


    And she was out for blood.


    *****


    Calli had begun to race towards The Guardian¡¯s Village in the distance. Zip-lining with her glide rifle, she informed her squad of hunters that she would go ahead of them, telling each of them to rendezvous at the specified coordinates that Gravel provided.


    Please be safe Aio, she thought.


    As she blazed through the cavern walls, puncturing bullets into pillars of limestone, the expanse of land began to broaden. The cavern itself seemed to be getting larger and larger and before she knew it, she was gliding across a large cavern structure with a large entryway at the bottom. Taking that entrance apparently leads a direct path to the Guardian¡¯s Village.


    Strangely, at the extreme heigh Calli was at right now, gliding near the ceiling of the cavern, she could see multiple mouths to other parts of the cavern near the top. She had a feeling that she knew what created those holes, but chose to ignore it for now, firing a bullet at the ground near the cavern entrance and gliding down the created Johrei trail until she landed at its mouth.


    I wish I had brought more fitting equipment for a long trek like this, Calli thought, as she began to sprint forward.


    She ran for what felt like hours, passing through expanses of darkness mitigated only by the occasional torch which was placed alongside the walls by travelers. This still wasn¡¯t enough lighting, so Calli fumbled through her pocket-space seeing if she could find something useful. She did have quite a few items, although most of them expended quite a bit of Johrei to use and she didn¡¯t have those kinds of extraneous resources on her at the moment.


    She pulled out a small orb which Alyx made, meant to be used as markers for underground traversal. These beacons, although dim, did have a wide range and lit up the caverns just enough for Calli to see the general paths in front of her. As she moved forward, she began to hear a low rumble somewhere in the distance. It sounded like movement of some kind, and Calli, not wanting to deal with that, pushed herself even further.


    Finally, she arrived at the exit to this portion of the cavern. Standing atop a high vantage point, she saw in the distance a bright beam of light shine down from the cavern ceiling. A large flower field bloomed against the sunlight, covering a radius which was large enough to encompass an entire town. In the distance she saw what looked to be man-made habitation of some kind, though it wasn¡¯t very clear behind the light. That could be the village.


    As she pulled her glide rifle out, ready to fire a bullet down to the ground, she noticed two dark spots in the distance. Pulling out a scope from her pocket-space, she connected it to her gun, aiming down the sights to see the silhouettes of a woman holding up a strange weapon above another figure knocked down on the ground¡­


    Aio.

 Chapter 14.4: Lotus Bloom

    The first stab landed on Aio¡¯s shoulder. His Johrei shield shimmered under the bright yellow light of the cavern. Vera was carrying a strange, needle-like blade with strange serrated protrusions on it.


    He fended off a second blow with his bow, splitting the two halves of the bow into makeshift blades. Vera raised her eyebrow at this.


    Activating his Johrei, Aio¡¯s senses sharpened. He tried to minimize its moments of usage, as Johrei stores should be managed frugally. With enhanced perception, he noticed Vera¡¯s next strike, aimed at the same shoulder, the speed of the strike appearing to move slower than last time.


    Instead of sidestepping the attack again, he called out the feint, stepping into the strike, ducking at the last moment until he was right underneath Vera. With his right hand, he attempted to stab upwards into her face, which shimmered slightly into a smile.


    His eyes widened as a knee connected squarely with his solar plexus. His shield ate the brunt of the force but he was sent flying backwards onto a patch of flowers, which were crushed under his weight.


    Even with the shield, the pressure from that kick was enough to knock the wind out of him. It wasn¡¯t particularly strong, but he felt the preciseness of it. Getting to one knee, breathing a little harder, and attempting to stand, he turned his face towards her only to find her blade darting towards his shoulder again.


    This time it landed, causing a streak of pain to shoot through Aio¡¯s arm as his shield broke from continual stabs in the same location. He attempted to swipe at her but she stepped back¡­no, she seemed like she glided back from his attack, smiling that same smile of hers. It was unnerving.


    Ignoring the cold feeling of blood in his stab wound, he could feel the remaining Johrei shards segmenting away from nearby areas, attempting to provide minimal coverage where the wound was. That needle must have been sharp indeed to have already broken through portions of his shield.


    Targeted, precise strikes like that often broke shields more easily than blunt force of a similar nature, as there were less Johrei shards to protect those smaller surface areas. Hunters who preferred such tactics were often of those who preferred quick, decisive battles with the intent to kill, rather than capture.


    An assassin then? Aio thought. Vera was no Songbird, that¡¯s for certain, and as this fight went on, he attempted to glean more information from his opponent. Cyr always mentioned that battles are part instinct and part awareness. The person who could discern the other¡¯s weaknesses first would always be the one who held the advantage throughout the fight.


    Aio thought about his injury. The upside of being stabbed in one precise spot, if there was one, was that unlike blunt force, which shattered large areas at once, precision weapons often left the integrity of the Johrei shield intact. The rest of the shield retains its protective qualities, and nearby Johrei shards attempt to cover the gaps left behind by the destroyed shards. Though too much damage of such would spread the shards too thin, for now, Aio¡¯s armor was mostly intact.


    Fingers feeling weak as blood trickled down his upper left arm, he reattached his two blades into a bow, pulling back to fire a crystalline Johrei arrow at Vera. She dashed towards him, weapon ready to strike. However, right before she reached him, he pulled back the bow. Sensing danger, she attempted to sidestep and that¡¯s when Aio smelled the empty smell again.


    Johrei activation, he thought, training his eyes on her. It was then that he noticed how unusually quick her sidesteps were, almost inhuman, and he managed to deduce the nature of her abilities.


    Vera¡¯s eyes widened when she realized he feinted the arrow shot. At this distance, most would have been confident about the shot. Instead, he waited for the right opportunity, analyzing her at the same time. He probably realized she was an agility type and part of her smiled at the prospect that this freshly-minted hunter might have been more skilled than she had previously given credit for.


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    Aio finally released the arrow, and Vera, unable to quickly stop her sudden burst of momentum, walked right into its newfound trajectory. It hit her, damaging her arm¡¯s shielding. However, her shield remained intact, though she could tell another hit like that would break it.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± she said, surprising Aio.


    ¡°Who are you really?! You¡¯re not a Songbird,¡± Aio retorted, priming another arrow. Stepping back further and further, he released a sequential volley of arrows at her. This time, deciding not to play around any further, activated her Johrei, speeding up her movements. She swatted away each volley of arrows with her thin blade, running towards Aio at lightning speeds. As she approached once again, she expected Aio to break his blades and defend, but was mildly surprised to see him tilt his bow to the side.


    Suddenly, the light from the cavern caught onto the reflection of the bladed portion of Aio¡¯s bow. The metallic shine blinded Vera for just a moment, and Vera, seeing a glimpse of another crystalline arrow forming in Aio¡¯s hand afterwards, laughed in her heart. This kid was something else.


    Right as the arrow was about to loose she took her non-dominant hand, tossing a set of small needles at Aio¡¯s damaged shoulder, forcing him to adjust his stance.


    The slight hesistation from Aio gave Vera just enough time to close the gap and she swiped her blade upwards. Aio felt she was still too far and attempted to step back, forgetting about the most basic lesson of Johrei weapons.


    Never believe your eyes when it comes to weapons infused with Johrei. Always anticipate the strike with your instinct, even if your eyes fail to see the threat, Caz would always say.


    Aio pushed his bow downward, barely managing to block Vera¡¯s blade from swiping upwards at him. Her strange blade extended its reach, Johrei shimmering against its tip. He attempted to knock her blade aside, but just as he was thinking so, she retracted the extension of her blade, and it slipped from under his bow.


    Now fully retracted, she pulled back her blade and attempted to stab Aio again. His eyes perceived her blade¡¯s speed and saw this strike as true this time. He lifted up his bow again, crystalline arrow still attached, and tried to parry the strike, but at this distance her blade connected cutting a line across his Johrei shield which shimmered and shattered across his chest.


    However, Aio, spotting a moment of weakness while Vera was still reeling from the deflection, poised his bow point blank attempting to fire at her. It was then he felt a sharp pain as he realized three needles pierced the reforming Johrei shields on his shoulder, puncturing his wound even further.


    It caused him to raise his bow too high and his crystalline arrow released into the sky as he bled profusely from his open shoulder wound. Dropping his bow from the pain, he looked up to see her foot and was knocked back onto the ground in an instant.


    ¡°Well, that was more fun than I had imagined. You¡¯re young kid, but I can spot a fighter in you,¡± she said, as Aio writhed in pain.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± he asked. ¡°Cyr [cough]. Cyr isn¡¯t meeting up with us in the village, is he?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I had a feeling you suspected me even before we arrived at this place,¡± she said, eyes trained at the location where Aio had heard the sound earlier in the village. ¡°However, none of that mattered. I just needed you to lead me here until I confirmed what I needed to confirm.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Aio asked, attempting to reach his bow on the ground nearby. Vera kicked it out of the way.


    ¡°You won¡¯t live long enough to know,¡± she said, and raised her weapon. It was at that moment she heard a whistle in the air and looked up to see a crystalline arrow falling straight down towards her. Instinctually, she activated her Johrei and stepped back quickly, having to spend more than usual for an increase in speed, barely managing to avoid the arrow, which would have punctured her shield for certain at that velocity coming down.


    Aio noticed eyes actually looked surprised this time, but that surprise only lasted a moment. His attempt to redirect the Johrei arrow failed.


    This kid¡­he¡¯s going to be a problem, Vera thought, realizing his potential threat in the future and raised her lotus blade, point facing Aio and swung down at him. His last ditch attempt to fend her off seemed all for naught when suddenly a bullet streaked right through Vera¡¯s leg, clashing against her shield. Though it didn¡¯t break, the impact of the bullet caused her to loose her balance, forcing her to readjust herself.


    ¡°Who-¡° she began, as she was drop kicked directly in the face, sending her flying a few feet away.


    ¡°Aio? Are you okay?¡± a familiar voice said.


    Johrei?, Vera wondered, noticing a faint line of shards trailing from behind where the bullet had just been. How did she get here?


    ¡°Calli?¡± Aio said, straining to stand as he picked up his bow again. His shoulder was in a lot of pain and he wasn¡¯t sure if he could hold the bow properly like this. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± she replied. ¡°First, we got to take care of this imposter from the Golden Order.¡±


    ¡°Golden¡­Order?¡± Aio asked.


    Vera stood up and her face became stoic. No more of the laughing woman remained in her as she looked upon this new threat.


    ¡°Calliope,¡± she said, glaring coldly at the newcomer with the short, navy-blue hair in front of her. ¡°A little too many crows for my liking today.¡±