《In the Heart of Justice》


 Chapter 1: Jailbreak

    Amidst the dark night, Eluya was imprisoned in a maximum security Prison of Aslahan, the highest Security Prison for Vampires. It was built next to the Huding River, known for its cold water, which was infamous for claiming the lives of any and all who try to escape.

    "Oh my my.. The voices here get quite loud." Eluya spoke to herself in a calm voice making no attempts to free herself from the chains, knowing how pitiful the attempts would be, while listening to the screams of agony from other cells.

    Then all of a sudden, the silence overtook the Prison of Aslahan, followed by the March of Prison Guards outside. Their shouts were heard throughout the facility before silence took over once again.

    "Took you long enough.. Dear." Eluya said with a mischievous smile as the Three-Inch Iron door that separated her prison cell from the hallway was torn open by a man she recognises despite the fact that his entire body was covered in a Linen Robe with his face covered with a mask.

    The hooded figure swiftly dashed across the prison cell and broke the chains that held Eluya. "Shut up for a second.." The man spoke with a strict tone as he grabbed her weakened body and started his dash back through the Iron door to the roof via the hallway.

    On the way to the roof, the Prison guards fired at the Man carrying Eluya. Once atop the roof, they found themselves surrounded by a bunch of Armed Guards.

    "SURRENDER OR WE''LL SHOOT!" The Senior of the Armed Forces spoke with a mic. The Armed Men, meanwhile, were ready to shoot at a moment''s notice.

    "Oh no.. I''m sure you didn''t come here without a plan, did you?" Eluya speaks in a low voice while maintaining the teasing tone though still unable to move much due to the weakening effect of the Chains that bound her not long ago.

    "Of course.. Just hold on tight." The man spoke reassuringly as he made a straight dash towards the edge of the roof.

    The bullets started raining as soon as he moved luckily he managed to dodge them and jump into the Freezing River while holding Eluya tightly.

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    "Set up a search parameter and Each and every one of you has order to shoot in sight. Don''t let those Bloody Vampires escape with their lives." The Senior Army Man spoke with a calm look as he stared at the sky while the armed men began to carry out his orders as they quickly left the facility and began their search.

    Meanwhile, Eluya and the Man had already reached a shore far away from the Prison.

    Eluya chuckled to herself as she was pulled to the shore by the man. "Thank you, Abel.. I feel... A bit cold though" Her tone was grateful and thankful as she slowly stood back up as the cold has easened the effects of the Chains.

    "Well, who told you to go around using your powers? Aslahan was the last place I wanted to break you out of.." The man, Abel, spoke with a slightly annoyed tone as he went around and found the supplies he had prepared for this jailbreak.

    "And here are some dry clothes. And change back into your regular look." Abel spoke calmly as he removes his robe and mask. His black hair swayed along with the wind and his deep brown eyes stared at Eluya.

    Upon being handed the dry clothes, Eluya smiles and the two immediately change out of the wet clothes into dry ones. She also shapeshifts back into her usual White Hair and Red Eyes.

    Once done, Abel puts the clothes around some small logs and throws them back in the river.

    "This should buy us sometime. Let''s head back to the office or Iliana would be angry." Abel says calmly as the two step into a tunnel that leads to the Black Market, a route they were familiar with and a safe route to quickly get back into the town before the curfew begins.

    "Hmm.. Abel. Are you angry at me? I''m sorry for troubling you but I couldn''t just turn a blind eye back there." Eluya said with a slightly uncomfortable tone as the two enter the Town of Luminae, leaving the road of Black Market via one of the hidden Sewer Gates.

    "Just don''t get imprisoned next time, Eluya.. This was the 12th time I''ve broken you out of a prison. But at least you changed your appearance before revealing yourself as a Vampire otherwise the consequences could''ve been worse." Abel spoke calmly as they continued to walk towards their office, which was only a few minutes away from where they were currently.

    "Yeah.. I''ll try not to be impulsive from now." Eluya said calmly with a bit of guilt in her voice but the two acted normal as they continued to walk.

    On their way back to the Office, they saw a lot of police movements due to Eluya''s Prison escape but they weren''t stopped by any of the policemen as their current appearance was well known by local police due to Eluya and Abel''s work as Detectives and often handling cases with the Local Police Force.

    After a bit of long but uneventful walk, they stepped inside the office and closed the door behind them. The one that was waiting for them inside was.. Iliana.

 Chapter 2: Back Home

    Iliana was silent as she sat cross-legged with her feet dangling from the table, her long black hair bundled up in a bun, with her high heels tapping against the floorboards.

    Once the door of the office was closed behind Eluya and Abel, Iliana sighed as she threw a key to Abel. "Go get some rest, Abel.. I want to have a talk with Eluya here.." She spoke with a calm tone, but her eyes were glowing with anger.

    "Okay." Abel replied calmly as he caught the keys and began to make his way inside the office. Since the property was designed so that the office and their home were necessarily the same, he only had to walk up some stairs to get to his room.

    Once Abel was gone, Eluya dropped to her knees, looking up at Iliana with guilty eyes. "I''m sorry, Iliana.. Can we let this pass? Just this once?" Eluya begged, making her usual puppy eyes to sway Iliana, but to no avail.

    "Eluya.. This was the 12th time you were imprisoned, was it not? And you are still begging for mercy like always." Iliana said in a harsh tone. Her gaze made it clear that Eluya would be reprimanded for such irresponsible behaviour.

    "But you are currently weak from the chains they use at Aslahan.. Take this." Iliana said calmly as she stood up from the table and walked closer to Eluya. She stood just a few feet away from Eluya before calmly sighing and giving Eluya the key to her room.

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    "Go back to your room and rest.. We''ll talk in the morning. Any and all cases have been freezed for now due to the curfew." Iliana said calmly as the anger had almost disappeared from her voice, but she still maintained a professional tone.

    "Ah.. Thank you, Iliana. I don''t know what I''d do without you." Eluya said with a nervous laugh before she quickly stood back up and wiped the dust off her knees.

    Once Eluya walked into her room, Iliana sighed and muttered to herself in a tired tone. "Who''d have thought having Vampires as teammates would be this much of a hassle.." Then Iliana walked back to her chair on the table and sat down on it before looking at her computer screen.

    "Oh.. I still have some time before sleep. I should complete the sheets for tax purposes." Iliana said calmly before she got right into her work.

    After completing the little work she had, Iliana went back to her room and slept for the night.

    Meanwhile, Abel couldn''t sleep because of a lingering fear in his mind. His face was pale, his body was sweating profusely, drenching his shirt in sweat. To calm himself, Abel stepped into the shower to take a bath.

    As he showered, he gazed at himself in the mirror. The steam from the hot water blurred the mirror, but he could still make out his own form. The hot water flowed over the contours of his body, easing away the tensions of a restless day.

    After he was done bathing, Abel stepped out of the shower with just a towel around his waist. Then he walked over to his bed and laid on his back, staring calmly at the spinning fan on the ceiling. The air from the fan felt cold as he was still wet from the shower which helped him fall asleep.

 Chapter 3: Rest Day (1)

    The next day, Abel got up early and took a bath before heading to the Kitchen. Since he disliked both Eluya and Iliana''s cooking, he put on an apron and started rummaging through the Refrigerator for ingredients.

    After a careful consideration of both his appetite and the punches he''d get if he didn''t consider Eluya and Iliana''s diet, he

    decided to stick to the trusted Vegetable Sandwich with Whole-wheat bread.

    As he began cutting the vegetables into thin slices with the knife, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Abel looked over his shoulder and saw Iliana come down into the kitchen.

    "I''m surprised you came to the kitchen, not the office downstairs." Abel spoke sarcastically before turning his attention back to the vegetables, slicing them to put on the sandwich.

    "I''m pretty sure the first thing to say to someone is ''Good morning, Abel.'' By the way, don''t toast the bread and add some extra tomatoes for me." Iliana replied calmly, walking to the coffee machine and brewing herself one-third of a normal espresso serving.

    Then she added an equal amount of creamy milk, mixed it thoroughly, and topped it with some whipped cream for her favourite Cappuccino.

    "Ah... this is the stuff I live for." Iliana said with a glowing smile as she sat down on the chair and drank the cappuccino with a smile.

    Abel nods at Iliana''s instructions for the sandwich, paying little attention to her smile, before taking a plate from the rack and making two sandwiches for her. He uses untoasted Whole Wheat Bread alongside the normal portions of cucumber, lettuce, and capsicum, with extra slices of tomatoes to top it all off.

    "Here you go... enjoy." Abel said calmly as he served Iliana her sandwiches. Then he turned towards the stairs and almost on time, Eluya was coming down to the kitchen.

    Eluya yawned as she stepped into the kitchen and sniffed the air with a smile, still partially asleep. "I can smell sandwiches... yummy!" she spoke with a childishly happy face, while her shirt was barely hanging over her shoulders and looked like it would fall at any given second.

    "Eluya, dress up properly." Abel said calmly, though a hint of disappointment was noticeable. He was not very fond of Eluya''s klutzy nature when she wakes up.

    "Eluya, go take a bath. It doesn''t suit a lady to be off-guard like this in front of a man." Iliana added while maintaining an elegant tone as she sipped her coffee before biting into the sandwich. A noticeable smile remained on Iliana''s lips because of the coffee.

    Eluya woke up fully upon hearing both Abel and Iliana. She noticed that her shirt was about to slip off her shoulders and quickly adjusted it before clearing her throat. "Ahem! So as I was saying, I smell delicious sandwiches from the kitchen. Abel, could you make one for me too? Pleeeease~" Eluya spoke with her usual puppy-dog eyes boring right into Abel''s, truly using her cards as she saw fit.

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    "Just go get dressed, you idiot. At least take a bath before you walk out of your room. We have separate bathrooms for a reason." Abel spoke with a rushed tone before turning his back on Eluya.

    Eluya chuckled at Abel''s reaction and happily went back to her room to bathe, paying no attention to his response.

    Meanwhile, Iliana was intrigued by Abel''s reaction and spoke in a teasing tone. "Quite a reaction there, Abel... Are you still weak to Eluya''s charms?" She raised her eyebrows at Abel.

    "A little bit," Abel spoke honestly, choosing to be honest in a situation like this. After all, Iliana was too aware of everything that was between Abel and Eluya, not to mention she quite liked participating herself.

    "Thank you for your honesty. Just remember to keep private matters private, especially when you''re in public or on cases," Iliana added calmly before standing up, now that she had finished her meal. She then descended the stairs to the office. With the curfew in effect outside, the office was closed, allowing her to focus solely on handling letters and emails.

    Meanwhile, Eluya immersed herself in a bath, the white hair clinging to her body under the cascading water as she lathered soap over herself, enveloping her in a frothy foam.

    Then Eluya examined her body in the mirror, striking a few poses before turning on the shower to rinse off. As the water washed away the suds, she reflected, "I''ve gained some weight... I should be a bit stricter with my diet now."

    After her bath, she stepped out, wrapped in a towel. Upon entering her room, she changed into a simple frock dress before returning to the kitchen for breakfast.

    Abel patiently waited for Eluya, and they finally enjoyed their breakfast together before heading down to the office to assist Iliana in managing the letters and emails.

    Abel approached Iliana''s desk and took approximately a third of the letters. He then settled onto the sofa, methodically opening each one to read and compose replies as necessary. Eluya followed suit, effectively reducing Iliana''s workload by two-thirds.

    "Thank you, both of you." Iliana said calmly, her attention fixed on the letters spread out on her desk.

    The three of them continued their work diligently until every letter had been processed. Abel cleared his throat before starting his review of the letters.

    "I''ve got two letters about advertisements, seventeen spam messages, and one that needs an immediate response related to last week''s case."

    "As for me, I have three letters regarding advertisements, seventeen spam messages, and one appreciation letter from the Luminae Police Department." Eluya said calmly. She swiftly gathered the spam letters from both Abel and herself and disposed of them in a bin.

    "Well, for me, there are no letters of advertisement, nineteen spam messages, and an invitation." Iliana said calmly, handing Eluya the spam letters to dispose of them before continuing her work.

    "The invitation is to a banquet scheduled for next month at City Hall. All detective agencies are expected to attend." Iliana explained calmly before leaning back in her chair and yawning. "I don''t really get the appeal of these banquet things, but the food is usually good, so we''ll go."

    "Okay." Abel and Eluya said simultaneously, leaning back on the sofa to relax.

    "Iliana, do we have a case we need to start working on tomorrow? Or is someone coming by to give us our assignment?" Abel asked calmly, his fingers idly dancing along the hem of his shirt.

    "We do have someone coming tomorrow. They were supposed to arrive today, but the curfew forced a change of plans." Iliana explained professionally, followed by a yawn. "You two can rest now. I''ll handle the emails; they won''t be an issue." she added calmly, turning her attention back to the computer screen in front of her desk and working diligently.

    Abel and Eluya exchanged smiles before focusing on their own tasks. Abel transcribed the report from the case he handled last week and composed an email, while Eluya headed back to her room upstairs to prepare for the next day.

 Chapter 4: Rest Day (2)

    Meanwhile, in the prison of Aslahan, deep in the basement where prisoners are tortured for information, a vampire was enduring relentless torment.

    His bloodcurdling screams echoed throughout the torture chamber as his frail body was barely kept alive by the continuous infusion of medicine.

    The man interrogating the vampire was Major General Zorick. He stood imposingly in front of the chained vampire, his fists tightly wrapped in chains.

    "You were the guy in the cell next to that woman''s.. You must have heard something. Spot it out already, we have other witnesses to interrogate." With a wicked smile, Zorick delivered another punch to the vampire''s face.

    By now, the vampire''s face was unrecognizable. His arms were crushed, spine was broken, his ribs protruded out of his body but he was still alive. More blood coated Zorick''s body than remained inside the vampire''s. His screams and pleas were so horrifying that even the soldiers and prison guards trembled in fear. As for the other prisoners, they could only pray that they wouldn''t be next.

    "Hmm.. Mary. This one cannot speak now. Dispose of his body and prepare the next one for interrogation." Zorick spoke calmly to his Appointed Colonel, Colonel Mary.

    Mary quickly pulled the dead body from the chains before signalling to the soldiers to bring another prison, while Mary threw the beat-up body in a corner.

    As the Soldiers opened the door to bring out another lamb for Zorick''s "Interrogation", the cries and wish for mercy could be heard in the group of prisoners, trying to get away from the soldiers but they understood that it would be them eventually.

    Once the next Prisoner was chained up, Zorick picked up a notebook and acted as if he didn''t just torture another Prisoner. "So.. You are a vampire too. You were in the cell in front of that Woman who escaped. Tell me everything you know and I''ll make it quick." Zorick promised with a wicked smile, tightening the chains around his fist.

    "I-I SWEAR I DON''T KNOW ANYTHING. THAT WOMAN JUST KEPT QUIET THE WHOLE TIME SHE WAS THERE. THE ONLY TIME SHE SPOKE WAS A MINUTE BEFORE THE BREAK-IN.. THAT''S THE ONLY THING I KNOW." The female prisoner terrified as she squirmed to free herself from the chain. But the chains restricted the use of her Blood Arts.

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    "Aww.. You are trying to free yourself. I''m sorry but those chains are made from high Quality Argentite Steel. It''s made to restrict pesky vampires and their blood art." Zorick said with a devious look, wiping the blood off of his face.

    "Now be a good vampire and clench your teeth. If you told me this much, then surely you must have heard more from that woman." Zorick said calmly before he began punching the female vampire ruthlessly. The hatred for vampires was evident in his eyes as he punched her mercilessly, kicking her on the torso, breaking her bones until she screamed in pain.

    "Mary.. Put this woman on life support. I want her to live as much as possible." Zorick demanded calmly before he started torturing the woman once again. He thrashed her with a Baton made out of Argentite Steel until she couldn''t move her body, going as far as to use a knife to cut open her stomach until her liver and stomach were leaking out of her abdominal cavity.

    "I... Don''t.. know..." The woman repeated in a low whisper continuously. A plea of mercy, A plea for a fast death, that''s the only outcome she wanted.

    "Please... Just.. kill m��" The woman whispered in her final words before her vocal cords were torn out of her throat.

    "I won''t let Vampires have their last words be fulfilled... Ever." Zorick screamed at the woman and stomped her face. He kept stomping even after she died, by then the stomping only made a squelching sound.

    "I LET ONE OF YOUR KIND ESCAPE! I WON''T DO THAT SAME MISTAKE EVER AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME!? NEVER AGAIN!" Zorick declared at the top of his voice, before he stopped and looked back at the remaining prisoners. "Get one of them here."

    The other four prisoners were interrogated in a similar manner. Each of them dying in a similar cruel fashion with their bodies so mutilated that no one could recognise them and the entire basement reeked of blood.

    "Get the prison guards to clean it. This wasn''t fruitful at all." Zorick said calmly as he wiped off the blood off of his hands and face before leaving the basement.

    Mary, silently nods and signals to the soldiers and prison guards to dispose of the body by feeding the corpses to General''s Pet Piranhas, situated in a pond behind one of the doors in Aslahan''s basement.

    "Oh.. How much I wish I had the company of that Vampire who escaped yesterday.. The guards told me she was so beautiful.." Zorick whispered in a perverted manner as he grabbed his chest near the heart and began murmuring even more.

    "I wanted to tie that bitch to my bed and do so so so many things.. until she showed me what she truly looked like. Such a shame that a guy broke her out." Then Zorick adjusted his uniform as he made his way to his room in Aslahan''s Living Quarters. His work was incomplete, but he was satisfied with what he did.

 Chapter ???: The Unending Dream(???)

    I''m afraid...

    Don''t be Afraid..

    I''m hated...

    Harness that hatred, little one..

    I wanna die...

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    Why are you not afraid of me...

    Why are you afraid of yourself..

    They don''t like me...

    She does..

    Why does she like me...

    Only she can tell..

    <u>Then, he woke up.</u>

 Chapter 5: Case of Dreamer (1)

    The morning after the curfew''s end was relatively peaceful. Abel, Eluya, and Iliana sat in their usual seats, each holding a pen in hand.

    Abel wore a charcoal shirt with tailored, flat-front trousers, both patternless. Over his clothing, he had a beige overcoat with his badge pinned to it and a shoulder holster inside the coat holding a customized Beretta 92FS. His entire ensemble perfectly complemented his lustrous black hair and deep brown eyes.

    Eluya wore a crisp apricot-colored shirt paired with pewter-colored flat-front trousers, topped with a matching overcoat. Her badge was proudly pinned to the overcoat, and a hip holster held a custom .56 Magnum. Sitting comfortably on the sofa in her low-heeled pumps, she was waiting for the commission.

    Meanwhile, Iliana sat at her desk, typing on her computer with focused attention. She wore a fitted gray short-sleeved turtleneck and a knee-length black pencil skirt, creating a comfortable yet professional outfit for office work.

    After a few moments, Iliana sighed, looking at Abel and Eluya in silence now that her work was finished. She turned her head slightly to glance at the clock before directing her gaze to Eluya.

    "Eluya, the person is coming anytime now. Make sure to note all the details. You''ll accompany Abel in the investigation." Iliana said calmly before she sat straight on her chair and cleared her throat.

    Eluya nods, maintaining the silence while Abel is spinning the pen in silence to occupy the time.

    After a period of silence, the office door opened and an old man entered. His clothes were modest by today''s standards, consisting of a well-tailored suit that fit his body perfectly. The old man walked up to the chair in front of Iliana''s desk and spoke calmly. "Hello.. Miss. I''m here to give you the details about the commission."

    Iliana nods at the Old Man, passing him a glass of water. "We are listening, Mr. Monzard. Please don''t omit any details."  Iliana spoke with a professional tone that also carried a touch of tenderness.

    Abel and Eluya were poised with their pen and paper, diligently jotting down every detail they could glean from the old man''s statements about the commission.

    "Uhh.. So. My Daughter is missing, the guy she married with has been murdered in their home. I got the file from the Police Department." The Old man passed the documents about the murder to Iliana. "They asked me to go to a detective agency so I came here. Please investigate the case.. Please bring my daughter back.. She''s the only family I have now.." The Old Man was on the verge of crying as tears slowly watered down his cheeks.

    Iliana takes a few glances at the file, passing it to Abel and Eluya on the other desk and turning her attention to the Old Man. "Mr. Monzard, I assure you that we''ll find your daughter and make sure justice is served to your Son-in-law.. Our detectives are the best at their job, you should head back home and relax now.. We''ll reach out to you once we find something relevant to the case." Iliana said calmly as she patted the back of the Old man, who was barely holding back on the tears.

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    Once the Old Man collected himself and walked out, Iliana turned her attention to Abel and Eluya. "Anything from the initial observation?" Iliana asked calmly.

    "This isn''t a case of Interspecies Violence." Abel and Eluya spoke in sync. Their outright claim made it look like they were already seeing something.

    "We''re heading to the crime scene." Abel said calmly as he took the car keys and headed towards the door.

    "Iliana, can you request an autopsy report from the Police Department?" Eluya asked calmly before she calmly began walking behind Abel, prepared to head to the crime scene.

    "Ok. That''ll be done by the time you arrive. All the best in your investigation.. May the Spirit of Justice show you the Path." Iliana said calmly and closed her eyes for a small prayer, while Abel and Eluya left the office.

    Once they were gone, Iliana quietly sat back in her chair and filled out a request form for the Autopsy report of the Son-in-law of Mr. Monzard.

    Meanwhile, Abel drove the car to the crime scene with Eluya in the backseat, cross-checking their notes. "So, you think this wasn''t done by a different species too?" Eluya asked calmly, closing the notes and looking at Abel while crossing her legs.

    "Yes, the documents described the condition the corpse was found in.. It was dismember and the description said that even the fingers of the victim were torn off posthumously." Abel said calmly as he focused on the road, his mind racing with various possibilities about the crime, none of which could be confirmed or denied until they reached the crime scene themselves.

    "I see.. How long will it take until we reach the site?" Eluya asked calmly, resting her hand over the armrest and looking at Abel with a blank expression.

    "About 15 minutes, if we don''t run into traffic. Though you can expect 30 on this route." Abel said calmly, turning his attention towards the road, navigating carefully through the streets of Luminae.

    The rest of the journey was silent, punctuated only by the distant calls of vendors and the occasional chirping of birds, which occasionally interrupted the detectives'' contemplations.

    After 33 minutes of driving, they finally reached the crime scene. Abel''s body felt stiff due to the horrible traffic they had to navigate through, doubling the expected travel time.

    "So this is the Roseanne Bungalow, the house Mr. Monzard''s Daughter and Son-in-law lived in.." Eluya said calmly as she started walking, Abel shadowing her closely. The Policeman-on-duty led the two inside after checking their badges.

    The policeman handed Eluya the key along with a pair of masks and gloves, cautioning Abel and Eluya about the stench inside before returning to his post.

    Abel and Eluya donned their masks and gloves as a safety precaution before entering the house. Upon stepping inside, the overpowering stench of rotting meat assaulted their senses, penetrating even the protective layers of their masks.

    "I''m already hating this place.. Atleast I can dull my olfactory senses to not die by this stench." Eluya said with a slight shiver as she dulls her sense of smell. Abel follows suit as they can finally stand in the house without having an urge to throw up all over.

    "We have dulled our senses. But be sure to act like we have experienced hell once we get out. We don''t want the police officer to get suspicious, do we now?" Abel said with a calm look as fakes a few coughs before he starts looking around the house.

    Eluya nods at Abel before she starts searching the house for clues. Though of them knew at the moment that this case will be a turning point in their career.

 Chapter 6: Case of Dreamer (2)

    Once the stench became somewhat bearable, Abel and Eluya began photographing the crime scene for future reference. They meticulously took mental notes of various minute details, jotting them down in their small notepads.

    "Eluya, take notes of everything on the first floor. I''ll handle the second floor." Abel said in a firm tone as he walked up the stairs.

    "Got it." Eluya replied, still taking notes of some things on the ground floor before making her way to the first floor.

    The first floor, unlike the ground floor where everything had happened, was clean and untouched. Eluya continued to inspect the first floor, noting that the four rooms were left undisturbed and the shower was dry, with a layer of dust indicating it hadn''t been used for a long time.

    Meanwhile, Abel was experiencing something similar on the second floor. The entire floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, with no signs of disturbance.

    It was uncanny that nothing else had been touched, given the gruesome murder scene on the ground floor. This stark contrast became even more suspicious when Abel and Eluya discussed their findings.

    The two detectives went back to the ground floor and began rummaging through everything in search of clues. So far, they couldn''t draw any meaningful conclusions.

    After a while of Abel searching through the bookshelves, he found a piece of text and some numbers written in an otherwise empty diary.

    "VF-203 ran away" Abel muttered to himself, reading the text.

    Eluya turned her attention to Abel and asked in a calm voice, "Did you find some kind of clue, Abel?" She put down the vase, moved closer, and looked into his notepad.

    "VF-203 ran away... What kind of clue is that? It looks like some kind of tag though. But what ran away?" Eluya asked calmly, waving her hands in front of his eyes. Receiving no response from Abel, she snapped her fingers near his ear and said, "Wake up, Mr. Detective. Tell me what you''re thinking about." Her tone was intrigued by the clue, though it might also be a red herring.

    "Nothing.. I just thought it looked similar to a kind of tag that you''d assign to an animal. From my experience, Humans do tend to use such labelling for livestocks." Abel spoke calmly before he turned and looked at the stairs.

    "But the daughter and son-in-law of Mr. Monzard are rich. They don''t keep livestock, unless..." Eluya''s tone turned serious as she looked at the markings of the dead body on the floor. "Unless the murder was done by a slave who escaped and came back for revenge."

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    "Or it could be that this was placed here deliberately to confuse any detective who takes up the case." Abel replied calmly before sighing. "We''ve gathered enough evidence for now. Let''s head back and don''t forget to cough and act like we''ve been through a place reeking of rotten blood."

    Eluya nods as the two leave the crime scene. They coughed a bit too seriously, making the policeman stationed to be worried that they might have caught some disease. Once, the gloves and masks were disposed of and the two looked to be in better shape, the Policeman let them go.

    Once back in the car, Abel sighed in relief as he starts driving back to their office. "This complicates a lot of things.. We''ll have to recheck every thing now to rule out the red herring, if it even exists." Abel said with his face showing a little concern.

    "You''re worried about the fact that there might be a slave involved in this, aren''t you? and about the daughter of Mr. Monzard." Eluya said with a serious expression, laying down on the backseat.

    "Yes.. This case has gotten a bit complicated. If anything goes wrong, then I''ll have to act as ''that'', I won''t have a choice." Abel said with a worried look, followed by a sigh as he shifts his focus on the road. It seems that their way back to the office will be through traffic as well.

    "Abel.. If it comes to that, then I''ll accompany you. You don''t have to risk your safety." Eluya said in a calm manner. The rest of the journey was silent with only glances being thrown at each other.

    Once they reached the office, Abel locked the car before walking inside, with Eluya right behind him. Eluya headed back to her room to freshen up, while Abel sat down at Iliana''s desk to use her computer.

    Iliana looked at both of them, quietly observing the concern in Abel''s and Eluya''s eyes as she sipped tea while seated on the sofa.

    After an hour of silence, Iliana finally spoke. "Do you mind talking to me, Abel? You haven''t looked well since you returned from the site," she said compassionately, now that he had finished whatever research he was doing on her desktop.

    "I don''t mind talking. I''ve just discovered something important," Abel replied calmly, then turned his attention to Eluya, who had come down from her room dressed in a simple frock dress as usual.

    "And what did you find?" Eluya and Iliana asked simultaneously, both of their faces etched with worry and concern. Since Abel is usually level-headed and doesn''t show much emotions outside of agitation, his look of fear looked misplaced.

    "There was a missing report for ''VF-203'' from Mr. Monzard''s Daughter." Abel spoke calmly, sweating profusely as he began walking towards the stairs. "I compiled a report so look at it.. I''ll get some sleep for now."

    "Take care of yourself, Abel... and good night." Eluya said calmly as she and Iliana watched Abel leave for his room. Once he was gone, Eluya sighed, speaking in a more concerned tone. "He''s experiencing that again."

    "Yeah... You two told me about it when we first met, but I''ve never seen it this bad." Iliana said, her concern evident as she looked at Eluya.

    "Well, we should let Abel rest for now.. And one of us needs to take kitchen duties since he is sick." Eluya said with a worried look when referring to the kitchen duties.

    After a long minute of silence that seemed to last, Eluya and Iliana collectively decided to skip cooking altogether and order Pizzas for dinner. Afterall, Abel would be mad if they wasted ration on their abysmal cooking.

 Chapter 7: Case of Dreamer (3)

    The next morning, Iliana and Eluya were in the office but Abel hadn''t left his room, making both of them concerned about his health. "He is still in his room.. He even skipped dinner last night. Should we go and check up on him?" Eluya spoke in a concerned tone, her eyebrows wrinkled in fear expecting the worst because of his underlying condition.

    "We should wait a bit more. Maybe he is changing, and we shouldn''t barge in his room when he is changing." Iliana tried to speak in a calm voice but the fear was apparent from her facial expression.

    After a long minute of silence, Eluya got up from her place and walked hastily towards Abel''s room on the second floor. Iliana followed her closely behind, with no intentions to stop Eluya.

    Eluya opened the door to Abel''s room, surprised to find it unlocked. Upon entry, she found Abel snuggled under a blanket, sleeping calmly, though his face looked a bit red.

    Eluya and Iliana quickly walked up to Abel''s bed, shaking him furiously to wake him up while shouting in his ears.

    After a tiring attempt, Abel groggily opened his eyes, and looked at Eluya before turning his gaze towards Iliana. "Why is my room being raided.." He asked with a yawn.

    "You skipped Dinner and Breakfast. We were worried that your condition might be worsening." Iliana spoke calmly while Eluya ran her fingers through Abel''s hair.

    "Well, it was.. but I''m alright now. It''s all under control." Abel said calmly followed by a chuckle as Eluya''s nails scratch his scalps. "Eluya.. You can stop now, I''m up now."

    Upon hearing Abel, Eluya tightened her grip over his head. Her nails digging into Abel''s head making him bleed and his skull cracked under the force she was applying. "Don''t make me worried again.. You hear me. I know you won''t die from a crushed head but I can make it hurt."

    Abel nodded hurriedly as Eluya put her hands away from Abel''s head. "I won''t do it again. I swear." He spoke quickly, while the wound from Eluya''s nails healed almost instantly.

    Iliana couldn''t help but chuckle at the two of them. "You two are really a match made in heaven." Iliana spoke while glancing at Eluya, a teasing look in her eyes.

    "Shut up.. What we have is more like a Harem including you, Iliana." Eluya said, blushing a bit from Iliana''s teasing. Though she was successful in making Iliana''s face turn red with embarrassment.

    "So my opinions are just invalid now?" Abel spoke calmly before covering his ears, expecting what would happen next.

    "Yes! Opinion rejected since you''ve never given a valid response." Iliana spoke calmly.

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    "And we know you aren''t choosing anyone other than us anyways." Eluya spoke confidently, knowing full well about Abel''s choice when it comes to friends and partners.

    "But can you please leave my room now? I''m coming down after I take a bath." Abel said calmly as he slowly stood up and stretched, cracking his knuckles before turning to look at Eluya and Iliana, who seemed to have no intentions of leaving.

    "Uhh.. Why aren''t you two leaving?" Abel asked calmly.

    "We won''t.. We will wait until you are done." Iliana responded with a calm look while Eluya nods, agreeing to Iliana.

    Abel sighed, knowing full well that he couldn''t make them leave, and just went on with his schedule. He took out his clothes and a dry towel from his closet and headed into the bathroom.

    Eluya and Iliana quietly sat on Abel''s bed, listening to every little sound coming from the bathroom. The sound ranged from Abel removing his clothes, letting them fall on the ground, to him stepping into the bathtub, which made the water overflow and fall out of the bathtub.

    "Are you imagining it properly, Iliana?" Eluya whispers to Iliana while the two of them still had their eyes shut to better hear everything.

    "Yes.. and It''s divine." Iliana replied back calmly. "We should make him listen to stuff like this to. He won''t do these things unless he is tied and forced to listen." Iliana added while blushing softly, imagining the scene of Eluya forcing Abel to listen to ''innocent'' sounds she could make while bathing herself.

    After a relaxing bath, Abel stepped out of the bathroom and he noticed Eluya and Iliana sitting on his bed with their eyes closed, listening closely to each and every noise, while holding each other''s hands tightly.

    "Can you two stop? It''s creepy, to be very honest." Abel said with a blank expression. It wasn''t the first time this happened nor will it be the last.

    Eluya and Iliana opened their eyes upon hearing Abel enter the room. They quickly let go of their hands before giggling.

    Abel had already given up asking for explanation so he just sighs. "Anyways, let''s go. I''m sure we have plans for the ongoing case." Abel said in professional tone as he exited the room, with Eluya and Iliana following close behind.

    Once they were back in the office, Iliana quickly ran to her computer to check for mail. She remained silent for a minute before sighing in relief. "The Autopsy report that you two requested for, has been approved. It''ll be here by an hour. I''m surprised that the Police Department worked this fast. They usually take their time."

    "Yeah. A response in 24 hours is actually a record time for them." Eluya said with a surprised look.

    "Yes. I was expecting 3-4 days like usual, but they really outdid themselves." Abel said calmly as he sat down on the sofa. "By the way, did you two read the report I made related to ''VF-203''?"

    "Yes and I have some good news related to that." Eluya said calmly as she passed her notepad to Abel, for him to read. "VF-203 is actually a pet Parrot, one of those retired Military Parrot you see. As for why it was a random book, I have no clue."

    "Oh.. That eliminates a lot of confusion in the case. We''ll just have to wait for the Autopsy report now." Abel spoke calmly, when he was suddenly interrupted by Iliana.

    "Don''t you two think that something is odd about this case?" Iliana said, looking a bit concerned. "If everything was this easy to figure out, why would the Police Department let detectives handle the investigation?"

    "Because we can''t say for sure until Autopsy comes. Most cases are simple until the autopsy arrives." Eluya said calmly, when a notification buzzed on the computer on Iliana''s desk.

    Iliana looked at the computer, followed by Eluya and Abel before nodding. "It''s the autopsy report."

 Chapter 8: Case of Dreamer (4)

    "The autopsy reports says the body was unrecognisable with half of the skin missing all over the body. The face was bashed and the lower jaw was missing. The body was glued to the floor with some compound of unknown composition, whose physical property was similar to that of Industrial-Grade Adhesives. Upon further inspection, it was found that the cause of death was head trauma and other wounds, including cuts all over the body and punctures in the muscles was for inflicting pain." Eluya spoke as she read the autopsy report. Then scrolling the images of the body provided in the report.

    "This is even worse than the original description of the case file.. Dismemberment of all fingers and toes, the left eyeball plucked out of the eye socket.. Just what level of hatred did the culprit have for this guy?" Abel spoke with a hint of disgust in his voice as he looked at the pictures closely. Every time he looks back at the images, his confidence in the fact that this is done by a human strengthens.

    According to Abel, the cause of death was Head Trauma so every other injury was either to torture him or to ravish his dead body. If it were truly some other species, then most would choose a better way for him to die than mere head injury.

    "Eluya.. Make quick notes and let''s recheck all of these new details with our notes. It says at the end, that the weapons were not found by the police so we truly are missing something." Abel spoke solemnly before he turned his gaze to Iliana, who looked uncomfortable by the description of the dead body and was pale yellow after looking at the photos.

    "Sure.. But you should look after Iliana." Eluya spoke calmly, followed by a sigh. Then she walked back to the sofa leaving Iliana in Abel''s care while she cross references all the clues from autopsy to the notes they have.

    Abel nods at Eluya before walking up to Iliana and lightly patting her back. "Relax, Iliana. No need to look at things you can''t bear to look at." Abel spoke with an empathetic tone.

    Iliana turns her head to look at Abel before face planting herself onto his chest. "I''m alright now.." Iliana spoke calmly with hints of fear still audible. "Brush my hair." She demanded suddenly, looking up at Abel expecting him to do as she said.

    Eluya nodded when she felt Abel''s gaze. And Abel just sighed and nodded to Iliana after seeing Eluya''s reaction. "Okay.. Take a seat." Abel said with a defeated sigh as he walks up to Iliana''s desk and takes out a comb from her desk drawer before walking behind the sofa.

    Then Abel starts combing out her hair, making sure to not pull too hard in case of entangled hair. "Your hair is still as silky as before." He said calmly while combing her long black hair, which was shining due to the lighting.

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    "Thank you." Iliana said with a light chuckle, turning to look at Abel with a smile. Her gray eyes glowed, reflecting the light that fell on them, giving them a luminous, almost ethereal quality. The light intensified their silvery hue, making them shine like polished steel.

    "Did you choose this seat for the good lighting?" Abel asked Iliana with a sarcastic tone. The answer to which he gets by a nod and a chuckle from Iliana.

    "Good enough." Abel said calmly as he parted her hair into two equal sections, weaving them skillfully to make a single long Fishtail Braid, securing the end with thin Elastic bands. He tugs lightly on the side of the braid to make it look voluminous.

    By the time, Abel was done dressing Iliana''s hair, Eluya had completed the cross-checking. Her Jaw dropped when she saw Iliana with a Fishtail Braid from her nape to her waist. "H-huh?! How did you do that so fast?!" Eluya asked, looking shocked at the sight. "Abel, you are giving me a hairstyle as well." Eluya said, clearly envious of Iliana.

    Then Eluya removed her hair band, letting her long hair flow before signalling Abel to get closer.

    "Fine.." Abel said in a tired tone as he went behind Eluya''s chair and started combing her hair before starting any styling. Meanwhile, Iliana was smiling and appreciating the new look in the mirror.

    Abel, as he continued to braid Eluya''s hair in the same Fishtail style as Iliana''s, spoke with a stern voice. "Eluya, what did you find in the cross-checking?" His facial expressions were grim, clearly expecting bad news.

    "The news isn''t good. After cross-referencing the conclusions, I found a few things." Eluya said with a grave look on her face. "The weapon of murder is also missing, which I presume to be some solid blunt object like a Steel Pipe and I also noticed missing cutlery like spoons and toothpicks. I can only imagine what the killer had in mind with all of this." Eluya shivered a bit as she finished speaking.

    "We should call Mr. Monzard tomorrow and get his permission to check the call logs of his daughter and Son-in-law." Eluya said calmly, with Abel nodding as he finishes her braid by tying up the end with thin plastic hair bands.

    "Well.. We don''t need to wait for tomorrow, Eluya. I can call Mr. Monzard and he''ll be here in an hour." Iliana said with a calm expression, before she dialed Mr. Monzard''s number and called him in.

    "He''ll be here in an hour. We should prepare the list of questions and the permissions we need." Iliana said calmly before looking at Abel and Eluya, who were surprised at the forwardness of Iliana.

    "What? Mr. Monzard lives an hour away and he has a driver driving him. I''m not inconveniencing an old man." Iliana clarified before pouting.

    "That''s not what we were worried about." Eluya and Abel spoke in sync, with the same disappointed stare.

    "I''ll start writing the list of questions.. Eluya, prepare the list of permissions we need." Abel said calmly as he sat down on the sofa and began noting down the questions that needed to be asked. While Eluya and Iliana prepare a list of permissions required with a legal form attached to it.

 Chapter 9: Case of Dreamer (5)

    Mr. Monzard, came to the detective agency in an hour. He took his seat on the sofa with Eluya and Iliana, sitting opposite him while Abel was sitting on another desk, noting each and every detail with the conversation.

    Iliana clears her throat before speaking. "Mr. Monzard, We have called you here today because we need to ask a few questions and get consent from you." Then she passed the list of things that needed his consent.

    Mr. Monzard picked up the paper and read through them, then without a question, he picked up his pen and signed the consent form. "Let''s move onto the questions.. I want my daughter to be found as soon as possible and if this helps then I don''t need to think." He spoke, still a bit sentimental since his daughter is still missing.

    "Well, Mr. Monzard. Is there a chance that your daughter is the one who could''ve killed your Son-in-law?" Eluya asked calmly, while Abel was typing everything on the computer word-to-word.

    "No. That isn''t possible, she loved him dearly. I don''t know of any reason that will make my daughter kill her husband." Mr. Monzard spoke with reasonableness, he was aware that questions like these could arise from situations like these and he maintained level-headedness.

    "I see.. For the next question, Was there any threat to Your Daughter and Son-in-law that you know of? Someone who could threaten their life and do this?" Eluya asked calmly, scribbling on the paper as she listened to Mr. Monzard''s answers.

    "Not that I know of. They''d have kept it hidden if there was some threat." Mr. Monzard told them what he knew with honesty.

    Eluya asked a total of 13 questions, all of which didn''t lead to any new clue. Once the questions were done, Iliana took over the conversation and spoke in a professional tone. "Thank you for cooperating with the investigation, Mr. Monzard. We''ll contact you once we find more clues about your daughter."

    Mr. Monzard nodded at Iliana before he slowly got up and left the agency. Once he was gone, Abel sighed, followed by Eluya and Iliana nodding.

    "Since we have permission to go through the call logs from Roseanne Bungalow.. I''ll contact someone to do it immediately." Abel spoke as he dialed a number on his phone.

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    After a minute of ringing, someone picked up the call on the other side. "I''m sending you a case. Get me information as fast as I can." Abel said in a hurry before cutting off the call and sending the contact information of Mr. Monzard''s Daughter and Son-in-law to his partner he just called.

    "Isn''t it a good thing that investigation and information extraction teams are different from the police force? Everything gets done faster.." Eluya said with a smile as the three of them just needed to wait now.

    "It''s good. But the law here is still very biased.. Don''t forget why we made ''EIA Detective Agency'' in the first place." Abel said calmly before he picked up his phone and almost right on time, he recieved the call logs of Mr. Monzard''s Daughter and Son-in-law.

    Mr. Roseanne, The Son-in-law, had very clean call logs with nothing even remotely suspicious but Mrs. Roseanne, Mr. Monzard''s Daughter, had a pretty weird call logs.

    Mrs. Roseanne''s Call Logs:

    [18, July, 2027] Called (House Number 12/3, 6th Street, Seventh Avenue, Northern District) at 11:35:07 am, lasted 02:12:32. {Call log was deleted from the device}

    [17, July, 2027] Called (House Number 12/3, 6th Street, Seventh Avenue, Northern District) at 10:15:27 pm, lasted 01:12:01. {Call log was deleted from the device}

    [17, July, 2027] Called (House Number 12/3, 6th Street, Seventh Avenue, Northern District) at 10:21:23 am, lasted 03:01:07. {Call log was deleted from the device}

    [16, July, 2027] Called (House Number 12/3, 6th Street, Seventh Avenue, Northern District) at 11:45:57 pm, lasted 01:02:30. {Call log was deleted from the device}

    [16, July, 2027] Called (House Number 12/3, 6th Street, Seventh Avenue, Northern District) at 11:00:06 am, lasted 04:01:59. {Call log was deleted from the device}

    ... more

    Abel smiled as he handed his phone to Eluya and Iliana, letting them read the call logs while he opened a map on the table and began formulating a plan.

    "Let''s visit this address then.. I''m sure we''ll find something there." Abel said as he opened the map of Luminae, covering the entire table.

    The map showed the Huding River flowing at the Northern side of Luminae with its five districts, namely Northern District, Eastern District, Western District, Southern District and Central District. Each district was designed by a different group of professionals, making each district unique in its design. Their detective agency was in the Northern District, which was known for its Orthogonal Road Network and the ease of navigation.

    "The place we need to go is just a few minutes of driving from here.." Eluya said calmly, smiling at the new development in the case. "Let''s go and see what''s there."

    "Wait.. But I''m still confused. Is this like proof of infidelity?" Iliana asked, confused at the smile on Abel and Eluya''s lips.

    "Most probably." Abel and Eluya said in sync before they put on their badges and tightened up their holsters preparing to leave the office.

    "May the Spirit of Justice show you the Path." Iliana prayed for Abel and Eluya as they left. The case has taken a turn here, whether it''s for good or bad is yet to be perceived.

 Chapter 10: Case of Dreamer (6)

    As Abel drove the car to the address frequently mentioned in the call logs, he looked a bit nervous, despite being confident that this information will shed light on the case. "Eluya.. You''ll guard the back exit of the house, just in case they decide to escape, alright?" He asked with a calm voice as he stopped the car in front of the house, checking his weapon and badge before getting out of the car.

    Eluya nods, checking her pistol and badge before leaving the car. Before Abel knocked at the front door, she walked across the street and stood nearby the back exit of the house.

    The door of the house was opened by a young lady, whom Abel immediately recognized as Mrs. Roseanne. "Good morning, Miss Roseanne. Do you mind if I co-" Then a man pushed Mrs. Roseanne to the side and fired three bullets at Abel, which grazed by his ear and left hand.

    Then the man slammed the door shut before he and Mrs. Roseanne ran through the house towards the backdoor to escape but they were caught by Eluya, who was already prepared for their escape. Eluya kicked the pistol out of the man''s hands, before knocking him on the ground and subduing Mrs. Roseanne.

    Abel arrived at the back and secured the handcuffs around the man, Mr. Evans. "You are under arrest for resisting investigation, firing at a detective, and being a suspect in the murder of Mr. Roseanne," Abel said calmly. Just then, a police car arrived, drawn by the sound of gunshots.

    The Policemen got out of their car and upon seeing the Detective badges on Abel and Eluya''s coats, they sighed in relief. "We''ll take them to the investigation room, detectives. You can go ahead and continue your investigation." The Policeman said as they stuffed the suspects in their car.

    "Thank you, officer. By the way, forward the message of arrest of suspects to ''EIA Detective Agency'', we''ll continue our investigation from here." Eluya said calmly before making her way towards the house of Mr. Evans.

    The Policeman nodded as he drove the suspects to the police station, also informing the EIA Detective Agency about the arrests.

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    During all of this, Mr. Evans and Mrs. Roseanne didn''t utter a word, aware that their words will be used against them.

    Meanwhile, when Iliana got the message of the arrest of suspects from the Police, she sighed in relief, thankful that no one was hurt.

    At Mr. Evans''s house, Abel and Eluya were taking notes and pictures of any evidence they could find, which could shed light on the intent of murder.

    "Abel.. You aren''t hurt right?" Eluya asked with a worried look on her face, while collective evidence.

    "Yes, I''m fine. The bullets barely missed me, I didn''t even need to dodge." Abel said calmly as he looked around the house, moving each and every poster and photo frame around the house to look for clues.

    Despite the exhausting search, they still couldn''t find the murder weapons, which made Abel grit his teeth. "We still haven''t found the murder weapons.. Those two could easily pin the blame on someone else if we can''t find proof of murder." Abel said with a bit of rage in his eyes.

    Eluya nodded, as she walked around the living room. Since the cause of death of Mr. Roseanne was head trauma with traces of torture and post-mortem injuries, there might not even be a weapon of murder, but that still left items used to torture Mr. Roseanne. Still deep in thought, Eluya began pacing around the room when her toes hit a heavy toolbox, hidden under the table.

    Upon seeing the weird heavy box, Abel and Eluya put on their gloves before opening the box. Though it looked just like normal toolbox, it was filled with Cutlery, which Abel recognized to be the missing cutlery from Roseanne Bungalow. And most horrifying of it all, there was a glass pickle jar filled with Formalin that had an eye kept inside it. From the colour of the eyes, it closely resembled Mr. Roseanne''s missing left eye.

    "This is concrete evidence of the crime." Eluya spoke while maintaining a calm look, but was disgusted by this. "How could a woman do this to her husband.." She asked as she closed the toolbox and labelled it as evidence.

    "We don''t know the full story yet. Let''s take this back and submit it to the police.." Abel said calmly as he helped Eluya carry the toolbox back to their car.

    Once back in the car, Abel drove to the police station where Mr. Evans and Mrs. Roseanne were taken. Upon arrival, they were led to the observation room next to the interrogation room, where two investigators were questioning the suspects.

    "Welcome back, Mr. Abel and Ms. Eluya. Take a seat. We were just about to begin interrogating these two," said the inspector overseeing the interrogation.

 Chapter 11: Case of Dreamer (7)

    "Yes, I killed him.. So what?" Mr. Evans said during the interrogation without a hint of hesitation. "So what, huh? Do you know how bad of a person he was?"

    "Yeah.. That man was drunk day and night. All he did was beat me.." Mrs. Roseanne spoke with hatred in her eyes.

    "Yeah.. I am not buying this. Explain more. Why did you two brutally kill Mr. Roseanne?" The interrogator spoke with a calm look as he put the photo of the Left eye of Mr. Roseanne in front of the two suspects. "What length did you two go through to torture him?" He added, with a grim look in his eyes.

    Upon seeing the photo, Mrs. Roseanne looked a bit distressed and gritted her teeth. It was obvious that she was hiding something and Mr. Evans wanted to keep it so.

    Meanwhile in the other room, Abel has noticed something off. "Hey, Officer. Can you ask the interrogator to bring up Mrs. Roseanne''s pregnancy?" Abel said with a serious look on his face.

    Eluya, instantly realised what Abel was trying to bring up but nodded anyways. But even if ''that'' was true, Mr. Roseanne''s death was still too cruel.

    The officer in the observation room, was unable to grasp the intention but conveyed the message to the Interrogators. "I''ve conveyed the message, Mr. Abel.. But one thing isn''t adding up.. Mrs. Roseanne isn''t pregnant." The Officer asked before it dawned on him.

    The other Interrogator had now taken the charge and immediately asked Mrs. Roseanne. "Mrs. Roseanne.. What about the child?"

    As soon as these words left the Interrogator''s mouth, Mr. Evans became enraged, he slammed his hand on the table and shouted. "WHY DID YOU ASK THAT?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH PAIN SHE WAS IN?!"

    Abel and Eluya stood up from their chair once they saw Mrs. Roseanne''s crying with her head leaning on the table.

    "Wait! Detectives, where are you two going?" The officer sitting beside them in the observation room asks with a confused look.

    "Our work here is over. Those two will give their statements in about an hour or so.. This case will go to the Moral Court for what they are about to say." Abel spoke in a calm manner before looking at the officer one last time. "Send our agency an email about the date of the Moral Court hearing."

    Then Eluya and Abel left the Police Station and went back to their office. On their way back, Eluya sighs before speaking in a calm manner. "It seems the full picture was even more horrifying than what was present in the autopsy."

    "Yes.. That''s why cases shouldn''t be judged. We''ll inform Mr. Roseanne once we go back to office. Iliana will handle the proceedings in the Moral Court." Abel said calmly while driving the car. His expression was neutral, though completely aware that he did the best thing possible, his face didn''t show any happiness at closing the case.

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    Once they were back at their office, Abel sat down beside Iliana while Eluya went up the stairs into her room to rest.

    "So.. You two are leaving the rest to me? Just explain the story so I can handle the proceedings." Iliana asked calmly, passing the glass of water to Abel.

    Abel nods as he accepts the glass and sips the water. Once done, he sighs, going over to Iliana''s desk, giving her an overview of the case while typing the entire detailed report in the computer.

    "

    Victim: Mr. Albert Roseanne

    Relations: Mrs. Rukia Roseanne (Wife), Mr. Rob Monzard (Father-in-law)

    Cause of Death: Head Trauma and Constant Torture

    Culprit: Mrs. Rukia Roseanne (Wife), Mr. Paul Evans (not related)

    Description:

    Albert was an alcoholic, drinking every day and subjecting his wife, Rukia, to domestic violence every day, without fail.

    Albert regularly forced himself upon Rukia multiple times during the instances of domestic violence. The effects of these actions were detrimental to both Rukia''s Mental and Physical health.

    Albert resorted to violence to prevent any chance of his wife conceiving a child, resulting in her physical health declining. Rukia was afraid to mention this to anyone, including her father, Rob Monzard.

    During one of Rukia''s many visits to a clinic for regular checkups relating to her physical health, Rukia met Paul Evans, a single Father whose wife cheated on him and ran off with the guy she was cheating with.

    Paul usually visited the clinic to help with patients and gradually on these visits, Paul and Rukia fell in love. That''s when Paul got to know about Rukia''s husband and how much pain is inflicted on her. That''s when the two made a plan, they will kill Albert Roseanne.

    The murder happened during the morning of 19 July, 2027. Paul Evans arrived at Roseanne Bungalow and was led inside the house by Rukia.

    Since Albert Roseanne was still asleep from drinking last night, Paul tied him up and stuffed his mouth with clothes so Albert was unable to scream or call anyone.

    Once Albert finally gained consciousness, he was tortured by Paul and Rukia, with his Lower Jaw pulled out, his fingers and toes cut and his left eye spooned out of his eye socket before his eventual dead due to head trauma. Upon his death, his face was beaten badly and an adhesive was applied to the floor before laying Albert''s body on the floor.

    Paul and Rukia left the scene soon after this, taking everything they used to torture Albert with them along with the left eye.

    The Dead Body and Rukia''s absence was only found after Rob Monzard visited the house.

    END_OF_REPORT

    "

    "So this is the story of this case.. I should inform Mr. Monzard." Iliana spoke with a hint of grief in her eyes as she dialed Mr. Monzard''s number on her phone, telling him the truth. When she finished speaking, the other side of call filled with loud wails of agony and Iliana tried her best to comfort Mr. Monzard.

    Once the call was finally over, Iliana looked at Abel. "So when is the Moral Court''s date?" She asked with a calm look."

    "The email just came now.. It''s the day after tomorrow, 30 July 2027." Abel said in a calm manner. "You can handle it alone, right? After the guilty verdict is given, use your rights as the member of Detective Agency and get the final statements from the culprit."

    Iliana nodded before Abel stood up from the desk and went into his room to rest. Solving and urgent case like this in two days did take toll on their body.

 Chapter 12: Case of Dreamer (Final)

    "My name is Alphonsa Augustine D''Franz. I''m a Vampire of the Crystal Moon Covenant. And today, I''m being accused of a murder.. that I didn''t do.." The Female Vampire said in her mind while standing in the witness stand. Her eyes were devoid of any emotions and her white hair hiding her face.

    "This court finds the female Vampire present here guilty of Mr. Roseanne''s murder." The Judge said before slamming his gavel on the sound block.

    Then the Police dragged the female vampire to another room, where Iliana took the final statement from her.

    "What are your final words, Miss Vampire?" Iliana asks, still unaware of the vampire''s name since that didn''t come in the court hearing and asking for it here will look suspicious in the Police''s eyes.

    "I want to.. go home." Alphonsa said with a calm voice.

    "Strange.. This woman smells like.. my sister." Alphonsa thought to herself but decided to keep quiet so to protect her sister''s identity, wherever she was.

    After taking the final statement from Alphonsa, Iliana left the room and went back to the detective agency. Meanwhile, Alphonsa was thrown into a High Security Prison Carrier Van and was meant to be transported to Prison of Aslahan.

    On the way to the prison, Alphonsa remained silent. She was terrified of going to prison. "Please.. Someone save me." She thought to herself while crying, and hearing the police transporting her laugh made her cry even more.

    But suddenly, the Carrier Van stopped and the laughs from the Police turned to screams and Gunshots followed by silence. Then the Carrier Van''s door was taken apart by two masked people, one male and one female.

    Alphonsa raised her head and looked at the Masked Figures, then she recognised the female vampire and spoke while crying. "Sister.. Elaira?"

    "Alphonsa?" Eluya recognized her sister and quickly broke the Argentite Steel Chains holding her before the three of them made a quick escape deeper into the Northern forests, known for its maze-like structure. Even the Army of Empire wouldn''t venture into the Northern Forests.

    Once they were sufficiently deep into the forest. Eluya took off her mask and hugged her sister, Alphonsa to comfort her. "Hey, Alphonsa.. It''s alright, I''m here now.. Nothing happened, okay? Calm down.."

    But Alphonsa didn''t stop. She hugged her sister and cried her heart out, drenching her shirt in her tears. "Sister.. I was scared.. They accused me of something I didn''t do.. I was so scared.. Those Police guys said I would be a.. a.. " Her words were accompanied by a lot of wailing.

    Abel sighed and put his mask back on, his blood boiling from the result in the court. "Well.. Take care of your sister. I''ll handle the rest."

    Then Abel walked towards the Carrier Van, where a lot of personnel from Aslahan Prison were also present by now.

    "By the order of Justifia, All of you will be subjected to pain for not standing against the false justice of the Empire." Abel said as he conjured fifty one blood weapons, three for every person standing there.

    While Abel was subjecting them to pain that will lead to them resigning from their current jobs, Eluya consoled her sister.

    "Alphonsa.. It''s alright. You are safe now.. But tell me, how did you come here? This place is very far away from our covenant." Eluya asked while wiping the tears from her sister''s eyes.

    "There was.. Rift Tear. It suddenly appeared and absorbed me.. It threw me in the city where I was captured by the Police and an old guy.." Alphonsa said, her face was still wet from tears but she was finally able to speak coherently.

    "A Rift Tear.. you say. Eluya or should I call you Elaira in front of your siblings.. There is a Rift Tear just a few hundred metres ahead that connects to your Covenant. Escort your sister back to the Rift Tear, we don''t have much time out here." Abel said calmly before handing Alphonsa, a pack of Goat blood.

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    "Here, Miss Alphonsa. This should start your regeneration." Abel said calmly while handing Alphonsa the blood pack.

    Alphonsa nodded at Telt, accepting the blood with both of her hands. Then she inserts her pointy canines into the blood bag, drinking the blood slowly to recover.

    "It''s good that Iliana was quick to inform her.. But I didn''t expect my sister to be the one Mr. Monzard put the blame on." Eluya said with a gloomy look in her eyes.

    "Yes.. I was surprised that Mr. Monzard, not only bribed the judges but also got a Vampire caught.. just to save his daughter." Abel spoke with a calm look, though still angry. "This is why we became detectives.. So we can end this biased justice system from inside but there doesn''t seem to be an end to cases like these."

    "Yes.. I wonder how high we''ll have to climb up the ladder of roles to change this system and if this can even be changed." Eluya spoke, while caressing Alphonsa''s back.

    Once Alphonsa was done feeding on the blood, Abel took the empty blood pack and put it in a disposable packet before putting it in his pocket.

    "Thank you.." Alphonsa said before posing a question she deemed to be the most important. "Are you my sister''s consort?"

    Abel was in disbelief after hearing the question, turning his head to look at Eluya. While Eluya burst into laughter at Alphonsa''s question.

    "Oh my god.. That was such an impressive question." Eluya said, patting Alphonsa''s head while barely containing her laughter.

    "Sister Elaira! This is an important question. I don''t want my Brother-in-law to be someone undeserving. And I need to report this to Father as well." Alphonsa said while pouting at the headpats but not pulling away from them.

    "I''ll tell you about my ''consort'' while we walk to the Rift Tear." Eluya said calmly as she and her sister slowly walked back to Rift Tear, while Abel stayed behind.

    Once they were sufficiently away from Abel, Eluya spoke with a smile. "Alphonsa.. If you tell Father about that man, just tell him one name ''Abraxas of Red Iron Covenant'', alright? He''ll understand."

    Alphonsa nodded at Eluya''s instruction, though she wasn''t aware of that name. "Okay.. But is his name important? Why don''t I remember that name? Is he good enough for you?" Alphonsa asked curiously as the two stopped in front of the Rift Tear.

    "Well.. You might know him as the ''2nd Disciple of Fourth Progenitor''." Eluya said while patting her sister''s back. After all, not many people know of Abel by his name, most of them only know him by his title.

    Though Alphonsa was shocked at this but before she could say anything else, Eluya pushed her into the Rift Tear.

    "Take care, Alphonsa!" Eluya said enthusiastically before lifting two of her fingers. "?l??��?" The Rift Tear closes itself right in front of Eluya''s eyes, then she sighs before walking back to the place where Abel was.

    "Told her about me, didn''t you?" Abel asks calmly before they make their way quietly to the other side of Huding River to get back into Town of Luminae via the Black Market''s route.

    "Hmm.. I had to. She has to inform Father about it." Eluya said calmly as the two disposed of their mask and overcoat, before entering the town and making their way back to the office.

    Once they were inside the office and the door was closed behind them, Iliana comes running from her desk and tackles Eluya, hugging her tightly.

    "Are you alright? Was that innocent girl saved? Where is she now? Did you give the blood pack to her? Did you dispose the packet carefully? What about the mask and overcoat you two were using as disguise?" Iliana asked without taking a single breath.

    "Yeah.. That Innocent vampire was my sister." Eluya said calmly while Abel headed back to his room to rest.

    "I''ll need all the details from you, Eluya." Iliana said as she pulled Eluya to the sofa and sat down with Eluya being forced to sit beside her.

    After a gruesome ten minutes of explanation, Eluya sighed in relief now that she had relayed all of the information to Iliana.

    "So.. The innocent girl was your sister, Alphonsa, who was absorbed by a Rift Tear and thrown in the city. And that''s how she got caught by Mr. Monzard and the Police force he brought." Iliana said, deep in thought.

    "Wait.. You said your sister has a good sense of smell.. Does that mean that she could''ve smelled your scent on me from the time I took her statement?" Iliana asked calmly, her face showing a look of surprise.

    "Yes.. It''s possible. I wonder what she''ll do with this information.. Anyways, it shouldn''t be much of an issue considering what our plans for the future are." Eluya said calmly before getting up from the sofa. "I''m tired so I''ll head back to my room. You can annoy Abel if you want to ask how he fought."

    Meanwhile, In an isolated town very far north in the Northern Forests, also known as Crystal Moon Covenant, housing 1000 vampires and a decorated castle in the middle belonging to the patriarch.

    Inside this castle,

    "That''s all the information I got from Sister Elaira.. I also smelled her scent from a Human Female." Alphonsa said, reporting everything that transpired with her to her father, who is the Patriarch of the Crystal Moon Covenant.

    "I see.. ''Abraxas of the Red Iron Covenant'' and a human female. It seems my daughter is living her life out there. Anyways, Alphonsa, you can go rest now. If there is any problem, just ask the maids to help you. You are dismissed." Alphonsa''s father, Silvaria Augustine D''Franz, spoke with a calm voice.

    Once Alphonsa left the room, Silvaria sighs before muttering to himself while smiling. "My daughter Elaira.. I hope she''s having fun wherever she is and her oath isn''t binding her."

 Chapter 13: Car

    The day after saving Eluya''s sister, Abel woke up in his bed with a surprise. He was tied up and both Eluya and Iliana were sleeping with their arms wrapped around him.

    "Can you two wake up? It''s weird to wake up with two people sandwiching me when I sleep alone." Abel spoke, slightly fed up by their mischief. Though he could break the ropes too, but he could accidentally hurt Iliana.

    The two women beside him slowly opened their eyes and yawned.

    "Good morning, Darling." Both of them spoke in sync before chuckling as they hugged Abel even tighter.

    "May I get up and take my bath? Today is 31 July.. I have to go to the car dealership to pick up the new car." Abel said calmly, hoping Eluya and Iliana would understand but they clearly had intention to let him go.

    "You can go later.. The Dealership isn''t opening until 10 am.. It''s currently 7 in the morning.." Eluya said teasingly while poking his cheeks. Her lips were curled into a mischievous smile while her legs were wrapped around his left leg.

    "Yeah.. Get a better excuse." Iliana said with a cheeky smile, mimicking Eluya by wrapping her legs around Abel''s right leg.

    Abel sighs, realising that he isn''t getting out of this. "Am I in danger, perchance?" He asks as he feels their warm breath falling on his neck, while they seem to be cuddling with more.

    "No.. We are just in the mood for cuddles. If there were anything else we had in mind.. We''d not be lying next to you like this." Iliana said calmly and teasingly before leaning closer to his ear and whispering. "Wanna touch?"

    "No, thank you.. I''ll pass." Abel said with a defeated look on his face.

    "Aww.. Take initiative for once, Abel. Don''t be a spoilsport." Eluya said with a mischievous tone, as the two women pushed their chests into his tied up arms.

    Abel blushed lightly at the sudden development in their proximity to him, which was instantly picked up by Eluya and Iliana.

    "Blushing, aren''t you? Having dirty thoughts?.. Go on, tell us. It''s not like you have much to hide, Abel." Iliana said with a mischievous smile, her hand roaming over his chest.

    Eluya follows suit as the two women run their hands on Abel''s chest. They could feel the stiffness in his Pectoral muscles, due to yesterday''s fight.

    "You certainly held back against those humans, didn''t you? Are you sure they didn''t die?" Eluya asked calmly, massaging his chest muscle with a neutral expression.

    "Yeah.. I''m sure I didn''t kill them. It takes a lot to not kill them though." Abel said calmly.

    After a few minutes, Eluya and Iliana let go of Abel''s arms and legs. Then Eluya removes the rope, untying Abel.

    "You''re still making breakfast, right? Right?" Iliana asked without hesitation as Abel sat back up. Afterall, he was the best cook among the three of them.

    "Yes Yes.. Just let me take a bath first.." Abel said calmly, as he dragged himself off the bed and stretches himself, cracking his knuckles.

    "Will you mind if we join you in the bath?" Eluya asked with a light blush on her face, which turned to pout when Abel glared at her.

    Then Abel went into the en-suite bathroom, coming back after exactly 17 minutes had passed, dressed in a formal attire consisting of a Beige coloured Ironed Shirt and Black Trousers.

    "You two are still here.." Abel said with a calm tone, already used to them hearing him take a bath. "At least stop drooling.. I''m already out."

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    Iliana and Eluya quickly wiped the smirk of their faces before leaving his room, waving him goodbye.

    "Be down in the kitchen in 30 minutes.. I''ll make some PB&J Sandwiches for breakfast." Abel said calmly while walking out of his room and going down into the kitchen to make sandwiches.

    After 20 minutes of making sandwiches, Abel puts three plates on the dining table with PB&J Sandwiches. Since Eluya and Iliana weren''t here yet, he unlocked his phone and began scrolling in his albums.

    He smiled as he scrolled through the photos of the car he was going to pick up today. After all, it was his favourite car, Orfast Zunix with the latest Mana infused engine, and today was the day, he could get it and finally retire the 15 year old Honda Civic.

    "Well! Well! Well! Would you look at that! Abel is smiling.." Eluya said teasingly as she entered the kitchen and sat down in her seat.

    Just then, Iliana entered the kitchen. A little laugh escaped her lips when she saw Abel scrolling his phone and smiling.

    "Excited about the new car, aren''t you?" Iliana spoke with a smile on her face.

    "Yes.. We''ve been maintaining our credit score for 3 years. This will make our daily life so easy.. We won''t have to waste money on Diesel as the car runs on Mana crystals." Abel says with a smile before putting his phone back in his pocket. "Anyways, let''s eat first. There''s still some time before pickup."

    Eluya nods as she picks up the sandwich and takes a bite into it, smiling as she ate it.

    Iliana does the same in silence, while Abel eats without making a noise.

    Once they were done eating, the three of them washed and dried the dishes. Their pace was so coordinated and the movements were so practiced that they could do this with their eyes closed.

    Once the kitchen chores were done, Abel looked at his phone. There was still sometime left before the dealership opened and even then, it''ll take them an hour or so to process everything so he just has to wait for now.

    While, in Aslahan Prison, Major General Zorick''s Private Office,

    "CURSE YOU BLOODY VAMPIRES!" Zorick shouted and punched his desk, snapping it in half before he looks at Mary and speaks with rage in his eyes. "Are none of those 17 guards willing to give a statement?"

    Mary nodded, handing Zorick the report from the Doctor. "The doctor states that the blood swords were used by someone who''s at least a Priest of Justifia and the Rift Tear in the Northern Forests, which we couldn''t get to, was also closed.. something which could only be done by someone who''s High Priest or higher."

    "What are the chances that these two are the same vampires that escaped through Huding that day.." Zorick asks, clenching his fist as tight as possible. The nerves on his arm tighten up severely, ready to burst at any moment.

    "We don''t know.. We don''t have any readings on those two vampires. For all we know, both of them could be at least High Priest or.." Mary doesn''t finish her sentence. The possibility of a Justifia''s Proxy living among humans, was not something they could make public.

    "Contact ''them''.." Zorick said, with his expression turning grim. "Ask them to look for someone who fits our scenario.. Even if the person is not guilty, we will punish them to make an example."

    "Understood. But Sir, are you sure?" Mary asks calmly, but when Zorick looks at her with anger, she excuses herself and leaves the office room.

    "I didn''t want to ask them.. But if it''s Justifia''s Proxy.. We don''t have a choice. I''ll get the permission from Emperor to sacrifice the town of Luminae, if it came down to it." Zorick murmured to himself before he snapped his fingers and four soldiers came running in the room.

    "Get me a new table and set everything up. Fast." Zorick ordered them before looking out from the window, staring into the Northern Forest. Aslahan was built on the Northern shore while Luminae was on the Southern Shore a few kilometres down the river, with only a bridge connecting them, making Aslahan much closer to Northern Forests, though the nearest Vampire Covenant was still very, very far in.

    While, in the Eastern District of Luminae around 11 am, Abel picked up his car and drove back to the office with a smile. As usual, Eluya rode in the backseat like a Queen while Iliana stayed behind in the office.

    "Happy, aren''t you?" Eluya asked while in a jovial mood.

    "Yes.. Aren''t you feeling it? This car is leagues above the last one. It''s a dream to drive this." Abel spoke with a jolly smile adoring his face.

    "This is one of the few times I''ve seen you with this much enthusiasm. I pray to Haruna that your happiness will never diminish." Eluya replied back with a smile before falling silent, letting Abel enjoy the drive for the rest of the journey.

    Once they reached their office, Abel parked the car in the driveway. When they entered the office, Abel and Eluya''s face turned, their gaze to look at the man who had Iliana tied up and her mouth gagged. Iliana was also blindfolded and there were wet patches due to her tears.

    The Strange man sighed as he removed the gag from Iliana''s mouth before speaking. His Red Hair tied up in a bun behind him, his Black Pupils staring into Abel with a prominent Barcode underneath his right eye.

    "This woman is fine.. I really hope you are gonna listen to me first.. 5th and 6th."

 Chapter 14: 14th

    "Abel.. Eluya. Help me.. This man tied me up and refused to set me free." Iliana said with a concerned look, still trying to struggle to get herself free but nothing seems to be working.

    The office was silent with Abel staring into the man''s eyes. Without a single word said, the strange man removes the blindfold from Iliana''s eyes before speaking.

    "Listen to me, three of you.. The Corp of Seven is going to set up a search parameter in Luminae by tomorrow.. 5th and 6th. Both of you need to leave the town." The strange man said before putting two files on the table and stepping back. Allowing Eluya to remove the tape from Iliana''s hands and helping her stand up.

    "Those two files have information on two cases.. One is a simple case in the City of Necroma, and the other is for the human lady.. Information and development on the Case of Alisa Ranberr."

    Iliana''s eyes widened at the man''s statement, quickly picking the second file and giving it a quick read. Abel and Eluya stayed silent, waiting for Iliana to give them a sign of some sort.

    After a minute, Iliana finally closed the file. Her pupils were dilated and her lips were curled up in a unmistakable smile. "These are genuine.."

    Then Iliana turned to look at the man. "What do you want for all of this?"

    "Consider this a favour.. Something which you''ll have to pay in the near future. But for now, 5th and 6th should leave this town ASAP. Otherwise there will be a massacre." The strange man said with a concerned tone.

    Eluya nodded at the man, finally recognising him before looking at Abel. "This man is the 14th one. Codename: Orion from the Blue Constellation Covenant.."

    "Oh.. so that''s why he seemed familiar." Abel spoke, finally remembering the guy from a cross-covenant meeting a century ago.

    "Hey, but why do you have a barcode underneath your eye?" Eluya asked calmly.

    All of which confused Iliana but she didn''t question it since the second case was what she was focussing on.

    "It doesn''t matter for now. I''ll tell you that later. But Inspector Stailor will help the human lady in her case.. But we need to leave now, or the town will be a wasteland." 14th spoke with a hint for fear in his voice.

    "Alright.. I understand. Give us 15 minutes." Abel requested calmly before turning to Iliana. "Iliana. Apply for the car''s insurance and Business Number Plate. I''ll be taking the old one for now." He spoke calmly, holding Iliana''s hand to shake her out of the trance.

    "Oh.. ahh.. Yes, of course. You can leave that to me." Iliana trembled over her words as she spoke, though agreeing to Abel''s requests.

    "Eluya.. Pack up a suitcase for us. 3 pairs each.. I''ll prepare the car for the journey." Abel asked with a smile, picking up the case file from the table and walking into the garage to park the new car in and pulling the old car into the driveway.

    Once Abel was done with preparing the car, he went inside the office, handing the keys of the new car to Iliana and patting her shoulder. "Relax.. You''ve finally found something to work on." Abel spoke frankly.

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    Iliana nodded at Abel''s frank suggestion. Just then Eluya came down stairs with the suitcase in her hand.

    "The suitcase is all set. Three pairs each and basic needs for the journey." Eluya spoke with a smile before walking closer to Iliana, whispering in her ear with a mischievous smile. "Give your favourite man a kiss.. We are going away, for at least... 3 weeks."

    Iliana''s cheeks turned red at Eluya''s suggestion but she did as Eluya suggested, leaning closer to Abel and pecked his cheeks before whispering in a low voice. "Take care of yourself."

    "Okay.. You too." Abel said calmly before patting her head.

    "If you''re done with romance, then we need to leave, 5th." 14th spoke with a sarcastic smile.

    "Yes, Yes. Let''s go now." Abel spoke calmly, taking the suitcase from Eluya''s hands as the three of them made their way out of the office.

    Iliana and Eluya waved goodbye to each other and Eluya winked at Iliana before closing the office door, leaving Iliana alone.

    Once the three were inside the car, Abel in the driver''s seat, Eluya in the passenger seat and 14 on the backseat. 14 spoke with a calm look. "My disguise is Arbor Aurwisch.. Address me as Arbor for the time being. I''ll address you two as Abel and Eluya."

    "Sure, ''Arbor''.." Eluya said with a giggle as she opened the case file while Abel drove them out of the town via the Eastern Exit.

    The drive was silent until the three of them exited the town. The Policemen at the exit checked their documents before letting them leave the town.

    Once they were sufficiently away from the town, Eluya sighed. "So.. What does this ''Corp of Seven'' do, 14?" She asked after closing the file. The case wasn''t anything out of the ordinary as it was mostly just an excuse to get Abel and Eluya out of the town.

    "I think you two saved a vampire on the way to Aslahan, right? And call me Arbor.." He spoke without a hint of emotion in his eyes.

    "Yes, we did. It was my sister." Eluya clarified, waving her hand and smiling.

    "Well, the Major General in-charge of Aslahan was angry, due to the prison break not long ago and the ''save'' you two made." 14 spoke before noticing the misplaced smile on Eluya''s face.

    "Don''t tell me, the prison break was you too.. Oh my God, you two are still troublemakers.." 14 sighs. He was clearly disappointed.

    "Well.. It wasn''t that bad. Was it?" Eluya asks, laughing softly.

    "It was.. Apparently the general tortured and killed multiple prisoners in Aslahan and now resorted to calling the Corp of Seven. It''s a special task force made by the Emperor''s chosen warriors. The Seven members have taken down the 2nd Proxy of Obrax."

    The statement of the seven members taking down Proxy of Obrax, the God of Flame, War and Plague took Abel and Eluya by surprise.

    Just then, they could feel a terrifying Aura surrounding Luminae.

    "And that must be the seven sealing the borders. Since their arrival was mostly secret, people are stuck where they are.. The investigation will have ended by the time we come back so don''t look back." 14 spoke calmly, feeling the aura weighing on him.

    "Will Iliana be safe?" Abel asked with a concerned tone. His eyes fixed on the road ahead but he could not keep his concern hidden.

    "Yes.. That Woman isn''t related to any faith so she won''t even come up on the radar. Even if she did, the case she has.. is already a distraction for her. Or should I say, it''s her motivation." 14 spoke calmly as the terrifying Aura slowly diminished as Abel drove further and further away.

    Meanwhile back at EIA Agency, Iliana was sitting on the sofa, rereading the case file. Her eyes were welling up with tears as she read it again. This was a surefire evidence of the innocence of the Ranberr Family.

    "Mama.. Papa.. Sister.. I''ll get you the justice you deserve." Iliana muttered to herself, while crying. Her tears falling on the floor like pearls.

    Iliana clenched her chest with happiness as she finally had the chance to present the case in the Court. She could finally give justice to the Ranberr Family.

    "I.. Alisa Ranberr.. will finally get the stain off my family name and give them what they deserve.. I will give you three a proper burial alongside her. I will never be able to call myself Alisa but I''ll always remember you." Iliana said to herself, clenching the hem of her shirt.

 Chapter 15: Blessings of 81

    "So.. 14. What is that barcode underneath your eyes? Is it related to some faith?" Abel asks calmly while driving. His face was etched with worry but he decided to not speak about it for now.

    "Ah yes.. I think I owe you two explanations about this.. Well, this is my oath to the Primordial Roots." 14 spoke calmly, touching his cheeks and sighing. "And humans, even if they are a proxy, can''t see it."

    "I see.. So you are now walking the path.." Abel spoke, a hint of mischief in his eyes.

    "Of course, I did.. You two are taking your sweet time and are unlikely to walk the Path of a Progenitor.. 7th is a scaredy-cat. 8th and 9th are always in war or bed.. good for those two.. 10th is missing for almost a century now. 11th and 12th are on a skirmish to the Southern World''s Mist.. And lastly, the 13th, who became the Matriarch of the Iron Wolves Covenant. That only leaves me, the 14th, doesn''t it.."

    "Well, it does seem like you are having fun." Eluya spoke after 14 finished the briefing.

    "Talk about fun.. The only fun thing is that it is Lady 4th who is guiding me on this journey. She was the one who helped me connect with the roots and she was the one that read the charts to tell me my quest." 14 admitted, proudly puffing his chest before hitting his head on the roof of the car because of a road bump.

    "Sorry.." Abel said, barely holding back his laughter at the scene of 14 proud but having banged his head on the roof of the car.

    "Anyways, you say Lady 4th is guiding you. Has she found someone yet?" Abel asked with a smile, looking at 14 in the rearview mirror.

    "Well... No." 14 said before the three of them burst out into laughter.

    "Ah, it seems Lady 4th still is as innocent as before. Maybe I should prepare some books for when we next visit her." Eluya said, wiping the happy years from her eyes.

    "Yeah.. I''ll get Master souvenirs. She likes the bone craftsmanship from Necroma." Abel spoke calmly.

    "Well, it seems you are still referring to Lady 4th as ''Master''.. Was she really that strict during your training?" 14 asked, calmly wiping his forehead.

    "Yeah.. I still have bad dreams about the hellish training Master put me through.. But hey, I''m as good as I am because of Master." Abel admitted, shuddering before sighing. "Still gives me chills."

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    "So. 14, What exactly is your quest?" Eluya asked with a smile.

    "It''s title is ''81''.. It has 81 chained quests with each giving one blessing on completion. I''m currently on number 7.." 14 said calmly, his mind reminiscing about the previous 6 quests and shuddering. "The quests aren''t easy by any means."

    "Well, they are the quests from the Primordial Roots, afterall." Abel spoke with a smile. "By the way, have you found someone you wish to marry or confess to?" Abel asked with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes, throwing a glance at Eluya.

    "Yeah.. I''m interested too. You used to talk about falling in love.. What now?" Eluya asked, joining in on teasing 14 after Abel''s mischievous glance.

    "Well.. Yes, actually." 14 said while blushing red as a tomato. "Oh my god, why are you making me blush like this. This is supposed to be a serious time.."

    "Throw seriousness out of the window.. Tell us who the lucky girl is." Eluya said, turning to look at 14.

    "Well.. I haven''t confessed to her yet.." 14 said in a low voice, hiding his face behind his hand. "I''m so embarrassed."

    "Aww.. You are strong enough to tackle a quest line from the Primordial Roots, surely you can confess to one girl. It''s okay if you don''t want to tell us her name.. But know this, we''ll support you, 14." Eluya spoke, with a tender smile and pats on 14''s head.

    "Thank you.. 6th.." 14 spoke with a smile, his cheeks red but a smile on his lips.

    "Alright.. Alright. Let the guy enjoy his fantasy in silence now." Abel said with a smile.

    Eluya nodded and looked ahead at the road before gazing at Abel, nodding with her tongue peeking out of her mouth. All while, 14 was enjoying the swirling image of his crush like a young woman.

    After a while, 14 sighs before shaking his head. "Well, all jokes aside.. What makes you two interested in that Human Lady?"

    "Well, first of all, her name is Iliana.. And second, she isn''t just a regular Human.. If anything, she''s the closest one I''ve met to a Natural Human." Eluya proclaimed with a smile, with Abel nodding and backing up the statement.

    "If what you are saying is true then... Wait.. are you two planning on.." 14 spoke, surprised at the sudden thought in his mind.

    "Yes! Exactly that, junior." Eluya admitted to having planned that with a wink.

    "I am not against it either. Ultimately, Iliana can make the final decision." Abel said calmly.

    "Well then, all the best to you.. Let''s hope Iliana completes her case and agrees to what you''ve planned for." 14 said with a smile before laying back on the seat and smiling.

    "Wake me up when we reach Necroma. I''ll sleep till then." 14 said calmly before leaning his head against the head rest and closing his eyes to fall asleep.

    For the three of them, the case would be easy and the journey is what will take most of their time. But for Iliana, she had the golden opportunity to fulfill her parents'' final wish.

    As Abel continued to drive, his mind occasionally goes back to Iliana. "May the spirit of justice show you the path, Iliana." Abel mutters in his mind, smiling and hoping for Iliana''s success.

    "May the spirit of justice show you the path, Iliana." Eluya speaks with a smile, before looking at Abel. "You are praying the same, aren''t you?"

    Both of them chuckled before falling silent, allowing 14 to sleep peacefully and Abel to drive with focus on the highway.

 Chapter 16: Tragedy of Ranberr

    "Alisa.. Promise me that you will survive." The man spoke while patting the head of the girl. The shouts of the people outside their house loudens by the second.

    "It''s bad.. Iliana.. please take my daughter away." The man spoke to the maid, Iliana, before turning his back on his daughter.

    "Papa.. No, I will stay here with you." Then Alisa''s words were cut off when the maid shushed her and took her out of the house through the back exit.

    "Iliana.. Stop. My sister is still inside.. I have to get her too." Alisa spoke trying to release her hands from the maid''s but to no avail.

    "Alisa.. Listen to me. Your father has instructed the other maid to escape with your sister. You should listen to me and walk away.. Everyone will be fine." The maid, Iliana couldn''t help but give false hope to Alisa.

    "She''s still young. I must get her out of here." Iliana thought to herself as she made the way to the Black Market''s routes with Alisa close to her.

    When they were barely halfway through the escape, Alisa got a sight of her house. Her father was being skinned alive, her mother was being stoned to death.. and her little sister, who was clearly unable to escape, was being tortured by the maid who had sold her out.

    Seeing the grotesque scene, the light in Alisa''s eyes died. Iliana suddenly pulled Alisa close and covered her eyes with her palm.

    "Child, don''t look.. Everything will be fine. You need to survive.." Iliana said but there was no hope left in Alisa''s eyes.

    But even after they had escaped into the Black Market''s routes, the hunt didn''t end. People were chasing the maid and the daughter of the man they had just tortured and killed by falsely accusing the whole family of being vampires, without any concrete evidence.

    "Look out for those two swines. Burn them as you come across them.. and leave that maid to us." The men chasing them shouted at each other, while the maid was hiding in one of the smaller alleys of the Black Market.

    "These people even followed us here.." Iliana thought for a second before pulling Alisa in for a hug.

    "Alisa.. I''m going to act as a decoy so get away from Luminae as fast as you can.. Survive.. so one day you can bring your family justice. Give up your name until you are strong enough to reclaim it." Iliana said, trying to inspire Alisa one last time before they parted ways.

    "Ili..ana.. What if I''m unable to do that.." Alisa said while weeping softly.

    "That won''t happen.. because I believe in you." Iliana said before putting a mask on Alisa''s face and giving her an extra pair of clothes she prepared beforehand.

    "Take care.. and live the life you won''t regret... May the spirit of justice show you the path." Then Iliana ran out of the hiding spot, acting like she was running with Alisa still with her.

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    Meanwhile, Alisa ran the otherway with tears in her eyes but wiping it as she ran. As for the maid, the crowd caught her very soon and brought her back to the mansion where the other members had been killed, burning her alongside them.

    "Tsk.. She didn''t give any information about that little brat that escaped with her.." One of the men said, while disappointed.

    "Whatever.. That little girl won''t survive once we find her. With these ''saviors'' now gone, our plans are successful." said a vengeful man while chuckling to himself.

    For about a year, the girl who had forsaken her name stayed in the Black Market working as a waiter in a masked restaurant. After all, that''s the only place she could get a job while not removing her mask. It was the only Job she could take as she refused to remove her mask.

    Then one fortunate day, she met two vampires in the alleyway she lived in. They were unlike anyone she had ever met before.

    "You.. look sad." The man said while looking straight into her eyes without holding back.

    "Hey.. don''t scare the little lady." The woman said while punching the man but he didn''t bulge despite the obviously strong blow. Then the woman cleared her throat and spoke in a calm dignified manner. "Nice to meet you. Call me ''Eluya'' and this man ''Abel''.. Do you live here? What''s your name?"

    "My name... My name is Iliana.. Yes. That''s my name." Iliana spoke. This was the first time since the incident that anyone had asked her name and having already given up her name as Alisa.. She called herself, Iliana.. In honour of the maid who saved her from death by sacrificing herself.

    "Well, Iliana.. As you can already see, this man and I aren''t from around here.. Do you mind giving us a tour? Maybe help us get a job so we can earn enough to start a business in the main town?" Eluya spoke with a smile, which was warm and welcoming.

    "No amount of work in the Black Market will earn you enough to start a business in Luminae.. Not if you are willing to commit crimes, which you two clearly don''t want to do.. Follow me. I''ll introduce you to the place I work. If we work together, we can at least rent a room and not sleep in the alleyway." Iliana spoke with a sigh, finding solace in their presence, even though Abel hadn''t spoken much other than the first sentence.

    Then a month passed by, the three of them were now sharing a rented room. For most of the time they were in the room, Eluya either was laying beside Abel or sleeping. And even though, Eluya''s flirting was very enticing, Abel never really reacted to them much. In fact, even when she invited Iliana to join them in the cuddling session, Abel only asked Iliana to join if she was okay with it.

    Just like this another month passed by, getting out of the constant cycle of work and rest, seemed impossible. Then one day, Eluya and Iliana were doing the normal ''listening to Abel as he bathed himself'', Iliana suggested. "You two.. How about we each take out a loan to open a detective agency?"

    Eluya, who was surprised by the sudden proposal, thought about it. "Well.. I''m not very good at economics and finance.." Eluya said while shrugging her shoulder, thought not against the plan entirely.

    "Neither am I.." Abel admitted calmly, stepping out of the bathroom in a clean robe.

    "You can handle the finance to me.. I have handled it before.." Iliana said with a reassuring smile.

    "Well, if that''s what you think then we trust you." Abel said calmly before scratching her chin.

    Iliana purrs at the scratches, blushing softly. "You really know my weakness.. don''t you, Abel.."

    By next week, the three of them had taken individual loans from money lenders in the Black Market. The total money from the three of them was enough to give the test for the Detective Licence, pay for a rented office and get a license for the agency.

    Thus the EIA Detective Agency came to life..

 Chapter 17: Stailor

    The day after Abel and Eluya left with the strange man, Iliana waited for the Inspector and Lawyer assigned, while filing up Insurance and a number plate for the new car.

    The people she had to discuss the case with, Inspector Stailor and Advocate Juricia hadn''t arrived yet. So she was pretty much just doing her work as normal.

    As for Inspector Stailor, he was still in his apartment in the Northern District, a few kilometres north from EIA agency. He got up from his bed, beside him was laying Juricia, the lawyer for the Case of Ranberr''s.

    "Is it time already? I wish I could sleep a bit more.." Juricia spoke, flashing a smile towards Stailor. "You look excited for this ''legacy case'' of the Ranberr''s.. Is it gonna get you a promotion, my dear?" She spoke teasingly, with her brown pupils lit up by the sunlight.

    "Probably.. It''s just that the case holds significant importance to me. It was the reason I joined the Police force in the first place.." Stailor said calmly as he walked in front of the mirror, smiling but a blush appears on his face and his grey eyes softening, when Juricia whistles at the sight of his naked body while showing off her''s.

    "Here I thought you joined Police Force because you failed the physical test for the Detective Exam.. And you have a good physique, my love.. You are fawned over by everyone.." She said with a sassy smile before getting up from the bed, stretching herself when Stailor suddenly walks and hugs her from behind, lightly pinching her chubby stomach, making her squeak.

    "It seems you''ve gotten chubbier, my love." Stailor teased her, pinching her tummy and grabbing her love handles.

    "Says the guy who doesn''t think twice about eating out and someone who, definitely does not stop even when I beg for some mercy." Juricia said teasingly, enjoying the extra attention from Stailor.

    "Just because you are a little chubby doesn''t mean I''ll stop loving you.. I know how sensitive you are, you''ll get it in check whether I say it or not.." Stailor said with a smile before adding. "I wonder if that survivor ''Alisa Ranberr'' has lived a good life.. That incident, I still remember it to date."

    "Do you want to talk about it, my dear? I''m listening.." Juricia said calmly, turning to face Stailor and cupping her cheeks and planting a kiss on his forehead.

    "Well.. As you know, the incident happened in the Eastern District, famous for the medieval architectural mansions.. The Ranberr''s were exceptionally talented and wealthy merchants who had a few estates.. and enemies." Stailor said with a grim look in his eyes before he takes a few deep breaths and continues.

    "Back when I was still 19.. These ''enemies'' decided to accuse the entire family of secretly being vampires and being the perpetrators of a lot of missing children cases.. The Police were bribed and a mob broke into their house and killed the head of the family, his wife and his youngest daughter.. The Eldest daughter escaped and hasn''t been found ever since.. The case was reopened two years later by the EIA agency and it''s the one that''s handling the case ever since. And even though, they have provided ample evidence that every accusation made that night was false, the court doesn''t take back its decisions much.. The EIA agency has been in touch with ''Alisa'' and the justice she wants is.. to sell every property that The Ranberr''s owned, use it to pay the legal fees and donate the rest to charity."

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    "My love.. None of it was your fault.. You were only 19 back then. There was nothing you could do against a mob of 50 people hellbent on killing four people." Juricia said, with a reassuring smile. Her eyes and touch warm and comforting, making Stailor calm down a bit.

    "Yeah.. Anyways, we should leave for EIA agency soon. I''m pretty sure the detective is waiting for us." Stailor said with a sigh, before lifting Juricia in his arms like a bride. "Let''s take a bath."

    "Okay, big guy.. Carry me to the bathtub then." Juricia said with a smile, as he carried her into bathtub where they bathed themselves.

    The cold water flowing around their bodies, relieving them of the fatigue from last night''s lovemaking.

    Once they were done, they stepped out of the bathtub, helping each other dress up. With Stailor wearing his formal uniform, consisting of a Navy Blue shirt, Black Trousers and an accessory belt with his police badge visible.

    As for Juricia, Stailor buttoned her White Formal Shirt before helping her put on the black knee high pencil skirt and thigh stockings.

    "Thank you, dear.. Let''s leave now or our friendly detective agency might not be friendly anymore." She said with a smile, putting on lipstick in a hurry and picking up her purse.

    Stailor nodded, checking his accessory belt one last time before locking the apartment and walking down the stairs towards the parking lot, greeting their neighbors along the way.

    On the way to the EIA agency, Stailor turns on the radio of the car to listen to the news.

    <u>BREAKING NEWS:</u> Exploratory space project launched by the Republic of Hurlan, Sapnik-II, is in orbit successfully and will monitor the Southern World Mists alongside Sapnik-I. As for the Empire of Garharia, the scientists are going to release their second orbital satellite, Garjan-2 to monitor the Northern World Mists by the end of this year.

    "Oh.. I didn''t realise our Emperor is throwing money into monitoring of the World Mists." Juricia spoke, surprised about the global developments. Two of the worlds superpowers, The Republic and The Empire are both sinking their money to monitor the World Mists, which remain to be the mystery despite various expeditions, all of which failing because of the corrupting nature of the World Mists present at the poles of the planet.

    "Well, it''s to be expected. The World Mists are the greatest mystery for us, humans.. Even our allies like Elves know the truth but refuse to tell us." Stailor admitted calmly. "The problem is the mist disables all communication devices near it and anyone who has stepped in, has never came back sane."

    "I wonder what they saw beyond the veil of the Mists.. Probably some kind of God or an entity humans are never meant to find." Juricia guessed, but it was fruitful as everyone else''s since they could neither confirm nor deny any theories related to the Mists.

    Just then, Stailor stopped the radio and car before unbuckling his seatbelt. "We can discuss that later.. For now, let''s focus on the case." He said calmly, walking out of the car and opening the car door for her.

    "What a gentleman, thank you." Juricia said with a chuckle, looking at the Agency''s sign board. "Oh.. How much I missed this place. Let''s finish it this time.. Iliana." Juricia said with a reassuring smile as she walked in the agency with Stailor a few steps ahead of him.

 Chapter 18: Unforeseen Visit

    "Good morning, both of you. I hope your drive here was smooth." Iliana said with a smile, standing up from her desk and signalling them to sit down on the sofa.

    "Yes, it was.." Juricia said with a smile as her and Stailor took a seat on the sofa while Iliana served them tea and biscuits.

    "Well, with the hospitality aside. Iliana, you know that this is the third year of this case re-opening. As far as I''ve read and understood, the last survivor of that tragedy Alisa only wants the property to be ''to sell every property that The Ranberr''s owned, use it to pay the legal fees and donate the rest to charity.''.. I suppose the proof of the actual statement is here as well. Just so you know, this case can be here for a while, the perpetrators have all denied the accusations but there is proof about everything."

    "I understand." Iliana said calmly, her expression as calm as water in an untouched lake and her eyes glowing, though the actual reason for this wasn''t known to Juricia, thus she took it as ''yearn for justice'' or ''fame''.

    "Anyways, the judge for the case this time is different from the one from the last hearing. So we can make a few good impressions and get justice." Juricia spoke with a calm look before opening a file and handing a sheet of paper to Iliana. "Just get these things. Usually, these wouldn''t be necessary but the judges here are incredibly speciesist so a few safety nets isn''t all that bad."

    Iliana nodded at Juricia, understanding the importance of safety nets in evidence when it comes to cases like these.

    "So.. we need a blood test of Alisa Ranberr? You want to be sure that Alisa is really alive and human." Iliana inquired with a calm look, receiving a nod from Juricia.

    "Yes and that''s why Inspector Stailor is here. He''ll go with you to the Black Market where you''ll collect the blood samples in his presence. He has been appointed to this duty as per State Laws." Juricia said calmly before closing the case file.

    But this took Iliana by surprise, for most of the investigation over the past few years, she has made sure that only Abel and Eluya were present whenever it was time for blood tests for Alisa but an actual inspector being present means she can''t give her own blood.. but she already expected this scenario so she has her own plans.

    "Alright. So should we leave now, Inspector Stailor?" Iliana said with a nod and a smile. To her, this was the matter of her life. She only lived to this day so she could get justice for her Family and the maid that died protecting her.

    "Ah, yes.. Let''s go now if that''s what you wish to do." Stailor replied calmly but just as Iliana stood up and turned towards the door, he spoke once again, but this time, in a serious tone as if doubting Iliana. "But before we go.. I have one question, Miss Iliana.. Why is that you wish to pursue this case despite there not being any merit to your agency.. If it''s fame then you already have Eluya and Abel, the current Rank #4 and #7 detective of the Empire and you yourself aren''t that far off, Ranking #1355.. Why do you pursue a case whose judgment has remained unchanged for the last 3 years of your agency handling the case?"

    Iliana stopped in her tracks and she didn''t dare look back at Stailor. Her heart was already weak to questions like these and without the support of Abel or Eluya, she was particularly weak.

    "It''s because of personal reasons, Inspector Stailor.. I am not inquiring about your past considering you specifically chose to step into this case, am I now?" Iliana was on the edge of a breakdown but she held herself tightly. "My words might come off as ''rude'' but I can assure you that I am not walking towards the path of Injustice. Justice is all I want.."

    "Now if you care to drive me to the Black Market, we can get a sample quickly." Iliana said calmly, her back still facing Juricia and Stailor.

    "My apologies.. I was just confirming something but it seems that wasn''t the case." Stailor apologized before bowing apologetically.

    Meanwhile, Juricia was dumbstruck by this sudden exchange of aggressive words between the two. She knew pretty much everything about Stailor and knew why he wanted to join the investigation. But Iliana was still an enigma to her, her reasons were all very generic but to her, Iliana was giving solid evidence so it wasn''t much of a concern if she was hiding something sinister.

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    "I''ll be waiting for you two here.. I need to prepare my script for the court." Juricia said calmly before lightly pushing Stailor. "Inspector Stailor, I advise you to not get nosy into someone''s past."

    "Alright.. Miss Iliana, please follow me." Stailor said calmly as he walked in front of Iliana as they exited the Agency, leaving Juricia alone there.

    "Let''s head to the Pharmacy nearby to collect the Blood collection kit." Iliana said calmly as she sat in the back of the car while Stailor drove. She wanted to make this collection as normal as possible, as risking her identity as the real Alisa can have its own risks, the ones she wasn''t willing to make.

    While Stailor and Iliana handled the blood collection, Juricia was sitting on the sofa in the Agency, her expressions were pretty complicated, showing both excitement and anxiety.

    "The case.. though fool proof because of the evidence. The Judges are very hesitant of changing judgments passed in the past.. I hope the new one is at least willing to listen. After all, the only demands are to sell the property at a reasonable rate, pay the taxes and legal fees and donate the rest to charity.. Even in moments like these, This Alisa Ranberr is trying to be helpful to the very people who killed her family.. I guess that''s what Ranberr''s are at their core" Juricia mumbled to herself when a group of three people entered the agency.

    "Oh sorry but the detectives are go��" Juricia stopped midway as she noticed the Empire''s State Security Badges on the three individuals.

    "I''m sorry sir that I didn''t recognise esteemed individuals like you. Advocate Juricia at your service." Juricia said as she stood in an attentive position with her hand on her chest and her head turned down.

    Then the Shortest of the three spoke, as he gazed around the agency while the other two, one of which was a buff guy and the other was a girl, slightly taller than Juricia herself, with all three of them having black hair. "Advocate Juricia, at ease.. We are from a new group made under the Emperor''s watch and this is our first public mission. Do you mind answering a few questions?"

    "Yes, sir. It''s an honor to serve the Emperor." Juricia said calmly, while bubbles pop in her chest as any meaningful statement in a case where the Emperor''s direct command is present, is a good way to get fame.

    "Advocate Juricia, do you know of any Vampire or any God''s High Priest or Proxy?" The man spoke calmly as he closed his eyes.

    "No, sir. I don''t know of any such individuals." Juricia said calmly, as a bead of sweat fell from her forehead.

    "She''s telling the truth, brother. At the very least, she''s unaware of the truth even if it''s happening around her." Said the girl who was roaming around the agency, smelling a few things but a disappointed look is obviously on her face.

    "Yes, and this place doesn''t reek of vampires, Big Brother. At least not the weak ones.. Could be that a ''numbered one'' is present." Spoke the taller guy of the three individuals.

    "Ah, I see.." The shorter one, who is the biggest of the three guys present sighed before questioning Juricia once again. "This agency, what detectives own this place?" He asked, as the other two beside him returned back to stand behind him.

    "Detective Abel, Eluya and Iliana, Sire. Current Rank 7, 4 and 1355, respectively." Juricia said with a calm and confident tone. After all, this agency is known for its small yet efficient detective work.

    "Oh.. I see. So they are already under His Majesty, the Prince''s Watch." The short guy spoke before sighing.

    "We''ll take our leave now, Advocate Juricia. Keep this conversation hidden from the public." After saying this, the three individuals left and Juricia finally relieved as the three of them left.

    "I was so scared.. Wait, but if they are looking for a proxy or Numbered Vampire.. Isn''t that a threat to the Empire itself?.. Oh well, it doesn''t concern me yet." Juricia muttered to herself before sighing. "Well, I''ll forget about this conversation like they told me to."

    Meanwhile, outside the agency, the three individuals entered a car and sat down with a sigh. The Shortest one, Codename: Delta, spoke to the taller one, Codename:   Zeta and the girl, Codename: Epsilon. "Report to Alpha and Beta, we found nothing."

    "But Brother.."

    Zeta tried to speak but was interrupted by Delta.

    "Just do as I say.. Don''t report our findings to anyone but Omega herself. She''s the only one that can handle this, if this is even handleable."

    "Brother, are you saying that even us, The Corps of Seven, who took down the Second Proxy of Obrax won''t be able to handle this.." Epsilon said with a surprised look on her face, shocked by Delta''s call on the matter.

    "Yes.. Though we didn''t find any traces of Vampires or any High Priest or Proxy, that agency reeked of ''Harmony''.. Only Omega has the clearance to deal with it." Delta spoke calmly before he began driving back to the hotel, in the Southern  District they were staying in with the other 4 members of the Corps of Seven.

    "And besides, even if there was a Numbered one or a proxy here, the ''Harmony'' would make it so that we couldn''t fight there. So let us leave that for Omega." Delta spoke calmly as he continued to drive, in short, he just didn''t want to be scolded by Omega, the strongest of the Corps of Seven.

 Chapter 19: Necroma, City of Necromancers

    While Iliana was handling the case on her side, Abel drove for 6 hours maintaining the constant speed of 40kmph, while Arbor slept in the backseat and Eluya gazed at the distant Necroma Forest.

    Necroma was the city in the Republic of Hurlan, where Necromancy is legal and practiced in day-to-day life, and closest city to Luminae despite being in another nation altogether.

    Abel stopped the car once they reached the gate into Necroma. The undead guard came up to the car and tapped on the window on the driver''s side.

    Abel nodded at the Undead Guard and opened the window, accepting 3 pamphlets that the three of them have to read and sign before entering Necroma.

    "Hey.. 14. Wake up and sign this." Abel said while shaking 14, who was sleeping in the backseat.

    "H-huh? Are we already there?" 14 said as he sat back up and rubbed his eyes. He took the pamphlet from Abel''s hand before sighing. "I''m not gonna read this. Just read it out to me."

    Eluya nodded at 14''s suggestion, taking the pamphlet from Abel''s hands and waiting for him to start reciting the rules since she has never visited Necroma even once in her life, it was a new experience for her.

    "Alright.. Just listen closely." Abel spoke, a little annoyed that he has to read the entire pamphlet but starts reading it out anyways.

    Necroma: The City of Necromancy welcomes all of its visitors. We advise you to read the rules mentioned below and sign on to the pamphlet. This will act as the proof that you acknowledge the laws of Necronomicon and will abide by the rules set by the Necromancer King, Zenegail.

    Following are the rules one must follow at all times when in Necroma:

    1. Any and all people are free to learn Necromancy in Necroma but the safety of Necromancers outside Necroma cannot be guaranteed.

    2. In case one decides to summon an Undead Servant, they must get a permit from Public Graveyard, where one wants to get the cadaver from, and obtain a license from USN (Undead Servant Notary).

    3. One isn''t allowed to summon a dead that doesn''t wish to be summoned. In case of legal work, one needs to get written proof of consent from the dead''s living successors, if alive else you need to wait until 100 years have passed since the person''s death.

    4. A Business must maintain their Undead Servants and make sure they don''t smell, have rotten meat attached to them and have proper clothes on. Failure to do so may result in a fine, jail and all licenses will be terminated.

    5. Unless one is affiliated with State registered Detective Agencies, Military or is a special exception, they are not allowed to summon an Undead Soldiers.

    6. If one is found to be littering the streets of Necroma or mishandling the Cadavers, they will face appropriate punishment. Severe cases may lead to being banished from Necroma.

    In case, you need to learn more about the Necroma''s laws, head to the Public Library in Town Centre.

    Warning: Unless a permit is produced, No living or undead being is allowed within 500 metres of the Necromancer King''s Castle.

    Sign.......

    "And that''s the whole pamphlet." Abel said as he signed the pamphlet, watching it disappear into blue flames.

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    Eluya and Arbor also signed the pamphlet, and watch as it disappears into the blue flames.

    "Wow.. That is very cool. Is it a permanent record?" Eluya asked Abel with a glowing smile on her face, akin to a child chasing a butterfly.

    "Not permanent. You need to sign it every time you enter Necroma, if you are not a resident." Abel answered calmly before starting the car again, entering the city of Necroma through its western gates.

    "Welcome to Necroma. Everything you see here is admonished everywhere else. It is only due to the Necromancer King, Zenegail and her Political Prowess, in tandem with her might that makes this place, work. After all, where else would Necromancers go, if not here." Abel said with a smile as he drove around the town until they reached an inn.

    "The Necromancer King is a woman?" Arbor said, shocked at the revelation as the Title of King isn''t usually something a woman takes.

    "Well, she is different.. Make sure to not do anything that attracts her attention. Having three Numbered Vampires is already a threat even if we don''t use our powers." Abel clarified calmly, as they walked into the inn.

    Upon entering, the Innkeeper, who was reading the newspaper sighed before speaking. "Welcome back, Ab. Didn''t expect to see you here so soon.. Oh and your friends are here too. How can I help you three?" The Innkeeper said in a rough and hurly tone, but still hospitable.

    "A room for three and two meals a day for five days. Thank you." Abel said with a smile as he rested his hands on the counter, staring into the Innkeeper''s eyes.

    The Innkeeper sighed before opening a drawer in the counter and handing a key to Abel. "Here.. And don''t make too much noise." The Innkeeper said, before immediately following up in a rushed tone. "Just in general though, I''m not questioning your integrity or the people behind you."

    Abel, chuckled before patting the back of the Innkeeper. "Ah don''t worry. The woman behind me is going to be my wife and the Man is just an acquaintance. We are here for a case on behalf of the NPS."

    The innkeeper sighed in relief, before snapping his fingers. At his command, two Undead Servant came and took the luggage from Eluya and Arbor''s hand taking them to the designated room.

    "Your room is on the third floor. It also has a balcony and a pair of Binoculars inside the third floor tile from the North-Eastern Corner of the room. Put it back in once you are done with it." The Innkeeper said with a smile as he took off his mask, revealing a man almost in his 60s smiling, his face covered in scar but his moustache looked majestic. "May the spirit of Justice show you the path."

    Abel smiled and nodded, bowing towards the Innkeeper before walking upstairs towards their room with Eluya and Arbor closely following.

    "You knew that man well.. Can we trust him?" Arbor questioned the man with a serious tone.

    "Have you been in Necroma before? You even drove us straight here, despite the maze-like road network." Eluya asked calmly.

    "Yes, that man is a friend. And yes, I''ve been here before.." Abel said with a smile as he turned the keys and opened the room. Once inside, he felt Eluya clinging to the belt loop of his trousers.

    "You introduced me as your fianc��e, you know." Eluya spoke, her cheeks red from blush. She was euphoric about the fact that Abel introduced her as his fianc��e.

    "Yeah.. That was pretty bold. I didn''t expect you to be this upfront. Not to mention, you were intimidating that man as you declared it." Arbor spoke calmly, taking out the binoculars from the floor tile.

    "What I mentioned down there was the truth, there was no reason to hide it." Abel said calmly, before Eluya rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around his back.

    "And we should focus more on the case at hand. Give me an overview, Arbor." Abel spoke calmly, looking around the room they rented. The three beds smelled like Lavendar, perfect harmony with the Lavender Purple coloured walls adorned with painting and a balcony that gave them a view of the sunset, though not a full view.

    "Oh it isn''t much.. We are currently looking for a Rogue Vampire, one of the ''Uncouth''.." Arbor said with a smile, as both Abel and Eluya turned red from anger hearing the name of the organisation ''Uncouth''.

    "Those vile bastards.." Abel and Eluya spoke in sync as their eyes bled and slowly turned black.

    "Snap out of it. Necroma is their current hideout.. I''m helping you, aren''t I?" Arbor spoke with a smile. "I think we can hunt them in five days and return to Luminae."

    "Yes.. This is gonna be interesting. The Vampires, who reject the very morals that make us just and fair.." Abel spoke calmly, his words immediately followed by Eluya''s.

    "Those uncouth individuals who value their hunger for blood over the lives of innocent people and run away from justice." Eluya spoke without a hint of hesitation in her eyes, staring into Abel'' as they spoke again in harmony.

    "They will experience Justice. From today onwards, as per Justifia''s orders, these individuals will taste true justice in the form of merciless death." Their words echoed through the room, and the silence that followed only broken by Arbor''s wicked smile.

    "Let the hunt begin." Arbor whispered before the silence claimed the room again.

 Chapter ???: The Unending Chase

    Are you happy in your current predicament, Little lady?

    How could anyone be happy being chased all for the blessings that I didn''t even choose?

    I''m sure someone looks at you as something more than just a pawn.

    Yes.. He does. But I''m not good enough for him.

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    Not true, I think he respects you as much as you do to him.

    He is just grateful that I''m not afraid of him.

    That is what he considers to be ''worthy of respect''

    Does he now? I can''t even tell because he is so.. cold all the time.

    Then witness his warmth, that lays dormant within the slab of coldness.

    <u>Then, she walked forward.</u>

 Chapter 20: Uncouth

    The next three nights in Necroma were silent for the most part, but for the ''Uncouth'', it was a massacre like no other, they were being hunted by three Vampires.

    Originally, Uncouth were vampires that were banished from their covenant, for crimes unpardonable but not enough to warrant death. These individuals met with other Uncouth and lived in City slums and sewers, infamous for their disgraceful and immoral behaviour that went against the teachings that Vampires follow.

    In one of the hidden corridors of the Sewers of Necroma, screams could be heard, only if you were one of the people who were being hunted that night.

    There were Thirty Seven bodies lying on the ground in that corridor, all of them had their head crushed and the remains of their brain and crushed eyes floating in the sea of blood. The three people killing them were Abel, Eluya and Arbor. Out of which, Abel and Eluya were smiling wickedly as they killed the Uncouths. Blood trickled from their black eyes and their hands were drenched in the blood of the Uncouths they killed.

    "PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU! LET ME LI-." The man begged for his life before his head burst into a pool of blood with his brain splattering onto the hands of the maiden. Eluya had crushed his head and smiled at his death, licking the Uncouth''s blood from her fingers. "Abel, How long must I breathe the same air as these immoral ones?"

    "A few more minutes.." Abel replied calmly, cornering the final Uncouth before coldly asking. "Have you seen a rogue vampire killing in broad daylight?"

    "N-n-no.. I don''t know anyone like that." The man stammered, barely coherent, horrified as he felt Abel grab his face, slowly squeezing him as the skill slowly broke due to the force. "Wait.. WAIT! AT LEAST TELL ME WHO ARE YOU.. You won''t deny me your name no matter how immoral I am, right?"

    "Ah yes, so you remember the duties now. I am Abraxas Nouveri?r De''Zua. Proxy of Justifia.. Satisfied?" Abel replied with a cold stare in his eyes, crushing the face of the Uncouth. His last words were "I''m sorry."

    "Be sorry in death. No living vampire is allowed to breach the ''Moral Code'' of our society.. And I could not smell any guilt in your blood." Abel said, hatred flowing in his voice as he used a cloth to wipe off the blood.

    "We''ve been hunting for three days. We still haven''t found the Rogue Vampire or any clues.." Arbor said a sigh, watching the corpses disappear into a pool of Black Mud, which vanished shortly after devouring the corpses.

    "Your abilities are exceptional, Arbor. We couldn''t be half as bold if you weren''t here." Eluya said as the sclera of Eluya and Abel turn from black to white, as they finally calmed down.

    "Yes.. I only had to keep 3 blessings active just so the authorities don''t get alerted." Arbor said with a sarcastic smile as he retracts the three blessings.

    1st Blessing: Area of Harmony (cast on the three of them)

    2nd Blessing: Area of No-exchange (makes the Harmony area made by 1st Blessing inescapable by everything, including light and sound.)

    5th Blessing: Devourer (Black Mud that devours everything you want it to)

    "Well.. Thank you for putting that much strain on yourself for us.. Just two more Uncouth Hideouts and we''ll be done here." Abel praised Arbor by patting his back.

    "All things aside. I didn''t think you two hated the Uncouth enough to kill everyone of them in sight. How do you even differentiate an Uncouth from a normal Wanderer Vampire?" Arbor asked calmly, as he was clueless about how the two have had a 100% success rate of finding Uncouths.

    "Oh.. About that. It''s our natural blessing. For Abel, he is the Proxy of Justifia, giving him access to the ''True Sight'' and as for me, I am one of three High Priest of Justifia so I have access to ''True Sight'' as well." Eluya clarified with a smile, wiping the blood from her hands using the same cloth as Abel did.

    "Oh.. So that''s what it was. I''ve known that Justifia''s blessings are always very civil and subtle. But a ''sight'' blessing.. That''s pretty rare." Arbor spoke with a surprised look on his face, recognising how helpful this was in their current position.

    "Yeah.. But it''s not gonna stay with us forever." Abel said calmly as the three of them began walking towards the exit of the Sewer lines.

    "I can see that.. I have a blessing that allows for a full body checkup of someone.. I see what the effects of being a Proxy are on your body.. Abel." Arbor said calmly, a hint of concern and worry in his tone as the results from the 6th Blessing show how limiting the title of ''Proxy'' is, especially for Abel.

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    Abel sighs, realising that he can''t hold the position for a Proxy for long now. He has held the position of Proxy for 249 years and during this time, his strength has grown tremendously and now the title of ''Proxy'' is limiting his growth further.

    "Leaving that aside for now, when do you two want to marry each other? The Rituals and all the extra bullshit will take like a month or two.. maybe even more." Arbor said calmly as the smell of dirty sewer water intensified which led to the three of them putting on a mask and breathing through their mouths.

    "Probably after the Banquet that''s like 15 days from now. We have to attend that first." Eluya said calmly, while Abel maintained silence.

    "Oh? You mean that Detectives Only Banquet? In the City Hall at Capital City of Garharia, Melobranch?" Arbor asked with an amazed look on his face. Being invited to a Banquet like that is the highest honour for a detective so it was understandable why they could hold their wedding off.

    "And also.. we also need to get Iliana accepted and recognised by our covenants too, you know.. We don''t know how we plan on doing it but that''s something we are considering." Eluya added, smiling beneath the mask and clearly proud.

    As for Abel, he didn''t add a word, letting Eluya handle all the talks. It was pretty obvious why he didn''t say a word.

    It''s because he was scared.

    "Oh and once we are done with the case, we need to go shopping. We all want to buy stuff for Lady 4th, right?" Eluya reminded both of them as they walked out of the sewer lines before getting rid of the masks.

    "Yes.. I do want to buy gifts for Master." Abel said calmly as the three of them continued walking, now headed towards the inn to rest.

    "I suppose I''ll get some too.. I''ll probably return and meet her before you two get a chance." Arbor said calmly.

    During their walk back to the inn, Eluya did get looked at by men walking around. Though none of them ever tried to make a move due to Abel and Arbor walking closely by her.

    "Everyone is still the same.. Looking at someone and just wishing they could make a move." Eluya whispered with a slightly curious look in her eyes as she gazed at Abel.

    "This reminds me of the time before I became a numbered.. Always being surrounded by people who wanted to use me for my name, lineage and beauty.." Eluya recalled her past before sighing.

    "Oh? I didn''t know you had a past like that?" Abel said calmly as he walked beside her and nudged her elbow. "Tell me more."

    "Oh, it isn''t anything important. I was blessed by Phamis so I was pretty much a perfect candidate for extending the bloodlines of other patriarchs and such.." Eluya said with a smile as she matched Abel''s walking speed, with Arbor following close behind. "I played around a lot during that time period. Since I knew and understood my value, I was pretty much like a celebrity."

    "Hmm.. Understandable, Blessing Phamis, the Goddess of Earth and Fertility, is extremely rare. In the eyes of other Patriarchs and Matriarchs, you were the best way to extend the direct bloodline without any complications." Abel spoke calmly, recalling that time period.

    "Well, it all ended pretty quickly after you became one of the Numbered. When you returned to Red Iron Covenant with Lady 4th, I came specifically to see you .. or should I say, charm you. It didn''t work, you didn''t even look at me like other men did." Eluya chuckled as she spoke, remembering the day when Abel brought her confidence to the ground by ignoring her.

    "I''m happy for it though.. I wouldn''t have worked as much as I did back then if you didn''t ignore me. A lot of realisations were made that day." Eluya said with a smile, holding Abel''s hand as they walked towards the Inn.

    "You know.. Though the attention came back to me once you left, I didn''t want that attention anymore. I''ve wanted you ever since we first met that day." Eluya confessed as they reached the inn and walked into the room, Arbor just close behind as he silently listened to all the exchanges between Abel and Eluya.

    "I was happy that day too.. Knowing that you were the only person who greeted me without having fear in your system. I know how afraid the others who came that day were.. I respected you for that. Though I never knew that after almost 2 centuries, we''d be this close." Abel said calmly as they walked towards the balcony, looking at the starry sky with Eluya''s fingers wrapped in his.

    "So, should I leave or not?" Arbor asked calmly, feeling conflicted whether to stay or not when the two people in front of him are having a moment between themselves.

    "No need to leave, Arbor. We are just talking about things we''ve never talked about before. Maybe you should take notes from your seniors.. They will help with the girl you love." Eluya spoke with a chuckle, teasing Arbor while gripping Abel''s hand tightly.

    "I would''ve brought a notebook if I knew that I''d be getting free lessons. Anyways, I''ll sleep so do whatever you want." Arbor yawned as he spoke, then he removed his shoes before falling face-first on his bed.

    Abel sighed and Eluya chuckled, seeing Arbor fall asleep on the bed. Just then, Eliya turned to face Abel, her breath falling on his face while his fell on hers. Their eyes gleamed in the moonlight and the ethereal silence was broken by Eluya''s chuckles.

    "We aren''t kissing. I just like seeing your face from down here.. How tall are you? 6''?" Eluya asked with a smile as her other hand brushed hair away from Abel''s face to get a better view of him.

    "5''11", to be honest. And I know damn well that we aren''t kissing.. We''ve already discussed that before." Abel said with a chuckle as he leaned closer to Eluya, tapping his forehead with hers.

    "I should go to sleep now or I may end up tasting your blood out of curiosity." Eluya said with a chuckle, taking a step back from Abel and walking into the room to lay down on the free bed.

    Abel smiled as he watched Eluya fall asleep after covering herself with a blanket. For a while, Abel continued to stare into the night sky with a smile fixated on his lips. Then he walked back to his own bed and laid down on it to fall asleep as well.

    Just as Abel closed his eyes, the image of a man with blonde hair dressed in a white toga and silver armbands floated in his mind. The image repeated a sentence continuously. "Don''t kill the Rogue Vampire." After the seventh repetition, it finally stopped as Abel fell into deep sleep but he was able to recognise one thing before he fell asleep. The voice was of Justifia, the very God he follows.

 Chapter 21: Omega 惟

    In Lumious Grand Hotel, Southern District, Luminae. Delta, Epsilon and Zeta were seated on the floor in the middle of the room. Their expressions were of a dog scared of its owner. And the owner was Omega, a woman with Charcoal Black Hair and Green eyes, dressed in Grey Formal attire and stilettos, which tapped on the floor as she walked around the room.

    The air around her screamed horror, giving a reason to call her ''The Strongest of the Corps of Seven''.

    "Delta, Epsilon, Zeta.. Your head is on the ground." Omega spoke with a stern tone and the three of them followed without a second of hesitation.

    "Yes, Ma''am!" They shouted as they rested their foreheads on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

    Omega chuckled, enjoying the look of fear on three of them. She continued to read the file until she stopped on Abel''s photo. Her eyes widened and a smile took over the wicked face, before disappearing as soon as it came.

    "So.. The detectives aren''t in town?" Omega questioned the three individuals and they answered as they were unable to see the change of face on Omega.

    "Yes, Ma''am. As per our information, Abel and Eluya aren''t in town and Iliana is currently handling the legacy case of ''Ranberr Family''." Delta said in a very professional tone, with a hint of fear clear as day as he spoke further. "Should we place a target on the Agency, ma''am?"

    The air grew silent as Delta suggested placing a target bounty on the agency and the next thing that was heard was Omega kicking Delta in the stomach, making him fly through the room and stop against the wall. Delta coughed some blood before he kneeled once again.

    "I''m sorry if my suggestion offended you, Ma''am." Delta spoke, retracting his words immediately.

    "Don''t suggest anything that''s too far from your authority, Delta. Or else.." As Omega spoke, the air became denser making it hard to breathe for the three members of the Seven.

    Just then, Alpha and Beta entered the room, dressed in a casual T-shirt and Shorts, sighing at the condition of Delta, Zeta and Epsilon.

    "Omega.. Can you not thrash your own team?" Alpha said with a calm sigh while Beta glared at Delta.

    "We do need to talk though." Beta said, waving her hands at the Delta and his siblings, who ran out as fast as possible.

    Once alone, Alpha''s expression turned grim as he spoke. "Omega, we haven''t found a clue on a High Priest, let alone a Proxy. I''m getting tired of this rat chase, we need to be on the frontlines."

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    "I agree with what Alpha is saying, We don''t even know if a Proxy is here or not. We are only going by the statement of that Major General and it doesn''t seem to be credible because of lack of proof." Beta said calmly, her expression of concern and worry.

    The silence in the room was deafening as the three of them present thought about their current situation for a few minutes, before it was broken by Omega''s yawn.

    "What''s the status report on Gamma?" Omega enquired.

    "He is.. doing his own things as usual. We all know he doesn''t listen to anyone but you." Alpha spoke with an unamused look in his eyes, waiting for Omega''s answer.

    "sigh That child.. I''ll call him. Till then, you two. Pass a message to Supreme Judge Gerald, we need to dissolve the judges here and need a few replacements immediately." Omega said calmly, nodding at Alpha and Beta as they left, however they did have concerned faces at Omega''s suggestion to call the Supreme Judge himself, but they cannot go against Omega''s orders.

    Once Alpha and Beta had left, she reopened the file on EIA detective agency and smiled at herself and murmured. "Master.. Your place has some traces of Harmony. I won''t get rid of it, for you. I won''t let anything get in your way." She spoke, caressing Abel''s photo in the file before sighing, closing the file with a thud.

    At that moment, Delta entered the room and knelt as per customs, waiting for Omega''s orders.

    "Delta, find Gamma and pass him a message from me. ''Limit the Search Area of Southern District.''" Omega ordered with a commanding tone, much different to the soft murmuring from a moment ago.

    "Yes ma''am." Delta spoke obediently, walking out of the room leaving Omega alone.

    Meanwhile, Alpha and Beta entered their room, and stood beside the table with a map fixed on it.

    "I think we should visit Aslahan for some clues, don''t you think, Beta?" Alpha asked with a firm tone. Beta nodded, agreeing with this little detour in this search.

    "If you agree, then we should go today." Beta said calmly, twirling her hair around her finger. It was clear from her expression that she wished there was no Proxy or High Priest in Luminae, lest the fight will burn the entirety of the town and quite possibly a part of Northern Forests.

    "Beta.." Alpha whispered calmly, acknowledging the concern in Beta''s eyes. But he couldn''t bring himself to wish the same thing or show weaknesses.

    "Let''s go. We''ll spend the night at Aslahan, so pack our equipment." Alpha said calmly before he sat on the sofa and dialed a number on his phone.

    "It''s me, Alpha. Send a message to Supreme Judge Gerald.. It''s from Omega."

    ....

    "Your Honour, Omega wishes to dissolve the Jury of Luminae and requests you to oversee the dissolution."

    ...

    "Yes, Your Honour. We will do as you say."

    After Alpha lowered his phone from his ear, Beta knelt in front of him, gently taking the phone from his trembling hand and placing it on the table.

    "I don''t like talking to higher authorities.. I always get scared." Alpha whimpered, earning a chuckle from Beta.

    "It seems the Second-in-command of our Corps is still a child at heart." Beta teased, tickling Alpha''s cheeks before walking away to prepare their bag for the trip to Aslahan.

    Meanwhile, in the Capital City of Garharia Empire, Melobranch, The Supreme Judge Gerald was sitting in his office, surrounded by luxury which he felt were meaningless but not enough of a problem to remove, pondering about the sudden request from Omega to dissolve the Jury of Luminae.

    <u>Gerald, The Third </u><u>High Priest</u><u> of </u><u>Justifia</u><u>, </u><u>was intrigued.</u>

 Chapter 22: The Only Way Forward

    Mask District, Black Market,

    "You don''t seem to enjoy this place, Inspector Stailor.. or should I just call you, Stailor?" Iliana spoke calmly as the two of them walked into the market, Stailor following Iliana closely behind.

    "I don''t like the Black Market in general.. It triggers bad memories for me. And call me whatever you feel comfortable with." Stailor replied, with the discomfort clear as day.

    "Well, we can relate to that.. But the restaurant Alisa works at isn''t far." Iliana spoke calmly before falling silent and calmly walking.

    Along the way, they saw a lot of food stalls, ranging from Kebabs to Tikki to Shawarma Wraps, and bakeries. The Black Market, though sounds Illegal at first, is one of the connection path between many cities that cannot be connected by regular means.

    Though many people hate the existence of Black Market, but none dare oppose an existence as grand yet neutral as the Black Market. The credit of which, goes to the founder of the Black Market, who has been alive for almost a Millennia, also known as ''Apostle of Northern Mists''.

    The Black Market connects one city to another via pathways, though not every city has it. These pathways can be used to traverse from one city to another and even places one wouldn''t normally venture out to, like the Northern Forests, Mist Entrance of the South, Homan Ruins of the Eastern Battlefronts and even the Tribe of Berserker in the West. There was no place in this dimension, other than the Mists themselves that the Black Market didn''t connect to.

    But as of today, there was no need to go that far from Luminae.

    The detective and inspector arrived at the restaurant and walked inside. Upon entering, the manager of the restaurant, who recognised Iliana, greeted them calmly.

    "Miss Iliana, it''s good to have you back? Oh? You are with someone other than Abel and Eluya? Is there something I can help you with?" The Manager asked, his face was covered with a mask, just like the other employees of the restaurant.

    "Yes. May I talk to Alisa, privately?" Iliana said calmly, while the tightness in her chest slowly became unbearable. But she wasn''t taking any chances, as Inspector Stailor overseeing the test will make sure that Alisa won''t be discriminated against ever again.

    The manager pointed to an empty table in the corner of the restaurant, far from other customers to ensure privacy, and said. "Oh. Sure.. I''ll get Alisa to handle your table. There is an empty table in the corner over there. Please be seated there."

    Iliana nodded as she and Stailor sat down at the table, waiting for Alisa to arrive. The ''Alisa'' stationed here was a dummy that Iliana had placed for safety reasons. Though untraceable by others, this ''Alisa'' acted as an alibi in situations like these.

    "Inspector Stailor, You should order something. We need to look normal here, don''t you think so?" Iliana spoke, sliding the menu to Stailor after already scrolling through it.

    Stailor sighed at the suggestion, thinking nothing of it and began reading the menu. His facial expression ranged from amazement to curiosity to disgust, varying throughout the read.

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    "What''s wrong, Inspector? Is something intriguing to you?" Iliana said calmly, her face was adorned by a quiet smile.

    "Yes.. I know it''s the restaurant''s duty to provide food for each and every person.. I know this place isn''t subject to Luminae''s laws or any law for that matter. But providing Fresh Human Blood.. Isn''t it cruel?" Stailor questioned Iliana, hoping she''d have the answer but ultimately had no hope of knowing.

    But for Iliana, she knew that question well, since she worked in this place for a long time. "You are misunderstanding the details, Inspector. The blood is only what people willingly provide for money, they don''t take any more than required. And please leave that Speciesist attitude somewhere else.. or we might get in trouble." Iliana said with an underlying tone of sarcasm.

    Just then, A woman, dressed in a very old-schooled maid uniform, adorned with Black and Red ribbons and she wore a mask. Her gait, as she approached the table, was measured, in a practiced and almost robot-like manner.

    Once she was standing beside the table, she spoke. Her voice was firm as a wall, exactly what you''d expect from someone who suffered through a catastrophe. "Detective.. What may I help you with today?"

    "We need some blood samples, Alisa." Iliana said calmly, her gaze fixed onto a pin on Alisa''s dress. It was from a famous Cartoon Character that played on the TVs when she was a child.

    Noticing Iliana''s gaze on the pin and the request, Alisa just sighed and nodded. "Alright. One Cold Coffee for Miss Iliana, One Plate of Spicy Bao for the gentleman, A blood Sample and a Complimentary Pin of ''Mr Jaiboo''."

    "Actually, make it three pins." Stailor said calmly, his cheeks a little red but he made the request nonetheless.

    "Alright.. Three, it is. Please follow me to the staff room." Alisa said calmly as she guided Iliana and Stailor to the Staff Room, where she sat down on a chair and rolled up her sleeve. "Take the blood sample before returning to your table. I''ll be serving the food shortly."

    Stailor nodded, as he opened the Blood Collection Kit and collected a blood sample from ''Alisa''.

    Once the sample was collected, Iliana and Stailor returned to their table. Both of them were sitting on the opposite chairs. Then Stailor cleared his throat before speaking. "We have collected the samples.. We should leave ASAP and submit the sample."

    Iliana nodded, checking her phone to look at the time. She knew that time was of essence if she wanted to continue with her plan.

    Just then, Alisa came back with the order and the Three Pins, handing one of them to Iliana and letting Stailor take the other two. "I hope you have a wonderful day." Alisa said calmly before leaving.

    After eating their meal, the two of them walked out of the restaurant with Alisa bidding them farewell. Even through all of this, she didn''t remove her mask which Stailor wanted her to do but didn''t express, nor could he apologize.

    As the two of them sat back in Stailor''s car, Stailor looked at the Two Mr. Jaiboo Pins and felt light dizziness. "I feel a bit sleepy.. I did get a full night''s sleep though." He thought to himself before he fell unconscious.

    Iliana, seeing the chance set up, quickly changed the blood samples from the Fake Alisa to her own. She remembered what Fake Alisa told her in private back in the restaurant. The Pins have a special drug, it''ll make the inspector black out for exactly 3 minutes. Do the thing you need to do by then.

    After three minutes had passed, Stailor opened his eyes and sat back up with a jerk. He looked at Iliana, who seemed worried about him suddenly blacking out.

    "Inspector, are you all right?" Iliana said, feigning worry about Stailor, even though she was the one who planned this all along.

    "Uhh.. Yeah. I just fell asleep due to eating those Baos back there. I''ll drive carefully, don''t worry." Stailor said calmly, looking at the blood sample, which was exactly where he put it. Iliana left no evidence of tampering with the blood sample.

    The drug used on Stailor was one of the rare plant syrups that can induce a strong but ephemeral effect that wasn''t traceable after a few minutes of application. By the time they reach the agency, the traces of the drug will also have vanished from the Pins too.

    For Iliana, this was the best case scenario. One step at a time, she was getting closer to getting Justice for her Family and that kind soul, whom Iliana owes her life and name to.

    There was hope that Iliana will achieve what she wants to.

 Chapter 23: Where? How?

    In the City of Necroma, Underground Sewers.

    Three Vampires were killing a group of Vampires, known as Uncouth. Any resistance from the Uncouths resulted in death, surrender wasn''t an option. The blood-curdling screams of the vile beings that lived in these sewers turned to silence as the last of them were killed.

    The walls of the hideout were painted in blood as the vital organs of the Uncouths flowed down the sewer lines, only for everything related to the Uncouths to be absorbed by Arbor''s blessing, leaving not a single trace behind.

    As the cleanup was happening, Abel and Eluya focused their attention on the Red-Haired Vampire, her dress more akin to a Mercenary, consisting of Brown Leather Trousers, A White Silk Shirt, Brown Leather Jacket and Spiked boots. This woman was also the ''Rogue Vampire'', and the person that Justifia, himself, told Abel to not kill.

    "So, you''re the Rogue One.." Eluya said, though not a fan of murders, couldn''t go against Justifia''s Orders.

    "Yes. I''m also aware that you three can''t kill me, yet." The Rogue Vampire spoke calmly, her voice was melodious to the ear. It was so hypnotizing that Civilians would be lured by her words alone.

    "My name is Elfana Rouma Gazi��r. I''m from the Silver Nebula Covenant." She said calmly, leaning against the wall as there was around 3 feet of distance between her and the trio.

    "I''m not one of the Uncouths. I''m a Wanderer.. Though you three already know this, right, Lord 5th, Lady 6th and Lord 14th." Elfana spoke, already knowing their identities. Though it would''ve been more suspicious if she didn''t know them. By the looks of it, she was in the same age range as Eluya, which wasn''t a good estimate in hindsight as Vampires don''t age past 21 and remain so till their deathbed. A proper estimate could be made by her dressing, which suggested she was around 480-490 years old.

    "We already got that you weren''t from the Uncouth. Those bunches aren''t known to let women live in their groups." Eluya said calmly, walking closer until she stood at arm''s length away from Elfana and both of them stared into each other''s eyes. Though Elfana''s gaze was softer and submissive, as she treated Eluya as her superior.

    "I was sent here on a mission by Lady 4th. This is still not confirmed, but we found evidence that Lord 10th is alive.. Lord 7th was sent to investigate his traces but he went missing in Techonia and I haven''t received any reports from my subordinates in Techonia either. I suspect it''s something big but every other lead led to Necroma. And as for the people I killed, they were -"

    "They were Barbarians, in disguise.. Trying to invade Necroma internally by fuelling a conflict between Uncouth and Necroma''s Armed Forces." Abel completed Elfana''s words, shifting the main focus onto the fact that 10th might be alive.

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    Arbor, who was not invested in the conversation, was also paying attention now. The fact that 10th could be alive and 7th is missing, both events tracing back to Techonia was suspicious. Was there something bad going to happen there? Or did it already happen and the lack of information just meant they didn''t know..

    So many questions were springing up in their minds, only for it to be interrupted by Elfana.

    "I know you three are interested in knowing more but I need to leave this place today. I''ve already stopped the insurgency by making sure all 5 of the Uncouth Hideouts were destroyed." Elfana said calmly, her gaze fixated on the walls as they were clean, the place didn''t even look any dirty than it should be. It was almost as if the Uncouth here never existed.

    "Then why were there reports of a Rogue Vampire killing in broad daylight?" Eluya spoke with skepticism in her voice. Though ''True Sight'' did show that Elfana wasn''t lying, the evidence wasn''t matching up.

    "Beats me. I tried to find the culprit behind the normal Murders but each of them were different." Elfana said calmly and truthfully, after all she had no reason to lie. She was living as per the Moral Code of Vampires as well, so she wasn''t the one who killed anyone other than the Barbarians in disguise.

    "Anyways, I have to leave now. I don''t want to disappoint Lady 4th." Elfana said calmly before she turned away and walked towards the exit.

    "Wait a second.." Arbor said, stopping Elfana in her tracks. "I''ll come with you."

    "I''ll be happy to accompany you, Lord 14th." Elfana spoke with a smile as she continued walking, with the other three walking behind her.

    "Abel.. What do you think is happening here?" Eluya asked calmly, her minds reminiscing about 10th and his playful jokes, only for all of it to disappear one day without a single trace.

    Number 10 of the Numbered Vampires, a group led by Fourth Progenitor, who is commonly referred to as Lady 4th. 10th was known to be the most playful of the bunch and his untimely disappearance led to a lot of controversy and debates among the group. It has almost been a century and a half since his disappearance, but his traces being found all of a sudden and disappearance of 7th at the same time and loss of all contacts in Techonia wasn''t just coincidence.

    Something big was happening behind the scene.

    But for now, they couldn''t do anything on their own and had to wait for Lady 4th''s order. Until then, they had to focus on their work.

    "I will leave with Elfana." Arbor declared with a stern gaze. He wanted to help Lady 4th in this investigation now that his Quest #7 was coming to an end.

    "Yes, that''s the best course of action. Keep us updated about information. We can help investigate if it''s within our limits as Detectives." Abel said calmly, his mind still struggling to process the fact that 10th might still be alive. And if he was, then he didn''t try to contact anyone.

    Eluya, on the other hand, was in shock. She treated 10th like her little brother, and when he was declared missing, she was the one who led a search team to search for clues and returned empty handy. Why? If he is alive, then why didn''t he come back? Eluya wished to cry but tears couldn''t come fast enough.

    For now, Eluya and Abel needed to report to Necroma''s Detective Agency and return to Luminae, where hopefully, Iliana had gotten her justice.

 Chapter 24: The Jury

    By the time Iliana and Stailor returned to the Agency, Juricia had already fell asleep, on the couch.

    This earned her a sigh from Iliana and a chuckle from Stailor. "She could''ve taken a room.. Why sleep so uncomfortably on the sofa?" Iliana commented, worried about Juricia after seeing all the papers tattered around her.

    "Well, she looks cute, doesn''t she?" Stailor said reflexively, hiding his face after realisation of what he just said hit him.

    "Inspector Stailor.. If you wish to hide your relationship with our Advocate here.. Please do a better job at holding your tongue, because that was reflexive." Iliana said calmly, walking away. As she was about to go up the stairs, she stopped looking over her shoulders towards Stailor.

    "If there is nothing, then you two may leave. If Juricia does wake up then tell her to wait for a few minutes, I''ll be back." Iliana said calmly, then going up the stairs to her room while smiling. She clearly knew what she was doing when leaving them alone.

    Stailor, understanding Iliana''s intent, sighed and sat down on the sofa, lightly tapping Juricia''s cheeks while speaking in a soft voice. "Hey.. Ju, Wake up."

    "I heard Iliana already.. We have nothing else to do here." Juricia said with a smile, stretching her back before sitting back up. "Dear.. Your face is red. Don''t blush over an expression as simple as stretching." Juricia said while collecting the pages from the table and putting them in order.

    Then Iliana came downstairs, looking at Juricia with a smile. "You''re leaving?" She asked calmly, with an underlying expression of interest.

    "We have everything we need. The Blood sample was collected so Inspector Stailor will take that.. We''ll meet the day after tomorrow, before the court hearing." Juricia said calmly before standing up, waving a goodbye to Iliana and leaving the Agency Office with Stailor following her close behind.

    Once they were gone, Iliana sighed. Her lips slowly curled up into a smile and a single tear dropped from her eyes, which she quickly wiped down.

    The day is arriving soon. I believe I''ll deliver justice to all of you. Just you wait.. Iliana thought to herself, as she walked over to the door, locking it before going up the stairs into the kitchen. She was hungry, but then she was reminded that Abel wasn''t there and she can''t eat her own cooking.

    "Uhmm.. I''ll order. I''d rather rather not hear an earful from Abel." Iliana said, as she unlocks her phone and orders takeout from a nearby restaurant.

    After ordering food, she put down her phone and looked at the Kitchen as a shiver ran down her spine. The last time she and Eluya were trying cook, they wasted a lot of Ingredients.

    "Hey, that''s not how you cook." Iliana shouted to Eluya, who wanted to put wet potatoes in the hot oil.

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    Though eventually, Eluya did put the potatoes into the Oil, which caused the oil to splatter on the floor. Hopefully, neither of them were burnt but they did earn an hour worth of lecture and 3 weeks of Basic Kitchen training under her watch.

    "I''m not gonna cook.." Iliana said to herself before walking away and going into her room above.

    Meanwhile, in the Prison of Aslahan,

    "Sir, Please believe me. We aren''t hiding anything from you. Why would we? We need justice from that Unknown Proxy''s attacks." Zorick said in a rushed tone, as he was cornered by Alpha of the Corps.

    "You are hiding something, Major General Zorick. Who''s Proxy are we hunting?" Alpha spoke while glaring at Zorick. His tone was stern and he glared into Zorick''s eyes, scaring him.

    "We.. we don''t know, Sir. We only found traces of a Proxy.. We don''t know which one." Zorick spoke in a trembling tone. It''s clear he didn''t expect the omission of what Proxy there was, to bite him back. But it''s too late now, he can''t go back on his words or the consequences can be bad.

    "Hmm.. Don''t worry, my partner Beta is in Aslahan too. She''ll get the things you omitted. Afterall, why else would the Emperor send us and give us permission to destroy the town of Luminae if needs be." Alpha spoke calmly before turning his back on Zorick and looking out the window into the Northern Forests.

    He looked into Northern Forests for as far as it would allow him to. He could feel the gazes of Vampires that were looking at him from a few kilometres in, but they weren''t making any move.

    But Vampires weren''t the only thing present in Northern Forests. There were traces of Elder Gods.

    "Was there a Rift Tear nearby, Major General?" Alpha said calmly, as he continued to stare at the horizon.

    Zorick was taken aback by the sudden question. The Rift Tear that opened up not too long ago, was a secret he hadn''t reported yet and this was one of the things they lost when the supposed-Proxy and High Priest came and closed it while releasing the prisoner that was on its way to Aslahan.

    Then Beta entered Zorick''s Office with Colonel Mary close behind her. "Alpha.. There is a High Priest of Justifia and probably the Proxy of Justifia." Beta spoke calmly.

    "Justifia, you say.. Well, they are Supreme Judge Gerald''s Senior.. He told us about them a few times." Alpha said calmly before sighing. His expression turned from anger to calmness.

    "We are going to stop investigating this case and report our findings to the Supreme Judge." Alpha declared calmly with Beta nodding, acknowledging the decision.

    Zorick was shocked at the sudden decision of Alpha and Beta, his gaze turned to Mary, who shook her head as if saying, ''There was nothing I could do.''

    "B-but.. The Supreme Judge is in the Capital City of Melobranch, right?" Zorick said, unaware of the decision Omega took last night.

    "Don''t be surprised, Major General. Omega told us to pass down a message to The Supreme Judge. ''Dissolve the Jury of Luminae''. And considering that you are hiding details, I guess we''ll have an Audit for Aslahan too.. Pray that whatever you are hiding isn''t enough to get you killed.. You know how Judge Gerald operate." Alpha said with a hint of admiration towards Gerald and disgust towards Zorick. He wished that he had enough Authority to do something of substance, but he was Emperor''s Chosen Warrior, not Judge.

    "Beta.. We are leaving. Do you have all the evidence we need on you?" Alpha asked Beta.

    "Yes. I have a copy of everything they hid from us. Even the Doctor''s statement.."

    "We are leaving then." Alpha said as he turned towards the door and walked out. But before leaving, he stopped and turned to look at Zorick. "I hope those atrocities in the basements come to light so you can suffer for them."

    Hearing Alpha''s words laced with hatred, Zorick shivered. Yet he was unable to do anything. The plans he had made were now backfiring on him. And there was nothing he could do but wait for his turn.. oR cOulD hE?

 Chapter 25: Dont Lie. Cannot Lie.

    On the day of the hearing, Juricia, Stailor and Iliana were sitting in Stailor''s car, With Juricia anxiously scrolling through the files and reviewing the evidence and rechecking the blood reports for Alisa which did show that Alisa was not a Vampire.

    "I''m so anxious.. Why is the Jury of Luminae dissolved? Why is there no postponing.. Who''ll be the judge.." Juricia said, as she closed the file, biting her thumb in anxiety.

    "Calm down, Juricia. The Jury is dissolved so the new judge is from Melobranch''s Court. They are known to be impartial." Iliana said, consoling Juricia while Stailor caressed her.

    "Yeah. It''s still a bit... Forget it." Juricia spoke in an anxious manner before calming down, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead.

    Then suddenly, Three Cars rolled up to the Court House. From the car in the middle of the pack, stepped out a Young Man. His face was covered in a veil, the air around him was intense, commanding respect even when the three of them were far away. The man was dressed in a Classic Black Done with a Badge on his left shoulder, with an insignia of Emperor and a gold trinket hanging in his hands with the Symbol of Justifia.

    "Ah, it looks like one of Supreme Judge Gerald''s Apprentices. I''ve heard that they are an unbiased bunch.." Iliana said calmly, pointing towards the Judge, who was walking into the court as there was still some time left for the hearing to commence.

    Juricia nodded as she watched the Judge walk into the Courthouse. She had calmed down a bit seeing someone who''s famous for their neutrality. Afterall, This case was only stuck in this place because all the previous judges refused to undo the first judgement of this case.

    "It''d be better to know who the judge exactly is.. But it''s not like we can get that information. No matter how corrupt and biased the system may be, such information is never really out for the public." Juricia said calmly, leaning back on her seat and relaxing for the first time since morning.

    "Alisa.. I will get you the justice you desire." Juricia spoke lightly, raising her hand to touch the roof of the car in a romantic manner. This made Stailor laugh internally while Iliana visibly chuckled.

    "You don''t need to be re-enacting that TV serial, Juricia. I think Alisa knows well enough." Iliana said with a smile on her lips. The entire scene of Juricia laying back on her seat and touching the roof like she was touching the stars and playing with fate got so funny that she and Stailor laughed their heart out at Juricia. Thankfully the car was soundproof so people outside couldn''t hear anything.

    After the laughs of Stailor and Iliana died down, Juricia sighed, finally speaking with a smile. "20 more minutes then we''ll be facing the judge."

    "Yeah.. Let me message Abel and Eluya real quick." Iliana said calmly as she leaned back in the backseat. The Shirt she was wearing today was a bit tight around her chest, though not uncomfortable. She had also sent her mirror selfie to Abel and Eluya.

    The three of them were in a group chat and none of them ever used the Private chats because it''s a hassle for them. In the group, there were two reactions towards Iliana''s Selfie.

    Eluya: ????

    Abel: ??

    These reactions were nothing less than Pure Comedy to Iliana. As usual, Eluya''s responses were responsive and Abel''s were dull.

    Iliana: I expected better reactions tbh.

    Eluya: Sent 1 Attachment

    Iliana opened the image only to find Abel, Eluya and Arbor, the third person, gouging the eyes out of Uncouths.

    Abel: We''ll be home in 2 more days. Don''t mind the bloodshed, you know how it goes for them.

    Iliana: Yeah, the Uncouths. You gave me a 3 hour lecture about that last year.. How can I ever forget.

    Eluya: ??

    Eluya: Oh and btw, I''m screwing Abel.

    Abel: No, she''s not.

    Iliana: I know.. But I miss you two.

    Eluya: You mean, ''Miss Abel''..??

    Abel: I can''t find the eyebrow emoji.

    Iliana: ??

    Iliana: I''ll talk to you two later. I have to head in the court now.

    Eluya: ??

    Abel: Ok

    Then Iliana put her phone into silent mode and sighed with a smile.

    "We should go in." Juricia said, checking the files, her clothes, hair and lipstick one final time in the rear-view mirror before the three of them got out of the car.

    Stailor made sure to lock the car before the three of them walked into the Court. As they made their way into the court room, the three of them could feel the air tense up, as if someone was overseeing this place. Something was forcing their body to act, they couldn''t lie. Juricia felt this weighing her down but not by much, but for some of the other advocates there, they were breathing heavily, taking shorter steps and sweating profusely.

    This feeling only intensified as they walked into the courtroom. In front of the judges table, there was plaintiff and defense table on the right and left, respectively. In the back of the room, a public gallery was lined up with rows of chairs, where the families of perpetrators were sitting. A few words simmered from behind, but all of them eventually died out as speaking was getting harder and harder by the second. The court room fell completely silent and everyone stood up reflexively as the announcement happened that the Judge was entering the courtroom.

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    "Good morning everyone. Welcome to Luminae''s High Court. I''m Judge Gerald and I''ll be overseeing the hearings for a few days." Gerald said calmly as he sat down on the Judge''s chair.

    It''s at this very moment that it became even harder to breathe. The New Judge wasn''t just Supreme Judge Gerald''s Disciple. It was Judge Gerald in flesh.

    "The plaintiff may begin and the defense will follow." Gerald said calmly. His presence was weighing down on everyone present in the courtroom.

    And for the defense, it wasn''t very good. The Defense Attorney for the defendants was a very renowned defense attorney, for both Criminal and Civil Cases. And as of now, he was trembling, unable to stand or speak.

    "Your Honor, members of the jury, today we are here to seek justice for the tragic and senseless loss of my client''s family. A few years ago, Young Alisa Ranberr lost everything-her father, mother, sister and her maid that died protecting her-all brutally murdered in cold blood by members of an organized mob that held jealousy towards the Property that the Ranberr''s held.

    On the evening of 25 June, 2021, there gathered a mob of almost 50 people in front of Ranberr''s Mansion. Evidence will show that this was planned and that the allegations that were put on the family are false. Because of the traumatic incident, Alisa Ranberr had to take shelter in the Black Market, where she remained hidden until she reached out to the EIA Detective Agency who investigated the crime scene and found evidence against the popular claim that ''Ranberr''s were Vampires''.

    At the conclusion, we will only ask one thing of you, Your Honour. We ask that Miss Alisa Ranberr''s final wishes be fulfilled. She wishes for the court to allow her to sell all the properties that were squatted by the members of the mob and for Miss Alisa to be rewarded for her pain, and suffering that she suffered because of the cruel actions of the mob."

    Judge Gerald nodded while noting down in his notebook, then he turned his attention to the defense, who at this point couldn''t even talk. But by a miracle, The defense attorney stood up and spoke in a low voice. "We withdraw all defenses and counterclaims and consent to the entry of judgment in favor of the plaintiff."

    "I see.. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now take a recess for 15 minutes. When we reconvene, I will deliver my judgment. Please return promptly at the designated time." Judge Gerald said calmly as he stood up and the people in the courtroom and public gallery stood up reflexively, watching the judge leave the room.

    But for Iliana, she was more in awe unlike everyone else, who were shivering like it was mid-winter. Once the Judge left the courtroom, she turned to Juricia, whose face was white.

    "I didn''t mean to speak all of that.." Juricia said, while trembling as she sat down on her chair. There was a hint of respect towards Juge Gerald in her eyes, as he was her role model but experiencing his court in-person wasn''t something she ever expected.

    "I.. I couldn''t say anything.. Just what was all that?" Said the defense lawyer as his hands shiver at the thought of standing in the court. As for the defendants, they were equally terrified, if not more. And for now, they could only wait for the Judgement to come officially, even though it was clear as day that the judgement was in the Plaintiff''s favour.

    And these 15 minutes passed quickly, as Judge Gerald came back to the courtroom. Once everybody was seated, he cleared his throat and started reading the document in his hand. "After reviewing all the evidence and considering the arguments presented by both sides, it is clear that the defendant is liable for the wrongful death of the plaintiff''s family. The defendant''s actions, as established during the trial, have caused significant harm to the plaintiff.

    The defendant is ordered to make payment of 500,000 UD to the EIA Detective Agency within 30 days from the date of this order. Furthermore, the defendant is permanently enjoined from any further unlawful activity against the plaintiff or her property.

    (Note: UD is the United Dollars. A currency that''s valid in both Empire and Republic.)

    This concludes the proceedings. The court is adjourned." Judge Gerald said as he hit the gavel, signifying the end of the trial.

    The trial that was supposed to be a hellish landscape had turned into a walk in the park and ended as such. The very court where Iliana''s plea for justice had been turned down multiple times in the past was now the place where she had won justice for the people she loved oh so dearly.

    After Juricia, Stailor and Iliana left the courtroom, they sat down in the car. They finally sighed in relief followed by Juricia''s chuckle.

    "I''m tired.. Why was the air inside the court so different today?" Stailor said with a concerned look. Though he knew that he wasn''t the only one who felt it when they were inside the courtroom.

    "Oh, you don''t know about it?" Juricia said, surprised that this wasn''t common knowledge. "It is said that Judge Gerald was blessed by Justifia, The God of Justice. So as long as he is in court, you cannot lie, harm or deceive anyone."

    "Wait? Seriously?" Stailor raised his eyebrows at this absurd claim but it wasn''t absurd as he had experienced it himself.

    "Seriously! Will you believe it if I said that Supreme Judge Gerald is 125 years old?" Juricia said, clapping lightly while smiling.

    "I won''t believe you. He looked so young." Stailor said, his eyes widened with surprise. "Just what kind of work do you have to do to be blessed by a God.. Well, it''s hard to deny those claims once you''ve truly experienced them."

    "Yeah.. Anyways, Iliana.. Iliana?" Juricia said as her attention went to Iliana, who was hiding her face behind her phone, typing on it and tears were flowing down her cheeks as she did so.

    Juricia smiled to herself before looking at Stailor and speaking in a low voice. "Drive to the agency. We''ll drop Iliana at her place before continuing with our day."

    Stailor nodded as he started the car and began driving. Today was a very weird day for the three of them but it was a fruitful one. The drive to the Agency was a long one due to the traffic jam as people came to know about the fact that Judge Gerald is in Luminae. For the worshippers of Justifia, he was the closest one to their god so they drove for hours just to see him from a distance.

    When Stailor turned on the radio, every channel was talking about it. Every single headline was ''Supreme Judge Gerald in the town of Luminae post-dissolution of the Jury system in Luminae.''

    Some people were speculating, some were happy, some were devastated. And as for people who were behind the scenes, they were smiling for reasons yet to be ascertained.

    "Master.." thought Omega, looking at the court from a distance.

    "Sir.." thought Gerald, who could feel Omega looking out for him from a distance. His lips curled up in a smile as the two had the same goal. Meeting their guide and Superior, Abraxas, aka Abel.

 Chapter 26: Impending Reunion

    Upon bidding farewell to Juricia and Stailor, Iliana locked the front door and ran up the stairs to lock herself in her room.

    With tears of joy raining down her cheeks, she continued the chat with Eluya and Abel.

    Iliana: The judgement was in our favour.

    Eluya: Yeah, that''s to be expected. It''s Geppie afterall.

    Abel: It''s Geppie afterall.

    Iliana: I know that you two are Proxy and High Priest. But how exactly do you know Supreme Judge Gerald? And close enough to call him by a nickname..

    Abel: Long story but I recruited him.

    Iliana: Oh and btw, Iliana, can you stock up on some Eggless Blueberry Cheesecake?

    Abel: Make sure it is eggless and the blueberries are plenty.

    Iliana: ???Are we expecting a guest?

    Abel: Yes, Geppie.

    Iliana: ????

    Abel: We''ll be home by tomorrow morning. Geppie won''t be coming before that.

    Eluya: And my dear Iliana, please don''t cry.

    Iliana: Can''t help myself now, can I?

    Abel: ??

    Eluya: Oh.. Iliana, wait a second.

    Then a few seconds pass in an awkward silence for Iliana, only for it to be broken by a photo sent by Eluya.

    Eluya: Sent an attachment.

    Iliana: Seriously? That''s the photo you want to send. ??.

    Iliana said sighing. The image contained Abel and Eluya posing with the dead bodies of Barbarians.

    Abel: Well, I told Eluya to not send images like these..

    Iliana: I know.. Eluya finds punishing barbarians and Uncouths ''funny''.

    Eluya: Don''t be a killjoy. I find satisfaction in watching the vitality leave their eyes.

    Abel: I can''t find a proper emoji for it.

    Iliana: Colour me surprised. You made my tears stop, Eluya.

    Abel: Iliana... I love you so so so so much.

    Iliana: Stop hijacking Abel''s phone, Eluya.

    Abel: ??

    Iliana: Thanks. I''m a bit better now.

    Eluya: My pleasure. Btw, I hope Abel can say those 3 magical words to our faces. Oh and don''t worry, he can''t see our chats atm, he is focused on driving.

    Iliana: I wish.. Btw, I will buy some of those fragrant candles. What smell do you like?

    Eluya: I like the smell of burnt Sandalwood.

    Iliana: Well, that''s manageable. I''ll go shopping for now.

    Eluya: ''Bye Bye'' said by Abel and my side. Don''t sleep on an empty stomach unless you want to be overfed by Abel and don''t sleep late unless you want me to read you some scriptures.

    Iliana: I didn''t ask for a threat ?? but okay.

    Then Iliana put down her phone as the room went silent once again. Her tears had now dried, with her lips curled up in a smile.

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    But now, she felt empty. For almost 6 years, she had lived her life for this very day. To bring justice to her family and maid. But with that very motivation gone, she found herself to be ''empty''.

    But she didn''t let this cloud her mind. She got up from the bed and changed into a more casual attire, fit for going out to shop.

    Her list was simple:-

    1. Burnt Sandalwood Fragrance Candles

    2. Rose Fragrance Candles

    3. Cheesecake

    After getting dressed, Iliana locked her room and stepped out of the house-cum-office, locking the front door before leaving for the Central District.

    Meanwhile for Eluya and Abel, the drive that should have taken them 6 hours was going to take much longer.

    "Hey, Eluya. Are you sure Arbor wouldn''t mind us, not joining him in search of 10?" Abel said as he turned the steering from extreme left to extreme right.

    "Oh, I''m pretty sure. He left with Elfana and only said ''To stay in touch.'' and we do need to survive, unless you wanna use ''that''." Eluya said with a sigh as the sound of a thousand barbarians chasing them on foot through the forest could be heard loud and clear.

    "If I use that then the car won''t even survive.. I''ll just drive the longway around, you can just relax." Abel said as he drove in a reckless manner through the trees and the uneven terrain, making sure the car doesn''t get a single scratch.

    "Or we can just stop and hunt these Barbarians.. They are like what, thousand? We can kill a thousand easily." Eluya said calmly, looking out the window at the waves of Barbarians some distance away from them.

    "We could fight.. But we can''t risk damaging this beautiful specimen." Abel said calmly, continuing to drive until finally reaching a highway. That''s when he throttles the car and drives as fast as the car is physically able to.

    Eluya held the car seat tightly as Abel drove on the highway just below the speed limit. "I can''t believe we didn''t get out to kill them. Bringing those Barbarians to Luminae is a threat though."

    "Who said we won''t kill them?" Abel said with a sigh as he stopped the car and sighed in relief. The sound of raging Barbarians was distant but it was obvious that they were still there.

    "Ooh, I like how you think. Well, the car won''t be damaged now." Eluya said with a smile as she got out of the car and stretched herself. Her clothes hugged her body, accentuating her shoulder and thighs.

    "Limit yourself to Blessings only. We will destroy this hordes fast.. Iliana is waiting." Abel said as he took a deep breath before releasing it slowly. At that instant, his hair started glowing red, sclera turned black as a thousand Blood Swords manifest themselves into reality.

    Eluya smiled, as a Black Bow manifested in her hands, adorned with Gold and Silver Lining as she strung the bowstring. "Hmm. As crisp as ever. Abel, wanna have a contest?" Eluya spoke with a hint of Mischief in her eyes as she got into stance, aiming towards the horizon, at the Barbarians.

    "Why not.. Afterall.." Abel said calmly before the two of them spoke in sync.

    "All barbarians must die."

    Then in a bright flash, arrows flew out as Eluya seemingly fired an empty now and the Blood Swords flew towards the barbarians approaching, alongside Abel who massacred them left and right. He wore a twisted smile as he ripped their limbs apart with nothing but his bare hands.

    Eluya smiled as she continued to shoot the barbarians. "Looks like Mr. Swordsman isn''t using his sword.. This''ll be an easy win for me."

    Then Eluya raised her bow high, firing an empty string only for hundreds of bright flashes to appear amidst the crowd of Barbarians who had now stopped in their tracks. More than 60% of their forces had been torn apart in less than a minute.

    "What happened.. Skardie (Scared)." Abel spoke in the Language of Berserkers, who were the mortal enemies of Barbarians. This made the group of Barbarians run in the opposite direction as they no longer cared to avenge the death of their comrades.

    But for them, it was the wrong day and the wrong target. They did not survive. All 1146 Barbarians died in less than 10 minutes.

    After the contest of killing Barbarians was over, Eluya sighed, "Well, It seems we''ve tied. 573 each." her voice filled with contempt as she hands a spare cloth to Abel, who wipes the excess blood from his hands.

    "Let''s leave before anyone sees us." He said calmly before walking up to the car with Eluya following closely behind. Then they drove away.

    As for the bodies of the Barbarians, they were soon discovered by people who were driving their way to Luminae. And this incident was reported to the media and this was labelled as one of the biggest invasions by Barbarians in a long time.

    Was it due to the presence of Supreme Judge Gerald in Luminae? What group could''ve killed this many barbarians without alerting authorities in both Necroma and Luminae? Why were the Barbarians attacking?

    These were questions that no person could answer with full confidence but the news of this reached far and wide that Barbarians were on the move.

    AND THE BERSERKER KING WAS CURIOUS.

    -.- .. .-.. .-.. / - .... . / -... .- .-. -... .- .-. .. .- -. ...

 Chapter ???: Unending Evil

    Haven''t seen you in a very long time, Lost One..

    Yeah... I''ve been. busy, to say the least.

    Busy? More like, dead. What brought you to help an evil existence like that?

    Situations..

    Hmm..

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.Was she.. crying?

    A lot. All of them were.. Why don''t you go and visit them?

    No, I must stay vigilant. I must lead them to this evil even if it means dying again.

    Heroic. Let''s see what ''they'' will think once they get to know of your schemes.

    <u>Then, he disappeared, leaving behind traces of an evil being.</u>

    <u>Now then, should I make a move?</u>

 Chapter 27: Reunion and Grief

    Early morning of 6 August, 2027.

    Iliana took her bath earlier than usual and went down to the office. She began her day by collecting letters from the mailbox and categorising them into one that requires attention and the scams.

    After differentiating the letters, she found a few of the urgent ones. The letter was from the court, which has the Judgement of the Ranberr''s Case written and stamped by the court.

    "I see.. It came earlier than I anticipated." Iliana said calmly before opening other letters. The letters were from the family of the defendants who had sent a cheque as ordered by the Court.

    The money was the sum of all of the property that were squatted and the fine that was imposed upon them. With this, her family''s name was also clear of all rumours.

    Iliana smiled, feeling a bit bitter that it took so long. Originally, Iliana wanted to press criminal charges on every single person involved in the mob. But a long time had passed and most of those who were involved in that case had either died or left Luminae in its entirety.

    Just as Iliana was about to delve deeper into her inner thoughts, the front opened and two familiar figure entered the office.

    "Whoah! We are finally back." Eluya said with a smile as she ran towards Iliana, who was sitting on the sofa, tackling her and hugging her. "I hope you were fine with us gone.. We weren''t there for emotional support." Eluya spoke softly, her tone laced with guilt, as she pulled Iliana into a warm, maternal hug.

    "Don''t worry. A hug is enough of a payback.." Iliana said with a smile, rubbing her cheeks against Eluya''s, while looking at Abel with a light blush.

    Abel smiled seeing the two of them so close and happy. Then he walked over to the sofa, kneeling down before pinching both of their cheeks. "I have two stethoscopes in my room. Left Cabinet, Second Drawer from bottom.. I''m gonna take a bath."

    Then Abel stood up and walked up the stairs to his room, leaving Eluya and Iliana astonished. Was he actually allowing them to listen to him? He was fuelling their dirty habits?!

    Eluya and Iliana looked at each other, dumbfounded for a second until they heard Abel open the door to his room. Then they got up from the sofa and ran up the stairs, barging into Abel''s room with a smile from ear-to-ear.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Abel, who still hadn''t entered the shower, was standing shirtless as he picked his clothes from his cabinet. He smiled before speaking in a lightly teasing tone. "I changed my mind."

    Eluya and Iliana heart sank at hearing this. How could he give them false hope, fuelling their desires only to break it. But before any of them could speak, he added. "I''m gonna take a bath with the door open. So as long as you don''t peek in, I''m fine."

    Then he walked into the en-suite bathroom, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

    Eluya''s cheeks turned red as the whole scene of a sweaty Abel taking a shower knowing well enough that there were the two of them waiting outside, played inside her mind.

    And for Iliana, the effects were even more potent as she sat down on the bed, her eyes fixated on the door, hearing each and every noise made by Abel.

    Eluya, sat down on the bed alongside Iliana, both of them holding each other''s hand while carefully listening to the sound of Abel showering.

    Then suddenly, Abel spoke. "Eluya, if you aren''t aware.. Geppie will be here in half an hour. Please be ready." Abel spoke with a calm tone, and his words were meant to be taken seriously.

    "May I take a shower with you?" Eluya said with a teasing smile on her face as she allowed her clothes to fall off her shoulders in a poised, delicate manner.

    Abel chuckled as the sound of the shower stopped. "No." He spoke as the show was finally over for Eluya and Iliana.

    Eluya pouted, "Hmpf! You don''t need to tell me that." Then she got up from his bed and left the room, choosing to go back to her room to take a bath. She also had a light stench of Barbarians'' blood on her.

    Abel sighed as he walked out of the bathroom, dressed in cleaner clothes. His gaze fell on Iliana, who was sitting on his bed. There was a hidden grief still present in her, as that could be concluded from her plastered smile.

    "Do you want to talk? We have some time before our guests arrive." Abel said calmly as he sat down on the bed, reaching his hand out to pat Iliana''s shoulder. "You did good.. You can let it all out, Iliana."

    "But.. you just changed into clean clothes. I''ll wet them with my tears." Iliana said as she crawled on the bed until she was close enough to embrace Abel from the side, her head resting on his shoulder as she was barely holding back her tears. "Should have told me to cry before you went to take a bath."

    "I reeked of blood.. Didn''t want you to smell bad." Abel replied calmly as he caressed the back of Iliana''s head. "Now then, go ahead.. Don''t let anything stay in your system."

    "I want to honour my family and maid.. You will help me." Iliana said calmly before she burst out crying. Her tears fell down her cheeks like a waterfall without an end.

    Abel held her close, his hands still softly caressing her as she cried freely against him. While, Eluya could listen to Iliana''s cries, as she bathed in her en-suite bathroom in her room.

    After a while, the cries stopped and just as Eluya walked into Abel''s room, she saw Iliana, who was no longer crying, holding Abel tightly in her embrace. Without saying a word, Eluya walked up to the two of them and wrapped her arms around both of them.

    The three of them stayed silently like this for a few minutes before they got up from the bed.

    Abel changed into a new shirt, while Iliana calmly apologized for ruining his shirt.

    Then the doorbell rang.. It seemed that the guests had arrived.

 Chapter 28: Reunion (1)

    The trio made their way down the stairs, while Iliana was breathing heavily. To her, Judge Gerald was more like a celebrity, but here he was with a casual visit.

    Abel opened the door when the three of them were ready. As soon as he opened the door, unexpectedly not one, but two hooded figures walked inside. These individuals were calm as they entered but as soon as the front door was closed, they got down on their knees.

    "I greet the First Proxy and First High Priest of Justifia. Gerald Ogaraon, the third High Priest of Justifia, at your service.." spoke the man, addressing both Abel and Eluya in a formal tone.

    "I greet my master. I''m Olecumbra, currently going by ''Omega'' of the Corps of Seven." Said the woman.

    Though Gerald was someone they were expecting but the ''leader'' of the Corps of Seven, a group that has grown its fame by killing the 2nd Proxy of Obrax, was bowing to Abel, addressing him as his master.

    "At ease, both of you." Abel said calmly followed by a sigh.

    Iliana was wide eyed seeing such loyalty exude from such prominent figures. The Supreme Judge Gerald, known for his neutrality in court and the fact that his judgments are based on the absolute truth. His tall stature along with his Greyish hair as he looks around the agency with a calm look. His eyes meeting Eluya''s with a submissive and servant-like gaze and then his gaze met Iliana''s, he was confused and amazed at the same time.

    As for Olecumbra, her gaze remained fixed on Abel. Her cheeks were a little red as she spoke. "Master, what can I do for you?" She said without any hesitation.

    "Be yourself. This is an informal meeting, after all." Abel said calmly before pointing at the sofa. "Sit down.. We all have a lot of catch up on, don''t we?"

    Gerald nodded as he sat down on the sofa with Eluya sitting beside him. As for Olecumbra, she sat down on the single sofa, relaxing with a smile.

    "So, Geppie. How''ve you been? How is Farina doing?" Eluya asked with a teasing smile, as Abel and Iliana served cheesecakes to the guests.

    "Everything is fine between us, Ma''am.. And thank-you for the cheesecake, sir." Gerald said with a smile, as he picked up the cake, taking in a small bite with a fork.

    "Oh! It''s my favourite cheesecake." Olecumbra said with an innocent smile as she picked up the cake and took a small bite. Both her and Gerald were keen on enjoying every bite of the cake.

    By now, Abel and Iliana also sat down on the sofa. The five of them were looking content with their surroundings. And this silence was broken by Gerald.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "So.. Miss Iliana or should I call you Miss Alisa? Weren''t you present at the hearing of ''The Ranberr''s Tragedy''? I didn''t think you were associated with my seniors." Gerald spoke calmly, his tone was calm, with a hint of happiness lurking underneath his unusually levelled tone.

    "Well, before you two get to questioning.." Abel said calmly before looking at Iliana and nodding. "This young man here is Gerald. You may know him as the Supreme Judge.."

    "And the woman sitting there is Olecumbra. She''s my disciple.. Though I didn''t know she joined one of the Empire''s Elite forces." Abel said calmly before looking at Gerald and Olecumbra.

    "Ole, Geppie. I think both of you have met Eluya." Abel said calmly, as Olecumbra waves towards Eluya, while taking small bites out of her cheesecake.

    "And this is Iliana.. Please address her as such, not any other name. Unless she tells you to." Abel said calmly, but without a wait, Iliana held out a Marker and Paper towards Gerald.

    "S-s-supreme Judge.. M-may I have the h-honor of receiving your a-a-autograph?" Iliana spoke, stumbling over her words.

    Seeing this, Abel smiled while Eluya chuckled, finding the whole situation funny. Gerald, who was confused, looked at his seniors before sighing as he took the marker from Iliana''s hands and signed the paper.

    Iliana smiled, before she quickly closed the notebook and threw it across the room, to her work desk. It was as if she had won a prize and wanted to hide her embarrassment.

    "So.. Ole, how did you join the Corps of Seven?" Eluya asked calmly, seeing that Olecumbra had finished her cheesecake.

    "It was Judge Gerald, who recognized me then it was the Crown Prince, who suggested that I get into the Corp. So I took the exam and got in." Olecumbra said with a smile, her expressions were genuine as she seemed to enjoy the cheesecake, wishing for the taste to be never-ending.

    "Oh? And Geppie, how did you know she was Abel''s disciple?" Eluya asked calmly.

    "Well, she was trying to enroll into the Castle Guards and her Swordsmanship reminded me of Sir Abel''s.. so I approached her." Gerald said calmly, his tone was friendly.

    Abel smiled at watching them converse, then he got up from his seat and walked away. "I''ll be making something for us to eat.. Continue your conversation." He added before walking up the stairs, leaving Iliana alone with the other three.

    Seeing the chance, Eluya pointed at Iliana and declared to Gerald and Olecumbra. "Look at her.. She will be Abel''s wife, alongside me."

    Iliana''s cheeks blushed deep red at Eluya''s declaration. It wasn''t that she was wrong, Iliana just was shy discussing such details in front of new people, even though Abel and Eluya had known them for some time now.

    From then, the conversation flowed between the four of them.

    Gerald enquired Iliana''s views on the Jury board of Luminae. Though, Iliana''s opinions were on the neutral side, Gerald did draw the conclusion that Biasness present in the now-dissolved Jury was seriously punishable.

    As for Olecumbra, she was enjoying the back''n''forth talks with Eluya, though she wasn''t engaging much with Iliana due to the lack of exposure to her.

    Just as their conversations started growing cold, Abel came down the stairs with five plates of Omurice. Seeing Abel walk so slowly while carrying two plates on his palms, two on his forearms and one on his head, Iliana and Eluya ran up to him to help his carry the plates.

    "Hey! Don''t overdo things. You can make multiple trips or call us." Eluya scolded Abel for doing reckless things needlessly, though there wasn''t a hint of doubt in her eyes that Abel wouldn''t drop a single grain of food.

    "Yeah.. You could''ve burned yourself." Iliana said with a concerned look, taking the plate on his head to put it down on the table while Eluya takes the two on his forearms.

    "I''m jealous.." said Olecumbra.

    "I miss my wife." whispered Gerald, as the five of them ate the Omurice that Abel made.

 Chapter 29: Reunion (2)

    After the filling breakfast, Iliana helped Abel carry the used dishes to the kitchen upstairs.

    "I have to say.. Sir''s cooking skills have only gone better with time." Gerald said with a smile, followed by a burp. "It seems I''ve enjoyed the meal more than I can put into words."

    "Yeah, I agree.. Master has really refined cooking skills." Olecumbra said with a smile.

    "Oh, this was just breakfast. The main course usually is lunch and dinner, if you two wanna stay." Eluya said calmly, wiping her face with tissue papers.

    "I wish we could.. But I have a lot on my plate with all of the current incidents. And our current visit is more or less, not just an informal visit." Gerald said calmly, his smile disappeared as he spoke more seriously.

    "We should wait for Sir to arrive. This needs his immediate attention." Gerald spoke calmly.

    "Is it about Techonia?" Eluya asked with a firm voice.

    "Yes.. Melobranch has lost all contacts from Techonia. But that''s not the only reason I''m worried.." Gerald said calmly, then Olecumbra spoke.

    "As per our Intel, a lot of forces around the world are taking small steps. I''m worried that there might be an ''Apostle of Rudandon, The Devourer'' rising soon.." Olecumbra said, her face showing worry during the first time in their conversation.

    "A Bringer of Doom'', you say?" Abel said calmly as he walked down the stairs. His expressions were grim as he took in the information.

    "Gerald, Olecumbra.. Tell me more about the forces taking acts. Don''t leave out a single detail." Abel said, addressing both of them with a firm tone as he sits down on the couch.

    Gerald nods as he starts explaining about the various things happening around the globe.

    - Garjan 2, the Satellite launched by The Empire has found traces of the Demon Lords in the Northern Forests.

    - Techonia has lost all contact with the outside world. Any and all projects present there have been postponed indefinitely.

    "That''s for the major stuff.. There is one thing about Prison of Aslahan that you must know too." Gerald said calmly while Abel and Eluya were listening calmly.

    "Aslahan.. Yeah, I''ve been locked up there like 12 times?" Eluya said, sticking out her tongue thinking of this matter as less important but Gerald remained firm.

    "I suppose you were the one who escaped from Aslahan via Huding?" Gerald asked calmly.

    "Yes.. What about it?" Eluya asked calmly.

    "Well, we found some documents after investigating.. I''ll let Judge Gerald explain them." Olecumbra said, handing out copies of the document to Gerald, Eluya, Abel and Iliana, who just came down and sat down next to Abel, without making a noise.

    Before Gerald could explain anything, Abel''s eyes turned red, he clenched his teeth as he turned to look at Olecumbra. "How sure are you about the legitimacy of these documents?"

    "I''m sure of every single statement, Master." Olecumbra spoke, shivering at the sight of Abel''s blood boiling in rage.

    "Then why hasn''t any action been taken on it?" Abel asked as he gripped the document so tightly that it was torn from between.

    "There is a problem for that, Sir.. We need someone to audit the Jail as my representatives. I know, I''m asking for a lot here but could you please go there in my stead?" Gerald said calmly. Throughout his 82 years of serving Abel, he had never seen him this angry at one person. Was it due to the fact that there were prisoners who were never condemned to Aslahan being tortured there or the excerpt from Zorick''s diary stating at the atrocities that he wanted to commit on the prisoners, which included what was Eluya in disguise or the fact that he had done those many times.

    "Gerald.. I suppose you are the Supreme Judge so you have some say in the laws that have been made in the Empire." Abel asked, his nerves on the verge of exploding.

    "I do have some say.. But Sir, if it were really all up to me. There wouldn''t be so many loopholes in the Constitution." Gerald said calmly, though a bit scared but was trying his best to remain calm.

    "Abel.. Please calm down." Eluya said as he leaned over the table to caress his cheeks. This seemed to calm him down a bit.

    "Gerald, What do you wish to do, now that you have this information with you? As I am now, I''m unable to break the law and do anything myself." Abel said with a stern gaze, gritting his teeth that he is unable to do anything as the title of ''Proxy'' prohibits him from breaking the laws, even if it were for the greater good.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "I.. I am going to visit Aslahan personally and pass judgement, Sir. But there is a limit to the punishments I can give.. The Laws here are against the very notion of Justice that you taught me." Gerald said calmly, before being interrupted by Olecumbra.

    "Well, you all are bound by Titles given by Justifia. But I''m not.. Just issue an order." Olecumbra said with a smug look, as if she had figured out a way to do it.

    "That''s not the case either, Olecumbra. We can''t ask anyone to break the law.. Maybe Eluya can, but breaking laws brings about bad events. That''s exactly why Eluya was imprisoned for so long.. and it''s breaking her out every time, that brings more harm." Abel said calmly before continuing.

    "Even if I did ask you to do it, the repercussions will be terrible for me since all of this is happening under my watch. Every action that breaks any law hurts me more than any physical pain I can suffer.. I''ve barely recovered from saving Alphonsa.." Abel admitted to his weakness, all of which originates from the rigidity of Justifia''s titles.

    Even if his actions end up helping spreading the idea of justice, if it so much as breaks a minor law, he suffers from unimaginable pain.

    "Then, how about this.. Judge Gerald will send us as the Audit Team of Aslahan on his behalf. This will give you two legal rights and you can take proper measures to make sure the actions in Aslahan are just." Iliana suggested, speaking after a long while of silent observation.

    Abel, Eluya and Gepard smiled, thinking more and more about Iliana''s suggestion. And it seemed to work under all scenarios.

    "Good job, Iliana." Eluya said with a smile, approving Iliana''s suggestion with a thumbs up.

    "Yeah, I think that will work. I do have the authority to send an audit team on my behalf. And since Sir and Ma''am are ranked very high in Detective''s Ranking. I think they are perfect for this." Gerald spoke with an approving tone, finding no flaw in Iliana''s suggestion.

    Abel just nodded silently, as his anger seems to have calmed down quite a bit now.

    "Well then, We should leave now. I''ll send a proper document to appoint the EIA Detective Agency as the Audit Team.. Though, I should thank Miss Iliana and apologize at the same time.. Despite the suggestion, I''m unable to include you in this plan since the requirements for this Audit are very high, I hope you forgive me for this." Gerald said as he stood up, bowing a little to apologise.

    Iliana stood up in a hurry, seeing Gerald bow down like that. "Ah! Judge, please don''t be apologetic. I.. I.. uh.. I feel bad. Please don''t bow down to someone like me."

    "Miss Iliana, Please don''t downplay yourself." Olecumbra said as she stood up.

    "You might consider yourself a normal human.. But the fact that Master and Madam Eluya recognise you, is an achievement not many have achieved." Olecumbra said before turning to look at Abel.

    "Master, I had one last question. The Harmony Field is present in this place.." Olecumbra said, unsure if she should ask about it.

    "It''s made by a friend. It''ll wear off after some time, this is not harmful." Abel clarified calmly.

    "Ah.. Thanks for the clarification, master." Olecumbra said, sighing before she and Gerald started walking towards the door.

    "Uh.. Judge! Miss Olecumbra! Please wait a second." Iliana shouted before running up the stairs in a hurry.

    Gerald and Olecumbra stopped, looking at Abel and Eluya, who had no idea why Iliana stopped them. So they put on their hoods while waiting for Iliana.

    After a few minutes, Iliana came down the stairs with two packed boxes of Cheesecake.

    "Here.. I don''t have much to offer. So please consider this a first visit gift. My family has a tradition where we give our friends on their first visit a gift." Iliana said with a smile, hoping that they''ll accept the gift, no matter how small it is.

    "Miss Iliana, this puts us under your debt." Gerald and Olecumbra said synchronously as they accept the gifts with both of their hands. A small smile visible on their faces.

    "Our visit here was anonymous so please keep it that way." Gerald said calmly with a smile, just reminding Iliana.

    Olecumbra, on the other hand, hugged Iliana and whispered in her ear. "Iliana, If you ever need help with anything, feel free to contact me.. Here are my contact details." Olecumbra handed a piece of paper to Iliana, on which her email-id was written. After all, special forces like her don''t have phone numbers, for the most part.

    After Gerald and Olecumbra left, Iliana sighed in relief before looking at Abel and Eluya. Her eyes teared up as she spoke. "Why didn''t you two tell me that breaking even the most minor of laws hurt you?"

    Abel remained silent, looking at Eluya to answer Iliana''s query.

    "Uh.. It didn''t hurt me much and as for Abel, He didn''t want you to get worried over his health." Eluya said calmly, before running away, leaving Abel alone with Iliana.

    "Answer me, Abel.. Did you not trust me enough to tell me that you were in pain?" Iliana said, tears flowing down her cheeks.

    "No.. It''s not that. I just didn''t know how to break it to you." Abel said as he walked upto Iliana, gently brushing up her tears with the pad of his thumb.

    "Don''t take me in for an idiot.. You liar." Iliana said before she took a step away from Abel, clearly hurt that this whole time she was being lied to.

    "I''m not angry at you.. nor will I hide any information from you, even now.. Just give me some time to digest all of this. I''ll be in my room if you need anything." Iliana said, running up the stairs to go into her room, leaving Abel alone in the Agency Office.

    "We messed up a little, didn''t we?" Eluya said as she walked down the stairs into the office.

    "Yeah, a little.. Maybe a lot even. Iliana wasn''t in the best state to ever tell her this. And this was probably the weakest she has ever been." Abel said calmly, sighing as he sat down on the sofa.

    "Eluya.. How many days do we have until the Banquet in Melobranch?"

    "10 days.. The Drive till there is like 2 days so we have 8 days to prepare." Eluya replied.

    "I see.. Please handle the dresses of ours, I''m not good at picking those." Abel said calmly.

    "Okay.. I''ll take Iliana with me to the Central Shopping District tomorrow." Eluya said calmly, before standing behind Abel. Her hands rest on his shoulder with a firm grip.

    "Don''t you dare think you are the reason I''m in trouble though.. I invite them myself.. And go and persuade Iliana. She may have told you that she wants to be alone, but women are complex." Eluya said calmly before lightly tapping his back. "Now, go fast, Mr. Swordsman or Iliana will be hurt for real."

    Upon hearing this, Abel got up from the sofa, and quickly walked up the stairs to persuade Iliana.

    "Well, 8 days it is. Considering how big that event is, I think I should plan for more than just clothes." Eluya said calmly, before walking upto Iliana''s desk as she sits down and starts using the PC to plan the banquet.

 Chapter 30: The End of Past

    Later on the same day,

    Iliana forwarded a message to Abel through Eluya.

    "Bring the woman who I paid to impersonate Alisa." said Eluya, copying Iliana''s message from word to word.

    So Abel drove the car to the Black Market, where he picked up the woman who was impersonating Iliana as per her instructions.

    ''In the end, she is still hurt..'' Abel thought to himself as he stopped the car once they reached the agency. He got out of the car with the woman impersonating Alisa and walked into the EIA agency.

    Upon entering, he noticed that Iliana was seated on the couch and Eluya had already prepared tea for her and the woman.

    "Ah, Chloe.. Welcome." Iliana welcomed the woman, whose first name was known to her. And it seemed that she was still ignoring Abel for the time being, making him sigh as he went upstairs to freshen up.

    Chloe, having already picked up this new development didn''t try to point it out, as she sat down in front of Iliana before removing her mask.

    "Hello.. I hope this won''t take much of my time. I need to work so I can pay off my loans quickly." Chloe said with a light laugh and seeing no reaction from either Iliana or Eluya, she stopped.

    "I''ll pay you for the inconvenience. Now, you just need to stay in this house until 6 in the evening. Hand me the mask and cloak that you''re wearing." Iliana said with a calm yet serious tone. Even though the judgement had been passed and Alisa was no longer considered a fugitive, Iliana can never reveal her identity as Alisa.

    "I-I see." Chloe said calmly as she removed her cloak, which was covering her body in its entirety and handed it and the mask to Iliana.

    "Good.. Now stay here with Eluya." Iliana said calmly as she picked up the cloak and the mask.

    Just as Iliana was putting them on, Abel walked down the stairs, ready to drive Iliana to the graveyard.

    "Take care, you two." Eluya said calmly, waving her hands at Abel and Iliana.

    Abel and Iliana returned the wave before they exited through the front door and walked upto the car before entering it.

    "How much.. How much did it hurt you to bring Chloe here?" Iliana said calmly as she sat in the back seat. Chloe was the one Iliana had impersonated as Alisa for almost 3 years now and even though it was by Iliana''s choice, it was still breaking some laws so Abel must have suffered a bit as he brought Chloe.

    "Not much.. It was like being Slapped but the pain was spread over the period of the drive." Abel said honestly, seeing no good things coming out of speaking lies.

    "And how much did it hurt you over these three years.. How much did you suffer while helping me collect evidence while continuously knowing that we were breaking a few minor laws.." Iliana spoke, having no intention to look Abel in the eyes, knowing that she had hurt him unknowingly.

    "It was like being stabbed.. but over the period of three years, it didn''t hurt much." Abel spoke honestly as he drove to the Graveyard in the Western District.

    "Spinach, Bell Pepper, Olives, Artichokes, Red Onion, Sweet Corn, Mozzarella. I think you know what I want." Iliana said calmly, before looking out the window.

    "Yes, ma''am. That''ll be what you''ll have for dinner." Abel said calmly, taking notes of what Iliana wanted on her pizza. Most of the ingredients were in the house but he''ll have to visit the Central District''s food market for Artichokes and Fresh Mozzarella.

    The rest of the drive remained uneventful despite the fact that they were being followed by Private Detectives, who were most probably hired by the families of the people who paid the fine. But this was the exact situation why Iliana made Abel drive to the Black Market and pick up Chloe.

    "I''m sorry.." Iliana broke the silence as Abel pulled the car into the parking lot of the graveyard.

    "Why?" Abel asked as he took off his seatbelt and waited for Iliana''s reply before opening the door.

    "I was aware that bringing Chloe will hurt you yet I still asked you to go there." Iliana spoke, feeling remorse for sending him there.

    "Relax.. It''s better than sending either you or Eluya there. You can''t drive and Eluya is.. let''s just say ''problematic''. And the pain was like a slap at best, I''ve suffered worse." Abel spoke calmly, not putting much emphasis on ''worse''.

    "I will ask Eluya to explain what that ''worse'' is." Iliana said calmly before she exited the car with Abel following close behind after he locked the car.

    Inside the graveyard, the Grave Keeper was waiting for Alisa to arrive. Upon seeing her, the Old Grave Keeper smiled. "Miss Alisa, I got your message yesterday. We''ve prepared the graves as you asked us to. Please follow me." Then the grave keeper started walking.

    "Mister Abel, May I ask of you to give some space." said Iliana before she followed the Grave Keeper, who showed her the way to the graves of her family before walking away.

    Iliana''s tears started streaming down her cheeks, as she knelt in front of their grave and cried her heart out.

    The memories she made with them.. eating ice cream with her parents on a random Tuesday, playing Doll House with her little sister and their maids. The dinners in fancy restaurants, the ball houses, visiting their grandparents.. Each and every sweet and sour memory resurfaced in her mind, each followed by a loud wail as the realisation that her parents, her sister, her beloved caretaker.. the people she considered her family weren''t in this world anymore.

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    She could no longer talk to her sister, have her hair braided by her mother, take driving lessons from her father, try to cook and burn the ingredients with her maid.

    All the things she wanted to do during her late Teen years.. remained unfulfilled. Only because.. some people were greedy.

    yEs, GReeD. GrEEd.. onE oF thE seVeN SiNs tHat hUmanS pOssEsS iN aBunDaNcE.

    "Mama.. Papa.. Sister.. Iliana.. I wish I was strong enough to protect you." Alisa spoke her hearts out, as tears flowed down the mask like a waterfall.

    "Justice.. Mama, Papa.. I secured Justice for you all.. But I am still unable to forgive them. I still hate it here." Alisa spoke as she reminisced about her family.

    ........

    "Catch me if you can, Big Sis."

    "Little Ari, you will be tickled once I catch you."

    The two girls were playing and laughing in the garden. Running, catching and tickling each other for hours..

    "Girls, come for snacks!" shouted the maid, Iliana, waving two packets of crunchy chocolate bar.

    "Thank you!" The two girls said in unison as they ran upto Iliana and took the packets from her hand before sitting down on the grass.

    "Arianna, Alisa. Eat slowly or it''ll get stuck in your throat." Iliana said as she knelt down patting the head of the girls.

    Just then, the other maid, who eventually sold out Arianna during the mob raid, walked in the garden behind Mr and Mrs. Ranberr.

    To Alisa, that was heaven.

    ........

    During the raid,

    "Alisa! ALISA! Don''t worry about me and your mother.. We''ll escape and meet up soon, okay? Follow Iliana and don''t separate yourself from her, okay? Your sister is safe, we''ve sent her out with the other maid."

    But no one other than Alisa managed to escape in the end. The other maid, sold out the positions of the rest of the members.

    The screams of agony that day were the source of Alisa''s nightmare for months.

    ........

    "In the end, I couldn''t forgive them. I still hate every single one of them.. But my subjects of hate are no longer alive or reachable. I can only do so much." Alisa said as she raised her head, looking at the gravestone of her parents before putting on a smile, though all of it was hidden behind her mask.

    "I will live.. I will live, Mama.. Papa.. Little Ari.. Iliana. I will live." Alisa said before standing up. Just then, the grave keeper came back with four bouquets of white lilies in his arms.

    "Thank you." Alisa said with a smile as he carefully took the bouquets from the grave keeper''s hands and gently put them on the gravestone of her family.

    "Thank you, Grave Keeper." Alisa said calmly before she turned to leave the graveyard.

    6th of August. This day will forever be engraved in Iliana''s mind.

    Abel, who was still waiting for Iliana, was standing outside the car and scrolling on his phone. His facial expressions were blank as if he didn''t have a single thought inside his head.

    "Abel.. Let''s go." Iliana spoke as she approached the car.

    Abel nodded as he saw Iliana approaching, unlocking the car. Once he and Iliana were seated and put their seatbelts on, he started driving back to their agency.

    Throughout the drive back home, Abel remained silent and even though he did make attempts to try to talk, he just didn''t know what to say to initiate a conversation.

    A lot of factors contributed to creating a silent zone between him and Iliana. This silence was mentally painful for Abel, and it was clear that Iliana wasn''t fond of it either. However, she needed to stay angry with Abel for hiding the reason he often fell sick.

    The silence between them stretched until they arrived at the agency and entered. Inside, Chloe was seated on the couch with Eluya, both of them were playing chess.

    Eluya looked to be in a pretty comfortable position while Chloe''s situation on the board was very tricky.

    "Hmm hmm.. Chloe, you were the one who suggested we play chess, why are you in a tough situation?" Eluya spoke, teasing Chloe.

    "Please keep quiet.. Let me think." Chloe said, grabbing her head before shouting in annoyance. "I surrender! I can''t win against you."

    Eluya chuckled at Chloe before her gaze met Abel and Iliana. "Oh, you two are back."

    Iliana nodded as she removed the mask and cloak, putting it beside Chloe before she quietly went upstairs. And Abel just quietly sat beside Eluya, looking at the current position of the chess board and thinking.

    Iliana came down moments later with a thick letter and handed it to Chloe. "Here, this should be the end of your debt as well."

    Chloe looked at the letter wide-eyed before speaking in a rushed tone. "W-what? But our contract wasn''t enough to.." She stopped mid-sentence when Iliana shushed her with a smile.

    "This was for being a good person and not disclosing my secret despite having a lot of people actually approach you." Iliana said with a smile. "Use this money to pay off your debt, procure an ID and live without a worry."

    Chloe was taken aback by Iliana''s kindness, after all, the only reason she took the job of impersonating Alisa was money. But what Iliana paid was much more than they agreed upon in the beginning.

    "But.. won''t this amount hold you back?" Chloe said with tears held back as she gripped the letter tightly.

    "No.. The money I, or should I say Alisa, obtained from the civil case is a lot. Most of it is gonna go to charity. So even if I give some to you, it won''t matter." Iliana said with a smile before continuing. "Now, go on, Chloe. Use this money wisely.. Make sure no one traces you back to the name Alisa or me.. You are free."

    "T-thank you.. I swear I will repay this debt you have given to me." Chloe said, bowing her head down to Iliana. Originally, she had pity for Iliana but now she had respect for her. Even though this money was meant to be used to make sure that she couldn''t be traced back to her life at the Black Market, it was still only due to Iliana''s kindness.

    "You don''t need to.. But I won''t stop you if that''s what you want." Iliana said calmly before looking at Abel.

    "Abel, drop Chloe to the Black Market." Iliana ordered Abel.

    Abel nodded, getting from the seat and stretching himself while Chloe put on the mask and cloak again. After that, Abel drove her back to the Black Market, wishing her off before making his way to the Central District to pick up missing ingredients for Iliana''s pizza.

    Alongside the ingredients, he also purchased Pastry for the three of them.

    Upon his return to the house, he quickly went to the kitchen and started preparing Pizza for dinner. Iliana wanted her Veggie Pizza while Eluya wanted her usual Olive, Pepperoni and Baby Tomato on her Pizza.

    And after Abel was done cooking, they had dinner. Iliana was finally obliging Abel with a direct conversation. And as the day ended, the three of them finally returned to normal.

    Though for Eluya, something worse was coming.

    "Eluya.. Abel had his fill for punishments.. But what about you? Why didn''t you tell me that you were suffering by lying with me?" Iliana said as she helped Abel clean plates after dinner.

    Eluya froze mid-step, looking at Iliana while her wide, shimmering eyes pleaded for mercy.

    "Nope.. You will sleep in your room from today. Not mine or Abel''s." Iliana said with a smile, shooting Eluya with her fingers.

    "Nooooooo!" Eluya fell down on her knees, looking at Abel and Iliana. But seeing no chance of mercy, she walked up the stairs, into her room.

    "It hurts me to do this to both of you.. But if you two, who are at least a few centuries older than me, hide things from me.. You''ll get what you deserve." Iliana said, with a sadistic smile on her face.

 Chapter 31: Audit of Aslahan

    Morning of August 7, 2027

    Abel was in the kitchen early, cooking breakfast for Iliana and Eluya, who were still in their room and hadn''t woken up yet.

    Barely an hour ago, a Messenger from the court had arrived, handing Abel a letter. The letter had the Audit ID and the letter from Gerald, which was the legal document giving EIA Detective Agency the authority to conduct a fair audit and gather evidence about corruption of Aslahan, if there were any.

    "Today is going to be a long day." Abel spoke calmly as he stirred the vegetables in the pot while the rice was being made in the pressure cooker on the other stove.

    Iliana and Eluya, most probably, will not have breakfast and directly have brunch so he could go a bit heavy for the breakfast. Also, Eluya won''t accompany him today because she needed to prepare for her ritual tonight which means she won''t be able to step outside the house either.

    The smell of the vegetables and spices were filling the kitchen and the light hissing of the whistle of the pressure cooker filled the kitchen. A sound and smell that Abel seemed to enjoy a lot more than he gave credit to.

    And just as the whistle was about to hiss louder, Abel turned off the stove and then he covered the pot containing the vegetables with a lid as well and turned off the stove for the pot.

    And just like that, the breakfast was ready.

    "Phew!" Abel said with a smile as he removed the apron and walked back to his room, brushing his teeth and taking a long relaxing cold shower to calm himself down.

    This day is gonna be very tiring for him, running an entire Audit by himself while holding himself back so he doesn''t kill Zorick. It''s going to be hard.

    After the bath, Abel got dressed in a Black buttoned Shirt and Black Trousers with a White tie, wearing his Shoulder Holster armed with his Baretta 92FS as usual. In accordance with the rule, he wore a glove on his left hand, leaving the right hand bare finishing his outfit with White Cotton Socks and Formal Black Boots.

    Then he left the room, walking down to the kitchen where he sits down and eats the rice and stir-fried vegetables, enjoying every bite of it.

    Once he was finished, he put the dishes in the kitchen sink. Then he picked up the sticky notes & pen from the top of the refrigerator and wrote on it. ''I will be back by the time Eluya starts the ritual.''

    He stuck the note to the refrigerator before sighing calmly. He was done here and should leave now, as the pickup vehicle is gonna arrive soon.

    He looked at the clock. ''5 in the morning'', Iliana is going to wake up soon.

    After ensuring that the food was secured in containers, Abel left the house, making sure the door was locked behind him.

    Outside the agency, a car was waiting for him and he sat in the backseat of the car.

    "Aslahan?" asked the driver, who was Gamma in disguise, sent by Omega to make sure Abel reaches Aslahan safely. Though she knew that nothing in Aslahan could kill him, but it would''ve been suspicious if she didn''t send someone.

    "Aslahan." replied Abel, knowing full well that the driver was someone that Omega sent. After all, no normal human would ever tremble as badly as the driver, if they couldn''t perceive what he was.

    The drive to Aslahan remained silent as Gamma made no attempts to start a conversation and Abel had no intentions to talk either.

    Once Abel was out of the car and walked into the Prison of Aslahan, Gamma sighed in relief and almost immediately, he took his phone and called Omega.

    ....

    "Gamma, what''s the situation there?"

    "Ma''am, I know I am your servant but that monster really did not need protection. If anything, then I was the one who''d have died the moment he wanted me to. It was incomparable to the 2nd Proxy of Obrax." spoke Gamma as he curled up into a ball. His hands still trembled as he could get himself to look out the window.

    "Aww, it seems I sent you to bite more than you can chew. Let me tell you a secret Gamma.. That man is the Proxy of Justifia, he is also my master.. so the next time you call him a monster.. I''ll sever your tongue and don''t reveal this information to anyone else."

    Then Omega hung up, leaving Gamma fearing for his life. The Proxy they killed on the battlefield was more like a toddler as compared to Abel.

    Gamma, who was the fourth rank in the Corps of Seven, was an assassin and can easily judge people''s physical strength at a glance. And even though he could see that he was not far behind Abel in terms of physical strength, his body screamed to not make any unnecessary moves lest he dies.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "I''ll wait for him outside. Madam Omega gave me this job so I could learn something from this... I''m only learning what fear is."

    ....

    Inside Aslahan,

    Major General Zorick was standing inside with Colonel Mary and a few guards standing beside them, to welcome Supreme Judge Gerald''s representative.

    "Welcome to the Prison of Aslahan, Mr. Abel. I hope you didn''t have any problems while arriving here." Zorick said while smiling but it vanished quickly when he saw Abel''s stoic face and his eyes staring into Abel''s.

    ''Well, this is weird. Have I ever wronged this guy? His eyes have a hint of bloodlust.'' Zorick thought to himself.

    "Major General Zorick, I am Abel, Rank 7 in the Detective Ranking and I''ll be the representative of Supreme Judge Gerald, acting in his stead to conduct the Audit of Prison of Aslahan. As per the law of Empire of Garharia, you can either allow the audit-cum-inspection to proceed or challenge me in a fair duel, if you win, then we''ll consider Aslahan to be safe and in case you lose, you''ll get penalties." Abel spoke in a calm voice, speaking exactly how Gerald mentioned in the letter.

    "I see.. The Supreme Judge chose you for your forwardness. Very well." Zorick spoke with a smile as he removed the glove on his left hand and threw it at Abel.

    "I challenge the Audit Team to a duel. I say, we have a duel in the Duelling grounds of Aslahan." Zorick spoke calmly, after all as the one initiating the duel, he was allowed to choose the place of the duel.

    ''This might be a bad idea.. but I''m in no position to decline because of so many breakouts.'' Zorick thought to himself, waiting for Abel''s response.

    "And I say, we have it now." Abel spoke, using his right as the challenged to choose the timing of the duel.

    "And I, Colonel Mary will act as a fair judge in this duel. I vow that my loyalty to Major General Zorick will not hinder my ability to deliver an unbiased result." Mary spoke while raising her hand, taking an oath to remain unbiased.

    "Very well, lead the way." Abel spoke calmly, waiting for Mary to lead the way to the Duelling Grounds.

    On the way to Duelling grounds, he could see the jail cells filled with criminals of various descents including but not limited to Humans, Vampires (mostly Uncouths), Elves and Merfolks.

    "Are you interested in the stories of these criminals, Mr. Abel?" Zorick asked with a smile.

    "No, not really." Abel replied calmly. Afterall, he was the Proxy of Justifia, he could already see why they were in the jail and most of them were justified as per the Law of Empire but some were framed.

    "I see." Zorick replied, a little bit shocked as Abel didn''t even look at the same prisoner twice yet his response was near instantaneous.

    Once they reached the Duelling ground, Abel sighed as he removed his holster and put it down on a table. Then he removed his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

    As for Zorick, he was doing the same. He put down his pistol on the table along with his utility belt.

    ''Am I going to use it today? On this lad.." Zorick thought to himself, contemplating whether he will use his trump card.

    ''Oh Eluya.. I want to break this guy''s face so badly, for even thinking about doing those things to you. Oh Justifia, give me the strength to hold back against him.'' Abel prayed silently as he removed the glove on his left hand and put it down on the table before standing in the Duelling Grounds.

    "Both principals of the duel, please stand in the Duelling Grounds." Mary spoke while raising her hand to signify that the duel was starting.

    And just like that, Zorick stood in front of Abel and both of them were still barehanded as the weapons hadn''t been decided yet.

    "As the challenged party, Mr. Abel has the right to choose the weapon." Mary spoke before turning her gaze towards Abel.

    "I concede my right to choose the weapon." Abel replied calmly.

    "Very well, then I''ll choose. We''ll go barehanded." Zorick spoke with a smile on his face, realising that he had the advantage now. After all, Zorick was a trained soldier and was one of the best in unarmed combat.

    "The two Principals will fight unarmed. The Winning criteria is to make the other principal surrender. Take your positions." Mary spoke with a commanding tone.

    And while this was happening, soldiers had gathered around the Duelling Grounds. Some were laughing, some were excited and some were scared.

    "Who is that fool? Challenging Major General Zorick to hand-to-hand combat.. There are less than 3 people in the entire army who can compare to him in CQC." One of the soldiers stationed there spoke to his partner.

    "But don''t you think it''s a bit suspicious. That man, Abel.. As far as I remember, he''s the Rank 7 in the Detective Ranking. Though the Investigation Department and Army are different, and they perform different jobs.. It''s entirely possible that their members are better fighters than us." said the second soldier while correcting his glasses.

    "Huh? What kind of joke is that? Why would anyone who is that good of a fighter ever become a detective?" The first soldier mocked the choice of those people but the second soldier remained silent.

    ....

    At the EIA Detective Agency,

    Eluya was sick due to the overflow of energy in her body. She needed to do the ritual soon but it could only be done at night and Abel needs to be present in case of emergencies.

    She barely got off the bed and took a bath before heading down to the kitchen.

    "Oh, Iliana.. Good morning."

    Iliana looked up at Eluya before fear took over, and she ran to her, holding her tightly.

    "Hey, what''s happening?!" Iliana shouted at Eluya. She had already felt uneasy from Abel''s notes, but seeing Eluya so sick only made her more frightened.

    "Nothing much.. It''s just a thing that happens once every 60 years or so.. It''s your first time seeing this, don''t worry, I''ll be fine." Eluya spoke in a sickly tone.

    "So that is why Abel wrote that note.." Iliana spoke with a sigh before helping Eluya sit down at the table.

    "You should rest today. We don''t have a case yet and I''m going to apply today." Iliana spoke calmly as she checked Eluya''s temperature, finding nothing unusual about it.

    "Apply? For what exactly?" Eluya asked, confused about what could Iliana apply for this early in the morning.

    "For interns, of course. We can apply to get our license to take in interns.. It''s the extra income that we need for the future." Iliana clarified as she hugged Eluya, pressing her face into her chest. "But if you need anything, just ask away. I''ll be taking care of you until you start the ritual."

    "Yeah.. Thank you." Eluya spoke smiling before she gazes up at Iliana. "You smell nice." She added teasingly.

    Iliana, just smiled at Eluya''s teasing, before stepping away. "I''ll be downstairs. Eat your brunch and come downstairs if you get bored." She spoke calmly as she served Eluya her brunch before walking downstairs into the office. The online forms are going to open today so she needed to prepare the documents before hand.

 Chapter 32: Fight

    In the Duelling Grounds of the Prison of Aslahan,

    "Stand at your spots!" shouted Mary as she raised her hand, ready to start the duel between Zorick and Abel.

    Then Mary swung her hand down signifying the start of the duel but neither Zorick nor Abel moved.

    While Zorick was gauging down Abel, Abel was just standing with his eyes closed, without a sense of worry.

    "Huh? Why are they not moving?" asked a soldier to the comrade next to him.

    "I don''t know. It seems like Major General is hesitating." replied the soldier while correcting his helmet.

    Zorick could hear all of this and he wanted to lunge at Abel. But he couldn''t find an opening in Abel''s stance even though he was standing still with his eyes closed and his arms crossed under his chest.

    ''What kind of monster is he? No way every single ranker in Detective Agency is like this..'' Zorick thought to himself before he took a deep breath and resolved his mind and body. He was ready to hit and be hit.

    Then he stepped forward and attempted to land a punch on Abel''s face, but Abel dodged it easily, like paper, before slowly opening his eyes and landing a kick on Zorick''s abdomen, sending him flying back a few meters.

    "Wait what?!"

    "How?!"

    "What happened?"

    The soldiers watching the duel were confused at seeing Zorick kneeling on the ground after one kick. The man, who can easily beat tens of trained soldiers in hand-to-hand combat was hurt.

    "Oh, Major General, Get up. I know you have more than that in you." Abel mocked Zorick, making no attempt to get at him while he was down.

    ''This fucker.'' Zorick thought as he slowly stood back up. He was ready to be hit yet it hurt so badly. ''What kind of monster is he... I can judge that his physical stats shouldn''t be too far off mine then why is there such a huge gap between us?''

    Then Zorick lunged at Abel again. Again, Abel dodged the punch and countered with a right jab.

    Zorick expected this and blocked the attack, only to be pushed back a few metres anyways.

    ''Fuck, this is bad.'' He thought to himself as the fight seems to be one-sided. Abel wasn''t even trying to actually fight him yet he was still struggling. It wasn''t as if he was fighting a detective, it felt more like a war machine that has perfected the ''Art of War'' and harmonized with it.

    For a few bouts, they had this constant exchange of blows where Zorick tried his best to land a punch on Abel but his efforts remained fruitless.

    "You are a strong lad, I''ll give you that." Zorick complimented Abel before he took a deep breath.

    "You too, Major General. But it''ll be best if you don''t hold back. And if you want to waste time then don''t, just surrender. The penalties on you aren''t worth my time." Abel spoke calmly, though he was still cursing at Zorick, remembering those notes he read where Zorick mentioned wanting to rape the female prisoners of Aslahan, including all the 12 disguises that Eluya had when she was caught.

    Zorick could feel Abel looking at him with disgust and some level of hate, but he couldn''t pinpoint the exact reason of his hate for him.

    To Zorick''s knowledge, he has never met or harmed Abel or his team. Then why was he so hostile towards him? Why was he not ending this duel when he could do it at a moment''s notice?

    Zorick didn''t know but at this point, he didn''t want to know.

    Zorick smiled as the conditions had finally been met. His body started glowing red as the sweat vaporized from his body, leaving his body steaming.

    Seeing this, the soldiers who had been closely watching the duel took a step back and so did Mary. After all, they all know this about Zorick and if it''s anything like usual, then according to them, Abel is ending up in a hospital.

    Zorick smiled as he could feel his body relaxing and his strength rising. Not just this, all of the pain due to Abel''s hits also vanished as if it was never there.

    "Oooh, It''s been a while since I was so pumped up." Zorick said as his muscles twitch and recover, while he cracks his knuckles.

    "Since I''m a good person, I''ll allow you to surrender if you want, lad." Zorick said with a mocking smile. His face showed that he thought of his victory.

    "No, I''m good." Abel replied with a smile, cracking his knuckles and smiling a bit.

    "Is he serious? Major General Zorick is in his berserker state.." whispered one soldier to his comrade.

    "I don''t know but the Major General hasn''t been able to land a blow yet." replied the soldier to the first soldier.

    Mary, who was overseeing the duel, now had a concerned expression. It isn''t often that Zorick taps into the blessing given to him by Obrax, The God of War. So what did he see in Abel, who was merely a detective?

    Though Zorick was unable to land a single hit, it wasn''t enough to provoke him to use his blessing.

    Then it happened, faster than anyone in the audience could react to. Zorick''s punch hit Abel in the face.

    And for a second, everyone smiled.. except Zorick, who took a step back almost immediately.

    ''What.. What am I even fighting?'' Due to the ''Physical and Sensory Enhancement'' blessing of the War God, he was already much stronger and faster but his gut feeling was telling him one thing again and again and again.

    TO RUN.

    ''Shit..'' Zorick was annoyed at how unfazed Abel was despite taking a blow like that to his face. There were no changes in Abel''s physical strength so he was considerably weaker than Zorick for now, despite that he remained unharmed.

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    "Is that it?" Abel spoke calmly, after all even though he was using the blessing of Obrax, he was still much much weaker than the training and fights Abel had gone through.

    ''If his perception was high enough, he''d have known when to give up.'' Abel thought to himself before taking a step forward. This was the first time he took the initiative in the duel.

    ''Shit, fuck, fuck..'' Zorick''s body was begging for him to surrender as Abel got closer. But then he smirked, the rule of the duel was bare-handed.. so he could play a little dirty.

    And just as Abel was walking closer, Zorick smiled before he tried to kick him in-between his legs. A dirty move, but not necessarily illegal in a duel either.

    Everyone''s eyes widened as they saw Zorick relying on such cheap tricks in a duel, but to everyone''s surprise, Abel stopped the kick with his knees.

    "What a cheap move." Abel spoke with a sigh before he grabbed Zorick and punched his face.

    "Now you better start surrendering, Major General." Abel spoke calmly as he continued to pummel Zorick while dodging any punches that he was throwing.

    "This is.. what am I even seeing?" whispered one of the soldiers who was standing a lot further in the crowd, his eyes wide as he was unable to understand what was happening.

    "How could.. how could a mere human fight Major General who was using the blessing.. Just what kind of monsters dwell in Detective Agency if this guy is ranked 7." said another soldier with fear crawling down his spine.

    "No.. This isn''t happening. This is all just a prank, right? Those vampires escaping via Huding is another thing. But we have monsters like these too..." said another one of the soldiers as he recalled the vampires who escaped through the Huding River and were not found again.

    The whispers in the crowd were many, each with their own fear, and a way to rationally understand that the man in front of them, was chosen by Supreme Judge Gerald for a reason.

    This also cleared up any misconceptions that the Army might have had about the Investigation Department and the Detective Agency around the world.

    Their High rankers were not to be taken lightly. The soldiers present in Aslahan at that very moment, who once thought that there were less than 3 people who could beat Zorick in a 1v1 Close Quarter Combat, now stood corrected.

    The number was higher. A lot higher than they gave credit to.

    Also, they understood. Blessings from a god, though it was a wonderful gift given to one in every million humans. It wasn''t an insurmountable wall as Abel has just shown them that even blessings can be defeated.

    As for Zorick, his face was pummeled for 15 minutes straight. And just as the last ounce of his strength left his body along with the Blessing, he raised his hand.

    "I.. surrender." Zorick spoke as he stopped trying to throw punches at Abel, seeing that his blessing was now on cooldown, he could no longer fight.

    Abel nodded as he let go of Zorick, letting him fall down on the floor.

    "And the winner is... Mr. Abel." Mary declared before running to Zorick and helping him standup.

    "Sir, Are you alright?" Mary spoke, worried about Zorick while the other soldiers were still in shock.

    "Barely." Zorick said calmly as he stood up with Mary''s help. He felt helpless as he saw Abel walking away from the Duelling Grounds since he won the rights to examine the Prison without any restrictions.

    "Get me any and all information you can get of that guy and his companions." Zorick spoke before he fell unconscious. If it weren''t for Mary holding him, he would have fallen on his face.

    Zorick, who was blessed by Obrax, the War God, considered himself a strong person. If things go well for him, he is weaker than the Corps of Seven, The Crown Prince and around 3 people in the Empire''s Army.

    His blessing, provided him with an inhumane amount of physical strength and recovery while sharpening his senses. It''s something meant for fights too.

    ''How did I lose?''

    Zorick thought while he was half-conscious and being transported to his room to rest.

    He was in no position to move nor could he question Abel as he was here as Supreme Judge Gerald''s Representative.

    But this was exactly what scared him. If Abel was human, then he was one of the fiercest alive and if he wasn''t, then there was no way to question him either.

    He cannot go against Supreme Judge Gerald''s orders or his sense of justice. Gerald wasn''t just the highest judge of the Empire of Garharia but also a religious figure to the Followers of Justifia, who worship him like a god''s representative.

    While Zorick was recovering, Abel roamed around the Prison, noting the conditions of the Prison and checking what conditions were provided to the prisoners.

    A few soldiers were accompanying Abel at all times though they didn''t interfere in his work. After all, they had just seen this guy just beat up Major General at his strongest without breaking a sweat.

    The examination took 4 hours and at its conclusion, Abel closed the notebook in which he was noting down his observations and sighed. "I should report my findings to Judge Gerald." He spoke just loud enough for the soldiers to hear him.

    Then he started walking towards the exit. Abel has just walked out of the basement and he hated every second he spent in that place.

    The misery in that place, the smell of blood and rotting flesh was obvious to him who was a vampire. Zorick''s team has tried their best to clean this place up and all of the Prison but their cruelties didn''t go unnoticed.

    Once Abel reached the entrance, he saw Zorick waiting for him there.

    "Oh you are awake?" Abel asked calmly.

    "Yeah.. I was asleep for three hours." Zorick replied with a skeptical look.

    "I don''t think you are here to bid me farewell, Major General.."

    "No.. But it doesn''t matter now. You can leave." Zorick said before walking away.

    Abel raised an eyebrow at Zorick''s reply but didn''t think much of it and left Aslahan, walking towards the car he came in.

    "Hey driver, you still there." Abel asked as he tapped the window of the car.

    Gamma, who was curled up like a ball on the driver seat, got up and quickly exited the car to open the door for Abel.

    "Oh sorry, sir. I took a nap. Please get in." Gamma spoke with a smile plastered on his face. He was still trembling a bit though not as much as on their drive here.

    "Thank you very much." Abel spoke calmly as he stepped inside the car and sighed with relief.

    While Gamma was driving, Abel put the notes and pen he used into a plastic bag, before putting it into a brown bag, sealing it shut and dropping it on the passenger''s seat.

    After that, there wasn''t much noise made in the car other than the occasional bumps on the road, which caused the suspension of the car to squeak a little.

    Once Gamma had driven to the entrance of the Northern District from the Eastern Entry post, which was the closest to Aslahan, Abel spoke. "Hey driver, I''ll walk from here. You can go now."

    "Y-yes, Sir." Gamma complied with Abel''s request, watching him walk away from the car before driving away to Lumious Grand Hotel in the Southern District, where their base was for the time being.

    ......

    Abel walked around the streets, greeting the Policemen who were on patrol, helping old grandmas cross the street. All in all, just living, observing and doing some good things while he walked back home.

    There was still sometime left for Eluya''s ritual and he needed to catch a breeze after exploring the basements of Aslahan.

    That place.. ''A Vile Place'' as Abel might describe because if Eluya were there, she wouldn''t have cared a bit about the fact that they were hiding their identities as Vampire and burned the place down with every prisoner, guard and worker inside.

    Then as Abel walked into an Alleyway, which was a shortcut to the agency, he heard constant meowing from a box near the dumpster.

    A bit curious by the noises, he walked closer to the box which was taped shut and a constant meows escaped the box.

    "What bastard leaves behind something like this?" Abel said with a spiteful face before he tore the tape and opened the box.

    Inside a box, a small kitten was shivering and meowing. It was hungry and cold. Who knows what would''ve happened if Abel didn''t walk by this random alley.

    But he decided not to dwell on useless stuff as he picked up the kitten and rubbed its back.

    Though the little kitten was malnourished, its fur was still soft and well kept, suggesting that it wasn''t left here too long ago.

    The little kitten purred as it curled up into Abel''s arms while he rubbed its back. "I don''t know if Iliana will allow me to keep a cat though.."

    Abel got lost in his thoughts since he found the kitten rather cute and wanted to keep it. As far as his knowledge goes, Eluya and Iliana weren''t allergic to cats and he wasn''t against the idea of a pet either, in fact, Eluya did want a pet very, very badly.

    "I''ll bring you home.. Maybe Iliana and the finances will allow you to be there." Abel spoke with a sigh before he started walking faster with the cat in his arms.

 Chapter 33: Abundance

    "BREAKING NEWS: The satellite Sapnik-I and Sapnik-II have visuals of two people who are standing atop of the Ariali Mountain Range in the Southern World Mists. These individuals were, recognised, as Vampires but their identities were not revealed by Hurlan but our experts say they might be key figures in Vampires'' society. Thankfully, we got our hands on the message the two vampires were spreading.

    During their fifteen minutes of their stay on the peak, they raised two posters which read ''Are you there, Lord 5th and Lady 6th?'' and ''Who are these people watching us?''

    What we think is that these vam-"

    Eluya turned off the news before leaning into Iliana''s shoulder.

    "Eluya, are you alright? You should have just rested instead of watching the news with me on the Computer." Iliana spoke with a little concern for Eluya''s health, which was getting worse by the minute.

    "I don''t know what those two idiots are doing in the Southern World Mists." Eluya spoke, embarrassed at the weirdos that 11th and 12th are.

    Just then, Abel walked inside the agency with the little kitten nuzzling against him. He couldn''t bring himself to put the little kitten down so he resorted to closing the door behind him with his legs.

    Eluya and Iliana, looked at Abel before looking at the brown kitten that was sticking to Abel, meowing cozily.

    "Welcome back? What''s with the kitten?" Eluya asked as she slowly stood up. Her body barely responded to her commands as the accumulation of energy in her body numbs her.

    "Well, I rescued her from a sealed box. Do you want to hold her?" Abel asked calmly but Eluya shook her head, seeing that she wasn''t in any condition to exert force.

    "I''ll go and prepare for the ritual. Please be there in my room after 10 minutes." Eluya asked before she calmly walked away. Her hair glowed a faint golden as her situation seemed to be worsening.

    Abel nodded before turning his attention to Iliana, hoping to hand her the little kitten in his arms.

    Iliana smiled and shrugged her shoulder before walking up to Abel and taking the cat from his arms. The cat purred as it snuggled into Iliana.

    "Well, this little one seems pretty happy." Iliana spoke, surprised about how friendly the kitten actually was.

    "You are in luck, little one. We can keep you. So let''s get you something to eat." Iliana spoke as she gently rubbed the back of the kitten before walking away from Abel.

    "Abel, please take care of Eluya.. I''ll take care of the little one till then." Iliana said before walking upstairs into the kitchen.

    Abel nodded as he quickly ran up the stairs to his room, changing into a normal pair of clothes before walking up to Eluya''s room and knocking on the door.

    "Come in.." Eluya spoke in a soft voice, glancing over her shoulder at Abel, who had entered through the door.

    Eluya, who was sitting on the floor wasn''t wearing anything to cover her upper body, but using a towel to cover her front while sweat was dripping down her back. Her hair was glowing golden as she brushed them to the front.

    "Let''s begin." She spoke, before closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.

    Abel sat down behind her and put his hands on her back, synchronising his heartbeat with hers. "You can start anytime you want." He spoke calmly as he closed his eyes.

    Eluya nodded before she began concentrating the Residual Holy Energy flowing through her body. The process of forcing the energy into the desired shape would''ve been much more painful, if it weren''t for Abel who was doing his best to ease her pain by taking parts of it for himself.

    But even after Abel shared her pain, the pain was still unbearable. It was like her whole body was being sutured from inside while her skin was being burned by Magma.

    ........

    248 years ago,

    "Eluya, are you alright?!" Abel spoke as he applied a pain relief on Eluya''s forehead.

    "It hurts! It hurts so BAD!!" Eluya shouted while writhing in pain as the pain of Residual Holy Energy tortured her.

    "Abel, share her pain. Otherwise she won''t survive the night." Lady 4th ordered Abel.

    On that day, Abel did as Lady 4th instructed and Eluya somehow survived the night, obtaining another ''Final Arrow'', a key component of her Divine Blessing.

    It had only been 6 years since she had awakened her Divine Blessing, transcending her blessing of Seduction from Phamis, the Goddess of Fertility.

    This was also the first time she was suffering from something like this so the three of them were unprepared for anything like this.

    "Tsk.. These Divine Blessings, they always have some catch. But hey, props to you, Eluya. Not only surviving something as painful but forging it into an arrow.. That''s some Genius-level Thinking." Lady 4th complemented Eluya on her resourceful use of the Residual Holy Energy.

    "I suppose this was a rare incident.. Since at your current rate, it''ll take another 60 to 70 years for another one of these episodes to occur." Lady 4th predicted from Eluya''s condition, which has stabilized.

    "Thank you, Lady 4th.. and thank you, Abel." Eluya said with a chuckle while patting Abel''s head, who was laying on the ground after accidentally diverting most of Eluya''s pain into himself. Even after his own Divine Blessing, he still suffered a great deal of pain.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    After that night, anytime Eluya was even close to being that bad in shape, she always has Abel accompany her and help her in making the ''Final Arrows''.

    According to Lady 4th''s estimates, the Final Arrow''s are a part of Eluya''s Divine Blood Art.

    ........

    "Divine Blessing or Divine Blood Art as we vampires call it is very sought after. Less than 40 people have ever awakened something like this among us and for the two of you to be born at the same time and be active is nothing more than a miracle..

    But remember, Unlike Regular Blessings, which need a condition to activate, Divine Blessings can be activated on demand but it uses a great deal of energy so don''t use it unless your life is on the line. You can call basic functions of your Divine Arts without any repercussions, which I will teach you."

    Abel remembered the lectures of Lady 4th during their education as the ''Numbered'', under her tutelage.

    And just like that, the pain that Abel was experiencing disappeared. It seemed that the episode had ended for Eluya as well, and left about a shining ''Final Arrow'' in her lap.

    "That''s beautiful, isn''t it?" Abel spoke as he looked at the arrow in Eluya''s lap, sighing in relief after seeing Eluya breathing.

    "Yeah, as always." Eluya spoke calmly as she was barely covering her chest with the towel and her heart was beating like a drum.

    Just as Abel was about to stand up, Iliana entered the room and she had a look of shock at the arrow in Eluya''s lap, which exuded energy that was both Divine and Seductive.

    "Beautiful." The words left Iliana''s mouth reflexively as she walked up to Eluya and helped her cover her body with the towel she was holding, and using another towel to wipe the sweat off her skirt before helping her stand.

    Once Eluya was on her feet, she smiled and looked at Abel, who was barely standing up and he looked like he could on the floor any second.

    "Are you alright, Abel?"

    At Eluya''s word, Iliana turned her head to look at Abel. His black eyes seemed to be unfocused as he was shaking a bit.

    "Yeah.. The pain is a bit numbing but I''ll be alright. I should go get some rest." Abel spoke as he slowly walked out of Eluya''s room and then into his to rest.

    "What kind of pain is he feeling, Eluya?" Iliana enquired.

    "If it''s anything like the first time then his heart and Divine Blood Art is purifying his blood of any residual Holy Energy, so it must be like heating your blood." Eluya spoke, as she has seen this happen five times now.

    The first time it happened was under the Tutelage of Lady 4th. Back then, Abel was in stasis for a week straight but after that he has never been sick for more than three hours at most.

    "And what about you?" Iliana enquired further, gazing into Eluya''s eyes, hoping that she won''t have to be strict with her again.

    "While it was happening, it felt like my insides were being sutured while my skin was being burned by Magma. If it weren''t for Abel, I would still be on the floor, overdosing on the Residual Holy Energy." Eluya spoke calmly.

    "Well, can''t you just release the unwanted energy regularly so it doesn''t build up?" Iliana asked calmly, as she thought of this as the proper solution and it didn''t seem like it would hurt her if the energy didn''t accumulate.

    "Well, It''s not really unwanted. I can forge it into this arrow.." Eluya waved around the arrow she made from the energy inside her, before it was absorbed into her.

    "This was the sixth one that I have. I got the first one during the awakening and the other five were made like this." Eluya said calmly before sighing in relief. "By the way, where is the kitten?"

    "Sleeping in the makeshift bed in my room. She was quite hungry I tell you." Iliana spoke with a smile before patting Eluya''s back.

    "Now have some rest. I''ll check up on Abel." Iliana said calmly before the two of them waved each other goodbye and Iliana left the room.

    When Iliana entered his room, she found him laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling with his shirt thrown on the floor. She sighed and walked to the bed, brushing hair away from her face as she towers over him. "Are you alright?"

    "Do I look alright?" Abel replied calmly before looking at the clock. "It''s not yet time for dinner.. You two had lunch right?"

    "Yes, I did make some instant noodles for Eluya and myself. You don''t need to worry about our meal plan so much." Iliana said as her eyes narrowed and just as Abel was about to speak, she put her hand on his mouth, covering it completely.

    "You speak about what we ladies eat and I''ll make sure you don''t get a bed for a month atleast." Iliana spoke with a threatening undertone.

    Abel nodded and gave her a thumbs-up before sighing.

    "You can remove your hand now." He spoke after a minute had passed and Iliana hadn''t moved her hands.

    "Make me.." Iliana said with a light blush, trying to push boundaries. After all, he was laying shirtless on the bed, a view she loved secretly.

    Though it wasn''t that secret since Abel knew about it and Eluya shared this sentiment with her. So it was only a secret to the rest of the world and why would anyone care about her personal preference?

    "Don''t be creeped out, okay?" Abel warned her with a fed up look, as both Eluya and her have an overly romantic side to them. It''s not that he hated it but the corny jokes that Eluya throws from time-to-time and the Iliana''s suggestive actions get tiring.

    "I won''t.." Iliana said with a confident smile but her hand flew away from his mouth just as fast as he started licking the palm of her hand.

    She blushed furiously at seeing his mouth open and his tongue, which was licking her hand just a few moments ago.

    "That wasn''t what I had in mind.." Iliana spoke calmly before she ran out of the room with the bright red face of embarrassment.

    ''She thought I''d grab it and plant a kiss on her hand.. Enticing offer but my body hurts.'' Abel thought to himself before sighing as he laid in his bed until it was time for dinner.

    By then, the effects of the energy from Eluya had worn off and he was back to normal. So he wore his shirt back on, went into the kitchen and put on his apron before he started cooking.

    Eluya and Iliana came down a bit after the dinner was made. The little kitten, who was sitting on Iliana''s shoulder jumped down from her shoulder and ran up to Abel and tried its level best to climb up his pants, but to no avail as it still didn''t have enough strength to do such actions.

    "Can you not tear up my pants? I only have a select few." Abel spoke while looking at the cat and picking it up in his arms.

    The cat quickly nuzzled into his arms, pressing its face against his chest and purring loudly.

    "What should we name the little one?" Eluya asked with a soft chuckle as she rubbed the kitten''s back while it nuzzled against Abel.

    "How about ''Juniper''?" Iliana suggested the kitten''s name, seeing that the kitten was quite enthusiastic.

    "Well, how about ''Eleanor'' or ''Nora'' for short?" Eluya suggested, seeing the glowing Brown furball in Abel''s arms.

    "Please come to a consensus, both of you. I''m bad at naming things." Abel spoke with a light blush as he felt his heart bursting out at the kitten''s soft meows. Her eyes bored into his as if she wanted to say ''Thank you for saving me''.

    ''Oh god, my heart is melting for this little furball.'' Abel thought to himself, giving up the chance to even give her a name because of his bad naming sense.

    Eluya and Iliana looked at each other in shock. Abel was blushing at the cat.

    ''Mr. Swordsman has a soft spot for the cat?!'' Both of them realised in an instant.

    Then followed a series of whispers that were surprisingly loud but incoherent. After a while of this, both of them turned to look at Abel and the kitten with a smile.

    "We have decided.." Iliana said with a prideful look on her face.

    "The name we have decided is ''Ellen''." Eluya spoke, showing a prideful look just like Iliana.

    "Ellen.." Abel repeated the name to the kitten.

    His lips curled up into a smile once the kitten purred at the name.

    "Yes, Ellen. That''s what your name is." Abel smiled and the kitten purred again, seemingly liking the name.

    Seeing the two of them happy, Eluya and Iliana smiled as well, before rushing in to congratulate Ellen on her new name.

    Meow~

 Chapter 34: Preparation

    VVIP Section, Lumious Grand Hotel

    "So, what you are saying is that Major General Zorick not only resisted the audit but challenged Detective Abel to duel in which he lost?" Gerald summarised the report he got from Abel and Gamma.

    He chose to remain formal as this discussion was happening while all of the Corps of Seven were present.

    "It seems this problem is out of the way. I will personally send messengers to pass down my judgment on Aslahan." Gerald said lightly before leaning back against the sofa. "The seven of you are dismissed. Your next case is in the Void Villages."

    At that point, Alpha, who was kneeling in front of Gerald, spoke with a curious look in his eyes. "Void Villages? My lord, if I may ask, Why are we not deployed to Techonia? Considering we lost all contact from a major focal area, shouldn''t it be our concern?"

    "Alpha.. Techonia''s situation isn''t as streamlined as you imagine. Techonia, though a city, is an independent nation which is allied with both The Empire and The Republic. What do you think will happen if the Empire sends its Elite Force there?" Gerald spoke calmly, leaving the answer for Alpha to figure, which he should be able to, considering that he explained the political stance of that place.

    "And besides, the thing in Void Villages is more important.. We have noticed the Movement of Rudandon''s followers and the Survivors of the Battle of North." Gerald spoke calmly.

    At the mention of ''Battle of North'', Omega felt a wave of relief crash over her. There were survivors of that Bloody Battle, so there was a chance that her husband was there too.

    ''My Love, I''ll find you if you are there.'' Omega thought to herself, making no move to show her feelings to the others.

    "Yes, your transport will arrive in 3 days. All of you are free to act as civilians and enjoy your stay in Luminae. Dismissed." Gerald spoke calmly before he stood up and left the room, walking back to his own.

    Upon his departure, the Seven of them sighed in relief and after that everyone but Omega and Gamma left the room.

    "Ma''am." Gamma spoke with his hand on his chest while he stood attentively.

    "You are dismissed, Gamma. Roam around the city and enjoy. Make sure that the information about Abel doesn''t leave your lips or I will hunt you." Omega spoke calmly before she waved her hand. At her orders, Gamma walked out of the room too, leaving Omega alone.

    ''My dear.. My Dear Arshawain..'' She thought of her husband, whom she lost after the Battle of North. A battle that was fought so violently that the survivors couldn''t find each other.

    It was after that battle that Omega met Abel, who took her in as his disciple. It was Abel who taught her what she knows today and it was he, who provided her the power to look for her husband.

    ........

    Central District, Luminae

    "Abel, can you help us decide what color of collar we should get for Ellen?" Iliana said as she showed the various colored collars to Ellen, but being the playful kitten she is, Ellen just happily meowed at everything.

    "I can''t decide. They all look good." Abel said calmly, since he was carrying six bags full of clothes bought by Iliana and Eluya.

    "I know, we''ll just get green for her. I think it suits her vibe and her eyes are a little green so that''s that." Eluya said calmly as she put on the green collar on Ellen, to which she got the reply of a sweet meow from Ellen.

    "Hmm.. Looks good to me too. Let''s get two, one Green and the Other Magenta." Iliana said calmly, as she put the Magenta collar on Ellen.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Once she got Eluya''s approval, both of them walked to the counter with the two collars. While Abel carried the bags and Ellen sat down on his head.

    Just as they left the store, they met some old friends. The Oraphice Detective Agency, a famous 8 man detective agency in Luminae with the Rank 5, Rank 8 and Rank 11 Detective of the Empire.

    "Oh? didn''t expect to see you he-." Howard, the Rank 8 of the Detective Ranking who is also the group''s founder and guide, asked Abel. "Wait, when did you three get a cat? Where from?"

    "What do you think? From the streets.." Abel replied with a humorous smile, followed by a chuckle from the eleven of them.

    "What brings you all here?" Iliana asked with a smile.

    "We were shopping for what we needed for the Banquet. We know you''ve been invited too, just like us." spoke Ultaria, the rank 11 of Detective Ranking, who acts as their Second-in-command. "We should get going since we are running out of time. Good luck to everyone." Ultaria waved them goodbye.

    "Good luck, you all. Have a safe journey." Eluya wished them goodbye before they went on their way.

    Oraphice Detective Agency, regarded as one of the best detective agency in the Empire and THE BEST in Luminae. They have their headquarters in the Western District and work as an 8 man group. Their team is made up of 5 detectives, 1 accountant and 2 private investigators.

    If anything, they are the most famous group in Luminae, earning respect from their competitors and Police Force alike.

    "Good people, aren''t they?" Eluya said with a smile as the three of them walked their way since they were done with shopping and Abel looked like a hanger, considering how many things he was holding in his hands, with Ellen obligatorily perched on him like a crown.

    Once they reached the parking lot, Eluya took the keys from Abel''s pocket and was about to sit in the driver''s seat when he spoke with a cold, merciless look in his eyes.

    "Eluya, if you so much as try to drive, I will not let you sleep on a soft bed." He warned Eluya, making her shiver and not sit on the driver''s seat.

    Eluya looked at Iliana, hoping that she''ll help convince Abel to let her drive.

    Iliana shook her head, refusing to help Eluya in such a dumb request. She can''t handle the repercussions she would suffer if she tried to support Eluya.

    "Iliana, can you hold Ellen for the ride?" Abel asked as he was done putting the shopping bags in the trunk.

    "May I hold little Ellen!" Eluya said excitedly as she raised her hand.

    "Sure, I don''t mind." Abel spoke as he tilted his head, allowing Eluya to grab hold of Ellen.

    ........

    14th of August, 2027

    "There is no need to rush, we are on time." Abel spoke calmly as he was packing their lunch for the journey to Melobranch.

    "We are NOT on time. The drive takes 2 days!" Eluya spoke anxiously since it was a big event. It only comes once a year and this is the day the rankings are updated. She wants to be the first one there when it is revealed.

    "Eluya.. The rankings will not change even if you reach early so please don''t rush." Iliana spoke with a smile, rubbing Eluya''s back while Ellen scratched Eluya''s jeans.

    "Ellen! My little baby~" Eluya spoke out of endearment as she knelt down and touched her nose with Ellen''s. "Oh sweet sweet child, You are staying with Mama Eluya for the journey, okay?"

    "Meow~" replied Ellen, which Eluya inferred to be ''Yes''.

    "Iliana, Have you kept food for Ellen in the luggage?" Abel asked as he was done packing the lunch for the three of them.

    "Yes, I kept her favourites only. Don''t worry." Iliana said with a smile.

    She has fed Ellen multiple brands of cat food, dried fish and poultry. In the end, the Verdict was that Ellen loves Salmon and one specific brand of Cat Food, so that''s what Iliana had packed for Ellen.

    "Good job. Please help me put the lunch boxes in the car." Abel spoke calmly as Iliana walked over and helped him carry the lunch he made for them to the car.

    "By the way, Abel, This much food doesn''t look enough for a 2 day drive. Are you planning to stop somewhere?" Eluya asked as she watched Iliana and Abel put the food in the back of the car.

    Abel nodded before he started explaining. "We''ll be taking the South-Western Highway and stop at Simphona for lunch tomorrow."

    "Simphona? Fine with me." Eluya spoke calmly as she sat down inside the car with Ellen held in her arms.

    Iliana followed suit, sitting in the back seat with Eluya and Ellen.

    Meanwhile, Abel did one last check of the house, making sure all the doors and windows were locked, everything was organized and nothing important was left behind.

    Once he was sure of everything, he dropped 4 drops of his blood in the house before locking the front door as he left.

    "All secure." Abel said with a satisfactory smile as he put on his seatbelts and looked back at Eluya and Iliana.

    "Put on your seatbelts.. We are leaving." Abel declared as he scratched Ellen''s chin.

    Eluya and Iliana complied and put their seatbelts on.

    .......

    "Abel.. Listen to me."

    "How many times have we been here?"

    "Listen.. Listen.. Listen.. Listen.. .. ... .... ....."

    "Just do this once more.. For me, for everyone."

    "This is impossible.."

    "No, I''ve found a way."

    -.. --- --- --

    ........

    Some voices rang inside Abel''s head but he ignored them as he started driving.

    The next event for them was ''Banquet in Melobranch''.

 Chapter 35: The Hero of Scarlet Eyes

    Unknown Ruins, Western Area of Northern Forests

    A woman, whose beauty could only be described as the Moon''s reflection in a sea of diamonds. Her waist-long white hair kept in a single thick braid flowing in the air as her Jade green Iris stared at the ruins from a distance.

    "So.. These are the western ruins I''ve heard so much about. The so-called ''Tomb of the Scarlet Eyes." Her divinely melodious voice was sweet enough to melt a person''s heart, captivating them effortlessly. But that''s not what she was here for.

    There were signs of Techonia''s forces coming here. But there were no signs of them leaving.

    "This could be.. interesting." The refined and elegant woman, who could only be described as the epitome of beauty. Her delicate and alluring body adorned by a White dress and a Fedora added to her charm.

    Then at the flick of her fingers, the Fedora disappeared, followed by her jump off the cliff. Her main motive is to investigate the ruins and find any clues about Techonia''s forces, which clearly arrived but never departed.

    "Corpses of Machines, Humans.. and Uncouths. Huh, pretty weird combination." The woman spoke, with a condescending look towards the corpses. It is obvious that she hates weaklings and she hates the Uncouths even more.

    As she entered the core of the ruins, her look changed. From disgust to something more pristine.

    Her gaze fell on the man, who was sitting on top of the mountain of corpses with a blade stabbed into the ground next to him.

    He wiped the mixture of blood and machine oil from his face, a smile on his face and his scarlet eyes piercing the air like an arrow from a god.

    The man''s charm was out of this world. No, not just out of this world, he was so breathtakingly handsome that the woman froze in her spot. Her heart, which was beating faster than it ever had in her entire life, begged for that man''s attention.

    Just then, the man''s gaze fell on the woman.

    "Are you here for the ''Sword of Faith'' as well?" He asked with a low, husky voice that held a subtle authority, yet softened with gentleness.

    "You are Rei Magna, aren''t you?" The woman spoke, infatuated by the man.

    "Yes.. Have we met before, Miss?" He asked as his guards were down after seeing the woman not having any interest in the sword.

    "No, not really. I''m the Fourth Progenitor. I''m generally addressed as Lady 4th but you can call me Alice." She spoke with a hint of sweetness in her voice, completely different from the disgust she had felt toward the corpses not too long ago.

    "Fourth Progenitor.. Oh, one of the Original Vampires. It''s nice to meet you, Lady Alice. I''m afraid that this place isn''t anywhere comfortable enough to host you." Rei spoke as he jumped down from the mountain of corpses. At that moment, the three blades that pierced his back became visible, a symbol of betrayal.

    "Oh, Lord Rei, your legend isn''t anything to scoff at either. Child of an Elder God, Leader of the Six Heroes, The Almighty ''Hero of Scarlet Eyes''.." Alice spoke, not hiding her infatuation for Rei.

    "You are greatly exaggerating my actions of the past, Lady Alice. It''s my honour to meet you." Rei spoke, blushing lightly because of the tender gaze from the beautiful lady in front of him.

    It would be a lie if he spoke that he wasn''t affected by her beauty.

    The vice versa was also true. Lady 4th, who''s known for her ruthless teaching among the Vampire race. It is she, who taught Abel and made the Numbered Vampires a group. But now, she was acting like a young woman experiencing her first love.

    "So.. Lord Rei, may I see the wound on your back? I can heal the wounds and dispel the curse if you wish." Alice stepped closer until Rei was barely an arms length away from her.

    Rei was surprised that the curse on him could be dispelled. The curse placed by the other Five Heroes.

    Rei was the leader of the Six Heroes. A legendary group of heroes during the 0th Century, formed to fight against the 14 Demon Lords.

    The time period of the Great War, the end of which signified the beginning of the Great Era. It has been 2027 years since the War against the Demonkind ended.

    Back then there were 14 Demon Lords, but seven of them did not fight against humans, choosing the neutral stance. But for the other seven, The Six Heroes were a weapon against them.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    But even within the Six Heroes, there was a disparity of power. Rei, who single-handedly killed six of the Demon Lords with the ''Sword of Faith'' while his five teammates barely subdued one.

    In the end, the King of that Era and the five heroes were so afraid of Rei that after the end of the war, they betrayed Rei.

    The five heroes stabbed Rei in the heart and placed a curse on him that he will not be able to leave the Western Ruins. They could only do so much because a weapon to kill Rei was never made.

    But Rei was kind, he did not hold a grudge against the Empire or the other heroes. He sympathized with them and understood their fear thus he didn''t resist being cursed to never leave the ruins.

    Since then, Many people have come to the ruins to claim the ''Sword of Faith''. Rei gave them a fair chance for that as well. Defeat him and the sword is yours. But no one ever did.

    Rei relayed this story to Alice while she dispelled the curse placed on him and took out the blade lodged in his heart.

    "What pitiful people. I knew about the curse but I never heard the true story about you, Lord Rei." Alice admitted to never knowing the full story.

    The story she heard was that Rei was corrupted by the Blood of Demon Lords. But this man was far from corrupted. No, not just corruption, his soul was so pure that it made Alice fall even harder.

    Once the curse was dispelled and the blades were taken out, she pressed her face on his back.

    "How can anyone be this pure?" She murmured loud enough for Rei to hear, who chuckled.

    "Lord Rei.. I have a proposition." Alice whispered in his ear as her body pressed against his back in a hug.

    "Yes, Lady Alice. I''m... Listening." Rei spoke, with an obvious blush on his face as he didn''t expect a hug from her.

    "I''ve been.. looking for a suitable person to become.. my... Spouse." Alice spoke, her words came out broken and flustered.

    Rei was taken aback by the sudden proposal. His life''s biggest regret was not being able to love. He could get rid of this regret today but he didn''t know if he was worthy enough for someone whose existence was grander than his legacy and his life.

    And almost as if Alice could read his mind, she spoke. "And don''t think you aren''t enough, okay? I think you are enough.. no, not just enough. You are a walking hero, who saved this world from destruction."

    Rei was surprised, but the surprise quickly vanished, taken over by a chuckle. "Well, I have no reason to turn down the proposal."

    "Though, I can''t say that I love you yet, there is a feeling that I might be able to." Rei said with a smile.

    "Oh don''t worry, we have enough time on our hands to nurture this relationship." Alice spoke with a smile before she bore her fangs into his neck. She drank a gulp of his blood before licking the wound until it healed due to Rei''s innate regeneration.

    "That''s a pact sealed." Alice spoke with a smile while Rei chuckled.

    "Your bite tickled." Rei spoke, followed by a laugh as Alice started to actually tickle him.

    ........

    Void Village ''Ark'', Southern area of the Empire

    "What the fuck are we fighting.. God?" Alpha complained and rightfully so, since he couldn''t even get up and was coughing up blood.

    Even the strongest member of the Corps of Seven, Omega, was on her knees. All because they were fighting one masked man.

    "Stay down, I don''t wish to hurt you." The masked man spoke calmly, his mercy was only towards Omega in an uncanny manner.

    "Who are you to show me mercy?!" Omega shouted as she gritted her teeth. She, who fought the 2nd Proxy of Obrax to standstill, was on her knees against just one person.

    ''This guy is a monster. That detective could''ve won if he was here.'' Gamma thought to himself as he tried to stand up but ended up falling on the ground.

    "Oh, you don''t recognise me? Sorry for the mask, Ole." The masked man spoke with a look of amusement as he removed his mask.

    Omega''s face turned grim, as a storm of grief, horror and disbelief filled her heart. The masked man was the very man she was trying to find, Arshawain.

    "Arsh.." Omega spoke his name in a low tone. Her conflicting feelings wanted to hug him and strangle him to death at the same time. "Why are you doing this?" She asked as she tried standing up but her body didn''t listen to her command.

    Arshawain, who was Olecumbra''s husband, was a survivor of the Battle of North and the very reason why Olecumbra sought strength and became a disciple of Abel.

    But something was different about the Arshawain that was standing in front of Omega. Instead of his usual Dark Brown eyes, his iris was Scarlet.

    "Ole, my love. Leave behind those insects of a group behind you and come with me. We will rule the world together." Arshawain spoke as he held his hand out for Omega, expecting her to take his hand.

    But everything that Arshawain was suggesting, was against the very principle that Omega followed since she became the disciple of Abel. She was a follower of Justifia and could never think of her team members as insects and ruling the world.

    In fact, she knew that ruling the world was impossible when Abel and people much stronger than him existed.

    She chuckled before shaking her head. "I''m afraid I can''t do that, my love. You aren''t the Arshwain I married."

    "This is exactly why I hate clever women like you." Arshawain, or the thing that was in Arshawain''s body, chuckled before kicking Omega on the chest, making her fly into a wall.

    "Whatever, I promised this man that I wouldn''t kill his wife. We''ll meet in the future anyways.. After I kill the 4th Progenitor. GLORY TO THE MECHANICAL GOD!" The strange being laughed manically before he disappeared into thin air, leaving behind a strange black air.

    "Is everyone alright?" Omega asked as she could finally walk up.

    Everyone, except Gamma, looked at Omega with a strange look, but they understood that the man wasn''t Omega''s husband. He was being controlled like a puppet.

    "We won''t ask for details for now. But we do need more details as we discover more." Beta spoke calmly, as she helped Alpha, Delta and Epsilon stand up on their feet.

    "I won''t hide information from any of you, but for now, I can''t tell you anything of value." Omega said, as she stared at the sky. Could this strange being in Arshawain''s body kill the Fourth Progenitor, someone who even her Master Abel considered to be his superior.

    But the answer was obvious.

    The being wouldn''t make such big claims without a trick up their sleeves.

    All Omega could do was wait and watch.

 Chapter 36: The Day before IT begins

    ''I messed up.

    I messed up.

    I messed up.''

    The strange being ran away from the Northern Forest. Though his plan was to kill the Fourth Progenitor using the Silver Spears.

    It didn''t go as planned.

    ........

    "Oh, Silver Spears for me? How cute." Alice spoke while picking up the spears from the ground.

    "If I was a normal vampire, they would''ve worked but you underestimate me as a Progenitor." Alice chuckled and just then, Rei, who was standing beside her looked at Arshawain.

    "You aren''t the consciousness that the body was born with." Rei''s scarlet eyes glowed.

    At that point, the Strange being knew better than to run away.

    ........

    "Where do you think you are running to?" Rei, who was chasing him like an adult chasing a child, smiled before using the Sword of Faith to cut him.

    The Sword of Faith is a fabled weapon of the past. A Mythical Sword wielded by Rei Magna and the weapon he used to slay Six Demon Lords.

    The sword doesn''t cut physically, instead it attacks the essence of a person, harming the existence of the being.

    This property made it suitable to fight against puppeteers like the one controlling Arshawain.

    The strange being inside Arshawain screamed as it was cut by the sword. The pain was unimaginable and for someone like him, who wasn''t used to pain, the pain was similar to being boiled in Oil without any pain tolerance.

    "Now then, you better tell me how you got the Scarlet Eyes." Rei spoke as the smile on his face vanished and a look of rage took over.

    ''Fuck.. Fuck.. Why is the Hero of Scarlet Eyes here? Isn''t he supposed to be in Western Ruins? And why is he even with the Fourth Progenitor?'' The strange being inside Arshawain thought to itself while screaming as it was cut again and again.

    "STOP! STOP! I''LL SPEAK. PLEASE! NO MORE CUTS!" The strange being shouted as the relentless assault from Rei finally stopped.

    "Also tell us how you obtained that body. Your smell is very similar to grand-disciple." Alice spoke while preparing a teleportation spell to the Void Village ''Ark'' since that''s the most prominent smell on the body, besides Olecumbra''s.

    "This person willingly gave me his body.. I swear!" The strange being shouted, before it began begging. "Please, just let me leave then you can send this person wherever you want. I swear, I won''t touch anyone ever again."

    "Lord Rei, please extract the strange soul from this person''s body. I''ll send him back to my grand-disciple, as a present." Alice spoke as the teleportation spell was finally completed.

    "As you wish, Lady Alice." Rei spoke as he thrust the blade into the heart of the body.

    In a moment, the scarlet eyes of the body disappeared and the man, Arshawain fell unconscious.

    "Satisfactory result. We will interrogate the strange soul." Alice spoke coldly as the body of Arshawain was teleported to Void Village ''Ark''.

    ........

    Medical Room, Void Village ''Ark'', Southern area of the Empire

    The Corps of Seven were still dealing with the consequences of the fight. Everyone, except Omega, suffered from injuries ranging from concussions to broken fingers, toes and ribs.

    But Omega, who was the least hurt physically, was hurt the most mentally. The shock of her long lost husband, appearing in front of her, being controlled like a puppet was eating away at her mind.

    And those scarlet eyes staring at the Seven of them, making them powerless was enough to send chills down their spines.

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    Then suddenly, a flash of light, followed a blood red Circle with intricate patterns, in the middle of the room they all were in. Then the light vanished, leaving behind a body.

    At just a glance, they knew it was the body of Arshawain but everyone was afraid to go near him, except Omega. She ran up to him without a second thought as she knew what that intricate design meant.

    "Arsh.. ARSH! Are you alright?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to wake him up.

    But seeing that he wasn''t waking up, she checked his vitals. Thankfully, he was stable.

    Her eyes filled up with tears as she hugged him tightly.

    "He is not the one from before." Beta spoke, seeing that the man''s eyes were not the same as before.

    "I''ll call the doctor." Gamma quickly walked out of the room to look for a doctor.

    Meanwhile, Omega held Arshawain tightly in her arms, not wanting to let go of him.

    .......

    "Please.. stop.. I give up.." The strange being, who identified himself as ''Hoo'' was placed in a flesh doll, made by Alice.

    "No." Alice and Rei spoke at the same time, both of them having a wonderful time torturing Hoo while keeping a Sadistic smile on their faces.

    Hoo was a demonic puppeteer, who came into this world when someone who addressed himself as the ''Mechanical God'' called him in this world.

    As per the description that Hoo gave them, Techonia was currently under the influence of the ''Mechanical God'' and no one was allowed to enter or exit the city.

    During the torture, Hoo gave out various details including the person who acted as the ''Mechanical God'' and who he kidnapped while Hoo was following him.

    The description of the ''Mechanical God'' matched 10th and one of the persons kidnapped by 10th matched the description of 7th. Both of whom cannot be contacted.

    "Please... please.." Hoo begged for death but as the questions from Alice stopped, Rei began asking his own questions.

    "How did you get the scarlet eyes? How are you related to the Elder God of Faith?" Rei asked Hoo, who at this point was so mentally exhausted and broken that he didn''t have the capacity to lie.

    The Flesh doll that he was forced to reside in was made out of special Blood Magic that Alice has. The pain sensitivity of the body is amplified many times so much that a normal paper cut hurts as much as falling three stairs on a bed of knives.

    "I.. The Mechanical God gave them to me. He said that these will help me in my missions. He assigned me to kill Fourth Progenitor and Rei Magna. He gave me the location of both of you and the weapons to kill.." Hoo spoke, as the flesh doll trembled, hoping that another slash from Rei doesn''t come.

    "Then where is the weapon that is supposed to kill me?" Rei asked, pointing the tip of his blade at the Soul Center of the Flesh doll.

    "Please! Please no more pain.. Please.. I''m speaking. I''m SPEAKING!" Hoo shouted in fear as he felt the blade pointed at him. If Rei were to stab him there, then he would most certainly die a painful death.

    Though to others, death from ''Sword of Faith'' feels like second. To the victim, it feels like a thousand years of slow, painful death. They can beg for a faster death all they want but their final moment will stretch to Eternity.

    "The Scarlet eyes.. The Mechanical God said that if that doesn''t kill you then the next act will." Hoo said, begging for a fast death as the pain is no longer something he can bear.

    "Do you think we should kill him now, Lady Alice?" Rei asked Alice, now that they had gotten every information they could from him.

    "As you wish, Lord Rei." Alice said calmly with a nod, glancing at the flesh doll that contained the soul of Hoo.

    Then in one smooth cut, Rei severed the connection of the soul to the body, killing Hoo.

    "So, he said something about that, didn''t he?" Alice said calmly, walking to the balcony of her house as the flesh doll and any remains of blood and flesh disappeared from her room like the torture never took place.

    Her eyes fixated upon the general direction of Melobranch, though it wasn''t obvious at first. There were signs of Rudandon and Noganonozue, The Outer Entity of Regression.

    "We should prepare just in case. A regressor emerging would mean a lot of trouble." Rei suggested as he sheathed his blade.

    "There is no need for it, Lord Rei. My Disciple is there.." Alice said as she waved her hand, dismissing any need of preparation from their side.

    "You trust your disciple that much?" Rei asked.

    "With my life, that little guy is special. He is a swordsman too. You can test him out once he comes for a visit.. He will come." Alice said with absolute certainty in her voice.

    "Then what should we prepare for?" Rei asked.

    "Isn''t it obvious?" Alice said, as a teasing smile formed on her lips.

    "If we get to live the same day again, then a date. We''ll live the same day differently over and over and over again. What do you say, Lord Rei?" Alice said with a twinkling mischief in her eyes, captivating Rei with the playfulness.

    "Ahem! If that''s what Lady Alice wishes, then I have no reason to deny it." Rei spoke after clearing his throat, his heart beating at the sight of Alice being mischievous.

    "So what kind of preparation do you have in mind, Lady Alice?" Rei asked as he finally calmed down and gained back his composure.

    "I had a picnic date in mind." Alice said calmly, while sending a pigeon message to the group she sent to collect information about the sudden reappearance of 10th and disappearance of 7th.

    "Uhmm.. Do you want me to cook, Lady Alice? I am not caught up on modern day cuisine." Rei said with a resigned laugh, after all he was trapped in a ruin for 2000+ years.

    "Oh, Lord Rei, You don''t need to worry about food as an option. I can cook very well." Alice said with a sly smile as she walked away from the balcony and the flick of her finger, an apron appeared on her body.

    Rei''s eyes widened at the sight of the apron appearing out of thin air, and Alice correcting the apron made his heart skip a beat.

    "Uhmm, do you mind if I oversee the cooking?" Rei asked, trying his best to control the flustered look on his face.

    "I don''t mind, Lord Rei. You can help me out as well. I don''t mind teaching you, at all." Alice whispered teasingly before she walked out of the room, making Rei follow.

 Chapter 37: The Banquet of Doom (1)

    10:00 am, 16th of August, 2027

    In The Roseau Luxury Banquet, Melobranch.

    "Make sure every single corner of the banquet hall and ballroom is clean. We are hoisting the Royal Family of Garharia, the Political Leaders of the Republic of Hurlan and the best detectives of the nation. The Crown Prince does not want a single detail to be missed." The manager of the banquet to the decor workers, who were doing their best to make the Banquet hall clean and beautiful.

    In less than an hour, the guests will start arriving and the place will get crowded. The manager, Marquez, went around the banquet to manage the chefs, venue decorators, guards and greeters.

    The event in the Banquet is organised by the Crown Prince every year. The Melobranch Detectives Banquet, as he calls it, is the most important event for a detective.

    This is the day when the rankings of detectives all around the globe are released. But even before the release, the agencies who have the detectives in the Top100 are invited to a banquet and ball.

    "Everyone! Get to work! Don''t mess this up!" Marquez''s shout echoed throughout the banquet and the kitchen.

    "YES SIR!" Everyone responded with a shout.

    ........

    10:45 am

    "We are finally here!! I''m so excited. My stomach is burning with excitement!! Kya~!!" Eluya spoke while rubbing her face against Ellen.

    "Meeeooooww~" Ellen shouted, feeling the excitement of Eluya but being a little annoyed because of how hard Eluya was rubbing her face against her.

    "Aww~" Eluya made a sorry face as she rubbed her face a little softer against Ellen. "I''m sorry, dear.. Mama won''t be hard on you again."

    "She''s spoiling Ellen, don''t you think?" Iliana said calmly, still trying to adjust into the dress she wore for the banquet.

    Eluya, who is used to dressing up for formal events like these, looked at Iliana and asked with a concerned look. "Iliana, are you alright? Is the dress irritating you?"

    "No, not really. I''m worried that I''ll fall on my face." Iliana said with a resigned laugh.

    "Don''t worry, you won''t fall. I did teach you, so have confidence in my teaching." Eluya said calmly, before staring at Abel, who was standing outside, checking in with the staff to see if the entry had begun.

    Upon getting a proper response, he walked back to the car and opened the door for Iliana and Eluya. He held his hands out for them, helping them get out of the car before handing the car key to the valet.

    Iliana smiled as she got out of the car, holding Abel''s hand, followed by Eluya. Then the valet drove away with the car.

    Eluya wore a dark blue drizzle gown that contrasted beautifully with her white hair, styled in a delicate combination of thin and thick loop braids.

    Iliana, on the other hand, was dressed in a light blue drizzle gown, her hair arranged in an unusual yet captivating waterfall braid.

    Eluya had done both their makeup. Her own makeup style was minimalist, as she prioritised her natural beauty, nurtured through her diet, and the influence of her Divine Blood Art, which enhanced her radiance. This simplicity extended to Iliana as well, with only a single stroke of mascara and the faintest hint of eyeshadow-so subtle that it could easily be overlooked. Yet, this minimalism did nothing to diminish their allure, as onlookers remained mesmerized by their beauty.

    As for Abel, he looked confident in his navy blue formal coat, accented with a gold chain draped from the pocket. His light blue shirt provided the perfect backdrop for the ensemble, with a black tie neatly centered. Though his attire was understated, the meticulous attention to detail caught the eye, drawing subtle admiration from those around him.

    ''Of course, I dressed all of us.'' Eluya smiled, her eyes glinting with satisfaction as she noticed how the way she had styled the three of them was drawing attention from the crowd. For her, there was no greater honor than seeing her efforts recognized through the admiration of others.

    Once they entered the banquet, they were greeted by the staff and were gifted bouquets.

    Marquez, also, stepped up and greeted the guests. "Welcome to the Roseau Luxury Banquet, dear guests. I hope the journey here was pleasant. Please enjoy the event and in case of mistakes from our side, feel free to contact the guards."

    "Thank you, Mister Marquez. I''m sure everything in this place is perfect. We don''t doubt your capabilities." Eluya spoke calmly, her voice easing Marquez.

    "Thank you, Miss Eluya. Now if you will excuse me." Marquez said calmly and went along the way to greet other guests, as it was his job as the manager of the banquet.

    There were quite a few faces he has seen over the years and he remembered everyone that''s been here before. And for those, who were new, he made sure to assign people to look after them.

    Everything was going well in the banquet.

    .........

    "So, what should we do now?" Iliana asked Eluya, as they were seated in the ballroom.

    "We. Wait." Eluya asked with her eyes glowing in excitement.

    "I told you we shouldn''t have come so early." Abel spoke with a sigh as he drank some water.

    "But look at this! We can enjoy the beauty of this place by ourselves. We won''t even get to talk to each other when the event starts." Eluya nudged Abel and Iliana with her elbow, since she was sitting on the chair in between them.

    "Meow~" Ellen purred with her obligatory perch on Abel''s head.

    "Aww.. Little Ellen wants to see more of the banquet." Eluya spoke, looking at Abel.

    "Fine.." Abel stood up slowly and walked away, showing Ellen the banquet and the ballroom.

    ........

    As Abel walked around the banquet, he met a lot of people.

    Some were even nervous that they were invited to this banquet, which reminded Abel of his self, a few centuries ago. When he was so nervous for every formal occasion, but that nervousness had vanished a long time ago.

    "Meow?" Ellen sounded confused as she looked at the man who came out of nowhere and stood in front of Abel.

    "Hello kid! Long time no see." The middle aged burly man spoke as he moved his hand for a handshake.

    Abel recognized the man and sighed with a smile. "It''s been a while, Mr. Rank One. And please, I''m not a kid by any means." Abel spoke as he shook the man''s hand.

    The Man, Morel, was the Rank One detective. He held the undisputed record of 300 pending cases in one week. He deserved every bit of respect that Abel had for him.

    Morel was called the symbol of hope, the Bringer of Justice and many more, but Abel wasn''t trying to put this humble man on a pedestal so high. So he had a nickname for Morel, ''Mr. Rank One''.

    "Oh please, I''m just an old guy who works as a detective for a living. It''s the criminals who are dumb." Morel spoke with a smile, before his gaze fell on the car perched on Abel''s head.

    "Wait, pets were allowed here?" Morel asked, since he wasn''t aware if pets were allowed in or not.

    "They are. Mr. Marquez said that as long as she doesn''t bother other guests, she''ll even get her own bowl of food and water." Abel said calmly and Ellen purred happily as if she understood everything that Abel just said.

    "Wow. And where are those two ladies that are always beside you?" Morel asked.

    "In the ballroom, waiting for the event to start. And what about you, Mr. Rank One? Where is your team?" Abel asked calmly, after all, Morel''s team was just as legendary as him.

    A three person detective team, with the three of them ranking 1, 2 and 12 by themselves. They were so well known that even the Worshippers of Justifia and other High Priests of Justifia like Farina and Gerald knew their names.

    "Well, they are roaming around somewhere. They don''t listen to me when we are at an event." Morel said with a smile.

    "By the way, aren''t you worried that someone in that ballroom will try to flirt with those ladies? What if they leave you?" Morel whispered in Abel''s ear.

    "Oh please, It''s their decision to accept or reject a guy''s flirting. Who am I to say anything?" Abel replied with a smile.

    "Oh! No jealousy whatsoever. Oh well, you should trust them that much if you ever want to marry them. That''s how I met my children''s mother." Morel said with a chuckle, then he walked away.

    ''That man really is an enigma.'' Abel thought to himself before he continued walking around.

    ........

    "Are you sure that the worshippers of the Mechanical God will try to summon Rudandon here? Using one of the guests as a medium?" The man who was dressed in extravagant attire with jewels, gold and platinum. His golden eyes looked into the crowd below, at the ballroom, followed by a sigh. "Keep me updated on any sign of THEM."

    The man stood up and walked out of the hidden room on the first floor and made his way to the banquet below.

    "Yes, Your Highness." The female, who was the servant of the man in the golden attire, disappeared into the shadows. Her eyes fixated on every single person present in the banquet.

    ........

    11:10 am

    "Ladies and Gentleman, Today, We are all gathered here for the Annual Melobranch Detectives Banquet. Some of us have been here for the first time, while some have been here many times. But as a citizen of this world, I would like to thank you all for bringing truth to light and spreading the notion of justice and fairness." Marquez spoke, as he stood in the middle of the ballroom, the spotlights were focused and all 231 guests were looking at him.

    Though not everyone was in the Top100 list but they all deserved to be here by supporting those who were in the Top100.

    "Now, The Crown Prince of Garharia, Austin Ashiwal Garharia, will announce this year''s Top100 list. Please enjoy the night here as you are the team of the best detectives and the best detective agencies in the entire world. Please give a huge round of applause for His Highness, The Crown Prince."

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    At that moment, the spotlight shifted from Marquez to Austin, he was dressed in an extravagant attire, fit to be worn by a crown prince. The chains that draped from his pockets and the smoothness that could be felt from far away, left people in awe.

    "Congratulations to those who have gotten their names written in 2027''s Top100 list and a heartfelt thank you to everyone for preserving the notion of justice." The Crown Prince spoke, followed by never ending waves of applause from everyone.

    Then the crown prince walked to the wall covered by the curtains, which was guarded up until now and no one was allowed near it.

    He pulled a rope and as the curtain fell, the Silk Cloth engraved with the names of 100 detectives was revealed to everyone present.

    "Oh my! The list is very different from what I expected."

    "Yes, but hey look at that, Mr. Morel is still at Number 1 and his partner, Miss Rosie is at Number 2."

    The people talked to themselves, since everything was after the first two were not what they would''ve expected.

    "Oh my my! I''m Rank 3!" Eluya said with a smile, while covering Ellen''s ears to protect her from the loud clapping sounds.

    Eluya had moved up one Rank. From Rank 4 to Rank 3.

    "Wait what?! I''m Rank 99." Iliana was surprised at the sudden increase in her rank. Last year, she was 1355.

    "Well you did solve more cases as compared to last year and you solved the Legacy Case too." Iliana spoke with a smile before her eyes fell on Abel, who didn''t seem to care about his ranking.

    "Hey, Mr. Swordsman~." Eluya said in a seducing tone. "Where is your name?"

    But before Abel could answer, she found it herself. "Oh there it is!"

    Abel was in Rank 5, just two ranks below Eluya. He had also moved up, from 7 to 5.

    Iliana smiled as she looked at the list. All three of them were in the Top 100.

    And all of a sudden, they were surrounded by their fellow detectives.

    "Wow, Miss Iliana, how do you feel after ranking in the Top 100 Rankings?"

    "Woah, Miss Eluya, congratulations on achieving Rank 3."

    "What''s the secret to achieving high ranks?"

    "What''s your secret to your beauty? How do you look so beautiful without makeup?"

    The people crowded Eluya and Iliana, while Abel sneaked past the crowd without being caught and met the Crown Prince on the First Floor, overseeing the Ballroom.

    "First of all, allow me to congratulate you and your team on reaching the Top 100 collectively. Alas, if there were an agency ranking, all of you would have definitely been up there as well." Austin said with a smile as he reached his hand out to Abel, but not for a handshake but a fist bump.

    "Thank you.. And congratulations to you too, Isn''t this event just a segway for you to announce your engagement with Lady Rina?" Abel spoke with a calm look, since he knew the Crown Prince.

    "I can''t hide anything from you, can I? But No, not today. That can wait." Austin spoke with a chuckle, before sighing.

    "Why did you come up? Go down and enjoy. The ball is about to start, isn''t it good to make contacts with the Higher Authorities of other nations." Austin spoke, taking a sip from his wine glass.

    "If that''s what you say, I was just here to say congratulations on your engagement. You should do a better job hiding the ring." Abel chuckled before he left the room.

    Hmm.. Can''t really fool that guy with Magic or Blessings.'' Austin thought to himself as he put down the wine glass, looking at his right hand''s ring finger. The symbol of his love for Rina, the Daughter of the Democratic Party of Hurlan.

    ..........

    Once the talks about the rankings and the excitement for it died down, everyone sat back in their places.

    By then, Abel had also returned to his seat after congratulating every other group and individual members whose names were in the Top100.

    Ellen purred as she saw Abel sit back on the table beside Eluya and Iliana.

    "Good call, Ellen." Eluya rubbed Ellen''s back for reminding her.

    "Abel, where did you disappear off to? The ones congratulating us were looking for you." Eluya spoke to Abel calmly.

    "I was congratulating others. I did meet them all later, don''t worry." Abel replied back as he adjusted his coat and tie before sighing in relief.

    "By the way, Iliana seems to be dazed? What happened?" Abel asked calmly.

    "Well, you see. A lot of the men in those groups asked us out in the end.." Eluya said calmly, leaving Abel to figure out the rest himself.

    "So while you are used to it and rejected them, Iliana was bewildered and couldn''t reject so you had to step up for her?" Abel guessed.

    "Yep, exactly." Eluya said with a chuckle before she lightly shook Iliana, who was still blushing hard.

    "Don''t look at me like that. I''m not used to being the centre of attention, I don''t know how Eluya handles this much." Iliana said, hiding her face in her hands.

    ........

    11:45 am

    The Banquet was proceeding smoothly, and this was something that Marquez was proud of. Till now, not a single thing has gone wrong, surprisingly.

    ''No, I must not jinx it.'' Marquez thought to himself before he quickly walked to the kitchen to check up on the food.

    Meanwhile in the ballroom, the ball dance was proceeding smoothly.

    The music was smooth, elegant, rhythmic and flowing, and the footsteps of the detectives dancing among each other in a steady tempo that matches the pace of the romantic melodies of the waltz being played by the Empire''s best Waltz group.

    And even though Abel wasn''t participating in the dance, Eluya didn''t let anyone else hold Iliana as she took Iliana to the floor herself.

    "Feeling comfortable, Milady?" Eluya asked with a hint of seduction in her eyes.

    "Yes, yes." Iliana replied back in a low voice, her lips curled up in a smile as she lets her body flow with the slow tempo that Eluya was dancing to.

    There were multiple actual couples in the Detective Agencies who were dancing with the same step as if everyone was thinking of the same sweeping motion for the dance.

    Abel looked at all of it from a distance, since he was cataclysmically bad at dancing. The last time he tried to dance was 157 years ago, where he tried to dance with Eluya, following the oncoming of 10th and 11th.

    On that day, his dance broke not only Eluya''s heels but also his own bones. It was so horribly beautiful that Lady 4th forced him to take dancing lessons but poor Abel hasn''t danced ever since.

    Meanwhile, on the floor above the ballroom,

    "Dear, are you alright?" Austin frowned seeing Rina so tired.

    "It''s okay, my love. I''m just a little tired." Rina, who was dressed in a Yellow Drizzle gown, the dazzling look and beauty was befitting of the future queen of Garharia.

    Austin, who was holding Rina''s hand, walked her to the chair in the room, helping her sit down.

    "You are sweating a lot for someone who''s in a room with 25��C as the temperature." Austin spoke calmly as he took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off her forehead, though some of her mascara was ruined by how much she was sweating.

    Just then, the maid that always stays beside Rina, Sisse, walked inside the room and spoke calmly.

    "Your Highness, Lady Rina has been called by her father. Allow me to escort her back to her father." Sisse said, keeping her head bowed, her hands tucked in front of her and not a single unnecessary movement was present in her body.

    She wasn''t Rina''s maid for the show.

    "Yes." Austin nodded as he looked at the maid before turning his attention to Rina, helping her stand up and walking her to Sisse. "Please take care, dear."

    "Yes, my love. You too.. Don''t do anything stupid while I''m gone." Rina said with a smile before she left the room with Sisse supporting her.

    ..........

    "Is our plan working?" asked the man, who was looking at the ballroom''s dance from a distance.

    "Yes, we haven''t been suspected yet. Soon, it will happen.. All thanks to the help of the Strange guy." The female beside him replied.

    Both of them were disguised as servants and were indistinguishable from a normal crowd because they were normal. Average at everything, they didn''t stand out in the servants nor onlookers. But they were different, somehow.

    Their gazes were darting between various couples dancing but to their amazement, there were two women dancing with each other in this as well.

    "Wait, isn''t she?" The female spoke as she recognised one of the women. The woman who was taking the front in the dance, Eluya.

    "Disperse immediately. If she''s here then the other one is here too. We cannot get caught." The man spoke immediately as the two of them got away immediately. Their actions weren''t suspected as they moved around like normal.

    They had total control over their current bodies so they didn''t sweat or change their heartbeat as they lied and worked around the banquet like normal workers.

    ..........

    Morel, who was tired looking at the couples dancing, got up from his seat and walked up to the table where Abel was and sat beside him.

    "Hey, kid. Aren''t you gonna join those two ladies?" Morel asked.

    But Abel just shook his head.

    "I''ll accidentally break their legs and the floor if I even tried. I''m just that bad.." Abel said, but he wasn''t that bad after the lessons he took.

    "So do you dance or destroy? Because that doesn''t sound humane at all." Morel said, a bit terrified after he realised that Abel wasn''t lying. He really was that bad, at least in his own eyes.

    Just then, the entire place shook as if there was an earthquake. But it didn''t feel like an earthquake.

    It wasn''t that the ground was moving. No, the ground was still.

    It''s the sky that was shaking.

    "Why is the sky suddenly shaking?!" Morel shouted as he tried to stand up but the ground started shaking as well.

    "What the HELL?!" He shouted as he fell on the ground, and looked at Abel, who remained surprisingly calm.

    Not just him, but Eluya, one of the ladies who worked beside him was just as calm. In fact, these two were the only ones who were unaffected by the shaking of the sky and earth.

    But as soon as the shaking stopped, the roof of the building blew up. Not just the banquet, but every building in the capital that had more than one floor blew up such that there was only the ground floor with clear sky above.

    Just then, Crown Prince Austin and Rina came running inside the ballroom. Though they didn''t look injured, Rina was screaming while holding her head tightly.

    She was holding herself so tightly that her nails were digging into her flesh as blood poured all over the carpets on the floor.

    "Someone! Anyone who can help Rina with her pain?!" Austin shouted, as at this point, there was nothing else he wanted but to ease Rina off her pain.

    A few people rushed over to the Crown Prince, since some groups had doctors in them for injuries.

    But even after a lot of attempts, they were unable to ease Rina and just like that, she fell unconscious.

    But it was clear that whatever was torturing her was still there as the nerves on her temples were still visible.

    Then suddenly, the sky split in a roar, loud enough for everyone to cover their ears, except Abel and Eluya, who stared at the sky in disbelief.

    "There is no way this is happening." Abel murmured.

    "This should not happen. We aren''t at that point yet." Eluya said as she fell down on her knees.

    A large space worm slowly descended from the crack in the sky, it had an uncountable amood teeth in its mouth. Though it was a bit far away, it''s size was still massive as it covered the entire sky with just a part of its body.

    The space worm looked below and its eyes fell on Abel, Eluya and Rina.

    "anTi-DestruCTion... cOnStanT fLOweR... This world should not end yet.. Help me kill that woman.. She bears the Seed of Doom." The space worm, who Abel and Eluya immediately recognised as Rudandon, The Elder God of Doom, aka the Devourer of Failed Timelines.

    This was not a being that comes without a warning and its intentions currently were not of harm, cause if it was, then the entire world won''t be standing here.

    Though no one else has figured out its identity, everyone instinctively knew not to look at it as its very existence gnawed away at their soul.

    Abel and Eluya looked at each other, before turning their gaze on Rina, whose forehead was covered in a symbol.

    Which both of them knew about, it was the Seed of Doom. This symbol was the very reason why multiple worlds were destroyed, why the essence of justice was tainted.

    Iliana, who was unable to look up, instead looked at Abel and Eluya and following their gaze, she looked at Rina.

    "No.. Don''t do it." Iliana knew what was going on inside their head. Since the two of them are people who can kill for the greater good without a second thought.

    But before the two of them could move, a strange black fog started to leak out from the Crown Prince''s body.

    "No.. You are saying this was planted in her." Austin spoke calmly.

    "reGresSoR, remOVe the Seed fRoM heR heaD." Rudandon spoke to the Crown Prince, addressing him as regressor.

    This shocked Eluya but not Abel, since he knew Austin since before Austin became an apostle.

    Austin nodded at Rudandon, before he pushed the people who were tending to Rina''s pain just a moment ago. His hands held a pen, the only weapon he could find currently.

    He sat down beside Rina as if he was about to stab her to death, to ease her off the pain. The Seed of Doom cannot be removed any other way.

    But no matter how much everyone waited, Austin didn''t strike Rina. He couldn''t.

    He loved her way too much to sacrifice her.

    "I can''t.. I love you way too much to do that."

    Then Austin looked up at Rudandon and asked, despite this action eating away at his soul.

    "When was the seed planted?" Austin asked.

    "20 minutes.." Rudandon answered.

    ''So I will regress back to the start to the banquet and protect Rina.'' He thought to himself as he gripped the pen harder.

    "Noganonozue! I hereby accept that offer of being your apostle. Give me the blessing to regress back one day!" Austin shouted towards the sky as he held the pen against his neck.

    Abel and Eluya tried to move as soon as they heard the name of Noganonozue, The Outer Entity of Regression. But no matter how fast they tried to move, their body was restricted under the presence of an Outer God, while for others, even breathing was hard.

    But just as they were about to reach Austin and snatch the pen from his hands, their bodies were slammed against the floor.

    "No.." Abel whispered since he knew what this was.

    Noganonozue was listening to Austin and accepted his cry for help.

    Then another voice rang through their ears.

    "Save the world, little one.."

    ''As if one Outer God wasn''t enough.''

    As soon as the Second Outer God''s voice was heard, every person except a select few like Iliana, Morel, Howard, Altaria and a few others, had their heads burst off like a balloon.

    The whole place was now coated in blood. And just then, another scream was heard, which was suppressed as if the voice box collapsed immediately.

    Austin, clutching the pen tightly, drove it into his neck. His eyes, filled with determination, locked onto Abel and Eluya before he exhaled his final breath.

    And then, a black mist rushed out of his body and covered the entire world. Just like that, even Abel and Eluya closed their eyes.

    ..........

    10:48 am

    "So, what should we do now?" Iliana asked Eluya, as they were seated in the ballroom.

    "We. Wait." Eluya asked with her eyes glowing in excitement.

    As Eluya and Iliana turned their head to look at Abel, they got a bit scared. Abel was shaking in fear.

    "Hey, Abel? Is everything alright?" Iliana asked with a worrisome tone.

    "Is everything alright, Abel? Do you need more water?" Eluya asked as she patted his back and took the water glass from his trembling hands.

    ''So even she did not remember.'' Abel thought to himself.

 Chapter 38: The Banquet of Doom (2)

    2nd Cycle,

    "It''s nothing.. I''m just a bit nervous." Abel spoke calmly, chugging down the glass of water before sighing.

    ''This is going to be hard alone.. I shouldn''t reveal the event to these two. They should enjoy the day.'' Abel thought to himself before he got up from his seat.

    Just then, he felt Ellen purring on top of his head.

    ''Yeah, I didn''t manage to save Ellen last time.. Everything was so chaotic that I didn''t even manage to help anyone. I''m still a failure.'' Abel cussed internally at himself, rubbing Ellen''s head.

    "I''ll show Ellen around the banquet. You two can enjoy the scenery of the ballroom. Meet the new people." Abel said calmly before he quickly rushed out of the ballroom.

    "Okay.." Iliana spoke, worried about the sudden change in Abel''s behaviour.

    "Isn''t this time to lay back and enjoy the scenery? Why is he so worked up?" Eluya

    spoke, a little worried but ultimately decided to leave it at that, since it seemed like he was just anxious, and scared but that''s not the emotion he ever showed.

    ..........

    On the floor above the Ballroom,

    "So what do you plan to do?" Abel questioned Austin about his motive.

    "Let me take a deep breath first, okay? I died back there.." Austin spoke as he massaged his temples. He was still barely able to process the fact that he was back in time.

    On his right wrist, there was the ''Mark of Regression'', if it weren''t for that and Abel who seems to be looking forward to what steps Austin will take, he would''ve thought of the past as a fever dream.

    "Everyone of us died there.. You aren''t alone." Abel spoke with a serious look on his face. His eyes were boring into Austin''s.

    "You don''t look horrifying when there is a kitten perched on your head." Austin said as he stood up and walked to the one-way window from where he could look down at the crowd, who were oblivious to what happened. Since the intimidating look of Abel was not so intimidating when he was carrying a kitten on his head like a crown.

    But this didn''t take away from the fact that a disaster was going to occur again. It was pointless to pass everything as a joke.

    "Abel, How about you take this case for me?" Austin said calmly, looking over his shoulders at Abel.

    "Employing me at the first chance.. I''ll take it." Abel said calmly before he began thinking.

    "Let''s just rule out people we trust. There are 231 guests and around 64 workers." Abel began counting down the people they knew and trusted from both groups.

    The end count was that they only needed to investigate only 86 guests and 60 workers, excluding those were not even eligible to plant the seed.

    "Understood. Detective Abel, I''ll leave the guests to you." Austin spoke after he heard the number. The guests could be easily scanned by Abel since his position as ''Proxy of Justifia'' gives him rights that Austin doesn''t have.

    But as a Crown Prince, he can handle the workers since they all listen to Marquez who listens to Austin.

    And so they got into investigating their parts of the people. But nothing turned up.

    And disaster struck Melobranch once again.

    Seeing his beloved Rina suffer from that pain, Austin pushed the pen into his neck, killing him instantly as the day began for him and Abel once again.

    They lived this day 47 times but they couldn''t find the people responsible for planting the seed.

    ..........

    48th Cycle,

    "Abel, listen to me." Austin shouted at Abel who threw him across the room.

    "Why should I?" Abel spoke, staring into Austin''s eyes.

    "You regressed back 24 hours.. How much have you utilized?" Abel asked, but Austin was unable to reply.

    "Also, you are the apostle. Why do I have memories of your failed attempts?" Abel asked with a look of anger in his eyes.

    Both of them were standing on the floor right above the ballroom and they were alone since Austin had sent away the security forces and even the female assassin caretaker of his.

    "I.. I don''t know. But you need to believe me." Austin spoke, trying to persuade Abel to not take major steps himself.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "For what? By now, you know that the Seed of Doom can be spread without physical touch as you just need to be in the general vicinity for 5 minutes. The timeframe is short enough that most people in Melobranch will qualify for it." Abel spoke, his eyes glowing with anger as the darkness in the dimly lit room tensed up like a cloth, stretching itself to the point of almost tearing itself apart.

    "Let me clarify this, Crown Prince Austin. You are not the only one suffering here. I''ve seen Eluya and Iliana suffer in this as well." Abel spoke and Austin remained silent.

    "Then what do you suggest?" Austin broke his silence and spoke as he stared into Abel''s eyes. His own was glowing with anger laden with despair.

    "I''ve seen my beloved die and suffer from something and I''m unable to do shit." Austin broke the calm and regal tone of his.

    "Tell me what to do then. I''ve failed 47 times.. What do you want me to do?" Austin asked Abel as he stood back up, shaking off the dust from his clothes.

    "Recruit.. If we fail again, recruit someone. Question Marquez since you have the authority to. Question everyone then recruit those who understand without disclosing any more information than you need to." Abel said calmly before he walked out of the room.

    The ballroom below was filled with the sound of the slow romantic Waltz. This is Rina''s favourite and she most certainly wanted to dance to it but she was unable to.

    "What can I do?!" Austin shouted at himself, slamming his hand against the wall hard enough to break a few fingers and make it bleed.

    Then he took a deep sigh, his raging thoughts now calmed down as he began remembering the investigation reports that Abel made during the last 47 repeats.

    "No one among the servants was suspicious, no one among the working staff, It''s not Abel''s group, It''s not Morel''s, It''s not Howard''s.." He recited the name of every single person who Abel conducted an experiment on.

    "Either the culprit is very good or not here at all." Austin spoke calmly as he walked over to the window. The one way window he used to look down at the ballroom.

    He saw his beloved, Rina, sitting in the ballroom, surrounded by women swarming around and praising her.

    Just then, Rina''s maid, Sisse, came to pick her up due to Rina''s father calling her. Then his gaze turned to anger as he thought. ''That maid was with her the entire journey right? What if she was the one who planted the seed?''

    Austin realised that, but Abel had investigated Rina. There was no possibility of him not getting anything suspicious from her, If there was any.

    ''But what if the seed was planted before he could investigate?''

    The thought of Sisse''s mysterious nature and the fact that Abel told him to recruit people, filled his head with a thought.

    ''Maybe it was her. She''s the closest one to Rina.''

    "Osma.. Investigate Sisse. Don''t hurt her yet." Austin ordered his servant, who stepped out of the shadow, trembling due to the display of anger from Abel.

    "Yes, Your Highness." Then stepped into the shadows, and went out to investigate as Austin ordered.

    ..........

    ''Shit, shit.'' Two strange beings, their bodies were deformed and could clearly be said to be not-human were running in the shadows.

    "How did he even suspect us? We were doing everything perfectly." The feminine being screeched as the two of them escaped from Abel.

    This was only possible because he was walking around slowly and didn''t make a commotion.

    "It''s our fault for changing into this form. Thankfully he didn''t see our human forms." The Masculine being screeched before the two of them seperated path to go back to their work stations.

    "It seems I lost them. But hey, I found them." Abel said calmly, before he ran into Morel. This was the 48th time he had met him in this exact corridor but Abel acted like he had met him after a very long time.

    He might have lost the two strange shadowy beings but he was sure now. There was someone or something planning this and it knew exactly who he was.

    ........

    "Hey Abel, why have you been walking around the banquet? You even missed the ranking reveal. I am now 3rd, You 5th and Iliana 99th!" Eluya said, happy about the reveal. Her smile got even brighter when Ellen jumped from Abel''s head into her arms, nuzzling against her neck.

    "Aww, My little baby, are you happy for Mama?" Eluya talked to Ellen like she was her child, which made a lot of people around jealous since they had a crush on Eluya.

    "Yes. We are worried that something has happened, Abel and you are not telling us." Iliana spoke, worried that Abel was hiding something again. Though it didn''t look like he was in any pain, the blank expression didn''t look right when they were supposed to be happy.

    "I was just talking to someone privately. I''ll reveal the details to you when the time comes." Abel dodged the question while maintaining a straight face.

    ''No, I won''t do that. You two should enjoy the day.. I don''t want to ruin this day for you.'' Abel told himself.

    "So are you going to dance with us or not?" Eluya said, pouting as she put her hand on her waist, waiting for Abel''s reply.

    "You remember what happened when we last danced, right?" Abel said calmly. He was surprised that she would even ask him to dance after the disaster of a dance that happened last time.

    Eluya, who suddenly remembered it all, started sweating and took small steps until she stood between Abel and Iliana.

    "Enough of a reminder. Please don''t dance with Iliana either." Eluya said as the dance that happened that night resurfaced in her mind.

    ..........

    157 years ago, during the banquet celebrating the ascension of 10th and 11th

    "Why is everything burning?!" 11th was shouting as he used his powers to put out the flames.

    6th or Eluya, was laying on the ground on top of 5th or Abel, as her heels broke, her ankles twisted and turned.

    "Don''t dance or at least take dance lessons." Eluya spoke, annoyed and horrified at what had happened from just a dance.

    Her heel broke because Abel''s footwork was disastrous. The broken heel flew into the fireplace at such high speeds that burning wood flew all over the place and was burning not just the curtains but also the wine prepared.

    "Oh, don''t worry. My disciple is going to take dance lessons." Lady 4th looked down at Abel who was unable to get up because Eluya had fallen on him and the fact that his knees popped out of the joints.

    "You will take the dance lessons, you little brat." Lady 4th looked at Abel with her eyes glowing, she really wouldn''t take No for an answer.

    Abel could do nothing but nod. He couldn''t dare say No to Lady 4th when she was so angry.

    That was also the day that marked the ascension of 12th.

    Since that day, none of the Numbered ever asked Abel to dance. Though after the dance lessons, Eluya did dance with Abel in private once or twice but she was so traumatized that they didn''t do it for almost a century again.

    And even today, the fear still lies within her. Though Abel has improved significantly since he took the dancing lessons.

    ..........

    But right as the ball dance was proceeding, it happened again.

    "This will be the 50th time, we failed again." Abel spoke to himself, since he understood what was coming now.

    Morel, who was sitting beside Abel, looked at him but before he could question him. The entire world was covered in a black mist.

    And the day began again.

    But this time, something was different.

 Chapter 39: The Banquet of Doom (3)

    10:00 am,

    "Huh, why are we back here?" Eluya spoke loud enough for Abel and Iliana to hear.

    "What?" Iliana spoke while looking at Eluya with a worried look.

    "Abel, do you n-?" Eluya asked Abel, but before she could even complete her words, he nodded.

    "Let''s discuss it further, I believe you." Abel spoke calmly.

    Iliana was dumbfounded but didn''t comment on it, since they did a lot of things that weren''t explained at first. But for the sake of convenience, she took Ellen from Eluya''s hands.

    "Ellen, be a good girl and don''t irritate Mama Iliana, okay?" Eluya said with a smile, rubbing Ellen''s back, who meowed back.

    ..........

    The floor above the ballroom, 10:30 am

    "So what you are telling me is that you two have been living the same day for the last 50 days of your memory?" Eluya confirmed what she just heard from Crown Prince Austin and Abel.

    "This is ridiculous.. But I seem to have vague memories about the last 50 cycles of yours now.." Eluya said, grabbing her head. It all seems so surreal to her but it wasn''t a prank and she was sure of it.

    "Yes, Miss Eluya. May I ask you to investigate the scene?" Austin asked with a hesitant look on his face. He wasn''t expecting her to be dragged into this since his regression hadn''t affected anyone but him for now.

    Abel was also only able to retain his memory because of certain conditions that no one but him and Eluya knew. The disclosing of which could lead to consequences that are far worse.

    "Yeah, so we need to make sure our identity doesn''t get revealed. Live as if this is your first day and take small steps in the investigation." Abel added.

    "So what''s the conclusion of your investigations during the last 50 cycles?" Eluya asked.

    "The culprit is among the workers, not the detectives. At least the ones who planted the Seed in Miss Rina." Abel said calmly.

    "I was chasing two during the last cycle but they ran away since I couldn''t chase them and make a commotion." Abel added.

    "Yeah, please try to make as little of a commotion, if possible then none." Austin asked calmly, since to everyone other than them, this might be the first big event of their life. It wasn''t something they, who lived the same day dozens of times can ruin.

    "So that''s why you didn''t involve me or Iliana in this during the previous cycles?" Eluya asked Abel, looking at him with a judging look.

    "Yes, I''m sorry for lying but this was important. We can''t let the culprits get away." Abel said apologetically with his eyes closed.

    "It''s okay. If it''s this important then I understand." Eluya said calmly.

    After the discussion was concluded, Eluya and Abel left the room.

    "Osma.. Come out, I have an order." Austin spoke assertively.

    "Yes, your highness." Osma appeared from the shadows and knelt down to hear Crown Prince''s order.

    "Investigate Rina''s maid, Sisse. Do it within 8 minutes." Austin ordered Osma, who nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

    ''I wonder why Osma is trembling?'' Austin thought to himself, since Osma isn''t sharp enough to know who Eluya and Abel really are, so fear isn''t something she should have towards them.

    ''I should ask her the next time she comes by.''

    ..........

    11:47 am

    The two onlookers, the workers of the banquet, were surprised when Eluya and Abel tapped their shoulders.

    "Hey, we got permission from Crown Prince and Manager Marquez. We need to talk to both of you." Eluya said in a low voice, showing the two of them the permission letter.

    The two servants, who were the strange beings in disguise freaked out internally, but they followed Abel and Eluya.

    But as soon as they left the ballroom and turned the corner to go to a private room. The two strange beings turned to their deformed shadowy form and tried to run away in the shadow.

    But at that instant, the shadows refused to form on the ground and walls, converging on Abel''s fingertips.

    "You are leaving before I give you permission to." He said as he grabbed the shadows, which converged into a small marble to trap the two beings.

    "I can''t believe it took you that long to find these two, Abel." Eluya spoke as the two of them entered the private room, where Austin was waiting.

    "Well, I was investigating the Detectives before. It takes time to meet people and getting to know them. That takes time." Abel spoke, while applying light pressure on the shadow marble.

    As soon as they entered the private room, the shadows outside returned to normal. The areas which should have had shadows but did not, were back to normal.

    ..........

    "PLEASE! PLEASE DON''T TORTURE ME ANYMORE.. PLEASE, I will tell you everything, Give me a chance." The two shadowy beings begged as Abel was crushing the shadow marble, while Eluya healed the shadowy beings so they didn''t die for being crushed.

    "Hmm.. But I''m not fulfilled." Eluya spoke, licking her lips while smiling sadistically.

    "Yeah, please torture them some more." Austin spoke, his eyes were gleaming with hatred towards the shadowy beings.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Oh don''t worry, Crown Prince. The Shadow Walkers like these two can take a lot of pain due to their.. non-physical existence." Eluya said with a chuckle, while Abel increased the pressure on the shadow marble. Going as far as suppressing the sounds coming from the marble to worsen their suffering.

    The two shadowy beings, Shadow Walkers, are an extradimensional existence born from the shadows of the Chaos Era, the Era during the birth of stars. They are old, mischievous and masters of deception and shape shifting.

    Though old, these beings don''t possess much intelligence, let alone enough to make a plan that needed Abel 50 cycles to crack and that with the help of Eluya.

    Once the three of them were satisfied with the shadow walkers, Abel allowed them to speak.

    "Tell us now, who gave you the orders?" Abel asked.

    "IT WAS SOMEONE WHO CALLED HIMSELF 10TH." One of the shadow walkers spouted as soon as he was given the chance to, with the other speaking immediately after.

    "YEAH, HE ALSO CALLED HIMSELF ''THE MECHANICAL GOD''. WE MET HIM IN TECHONIA. WE SWEAR WE DON''T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE. PLEASE LET US GO, WE WILL LEAVE THIS PLACE, NO, WE WILL LEAVE THIS PLANET ALTOGETHER."

    The shadow walkers were obviously eager to save their lives, in exchange for information. But they only knew so much since that man only gave them the Seed.

    And they, themselves didn''t ask for much information since to shadow walkers, the knowledge of the Seed doesn''t exist. They thought of this as a prank.

    "Yeah, go ahead. Leave." Abel said calmly and the Shadow Walkers disappeared almost instantly.

    "Uhh.. Is it good to let them go?" Austin asked, unable to comprehend the fact that they just let the shadow walkers leave. "What if they come back for revenge?"

    "Those walkers and revenge?" Eluya and Abel almost laughed.

    "As long as you give the shadow walkers enough pain, they won''t even dare look at you again. Let alone plan revenge." Abel clarified, since that is the best way to deal with the Shadow walkers.

    "I.. I see. You two have more experience so that must be true." Austin believed their words, since the shadow walkers seemed like pretty simple creatures.

    ..........

    12:00 pm

    The rest of the event concluded without any further issues.

    "Thank you, both of you." Austin thanked both Abel and Eluya. Rina was standing beside him but she was a little too confused to comment, afterall the Crown Prince doesn''t just thank detectives out of place, even if they are in the Top100.

    Iliana was also confused. But she didn''t question Abel or Eluya in front of the Crown Prince.

    ''I can''t seem to remember Osma ever coming back with a report.'' Austin thought, since it was a bit odd for Osma to not carry out his command.

    <u>IT HAPPENED AGAIN.</u>

    Rina''s veins popped up in her head as emotions disappeared in her eyes. The first one to notice the change was Eluya, who looked at Rina and caught her before she fell on the ground.

    "Hey, Lady Rina!" Eluya spoke loudly.

    "Medical Emergency!" Austin shouted trying to get the attention of the medical personnel on standby.

    But it became apparent that no amount of medicine will help Rina. The ''Seed of Doom'', this time it appeared on her chest.

    The Seed was now bigger than ever before, it was spreading all over her body via the spot.

    ''This shouldn''t be happening.. Rina.. Rina..'' Austin gritted his teeth before he grabbed the pen in his hand, aiming for his own neck.

    ''It will be fine if I regress, right?'' He thought, as he was about to push the pen into his neck.

    Just then, Osma came out from the shadows. And thrusted her blade in Austin''s arm and throat. It wasn''t a strike meant for the kill, only making Austin unable to die this being unable to activate his regression ability.

    ''She was in the shadows?!'' Abel was surprised as he didn''t even notice the presence in the shadows.

    "You won''t be regressing again, Your Highness.. Not again." Osma spoke clearly, clear enough for people around them to hear.

    ''Austin needs to die to regress.'' Abel and Eluya thought to themselves before looking at Austin, as they were about to draw their weapons.

    The sky was showing the signs of breaks as the descent of Rudandon can happen at any moment.

    "Ah, it seems that I won''t be able to stop you two, 5th.. 6th. But don''t worry, we''ll meet again anyways." Osma spoke.

    The way she spoke, the names she used were all not something Osma used.

    Which is why Eluya stopped midway, but Abel didn''t as his blade cut through Osma''s blade and ended the life of Austin.

    Then the black mist gushed out of Austin''s dead body, covering the entire world.

    During the final moments, Eluya spoke. "So you were alive and well, 10th.."

    "Aww, do you still remember this fucker? Don''t worry. I''m not him but I do have his memories.. And I am in the regression cycle too." Osma- no, the being in possession of Osma for now, smiled sadistically as everything phased out.

    ..........

    10:00 am

    Iliana glanced at Eluya, who stopped getting out of the car with just one leg out. Her tears confused her and more than it worried her.

    "Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?" Iliana spoke as she helped Eluya step out of the car and wipe off her tears.

    "Nothing.. I just remembered something important." Eluya spoke as she wiped the tears off her face and smiled.

    "If it''s eating away at you, then you can speak." Iliana smiled, rubbing Eluya''s back to comfort her.

    ''This is gonna be a problem.'' Abel thought to himself while wiping the tears from Eluya''s eyes.

    Then suddenly a black mist covered the world again, it was the same as the time when Austin regressed.

    The day began once again.

    ''This is going to be complex.'' Eluya thought as the time had returned to when she just stepped out of the car.

    The world got covered in black mist again. Austin had regressed twice in less than an hour, which meant that 10th who was clearly possessed by something was using Osma''s body to kill Austin over and over again.

    "At this point, Only Austin can help himself. We are not fast enough and even if we somehow save him, we will have to expose our identity." Abel spoke as he helped Eluya step out of the car before the black mist reverted to the moment Abel stepped out of the car again.

    ...........

    "It''s so much fun!?" Osma smiled while killing Austin over and over and over and over.

    Though regressors cannot be killed by normal means, they can be neutralised as long as you break their mind. This was the knowledge that 10th had access to.

    10th of the Numbered Vampires, who went missing over a century ago. Currently his body and mind were being possessed by an Evil God. One that refers to itself as ''The Mechanical God''.

    With the knowledge and powers of 10th, he had mind controlled Osma. He watched Austin regress back, trying his best to save Rina.

    Though he wanted to see this show until Austin eventually lost his will to live, Abel and Eluya solved the problem by torturing and banishing the Shadow Walkers who were going to plant the seed in Rina.

    So in the end, he had to step up himself. To break Austin''s mind bit-by-bit.

    ''Just do this once more.. For me, for everyone.'' Rina''s optimistic words of the past melted into Austin''s ears as he tried his best to not be killed by Osma.

    But the experience of a Numbered alongside the enhancements of an Evil God, made it so that he couldn''t defeat her even if he could regress.

    It was a losing battle, he only held hope as he died again and again. Hoping that he will survive at least once.. That he will get to see Rina once again.

    But that dream and hope were slowly dying.

    Slowly..

    Painfully..

    Sometimes, THEY used Osma''s dagger to split open his stomach, sometimes THEY watched Austin''s intestines leak out from his guts.

    Some other times, THEY lodged a dagger in Austin''s ear and wiggling it to slowly poke his brain to death.

    Every painful death, ranging from pulling out his spines to cutting off his fingers, toes, eyes, reproductive organs. There wasn''t an end to THEIR tortures, attempts to break Austin''s mind.

    THEY were killing Austin in ways considered inhumane, prolonging his suffering just enough that Abel and Eluya don''t reach their location without exposing their identities.

    ''This is impossible..'' The thought stuck in Austin''s mind as he died again and again. Every consecutive death, more gruesome, sometimes THEY did dial back on the pain, only to increase it further.

    But during the 1212th cycle, he heard Rina''s voice in his mind again.

    ''My Love.. Just hold on a bit longer. I will save you.''

    Rina had never spoken these exact words to Austin, not even anything close.

    ''I can try.. I can still die a lot more.'' Austin thought as the cycle of regression continues, he suffers a bit. By now, he started biting his tongue hard enough to die of blood loss before the pain kills him, relieving himself of some of the pain as he holds his sanity just a bit longer.

    His hope, alive on the fact that he could hear Rina''s voice at every death. It wasn''t an illusion, he knew it from the very bottom of her heart. Rina was doing something.. something..

 Chapter 40: Seed of Doom

    1313th Cycle

    To Iliana''s surprise, Eluya stepped out of the car and kissed Abel out of the blue.

    "What have you done?" Abel said to Eluya as his whole body refused to listen to him, after the unexpected kiss from Eluya.

    "Our bodies resets at every one of Austin''s deaths, right? Let me take advantage of it." Eluya chuckled as her Divine Blood Art seems to be forcing Abel to act against his will.

    Under the influence of the skill, Abel walked to Iliana and kissed her. Iliana, though initially taken aback, eventually leaned into it, enjoying it despite how sudden it was.

    "Hey, I don''t mind this but be gentle." Iliana whispered during the rough kiss. Although she preferred to keep their relationship hidden from the public, the opposite was just as acceptable to her.

    And just as the small spell from Eluya broke off, Abel pulled away from the kiss. His face flushed red from embarrassment.

    "Could''ve been more memorable.." Abel spoke as the Black Mist enveloped the world, and the day reset once more.

    1314th Cycle,

    "Abel, why are you not helping out Eluya?" Iliana asked, confused as to why Abel helped her get out of the car but he didn''t even look Eluya in the eyes.

    To her, it was that they were talking and laughing during the journey and now, Abel was somewhat angry at Eluya.

    "I''m not forgiving her." Abel said calmly as he held Ellen, who jumped from Eluya''s arms into his.

    "Oh don''t worry, Iliana. It''s nothing." Eluya said with a smile, which Iliana interpreted as Eluya''s way to tell that she was in the mood for mischief.

    But to her surprise, Eluya didn''t do anything to annoy Abel like usual, instead she kissed him.

    "Let us do it again.. A few more times..." Eluya whispered as she pulled away from the kiss, a thin string of saliva lingering between their lips.

    Iliana was even more surprised when Abel did the same to her. She didn''t resist either.

    "Be a bit gentle. I''m not leaving or anything." Iliana spoke softly as Abel pulled away from the kiss, his face flushed bright red.

    Then came the next cycle,

    Eluya continued this little act until Iliana''s soul was resistant to the cycles of Regression, which took a meagre five cycles.

    And as the memories of what Eluya had done returned, Iliana did not want to forgive Eluya either.

    Leaving only little Ellen to wonder, why were her Mama #2 and Savior angry with her Mama #1?

    "Meow?" Ellen exclaimed, bewildered by the strange sight as the day reset once more.

    ..........

    In an infinite dimension that was transparent and still in every direction, Horizons expanded to infinity and more. The Sky was shining despite the absence of Sun or any stars at all, the clouds were present but not a single drop of water or air.

    In this very plane, a woman was laying on the reflective ground. Her serene and exquisitely beautiful face was like a gem in the vast empty plains.

    She didn''t have a single scar on her body yet she seemed to be writhing in pain. And as she suffered, the transparent dimension turned a little red only to return to its original state.

    This world was affected by her emotions yet it affected her as well, stabilising her every time she was on the verge of breaking down.

    "Austin.. Austin.." She mumbles his name, grabbing her dress as if it was a shackle binding her, restricting her from saving her beloved from the fate of being killed over and over again.

    "My Love.. Just hold on a bit longer. I will save you." She said as a lone tear slid down her cheek.

    And as the tear fell on the transparent ground, she slowly opened her eyes. Her consciousness was now in a place that was not affected neither by the linear flow of time nor the resetting days of her beloved regressor.

    "Where am I?" Rina asked but the world remained silent, leaving her, the only resident of this world to ponder where she was and why she was here.

    And just as she stood up, from the ground came out a seed. The Seed had an immaculate pattern which was aggressive, complete contrast to the peaceful world she was in.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "Do you.. accept me..?" The Seed groaned, its words barely coherent.

    "How can I accept something I don''t have the faintest idea about?" Rina said calmly.

    After all, remaining calm was the best thing she could do.

    "Fair enough.." The seed replied as its voice was getting more and more coherent.

    Just then, a faint sound of Austin''s screams of agony filled the realm.

    "Austin!" Rina screamed as she ran around to find the source of the screams but she couldn''t find anything even remotely close to Austin in the vast plain.

    "He is not here.." The seed spoke as the screams of Austin were replaced by the dead silence once again.

    "You''ve had the same reaction a thousand times already.." The seed said, which took Rina by surprise as she didn''t remember the other times.

    Just then, the memories of the ''other'' times returned to her.

    The guiding of the seed, Austin''s sacrifice for her, the memory loss she suffered every time she tried to overcome the boundaries of time.

    "Let me attempt it again.." Rina asked the seed.

    "Mmm.. It is my duty to mention that if you lose yourself during the sprouting, you may die. It''s only a miracle that you have survived after failing a thousand times." The seed warned her calmly before it fell silent.

    The pattern of ''Doom, which was imprinted upon it, twisted and turned to make a handprint.

    Rina knew what she had to do. She has been doing this and failing for a thousand times now but Austin has died almost three times as much as her. His screams were inside her head, her yearning to not hear him suffer was even stronger than before.

    The seed mentioned that even if she sprouts the seed, it is not a guarantee that she can save her beloved regressor.

    "But this is the best chance I have." She said to herself before she put her hands on the handprint.

    For a moment, it felt like nothing happened. But just then, a red wave that painted the Horizons red rushed towards Rina.

    It was like this every time she tried, if she didn''t manage to sprout the ''Seed of Doom'', she may die and lose her soul and with that, her chances of saving her beloved.

    ''No.. I won''t lose this time.'' Rina said calmly as she focused on the seed.

    The method to sprout the seed was not clear when she first started but since then she tried many, many things and now she knows.

    The Seed sprouts not on emotions like love or hatred nor does it sprout on emotions like despair or fear. The seed sprouts using the primal form of the purest emotions in a person''s soul.

    And as Rina focused on that very emotion inside her, she saw the seed trying to sprout, but she lost focus, and the seed closed back up.

    "Well, I need to work on my focus now." Rina said with a smile, as she saw the red wave approaching her. It won''t be long before it hits her.

    "So the emotion I should focus on is -"

    ��Crunch

    Her body crumbled beneath the pressure of the waves before she could recite the primal feeling that was in its purest form within her.

    Then she tried to improve her focus, but she ended up dying again and again.

    The seed almost always nearly sprouted before closing again. She knew what the feeling she needed to focus on was and what level of focus she needed to have. But even after all the attempts, she was failing. And just as she was failing, Austin was dying.

    In the beginning he only died two to three times per reset for her but now the number has increased to tens of deaths per reset that Rina faces.

    "Why?! WHY AM I NOT ABLE AFTER KNOWING WHAT THAT PRIMAL FEELING IS?!" She shouted into thin air as this was now the 1700th time she was trying but it didn''t look like the seed was sprouting.

    "I know what that feeling is.. I want to do all I can for my beloved Austin so let me do it for him." She screamed at the seed as the Red wave was about to crash into her again.

    But as she let out that pure yearning in her, the red wave stopped. No, it started receding.

    The red wave receded until the horizon became clear.

    "V..E..R..Y.. G..OO..D." A voice resonated through the space as the seed sprouted but not into a sapling as it had promised her before, but into a flower.

    "A flower?" Rina was surprised but as she reached out to touch the flower, the thorns of the flower extended to pierce into Rina''s skin and through those piercings, the flower began expanding its roots inside her.

    Rina screamed in pain as the flower soaked up the essence of her soul.

    "I... need blood." A mouth appeared on the flower as it spoke.

    "I''m only a soul here.. You''ll get my blood after I save Austin." Rina, who had abandoned the regal tone and was speaking much harshly now.

    "I see." The flower was smiling with the dirty mouth it had.

    The pain became even more unbearable for Rina as her soul was changing and not just her soul, she could feel the pain of her physical body changing too.

    "You are trying to take over my body.. I won''t let you, Austin likes that body." Rina said, her greed for everything that Austin likes was now the only emotion that was flowing in her body.

    She had been focusing on the same emotion for over seven thousand days worth of resets. It would be even surprising if it didn''t change her.

    And the flower smiled as it saw this, it understood exactly why this woman had skipped the ''sapling'' stage and moved directly to the ''flower''.

    "I commend thee. You who are chosen." The flower said, laughing as it was absorbed into Rina''s soul.

    Feeling exhausted, Rina fell down and as she looked at the reflecting ground, she saw her new appearance. Purple flowers grew out of her body and dried up, falling on the ground as seed.

    Then those seeds germinated and slowly the entire plane was filled with these small violent flowers. Each flower was supplying energy to Rina, aiming to corrupt her but Rina, whose body and soul had been modified by the flower that grew out of the ''Seed of Doom'' laughed it off.

    She slowly stood up from the ground and looked at her hands, which were also sprouting the flowers.

    "I must control this before I save Austin. Wouldn''t want to destroy the very empire he wants to rule.." Rina smiled as she took a deep breath before she tried to control this newfound strength.

    She needed to master this quickly before Austin died more.

    "My Love, Just a few more days.. Please just stay there for a few days." Rina prayed that her words reach Austin and he stays sane till she learns how to control her powers.

    ......

    12,356th Cycle for Austin

    He screamed in pain as Osma''s blade tore off his left hand completely. No matter how much he tried to block or parry Osma''s attacks, he couldn''t do it.

    "It''s foolish, boy. Just give up.." THEY, who were controlling Osma, spoke.

    "Never.. I will be saved." Austin smiled as Rina''s words melted into his ears. He was sure that she was doing something, he just couldn''t make out what.

    But this very thing gave him hope.

    Hope, that he can maintain his sanity through the pain of death just a few more times.

 Chapter 41: Doom Flower

    "Attention!" A bearded man dressed in a Blue and Black Military Outfit, shouted at the young man in front of him, training him in the Military Arts.

    "Sir! Yes, Sir!" The young man replied.

    "Cadet Austin, you have successfully completed your military deployment of 6 years. From this day onward, you are recognised as a respected member of the Royal Family of Garharia." The bearded man smiled as he put one last badge on Austin''s uniform.

    Then both of them saluted each other and each went their way.

    ..........

    Night of 17th of August 2015,

    "So you have finally turned 18? Good for you.. Good for you." Rina Demia, who was still 17 at that time, was Austin''s drinking buddy.

    Her father, Lorenz Demia, is the leader of the Democratic Party of Hurlan and its current president. In almost every one of Empire''s events, The Emperor of Garharia sends a personal letter to Lorenz. Though the rest of the parties of Hurlan like Socialist, Communist, Republican, etc. are also invited but Lorenz is always there at every occasion. One might even say, they have a good relationship.

    Meanwhile, Austin and Rina chugged glasses after glasses of wine, they were getting tipsy.

    "Couldn''t we wait hic till I was legal too?" Rina said while the hiccups took away from her enjoyment of the good wine that Austin got a birthday gift.

    "Blame your father.. He hic was the one who gifted me this hic wine bottle." Austin said as they finished the entire wine bottle in one sitting.

    "Hmm, this goes hard.. I didn''t know my father had such a refined taste." Rina said while chuckling like a drunken mess.

    "Isn''t your father gonna be worried about your whereabouts?" Austin asked, after all they have been drinking buddies for a few years now.

    "No, he won''t. I asked my maid, Sisse to pose as me and retreat back to my room.. They won''t know." Rina said with a few more chuckles.

    "Being your drinking buddy was the best decision of my life. It''s so much fun, so much better than drinking alone!" Rina shouted in joy as she raised her wine glass to the sky.

    Her shouts were muffled by the Birthday Party downstairs, where all the elderly people were now drinking their hearts away.

    ..........

    Early morning on the 18th of August, 2015

    Rina and Austin had too much last night and were passed out on his bed.

    When Rina opened her eyes and slowly sat up, she noticed her lack of clothes. Then her attention went to Austin who was in a similar situation, laying beside her on the bed.

    Then the memories of what they did last night returned to her.

    They were drunk, too drunk and under the influence, they had overstepped a boundary. A boundary neither of them ever wished to cross.

    Feeling ashamed of herself, Rina got up from the bed and tried to stand up but her legs trembled, another result of what happened last night.

    The smell of the residues of their intercourse made her minds wander off to remember how vulnerable she was and how unexpectedly pleasant it all was.

    But this was not the time to reminisce. She needed to leave his room and quickly at that. They could not be seen together, not like this.

    "I will need answers from you, Austin." Rina said to Austin who was still knocked out cold, as she quickly put on her garbs and went to her room.

    ..........

    For a few months after that incident, neither of them had any contact with each other. Austin was also avoiding Rina, out of guilt. But this enraged her even more.

    ''He should at least take responsibility..'' Rina was angry at how Austin was not only avoiding her calls and emails but also her formal letters.

    Meanwhile, Austin was scared as to how he will face Rina in a week. He was invited to her 18th birthday and he will have to face her.

    ''No, I can''t face her like this.. That wasn''t something I had planned. But I need to take responsibility.. Well she did inform me that there were no complications and I haven''t even responded to that.'' Austin was worried about how he will face Rina. Though trained and experienced in politics and warfare techniques, he wasn''t confident in dealing with something as fragile as a woman''s heart, especially one who expected answers and hasn''t gotten it for months.

    ..........

    Night of 16th of November, 2015

    "So, you finally wish to talk, Austin Ashiwal Garharia." Rina spoke sternly, her eyes burning with anger, on Austin who was taking a bite out of the biscuits sitting there.

    "I.. I am taking responsibility for my actions." Austin said calmly and seriously.

    "Hmm.. How though? If you suggest an engagement between us, it isn''t happening." Rina said, resting her chin on her wrist.

    "Huh? Why?" Austin asked, confused as to why she was now rejecting him after he was willing to take responsibility.

    "Two reasons.. Austin. First, I''m sad that the night wasn''t something I remembered clearly." Rina spoke with a smile, as Austin was slowly losing control over his body.

    "So, I drugged you today. Consider this ''revenge'' and I will take responsibility for what I am about to do to you." Rina chuckled.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "You.. You are crazy." Austin chuckled as he tried to stand up but the drug Rina used was too strong. "You mixed it in the wine so why are you not affected?"

    "Simple, really. I didn''t mix it in the wine.. It was in the biscuits you ate." Rina chuckled even more. It brought her delight to see her revenge plan working so well.

    "Don''t worry, did I not say that ''I will take responsibility''?"

    "I guess I should have expected some form of sabota��." Austin said before he was caught by Rina, just as he was about to fall.

    Unexpectedly the drug she used was very potent and precise.

    "The drug I used is an experiment.. It just took your control over your body, my dear. It is reversible.. I tested it on myself first since I can''t have you die on me." Rina explained with a sadistic look in her eyes.

    With whatever strength she could gather, she dragged Austin''s body to the bed and slowly removed his clothes. She made sure to put eye lubricants in Austin''s eyes so he could see all of this.

    As she slowly undressed herself and climbed on top of him, her villainous smile, which he had previously seen only when they were talking about politics.

    She was truly the worst when she wanted something. Her acts ranged from minor inconveniences to disrupt a person''s life to straight assassination threats.

    And Austin liked this about Rina, she was arrogant, egoistic, greedy yet she was honest. This was the first time she was deceiving somebody to his knowledge and somewhere inside, he was happy that he was the first one.

    First and the last subject of Rina''s new forms of revenge.

    Rina was making sure that he saw the way she used his body. She did it for hours upon hours until she was satisfied.

    She didn''t just stop at using his body either, she made sure to leave lipstick marks all over his chest and one inside his shirt.

    "This is the proof of my revenge. Frame it if you like, dear. Oh and do you remember that there are two reasons why you can''t take responsibility yet." Rina said calmly as she was sitting on top of him after the whole ordeal of making sure she remembered how it really felt.

    "The second reason is that you are not up there yet.. I will make sure that you become the crown prince first. Then I will accept your offer.. To become the next queen of Garharia. How does that sound to you?" Rina chuckled before shaking her head.

    "Oh, I forgot that you cannot move yet. Oh well, you see.." Rina teased as she rubbed her perineal region.

    "I was disappointed that nothing happened last night.. Maybe I''ll get a hostage against you." She laughed villainously. "Anyways, two months.. Give or take a few weeks.. I will make you the Crown Prince by then."

    "But you can sleep for now. I feel like I''ve been talking for hours non-stop. By now, even my melodious moans must bore you.. Good night, my love." Rina spoke with a soft, teasing voice as she closed his eyes, allowing him to rest, after all, Austin was spent too.

    ..........

    Present Day

    ''I remember like it was yesterday.. I know she always abides by her words..'' Austin smiled as he was about to die the 14,000th time, before he shouted.

    "It still fucking hurts. Do it faster." Austin shouted as the blade from Osma stabbed his vocal cords, killing him instantly.

    14,001th cycle

    "It''s done." Rina said to herself with a smile.

    The Doom Flower which was initially ugly and unrefined, had now turned into a Violet Rose, a power refined under half a year''s worth of practice. The transparent world that was her mind was also as pure as it was in the beginning, the corrupted flowers were no longer there.

    Even her own appearance, which when the flower germinated was more akin to a zombie whose body was being controlled by a flower, had now refined to an elegant look as only three flowers remained on her body. One on her forehead, one in the middle of her chest and one on her left thigh. The rest of the flowers became a silk garment for her, a symbol of her power, which she could retract and assert at any point now.

    And just as the day started for Austin, she returned into her original body.

    "No one is coming to save you, Austin~." THEY spoke while aiming THEIR blade at Austin''s heart.

    But before their blade could connect like the last 13,950 times, the blade stopped as it seemed to have hit a plant. The tree wasn''t even scratched by the hit.

    "Tsk.. What is this? What changed?" THEY were contemplating when suddenly Violet Roses started sprouting in the entire room, filling the room from the ceiling to the floor.

    "SHIT!" THEY shouted as THEY tried to run away but the Violet Roses on the ceiling exploded, exposing the room on the first floor.

    "You could''ve been less destructive." Austin said with a chuckle as he saw Rina, clad in a Rosen Silk, as three Violet roses protruded out of her body.

    "You can just pay for it, my love. You are the crown prince." Rina said with a smile as a whip made of the thorns, laced with the potential of ''Doom'' appeared in her hand.

    "True.. I could." Austin smiled as he remembered back the night after Rina drugged him.

    Back then, she was sad that she was unable to conceive but her promise to make Austin the crown prince held true.

    43 days after she promised, Austin''s Older Brother, gave up his position as the Crown Prince and lived a pretty normal life.

    Rina didn''t tell anyone what she did back then, but she had a very sad tone in the letter she wrote to Austin.

    ..........

    It''s with great pain I write to you, my beloved.

    Even after so many attempts to conceive your child that night, I was unable to do it.

    But on the bright side, We are only 18 so we can try again. And congratulations on becoming the crown prince.

    I''ll be waiting for my ring along with my well deserved kiss and dance. Mind you, I only like Waltz so it better be to that.

    With Love

    Rina Demia.

    ..........

    "It''s been 11 years.." Austin spoke in a low voice.

    "Add 7 months and 16 days too.. I''m sure I haven''t missed that day." Rina said with her lips curled up into a sadistic smile, as she whipped Osma, whose body was being controlled.

    Just then, silver cutlery like forks and knives flew at Osma, piercing into her skin.

    "Oh, it''s your detective friend, Abel." Rina commented calmly.

    "You know of him?" Austin asked as he joined Rina in hunting down Osma while Abel, Eluya were throwing knives and forks at her, slowing her down considerably.

    ..........

    "The knives and forks should not stop, fellow detectives. Show them what kind of tests we passed to become a detective." Morel shouted while laughing throwing 3-4 knives and forks with every throw.

    "Hey Kid, why are you not throwing?" Morel asked Abel, who wasn''t throwing anything while Eluya was throwing five at once.

    "Did you forget that I''m physically weak, Mr. Rank One?" Abel said with a chuckle, followed by Morel laughing.

    "Ah, I forgot you are only good in CQC." Morel laughed at his forgetfulness before he continued throwing.

    ..........

    ''Shit.. Shit.. How did that woman sprout the seed? No.. She isn''t at the level of a sapling. She is a refined flower!'' Osma gritted her teeth as she couldn''t even fly away due to the constant barrage of knives and forks.

    "I WILL GIVE UP CONTROL. BUT I WILL KILL YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY YOU DETECTIVES AND YOU, PROXY OF JUSTIFIA!" THEY shouted, releasing their control over Osma, causing her to fall freely toward the ground.

    "Everybody! STOP" Morel shouted to stop the detectives from throwing any more knives or forks.

    "Rina.. Catch her, don''t let her die." Austin said to Rina, as they were just floating overhead.

    "You worry too much, my love. She''s safe." Rina smiled, watching Osma fall down and it almost looked like Osma hit the pavement face-first. But a Violet Rose grew out of the ground and cushioned her fall.

    And upon seeing that Osma was safe, Rina looked at Austin and smiled. "I didn''t know you could fly?"

    "What can I say? Being the Apostle of Noganonozue has its perks. What about you?" Austin asked humorously as the two of them slowly descended down on the ground.

    "Me? I just sprouted the Seed of Doom and refined it into a Flower. Cool, right?" Rina asked as the flowers retracted back into her body, her yellow gown was visible once again.

    ..........

    Research Centre, Techonia

    In the middle of the research centre, there laid 10th, who was being controlled by the Mechanical God.

    "Shit.. I didn''t account for that woman sprouting and controlling the seed. This is bad.." The Mechanical God thought to himself before a thought came in his head.

    "Or maybe not." The Mechanical God laughed and the echoing laugh filled the hearts of the Citizens of Techonia with <u>fear.</u>

 Chapter 42: Aftermath

    17th of August, 2027

    Austin and Rina were sitting in a press conference, while Sisse was covering their eyes with an umbrella as the flashes from the cameras of the 47 news channels there were blinding.

    "Before everyone here starts asking questions, I want to announce something real quick." Austin spoke as he put his hands on the table, showing the ring on the camera.

    "I, Austin Ashiwal Garharia and Rina Demia, are engaged now."

    At Austin''s declaration, the room felt silent as both of the reporters present and the cameramen alike, had their jaws dropped as Rina pulled up her hand to show the ring in her hand.

    The reporters were startled as this wasn''t even remotely close to what they were expecting. They were here for answers, about the weird things that took place in the capital city yesterday, interrupting the Melobranch Detectives Banquet.

    "I understand that you all are shocked by this since this was supposed to be a questionnaire, but I would like you all to keep in mind, the fact that Rina Demia is my fiancee. You can ask your questions one by one as per the allotted orders and two questions per new branch." Austin commanded the reporters, keeping it straight forward. Both he and Rina were well versed on how to control the media but they only needed them to be calm and civil.

    The first reporter quickly stood up from the bench and posed a question to Rina. "Miss Rina, we have had reports from the Void Villages that the Worshippers of Rudandon are worshipping you like the second coming of their god, what would you like to say to them and to us, regarding this new gained status of yours?"

    "Well, I would like those worshippers to keep their thoughts to themselves. People are allowed to express their religion and faith freely but it shouldn''t disturb the lives of the everyday people. I am also aware that some of those worshippers are considered criminals, we will take appropriate action for that." Rina replied with a calm look, her eyes were still hidden behind the umbrella that Sisse was holding up.

    "My next question is to Your Highness, there were sightings of you floating in the air while clashing with what some people speculated to be ''your maid''. What would you like to say to those accusations?" The reporters asked, quickly noting everything he heard from Rina and Austin.

    "I would like to say, that I have previously been said to be blessed by Noganonozue, The Outer Entity of Regression. It''s that blessing." Austin answered short and crisp.

    And then the second reporter stood up, asking questions about the relationship between Rina and Austin.

    The third reporter proceeded to ask about the sudden nature of the revelation of their engagement and if it tied up with all the things that happened yesterday.

    All of the 47 reporters asked unique yet interesting questions, and they seemed satisfied with the answers they have. But these questions were only beating around the bush.

    Who cared if Austin and Rina had awakened as Apostles of the Outer Gods? They didn''t see or understand the truth.

    Though a few reporters did ask about Techonia''s situation of being completely isolated from the rest of the world, Rina and Austin could only reply with ''beat around the bush'' answers. They could not reveal the identity of the Mechanical God to them.

    And thus, the questionnaire ended. But before leaving, all of the reporters congratulated Austin on his 30th birthday and the engagement with Rina.

    ..........

    In Austin''s Private Room, Melobranch Hotel

    Abel, Eluya, and Iliana were sitting on one couch, while Rina and Austin were sitting on the other couch facing them.

    The ''atmosphere was stressed'' would be an understatement.

    Iliana was barely able to register that fact that she was in the same room with the future king and queen of Garharia. Rina was staring at Eluya, as If she had recognised her from somewhere.

    All of this, while Abel and Austin stared at each other.

    "Let''s deal with the minor things first.. Miss Iliana, why are you shivering?" Austin asked Iliana. An icebreaker to break the silence and start the exchange somewhere.

    "Oh! Uh.. I.. I just didn''t expect my colleagues to be acquainted with the future king and queen of Garharia." Iliana said calmly, constantly screaming inside as she couldn''t even believe that she was talking to the Crown Prince Austin.

    "Yes, while we are at it. Let''s hear these two as well." Abel said calmly, looking at the ongoing stare contest between Rina and Eluya with a confused look.

    "Austin.. Do you know who that woman is? Does she ring a bell?" Rina said, breaking the silence between her and Eluya.

    "No.. I don''t. Should I?" Austin asked calmly, as he didn''t really understand the point of Rina''s question.

    "Well, this woman.. Eluya or should I say Elaira, is a key figure in Elven History. She single-handedly stopped a war between Elves and Vampires by just three letters, mind you. She is practically a living legend.." Rina spoke with a heavy emphasis on the fact that Eluya was a legend.

    This took Austin and Iliana, by surprise. Both of whom were unaware of any such historical event.

    Seeing this, Rina sighed before she began speaking again. "I can understand that the Empire of Garharia doesn''t have good relations with Vampires but you can''t miss out on history. She stopped a war, one that could''ve led to destruction to at least half of the continent."

    "I wonder if I can fight her.. I am the Apostle of Rudandon now.." Rina said calmly, continuing to stare at Eluya, who didn''t bulge.

    "If I might say something, Miss Rina.. If you fight Eluya at your current strength, you will lose." Abel declared calmly, earning a laugh from Rina.

    "And why do you think that Mr. Abel?" Rina asked with a taunting laugh. "She''s just the High Priest of Justifia. In technicality, my position as an apostle is higher ranked than her."

    "Well, that might be true.. But you are just at the flower stage.. Maybe if you were a Tree, you''d have a chance. Maybe.. I''d still be unsure of your survival." Abel''s words took Rina by surprise. Not only did he have knowledge about the various stages of the Seed of Doom, he also knew what stage she was on.

    "And why would that be?" Rina asked, curious as to what makes him so sure about Eluya''s victory.

    "It''s simple really.. Given the correct circumstances, Eluya can kill a God by herself, you can''t." Abel said calmly, sending shivers down Rina''s spine.

    If what Abel said was true then Eluya wasn''t a normal High Priest by any means.

    "And what about you, Mr. Abel? I can see that your physical strength is much, much lower to Miss Eluya''s. Could I beat you in a 1v1?" Rina asked, since she couldn''t see anything too outstanding about Abel. To her heightened senses after reaching the flower stage, Abel looked significantly weaker.

    And to this, Eluya chuckled, breaking the silence. "You are too ambitious. Even if most of the Vampires, including the Numbered Ones, Abel would still win. You don''t hold a candle." Eluya said, proud to declare that she was much weaker than Abel in fight, despite having significant advantages in physical strength and having the long range advantage due to her Divine Blood Art being long range while Abel''s was short range.

    "Anyways, thank you for recognising me from back then. It''s been almost three centuries since I did that.. Besides Abel, only Farina was able to deduce that I was the one behind that incident. It makes you the third one person overall." Eluya complimented Rina, which took her by surprise.

    "T-thank you.. And you both have a lot of confidence in each other. Are you two married or something?" Rina asked, blushing a little as she seemed to have recognised how close they were.

    "Well, not yet. I would''ve married this man almost a century ago if he wasn''t so adamant on pushing it forward and now we have her. She''s included in this relationship too." Eluya said, pointing at Iliana, who hid her face while blushing.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    "That aside, Rina, May I ask why are you so adamant on fighting them?" Austin asked, as there has been a significant change in Rina''s personality ever since she awakened.

    "Oh, It''s just an itch in my brain. I want to see if they are really as worthy of your respect as you say. But it seems my concern is not required." Rina replied with a smile before she looked at Eluya.

    "Miss Eluya, I hope you don''t mind telling me more about the Numbered ones. Despite the Republic of Hurlan having good relations with the Covenants, we have never heard of the ''Numbered'' ones and it seems you will be the key factor." Rina spoke with a hint of respect for Eluya and Eluya reciprocated it, nodding at the request to entertain it later.

    "Small talks aside, Congratulations to both of you on successfully revealing your engagement to the world. I wish you two a happy married life that lasts until eternity." Abel wished from the bottom of his heart, his smile evident to his honest well wishes for them.

    "Now we should discuss Techonia and the so-called Mechanical God." Abel said as he cracked his knuckles.

    "You mentioned that the Mechanical God has taken over Techonia.. And as far as we are concerned, he has taken over 10th and most likely, he is the one who has captured 7th." Abel said, biting down on his tongue.

    "Yes, Osma was also captured but she seems to be completely oblivious to what she has done. She can''t return to duty until we are completely sure that she is out of the control of the Mechanical God." Rina said calmly, her gaze fell on Austin.

    "Abel.. Do you know what the Mechanical God is.." Austin asked, feeling uneasy at Abel''s reaction. His worry for his fellow numbered was obvious but his anger was something above that.

    "Yes.. Do any of you know about ''Evil Gods''?" Abel asked the four of them sitting there.

    ..........

    Outskirts of Void Village,

    "Omega, are you okay?" Beta asked Omega as the seven of them were transporting the criminals among the worshippers of Rudandon, who surprisingly turned themselves in after the little questionnaire by Rina.

    "Yes.. But everything is getting too complicated." Omega said with a sigh as everything was happening within any problem but at the same time, the situation was getting more and more complicated.

    ''Corps of Seven'' was originally a successive alias of ''The Six Heroes'', a legendary group of the past who hunted down the Demon Lords during the Great War. Corps of Seven is an elite group that was handpicked to be able to stand up against the Proxies.

    But the 2nd Proxy of Obrax, which the corps killed was considered weak. If they had to fight someone on the same level as Abel, the existence of which was only to Gamma and Omega, they would most certainly die.

    Even a possessed Arshawain was giving them problems, they all must have realised by now that they aren''t as invincible as they once thought themselves to be.

    Proxies are not the end.

    All seven of them knew, but despite the fact that they weren''t the strongest, they were still among the top 0.01% forces of this world.

    "Beta, write a letter to the Supreme Judge asking for an audience with him and The Emperor. Say that it''s from the seven of us." Omega ordered, sitting beside Arshawain in the truck.

    ...........

    Residence of Fourth Progenitor, Northern Forests

    "Oh, Lady Alice.. You are quite sweet." Rei spoke with a smile, caressing Alice''s back while she had her arms wrapped around him.

    "Well, who would''ve thought that the regressors cycle doesn''t affect our bodies either.. We went on 17 dates, drank enough wine to fill up half of an oak barrel. AND how can I forget about all the adventures we had." Alice said with a smile, nuzzling her face against his chest.

    "What do you say, Lord Rei? Is your doubt on our love gone?" Alice asked teasingly as she sat back up. To her, all the dates she had were enough of a proof but hearing him say it was still quite exhilarating.

    "Yes.. I love you, Alice." Rei said with a smile before Alice cupped his cheeks, biting his bottom lip to taste a drop of his blood.

    "I can never get down the high of hearing you say these magical words, Lord Rei. Though I advise you to speak those words very rarely, I don''t want to get used to it. I wanna keep this feeling secure." Alice spoke, licking the drop of his blood.

    "Anyways, it looks like the regressor has stopped dying. We should get up.. I''m expecting guests today." Alice spoke as she slowly stood up from the bed and the moment her feet touched the floor, her clothes climbed up her feet, covering her naked body in her exquisite dress almost immediately.

    "That Blood Art is quite useful, isn''t it?" Rei said with a chuckle as he got off the bed and surprisingly, his clothes did the same thing to him.

    "Oh, Lord Rei. I applied that ''art'' on you two.. We weren''t only exchanging love all this time." Alice spoke as she ran her fingers from his forehead to his chin, before teasingly pulling away and walking out of the room.

    ''I will wash the sheets then.'' Rei thought to himself as he picked up the sheets from the bed, but before he took it out to wash, he sniffed the sheets.

    "Lord Rei! No unnecessary sniffing please!" Alice teasingly scolded Rei from the hallways.

    "Don''t foresee my acts, Lady Alice. It''s a breach of privacy!" Rei replied with a blush before he quickly went to the bathroom to wash the sheets which had their smell all over it. His mind was wandering off when he was suddenly interrupted by Alice.

    "Lord Rei! Please don''t imagine me in strange scenarios!" Alice playfully shouted from the kitchen while Rei was washing the sheets. "And no pouting please, you are a grown man!"

    Rei pouted anyways as he continued to wash the sheets while Alice cooked.

    From the last 14,000 cycles which were equivalent to about 632 days worth of time, he had learned a lot about Alice and shared a lot of things with her too.

    He knew that she was a better cook than him, more dominant and aggressive. Alice also had a knack for foresight, she didn''t need to do any rituals to see into the future. Even for a deep foresight, the rituals she had to do are very trivial.

    And at the same time, Alice came to know a lot about Rei. He was a good presenter, he was kind, passionate yet very firm. He had a knack for the Sword, and was a lot better than her at it. It hurt her pride to see someone better than her in Swordsmanship but she gave him credit for it.

    Chronologically speaking, Rei was quite younger than her. While Alice was around the age of Primordials born during the Chaos Era, Rei didn''t come into existence until about 2100 years ago.

    ''It''s not like age matters after you are two thousand or more anyways.'' Both Rei and Alice agreed to this fact. Since they didn''t physically age a day after they turned 23 and chronological age doesn''t make sense for True Ageless Immortals like them.

    After a while, when Rei was done washing the sheets and clothes, he put them in a basket before walking out into the garden to let them dry in the sunlight.

    Alice was there in the garden when 14 came to report his team''s finding about the situation of Techonia and the disappearance of 7th.

    "Lady 4th, 10th of the Numbered reporting the findings of the scout team deployed to Techonia last week. We have lost contact from the team, the last message from them was that the city was empty." 14 spoke, while he was on his knees.

    It was 5th (Abel) that forced all of the Numbered to behave with Lady 4th a certain way. Though all of them were initially hesitant, they eventually did address Lady 4th while on one knee.

    "You may raise your head, Orion of the Blue Constellation. Call back any remaining scout teams deployed near Techonia immediately and send a message to my disciple Ab and Elaira of the Crystal Moon. Tell them all to gather here." Alice commanded 14th.

    "Yes, Lady 4th." Orion looked up and then his gaze fell on the man who was drying clothes in the garden.

    "Uhh.. Lady 4th. There is a strange man in your garden. Permission to approach?" 14 asked calmly as the man seemed a bit off here. In his entire life, he hasn''t seen anyone at Lady 4th''s residence, except Abel and Eluya who were the only one who had the right to stay here.

    "Permission denied. That man is Rei Magna. I am assuming that you must know something about that name." Lady 4th said with a calm look on her face.

    By the time 14th remembered the name and the history behind it, Rei had put up the clothes to dry and walked up to Alice.

    "Lady Alice, is this man the disciple you talked about?" Rei asked as he looked at the man, who looked at him dumbfounded and mesmerized.

    "No, Lord Rei. He is not.. Though he is one of the Numbered ones, 14 is his codename." Alice spoke to Rei in a very calm and ladylike manner but when she looked at 14th to speak to him, her tone was commanding.

    "14, greeting your elder is a common courtesy, is it not?"

    "Apologies for my insolent behaviour. I humbly greet the ''Hero of the Scarlet Eyes''. I, Orion of the Blue Constellation, am at your service." 14 formally greeted while he was still on his knees.

    "It seems I don''t need an introduction here.. It''s nice to meet you, Orion of the Blue Constellation." Rei said calmly as he noticed the sword around the waist of 14th.

    "It seems you are a swordsman too. Well, in case you ever want to train, you can come to me." Rei said calmly, but his words weren''t relieving 14 of any pressure as 14 felt like he was face to face with a god.

    He was used to the sheer pressure of Lady 4th, who was usually very calm and didn''t feel as threatening but Rei didn''t have that control. Just being near him, was like being in the presence of a God.

    "Lord Rei, you must learn to control the pressure you command on people around you. This one is very sensitive." Alice spoke to Rei, sighing before she looked at 14.

    "How is the ''Questline of 81'' proceeding, 14?" Lady 4th asked with a curious tone, while Rei took a few steps back, relieving 14th of the gargantuan presence he was emitting.

    "It''s been going along well thanks to your guidance, Lady 4th. I''ve recently completed the Quest 9." 14 said calmly when Lady 4th suddenly gave him a small piece of paper.

    "You are moving at a decent pace, considering that those quests are supposed to be hard. Each one of them would require an entire Elite Squad, at the very least.. The quests will only get harder. Consult that piece of paper when you are clueless about what to do in a quest." Lady 4th said calmly before dismissing 14th with a wave of her hand.

    14 thanked Lady 4th before he quickly left the residence.

    "Lady Alice.. You don''t look fine," Rei said calmly, then he caught Alice, who looked like she was about to fall. "Lady Alice! What happened?"

    "It''s strange. I can''t foresee what''s happening to the scout team sent inside Techonia. It means.." Alice bit her lips as she couldn''t finish her words.

    "They are either dead or we are dealing with something whose existence is on par with the Gods." Rei finished her words, his expression turned to concern as neither of those conditions were good.

    ..........

    Techonia Research Centre,

    "Aww! Is someone scared?" The Mechanical God, which had possessed 10th spoke to the chained vampire.

    "You.. YOU!" The chained vampire lashed with anger but was held back by the pure Argentite Steel chains.

    "Oh, 7th.. My precious senior, please calm do��.. wn." Before THEY could finish THEIR words, 7th spat on THEIR face.

    "Where have you taken those scouts! I swear on the Roots, I will tear you into pieces the moment I get out of these chains." 7 spoke with sheer hatred in his voice aimed at the being possessing the body of 10th.

    "And this is exactly why you won''t get out of chains. My plans in Melobranch might have failed but I won''t fail here, not in Techonia." THEY spoke before walking away from 7th.

    "No matter how much you struggle, 5th will kill you. No matter what you are, he will.." 7''s words stopped THEM, making THEM look back at him.

    "We will see, but for now, everyone here is useless." THEY said before they left.

    <u>The Gears of the Research Centre were spinning.</u>

    <u>Dgkqfzkq</u>

 NOTICE: End of the 1st Volume

    Greetings to my fellow readers,

    Well, with chapter 42 ends the first volume of my novel. I hope you all are enjoying this with me as I am having fun writing this.

    If you are curious about the 2nd volume, then I will release that after two weeks. I want to rest a bit, if you don''t mind.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Anyways, enough ranting. I will be back with new chapters in two weeks.

    I hope you have fun finding and solving all the Easter eggs in my novels. I specifically hid a few of them, even from people close to me.

    Toodles!

 Vol2 Ch43: Impending Declaration of War

    EIA Detective Agency, Northern District, Luminae

    "Don''t you think we are being too needy, my love?" Rina asked Austin, while sucking her thumb.

    "Maybe.. maybe not. But we do need this. Those deaths weren''t easy for either of us," Austin replied, sucking his thumb just like Rina.

    Both of them were in Eluya''s room, resting their head on her lap as she ran her hands through their hair.

    "You two behave like little kids.. So cute," Eluya caressed their heads. Her maternal instincts combined with her therapeutic factor of Divine Blood Art, makes her a perfect therapist for Rina and Austin, who have trauma from the constant deaths.

    "And there is no one better than me at this. Don''t you think so too, Abel?" Eluya asked Abel who was sitting on the ground with Iliana hugging him tightly from behind.

    "Yes.. You are a good therapist, no one would say otherwise," Abel replied while sighing. "But you do need to think about people around you. Iliana went through unnecessary reliving of the same day."

    Iliana nodded at Abel''s words, sobbing while her face was pressed against his back.

    "I hate you, Eluya... I hate you so much.." Iliana spoke, her voice muffled by her constant sobbing.

    "I didn''t expect us to regress 14,000 times, though," Eluya murmured, bracing herself. Abel fixed her with a judgmental stare.

    "Okay, my fault.. But I''m trying my best to mend things," Eluya spoke in retaliation to Abel''s judgmental stare. "I''ll try to fix my relationship with Iliana too.. Just give me some time."

    "Miss Eluya, If you don''t mind me asking. Why are you and Abel, not affected by the regressions?" Austin asked as he slowly opened his eyes to ask the question.

    "Short answer, We have suffered worse. Long answer, Abel likely has a death count of god-knows-what and I''ve suffered a similar fate through his hands," As Eluya spoke those words, Rina and Austin looked at Abel as if he was some kind of monster to even hurt someone as kind as Eluya. "But he is the reason I am not a puppet for some random person. So I don''t mind."

    "I''m curious. Just what kind of past did you two have?" Rina questioned their past, wanting to know it. Her fingers involuntarily circling around Eluya''s thighs, without any reaction from her.

    "I''m interested too," Iliana spoke as she finally looked up from Abel''s back. "Maybe I''ll hate you a bit less if you tell us."

    "Okay.. If that''s what you wish to hear," Eluya looked at Abel, who nodded, allowing her to discuss the past.

    "Well, this story dates back to almost 250 years. It was a few months after Abel was recognised as the Numbered one," Eluya explained while scratching Austin and Rina''s head. "The Numbered ones are basically a group chosen by the Primordial Roots, the Birth Giver of Progenitors and by extension, the entire vampire race."

    "I will not focus on the politics of that outrageous position being given to Abel, but I wanted his recognition since I was a dumb girl, high on fame, and wanted to be recognised by him. I can''t tell you how much it hurt me back then to see that he didn''t even look me in the eyes, let alone see me as a woman."

    "And we fought.. or should I say, I raised my weapon against him while he chose to disarm me, at most. I only had the blessing from Phamis back then so I had no way to stand up against his Divine Blood Art."

    "And I chased him around the forest and fought him for multiple months. Fortunately, Lady 4th always oversaw the fights so I never died since Abel always left me at death''s door, enough to heal back to full health in about a week''s time, even with my significant regeneration capabilities. During those fights, I awakened my Divine Blood Art, transcending the blessings by the sheer stubbornness of wanting his recognition."

    "At some point, I forgot that I wanted him to recognise me as a woman and just wanted to be recognised as someone he could look in the eyes. And after around 3 months of constant fights, I didn''t win but the Primordial Roots recognised me as a Numbered. And that was the first time he looked me in the eyes."

    Eluya sighed as she finished the story. "You don''t realise how hard I fell when this guy just looked me in the eyes and smiled.. He spoke in a sweet tone and said ''Welcome''."

    "That''s when I knew I had to keep this guy, all to myself," Eluya said with a smile before looking at Iliana, who was shocked at hearing all of this. "And we met Iliana a few years ago, she knows most of our story except the very gruesome part. And she''s in this with me."

    "I know that story, yet it still amazes me every time. It sounds like a very complicated relationship," Iliana said, as she finally stopped sobbing. She could physically feel her depression being absorbed by Abel and pleasant thoughts surfacing her mind due to Eluya.

    "Wow, that''s some serious stuff," Rina said with a smile, twirling her fingers around Eluya''s hair, who didn''t seem to mind Rina. "And your hair is so silky. What shampoo and conditioner do you use, Miss Eluya?"

    Eluya chuckled at Rina''s compliment before replying. "Thank you, Rina! I use the blood of the sinners."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Eh?" Austin and Rina muttered, dumbfounded by Eluya''s warm reply.

    "Yeah, she is telling the truth," Abel supported Eluya''s claim. "In fact, she would do that everyday if she could find them."

    "Yeah.. You two, are the Proxy and High Priest of Justifia for a reason," Austin replied with a sigh.

    ..........

    Emperor''s Castle, Melobranch

    "Did those children really run away?" Zandre Ashiwal Garharia XIII, the 53rd Emperor of Garharia, asked Gerald and Lorenz about the letter.

    "Seems like it.. These two haven''t really been ''subtle'' ever since the engagement was made public. What will we do with them?" Lorenz mumbled before both him and Zandre turned to Gerald.

    "Why are you looking at me? How would I bring them back?" Gerald said with a calm tone.

    "You can''t bring them back, we know that. But their letter gave just one hint to where they went and that''s the Proxy of Justifia." Zandre said calmly, thinking that Gerald will have an idea on where to look for them.

    "If that is the case.. then I can''t help you, no matter how much I want to. They are at the safest location if they are with him." Gerald said calmly, earning a sigh from both Lorenz and Zandre.

    "So we can''t find them? You won''t tell us their location?" Lorenz asked Gerald only for Gerald to shake his head. "And to think that the Republic of Hurlan has a good relationship with the Vampires, yet I''ve never met the Proxy of Justifia."

    "To be very honest, My senior does not like to involve himself in politics or religion, since you already know how overwhelming the Worshippers of Justifia are. So most followers would kill just to see the Enforcer of their God''s will and he doesn''t want that." Gerald said calmly, looking at Zandre, whose incapability to remove the stigma against vampires.

    Zandre sighed, feeling pressured by Gerald''s look. "Look, it''s not my fault that the previous emperors had something against the vampires and the stigma is continuing. We made the laws as unbiased as possible but it''s impossible to force people and the jury to be impartial."

    "And that''s exactly why I''m suggesting to dissolve the jury system and establish a Judge system to impart unbiased sentences in court. That''s how each and every major country works except the ''Nation of Berserkers'' and ''Empire of Garharia'', Emperor," Gerald pointed out calmly, as since the dissolution of Luminae''s Jury system and establishment of Judge system, Luminae''s courts have gone much smoother and in Gerald''s own observations, which he took for a week, lead him to a conclusion that Judges are more respected and the judges he trained under his presence are truly impartial.

    "I understand but we cannot make a decision of this magnitude so suddenly. Luminae was a special case as it was deemed by the ''Corps'' to be corrupt, of which you found clear proof of," Zandre said before sighing as the room fell silent.

    "I feel like we can make this a debate that can go on for weeks," Lorenz broke the silence before diverting the attention to the missing Crown Prince and Rina. "So can we not find Austin and Rina?"

    "You can, but I won''t advise you to allocate resources to look for them. Little Austin and Rina are now Apostles of the Outer Gods, and they are in the presence of my Seniors, The Proxy and 1st High Priest of Justifia.. They are as safe as anyone can be." Gerald put heavy emphasis on their safety since that''s exactly what this meeting was.

    It wasn''t a ruler worried about his successor or a Political leader worried about the safety of his Second-in-command, it was two fathers worried about their children who ran away from home, though not permanently but without any intentions to come back soon.

    Zandre and Lorenz just sighed, since Gerald wasn''t giving them the location and rightfully so, since that would compromise the location of many key figures of the Religions of this world.

    If people even had a hint on where to find two Apostles, a Proxy and a High Priest, they would swarm the entire city just to see their faces. This can get even worse when taken into account that these people are hiding their real identity.

    ..........

    Back at EIA Detective Agency,

    "So you are really leaving?" Eluya asked Abel, who was ready to leave for the ''Palace of Xarbo''.

    Even now, Austin and Rina were sleeping in her lap while Iliana was hugging her from behind while sleeping.

    "Yes, as you might know.. This meeting between us Proxies is important. Not only do we have to welcome the 3rd Proxy of Obrax, but also the meeting is important," Abel said calmly, as he was dressed in an Armor, made of darkness, a subskill of his Divine Blood Art.

    "Palace of Xarbo?" Eluya questioned the place of meeting.

    "Yes," Abel replied with a nod. "There is no better place for a meeting than the Head Palace of the Mermor, The Palace of Xarbo. The residence of the Leader of the Mermor Tribe, the 1st Proxy of Xarbo, Olivia."

    Abel looked at Eluya with a smile, waving her goodbye while the other three slept like kids.

    ..........

    Iron Wolves Covenant, situated a few kilometres east from Lady 4th''s residence was in a stressed situation.

    They had just received orders from the 13th, the Acting Matriarch of the Covenant, to gather as many of their wanderers as possible within a month.

    Meanwhile in the office of the Matriarch,

    "Yo, 13.. Long time no see," 14 said calmly as 13 got up from her chair and shoved a bunch of letters in 14''s hand. "What''s this?"

    "Letters you have to deliver to all the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of other covenants. We are officially at war," 13 said with a tired expression. From her appearance it didn''t look like she had the chance to sleep for a week.

    "I will but you should go and rest though. It''s important to keep your health in check, you are only the Acting Matriarch," 14 said with a worried expression.

    13 sighed as she walked to the chair, sitting down before covering her face with a book. "It''s so tiring.. When will the next Matriarch be appointed?! I wanna go back to being a wanderer and see the world! I wonder what 5th and 6th are doing.." She mumbled.

    "Better than you, who chose to become the acting Matriarch of the Iron Wolves Covenant.." 14 complimented her choice sarcastically. "Anyways, if you successfully train a Matriarch or a Patriarch after this situation, maybe you can join us again as a Numbered."

    "Leave if you are only here to tease me.. I don''t want to talk," 13 said before she fell asleep almost immediately.

    14 sighed, seeing 13 falling asleep so easily. "Alright." He mumbled before he quietly left her office.

    As per the Rules for Numbered that were set up by Lady 4th and 5th, Numbered will lose their status if they inherit the position of a Matriarch or Patriarch, but 13 didn''t lose her status as she was only the Acting Matriarch of the Iron Covenant.

    And having one more person with authority on the eventual battlefield that Techonia will be does not hurt at all.

    "Today is 23 August, right? So one month and the travel time means... 25 September.. That''s the day we will have to fight in Techonia," 14 mumbled as he began making his way to the Red Iron Covenant to deliver the letters. "I should quickly complete one or two quests when I''m free.. We need as much firepower as possible."

    Though he didn''t know the specifics, the Iron Wolves are only mobilised when Lady 4th issues orders and if her order is a War against Techonia, then it''s not simple.

    There will be bloodshed.

 Vol2 Ch44: Council of Proxies (1)

    Abraxas reached the Palace of Xarbo after a three day journey from Luminae to the Southern Ocean that separates the mainland Empire from Void Villages and acted as the residence of the entire Mermor race.

    Mermors resembled humans but bore the blessings of the Elder God of the Sea, their amphibious nature allowing them to thrive both on land and beneath the waves.

    And among the Mermors, their leader, who had been alive since before the Era of the Six Heroes, Olivia Denva was the most well known figure.

    Her reason for being well known, even among other races, was her title. 1st Proxy of Xarbo, Goddess of Water, Peace and Medicine.

    Being a pacifist and having the authority to null any desire for violence in a person, barring not even other Proxies or Apostles, she was an important figure in the working of this world.

    And thus, she thinks of arranging the periodic Meeting of Proxies as her duty.

    Inside the Meeting room of the Palace of Xarbo,

    The Eleven Proxies were sitting on their respective seats in the meeting room, they were served with lavish amounts of food that would eclipse a Berserkers'' Diner.

    "Miss Olivia, there wasn''t a need for such a lavish dinner," Hari spoke while devouring the food without stopping. Her actions earned a laugh from Olivia, Abraxas and Alceres.

    "Hari, please eat slowly. The food isn''t going anywhere," Olivia said calmly, smiling as she looked at Randolph, the 3rd Proxy of Obrax.

    "Welcome to the Council of Proxies, Randolph. I am Olivia, the first Proxy of Xarbo." Olivia said with a smile and the other Proxies, except Hari, clapped.

    "I want to fight." Randolph replied with a straight face, though he was pretty much scared at the sight of the other Proxies.

    Each one present here is a symbol of power and wields the authority of their respective gods, each one was an insurmountable wall.

    Hearing Randolph''s strange introduction, laughs came out of the mouths of Joker (4th Proxy of Knarp, the God of Mischief) and Lilly (2nd Proxy of ?RA, The Goddess of Wind and Spirits).

    "You are similar to both 1st and 2nd Proxy of Obrax but you are not eligible. Come back when you awaken the authority, at the very least." Lilly said mockingly as she began eating the food on her table.

    As for Joker, she didn''t say anything to Randolph, choosing to eat in silence.

    But Randolph wasn''t discouraged, he looked at Abel who looked and felt the weakest from the feels alone. So he looked at Abel and spoke. "You must be Abraxas, 1st Proxy of Justifia.. I want to challenge you."

    At the words of Randolph, the room went silent. Hari dropped the spoon from her hands and Lilly looked at Abraxas, waiting for something to start.

    Abraxas looked into Randolph''s eyes, smiling before he spoke. "Randolph, was it? Eat up calmly, don''t challenge anyone here." He was warning Randolph as he was speaking unnecessarily.

    "No, I want to fight you. You feel like the weakest one here." Randolph spoke with a serious look in his eyes.

    At that point, every shadow in the meeting room began to shudder. It was like the world itself was being warped around as Abraxas spoke. "Do you not know when to remain silent.. child?"

    But before anything could escalate further, Olivia stepped in. She tapped her foot on the ground and spoke commandingly. "Enough, Randolph. We recognise that as the newest Proxy of Obrax, you are bound to experience battles that push you to your death. But you are not allowed to challenge one of the Founders of the ''Council of Proxies''."

    Olivia''s words took Randolph by storm and Abraxas was silent when Olivia spoke. Not just Abraxas, every other Proxy went silent when Olivia raised her voice. It wasn''t often that she spoke in such a high voice so it came off as a shock.

    "Please eat what you''ve been served and I don''t want any of you to waste precious food. The food on your table is exactly the amount you eat." Olivia said calmly, before she picked up the spoon on her table and began eating.

    "Yeah, little Randolph. You shouldn''t anger the founding members of the Council," spoke Felicia, the 4th Proxy of Ospirice, the God of Festivity.

    Just this show of authority was enough to show Randolph that the highest ranking members in the Council were Abraxas and Olivia.

    After everyone was finished eating the food, Olivia cleared her throat before she spoke again. "So Randolph, was the food to your liking?"

    "Yes, it was filling. Thank you for welcoming me into the council and I would like to apologise for my insolent behaviour before." Randolph apologised, as during his time eating, he noticed how each Proxy respected one another.

    From the liveliness of Hari to the Chaotic Playfulness of Joker to the calm personalities like Olivia and Alceres, each person was different and were not different from a normal person of this world. But they all were the enforcers of their god''s will, just like him.

    "Now let us start with the formal introduction. I have already introduced myself as Olivia, the First Proxy of Xarbo, The Goddess of Water, Peace and Medicine." Olivia said before she pointed at Alceres who began introducing herself.

    "My name is Alceres. Nice to meet you, I am a Succubus from the Demon Realm and I''m the First Proxy of Phamis." Alceres spoke calmly, her voice was sweet and almost alluring despite not having intentions to seduce.

    The next in line was Hari. "Hello! I''m Hari, the Second Proxy of Haruna, The Goddess of Prosperity and Happiness." She smiled before the next Proxy began her introduction.

    "My name is ''Voice'', and I''m the Second Proxy of Lyra, The Goddess of Music and Entertainment." ''Voice'' spoke before expecting others to continue.

    "The name is Felicia. Fourth Proxy of Ospirice, The God of Festivity," Felicia said with a smile. "It''s nice to see that the Seat of Obrax was filled so quickly."

    Then the next one spoke, "My name is Xavia, Eighth Proxy of Mary, The Goddess of Marriage and Loyalty. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Randolph."

    "Lilly, Second Proxy of ?ra, The Goddess of Wind and Spirits." Lilly spoke with disinterest in her voice.

    "My name is ''Joker'', and I''m the Fourth Proxy of Knarp, The God of Mischief. Funny, right?!" Joker said excitedly. Though she had finished all the food she was served, she hadn''t picked up the spoon or her fork, neither did she remove her mask nor her gloves. So how she ate was a mystery and it felt like the rest of the Proxies were understanding of her weird ways.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "I am ''Seeker'', Second Proxy of TiciLi. Feel free to approach me if you need any help.. I''ll take books as payment, thank you." ''Seeker'' said with a smile on her face. Her left fang was peeking out of her mouth, showing her Vampire lineage.

    Then spoke the final Proxy present at that meeting.

    "My name is Abraxas Nouveri?r De''Zua, The first Proxy of Justifia. It''s nice to meet you, Randolph," Abraxas said with a smile before Randolph stood up and bowed to the ten of them.

    Olivia smiled at seeing such a sweet gesture from Randolph but her smile disappeared as soon as he spoke.

    "Please fight me."

    Hearing this, Olivia shook her head in disbelief since Randolph clearly wasn''t over the thought of fighting anyone.

    "I ask you��don��t deny me this fight. I know I might lose but I want to see what makes you all better than the traitor, that my Grandfather �� The 2nd Proxy of Obrax was."

    Randolph spoke before he looked up, wanting for at least one of them to accept his challenge.

    Berserkers are known for their humongous build, valor in battle and traditions like ''A Berserker King should have at least 50 children'', but they were also known for their hatred for the Barbarians.

    (Note: Barbarians are the outcasts from Berserkers. They are hated and openly hunted by Berserkers because they break the ''Code of Honour''.)

    Randolph, being the newly crowned Berserker King was no exception to it. He was 7 feet tall, which is considered small among the Berserkers'', but he was still chosen by Obrax as his Proxy.

    Upon hearing his sincere plea, Olivia sighed. "Who should I choose so you don''t die while sparring?" These words left her mouth subconsciously and even after realising, she didn''t try to hide it.

    After all, Randolph was still very young and had not yet completely inherited the Authority that the previous Proxy of Obrax held.

    Out of the other Ten Proxies, Five of them just can''t fight Randolph since they are mainly supportive or bureaucratic in nature.

    But before Olivia could think about the other five, Abraxas raised his hands.

    "You said, you wanted to fight me right? Because I am the weakest looking here?" Abraxas spoke calmly as he stood up.

    Seeing him, Lilly and ''Voice'', who were the strongest fighters among the Proxies, chuckled.

    "You are going to keep the tradition of ''fighting each and every Proxy of Obrax'' alive, eh?" Lilly spoke with a hint of interest in her voice. To her, being silent and watching small battles from the sidelines is the most fun.

    It has also been a while since she saw Abraxas on a battlefield. Her last time was when he fought the 2nd Proxy of Obrax, to force him to join the Council.

    ''Oh, what battle that was. Physically the weakest person here and yet winning against Proxy of Obrax.. It''s worth complimenting,'' Lilly thought to herself as she licked her lips, twisting her body as she leaned forward to watch how Randolph will take this invitation.

    "Abraxas, I will remind you that Randolph is still a child so go easy on him," Olivia said with a hint of worry in her eyes.

    "Randolph, I will have to warn you that Abraxas is the person who fought Obrax in the past. Please, step down when you are unable to fight."

    Olivia added before she stood up and along with her stood up every other Proxy in that room.

    "If you have already decided to spar then I will lead you to the Trial Grounds." Olivia said before she began walking with every other Proxy, including Abraxas following her.

    "Follow me." Abraxas said calmly to Randolph, who nodded before quietly following him.

    The walk to the trial grounds was a bit long, and along the way, Xavia and ''Joker'' indulged in a conversation with Randolph, while Abraxas was talking with Lilly and ''Seeker'', who seemed curious.

    Out of the Eleven Proxies here, only Olivia knew what truly happened in a fight between Abraxas and Obrax. Though ''Seeker'' and Lilly have bothered Abraxas in the past to know the details but they have always been turned down.

    Randolph himself was also curious as to how a mortal could survive after fighting Obrax, the very God he is the Proxy of.

    ..........

    287 years ago,

    "Will you just stand down and take my blessing, you brat!" Obrax shouted at Abel before punching him in the face.

    Their fight was taking place in Obrax''s Spirit Space. That''s why Obrax was so happily using his full strength, throwing Abel around like a ragdoll.

    Originally, Obrax arrived here by controlling the body of his First Proxy but Abel not only refused to take the blessing that was being given to him by Obrax but also fought against his Proxy and won.

    At that point of time, Abel was no different than a mere insect for Obrax and for an insect to defeat his most prized warrior, was an insult that Obrax couldn''t take.

    "You are a nobody. Why are you not accepting the gift from me?!" Obrax said while gritting his teeth.

    He could see why his Proxy lost to this nobody, though this vampire was physically very, very weak. He was just that much stronger mentally.

    His spirit was being thrashed around by Obrax in this Spirit Space, but he stood up no matter how much he threw him around.

    Obrax, at first was impressed by Abel''s dedication to turn himself from a fat nerd that he was into a well built warrior that could take on armies despite being as physically weak as ever but now he respected him, because he stood up after receiving blows that even his Proxy would die from.

    "I will give you credit. You have improved much more than I imagined." Obrax shouted before throwing Abel''s spirit once again.

    Obrax is the God of Flame, War and Plague. He who has seen and participated in every war whether past, present, future or otherworldly.

    As a god, he can see every action one takes to improve their ability for violence and that''s why Berserkers were his favourite race.

    A physically strong race that worshipped Obrax and dedicated their lives to honing their ability for war, even hunting those who break the ''Code of Honour''.

    It was only occasional when someone other than a Berserker peeks his interest, let alone being so proficient that makes Obrax want to hand out a blessing.

    And here was a mere mortal vampire, who rejected that offer. Obrax hadn''t seen anything as preposterous as this in his existence.

    But just as he was about to punch Abel''s spirit again, a sword made of Pure Darkness manifested in Abel''s hand. That sword absorbed the force behind Obrax''s punch, bending to an impossible degree to keep Abel''s spirit safe and being successful at it.

    Seeing the sword, Obrax laughed. He knew what it was at a first glance yet it was so ironic.

    ''For a person rejecting the blessing and yet transcending it. This is much more interesting than I initially thought.'' Obrax thought to himself as the bent sword repaired itself almost instantly.

    As for Abel, he was shocked. He rejected Obrax''s Blessing because that was a restriction he put on himself. He needed to win against THEM without the strength of another being, but this new strength was his own. It was not based on any existing god.

    It was truly worth being called ''Divine Art''. Though he could not manifest the entire concept that was in his hand yet, it was still an impossibly strong ability.

    "So you know what that is," Obrax said as he threw a flurry of punches at Abel. "Let us limit test it.. I haven''t seen an awakening of Divine Art myself."

    And with that Sword in his hand, Abel tried to block Obrax''s hits but he could only stop two or three before the sword broke.

    But no matter how many times he was beaten to a pulp, he always stood up. And by now, Obrax was enjoying himself too. As not only did this vampire awaken a Divine Art without a blessing as its base, he was also able to block his blows though not all.

    And they fought and fought and fought in this space, where Time held no meaning. The only sound was a Sword of Darkness clashing against the fists that could reshape the very fabric of space.

    Clash after clash, Abel was barely living, his burning soul almost phasing out of existence at every hit while his mind was being corrupted by plagues that were so obscene that even Obrax himself considered it to be overkill.

    But after what felt like thousands of years of unending torture, they exchanged their first words after Obrax was completely satisfied. "You are strong, I will give you that."

    Hearing that Abel smiled before he fell to the ground of the Spirit Space, he could no longer continue and seeing this, Obrax called back all the flames and plague in the area.

    "I give you the authority to bear my name. This is an honour, I haven''t given it to anyone, not even my Proxy."

    Abel chuckled as he was just about to fall unconscious and then he would return to his physical body.

    "Your name was Abel right.. I give you the right to bear your name with mine. Your name will be.. Abraxas."

    That was the last thing that Abel heard before his soul disappeared from Obrax''s Spirit Space.

    Obrax was satisfied with this. There had never been an existence who he would give his name to, until today.

    That very fact changed today. He gave the right to bear his name to a Vampire that was not even his Proxy. But he was satisfied.

    ''I wonder what kind of war that guy will lead in the future.. But it will surely be interesting as I can''t see it.'' Obrax thought to himself before letting out his laugh that echoed throughout the infinite space.

    He couldn''t see what kind of war Abraxas would lead, even though he knows of every war that will happen. This made him happy, that there was some kind of war that he didn''t know about.

    Just what kind of war would it be, what kind of brave souls will fight in it.

    And most importantly, just what would this person who possesses not only an untainted Divine Art but also the <u>Heart</u>.

 Vol2 Ch45: Council of Proxies (2)

    As the Eleven Proxies walked into the Trial grounds, they were met with a cool breeze on their face.

    "Woah! I''m always so excited to come here. It feels so refreshing!" Hari said while smiling as she hugged Olivia.

    "Hari! Please don''t tackle Olivia like that!" Alceres exclaimed anxiously, watching as Olivia laughed, finding the sudden hug from Hari endearing.

    Meanwhile, Abraxas and Randolph were walking a bit back from the rest of the group.

    "Do you not find this cute?" Abraxas asked suddenly, his lips curled up in a smile as he finds the laughter of the Proxies in front of them cute.

    "Uhmm.. Am I even allowed to say No here?" Randolph asked worryingly.

    "You can''t say ''No''."

    Abraxas''s reply made Randolph tense up as even if he was just joking, it was still a group he endeared and he certainly wouldn''t receive it well if Randolph spoke what he was thinking.

    "Anyways.. you hate your predecessor, right?" Abraxas asked with a calm tone.

    "Yes, I do."

    "Well, he was killed by my disciple. If you wish, I could arrange whatever remains she has of him."

    "Thanks for the offer but no. I don''t want anything that is of my bastard grandfather."

    "Understandable. Forget I ever asked."

    Randolph nodded at Abraxas''s kind words. The fact that he even asked him was more than the kindness he is used to.

    And this fact makes him wonder even more, just what kind of person Abraxas is. Olivia mentioned that Abraxas fought and survived against Obrax himself, and he was the founder of this group, yet he was so physically weak that even a young Berserker is leagues above him.

    To him, Abraxas was a mystery.

    Just then, Xavia, who was laughing with the group ahead, walked a little slower to walk beside Abraxas and Randolph.

    She was dressed in a white and gold hooded Gown famous among the nuns of Maryiasm, the Worshippers of Mary, Goddess of Marriage and Loyalty. Despite the relatively simple clothes, her beauty could not be denied as she was perfect, from the way she walked to the way she talked.

    "Abraxas, long time no see.. I''m no longer the youngest member of the Council," Xavia said with a proud look on her face, even puffing up her chest to show how proud she was.

    Randolph, on the other hand, was flabbergasted as to how casual everyone here was. He was not used to people talking to him casually ever since he earned the status of ''Berserker King'' and Proxy.

    But this group here, though separated hierarchically, was still on friendly terms. Most of the credit goes to Olivia but everyone here is here because their God chose them as a representative and because there was a group where they could gather.

    "Yeah, congratulations," Abraxas replied with a smile.

    "You are hiding something, aren''t you?" spoke ''Seeker'', who had also slowed down to join them.

    "Nothing gets past you, does it?" Abraxas said with a small laugh, followed by Seeker and Xavia''s.

    "Don''t beat up our newest member too much. I still have a bit of an ache from our last sparring session," Seeker spoke, inducing a bit of fear in Randolph''s mind.

    "Don''t make it seem like I''m a barbarian. You quite literally asked me to fight you without holding back. You were using your authority too." Abraxas spoke as he patted her back and Seeker just chuckled, refusing to elaborate further.

    After a while, they all walked into the Trial Grounds. There was an intense pressure on Randolph as soon as he walked in.

    He was at peace, but it was forced on his mind. Even without knowing, he knew that it was Olivia''s Authority. That does not allow for violence or even the thought of it to occur in a person''s head.

    And then everyone, except Abraxas and Randolph sat down on the seats and then Olivia stood up and spoke. "You can use your authorities but you may not kill."

    Just as Olivia sat down, the intense feeling that was covering everyone weakened, lowering down to a level similar to the rest of the Palace.

    Randolph sighed in relief as most of the weight on his shoulder seemed to have lifted. It was still present but it wasn''t at a level that will hinder him in a duel.

    "You know, every tile in the Palace of Xarbo was blessed by Olivia." Abraxas''s words broke Randolph''s silence.

    He was immediately taken aback by the sheer absurdity of Abraxas''s statement. The Palace of Xarbo was about a kilometre high and was covered in a white tiles from head to toe, other than being carved out of a single stone in the middle of the Southern Ocean.

    If Olivia blessed each tile individually, it was a task that would have taken her a few centuries at the very least.

    It was so mind boggling that Randolph turned his head to look at Olivia, who was blushing as if Abraxas''s words were putting too much focus on her majesty.

    Lilly, Voice, Seeker and Hari just nodded calmly, since it was true. Olivia built this place to show her devotion for Xarbo and it was a gift from her to the God she represented. This was also the symbol of the unification of the Mermors under one banner.

    Then Abraxas tapped his feet on the large sand concrete tiles that formed the trial grounds. "This place not only serves as the meeting ground for the Proxies but the gods too. And would you like to guess who is here.. at this very moment?"

    Abraxas chuckled as he spoke but before Randolph could speak, laughs echoed in the ground.

    It was not just Obrax that was present there, but Knarp and Lyra as well. They were present in a Spirit Space that overlooked the Trial Grounds, smiling at Abraxas pointing out their presence to the Young Proxy.

    Randolph couldn''t believe that there were multiple gods witnessing their duel and just then he spoke. "But I don''t have an aut-"

    But before he could finish his sentence, Obrax spoke. "This won''t be much of a battle if you don''t possess an Authority."

    And just like that, all three authorities of Obrax, War, Plague and Flame appeared inside Randolph. Only moments ago, he didn''t have one but now he did.

    "It''s only temporary, Randolph. Entertain me!" Obrax said with a laugh before falling silent.

    "How does it feel?" Abraxas asked Randolph, who was completely taken aback by this development.

    Even though the three authorities inside him were temporary, every single one was something he could possess completely in the future. This was like a trial test of all of them. It was a chance.

    "It feels.. somewhat freeing." Randolph spoke with a smile, tightening his fist and relaxing it.

    He could feel the Authority of War, strengthening his body to an impossible degree. If he were to compare it with his previous strength, the difference would be astronomical. He could level entire hills before, but now causing Earthquakes and tsunamis strong enough to drown a continent wasn''t entirely out of the question.

    Meanwhile, the Authority of Plague, was pushing his mental and spiritual strength to the maximum. Its effects were so strong that he was sure he wouldn''t feel it, even if a mountain was thrown at him. At the same time, the Authority was corrupting Abraxas''s mental state to weaken him.

    And lastly, the Authority of Flame, was enchanting his existence with the power of the Primordial Flame, allowing him to regenerate while burning his opponent.

    These three authorities combined made him not just strong but leagues ahead of what he was just moments ago. The effects of the authorities so potent that it forced the other proxies to use their authorities to counteract it, except for Olivia, Lilly, and Voice, who were unaffected.

    "Wow, is this what it means to have multiple Authorities?" Hari asked, smiling as she was using her authority as a barrier to protect from the storm of Flame and War.

    "Pretty much, but it is not permanent. It''s possible that he might never be this strong again," Olivia spoke with a nod as the constant barrage of the three authorities wasn''t affecting her at all.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    The three authorities were actually putting force on the protective barriers of the Trial Grounds but it was reinforced by Olivia, Lilly, and Seeker.

    "..."

    "..."

    Randolph and Abraxas just looked at each other. While Randolph was confident of his powers, Abraxas was.. unimpressed.

    "Start. What are you waiting for?" Abraxas spoke as the Sword of Darkness manifested in his hand along with a few blood weapons behind him.

    "You will not use your authority?" Randolph asked, feeling wronged by how Abraxas was not using his authority.

    But before either could speak again, Randolph lunged forward. With a single step, he closed the distance between himself and Abraxas, aiming his fist at Abraxas''s face.

    His fist, enhanced by War, Flame, and Plague, was strong enough to easily tear apart a continent. It''s destructive capabilities matched the Obsidian Super Volcano of the Void Villages, easily destroying the Blood swords.

    But the authorities disappeared as soon as his fist clashed with the Sword of Darkness.

    Abraxas smiled, unfazed by the punch, not moving an inch, while Randolph stood in shock.

    Randolph quickly stepped back to regain his strength, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. However, Abraxas gave him no chance to create distance, lunging forward and swinging his sword. The strike landed on Randolph��s torso, sending him flying like a ragdoll.

    "Oh, that was reactive of me, wasn''t it? I won''t nullify the authorities again," Abraxas said with a smile as Randolph wasn''t hurt and was running at him like a cannonball.

    The Trial Grounds echoed with the sound of bones breaking, the earth trembling, and, at times, the very fabric of space warping under the immense pressure.

    "Hey, do you think that Justifia''s Proxy can survive this?" Lyra asked to Obrax, who was seeing the fight with interest. He didn''t even blink his eyes, not wanting to miss a single action.

    "Yes, that child bears my name for a reason." Obrax said with a laugh while Randolph and Abraxas were clashing.

    Since Abraxas was no longer using his Divine Art to nullify the Authorities in Randolph''s body, he was beaten on every front.

    Before gaining his Authorities, Abraxas had already been overshadowed by Randolph in terms of speed, strength, and durability. But now, the gap was even more glaring. And yet, despite this, he was winning the fight.

    Abraxas was feeling pain from every hit of Randolph, barely being able to block one in every four attacks despite using his Divine Art to bend the Spatial Fabric, while Randolph only had minor scratches all over his body��and that too was occasional.

    ''Tsk. That blade is hard to deal with. It absorbs any and all blows so I have to fight around it but his defense is so strong that I can''t land a decisive blow.. But I''m still hitting so why is the gap between us not closing.''

    "Curious, right?" Abraxas said before being hit in the stomach and flying back before being hit again, barely blocking the second hit while managing to scratch his skin with his Sword once more.

    "Hmm.. I wonder what Abel is doing. He is just getting hit," Alceres spoke, unable to comprehend Abraxas''s fighting style.

    "And that''s one reason why you are not a fighter," Lilly said while chuckling, her smile was more akin to a War God''s than a Maiden''s.

    "Indeed, In my opinion Abraxas is winning." Lyra said with a nod, followed by Olivia, who also nodded.

    "B-but Randolph clearly has the edge against Abraxas in every way. Especially if he doesn''t use his Authority.. And he hasn''t used the Authority Nullification either," Xavia said with a concerned look since Abraxas had at least four fractured ribs and multiple hairline fractures all over his body, which despite his regenerative factor, should hurt. Not to mention, the Flames and Plague were putting a lot of strain on him.

    "But Abraxas is the one who is ready for it," Lilly added, before she ran her hand over her neck.

    "For what?" Seeker asked. Since this ''it'' by Lilly was something she didn''t know about, making her very curious about it.

    "Oh, you will know one day.. Only if you are ready for it though," Olivia said before everyone focused on the duel again.

    "Weird.. Why are you not falling? I''m obviously stronger," Randolph asked, unable to comprehend how he, who is superior in every physical way in this fight, was not winning. Even the other Proxies were divided between him and Abraxas.

    "It''s hard to explain," Abraxas said while smiling, just as Randolph''s fist connected with his chest.

    By now, Abraxas''s body was engulfed in flames, blood streaming from his eyes, mouth, and nose, yet he remained unwavering, his form steadfast and unyielding.

    "Well, that''s about it. Your body is in critical condition; you shouldn''t be fighting," Randolph said, fully aware that if not for the three Authorities he possessed��or the fact that Abraxas had stopped nullifying them��it would be him in this dire state instead.

    "Is that so?" Abraxas said with a chuckle. "Tell me, do you really think those minor scratches are for nothing?"

    As Abraxas spoke, the thousands of cuts on Randolph''s body��impervious to the Authority of Flame''s regeneration due to the tiny fragments of darkness clinging to his skin��suddenly burst open. Each cut widened into a wound, and those wounds deepened into devastating, lethal blows.

    If not for the Authority of Flame, Randolph would have perished instantly. Instead, he collapsed to the ground, utterly immobile.

    And seeing his young Proxy in such a state, Obrax laughed. "Oh I didn''t know his Divine Art was capable of this!?"

    His laugh echoed in the Spirit Space, only to be interrupted by Lyra. "Well, Divine Arts are very complex to understand.. Most mortals can''t even comprehend the potential of a Blessing, let alone something that transcends it."

    "Randolph. You have lost," Olivia declared as Randolph was unable to move, currently being healed by the Authority of Flame.

    Randolph, shocked by how quickly the tide of the duel had turned, simply nodded as he was carried out of the Trial Grounds by the other Proxies.

    He was in a much severe condition barely being kept alive by the Authority of Flame. As for Abraxas, he was beaten quite badly but his inherent regeneration was keeping him alive.

    ....

    Olivia used her authority to remake the area, prohibiting violence in the area, then she turned to look at Lilly, Voice and Abraxas who stayed behind the group.

    "You are ready for it, aren''t you?" Lilly said with a chuckle, her demeanor was much more maiden-like as compared to her sadistic smile just moments ago.

    "Maybe.. That''s for you three to decide, isn''t it?" Abraxas said with a smile as the flames that were burning his body have been extinguished and the unknown Plague was filtered out by his Divine Art.

    The four of them just chuckled at the humourous remark.

    "You could''ve taken the duel more seriously, you know. At least try to use your Authority," Lilly commented, patting Abraxas''s back for winning the duel. "Next time, have a spar with me."

    "Oh please, I don''t have a deathwish," Abraxas replied back as the Sword of Darkness disappeared into thin air. "And please don''t hit me too hard."

    Hearing Abraxas''s sly remark, Lilly began hitting his back even harder. "Oh come on, a young man like you can surely take more."

    "Now, now, Lilly. Don''t tease him too much," Voice said with a chuckle before joining Lilly in patting Abraxas''s back as he sat down.

    "I agree. He could definitely take more.." Olivia added with a smile. "But I think it''s about time I ask. What are you hiding?"

    "THEY have arrived," Abraxas spoke with a serious look in his eyes.

    Upon hearing this, Lilly and Voice stopped and asked. "Is it really beginning now?" Lilly asked.

    "Who was it?" Voice added, concerned about the future.

    "Humans.. Techonia. Though I''m unaware if any other species were involved," Abraxas said with a disappointed look. "That''s why I need it now."

    Among the Eleven Proxies, the four of them stood out the most because of their strength.

    Olivia, Lilly, and Voice were the only Proxies that had the ''Seed of Divinity''. It''s an extension of the authority that they possess, the symbol that they have surpassed the limits of the title ''Proxy''.

    And now, Abraxas was at that stage too. He was being held back by the title of ''Proxy''.

    "Alright, alright.. Let''s get this over with," Olivia said with a smile, as she walked closer to Abraxas, putting her hand on his head.

    "Close your eyes and focus.. This might hurt." Olivia spoke while Lilly and Voice created a barrier that isolated them.

    The ''Seed of Divinity'' though sounds similar to the ''Seed of Doom'' is much different. Since it''s an extension to a Proxy unlike the Doom, which is another ability in itself.

    The ''Seed of Divinity'' allows for a Proxy to not be bound by restrictions that were placed on them. It''s a symbol of transcending those restrictions.

    Since the dawn of the world, only three Proxies had ever possessed the Seed, but now, the fourth had arrived.

    "I hope this gets you closer to your goal, Abraxas.." Olivia said with a smile as a drop of Golden Energy flowed through her veins before entering into Abraxas''s body.

    As soon as the drop entered his body, another God entered the Spirit Space. A man with blonde hair dressed in a white toga and silver armbands, though upon seeing his fellow gods in that space. His clothes quickly changed into a black formal attire.

    "Forgive me, I didn''t realise there were others here," The Man in black, Justifia spoke, as he looked down at his Proxy before smiling.

    "We weren''t expecting the God of Justice either. You can stay dressed in whatever you want though.." Lyra replied first followed by Knarp''s chuckles, hiding his masked face behind yet another mask.

    As for Obrax, he was even more delighted, seeing the bearer of his name transcending yet another limit.

    "I still wonder why you decide to take that child as your Proxy, Justifia." Obrax asked, and Justifia just smiled as he sat down beside the Gods.

    "It was not an easy decision by any means. As you might know, I didn''t have any desire to take in a Proxy or a High Priest." Justifia admitted, to not having any intentions to take a Proxy.

    "But the stars were aligned.. A mortal existence that not only transcended his limits but also took a path that no one else would.. To deliver justice to THEM."

    Justifia smiled as he watched the Golden Energy from Olivia seep into his Proxy and settle down in his heart. The limits that the title of Justifia''s Proxy brought had now been lifted.

    "It''s so relieving," Abraxas said as he opened his eyes. The weight of the restrictions had been lifted, and he could now do things that were previously beyond his reach.

    "I know, right!" Lilly said with a smile, remembering the days when she first awakened the Seed.

    "Well, the Seed inside you is stable.. But you should still rest. Don''t overexert yourself," Olivia said with a worried look, as she hugged Abraxas. His head nuzzled against her stomach as she caressed the back of his head. "Don''t die, alright.."

    Abraxas nodded, before Lilly and Voice were suddenly reminded of something.

    "Wait, Abraxas, were you there at the Site of Regression? I vaguely remember days in a cycle.." Lilly asked.

    "Yes, I experienced something similar too. It happened to me too.. I lived the same day 14,000 times," Voice added.

    "Now that you mention it.. I do remember seeing the same dream tens of thousands of times.." Olivia said as she is reminded of it.

    "We can discuss all that and more tomorrow, can''t we? The Meeting is for two days.." Abraxas said calmly before he slowly stood up and looked at the sky.

    "Lord Justifia... I know you are there, and I ask for your forgiveness, but there are more important matters than meeting you," Abraxas mumbled to himself. Yet, Justifia heard him and smiled softly.

    "Well, we do need to discuss a lot tomorrow.. I''m sure you will reveal the information of Evil Gods to the other Proxies too.." Olivia said calmly as the four of them began walking back to the residence that had been prepared for them in the Palace.

    "So what games are we playing tonight?" Voice asked.

    "Definitely not singing.. The rest of us will be fighting for third place, behind you and Olivia." Abraxas replied back with a smirk.

    Olivia blushed before replying. "I-I don''t sing that well. It''s just a hobby!" She was barely able to talk straight, since she wasn''t used to compliments.

    "Well, Abraxas is most definitely speaking the truth. We''ve all heard you.." Lilly spoke teasingly before they left the trial grounds, laughing like old friends while the Gods watching eventually leaving the Spirit Space.

 Vol2 Ch46: Council of Proxies (3)

    The next day, everyone gathered in the Meeting room after a night of fun and games.

    "Wow! I didn''t think we would have that much fun!" Joker said with a light chuckle as she leaned back on her chair and stretched her back.

    "Yes, it was enjoyable.. Livelier than usual and I liked it a lot," Olivia added, smiling as she remembered the games from last night.

    An entire night drinking Rice Wine, while playing cards, singing, laughing and eventually sleeping. Even Randolph participated as the Authority of Flame healed his body.

    Abraxas cleared his throat, before speaking. "Let''s focus on the things ahead of us. I''m sure we''ll be meeting again in an year or two."

    "That''s quite early for another one. But let''s start the meeting.. What do you want to discuss so badly, Abraxas?" Lilly spoke, noticing uncertainty in Abraxas''s tone.

    "I want to relay bits of information to everyone present here. But before I do, I want everyone to take an oath that you won''t let this information be known to anyone else but you," Abraxas said as even the smile from Hari''s face disappeared.

    The room visibly tensed up as everyone present there looked at Abraxas, waiting for more clarification.

    "Should I take your silence as Yes?" He asked as he looked at everyone.

    Everyone nodded, as this was coming from Abraxas and could not be taken lightly. The Shadows in the meeting room trembled, as they nodded when Abraxas looked at them with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes.

    "Previously, This information was limited to Olivia, Lilly and Voice.. But it''s about time that all of you know and prepare for it," Abraxas said before he took a deep breath. "Many of us might die at the end of this too."

    His words silenced the room. Even the slightest creak when shifting in one''s chair echoed throughout the room.

    "Just what do you four know that we don''t," Randolph asked, his voice cracked as the Authorities had left his body after he was healed, leaving him a bit weak.

    "Do you know of Evil Gods?" Abraxas asked as he looked at Randolph.

    The very mention of Evil Gods made a few of the Proxies shiver while Seeker was attentive and wrote every word that he spoke.

    "Even calling them Gods might be underestimating the threat they pose," Abraxas spoke. "And one of them is in Techonia.. right at this moment. Scheming something so grand yet evil that we cannot fathom."

    "Then why are we not attacking such a being outright? Why sit in this room and discuss them?" Felicia asked with a horrified look on her face.

    ''Just what kind of being would it be to instill fear in Abraxas''s head?'' She thought to herself.

    "We would have died.. and even if we did succeed, everyone else in this world would''ve died... No, I don''t think death would be the worst outcome if that were true," Abraxas spoke as he stood up, the sheer anxiety in his body when he thinks of these beings doesn''t allow him to sit.

    "This meeting was important as I wanted to warn everyone.. Protect your people with everything you have. Be prepared for the worst.. In the best case scenario, we hold another meeting in a year.. But worst case.." Abraxas couldn''t complete his sentence as he bit his lips.

    "As many as six of us can die if Abraxas fails.. And most of us can''t leave our own people unattended." Olivia completed his sentence.

    "And you are telling us this just NOW?!" Hari shouted and banged her table. Her face showed her anger as she thought, ''Just why would you hold this information for so long?''

    And this wasn''t just Hari''s thoughts, it was everyone who just came to know about it.

    "Because the more you know about them, the stronger they are," Abraxas answered their thoughts as if he read them. "And even now, I can''t tell you all about them. Just be prepared for the worst. It might not happen immediately but it will happen."

    "We have already taken oaths to not give away this information.. Since they seem to work as a memetic virus," Voice said calmly, her eyes glowing gold as her next word seal the oath. "<u>This oath is hereby in action.</u> <u>Failure to hold up the oath will lead to your tongue severed.</u>"

    And just like that, the Melody of Oath was imprinted on the soul of everyone present. This was Voice''s Authority as the Second Proxy of Lyra, an authority that was further nurtured by the Seed inside her.

    "That''s all I wish to say for now," Abraxas said before he quietly sat down. The trembling shadows had also stopped leaving the room dead quiet once again.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "So.. Abraxas, do you mind if I ask, who''d be fighting in the war?" Joker asked, her worry wasn''t hidden despite her masked face.

    "It''s going to be finalised in a month. As far as I am concerned, this isn''t a battle you can win with numbers. And with Rina and Austin''s help, I can only pray that the Empire and Republic don''t quarrel over Techonia.. for the time being at least," Abraxas said calmly before he was interrupted by Xavia.

    "Wait a second.." Xavia stood up and looked at Abraxas as if he was scaring an infant. "You mean Rina Demia and the Crown Prince of the Garharia Empire?"

    "Yes, those two.. Some of you might have experienced a few days ago when days were repeating," Abraxas said calmly, making a few of the Proxies present exclaim in surprise.

    "Yes.. It happened a few thousand times at least, with the times varying between each cycle. What about it?" Xavia asked.

    "Well, Austin was the one regressing as Apostle of Noganonozue, continuously regressing after being killed by a subordinate of his, who was being controlled by them." Abraxas said calmly while Xavia was horrified, yet he continued to speak.

    "Eventually Rina awakened as the Apostle of Rudandon and the cycle was broken.. I think you are aware of their engagement becoming public. It was big news after all," And just as Abraxas stopped speaking, Xavia shouted as if the ground was slipping beneath her feet.

    "You are.. telling me.. that you knew about their engagement too?" Xavia spoke.

    "Yes.." Abraxas replied before his expression suddenly turned to horror as Xavia began crying.

    "I thought I was the special one?! Rina.. You idiot.. You said I was the only one." Xavia muttered while crying. She felt like she was betrayed, robbed of the one thing that made her and Rina''s friendship special.

    Seeing such cheerful behaviour from other Proxies after what had been a rollercoaster ride about the reveal of Evil Gods and even the uprising of Two Apostles, Randolph couldn''t wrap his head around it. He couldn''t believe that they were not worried about anything.

    And as if reading Randolph''s mind, Olivia spoke to him while the others were either consoling Xavia or were trying to teach Abraxas as to why Xavia was so upset, since he was clearly distraught by Xavia''s reactions.

    "You must be thinking why we aren''t worried.."

    Randolph nodded as he really couldn''t understand the light-hearted atmosphere of the meeting room.

    "That''s because we trust Abraxas. If he is disclosing it, that only means he has plans. And you have first hand experience of his strength.. To overcome challenges that would eclipse anyone else and make them fall into despair."

    Olivia spoke with a soft smile. She trusted Abraxas, so much that she could bet her life on him. Though the matter of the Evil Gods wasn''t a cakewalk, she still has faith.

    "I see.. I see why everyone trusts him," Randolph replied in a low voice, smiling as the last shrewd of doubt in his mind vanished upon witnessing Olivia''s trust in Abraxas.

    "I will trust him too.." Randolph mumbled to himself and Olivia smiled as if she heard him.

    Meanwhile, Lilly was trying to teach Abraxas how a girl treats her friendship as a sacred vow, to tell each other everything, sometimes a bit late and sometimes before it even happens. While Voice and Hari tried their best to console Xavia.

    And after Xavia calmed down, the meeting proceeded.

    "So, let us wrap up this meeting. I wish everyone here a Best of Luck. May God''s blessings bring you success."

    Olivia said, before everyone got up and slowly started to leave. It was now time to prepare for a scenario that might as well change the world as they know it.

    A change that might turn the world upside down and usher into a new era. From the Era of Gods to something far worse..

    But for now, everything was calm.

    In the meeting, Olivia was standing by herself as Alceres went back to her chambers to rest. She needed to prepare a safety plan for her people and for that, she might have to leave for the Demon Realm.

    "Abraxas.. You can come out now," Olivia said calmly after seeing that everyone was gone.

    Right as she spoke, Abraxas came out of the Dark Corner, his eyes were dilated, his entire body was cold as ice, as if he was holding himself from passing out.

    Upon seeing Abraxas in such a state, Olivia quickly ran to him, helping him stand by giving him a shoulder. "I''m sorry.. I could''ve asked Hari to heal you.." Olivia said, torn apart by the inability to ask for help.

    "No, it''s alright.. I''m sure Lilly and Voice knew this as well. Lilly was aware that I wasn''t the one in that seat," Abraxas spoke before he coughed up a bit of blood, a lot of it falling on the floor while some splattered on their clothes.

    "It''s alright.. Abraxas.." Olivia said as she dragged Abraxas''s body to a nearby chair. She quickly ran to Abraxas''s desk and took out an emergency pouch of blood for Abraxas to feed on.

    She quickly came back and handed it to Abraxas, calming down once his pupils returned back to normal.

    "You don''t have to disclose the information if it hurts you this much," Olivia spoke, worried about Abraxas.

    "It wasn''t even that much information.. And I''m still nearly dying. If it weren''t for the Seed.. I''m sure, you would have been arranging a funeral for me," Abraxas said, smiling as he tried to joke about his condition but his condition was much worse on the inside.

    His organs were jumbled and he was sure that he had ripped a few veins. If it weren''t for his Regenerative Factor and the blood that Olivia gave to him, he would be writhing in pain.

    "Just stop talking for a minute and let your body heal.." Olivia said, almost shouting at him as concern etched over her face but there was nothing she could do but wait.

    A similar thing happened when in the past, Abraxas told her, Lilly and Voice about them. Abraxas''s condition was so serious back then that Olivia had to perform an emergency operation on Abraxas while pumping his blood with the strongest anaesthetic drug that Mermors had just to save him. The information that Abraxas has, corrodes his body when he tries to spread that information.

    The knowledge about them is cursed.. Their existence isn''t meant to be known.

    But with the seed, he survived relaying information about them to Seven more people.

    "You told seven more people about them. You are doing great.." Olivia tried to console him but Abraxas smiled and shook his head, raising four fingers.

    "Eleven.. I told this to four more people before I came here," Abraxas said with a smile, before coughing again.

    "An achievement.. I know. I survived," Abraxas added, chuckling at Olivia''s expression.

    "I have a faint idea as to who those four are but please rest a bit before you leave. You have a long journey ahead," Olivia said calmly before she pulled a chair to sit beside Abraxas, resting his head on her shoulder while rubbing his hands to warm them.

    "Thank you.. Olivia," Abraxas said as he relaxed himself. At his current pace, he would be back to full health in around ten minutes. So for these ten minutes, he rests his head on Olivia''s shoulder.

    "It''s alright.. Just don''t die.. Okay?"

    "I promise I won''t die.."

 Chapter ???: Never-ending Torture

    Little one.. You are in pain.

    The pain is.. bearable.

    For how long?

    The end.

    Is keeping your loved ones unaware a part of your ending?

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it....

    Silence isn''t an answer.

    They will know when the time comes.

    Will they?

    Yes. Till then, this pain is mine alone.

    You look mature yet you still act like a child

    It doesn''t matter how I behave, I won''t remember this anyways.. Pri��

    <u>Then, he woke up.</u>

 Vol2 Ch47: Techonia (1)

    Chaos Era

    The cosmic dust was still taking the shape of stars. The Verbatim Matter, the inert residue of the Big Bang of this Universe converged to make the Spirit Space that began expanding along with the Space-Time Continuum.

    And from the impure Verbatim Matter rose up ''Angels''. It was they, who wanted to be recognised as the First Mortal Race. But they were ignored, for not having what makes a society.

    Feelings, a cornerstone of what makes a society. The ability to come together for a common goal and make effort for that goal.

    The Angels were too powerful. They were selfish, greedy, petty and most importantly, hateful. They hated those who came after them, those who were blessed by Elder Gods to have a conscience, blessed by Outer Gods to experience the supernatural.

    ___________

    Each new species was born out of a Primordial''s Blood. The Primordial Roots made the four Progenitors who founded the Vampire Race.

    The Mungenosis''s leaves moulded the first generation branch of humans from the soil sustaining it.

    The World Tree''s sap froze in the void of Nothingness to make the Primordial Elves, who later became the birth givers of Elves.

    The Majestic Sea Algarina mixed its gel with the first drop of water to create Mermors and Charnia, The Elder God of Charity, sometimes known as the Elder God of Sea, giving Mermors a blessing to help them flourish in water.

    The Roal Wines spread its reach across the ever expanding cosmos, giving birth to the first Berserkers in the universe.

    And lastly, the NegatiTree, which made the demons using the Strange Matter in the Universe.

    But the Angels were jealous.

    "Why should they be recognised when we were the first to come?"

    And thus, the Angels began conquering the universe they were born in. Each angel became a symbol of death for multiple civilizations throughout the universe, destroying many planets.

    Eventually, the mortals fought back with the blessings of the Gods and their Creators. The Angels started to dwindle and eventually only a handful survived by the time their birth universe was barren.

    And out of the Angels, rose up Ten special Leaders. It was the ten who ruled other Angels with their Iron Fists, growing themselves by eating the corpses of other Angels, even promoting others to do the same.

    And with this habit, the Angels who were once at the door of Divinity with each individual Angel a mirror to their hate for the Gods who dismissed them, had now turned to Flesh Abominations.

    Their appearance was now akin to a mutated piece of organ from an Outer God. And the Angels loved their appearances, shunning their people who didn''t participate in the blatant cannibalism of the corpse of their kind.

    Under the leadership of the Ten Angels, they were united. But even after they annihilated any and all life in the universe, their hatred didn''t disappear.

    So now they set their eyes on other universes.

    ''There must be other worlds too, right?''

    And so the Angels tore their way out of the ever-expanding boundary of the Universe to invade other worlds. To satisfy their hate for those who were recognised by the Gods.

    And soon, the Ten leading Angels began calling themselves Evil Gods. The very meaning of the word ''Evil'' was them, as they began eating Angels, especially those who didn''t participate in the killing.

    Their appearance slowly turned more grotesque, more -ugly. But they didn''t seem to care as they continued destroying any and all living beings they could find.

    And seeing the ever-growing cruelty on other Angels began separating out from the ten groups, while those who didn''t wish to kill left for universes where other Angels hadn''t yet arrived.

    ______________

    280 years ago in the Old Empire of Hurlan

    Two peace loving Angels arrived in what was then a town that was more technologically advanced than other towns.

    The citizens of that town treated the two angels like any other visitor. The town was called ''Techonia''.

    The two Angels were surprised at how peaceful this world was. It was unlike anything they have ever experienced throughout their life.

    Deum, the Silver Haired Angel, and Remu, the Black Haired Angel, were one of the few angels who hadn''t participated in the war against the living and thus looked a lot more like the residents of this world, or Human, as the residents call themselves though there were other races like Elves and Vampires too.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "I don''t want to jinx it.. but it''s peaceful here, Remu.." Deum spoke in their ancient and distinct tongue.

    They were possibly the first and only Angels to have arrived in this universe. The peace and quiet couldn''t have been possible if the Evil Gods or their forces had arrived.

    "Yes, Deum.." Remu replied with a smile.

    The two Angels slowly became residents of Techonia. The Process of acquiring citizenship wasn''t that hard, as they only needed to join the Research Academia, after a bit of preparation for its exams.

    Deum and Remu, became well known as the years progressed. As they didn''t age while others did, they became senior members of the Academia and began teaching what bits of knowledge they had, raising the next generation of Researchers in Techonia.

    A century after their arrival, they founded the Techonia Research Centre.

    This place was the limit of civil Engineering, spanning fifty floors underground and thirty floors above from ground. It was a structuring Marvel that was possible because of Deus and Remu methodically planning each step of the building process. They put so much effort that they were popularly called the Founders of the Modern-day Techonia.

    The Research Centre was not just a structural masterpiece but it was also equipped with multiple Magnetohydrodynamic generators, that were much more advanced and had enough power generation to provide electricity to the now-turned City of Techonia.

    __________

    On the day that the Research Centre was first opened,

    "Congratulations, Sir Deum and Sir Remu!" The First-Grade Researchers of Techonia, who were appointed as the first generation of teachers of the Research Institute, congratulated the two Angels.

    "Thank you everyone. It wouldn''t have been possible without everyone here," Remu spoke with a smile, his calm demeanor was in contrast to Deum, who was dancing with joy.

    "I''m so happy.. Thank you everyone. This isn''t just our victory. This is the fruit of everyone''s labour," Deum said with a smile, hugging a few of the staff.

    __________

    And with a facility as advanced as the Techonia Research Centre, Research and Development was the hot talk.

    Tens of thousands of people applied to Techonia''s Academia Entrance Exam, to have a chance to experience the technology. It was a wonderful time to be curious.

    But not every good thing leads to good result.

    Deum and Remu maintained the ethical standards of the experiments in the beginning but as the Research Centre expanded, they couldn''t keep up with the constant stream of permissions from the research students and faculty, eventually setting up a committee that oversee the experiments to make sure that they are ethical.

    But even that turned against the very beliefs that Deum and Remu, followed. First it was small experiments like Pain Toleration of different species, Cloning, and Psychological Studies but it slowly turned more and more horrendous.

    Until 83 years after the founding of the Research Centre, when the researchers were ambushed by a Vampire. Though he was strong, he was eventually defeated using the Pure Argentite Steel weapons.

    __________

    "Stop this experiment at once! Whatever you are calling is going to be the end of us?!" The Vampire screamed at the researchers who were busy fine tuning the massive portal, as he was kept in that room because the lead researcher wanted him to witness the coming of a new era with his own eyes.

    "Oh, shut it. This is going to be the biggest breakthrough since the invention of fire..A living being from another world," The lead researcher spoke before he broke out laughing.

    But the vampire couldn''t get rid of the feeling of impending doom. He went out of the Northern Forests and travelled across the Republic before arriving at Techonia.

    He infiltrated the Research Centre as he felt the existence of something malicious, an existence so vile that he couldn''t report back to Lady 4th.

    "It looks like I can''t solve this without revealing my identity."

    The vampire thought to himself before he spoke. "My name is Aurilian Maof��r Hesh. In the name of Roots, I say that you stop."

    Upon hearing his name, the vampire researchers on that project were dazed. That name belonged to ''10th of the Numbered''. The Numbered were not well known but it was a group that was led by the Fourth Progenitor herself, so each member was respected everywhere.

    "Who said you all could rest?! Get back to work!" The lead researcher broke the vampires out of daze, before glaring at them until they went back to work.

    After the researchers went back to their station, the lead researcher looked at 10th and spoke calmly. "So.. you are some kind of bigshot in vampires, eh?"

    But before he could speak any further, the portal that they made to connect their world to another started malfunctioning.

    "What is happening?! Someone stop it!" The lead researcher shouted but even after multiple attempts from other researchers to force stop the portal, it wasn''t working.

    The portal forced the 3rd Gen of Magnetohydrodynamic generators to go into overclock, as the entire city of Techonia went in blackout, except for the room where the portal was.

    "This is bad. I need to stop this.." 10th thought to himself as he forcibly dislocated his thumb to slide his hands out of the handcuff, before he threw himself at the portal, destroying it while breaking a few of his bones as the massive portal frame fell on him.

    And just as dust settled, Deum and Remu came down to the floor where the experiment was being performed with a squad of Armed Guards. It has been decades since they left the bundle of paperwork in their office so they were slow in getting down here.

    But to the surprise of the Lead researcher, the look on Deum and Remu''s face was not anger but fear.

    And right on time, the vampire that was buried beneath the frame began laughing. But his voice and smell changed.

    "You... You.." Deum was shaking and fell down on his knees as he looked at 10th, who was now possessed by them.

    "Hoh! It''s been a while since I have come in contact with any life.." They laughed as the body they possessed healed the broken bones but his consciousness was still fighting their burden.

    But even as 10th struggled all he wanted, he couldn''t budge the consciousness that had taken over his body and all he could feel in that moment was hopelessness.

    "Well, well, well.. Look what we have here. I wasn''t expecting cowardly maggots like you to reside here too." They spoke as they walked towards Deum and Remu, both of whom were scared to death and were crawling as they tried to keep their distance from them, with the armed guards putting themselves in between 10th and the founders.

    Just then, the Lead Researcher came in between 10th and the Guards. "Hold up. We brought you to this place. Shouldn''t you reward us?" The lead researcher spoke, thinking that he won something.

    "After all, any living being would be grateful, right?" The researcher thought to himself, before his head suddenly went flying.

    "This is your reward.. Enjoy~" They spoke as they caught the lead researcher''s head. "It seems you don''t realise what you are dealing with.. except you two." They spoke as they looked at Deum and Remu.

 Vol2 Ch48: Techonia (2)

    "Hmm.. This world has many interesting laws," They spoke while Deum and Remu were chained to the wall, their bodies bore the mark of the whips that they inflicted upon them.

    Then they walked up to their near lifeless bodies and whispered into their ear. "You know, I do want to kill you both but it''s better to keep you alive," They said as they looked at the body of the Lead Researcher that was laying on the ground, drained of all of its blood which they used to regenerate the body they were in, the consciousness still trapped inside, nearly dead but not.

    Deum and Remu were unable to reply, they slightly raised their head to look at the guards that were already brainwashed by them.

    "All hope is gone.. No one in this world will be able to stop them now.." Deum thought as he tried to think of their name, but his consciousness nearly disappeared as his body shuddered in pain.

    They looked at Deum and smirked. "Trying to think of my name? Well, it''s a new thing we got after our difficulty conquering a world very similar to this.. You cannot recite our name without a severe backlash. I made sure that my name had consequences worse than death," They chuckled, while Deum and Remu remained silent, unable to say or do anything. They were the ''traitors'' of their species, those who didn''t participate in the war against creation and those who didn''t support the cannibalism among Angels.

    "Anyways, I will use this place to.. cultivate my true body here.. Since I obviously can''t call it here.." They spoke with a hint of anger in their voice, that was clear from the way they kicked the dried up corpse of the lead researcher.

    "He was radical, but he didn''t expect to die like this." Remu thought of the Lead researcher who was a member of the committee that oversaw the entirety of Techonia Research Centre. He was arrogant and didn''t believe in the concept of ''cruelty'' or ''death'' when it came to expanding knowledge, but he didn''t know that the lead researcher was going to die in such a way.

    "Rest in peace.. Lead Researcher Aolga." Deum and Remu thought as they looked at each other. Even if he Aolga was an eccentric scientist, he was still one of their colleagues and deserved one last bow of respect while his body was used as a stress toy by them.

    They continued to kick the corpse until it was mushed and the wall was dented.

    "Tsk.. If I had my real body, I would have turned this world upside down by now.. So I should start making it, shouldn''t I?" They spoke loud and clear for Deum and Remu to hear.

    They looked up at them in horror as they understood what they meant by ''making their true body''.

    A plan that would take a century began that night.

    __________

    EIA Detective Agency,

    Mr. Monzard was sweating profusely as he asked Iliana. "What is happening?! Why is my daughter being arrested again? I thought the case was solved and the culprit was jailed."

    The man was clearly distressed about his daughter, but Iliana was too tired to deal with him. The dark patches under her eyes were from pulling all-nighters to catch up with the sudden increase in work load.

    Ever since Supreme Judge Gerald dissolved the Jury system, the new judge has been reviewing old cases day and night, making both the police force and Detective Agencies work overnight to send reports on previous cases whose verdicts seemed even a slight bit rushed.

    And Mr. Monzard''s case was one of them. His daughter''s and the man''s charges were dropped too quickly ever since a vampire was introduced in the case and the verdict was passed without any proper investigation on the vampire, and whether if she was guilty or not. There was also an ongoing investigation on the Judge and the Jury Panel of that case and many more.

    "I am sorry, Mr. Monzard, but currently, our agency is too busy to handle any requests on previous cases. You will have to take it up with the court," Iliana replied before she went back to arranging reports on her computer, printing and reorganizing them before putting them in envelopes to drop at the court. There were currently seventeen such envelopes on her desk, making Mr. Monzard hesitate to press Iliana for more.

    So he took her advice and walked out of the Agency to go to the court to enquire about his daughter.

    After a minute, Abel walked into the Agency. Upon seeing him, Iliana smiled. "Welcome back.. I need some help," she said as she sealed shut the last envelope and sat down before sighing.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "Please get these to the courthouse, submit it to the window as ''Reports of Reopened cases as requested by Judge Jillian''."

    "Got it.." Abel spoke calmly as he caught the car keys that Iliana threw at him before he picked up the bunch of envelopes, before adding. "Close the business hours and sleep. I''ll be back soon."

    "Thanks.." Iliana replied as she walked up to the door as Abel left, putting the close sign and locking the business front door.

    __________

    A few hours later,

    Upon returning to the office, Abel noticed Eluya resting on the couch and sat down beside her.

    "Tired?" He asked calmly, to which Eluya nodded before she turned to him and hugged him.

    "You are the worst kind of person I could''ve fallen for.. You are hurt.." Eluya spoke, as if she knew what had transpired with Abel in the meeting with other Proxies.

    "It''s not like I can hide anything from you," Abel spoke, smiling softly as he hugged Eluya back. "I was only gone for a week."

    "Yeah, and a lot has transpired. The Jury system was abolished completely, a lot of vampires have been released from Aslahan and investigations are being conducted on the corrupt Jury and judges." Eluya said as she wiped the tears off her eyes, a sign of victory against the oppression in Luminae.

    But the stigma against the vampires was still present. A mindset that has been there for a few generations will not vanish in a week but it was a step towards the right direction.

    "Yeah, I noticed how many people were lining up to inquire about the new system.. including Mr. Monzard.." Abel added calmly.

    "Do you think we made a difference?" Eluya asked as she pulled back from the hug, her eyes glimmering with hope.

    "Yes, every impartial decision we take or inspire others to take is one step closer to true justice.. I would say, it counts."

    Abel smiled at Eluya, wiping the tears from Eluya''s cheeks before sighing. "So what have you two been up to? It''s clear that you weren''t in Luminae and Iliana pulled an all-nighter or two.."

    "Yes, I was in Necroma for the report of the ''Rogue Vampire'' case and the new Judge is calling old cases and serving impartial justice.. As expected of Geppie''s disciples," Eluya said with a chuckle. "Would you like to carry me to my room?" She added teasingly.

    "I could.. but that''s not fun now, is it?" Abel replied teasingly.

    "Yes, Yes.. Not very fun." Austin spoke out of the blue as he and Rina were observing them, followed by Rina pouting as she repeated his words.

    "Yes, yes.. Not very fun indeed."

    "Meow!" Ellen meowed before she jumped into Abel''s head, perched like a crown before purring again.

    "Wow, you two haven''t gone back yet?" Abel asked calmly, nearly breaking out into laughter at Austin and Rina''s jealous pouts.

    "We were planning to go back today." Austin replied.

    "And we feel much better thanks to Miss Eluya." Rina added, still a bit jealous of the hug Abel got from Eluya.

    "It seems our beloved soon-to-be King and Queen love you." Abel said to Eluya, who chuckled back.

    Austin and Rina blushed at Abel''s comment and cleared their throats to gain some semblance of control over this situation.

    "Teasing aside, I hope both of you are fine now.." Abel asked.

    "Yes, we had a good week of therapy with Miss Eluya and Ellen." Rina spoke, followed by Ellen meowing to say that she loved it as well before the office fell silent.

    "Before you leave, I do wish to have a talk if you don''t mind." Abel broke the silence.

    Austin and Rina nodded before they sat down on the couch in front of Abel and Eluya.

    "Austin, Can you organise ''Corps of Seven'' to rendezvous outside Techonia on 23rd September? And Rina, there is a secret force in the republic named ''Terra Krugers'', can you make sure that they rendezvous at Techonia as well.. If possible, I would like both of you there as well."

    "It''s not impossible.. I can try," Rina replied after a moment of consideration.

    "The Corps of Seven is under the direct order of Supreme Judge Gerald, so I can only relay your message to him," Austin said calmly.

    "And as for us, I can try but I am not sure if my father will allow it but Austin will be there," Rina added, followed by Austin nodding.

    "But why 23rd of September?" Eluya asked Abel about the specificity of the date.

    "Because Lady 4th has mobilized the entirety of Iron Wolves to wage war on Techonia," 14 spoke, as he suddenly appeared behind Abel, startling Austin and Rina. "It seems that Lord 5th has some idea about it as well."

    "It was a natural deduction." Abel said before the room fell silent again.

    Then 14th quietly handed a letter to Abel and Eluya before speaking. "There are the letters for you."

    "I will get going now. I have a few more letters to deliver." 14th said before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

    "That was quite a show." Rina spoke, still startled by 14th.

    Abel nodded as he read his letter calmly, while Eluya was reading her letter trembling.

    "How can this happen?!" Eluya shouted, scaring Ellen. The look of horror on her face was enough to scare Austin and Rina, after all, Eluya, who hadn''t shown any signs of fear before was trembling in what was fear and anger.

    "This is our cue.. Eluya��No, Elaira.. Pack the bags, finish any reports you have by tomorrow. We will be leaving for Master''s house by ten in the morning tomorrow." Abel spoke with a glimmer of anger in his eyes.

    Then he looked at the two in front of them and nodded, "You should leave as well."

    Austin and Rina nodded before they put on their disguise and left the Agency.

    Once they had left, Abel patted Eluya''s back while she crumpled the paper in her hands, her expression twisted into unparallel anger at what she had just read.

    "We have lost all contact of the Search Team sent to Techonia, likely due to the booby traps. The last message we recieved was ''The city is empty''."

    "Can we leave faster?" Eluya asked.

    "As soon as you finish your report and Iliana is up." Abel said calmly as he began walking towards the stairs.

    "I will complete it then." Eluya said while gritting her teeth as she tied her hair into a messy bun and began working on the report.

    The urgency to leave was strong but she couldn''t make any mistakes in the report so she calmed herself down before she began writing, while Abel went into his room and began packing essentials.

 Vol2 Ch49: The Northern Forests

    Morning of 31st August, 2027,

    Abel was walking around the house, dropping his blood on the floor with Ellen on his head, meowing as she didn''t understand why Abel was doing this.

    "It''s okay, Ellen. It''s for safety purposes," Abel told Ellen, scratching her head with his free hand.

    Meanwhile Eluya was checking the status of the submitted report online and Iliana was going over the contents of the luggage.

    When Abel returned from his walk around the house, Iliana looked at him and asked with a concerned look. "Do we really have to leave?"

    "We are not leaving permanently. Technically, it''s a job so we will get paid, if finance is what you are worried about," Abel spoke as he tilted his head, unable to understand why Iliana was worried.

    Iliana shook her head before asking. "No, I am more concerned as to why you are bringing me with you. Am I really wanted there?"

    "It''s less about necessity and more about safety," Eluya spoke, shutting down the PC after ensuring that the report was submitted.

    "But, you two go on cases to other cities often and there has never been a need for me to accompany you," Iliana spoke.

    "Because we don''t usually deal with a threat as big as this.. And I''d rather not leave a backdoor for my enemies," Abel added, as darkness devoured the luggage.

    "Wait, why are you using your abilities?!" Iliana exclaimed, seeing Abel use his ability so openly, even if it was just them.

    "Why not? It will be hard to walk for as long as we are going to," Eluya said with a chuckle, patting Iliana''s back. "Let''s go now."

    Iliana was still dumbstruck when Eluya suddenly shook her back into reality and Abel was walking towards the front door, ready to leave with Ellen perched on his head like a crown as usual.

    ''I shouldn''t even be surprised anymore.'' Iliana thought to herself with a sigh, before the three of them walked out of the office, locked the front door, and began walking.

    The three of them took shortcuts through the alleyways to reach the Black Market, through which they took the path which led to the Northern Forests, on the other side of Huding River.

    "Wow..." Iliana exclaimed. Her jaw dropped at the smell of the fresh air that was much, much different than the city of Luminae. "In the past, when you two said that the air in the city is much different, I knew the air in the city was bad.. But for it to be this.."

    Iliana was speechless as she followed Abel and Eluya closely, both of whom were smiling at Iliana.

    "So how far is the walk from here?" Iliana asked.

    "Two days... or hours," Eluya replied before she nudged Abel.

    "I can, but I won''t. You can do it, Eluya..." Abel said with a calm sigh as he nudged Eluya back.

    "What are you two talking abOU-" Iliana shouted, taken off guard by Eluya picking Iliana up on her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

    "Wait, wait, wait!! Why are you picking me up?" Iliana asked as she looked over her shoulders at Eluya, gulping the saliva in her mouth when Eluya smiled.

    And it was not a normal smile as Iliana understood. It was Eluya''s way of saying, ''We are going somewhere and we are going fast.''

    "It''s faster," Abel surprisingly replied to Iliana''s query before the two of them began running.

    Eluya, even while carrying Iliana, was ever so slightly faster than Abel, who was holding Ellen in his arms like an infant. But even then, both of them were magnitudes faster than Iliana.

    They were zooming through not only the forest but also it''s dangers.

    The Northern Forest were not only a natural barrier separating the Empire and the Vampire Covenants but also hoisted a lot of endangered flaura and fauna, making it a strict No-War zone.

    Before Zandre became the emperor, the management of the Prison of Aslahan was in the hands of the now-retired Major General Alfas. He made a mistake of mocking the vampires and ended up burning about 59 trees, despite the warning from the Central Command.

    He was suspended and retired soon after but the animosity of the forest towards Aslahan still hasn''t disappeared since then.

    Some say that the forest is a living being that watches and protects everything that lives there, wanting everything to go by natural order. And it imparts justice to those who dare to go against the natural being.

    When Zandre took the throne, he declared the Northern Forest to be a protected region, prohibiting the use of armed forces in the region.

    __________

    "Why are you silent?" Abel asked Iliana, as she has been silently looking at him throughout the journey.

    "Yeah, Why so quiet?" Eluya added.

    "I''m comfortable so I was just appreciating the view in front of me," Iliana said with a light blush on her face, before she yelped when Eluya lightly spanked her ass.

    "Don''t get too comfortable," Eluya said with a solution before she slowed down to let Abel run in front of her.

    "Meow! Meow!" Ellen meowed at Eluya and Iliana as Abel passed them.

    "But yes, this is a view to appreciate," Eluya whispered as Abel was running in front of her.

    __________

    After a few hours of running,

    Eluya put down Iliana, before sitting down under a tree while Abel was preparing breakfast for them by calling the bags from the darkness.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    "Wow, if you can run this fast then we don''t need a car." Iliana said, amazed at how deep they were in the Northern Forest.

    "We can, but transportation is a good way to make alibis in case people ever suspect us." Abel said as he handed a bowl of fish to Ellen and sandwiches to Iliana and Eluya.

    "Thank you.. What about you?" Eluya asked Abel as she took the plate of sandwiches which Abel offered.

    "Just a minute, I''ll join you." Abel replied, before he used his ability to let darkness devour their luggage again. Then he sat down in front of Eluya to eat.

    Iliana, who was sitting beside Eluya, munched on her sandwich with a smile, happy with the explanation of the car and the taste of the food.

    After they were done eating, Iliana yawned before she began looking around.

    The forest was densely packed with trees and there was no civilisation in sight. Despite this, it wasn''t quite as animals were everywhere. There were trees and wines she didn''t know existed and birds who were as brilliant as the night sky of Simphona.

    This place was full of things she couldn''t see anywhere else and all of this was visible on her face.

    Neither Abel nor Eluya disturbed Iliana''s sightseeing, finding it cute.

    Ellen sat in the same boat, nestled on Abel''s lap, her eyes fixed on the sunlight streaming through the gaps in the tree leaves and casting patterns on the ground.

    After a while of rest, Eluya stood up and began stretching her back. "We should continue our journey. We''ll reach Lady 4th''s house in an hour."

    "Please carry me with a bit of dignity this time. I''m not a sack of potatoes." Iliana said with a pout, not wanting to be carried on Eluya''s shoulder again.

    "As you wish," Eluya said with a smile as she lifted Iliana in her arms like a bride before speaking in a low seductive voice. "Is Milady satisfied with this?"

    Iliana blushed profusely, shifting in Eluya''s arms, unable to utter a word.

    "E.L.U.Y.A. Don''t tease her with your Blood Art," Abel said with a chuckle before they began running again.

    The effect of the Blood Art was so overwhelming that Iliana remained quiet for the rest of the journey, with the only sound being the footsteps and occasional purring of Ellen.

    __________

    Residence of Fourth Progenitor, Northern Forests

    Alice and Rei were sitting in the garden, enjoying the sunlight and the plethora of smells that originated from her flowerbed of extinct and endangered flowers from all around the world, when suddenly Alice stood up.

    Her lips curled up into a smile when she suddenly spoke. "My disciple Ab.. He is coming."

    "Oh my.. It seems the boy you talk so much about is finally coming," Rei spoke as he slowly stood up. "What are we waiting for? Let''s welcome them, Lady Alice."

    "Yes.. Let us prepare some snacks for my disciple and his... friends." Alice said with a chuckle, confusing Rei. "Lord Rei, it seems I need to update you on what my disciple has been doing."

    "It seems you have foreseen a future you very much like." Rei said as he followed Alice inside the house.

    "Yes.. I won''t foresee any further though. It''s good to keep casual conversations fresh." Alice said with a smile, opening a box of biscuits in her kitchen and putting some of the homemade Caramel biscuits in a bowl for the guests.

    Then she began preparing tea with a smile on her face, it was unlike the emotions Alice has ever shown to Rei.

    Alice was happy from the bottom of her heart. It just goes to show how proud she is of her disciple and how much he means to her.

    And right as tea was prepared, Abel with Ellen in hands, Iliana and Eluya walked in the house. They took off their shoes near the door and entered the house barefooter until they reached the dining area where Alice and Rei were waiting for them.

    "Greetings, Master.." Abel greeted Alice with a smile and a bow.

    "Greetings, Lady 4th." Eluya greeted Alice with a bow and Iliana followed Eluya''s action.

    "You can raise your head.. Come sit at the table." Alice said as she pointed at the seat beside her.

    But before sitting, Abel turned to the man beside Alice and bowed. "I am Abraxas of the Red Iron Covenant, 2nd Disciple of Lady Alice, and 5th of the Numbered. It''s an honour to meet a legend, Lord Rei."

    "And this little one is Ellen." Ellen purred, with an obvious smile on her face, earning a smile from both Alice and Rei.

    Eluya followed Abel''s action. "I am Elaira of the Crystal Moon, 6th of the Numbered. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    Iliana, who was still standing behind Eluya bowed to Rei before she introduced herself. "G-g-greetings to Lady 4th and Lord Rei.. I-I am Iliana... It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    "It''s nice to meet you all. Though I am surprised that you recognised me, Abraxas.." Rei said calmly as the others settled down on the dining table.

    "It would be a disgrace for us to not remember you, Lord Rei. Though it''s partly due to how detailed scriptures are about you. That and the fact that you are in Master''s house narrows down your identity." Abel said with a smile.

    "A sound and logical deduction.. But wasn''t the word about my legend that ''I fell to corruption in the battle against the Demon Lords''?" Rei asked, since that''s the story that Alice knew, thus what must have been passed down the generations.

    "That is.. true. But as a scholar, it is our duty to doubt any and all knowledge that has been passed down to us. We should be skeptical of any discrepancy in the knowledge and I could not fathom someone as notable as the Child of Faith being corrupted by the likes of Demon Lords." Abel said with a smile, scratching Ellen''s belly.

    "It''s rare to see such an astute scholar. It was rare to see such people back in the days and I''m not too sure about current times." Rei said with a smile as he took a sip of the tea.

    "That aside... Ab, Elaira.. You are forgetting to introduce someone, aren''t you?" Alice said calmly, her gaze fixed on Iliana, who was anxious.

    "Ah, yes.. She is Iliana. We love her." Eluya said with a smile without any hesitation, while Iliana''s face turned cherry red from embarassment.

    ''Oh my god.. I am not even meeting their parents.. Well, the two in front of me are.. like straight up from fairy tales.. What am I supposed to say? Is my silence disrespectful? Should I get on my knees and beg? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?'' Iliana thought to herself, screaming internally and her anxiety from obvious from how much she was shaking.

    "Child, you may speak freely. If these two accept you as is, then I have no right to question you." Alice said with a warm tone.

    Upon hearing her, Iliana stopped shaking. For a moment, it seemed that everything fell into place. It was as if she had won everything she ever wanted.

    "T-thank you.. Lady 4th." Iliana said as a drop of tear fell down her cheeks but before she could speak any further, Alice was holding up a sword against Abel''s neck.

    "My dear disciple Ab.. If you ever break this child''s heart, I will make sure you will never bed a woman again." Alice said as the Sword, which was made out of bone and was pulsing blue blood all over it, touched Abel''s neck.

    But Abel remained calm as he replied. "Master.. I would like to be beheaded before that day arrives."

    Abel said it with conviction in his heart that he will never wrong Eluya or Iliana.

    "Spoken like my disciple.." Alice said with a smile as she dropped the sword from her hands and it disappeared into nothingness.

    "The same goes for you, Eluya.." Alice said calmly to Eluya, who in turn nodded.

    Eluya nodded as she took a bite out of the biscuits provided.

    After they were done eating, Alice looked at Eluya and said, "Eluya, show Iliana where you three will be staying."

    Eluya nodded calmly, before showing Iliana around the house, taking her to the room where they will be staying at.

    In Lady 4th''s house, the Numbered have a place. A room with seven bunk beds and since there are only ten Numbered, a lot of the beds aren''t used. This room acts as a safe haven for the Numbered where they are welcomed without question.

    After Eluya and Iliana left, Alice looked at Abel. Her tone was imposing as she asked him. "You must have read the letter 13 prepared.. What are your thoughts?"

    "I will lead the forces to Techonia. I have also asked for help from the Republic and Empire so they will help us in Techonia as well," Abel replied.

    "Do not avoid the point, Ab.. You know exactly what I meant." Alice said as she looked at Abel with a piercing gaze.

    "My decision remains firm.. I will do what I must. If there is nothing to salvage then I will give orders to kill everything on sight." Abel said with a firm look on his face.

    It was a possibility. Since Techonia has been under their control for a while now, it''s hard to speculate if there is anyone alive.

    Thus the one in charge needs to be ready to take actions as severe as burning the entire city to the ground. It is not the decision that they will have to take first but it is a decision they have to keep in mind.

    "Abraxas, do you have an idea about what we are dealing with here?" Rei asked, wanting to know if Abel is competent enough to lead.

    "Yes, Lord Rei.. I am well aware of what, or should I say, who we are facing. And I want to say this from the bottom of my heart." Abel took a deep breath before he continued.

    "<u>They will die.</u>"

 Vol2 Ch50: Iron Wolves (1)

    Early morning of September 1st, 2027

    Abel was in Alice''s flowerbed, watering the plants and picking out weed. It has been his everyday routine since he became Alice''s apprentice and a job he does without questioning.

    Eluya and Iliana were sitting near the patch of grass with Alice and Rei. While Eluya seemed fine, already used to seeing Abel do such tasks, but for Iliana it was new. She has never seen Abel get his hands dirtier than they need to be. It was different from the Abel who handles chores and cooking.

    "Seeing a new side of him, child?" Alice asked calmly while petting Ellen, who was in her lap.

    "Yes. I have never seen him like this." Iliana said with a calm look. She wasn''t stuttering as much as yesterday but there was still a hint of awe in her eyes.

    "Well, Abel only handles matters like cooking for us. Usually, all of us split chores and do what we do best. I can understand why Iliana finds this to be... new." Eluya added.

    "That''s because I don''t want either of you to become dependent on me. I know Eluya would because of how used she is to servants and stuff." Abel said with a smile as he walked out of the flower, putting the rooted weed in a basket before he presented flowers to Alice and Rei.

    Once they accepted the flowers, he walked to Eluya and Iliana, putting a flower in their hair.

    "Magnificent." Alice murmured, sniffing the flower that Abel gave her.

    Usually, four to seven flowers fall down every day and Alice uses those flowers for rituals and occasional flower tea. It was a habit that Abel knew about her centuries ago and to her surprise, he remembers it to this day.

    Not only that, he picked out two of them for his soon-to-be wives. A Flamesal Paraguila for Eluya, matching her flamboyant personality and a Roguiro Irelias for Iliana, matching her reserved intellect.

    "Thank you!" Iliana said with a smile before Abel walked away to wash his hands.

    Soon, everyone had breakfast and then it was time to start the preparations. With Abel and Eluya, now in their respective roles of Abraxas and Elaira.

    Alice was looking out the window of the living room, with concern etched on her face. She was looking in the general direction of Techonia yet there was not a single premonition in her mind.

    But the silence was broken by Abraxas and Elaira, who were dressed in Light Armor.

    "Master, we will be heading to the preparation grounds." Abraxas said with a firm expression.

    "You have my permission." Alice looked over her shoulders before replying in a calm manner.

    And just as she blinked, Abraxas and Elaira disappeared from her vision, heading to the Preparation Ground of the Iron Wolves Covenant, where other Numbered and the entirety of Iron Wolves were preparing for the war.

    Iliana and Ellen were still in the house, as they had been brought here to be under the protection of Alice.

    They knew full well that it was a war that could end up taking their lives and thus decided to bring Iliana. This way, they made sure that she was safe from any forces tracking down their identity as detectives and holding Iliana hostage and in the worse case scenario, Iliana will get to see them one last time.

    __________

    Preparation Ground,

    "What kind of mission is it?" The vampire, Gnaeus, asked while doing pushups with his partner, Tsaravi, sitting on his back.

    "I have no idea. The command will tell us when we need to," Tsaravi replied, cracking his neck.

    Both of them were on duty to guard the entrance of the Preparation Grounds and were too bored to look at any empty gate, thus warming up before the next shift arrived.

    But then suddenly, the second vampire stood up and looked at the main gate.

    "Hey, get up. There are people outside.." Tsaravi said to Gnaeus, who was still doing push ups.

    Upon hearing his partner, Gnaeus stood up from the ground and both of them approached the gate.

    "What is your busi-" Gnaeus tried to speak but his mouth stopped as he recognised Elaira and Abraxas, quickly opening the gate for them.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "It is a privilege to stand by Your Highnesses." Gnaeus saluted them with Tsaravi following after him.

    "At ease." Elaira spoke with a nod before Abraxas and her walked away to where the 13th should be at that time.

    Once they were gone, Tsaravi asked Gnaeus. "Hey.. Who was that man in front of Madam Elaira? I didn''t recognise him."

    "You didn''t... recognise.. him?" Gnaeus looked at his partner in disbelief.

    "No... I mean, Madam Elaira was walking behind him so he must be pretty important, right?" Tsaravi said until he suddenly realised.

    "Wait.. Was that Lord 4th?" Tsaravi asked, and panic spread throughout his body when Gnaeus nodded.

    "Tell me... Am I cooked?" He asked Gnaeus with a pleading look, using the new generation slang he heard on the internet.

    "First of all, don''t use those weird internet slangs ever again. And secondly, No." Gnaeus said with a look of disbelief on his face. Both at the fact that Tsaravi didn''t recognise Abraxas but also the slang.

    __________

    In the Central Meeting Tent,

    13 and 14 were looking at the map of Techonia laid out on the table. 13 was thinking about the location of the supply station they needed to set up near Techonia while 14 was making plans about the actions the selected soldiers needed to make when they were in Techonia.

    As of this moment, the soldiers outside were training themselves to the hardest. There was no information on what kind of foe they will face so they needed to train for every possible scenario and for now, 14 was in charge of planning.

    Then all of a sudden, Abraxas and Elaira stepped in the tent. The atmosphere was tense when they entered but 13 and 14 managed to speak.

    "Welcome, 5th and 6th." 13 and 14 said in unity.

    "It''s good to see you again, 14. And it has been a while, 13.. I hope you are doing well." Elaira replied while Abraxas remained silent.

    "Everything was going well.. Until 7th disappeared. I suppose both of you want to know what led to this war.. The letters I wrote only had the gist of it." 13 said calmly as her gaze returned to the map.

    "Actually, 7th found traces of 10th in Techonia and sent me a report. Unfortunately, he was captured soon after and I can''t seem to reach him even with Telepathy." 13 said before she walked to a metal box, from which she took out a sheet of paper and handed it to Elaira.

    "This is the decoded message that I received from 7th." 13 said.

    "I have found traces of 10th in Techonia. I''m certain that he didn''t leave the city since the traces line up with his disappearance. I need to enter the Research Institute to investigate more."

    Elaira read out the message out loud for Abraxas. And once she was finished speaking, Abraxas spoke up.

    "What was the encoding that 7th used?"

    "It was Num-V, the standard script that we, the Numbered, use on an open channel. I''m sure this message cannot be decrypted by anyone that isn''t one of us." 13 clarified.

    But both Elaira and Abraxas had a bitter look on their faces.

    "Why are you making that face?" 14 asked.

    "There is a bit of information you two might not know about," Elaira stated before continuing. "10th is being controlled by someone. It''s likely that they received his message on an open channel and captured him."

    6''s revelation surprised 13 and 14. The fact that 10 was being used and the information they have was intercepted.

    "So who is the enemy?" 14 asked.

    "We can''t tell you.. But all we can say is, This is not a combat mission for you." Abraxas spoke, breaking his silence.

    "The soldiers will be divided into groups, each led by a Numbered. Your task is to save as many of Techonia''s residents as possible.. Leave 10 and the enemy to me." He spoke with an uncanny fear etched across his face, a look that seemed entirely out of place.

    "I will be providing support from a distance to everyone. We will provide the guidelines to make sure everyone returns home safely." Elaira added.

    "We will trust your judgement, 5th. I''ll provide you the lists of the soldiers by the evening." 13 said before walking out of the tent leaving 14 to speak with 5 and 6.

    "I thought there were only members of the Iron Wolves. So what is Elfana doing here?" Elaira asked 14 about Elfana. Though she had only seen Elfana once, she remembered her face very well and noticed Elfana when they entered the grounds.

    "She is acting as my second-in-command.. She was the leader of the Elite Scouts that went missing in Techonia. I assume, you know her feelings." 14 clarified, since he has kept Elfana here.

    "I assume you know that this isn''t just a normal search and rescue mission either.. Anyone who isn''t able to pull their own weight will not be in the final list." Abraxas said crudely, since Elfana was just a scout.

    "Yes... But it brings her comfort in staying here.. Please let her stay here and work in the support line." 14 requested, lowering his head as he spoke.

    Hearing 14''s request, Abraxas and Elaira fell silent. In hindsight, 14 wasn''t wrong as Elfana could help in logistics considering her expertise and they could use help there as not all of the Numbered would be present during the battle in Techonia.

    "She''ll help Elaira in the logistics and backline. Inform her to stay with Elaira." Abraxas said calmly before he walked away.

    Seeing him walk away, 14 got confused and asked Abraxas. "Hey! Where are you heading off to?"

    "Training." Abraxas replied before he walked out of the tent.

    __________

    Techonia Research Centre,

    "Hmm.. The preparations are going well enough." They muttered, looking at the women in the room.

    All of the women had a surgical scar on their navel region and seemed to have been drugged. Almost all of them were unconscious and those who were awake seemed like they cared a lot about the things in their womb.

    The room they were in was reeking of blood. And the armed guards in the room were preparing plates of food for these women as these women were hungry for nutrition to feed what was inside them.

    "Just a few months and that will be ready, I suppose." They spoke before breaking out into laughter. The feeling of their plan succeeding overcame them but the smile quickly vanished when they heard the laugh from 7.

    "And why are you laughing?" They asked, looking at 7, who was missing his parts of his abdominal cavity, but was laughing as loudly as they were.

    "Oh, it''s because you don''t have <u>months</u>." 7 said, breaking into a louder laugh as the missing organs in his abdominal cavity began regenerating rapidly.

    "Whatever.. I have plans for it." They spoke before walking out of the room, choosing to not talk about his contingency plans since 7 was able to use Long distance Telepathy, even in his miserable current state.

    <u>They were not planning on losing.</u>

 Vol2 Ch51: Iron Wolves (2)

    The preparations of the War were proceeding smoothly. 11th and 12th have also returned from their skirmish in the Southern World Mists, with 8th and 9th joining the other Numbered after being summoned by Lady 4th.

    Abraxas had divided the covenant into six groups, led by the Numbered present. It was a scale of war the soldiers hadn''t prepared for. Since the rumours were that Numbered is an elite group and each member of it is capable of destroying the world, with Abraxas and Eluya standing above the rest of the group by a mile and a half. Thus, the united efforts of the group was not only terrifying but also reassuring.

    The Numbered were all keeping an eye on their respective group, checking their progress while training then under the specific conditions that Abraxas told them to put their soldiers under.

    - The soldiers in the backline, the one under Elaira, need to be able to carry long distances and carry supplies for all other groups.

    - The group under 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, and 14th need to be able to perform their tasks while wearing noise cancelling headphones. (The effects of which were so strong that it spooked some of the members in the Covenant.)

    - The group under 13th, should be able to use Telepathy in the long distance.

    "These are some nasty conditions of training, don''t you think?" 9th spoke, also training with the noise cancelling headgear. He was down on the ground doing push ups with the soldiers he was training.

    He was a Red Haired Vampire known for his thirst in battle, and he was extremely disappointed to see that he was leading the Search and Rescue part. But he didn''t have the urge to ask Abraxas to change the decision after seeing his expression.

    ''Just what could be in the city that would make him that serious.'' 9th thought to himself.

    "Stop it, 9. Thinking doesn''t suit you at all." 8th interrupted 9th by stepping on him but it didn''t seem to stop him. She was also wearing the noise cancelling headgear to train herself and her group.

    Her Powder grey hair was tied up in a bun for convenience and she was staring daggers into 9th, her eyes glowing hollow red as she applied more force on 9th, which scared 9th''s group, who were watching all of this, while not able to hear anything.

    "Maybe you are right.. But I''m curious." 9th spoke as he continued to train his body even though 8 was stepping on him with all her force.

    "You are right, but we don''t have to question, Lord 5th.. We just have to follow his orders." 8th spoke, understanding every word that 9th spoke.

    Then befell silence, followed by the ground shaking violently, startling everyone in the preparation ground. As everyone took off their headphones, Elaira and 13th came out of the tent while running.

    14th also ran out into the Preparation Ground as the ground was still again. "The epicenter was Last 4th''s residence."

    And as soon as Elaira heard 14, she ran to Lady 4th''s residence, leaving behind others.

    "8th, 9th, please stay here and oversee the training." 14 said calmly, before he ran after Elaira as fast as he could.

    Moments later, 11th and 12th showed up where 13th was. 8th and 9th looked at them before 8th spoke in a calm voice. "Return to training. 6th and 14th are investigating." She said calmly, before putting her headphones back on and seeing that the soldiers under her started training again.

    __________

    Lady 4th''s residence,

    "Lord Rei... Please be a bit gentle on him," Alice spoke calmly, looking at Abraxas who was bleeding but still alive.

    Just then, Iliana ran out of the residence with Ellen in her arms. As soon as she saw Abraxas, she was paralyzed with fear.

    Seeing him bathing in his own blood with Rei standing in front of him. Both of them were holding onto their swords but Abraxas was injured.

    Just then, Elaira and 14 arrived. They looked at Abraxas, who was now able to speak a bit. "No one says anything.. I am training."

    "I commend your will to train, Abraxas. You are as good.. no, better than how Alice described you but you need to rest after such an injury." Rei said calmly.

    .......

    An hour ago,

    "Lord Rei, Please train me." Abraxas spoke as he was on his knees while Alice and Rei were munching on biscuits.

    "Lady Alice, do you mind?" Rei asked Alice as he ate the biscuit before shaking the flakes off his hand.

    "Test him as you like, Lord Rei. You wanted to do that anyways," Alice said before Rei called his sword which flew into his hand.

    Abraxas smiles as he stands up and summons his blade of Darkness.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "That is a beautiful blade, Abraxas." Rei complimented his blade with a smile as they both pointed their blade at each other.

    "Yours too, Lord Rei.." Abraxas replied before they clashed their blades with each other''s three times, and the third time they clashed, it caused a small earthquake.

    .........

    Elaira looked at Abraxas, biting her lips out of frustration and anger. She understood why Abraxas wanted to train with Rei. He told her exactly what he will do and what it would lead to.

    Even though she knew he would get injured and be in a bad shape, it was still painful. It was breaking her heart to see him in such pain, to see him shoulder a responsibility no one asked him to.

    "Abraxas Nouveri?r De''Zua.." She spoke out loud, clear enough for Abraxas to hear and look back at her. "I know you want to train for the war.. But you are not allowed to scare my dear Iliana and Ellen. Go elsewhere.."

    Elaira was hurt, angry, and sad yet she remained strong. The bones that Abraxas broke were healing rapidly and he will not die easily, yet it pained her. Then in a flash, Elaira disappeared, leaving behind a trail of dust, suggesting she went back to the preparation ground with 14 sighing before following Elaira.

    Her words were now stuck in Abraxas''s mind.

    ''Maybe I am being a bit.. hard to work with.'' Abraxas thought to himself before he looked at Iliana and smiled. "Sorry."

    "Lord Rei, we should take this somewhere else," Abraxas said as he completely healed in a matter of minutes.

    Rei looked at Alice, wanting her opinion on Abraxas''s request. "Do what he says, Lord Rei.. And be rough. He won''t rest otherwise." Alice spoke as both Abraxas and Rei''s blade clashed again as they both disappeared in an instant.

    The ground shook every once in a while and there was a sizeable gap in between these shocks, suggesting Abraxas was still being bested by Rei.

    Alice knew that Abraxas cannot surpass Rei. Infact, the Evil Gods are much, much weaker than Rei and thus he wanted to train with him.

    That how Abraxas always trained. By bringing himself to the brink of death. Even when he was her disciple, he was either fighting, healing or cooking. He dedicated his entire life and spent a better part of a few decades of his life on the brink of death.

    And thats is how Abraxas will train for the rest of his life, as he doesn''t know anything else. It''s a constant cycle of near death experiences and battles for him. This truth will never change.

    ........

    Alice ignored the shocks and looked back at Iliana, who was in tears and Ellen wasn''t any better.

    "Child, you don''t need to worry over him." Alice said calmly, not used to consoling anyone but she believed she did a good job.

    Iliana nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, having no intentions to divert Abraxas''s or Elaira''s attention away from the war. She knew she wasn''t here for that so she forced herself to smile.

    Seeing Iliana forcing herself to smile, Alice sighed as she sat down near her flowerbed and tapped her lap. "Come, lay down."

    Iliana stared at Alice in wide eyed wonder but complied, laying her head in Alice''s lap. Her smile disappeared as Alice started caressing her.

    "It seems, you have a lot to learn about my idiot disciple. I can tell you a few tales about him if you want to know." Alice said calmly.

    "Y-yes, ma''am."

    "Let''s start from the beginning.. You know why Abraxas or should I say Abel, act like this, right? He thinks it''s his duty to judge the Evil Gods. I don''t even know when it started but by the time I noticed, he had gone a long way, noticed by Obrax and awakened his Divine Blood Art."

    "Back then, I had a disciple.. A vampire who was born a few generations before Abel. Those two fought each other when I took Abel in as my second disciple. It was to nurture him and I saw something in him. He was afraid of death yet he never looked away. He wasn''t anything out of the ordinary yet he was majestic."

    "And then one day, my first disciple broke a cardinal law." Alice fell silent as she thought  of her first disciple, the first and only Grand Marshall of the Iron Wolves, Reza.

    "The hands that steal should be ripped,

    the tongue that lies should be severed,

    the body that lusts should be burned,

    and, he who kills unnecessarily should be killed."

    "These are the cardinal rules that are followed by every member of the covenants without question. Breaking these laws will lead to strict punishment and can make you an ''Uncouth''.. I think you are already familiar with them, Child." Alice spoke while Iliana nodded.

    "Well, one day, my first disciple, Reza, ended up committing a crime.. He tried to assassinate Abel out of jealousy. By the time, I found out about it, their battle had ended. Abraxas was standing ,even though his heart was pierced by hundreds of blades. And as for Reza, he didn''t have a single scratch on his body, yet he died. To this day, I am not able to figure out Abraxas''s Divine Blood Art but that is the only reason why Reza lost."

    "Abraxas was always different from everyone. Almost all vampires are either born physically weak or strong and that never changes throughout their life no matter how much they train. The same applies for Abraxas. He is from the Red Iron Covenant, known for their physical prowess but Abraxas was weak. Even today, he is still considered weak by their standard."

    "Yet he trained himself to the brink of death over and over again. And at some point, he could fight everyone and not lose, yet he was still physically weak. No matter how much one tries to overcome their own shortcomings they can''t. He might rewrite his own genetics to strengthen himself but it won''t help much."

    "Then why is he considered strong now?" Iliana asked, confused as to what Alice was trying to say.

    "What I am trying to say is.. Alisa, you were close to death during your life too. What did you feel?" Alice said with a straight look and Iliana was shocked, hearing her birth name being spoken again.

    "What.. I felt.. Dread. Horror.. and an urge to set everything right." Iliana replied.

    "I''m assuming that''s what happened with Abraxas as well. Since then, he has looked into death''s eyes and returned. So what I ask of you is to not worry about Abraxas or Elaira. They can handle themselves."

    "Yes.. Thank you for telling me about Abraxas, ma''am. I think I know him a little better now." Iliana spoke.

    "And what did you infer from this?" Alice questioned.

    "I should trust him and he will tell me everything eventually." Iliana replied, to which Alice chuckled.

    "Ah, Youngsters.. Always high up in the feeling called ''Love''.." Alice murmured with a smile before sighing in relief.

    "Well, as you can tell. I can''t foresee the future of the battle nor can I foresee Abraxas''s past, for the most part, as it rejects the flow of natural fate, stepping into the otherworldly or godly. And I cannot interfere since someone, somewhere decided I can''t." Alice spoke, which confused Iliana but she chose not to dwell on Alice''s words for now.

    "You are sweet, Lady 4th." Iliana complimented Alice in a low voice before falling silent, though Alice didn''t hear what Iliana said, she made no attempt to read the past.

    ''There is a certain allure to not look at events of past and future.'' Alice thought to herself, before another shockwave shook her house.

    It was clear as day that Abraxas was just constantly healing all the wounds he has been receiving and fighting over them.

    But he can never escape the limit, that is in his blood.

 Vol2 Ch52: Iron Wolves (3)

    "What an interesting technique, Abraxas. Your mastery over your Transcendental blessing is unmatched," Rei spoke with a smile, putting away his blade.

    Meanwhile, Abraxas was injured, unable to walk and barely standing. His regenerative factor was keeping him alive and there was a shroud of darkness covering him. He broke another barrier by pushing himself even closer to death, and it wouldn''t have been possible without Rei pushing him to death in every exchange for ten days straight.

    "This marks the end of your training. Let''s go back." Rei said, smiling before he picked up Abraxas''s weak body on his shoulder before returning to Alice''s mansion.

    __________

    A few hours later at the Preparation Grounds,

    Lady 4th was sitting in the Central meeting tent with the present Numbered kneeling in front of her. She was dressed in a standardized Iron Wolves Military outfit customised especially for her with a hat. "Today is the 12th of September, 2027.." Alice spoke, before a smile crept on her lips.

    "Today, we shall crown the second Grand Marshall of the Iron Wolves." Alice chuckled before looking at 13.

    "13." Alice spoke.

    "Yes ma''am." 13 replied at the top of her lungs, another habit that Abraxas fed the Numbered. A formal and clear way to address Lady 4th''s call.

    "You are relieved of your duty as the Acting Matriarch of the Iron Wolves. You will join the Numbered as a wandering member, once again." Alice said with a smile before she stood up. She walked up to 13 and patted her shoulder before praising her. "Good job. You may ask for anything you wish as long as it is reasonable."

    "Thank you, ma''am! But I have no such thing to wish for, at this moment. Might I ask to save this opportunity for later." 13 replied, already on high clouds by the appraisal.

    "Fair enough. It shall be remembered." Lady 4th said calmly before she walked out of the tent with the Numbered following after her.

    Alice made her way to the stage that was set in the preparation ground. The entirety of Iron Wolves were present as an audience. Most of them were excited about the declaration of the Grand Marshall, a position that had been empty for centuries but was a promise by Lady 4th. A promise to choose a qualified person who won''t sully the title again.

    "GLORY TO LADY FOURTH!" All of the soldiers shouted at the top of their lungs as they stood up in attention, with their heads down in respect, their left hand on their heart and their right hand behind them.

    "At ease soldiers. You may sit down now." Alice ordered and the soldiers followed, taking their seats on the chairs.

    "Today is an auspicious day. I shall crown the second Grand Marshall of the Iron Wolves.. A position that should have been filled a long time ago." Alice said calmly as she raised her hands in front of her. Her hat vanished as she smiled and the crowd started clapping.

    After the last of the claps stopped, Alice cleared her throat before continuing.

    "As everyone present here is a witness to, Iron Wolves is a covenant found not only in relations of blood but also ideals. Not all of you were born as one of the Iron Wolves but your ideals make you different from your brothers and sisters present alongside you today. The same also goes for the Grand Marshall."

    "It is not just a title. It is the duty, honour and dignity of the Iron Wolves on one person''s head.. Someone who is capable enough to lead all of us into battle.. And today, we will not only welcome the second Grand Marshall into our family but also celebrate the crowning of the first Matriarch of the Iron Wolves. Any guesses who will it be?" Alice''s words echoed through the crowd and everyone started guessing what they had in mind.

    Half of the guesses everyone had in mind were already eliminated as Lady 4th said Matriarch.

    "It must be Lady Elaira!" Someone shouted, to which someone else followed up.

    "No, it must be Lady 8th!" Someone else spoke loudly.

    Even the Numbered, who were standing behind Lady 4th, were unaware of who was chosen.

    "Well, let''s not keep the suspense and call the person on stage. She has been working tirelessly alongside all of you ever since we found the trace of 10th." Alice added, which confused the soldiers even more.

    "Please welcome your second Grand Marshall, Elfana Rouma Gazi��r from the Silver Nebula." Alice smiled as she declared the name.

    Hearing her name, a lot of the soldiers of the Iron Wolves smiled, expressing contentment at the choice. Elfana had been serving the Numbered while participating in the training program. A lot of them believed that she was working the hardest among them.

    Though a small part of them also believed that she wasn''t fit for wars, considering she is a perfect spy and this view was also shared by Elfana, who quickly got on the stage but the shock that she was the one selected was visible to the naked eye.

    Alice chuckled, looking at Elfana. "This is not a dream, child."

    Elfana was nervous as she looked at Alice, still not believing her own eyes and ears, she turned to look at Elaira.

    "Go ahead, Elfana. Lady 4th''s words have never been wrong." Elaira said calmly, with 8th and 13th nodding their heads.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    "Elfana.. Accept the title of Grand Marshall and Matriarch of the Iron Wolves. The rest of the procedures will be handled." Alice spoke calmly, extending her left hand.

    For a moment, Elfana''s world was changing. It was a moment for others but for Elfana, it felt like an eternity passed and she made a decision.

    Elfana got down on her knees before she took Lady 4th''s hand in her hand, as she looked down. "I, Elfana Rouma Gazi��r, will work for the betterment of the Iron Wolves Covenant and I will take it upon my life that your name and honour be upheld, Lady 4th."

    "Mother.. Call me, Mother. You are in that position." Alice spoke with a wide smile. It had been ages since the position of the head of the Iron Wolves had been filled, the bearer of which is no different than Alice''s child.

    Elfana hesitated for a second, gathering the courage to speak. Then she took a deep breath before she looked up at Alice and spoke. "I swear on my name, Mother... I will not let disgrace fall upon your name ever again."

    Hearing the oath, the soldiers of Iron Wolves started celebrating. The celebration of the coronation of the Matriarch of the Iron Wolves, which started the next chapter in their history.

    "This calls for a celebration." Elaira spoke calmly with Alice nodding.

    "Yes, a celebration it shall be."

    Then suddenly the celebration stopped, the soldiers sat back in their seats when Abraxas walked up on the stage. Something was different about him, and none of the present soldiers or Numbered could put a finger on it.

    Abraxas walked up to Elfana and sighed before speaking. "I need to pass something down to you," His tone was reverent as he spoke.

    Alice smiled when she heard and took a step back, allowing Elfana to stand and face Abraxas.

    "What is it, Lord 5th?" Elfana spoke.

    "It is Abraxas. You don''t need to address me by the number anymore." Abraxas said with a sigh before he took out a dagger from the shadows. "Here, take this."

    Elfana was taken aback by how formal yet casual Abraxas was, but she accepted the dagger gracefully.

    "That dagger.. It''s Reza''s, isn''t it?" Alice said calmly, as the dagger reminded her of her first disciple. Abraxas kept the dagger after Reza tried to kill him, to pass it down to the future Grand Marshalls and now was the time.

    "Yes, Master. This is the beloved dagger of Reza. And now it is Elfana''s." Abraxas said calmly, before he turned to look at the soldiers. "Why did the celebration stop when I entered? Are you planning to celebrate without me?"

    Upon hearing Abraxas, the smile and happiness returned on the faces of the soldiers and they began to celebrate once again. This time, with even more enthusiasm.

    There were clappings, screams of joy, and whistling as loud as they could get.

    "Should we stop them?" 9th asked but Elaira shook her head.

    "No, let them be. We have someone else for that." Elaira smiled, waiting for something to happen.

    "Listen everyone!" Elfana shouted at the groups of men and women celebrating her coronation like madmen.

    Her shout was enough to silence the groups, as they looked at her, waiting for further instruction.

    "I know everyone is happy but you shouldn''t ruin your image to celebrate. Celebrate without acting like hooligans." Elfana spoke but just as she smiled, a group of them ran up to her and threw her up in the air, while shouting.

    "All Hail Grand Marshall Elfana! All Hail Lady Fourth!"

    They shouted in unison before passing Elfana around like a celebrity while she looked at Alice and the Numbered, dumbfounded by what was happening.

    "You have no idea how they celebrate." Abraxas said with a smile before he declared. "Bring out the booze, soldiers!"

    "Sir! Yes Sir!" They shouted while passing Elfana over their heads while she was asking them to put her down.

    "They don''t listen to anyone when celebrating." Elaira mumbled to herself.

    ___________

    A few hours had passed since the coronation of Elfana, and the soldiers were now calmly drinking outside. Today was the day that marked the end of their training for the war.

    Meanwhile, the Numbered, Alice and Elfana were in the central tent, enjoying the peace. Rei, Iliana and Ellen had joined them.

    "It feels so surreal." Elfana commented as she looked at everyone in the tent.

    "Does it?" Abraxas spoke calmly with Ellen perched on his head like a crown, purring non-stop. She wouldn''t even come down when Elaira asked her to, making everyone in the room barely holding their laughter at the sight of little cute Ellen.

    "8... Please punch me." 9th spoke, barely holding his laughter. His face was red from holding back the laughter.

    "Gladly." 8th spoke with a smile before landing a fast jab on 9th knocking him out in one hit. But she didn''t let him fall on the ground, quickly catching him and resting his head on her shoulder. "Excuse us. He was feeling unwell." She lied as naturally as she breathed.

    "You do know everyone saw that, right?" 11th and 12th spoke in unison, before they looked at each other and chuckled.

    "Love birds.." Everyone else in the room had the same thought when they looked at 11th and 12th. They were two lovebirds who cannot stay away from each other for too long, and their affection with each other was enough to make people jealous.

    "Anyways, with today, the training has been completed. We will depart in five days. Enjoy and prepare.. That''s all." Abraxas said with a smile before he stood up and began walking away.

    "You aren''t drinking? It''s your favourite Rice Wine?" Elaira asked as Abraxas was walking out.

    "I am not in the mood today. I''ll be walking around the area if you need me." Abraxas replied before walking out.

    Elaira sighed before she picked up her glass of wine and lifted it up in the air. "For the young Matriarch!"

    "For the young Matriarch!" The Numbered raised their glasses in honor of Elfana, who clinked her glass with the Numbered present.

    Meanwhile Alice and Rei raised their glass before clinking it with Elfana''s then each other''s.

    "Iliana, if you aren''t drinking, can you please check up on Abel?" Elaira whispered in Iliana''s ear before engaging in conversation with the Numbered and Elfana while Iliana walked out of the tent to find Abraxas.

    After a while of walking, she found him sitting under a tree. Ellen had already fallen asleep in his lap and he was staring at the night sky without a hint of emotion.

    "Hey.. I hope you don''t mind me sitting beside you." Iliana spoke calmly as she sat down beside Abel.

    "I don''t mind.. and I''m sorry." Abel said calmly as he turned to look at Iliana. "I know, master must have told you the reason we brought you here.. This might be the last time we talk. Though I''ll try my hardest to not die," Abel smiled before Iliana leaned closer and touched his forehead with hers.

    "You aren''t dying.. I am fairly certain you won''t. So don''t even think about it." Iliana said before she caressed his face. "And what did I tell you about lying? You have been training for the last ten days.. If you are hurt, you can just tell me or Eluya.. Even Lady Fourth.. You don''t need to suffer alone."

    "It seems that Lord Rei told you about the training too." Abel said with a smile, his body shaking as he stopped hiding his pain.

    "He didn''t.. You aren''t moving as nimbly as you usually do. Even Elaira pointed it out.. And Lady 4th also didn''t stop me in when I stood up to leave. Everyone cares about you." Iliana said calmly before she shifted closer to Abel, resting his shaking head on her shoulder.

    "You can relax.. None of us will think any less of you if you act weak." Iliana spoke but just as she turned to look at Abel, she noticed that he fell asleep while still in pain. He most likely didn''t hear her last words either.

    ''I will repeat that later.'' Iliana thought to herself before she sat there until Elaira came looking for them and they took Abel back to his bed alongside Ellen.

 Vol2 Ch54: Reinforcement (2)

    Early evening in the Private Chambers of Xavia, Palace of Mary

    Xavia, the 8th Proxy of Mary, was looking out the windows towards the crowd that was anticipating her sermon. The crowd had started gathering since the morning even though the sermon wasn''t until late evening.

    "Morel.." Xavia spoke, her voice commanding, a contrast to the tone she used in the Council of Proxies.

    She was worried about Abraxas''s warning but Rina''s father approached Xavia to lend them the Terra Krugers further worried her. It was a secret force that was made to respond to nationwide emergencies and acts in shadow.

    "A group of soldiers handpicked by me, trained to perfection.. Perfect Shadows. A group that I assembled to only uphold the values of Justice that Abraxas promote. ''A silent judgement that needs no acknowledgement to do good''.. as he likes to say." Xavia spoke to herself loud enough for Morel to hear, though he didn''t respond as he was on his knees.

    "Morel.. You are the leader of the Delta Forces of the Terra Krugers. What do you wish to do? Will you respond to the call on hand?" Xavia asked Morel in a calm voice.

    __________

    14th September, 2027

    Morel was walking around the camp, greeting a few vampire soldiers along the way with them reciprocating the greeting and after a while, he ran into Abraxas.

    "Oh, Mr. Rank One. What''s up?" Abraxas said calmly while he was checking off the supplies they received for the upcoming battle and tallying them.

    "I had a hunch you''d be here too.. Eluya- or should I say, Miss Elaira, was here too." Morel said calmly, surprised about Abel''s appearance since he didn''t seem strong, unlike Elaira who was always an anomaly in terms of strength that surpassed even his own.

    "I know she was there to greet you all at the main gate. If you have something to discuss, she is in the central tent along with Austin and Rina." Abraxas said calmly, before he put down the tally sheet and sighed in relief.

    "So.. is the third one here too?" Morel asked, as the two of them always had Iliana with them so he was suspecting if she was also a vampire.

    "No, Iliana is at Lady 4th house and she is not a vampire. You must have had a stop there on your way here." Abraxas said calmly.

    "You know that much about our journey here, huh?" Morel asked.

    "Yes.. There aren''t many people here so words travel fast." Abraxas said in a casual manner.

    "But no one told us where the Proxy of Justifia was.. Only the location of Elaira, the First High Priest.. We don''t even know where the leader of this battle is." Morel asked calmly, his eyebrows curled down to show concern about the working of the soldiers present.

    "The leader is here and so is the Proxy. They are the same person actually and we don''t wish to introduce anyone to him if he doesn''t wish to." Abraxas said calmly, lying about the truth as if he was breathing.

    "I see. Well, I''ll look around. Maybe I will run into him." Morel said before he walked away.

    "Good luck finding him." Abraxas said calmly before the two walked separately. Morel was still walking around, hoping to run into the ''Proxy''.

    In the Central Tent,

    13 had a notepad and pen in her hand and was scribbling on it while talking to Austin and Rina.

    "So, you are telling me that you died over 10,000 times?" 13 said, looking at Austin with a look of horror. "How is your mind stable? Death isn''t the kind of trauma you just live past?!"

    "13, calm down. Remember they are the Apostles of Outer Gods.." Elaira tried to calm 13 down, though the ones beside her, namely, 14 and Grand Marshall Elfana were equally in shock. It was hard to digest that the world has gone through thousands of resets in a single day.

    "Please tell me more!" 13 spoke, as the horror in her eyes was replaced by excitement once again, forgetting that the ones in front of her were also the next King and Queen of Garharia.

    Just then, Abraxas entered the tent and looked at the five people sitting inside before sighing. "Interviewing them when you should be overseeing the last of the preparations, eh?"

    "Lord 5th, I thought you were handling it." Elaira remarked slyly, teasing his efforts to hide his identity as the Proxy even though she revealed hers as the High Priest.

    "It''s better than keeping my distance from that one guy in Delta Force.. Sniver, was it? I''m sure he is head over heels for you." Abraxas replied back in a playful tone.

    "Oh please, he isn''t even my kind of guy. Even if he was, I am 100% certain you are better than him in all manner. And he is only doing it because he doesn''t know that I''m the high priest.. yet." Elaira spoke, ending with a mischievous smile.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Fine.. I''ll do it. Anyways, where are the other four of us?" Abraxas asked 14, who was sitting beside Elaira on the table.

    "In their private tents.. Like always." 14 replied.

    "Understandable.. I''ll go out for a walk again. Continue what you were doing but do go to sleep early today, you''ll leave before dawn tomorrow." Abraxas said before he walked out of the tent.

    Once he left, Austin and Rina looked at Eluya and spoke in a childish protective tone, protecting her from Abraxas''s playful replies. "Why was he so rude? Could''ve been less snarky." Rina said with a pout.

    "He is my friend.. but he shouldn''t talk to Miss Eluya like that." Austin added while nodding.

    13, who was seeing all of this, sighed before she wrote down in her notepad. ''Reason of Sanity: Lady 6th, if it wasn''t obvious yet.''

    "6th is going around giving people therapy again," 14 commented, shaking his head playfully, which made Austin and Rina realise that they spoke their thoughts out loud, making them blush.

    __________

    Abraxas was making the final tally of all the soldiers and their conditions before he departed for Techonia.

    Once he finished, he closed the notebook in his hand before he began walking towards the Central Tent to hand the tally to Elfana.

    On his way, he was stopped by Sniver, who seemed to be looking around for someone and Abraxas knew who he was looking for.

    "Hey, Inventory guy, do you know where Elaira is?" Sniver asked, still unaware of Elaira''s title. There were a few vampire soldiers laughing in the distance as Sniver asked them the same question not too long ago.

    "Oh, you are looking for Miss Priestess?" Abraxas said calmly, suppressing the feeling of amusement.

    "Priestess? What do you mean?" Sniver asked.

    "Oh, Miss Elaira is the first High Priest of Justifia. I was just going to the central tent to report to her, is there a message from the Delta Force that you''d like to convey?" Abraxas asked with a smile.

    "Umm.. Uhh.. No, thank you.. What was your name again?" Sniver asked, not wanting Abraxas to think that something was off.

    "Oh, my name? It''s Abraxas. Nice to meet you, Mr. Sniver." Abraxas spoke and almost immediately Sniver pretended to have been called by his team leader and excused himself before he walked away.

    Abraxas sighed before he continued walking towards the Central tent.

    __________

    After walking away for a while, Sniver went back to his tent and sighed. "I didn''t know she was the High Priest." He spoke to himself before he was interrupted by Kraig standing at the entrance.

    "Wait, you knew who she was?" Sniver asked Kraig, who got inside the tent and nodded.

    "Yes, Madam Omega told us about Her Majesty when we first came here.. You seemed too uncomfortable back then. I didn''t realise you had a crush on her." Kraig remarked with a smirk.

    "Uhh.. Do you think she knew about this? I mean, the High Priestess, of course." Sniver asked.

    "Yes." Kraig replied with a nod. "By the way, any guesses on who the Proxy is?"

    "The Proxy?" Sniver was taken aback by the question but began thinking hard. Since Proxy is a title given to the representative of the god, it would have to be the strongest person present.

    "As per my observation and instincts, the High Priestess is the strongest.. The second strongest would be the one everyone refers to as Lady 8th, followed by Lord 9th.." Sniver remarked on the physical prowess of the vampires he remembered.

    "But your senses only tell you about the physical prowess, not mental or supernatural.." Kraig pointed it out before she continued. "I think the Proxy would be the one person who feels off here." She speculated.

    "If that is so then... There is one guy who has done nothing but inventory work since we arrived and he doesn''t feel special.. I''d say much weaker than even the soldiers who report to the Numbered." Sniver pointed out his observation but Kraig sighed and shook her head in dismissal.

    "And why would the Proxy, the leader of this battle, the sole frontline of the war not be present at the plannings throughout the day? I think it was someone from that room. Considering that Madam Omega is confirmed to be the student of the Proxy, I stood by her side but she didn''t even contact her master even once." Kraig spoke before sighing in disappointment.

    "Is the Proxy really as shy as Lord Gerald said? I just want to get his autograph." Kraig added, with a look of disappointment.

    "You got the High Priestess, right?" Sniver asked, still a bit saddened by the fact that one woman he was trying to approach here was leagues above him.

    "Yes, of course. I am now the first human owner of autographs of all three of Justifia''s High Priest.. I''ll make sure Madam Elaira remembers my name after this battle and I''ll ask her to help me get the autograph of the esteemed Proxy." Kraig said, proudly puffing up her chest.

    "Yeah, Yeah.. Congratulations." Sniver said half-heartedly.

    "You are just salty that the one woman you liked was out of your league." Kraig retorted to Sniver''s half-assed applause.

    Sniver and Kraig exchanged a few more remarks before they were interrupted by Shu.

    "Stop it, you two.. Why do you bicker like little children? Grow up, please." Shu sighed before she laid down on her bed.

    "Sorry, Madam Shu." Sniver and Kraig apologised in unison.

    "It''s alright. Don''t be apologetic.. Shu is just a bit tired after the meeting." Morel spoke as he entered the tent and sighed, while there were shouts and screams from the other tent where the Corps of Seven were residing.

    "Is it about the meeting?" Sniver asked.

    "Yes, it was a quick discussion.. Kraig, you''ll be working with Miss Elaira. Sniver will cover the medic team with Lady 13th while Me and Shu will head to the city to help transport everyone out of it." Morel explained and at the end of his explanation, Shu spoke out, annoyed.

    "And I''m annoyed because apparently the sole frontline, that is their leader, is already heading out for Techonia while we won''t move until the morning." Shu spoke with an annoyed look on her face.

    "How can they expect us to help such a group whose leader isn''t even leading them?" Shu spoke bitterly, unable to comprehend the weird team dynamic in the vampires.

    "Madam Shu, I do not know what''s going on in their heads but I think we should trust their decisions." Kraig spoke, raising her hand.

    "And that''s why I haven''t left the place. From their description, Techonia is in a state worse than hell. Though Miss Elaira wouldn''t tell us who was really behind all of this, we are sure that they are using ''10th'' as a decoy.. If only we knew what we were fighting against." Shu stated.

    "So, are they not telling us or they don''t know?" Sniver asked.

    "More like, they can''t tell us without facing some sort of penalty.. Miss Elaira did look tired in the middle of the meeting.. It was out of the blue so I''m assuming we are dealing with some form of memetic entity." Morel said, tension rising up in the tent. "But that''s just speculation. My guess is as good as yours." He tried to diffuse the tension.

    Shu shook her head before sighing. "There is no use thinking about it. We just need to rest and be in our best condition for tomorrow." Shu said before she turned away and tried to fall asleep.

    Sniver and Kraig looked at Morel, who shook his head and pointed at their bed before he climbed on his bed. By now, the shouts in the other tent had also died down and everyone fell asleep.

    But the night was watching... Listening..

 Vol2 Ch55: Outpost(1)

    Morning of 15th September, 2027,

    The Corps of Seven and Delta Force witnessed a ritual performed by Lady 4th. She peered in a bowl of water to foresee the future before her lips curled up in a smile.

    "I foresee Victory." Alice declared, but Elaira knew the truth as Lady 4th had told her that she was unable to foresee future related to Techonia. Because it was either a future that had not been decided or it was a future where everyone died.

    After the ritual, Alice formally greeted the rest of the Corps of Seven and the Delta Forces, but their exchange was cut short when Sniver and Gamma passed out as soon they saw her up close, and had to be taken to the infirmary.

    Meanwhile, Elaira and Iliana were sitting on a bench in a corner, talking and saying their farewells.

    "Last night, Abel came by to bid his farewell," Iliana spoke with a tremor in her voice. By now, she knew that it could''ve been their last goodbye, since he might not survive.

    "Did you try to stop him?" Elaira asked, squeezing Iliana''s hand to calm her tremors.

    "I.. didn''t. It would not be fair to hold him back when he dedicated himself for this," Iliana said calmly but there were feelings of guilt and fear inside her and seeing that even Eluya would be leaving now, filled her eyes with tears as the sorrow and the pain of separation with the possibility of this being the last time they talk, weakened her resolve even more.

    "And I know.. it would be selfish to hold you back just to console me.. Abel needs you more," Iliana spoke, barely holding back, determined not to shed a tear.

    "Iliana... No, Alisa.. I swear on my blood, I will make sure we come back alive," Elaira spoke, squeezing Iliana''s hand to comfort her. Her Divine Blood Art absorbed the sentiments that were overflowing in Iliana''s heart.

    Just then, 8th came up to Elaira and whispered calmly in her ear, but deep inside 8th was scared too. "Lady 6th, it''s time."

    "I''ll be there in a minute. Make sure everything is prepared," Elaira said calmly, her expression did not change despite the fear of death and separation from Abraxas and Iliana.

    8th nodded before she quickly went back to the rest of the group.

    "Iliana.. I''ll get going now. Stay strong.. for me.. for Abel." Elaira spoke as she stood up and looked back at Iliana. The sunlight was outlining her and her leather Armor with a hint of Holy Energy filling up the spaces in the armor.

    "See you soon... Iliana." Elaira said before she disappeared in thin air.

    Iliana didn''t get up to leave, choosing to stay in that corner and listening to the sound of soldiers and a truck. And once those sounds died out in the distance, she couldn''t hold back her tears and began crying.

    Tears streamed down her face as she wailed loudly, unable to hold back her tears.

    "I''m.. useless.. Why so useless?! Am I?! WHYYY?!" She screamed but her words came out as a jumbled mess.

    Then Alice sat down beside her and caressed her head. "Child.. You are not useless. Do you really wish to badmouth yourself over something you can''t control?" Alice spoke with a look of concern, not just for the soldiers but also for Iliana.

    Iliana watching someone she loved going to a place that could lead to their death while being powerless and unable to help, which was was heartbreaking. What Iliana was expressing now was guilt. Guilt over a scenario she couldn''t help in.

    She possessed neither a blessing nor the physical strength to fight or help. She wanted to help but there was nothing she could do.

    "There is nothing I can do.." Iliana whispered before the last of her tears dried up, leaving behind her sorrowful, hopeless expression. She could only pray to the gods that the ones she loved return safely.

    And seeing this affected Alice, she wasn''t worried about her disciple as much as she was worried about Iliana. For her disciple was strong but Iliana was too strong for her own good.

    ''Suppressing one''s emotions never leads to anything good.'' Alice thought to herself, hearing the sound of the truck and the soldiers marching away. The sound was faint enough that Iliana could no longer hear it.

    __________

    "Are you alright, Lady 6th?" 8th asked, concerned about the expression that Elaira had.

    Elaira nodded, before she looked back at 14 and issued an order. "Lead Ole''s truck to Techonia. I''ll go ahead with 8 and 9.. To set up a camp with Abraxas."

    Then the three of them left, leaving behind the rest of the soldiers, guiding the truck, leaving 14 to guide them.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Everyone! IN A SPEARHEAD POSITION! BE WARY OF CHANGES IN THE SURROUNDING." 14 shouted at the top of his lungs and the vampire soldiers got into position.

    All of them were running at the speed of the truck, protecting all the supplies loaded in it. The truck was being driven by Ole with Austin and Rina sitting in the cabin with her. Meanwhile the rest of the Corps and Delta Force were being carried by soldiers. This was done to carry the most they could in the truck.

    "Will we be alright?" Morel asked the vampire who was carrying him.

    "Trust Lord 5th and Lady 6th. We have never been defeated when standing by them." 11 replied, who was carrying Morel on his shoulder with 12th nearby, carrying Shu on hers.

    "Elaira must be the 6th.. At least that''s what you all call her.. But who is the 5th?" Morel asked.

    "Wait.. Have you not met lord 5th? The commander of this battle and the Proxy of Justifia?" 12th asked, with a look of surprise on her face.

    "No.. I never saw his face even from afar," Morel spoke with Shu nodding in support.

    "Yes, we never got to meet him." Shu added.

    "That''s weird.. We saw you talking to him yesterday. It seemed like you were great friends too." 11th said to Morel, with a disappointed sigh.

    Though 14th was glaring at the two of them, 11th and 12th couldn''t help but give the two they were carrying a hint. A hint to figure out, who the Proxy was.

    The only problem being, Morel talked friendly to everyone so it didn''t narrow down the suspects much, if any at all.

    "Is that so.. Well, I''ll figure it out eventually." Morel stated with a confident smile.

    "Of course you will, World''s Best Detective." 11th and 12th spoke in unison, surprising both Morel and Shu.

    Though they two were partners in work and had a functional relationship outside of it, their bond was significantly simpler than the two vampires who were carrying them.

    It''s now that Morel and Shu noticed that 11 and 12 have been moving their foot in sync and despite the very obvious call to move in the Spearhead position, they weren''t. Yet they never felt like an ambush would hit them.

    ''You are in good hands.'' 14 thought to himself while looking at the four of them from a distance. He has seen Shu and Morel''s teamwork on a few occasions, when he visited the Republic in the past but he has witnessed miracles performed by 11th and 12th together. So leaving Morel and Shu with them was the best thing for them.

    __________

    Borders of Techonia,

    They were sitting on top of the Research Centre and eyeing down the entire city. Their plan was already in motion and it won''t take long before every piece falls into place and the great calamity starts yet once again.

    "Oh? What do we have here?" They smiled as their eyes met his.

    "The Proxy of Justifia is here in flesh. I''m honoured." They remarked sarcastically as Abraxas was looking at them from a distance.

    Abraxas was still in the Northern Forests a dozen kilometres away from Techonia''s borders, but he had a clear sight of 10''s body.

    "Didn''t expect to see your face the first thing today." Abraxas commented with a hint of sarcasm.

    "Oh please~. We both know why you are here.. So come on, start it." They smiled at Abraxas when suddenly, a cannon sprouted upright at the border and aimed at Abraxas. "But if you won''t come for me, I will come to you.. Bye-bye~"

    Abraxas smiled as the cannon fired at him. An energized beam was coming straight at him from SCAN Cannon, that was Techonia''s last line of defense, something that hasn''t been fired for a century now.

    SCAN''s appearance is a historical marvel. It was the first non-nuclear weaponry to surpass the output of a nuclear warhead, developed by Techonia in the last decade. And a beam from a weapon of that caliber was about to hit him straight in the face.

    Yet he smiled.

    The energized beam coming at him was a Super excited Proton beam that was calibrated to be 10 metres wide and the air superheated almost instantly and a shockwave was about to destroy a good portion of the forest alongside him.

    But just as the beam was about to hit Abraxas, it vanished along with the shockwave and the plasma explosions.

    "If only I didn''t have Divine Transcendental Art, it would''ve worked." Abraxas mocked their attempt at killing him.

    "Revenge: Retaliate" As soon as Abraxas uttered these words, tentacles made of darkness appeared on the base of the cannon and tore the internal wiring in a very methodical way.

    "Breaking my toys while leaving them up for use in the future.. Very wise." They commended Abraxas''s decisions before an alarm rang in their head, causing them to look around and to their surprise, there were not one, not two, but four of Abraxas, surrounding the city.

    "There was no mention of this ability in the heads of your subordinates.." They spoke, gritting their teeth. Though dealing with someone proficient in their Divine Transcendental Art is hard, they never thought that they''d have to deal with someone who specialized in situations like these while there was little to no information about his abilities.

    ''I did plan for this.. But I''ll have to prepare for measures. It doesn''t look like he''ll come to me right now.'' They thought before they were interrupted by one of the Abraxas speaking.

    "I will not come now.. But I won''t let you leave either.. Barrier: Borders of Hell" Abraxas spoke and a sheet of darkness separated Techonia from the outside world, yet it didn''t drown the city into Darkness, letting light pass through it, defying all logic known to man. The wall seemingly stretched to infinity and the culprit in 10''s body also knew that this barrier was going as much down as it was going up.

    "You are the prisoner now." Abraxas said with a smile before he cleared his throat and a voice echoed in the city of Techonia.

    "Residents of Techonia, Do not be alarmed by the Wall of Darkness as it was made by I, Proxy of Justifia. All of you are under my protection now." Abraxas announced with a calm voice and through the darkness, he could see the citizens sighing in relief, some praying to their gods while some were skeptical about all of it. It was clear that they were skeptical about everything after they had been imprisoned in the city without any explanation and a lot of them were still scared.

    "No harm will come to anyone. That is my promise to all of you in the name of Lord Justifia." Abraxas promised the people before he added a few words in the end, no longer addressing the people of Techonia. "And I am here for you, my dear juniors."

    Abraxas''s words made 7th, who was still chained in the Research Centre, chuckle.

    ''Show off all you want.. I will not lose to you.'' They repeated internally before they went back inside to prepare more, after all they still had the upper hand in many ways and Abraxas wasn''t dumb enough to fall for such cheap provocation.

    Their brief conversation was more than just the exchange of words. It was both of them gauging each other with neither one going over the board yet.

 Vol2 Ch56: Outpost (2)

    16th of September,

    Abraxas isolated the residential area and deemed it to be a safe region after the threats to civilians and any support force had been neutralised. By doing this, he had gained the trust of the civilians who were following his commands now and helped him set up a camp a few kilometres away from the Technical border in each cardinal direction.

    And due to this development, they were angry. After all, every weapon project that they had made seemed, to be neutralised by Abraxas, even though they were calibrated to kill beings whose strength far surpassed Abraxas''s.

    __________

    3:18 pm, 17th of September,

    More of Techonia''s residence had been categorised safe and the barrier surrounding the city just two days ago had now been reduced significantly, but the forces that Elaira was leading were still far away.

    "Have I arrived too early?" Abraxas asked himself but instead he received a reply from them, who were inside the barrier yet they didn''t show any signs of fear.

    "Maybe.. But you are doing well for someone who is working all alone for now." They spoke in a provocative tone.

    But their true feelings were different, as they had lost almost 70% of the arsenal they had built in the last century to a guy, who had used his bare minimum. Any and all attempts to get him to use more have been futile.

    "But you are not.. These were a good portion of the weapons you had developed in the last century.. right?" Abraxas replied in a smug voice.

    ''Fucking Proxy of Justifia.. If only there had been one of the other universes I destroyed.'' They thought since a lot of what Abraxas had achieved could be attributed to his Authority as the Proxy.

    "I don''t know what your authority as a Proxy allows you to do.. But it must be quite limited.. or you can''t use it completely without some specific condition." They spoke, maintaining a smile despite the chaotic thoughts in their brain, trying their hardest to figure out Abraxas''s Divine Transcendental Art and his Authority''s limits.

    "Who knows.. Maybe you''ll figure it out before you die," Abraxas spoke, maintaining a smug look but he too, was worried inside.

    ''I need to figure out their true name.. I need to,'' He thought to himself but the last two days have been nothing but recovering parts of Techonia from their grasp. Though he had the support of the citizens who were looking at him from a distance, it still was not an easy battle. He had come to Techonia earlier than the rest of the force using his Divine Blood Art to travel through shadows, so Elaira and the forces would still be a day or two away.

    __________

    12:18 am, 18th of September

    Elaira, 8th, 9th and Elfana were a few dozen kilometres away from Techonia''s borders, and they could see a skyscraping pillar of darkness. In fact they were sure that the rest of the forces, who were still a hundred kilometres behind them could see it too.

    And just as they walked into a small camp in the forests from where they could see Techonia more clearly, Abraxas appeared from the shadows.

    Though they were shocked at his sudden appearance, they put down their guards when he waved at them.

    "Eek! Lord 5th, please don''t come out of nowhere." Elfana spoke in a hurry as Abraxas''s appearance was different from his usual attire as he was donned in his Armor of Darkness and his hair was glowing red as his blood boiled with rage.

    "I am sorry for my appearance, Grand Marshal, but I was not expecting to see the four of you here so early." He remarked casually, looking at 8th, 9th and Elfana.

    "I brought 8th and 9th with me for scouting the area ahead.. There were a lot of ambushes and traps along the way, so we called Elfana to scout the way ahead. If it weren''t for her expertise in disarming ambushes, we would still be half a day away." Elaira said with a smile, before she looked around and there were spots for a camp in every direction.

    "Lord 5th, may I inquire about the situation in Techonia.. and the location of Lord 7th and 10th." Elfana asked quickly as the situation in Techonia was better but there were no visible signs of the two missing Numbered.

    "10 is still in mind control and 7 is trapped in the Research Centre." Abraxas stated calmly, turning around to look at the place covered by the walls of Darkness.

    "And They can hear us," Abraxas spoke before a nerve on his left arm burst, spilling blood all over the ground but the armor forcefully closed the wound until it started regenerating at a pace that surprised everyone present.

    8th and 9th were shocked, but they bottled up their questions about Abraxas and began thinking about Techonia, though thinking wasn''t their forte. Soon their thoughts were interrupted by Abraxas who seemed to have a command for them.

    "8th, 9th.. Go to the city and find out more about the missing people from the civilians.. There have been 47 women missing as of now, I want to know the exact number of men, women, and children missing," Abraxas said calmly, before he turned his attention to Elfana and Elaira.

    "And you two, follow me." Abraxas said before he began hastily walking towards a rock and sat down on it. The darkness covering his body vanished as the wounds underneath were now visible to both.

    "This is the last time I''m visiting the camp.. No matter what happens, don''t let any of the humans, except Ole and her disciple, see my face. It is your duty to protect my identity.. and my life will be in danger till the rest of this mission, so under no circumstance will any of you come to help me. And you need to make sure this rule is followed by everyone." Abraxas spoke with a stern look in his eyes. His identity as a proxy needed to be hidden while the mission needed to be a success for everyone to be safe.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "We understand," Elaira and Elfana spoke in unison.

    "Then go ahead and help 8th and 9th in the investigation.." Abraxas said as the blood rage returned to normal and his hair returned to their normal black color as he passed out on the rock.

    Elfana was stunned to see him pass out but before she could get closer to help him, Elaira stopped her. "Don''t.. Let''s just follow his orders."

    Elfana couldn''t understand why Elaira would leave Abraxas alone like this, but after thinking for a while, she agreed and the two of them joined 8th and 9th in the city to ask around about the missing people.

    The four of them returned after six hours of investigation and Elaira had the angriest look on her face. Was it because of the fact that a total of 167 people were missing or because almost 150 of them were women who were forcibly taken from their families for ''therapy''? No one knew except her.

    When they came back to the place where Abraxas should''ve been, they saw him already awake and he had an eerie smile on his face. It looked misplaced, and for a moment 8th and 9th raised their weapons at him as their instincts were screaming at them to do so but that feeling quickly vanished when Abraxas noticed them and his expression returned back to normal.

    It was clear as day that he was hiding information and so was Elaira but even she was confused at Abraxas''s expressions. But that too passed soon.

    __________

    The basement of the Techonia Research Centre buzzed with electricity before it was filled with laughter, followed by screams of pain and then laughter.

    "HOW CAN ANYONE LAUGH IN YOUR SITUATION?! SHOULDN''T YOU FEEL FEAR FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU?!" They shouted at 7th, who seemed happy despite the fact he was missing a lot of his organs.

    "Oh, how happy I am to see you worried.. Let me guess, none of your plans are working and your so-called ''masterpiece'' won''t be ready anytime soon, right?" 7th mocked them before he broke out into laughter again.

    They gritted their teeth before breaking 7''s left femur in one kick, making him scream in pain once again but not even a minute passed before he started laughing again.

    "How frustrated does one must have to be violent on a prisoner who is missing half his body.. Pitiful!" 7th laughed before they broke his right femur.

    "Silence!" They shouted but there was little they could do. Any coming day, the Proxy of Justifia will march inside and then the plans would all crumble like a castle of sand.

    "Wait.. I think I have an idea.." They smiled as a sinister idea sprouted up in their head. Since the situation was dire, they needed to take a chance and sacrifice some efficiency for urgency.

    ''Yes, that''s it..'' They thought as they ran towards the other corner of the basement where the women were kept along with the nearly dead vampire scouts.

    __________

    9 am, 19th September, 2027

    The remaining forces along with the supply truck arrived at the camp set up outside the Techonia borders. The civilians who had helped set up the camp smiled with joy when they saw the rest of the forces coming along with supplies.

    "Thank the god of Justice.. We will not suffer from injustice any longer." One of the civilians spoke before he got on his knees, praying to the God of Justice and the Proxy who was still in town.

    Though most of the forces were tired and were ordered by Elfana to rest, some of them volunteered to provide healthcare facilities to the civilians present who needed it urgently.

    Most of the human forces were asleep as they were up all night and guarded the supply truck. But Morel of the Delta Force was one of the few ones still awake.

    He couldn''t believe his eyes when he looked at the City of Techonia. In front of him was a Monolith of darkness as high as the sky, covering what was supposed to be the famous Techonia Research Centre.

    "Is that the power of a Proxy?" His eyes widened but before he could say anything else, Olecumbra, the only other one who was awake, replied to him.

    "No.. That is a basic functionality of a Divine Transcendental Art. Master hasn''t used the Authority he inherited as a Proxy till date," Omega clarified, having first hand experience of Abraxas''s Divine Blood Art.

    "This is.. basic functionality?" Morel was terrified at the prospect of something so titanic. "It''s a container.." Morel added.

    "Only Master would know that.. and maybe Miss Elaira. She has a Divine Blood Art too," Omega stated.

    "Wait, she has one too?!" Morel spoke in surprise after all Elaira never used her Divine Transcendental Art and he wasn''t even aware that she had a blessing, let alone a Transcendental one.

    "Yeah, she doesn''t use it often.. It has some unintentional side effects that I would rather not specify.." Omega said calmly before she looked away with her cheeks burning red, remembering about the time she saw Elaira use her Divine Blood Art in the past, which made Omega ''tipsy'' for a few days.

    "Does the Proxy''s Divine Transcendental Art have any side effects too?" Morel asked after a moment of silence.

    Omega cleared her throat, not dwelling on the mistakes of her past before she replied. "Yes and No.. I am not sure what Master has.. if it could be considered a side effect or not." Omega wasn''t even sure if Abraxas''s Divine Transcendental Art had a downside, since it never felt like one.

    "Now that I think about it, Miss Elaira''s side effects aren''t severe enough to be considered a downside either.. She has safety protocols for it.." Omega spoke hurriedly as she had never thought much about the side effects of Divine Transcendental Arts since they aren''t common.

    "Can you explain Divine Transcendental Arts to me again? I don''t understand why there are so many protocols in place for using them.. And why do they not use it?" Morel asked, to which Omega explained.

    "Well, as you know blessings are rare. Like one or two in every hundred thousand people get one.. But any person with a blessing can transcend the limits of one and use the Blessing without any activation criteria. That is what our understanding of Divine Transcendental Art is." Omega spoke as if she was explaining the alphabets to little children.

    "Now, depending on the species, the Divine Transcendental Art takes a form. For Vampires, it''s Divine Blood.

    For Elves, it''s Divine Nature.

    For Berserkers, it''s Divine Rage.

    For Humans, it is Divine Technological.

    For Mermors, it is Divine Aqua.. and lastly for Demons, it is Divine Demonic."

    "These Divine Arts are much stronger than the blessings and can be used anytime the user wishes to. The problem is, it has side effects because they are essentially a small kernel which became a popcorn. It is bigger than the host it resides in so even before using it, the user needs to develop contingency or protocols against the side effects, no matter how minor or severe the side effects are."

    "The problem is, there aren''t enough Divine Transcendental Art users in this world. So the knowledge we have on them is limited. What I know about them are the things that my Master taught me. He told me that out of the eleven Proxies, only four have Divine Transcendental Arts and some of them don''t even have blessings." Omega said, earning a mocking laugh from Morel.

    "You expect me to believe that the Proxies, the chosen representatives and Wielder of their authorities might not even have blessings?" Morel said, unable to digest this fact.

    "Well, it''s coming from my master so I believe it. You can do whatever you want with this information but the fact is, the Divine Transcendental Arts haven''t been studied much because of how rare they are." Omega clarified before she turned to walk away, having lost her interest to tell Morel more after his mocking laugh.

    Morel stood there in silence as Omega left, staring at the looming tower of darkness in front of him. He took a deep breath, embracing the silence that surrounds him.

    Then suddenly, his body trembled in fear as he felt someone�� or something, staring at him from inside the wall of darkness. But the feeling of fear vanished when another force outside the wall suppressed the overwhelming aura of hatred from inside the tower.

    ''What was that..'' Morel thought to himself as he gripped his chest, his heart still beating strongly as his senses were in high alert.

    ''Is the wall there to trap the thing inside or to save us?'' Morel questioned the purpose of the wall, but he quickly walked to the camp to help the soldiers in treating the civilians present.

 Vol2 Ch57: Broken Hearts

    16th of September, 2027

    Rei was sitting on a chair, looking at Arshawain''s body lying on the bed ever since Olecumbra laid him down on it. His eyes reflected a feeling.. neither pity nor guilt, what Rei felt was more inline with anger and frustration.

    "Just how long are you going to lie to your wife.. You may have fooled her and her sensitive disciple but you can''t lie to me, Arshawain," Rei spoke spitefully.

    Just then, the lifeless body of Arshawain suddenly moved and he sat back up normally. His movements were smooth for someone who had been in a coma for a while now.

    "My intentions were not to lie, Lord Rei.. I didn''t want to hold her back.. not for now," Arshawain spoke ominously, before he cracked his knuckles.

    Rei sighed upon hearing Arshawain''s ominous statement before standing up and walking to the window which overlooked the Northern Forests, the remnant energy of his spars with Abraxas had not disappeared completely. "It''s the perfect weather for what you want, Arshawain," Rei spoke as he opened the window.

    "Lady Alice did tell me what you want.. Her prophecies are precise.. so precise that they are scary." Rei spoke as he turned to look at Arshawain, who was now standing on his feet.

    "So, will you give me what I want, Lord Rei?" Arshawain asked, before his lips curled up into a smile when Rei nodded.

    "You should think fast if you want it," Rei spoke before he disappeared in front of Arshawain and in that instant, he was behind Arshawain and swiped him off his legs before a kick sent him flying through the window he opened a few moments ago.

    Then in that very instant, Rei jumped out of the window, catching Arshawain mid-air before taking their spar away from Alice''s mansion.

    __________

    At the same time,

    Alice was having a hard time dealing with Iliana and Ellen, both of whom have been crying. Though Ellen didn''t refuse her breakfast, Iliana did. She hadn''t eaten anything since Elaira left and hadn''t even slept. She refused to even go to the bed, choosing to stay on the floor no matter how much Alice urges her to.

    Her mental state was even worse as she hadn''t spoken a word since she repeated the word again and again.

    "Useless.. Useless.. Useless.." Iliana muttered over and over again.

    Her condition was affecting Ellen as well, as the little kitten hadn''t played with any of the toys that Alice gave her, which seemed to be affecting Alice too.

    ''What can I do to stop her from griefing.. I have tried everything..'' Alice thought to herself as she had tried every method in the book to console her. But no matter what she told Iliana, it fell on deaf ears.

    "Iliana.. Wake up! They will come back and when they will, I don''t want them to think that their master was treating their soon-to-be spouse harshly.." Alice tried to converse with Iliana again but to no avail. Iliana refused to reply and continued muttering.

    Alice waited for a minute before she got up, fed up and frustrated. There was an ache in her heart which she needed to let out soon.

    But right as Alice was about to leave Iliana alone for a minute, she spoke up. "Is.. is there anyway that will make me useful to them?" Iliana asked as tears streamed down her cheeks, wetting her lap and dress.

    "I wish to help them... I have only ever relied on them for everything up until now. They saved me whenever I was in danger.. And I am unable to help them with anything. I-" But before Iliana could speak any further, Alice covered her mouth and hugged her.

    "Child, you are not useless.. You helped them when no one else would. I have seen it all and I have heard most of it.. You are not useless so stop telling yourself that!" Alice wanted to shout but she couldn''t raise her voice at Iliana. No matter how much she wanted to scold the little child in her arms she couldn''t.

    And just then, Iliana hugged her back, her arms wrapped around Alice''s back like a child that had woken up from their worst nightmare.

    "B-but.. I have nothing to live for but them.. I might never see them again.. I might.. I might lose them because I''m.. useless," Iliana spoke while whimpering, holding onto Alice for comfort as her tears fell on Alice''s dress.

    The feeling of hopelessness and the feeling that ''she is useless'' were what she felt the night her family and her caretaker died. And she felt that her current situation was no better than that night. Even though she might have grown up, she wasn''t strong enough to shoulder the burdens that Abel and Eluya were carrying on their shoulder.

    ''Should I do it for her.. I haven''t done it in six millennia..'' Alice thought to herself while Iliana clung to her like a child. Alice was conflicted if she should do it or not.

    Knowing Iliana, she wouldn''t refuse it if Alice gave her the chance but would that chance be worth risking her life. Iliana was a True Natural Human, the rarest affinity in humans. She was someone who survived the worst part of life and lived. Her experiences changed her as a person and her soul was no less of a gem.

    She was a pure spirit, content with her relationship with Abel and Eluya, but now that the world was about to them from her, she was at her weakest once again. She was desperate and would risk her life for even the smallest of chances to help them.

    That is why Abel and Eluya brought Iliana here.

    ''They know this child too well..'' Alice thought to herself, biting her lips and contemplating if she should give Iliana a chance.

    __________

    Arshawain was laying on the ground, gripping his stomach as he vomited on himself. ''I did not expect it to be this bad.'' He thought to himself before he was sent flying into a tree after a kick from Rei.

    "You wanted to be my disciple, don''t you? For now you haven''t done anything praise worthy.. Just because you are a Sensory-based Natural Human, I won''t take you in," Rei spoke calmly as he walked towards Arshawain, who was on the ground. Just then, he felt something from Arshawain, a family feeling that he hadn''t felt in over two millennia. He was similar to someone he knew a long time ago.

    "Forgive me.. It seems I underestimated your resolve," Rei spoke as he held out his hands and the Sword of Faith flew at him.

    "Show me your resolve, Arshawain.. or should I say, Descendant of the 2nd Hero of the Dark Ages," Rei spoke, looking at Arshawain with a bitter smile.

    ''I did not expect to see you here again, my friend.'' Rei thought to himself as he looked at the spirit behind Arshawain as he stood up. A familiar face helping his descendant stand up, with the three of them shedding a tear each.

    "I want to protect my wife.. I WILL NOT LOSE HER AGAIN!" Arshawain shouted as he stood in an offensive stance as if he was holding a sword.

    ''I am sorry, Rei.. I was blinded by greed. I hope you forgive me and.. bring justice to me and my friends, who were wronged by ####.'' The spirit behind Arshawain spoke, before it disappeared forming a blade in his hands. It was a blade materialising in Arshawain''s hand, a Sword made out of Longing. Longing to protect someone he loves and the wishes of the dead to bid farewell to a friend.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "To think I would live to see this day.." Rei mumbled, shedding a tear for his friend who had long departed. Though he was the first one to drive his blade in his back, Rei never hated him. He understood why they would do it, and why they would think of his existence as a threat to theirs, even though they didn''t know his true identity.

    ''Farewell, my friend,'' Rei mumbled before his blade clashed with Arshawain''s, causing sparks to flow out in masses.

    __________

    "Iliana... Will you become my blood daughter?" Alice asked Iliana with a serious look on her face. She had contemplated it a thousand times over before she made the offer and she saw multiple timelines leading to this decision, but not a single one of these premonitions told her the outcome.

    "Will it.. allow me to help.. Abel and Eluya?" Iliana asked, as the tears halted. She looked up at Alice as her damp cheeks and lips showed happiness, as if she had obtained the solution to her problem.

    "That depends on how you use the solution.. I can only provide it but there is no guarantee that it will be helpful," Alice clarified but she knew that Iliana had made up her mind and no matter what she further told Iliana, her decision would not change.

    "I accept.. Please, tell me how I can do it.. I will do whatever it takes," Iliana spoke as desperation was clear as day in her words.

    "I.. will need to prepare for the ritual. I haven''t performed it in a few millennia," Alice spoke, unsure of if she could do it again. But the smile on Iliana''s face, that appeared because the offer existed, was more than enough reason for her to try.

    "Please.. Go prepare for the ritual. I will get ready too," Iliana said as she stood up and went to the bathroom in a hurry. She wanted to get ready as fast as possible and in this hurry, she even ignored Ellen''s desperate cries to get her attention.

    "Am I.. doing something wrong?" Alice asked herself as Iliana disappeared in the bathroom. Her promise raised Iliana''s spirit but was it really something that would help Iliana or will it lead to her demise? Alice did not know the answer to that question as the future was cloudy.

    But she had given her words to Iliana now so backing down was not possible without breaking Iliana''s heart beyond repair.

    __________

    Later that day,

    Iliana was in her usual clothes with a smile that looked out of place. There were dark circles under her eyes and overall, the air around her was gloomy.

    She held Ellen in her arms, patting her head and showering her with love while Alice was preparing the ritual to ascend her blood in her garden.

    "Ellen.. Don''t be worried, okay? Mama Iliana will be back soon," Iliana told the sleepy Ellen before she gently put her down on the grass and patting her one last time before walking towards Alice.

    "Lady 4th.. What can I do to help you?" Iliana asked, still wearing that misplaced eerie smile.

    "The preparations have all but been done, child.. Just wait a few more minutes.." Alice said calmly as she had finished drawing a circle on the ground with her blood.

    The pattern she drew was an ascension circle. It was different from the method she used to make the first Vampires during the dawn of civilization. This circle was meant for her to choose her blood successor but it remained in her attic until today.

    "Child.. before you step inside and start the final steps. There are a few rules you need to know, the rules that my kind follows without fail. Infringing these cardinal laws would make you an ''Uncouth''.." Alice spoke as she used a dagger to stab her arms, rupturing her arteries to collect fresh blood in a goblet.

    "The hands that steal should be ripped, the tongue that lies should be severed, the body that lusts should be burned, and, he who kills unnecessarily should be killed." Alice recited the cardinal law to Iliana.

    "I will follow the law to my grave," Iliana promised as she held her wrist to her chest.

    Alice took a deep breath before she handed the goblet of her blood to Iliana. "Step inside the circle.." Alice spoke and it was at this point when the premonitions stopped. There was no telling what would happen now.

    "Yes, Lady 4th.." Iliana replied as she accepted the goblet and stepped inside the circle.

    As she entered, the blood pattern began to morph and right as she reached the centre, it began to glow. Iliana smiled, thinking that it was a good sign.

    But Alice was confused. ''Strange, is this what is really supposed to happen?'' She thought to herself, wanting to stop the ritual here but seeing Iliana''s smile made her reconsider her own intuitions.

    "Iliana.. No matter what happens, don''t lose yourself," Alice warned Iliana and just as Iliana nodded, Alice relayed further instruction. "Take one sip out of the goblet and accept my blood."

    Iliana nodded before she took a sip out of the goblet without hesitation. And right as she took the sip, the glowing circle began to shrink as it got closer and closer to Iliana. Even the remaining blood in the goblet began to rise out and began seeping in Iliana''s body.

    For a moment, it seemed as if everything was going well but then suddenly, Iliana dropped the goblet and began writhing in the pain, Alice''s blood started to tear Iliana''s body and the ascension circle restricted Iliana''s movements.

    But before Alice could do anything to stop the ritual, three voices began shouting at Alice in her head.

    "What in the roots are you doing, Alice?! Why is there such a weird energy coming from your mansion?" The First Progenitor spoke out as he felt something ominous.

    "I.. I was doing the blood ascension ritual and the blood seems to be reacting to her." Alice spoke out as Iliana was shouting in pain, unable to move as the blood was acting like rope, restraining her.

    "Were you using the latest version of the Ascension Circle?" The Second Progenitor asked.

    "There were more additions?!" Alice shouted at the voices in her head.

    "Don''t blame us. Anyways, it''s an easy fix. You need another blood as a mediator to neutralize the reaction happening to that girl.." The Third Progenitor spoke calmly but he also turned anxious when Alice spoke out.

    "That girl is a True Natural Human.. What kind of blood would act as a mediator?" Alice asked in a loud anxious voice while Iliana cried in pain, as her skin began to shed off her body.

    "That would be an issue... Do you have any type of blood which can act as a moderator? Maybe use the blood of your Proxy disciple?" The First Progenitor said, hoping that Alice had some of his blood as a reserve.

    "No, I don''t keep the blood of my disciples on hand?!" Alice shouted at the voices in her head. Her anxiety was rising every second and fear was etched on her face as she was watching Iliana, who was slowly dying in front of her.

    "If that''s the case.. there is nothing that can be done.." The Second Progenitor said before his voice disappeared.

    "Yes.. This type of reaction is quite rare and cannot be stopped without a mediator blood.." The First Progenitor spoke but there was nothing he could do from this far.

    "You mean there is nothing I can do.." Alice spoke as Iliana''s life seemed to be slipping away from her fingers. Was this the future in store for her? Was this why she couldn''t see further into the future?

    Before Alice could speak further, Rei appeared beside her with Arshawain passed out on his shoulders, whom he quietly laid down on the ground before putting his hand on Alice''s shoulder. "Ask the other Original Vampires if my blood will work as a mediator.." Rei spoke calmly.

    "You two, will Lord Rei''s blood be a good mediator?" Alice asked the two Progenitors still listening to her.

    "If the ''Lord Rei'' you are talking about is Rei Magna, the Son of Faith.. then Yes, it will mediate quite well," The Third Progenitor spoke calmly. "Ask him to drop a few drops of his blood on the girl in front of you."

    "Lord Rei.. Please drop your blood on Iliana?" Alice asked anxiously and without delay, Rei used his sword to cut the palm of his left hand before he splashed some of his blood on Iliana, who was barely alive as almost all of her skin had disappeared, showing the underlying muscles in her body.

    A few moments after Rei''s blood fell on Iliana, the adverse reaction stopped and Rei''s blood along with Alice began covering Iliana''s body, and a few minutes later, Iliana was completely covered in a cocoon like a larvae.

    "Interesting.. I wasn''t expecting that," The First Progenitor spoke out enthusiastically.

    "What?.. What were you expecting?" Alice asked the First Progenitor, angered at his enthusiasm. "That child was about to die and you are enthused?!"

    "Well, I was expecting it to ease her death.. but this was out of my expectations.."

    "YOU DAMN LITTLE��" Alice shouted at the top of her voice but the other two Progenitors had also left her head.

    "Those old bastards were using the child as a test subject?!" Alice stomped the ground causing it to shake violently. Birds from all around the forest began flying as a sign of distress and Alice gritted her teeth as her long pointy canines were growing out of anger.

    But her anger calmed when Rei held her cheeks and spoke. "But it worked, didn''t it? Iliana seems to be safe now.. Her heartbeat is stable," Rei said calmly, which eased some of Alice''s anger.

    "But those bastards used her as an experiment.. using my lapse in knowledge as an excuse to..." Alice spoke out in anger before Rei lightly tapped her cheeks.

    "Calm down, Lady Alice.. You can deal with them later. Oh and by the way, can you heal Arshawain? I think I went a bit too hard on him.." Rei said with a chuckle, diverting Alice''s attention away from the matter of the three Progenitors.

    Alice nodded before she looked at Arshawain and kneeled down to heal him using her True Blood Art.

    "Broken bones and ribs.. No lung punctures. Did you drop him from the sky or something?" Alice asked as she looked at Rei with a serious look on her face.

    "Well.. You could say it was his initiation as my disciple.." Rei giggled with an underlying guilt. "I was expecting more after having sparred with Abraxas."

    "He is healed now.. Take this child back to his room and ask him to not move around," Alice spoke before she stood up and walked up to Iliana''s cocoon with Ellen following her closely behind.

    Rei nodded and left Alice alone with Iliana''s cocoon, taking Arshawain with him.

    "Meow..." Ellen meowed as she rubbed herself against Alice.

    "Don''t worry, child.. She will be fine.." Alice spoke, lifting Ellen in her arms while she looked at Iliana, who was inside the cocoon now.

    The cocoon was changing right in front of Alice''s eyes, from a smooth surface to hard scales and Iliana was trapped inside like a chick in an egg.

    ''Metamorphosis.. I wonder what will happen to her.. Should I consult <u>Mother</u>?'' Alice thought to herself but in the end, she decided not to.

 Vol2 Ch58: Broken Soul

    "Where.. am I?" Iliana questioned herself, remembering the pain she went through after drinking Alice''s blood, making her shudder.

    "Dear, are you alright?" A woman asked Iliana as she put her hand on Iliana''s shoulder. "Alisa, dear.. are you okay?" The woman repeated when Iliana didn''t repeat, seemingly in shock.

    "M.. Mama?" Iliana spoke, before she realised where she was. Her expression turned to horror before it returned to normal and she lost all control over herself as she realised that she was back in time.

    "Dear, did something happen? Why did you zone out suddenly?" Alisa''s mother spoke worryingly as Alisa zoned out in the middle of the dinner, leaving everyone present to be worried.

    "No, mama.. I''m alright. Just zoned out suddenly, I don''t know why.." Alisa replied, waving her hand to ease out her mother and father, who were sitting across her.

    "Yeah, sis.. You scared me," Alisa''s sister, Arianna spoke up, as she was sitting beside Alisa on the table and almost spilled her food when Alisa zoned out.

    "I''m sorry, Ari.." Alisa said with a smile as she rubbed Arianna''s head.

    Meanwhile, Iliana was now watching all of this as a silent spectator, unable to interact with anything at all. Her expression was gloomy and the spectral body she was in, began to crack as the memories of the night surfaced back in her mind.

    And in the blink of an eye, the happy meals she shared with her family were replaced by the night that took everything from her everything she loved.

    And as the scenes began to grow grotesque with details that she didn''t know, it made her question if everything she was seeing even happened.

    Her maid, Iliana was dragged back to the place where her family was being tortured. Her father''s body was already mutilated to the point where he wasn''t recognizable, part of his body was being passed around like a treasure for the blood thirsty crowd to see like an artifact.

    The mob was confident that they had just hunted down vampires, even though there was no reason to believe so. They were taking the bones to be ones of vampires, despite there being no meaningful distinction between the body of a vampire and a human, which the human eye can see.

    Yet the death of the four people was being celebrated like a festival. The mother was killed soon after the father met his demise, but the worst part of human nature was experienced by their little daughter, who was groped and assaulted by the men before she died of physical trauma.

    And the maid, Iliana, was raped by a dozen men before she was executed soon after. Though they originally wanted to keep the maid alive but some of them were afraid of justice.

    Though most of the people who participated in the mob died, the surviving members still denied ever doing anything wrong. And the justice that was served to the Ranberr Family could never have been possible without the Supreme Judge''s verdict.

    Iliana knew the case all too well, but she did not know how much her family suffered at the hands of the mob group and the maid who took care of Arianna.

    And seeing everything that had happened to her family broke her spectral body even more until she was barely recognizable.

    "A soul so scarred.. Child, is this what you have experienced in your life?" An ethereal voice echoed in Iliana''s mind as the grotesque scene shattered, leaving her in an empty space that was every color all at once. But most of everything present in that world vanished leaving behind a world that was pure black with her in it.

    Just then, the voice echoed again. "This is your Spirit Space.. I''m not surprised."

    The voice made Iliana look around the empty void, when she noticed a being descending from the sky.

    A woman clad in clothes whiter than the whitest white appeared in front of Iliana. Her arrival marked by the phenomenon of thorns and flowers blooming where she stepped foot. Though she mostly looked like a regular human, she had various plantlike features, including the thorn halo over her head, a noticeable amount of plant root protruding out of her left arm, and a blooming rose pattern in her pupils.

    The air around her was no-less divine than her appearance and right as she touched Iliana''s cheeks, a gush of cold sap-like liquid covered Iliana, filling the cracks in her soul. The sap hardened almost instantly and began healing her soul.

    "Child, your soul is too fragile to handle anything right now. Let''s focus on patching you up first.." The woman spoke with a smile on her face, as if doing the most natural thing. She felt detached from the world, and her existence was almost impossible for Iliana to understand.

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    In that moment, Iliana wanted to ask the woman who she was but before she could utter a word.

    Another being descended.

    At first, the entire plane began glowing white before everything turned black again. And there stood a being, a man made of pure white light. He had seven eyes and his stature was a near copy of Rei''s, and his presence was comforting and familiar.

    "Apologies, young lady.. It''s been a while since I have descended down here. My name is Supramasima, it''s nice to meet you," He spoke in a commanding voice before he raised his hand and two fluffy balls of light appeared beside Iliana before it clung to her cheeks.

    ''This is so soft..'' Iliana thought to herself as she was melting under the softness of the fluffy balls. But the happiness didn''t last long as the light soon began seeping through the cracks, mixing in with the tree sap.

    It stung Iliana but other than that, it was relatively painless. And as balls of light began to shrink, Iliana became aware. She could hear her past ringing in her ear but it no longer troubled her as the tree sap eased her soul and faith filled her mind.

    She could feel the cocoon encompassing her body with Alice sitting beside the cocoon in the rain. She could hear Rei comforting Alice as they talked about the war.

    Though dull, she could hear enough to understand that the war was proceeding smoothly. Just then, she heard the two otherworldly beings talk to each other in front of her.

    "I was expecting a grandchild of mine but not under such circumstances.. What are your views on it, Prima Vampire?" Supramasima asked with a calm tone, hiding his disappointment.

    "Well, what can I say, Lord Faith.. They were really going at it.. though this child isn''t related to that," The Roots replied with her ethereal voice.

    "To think omniscience would ruin our first encounter, would also be an understatement.. Interesting things have been happening and I haven''t had the time to discuss it with anyone," Supramasima replied but his conversation with the Primordial Roots was interrupted by Iliana.

    "You.. are.. the Elder God of Faith.. and the Mother of Progenitors?" Iliana spoke with a shocked look on her face. She had ample knowledge about most mythological beings and currently two of the most prominent figures in all of creation were in front of her.

    "Oh? To think a human can ascend the blood of an Elder being without any major repercussions. That''s something straight out of fiction.." Supramasima spoke with a look of amusement as he saw Iliana''s pupils turn scarlet.

    "I see why Alice suggested you inherit her blood.." The Roots complimented Iliana as the last of the light vanished, absorbed in its entirety by Iliana, who had achieved scarlet eyes and her canines growing out.

    "Welcome to the family, child.. What would you like your name to be? Would it be Alisa, the name given to you by your first parents.. or will you inherit the name of Iliana, the noblewoman whose sacrifice is the reason you are alive." The Roots spoke as she stepped closer to Iliana, holding her chin up by her fingers.

    "Ili..ana.." Iliana replied in a daze, as her mind was expanding, time began to slow down and she felt like she could do tasks a thousand times more efficiently.

    Seeing Iliana so absent-minded, the Root smiled before she snapped her fingers near Iliana''s right ear, breaking her out of her daze. "Is that your final answer, little one?"

    Iliana looked at the roots with a shocked look, but she nodded eventually and replied "Yes.."

    "Trillions of universes have passed in front of our eyes.. and this is the first grandchild I''ve had. I should celebrate it," Supramasima spoke as the black world they were in began to shake and rupture.

    "You may not remember us or this encounter, child.. But you will figure out every word exchanged amongst us with some help. Have faith in yourself and the people around you.. You were good enough before and you''ll be good enough now. And that is okay.." Supramasima smiled, as the world collapsed, leaving Iliana''s soul to float in the space of her mind.

    The tree sap and the light flowing through her soul, slowly became a part of her, indistinguishable from her. And after what felt like an eternity, her consciousness returned to her body.

    ''Huh.. Where am I?'' Iliana tried to move her body but she was encased in a hard cocoon and despite her best efforts, she couldn''t move. She remembered that she drank Alice''s blood after stepping into the circle she drew but nothing after that.

    ''HELLO! ANYONE THERE!'' Iliana tried to shout but her mouth didn''t move. ''Am I trapped here? How long have I been trapped for?''

    Worry filled Iliana as she remembered Abel and Eluya, not wanting to leave them alone in this world.

    ''I need to get out of this..'' Iliana thought to herself as she tried her best to move her body but it didn''t listen to her. It felt like her body was too weak to listen to her mind.

    No matter, how much Iliana tried to move, there was no response from her body. And before she knew it, a loud thunder filled her ears.

    ''Wait, I was outside in the garden. Will the lightning hit me? Lady Fourth, help me.. I''m scared.." Iliana said to herself, still trying to move and wanting to cry but even that didn''t reflect on her body.

    And just then, Iliana felt warmth. The warmth of a hug and a blanket covering her, before a few words reached her ears. "Iliana.. Don''t worry, I am here. Nothing will harm you anymore," Alice was speaking to her, not knowing that Iliana could listen to her.

    But most surprisingly, she was speaking her name, instead of addressing her as a ''Child''. Her voice also carried guilt in it, though Iliana can''t remember why, when it was her who took the offer.

    A few moments later, Iliana heard Rei''s voice.

    "Lady Alice, please you should eat something. You haven''t eaten anything in a while.." Rei said as he sat down in front of Alice with a plate of food in his hand.

    "Why does it matter if I eat or not? It''s not like I will ever be hungry or sick.." Alice replied, hugging the cocoon tighter as more of her warmth seeped deeper.

    ''It is warm.. It is so.. comforting.'' Iliana thought to herself as she fell asleep while enveloped by the warmth, unable to stay awake any longer.

    ''It feels like I will be here for a while,'' She told herself as she slept in the cocoon, blissfully unaware of the threats her beloveds were facing.