《Sidonian Vigor: Let's Destroy the World!》


 0. Back From Hell

    In the Freigat Jungle, one needed to exercise the ability to remain quiet. Noise only brought more monsters. Even with his leg having been crushed, Alisson sat still, and quiet through the pain. The sun would be setting soon.


    What was he doing here? Alisson had asked himself this question more and more of recently. Was his mission really so important? To fight and bleed here, in this place? It took him a while to realize why he asked this question. It was not for his own sake, but for the sake of his apprentice.


    She now lay over his lap, looking up at him, smiling weakly.


    ¡°I never realized how long your eyelashes were¡­¡±


    She spoke quietly, staring up at him with glazed, delirious eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk. Save your strength.¡±


    Alisson responded, and tightened his grip on her belly, as if holding her tighter would make the large gash on it go away. He could in fact feel her entrails between his fingers, but he tried not to think about it.


    ¡°Let me ask you something¡­Just one last thing, I promise¡­¡±


    Alisson looked down at her dully, his hands quivering.


    ¡°Is it bad that I want it all to end?¡± She smiled. ¡°The pain, the suffering¡­I want this to all just be over already¡­¡± Alisson opened his mouth to respond, but Celis continued, ¡°But¡­I can¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t want it to end¡­I want to keep bleeding and smiling with you. It¡¯s so¡­hard¡­to keep going¡­But I want to. I don¡¯t want to¡­Leave you alone.¡±


    She spoke through ragged breaths, her smile slowly fading and her eyes growing heavy. Alisson tightened his grip on her.


    To hell with Sidonia. To hell with the mission. He¡¯d be leaving Freigat with Celis. No matter what.


    He looked out across the jungle growth, feeling acutely the gazes of the things that watched him. They would strike soon. Alisson slowly moved his apprentice off of him, and rose slowly. He drew a white rapier, and sunk into readiness.


    ...


    The overcast sky and creaking, damp wood, would do little to fill one with joy. The Sidonian flag waved arrogantly above from the crow¡¯s nest, proudly on display, despite the Machavelli being the only Sidonian ship in the entire sea.


    They were far from their home country. The purpose of their maiden voyage was not a simple, glamourous task. It was the retrieval of a Sidonian black-ops team.


    The retrieval of my fianc¨¦¡­


    Maerene Ad Maccu thought to herself, smiling into the scarf wrapped around her neck. The team had been away from Sidonian land for the better part of a year, but Maerene hadn¡¯t seen him in almost a decade, ever since the wedding had been called off. But today was the day; after a grueling month of sailing, they had reached the island of Regfurtz, which lay in the middle of the sea of Aleeze. The rowboat was already on its way back; Maerene couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. She would be the one to greet him after his long journey. It was an honor. If she played her cards right¡­she might even be able to get back on his radar¡­


    ¡°Ay! Hoist them up!¡±


    A sailor called, and a ladder was rolled down the side of the Machavelli. As Maerene heard this, she took a deep breath to calm herself. When she next opened her eyes, with a heavy thud,


    Alisson Vi Nuam had just boarded her ship. Maerene had expected her heart to rise in joy at simply seeing his face ¨C Not just because she thought he was cute, although that was a large reason ¨C But when she looked over him, she felt no such emotion, only shock. There was nothing immediately striking her as wrong with Alisson. His yellowed hair, orange hairclip¡­well, that was all that was recognizable about him, she realized. Even his eyes were far, far different. The cloak he donned himself in was ripped and torn, splattered with dry blood. Underneath his cloak, was a layer of destroyed armor. Any plates that were still on him were adorned with horrific battle scars; wounds that should¡¯ve been enough to kill a man thrice over; loose rings of chainmail hung from under his gambeson. His gambeson had the scars of dozens of knitted-field repairs, and hundreds of knicks and cuts.


    Although Alisson himself was unharmed, his attire alone attested to how many battles he had fought. His hair was unusually long ¨C Normally, Alisson was more on the effeminate side, so this was to be expected, but months without a barber left him looking like some sort of wildman.


    Looking over Maerene, he crossed his arms, and stared into her eyes. Her heart stood still when she stared into those eyes of his, not because she was lovestruck, but because she was terrified. His eyes had once been these soft things, that could sometimes harden into sharp, regal authority, but now, all Maerene could see in his glazed over, dull eyes, was horror. Just what kind of things had he seen out there on his mission?


    His whole aura, his whole being, was completely different. He was this alien thing, not a comrade in arms of Sidonia, not Field Marshal of a renowned military unit, no¡­He had become something more primal¡­


    ¡°Milord Alisson, is this everyone? We were told there¡¯d be a ¡®team¡¯ of people¡­¡±


    A sailor tepidly confirmed. Alisson brought his heavy gaze to the man, someone who was far burlier and tough looking than the prince-like appearance of Alisson, but the motion was enough to make the sailor take a step back without thinking.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Alisson began in a regal tone, ¡°A team. That would be the two of us.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The person Alisson was referring to was a girl that couldn¡¯t have been older than Maerene who had taken Alisson¡¯s side. The two of them were the only ones that had been retrieved from the island. The girl had apparel that told a similar story as Alisson¡¯s. They were of similar height and stature to Alisson, and shared the same gaze. She shared not his choice in weapon of a single rapier however; she bore a plethora of weapons holstered around her body: Stilettoes at her hips, baselards at her wrists, and what seemed to be an estoc, hung from her back.


    ¡°Milord Alisson, I can take the baggage off your hands¡­¡±


    The quartermaster offered, seeing that the weary warriors were carrying large packs. Alisson was reluctant for a moment, but hesitantly unhoisted his bags, and his teammate, whom Maerene didn¡¯t recognize, did the same.


    ¡°Keep it safe.¡± Alisson ordered in his usual, regal tone, but that new, primal part of him, turned his order into something more akin to a growl.


    As soon as Alisson let go of the baggage, the man stumbled, surprised by the weight, and struggled to hold it as he carried it off for safe keeping.


    Maerene swallowed. She¡¯d been so shocked by the sight of Alisson that she¡¯d delayed greeting him by an awkward margin, and hastily stepped forward after realizing this.


    ¡°A-¡­Alisson!¡± She called, approaching tepidly, ¡°Thank Sidonia you¡¯re alright¡­You look like you¡¯ve fought a war all by yourself¡­¡±


    Alisson brought his gaze to her, and it took every bit of Maerene¡¯s strength not to freeze.


    Maerene wanted to hug him, and stepped tepidly closer to him, but felt as though an aura of gelatin slowed her movements when she was under the gaze of Alisson and his mysterious teammate. Especially did this teammate of his pierce Maerene with her mere gaze alone, like she was expecting Maerene to just suddenly attack Alisson.


    ¡°I apologize in advance for our manners and etiquette¡­¡± Alisson said, averting his eyes. ¡°We may have forgotten much of normal life¡­¡±


    He gave his teammate a quick glance with his eyes, and she peered back toward him. In a brief moment, their eyes interlocked, and several emotions seemed to play out across their faces in rapid succession, like they were having a conversation.


    ¡°¡­I guess we should just be glad we even made it at all.¡±


    The teammate finally spoke, as if in response to Alisson¡¯s look. Her voice was soft, and scrappy. It had the tone of a noble that had been beaten down into the dirt, and had lost much of its regal politeness, whereas Alisson¡¯s voice still retained some semblance of dignity and pride.


    ¡°I imagine it¡¯s quite overwhelming, all the fratello around.¡± Maerene muttered off-hand, getting the feeling that the two of them were put off by the surrounding sailors, gawking at the new arrivals. ¡°We can talk further in my quarters, walk with me.¡±


    Alisson, along with his teammate, followed Maerene to the captain¡¯s quarters of the Machavelli. Maerene made some tea for the two ¨C A luxury for a ship at sea ¨C But it was from her personal collection. Certainly, it was wrong for the captain of a ship to be the one serving tea on her own ship, but Maerene reasoned that she didn¡¯t want to bother the two of them with any more hassle than necessary. They seemed quite on edge with all the comrades about. That wasn¡¯t like Alisson at all. He was usually the one to be so filled with comradery and pride for his allies, inspiring all who were graced with his presence.


    Now sitting at a table in her quarters, Maerene asked after a sip of tea, with a suddenly serious expression, ¡°Firstly, is there anything prevalent that concerns my ship or my sailors that you can tell me?¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head. ¡°Whilst on the mainland, we heard whispers of an Irinian blockade being set up in this part of the sea. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve ran into such vessels?¡±


    Maerene smirked. ¡°We have. A galley a few days ago tried to stop and search us, but by the time they saw the flag we flew, it was already too late for them.¡±


    Alisson smiled. ¡°I see. That¡¯s good to hear. I imagine you¡¯ll be getting more company. But that¡¯s all I have for you.¡± Alisson¡¯s expression soured. ¡°The things we learned in the north¡­The things we did in the north¡­It¡¯s better if fewer people knew about them¡­¡± Alisson¡¯s voice trailed, but he looked up suddenly into Maerene¡¯s eyes. ¡°However, we must report our findings to Lady Sidonia at once.¡±


    Maerene gave him a raised eyebrow. ¡°Which are?¡±


    Alisson frowned, and suddenly his stare became a glare as he pierced her body with his eyes alone, suddenly making her feel like prey again. Her body froze once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s confidential. I can¡¯t risk telling anything to anybody. All you need to know is that it¡¯s extremely important. Perhaps the most important information that can be said to the Lady.¡±


    Maerene would have a hard time believing that were it any other circumstance. But being frozen stiff like a mouse before a lion, she could only believe him.


    ¡°There is something I need to tell you¡­¡± Maerene mumbled, suddenly feeling unsafe. Alisson merely piqued an eyebrow, and she continued, ¡°Sidonia¡­she told us that you wouldn¡¯t be here¡­¡± Alisson¡¯s eyes gradually widened. ¡°She gave us new orders to head to the Kitsune Queendom and aid them with a diplomatic attach¨¦ but¡­I wanted to be sure. I didn¡¯t want to leave you here. I couldn¡¯t bear to just turn my back on the potential of you being here I¡­¡±


    Maerene realized she was ranting about her feelings, and she shut up. She looked to Alisson.


    His face made Maerene¡¯s throat clamp tight. She felt scared to move in that instant.


    He had a deep frown of pure scorn. His eyes glared with a burning glint, filled with killing intent.


    ¡°A-¡­¡± Maerene tried to ask what was wrong, but could only manage a single syllable under the intense pressure of being before him and his glare.


    Alisson stood and turned away from Maerene. He took a few audible deep breaths, recentering himself. He looked to his teammate, and they stared at one another for a long minute. Finally, Alisson nodded, seemingly having regained control of himself.


    ¡°Maerene.¡±


    Her head snapped up to attention like the will of a supreme being was requesting her entire soul to focus on them.


    ¡°Take us back to Sidonia. Take us back to the homeland.¡±


    ¡°B-but Sidonia¡¯s orders¡­¡±


    ¡°Rear Admiral Maerene Ad Maccu.¡± Alisson said simply with pure authority. ¡°As a Field Marshal and as captain of the 51<sup>st</sup>, as the third best swordsmen in all of Sidonia, and as myself, Alisson Vi Nuam¡­I order you to take us back to the homeland. I will not take no for an answer. My orders of this moment supersede Sidonia¡¯s. Do you understand?¡±


    He shot a gaze that bored through Maerene¡¯s soul, her very essence and being was in fact being eroded away into nothing as she continued to be on the receiving end of the most terrifying eyes she had ever known in her life. Sweat on her forehead, Maerene swallowed a knot in her throat.


    Even though, not once in her life had she ever heard of someone¡¯s orders superseding Sidonia¡¯s, the highest power in all the land, she easily bent to Alisson¡¯s will.


    ¡°Y-yes¡­M-my lord¡­As you¡¯ve commanded¡­¡±


    Maerene subconsciously made two mistakes. For one, Alisson wasn¡¯t a lord. He was heir to the Nuam house, but not the lord of it. Secondly, she didn¡¯t even attach ¡®Nuam¡¯ to his lordship, implying he was a lord over everything, like a king, like Sidonia.


    Alisson closed his eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you Maerene¡­You¡¯ve always been on my side, ever since we were children. I won¡¯t forget your loyalty.¡±


    In the span of a few seconds, Alisson¡¯s murderous, terrifying glare was replaced with one of warmth. She was suddenly his. Suddenly under his wing, suddenly under his protection. The aura that had so scared her, now surrounded her, protected her from the outside. She felt goosebumps roll down her back, and she found herself blushing.


    ¡­


    So, we were right, Celis. Sidonia has betrayed us.


    ***

 1. Misfits

    Movement 0: House Cleaning


    There will be a great deal of hardship on the road ahead.


    <hr>


    ¡°Slowpoke!¡±


    Marenix¡¯s training partner stuck her tongue out at him, as he lay in the sand, his rear aching.


    I¡¯m not cut out for this¡­


    Marenix thought to himself, panting in exhaustion.


    ¡°C¡¯mon Mare! Get up! If you can¡¯t beat me, who knows if they¡¯ll let you graduate! You¡¯re a terrible fighter! Terrible!¡±


    The girl sneered at him with her devious red eyes. Marenix didn¡¯t move, savoring the brief respite he had having been knocked down. He brought his eyes slowly to the girl, and said between breaths, ¡°Can¡¯t you go¡­a little easy on me¡­for once?¡±


    ¡°Blegh!¡± The girl stuck her tongue out at him again, and crossed her arms. ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the best fighter in the school¡­¡±


    ¡°Too bad!¡±


    Marenix slumped his head back, sighing. What did he do to deserve this treatment? Ever since his eldest brother became the best swordsmen in Sidonia, the pressure on him had been increased by at least two orders of magnitude. It was ludicrous. He just wanted to go into the sciences, like his other elder brother, but now the Arquis household was expecting him to be just as amazing as Ardinand Li Arquis.


    He wasn¡¯t Ardinand Li Arquis. He was Marenix Li Arquis, and he was currently on his ass, panting in exhaustion and defeat. He certainly didn¡¯t appreciate being berated by his brat of a training partner, Ashlynde. She finally extended him a hand, and he cautiously took it, wary to be played for a fool in any number of ways, but she didn¡¯t try anything.


    Marenix fixed his dirtied collar and remarked, ¡°I¡¯ll be graduating just fine, thank you very much ¨C You¡¯re the one who should be worrying¡­Your grades in academia are terr-¡±


    Ashlynde threw a punch at him, but he barely stumbled out of the way, clutching his heart.


    ¡°I know! Stop reminding me!¡± She pouted. Her eyes suddenly flared with glee and she stared off somewhere behind Marenix. ¡°Look! It¡¯s the 51<sup>st</sup>!¡±


    She pointed, and shoved past Marenix in the next moment. Marenix rolled his eyes and hastened to keep pace with Ashlynde. Before them, a pair of tall fighters had entered the sandy proving grounds. They were far taller than the students around them, including Ashlynde. They ignored the stares of those around them, and began sparring.


    Ashlynde watched on, her eyes sparkling. Marenix wasn¡¯t fond of battle, but even he found himself entranced by their motions. They seemed more akin to a pair of blurs that raced around each other in a dance than two soldiers sparing. On their shoulders, the insignia of the 51<sup>st</sup> gleamed.


    ¡°Elite units¡­That¡¯s where I want to go.¡±


    Marenix heard Ashlynde say, and looked over to find her beaming, her eyes filled with childish awe. He didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that the elites of Sidonia¡¯s fighting force probably didn¡¯t share her awful academic regime when they were in the academy.


    He instead shrugged and remarked. ¡°Who knows where we¡¯ll end up¡­At this rate with all the manpower shortages¡­Every sector of Sidonia needs more people¡­¡±


    With the war going on the way it was, with two massive fronts and the majority of humanity focusing their ire on Sidonia¡­Everything nowadays was a scramble. The age limits had been lowered again, past an already controversially young age. It used to be that Nekomata were one-hundred when they were considered grown and ready to be met with responsibility. That age was now twenty. It was like having the rug pulled out from under you. Projections for the future had always been hopeful, but things have only steadily gotten worse.


    Marenix thought he¡¯d have so much more time¡­But soon, he would be getting an early graduation, and assigned a master to be an apprentice for. The same went for Ashlynde.


    He looked over her with pity. Sure, she was a good fighter but¡­Her body was still not fully developed¡­She¡¯d be overpowered by any opponent¡­with the possible exception of himself. Marenix didn¡¯t even grow any facial hair, and soon Sidonia expected him to take lives in defense of the homeland¡­


    He shook his head.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get some shade and some water¡­¡±


    Marenix started to turn away, but Ashlynde wasn¡¯t budging. Instead, she ran off closer to the 51<sup>st</sup>, who had paused in their sparring, and were taking a breather.


    ¡°Do you know when Alisson Vi Nuam will be back?¡±


    She asked. The two 51<sup>st </sup>both looked at each other, and broke into smirks at naivety of Ashlynde.


    ¡°Sorry girl, ole¡¯ Alis already has an apprentice. Got one half a year back.¡±


    Ashlynde shook her head angrily. ¡°No no no! I¡¯m not wanting to be his apprentice ¨C Not that I wouldn¡¯t want to but ¨C You guys can¡¯t get any new members or apprentices unless the captain is in town, right?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The 51<sup>st</sup> chuckled with understanding.


    ¡°Sorry again, but he¡¯s off on a top secret mission¡­Even we don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Grr-! Everyone tells me that!¡±


    Ashlynde stomped her foot and growled in annoyance.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s true. Listen kid, take my advice, don¡¯t get yourself caught up in places you¡¯ll regret being in...¡±


    The 51<sup>st</sup> cut himself off and raised a hand to his ear. He averted his eyes, and his countenance suddenly turned serious. Meanwhile the bystanders who had been gawking at the 51<sup>st</sup>, now were gawking at Ashlynde¡¯s brazen questions and attitude to them. Marenix had long gotten used to her antics, but addressing elite units without so much as a sliver of respect or courteousness was unheard of. It would come back to bite her eventually, Marenix had always told her, but of course she never listened.


    The 51<sup>st</sup> looked to his partner, ¡°We need to go.¡±


    The two of them sat up, and quickly began to leave. Ashlynde jumped around in front of them,


    ¡°What is it!? What¡¯s going on! Don¡¯t just leave without telling me anything!¡±


    One 51<sup>st</sup> looked back at her and muttered offhandedly, ¡°Providence might just bless you¡­¡±


    Ashlynde¡¯s demanding and jumping around them ceased when she heard that, and they left without much fuss after that. She stood dead still, and Marenix tepidly approached, about to touch her shoulder. ¡°¡­Lyn?¡±


    She suddenly turned around with sparkles in her eyes. ¡°Alisson is returning!¡±


    Marenix squinted at her, but she continued, ¡°Think about it! Why else would they say that! Why else would they leave like that so suddenly! It¡¯s about time he gets back to Sidonia anyway! Everyone¡¯s been asking where he¡¯s be-!¡±


    Marenix put his hand over her mouth quickly. ¡°Quiet! You keep on talking about confidential stuff out loud and inquisitors are going to knock down our door at night!¡±


    Ashlynde pushed away Marenix and took a breath, and spoke in a quieter tone, ¡°Seriously, that¡¯s what I think.¡±


    Marenix shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re delusionally hopeful as usual¡­¡±


    Marenix¡¯s eyes drifted past Ashlynde. There was a girl older than both of them, who was standing dead still, staring at Ashlynde. Marenix suddenly had a bad feeling.


    ¡°Maybe drop the delusional part please?¡± Ashlynde rubbed the back of her head bashfully. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is¡­I¡¯d want to get assigned to a good unit¡­and not frontline duty. Those 51<sup>st</sup> guys are so cool-!¡±


    Marenix barely paid attention to Ashlynde, and turned away, putting a hand to his chin for show, whilst looking at that girl out of the corner of his vision. ¡°The 51<sup>st</sup> are said to have the highest survival rate¡­It¡¯d be a pretty safe assignment.¡± He replied absentmindedly.


    She had black hair, and dark eyes.  She started toward the two of them suddenly, and Marenix¡¯s heart started to beat rapidly.


    Ashlynde continued talking, oblivious, ¡°Blegh¡­screw a safe, cushy spot, I want action! You can just go mix tonics or something behind me.¡±


    Marenix¡¯s eye twitched. He pushed past Ashlynde and raised his arm in front of her, and called out to the mysterious girl who was pacing closer, ¡°Hey! What¡¯s your problem? Who are you?¡±


    As Ashlynde turned to face Marenix¡¯s direction, the girl stopped, and began walking away. Marenix stood staring with a scowl on his face when he was lightly punched by Ashlynde.


    ¡°Mare, you¡¯re crazy.¡± She pushed away his arm. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re inventing ways for you to be a big strong man and protect me or something, I can handle myself y¡¯know~!¡±


    Marenix exhaled and turned to Ashlynde. He muttered under his breath. ¡°That girl with the black hair¡­She was giving you a bad look¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    Ashlynde tilted her head with a mocking smile, about to open her mouth when ¨C


    ¡°You. You said Alisson Vi Nuam would be returning soon?¡±


    That girl was suddenly a foot away from the both of them, right in Marenix¡¯s and Ashlynde¡¯s faces. This made apparent that she was a head taller than the both of them, and was obviously older. She wore not a training uniform like them either. She was a mature apprentice, most likely.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Ashlynde stammered in surprise and backed away a little with Marenix. ¡°I don¡¯t know nothing! That¡¯s why I was asking those 51<sup>st</sup> guys!¡±


    ¡°Then what did they say?¡± She replied immediately, her voice monotone.


    Ashlynde shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying a peep! I don¡¯t even know who you are!¡±


    Marenix tugged on Ashlynde¡¯s uniform. ¡°Come on Lyn¡­We should go¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t like this girl. There was something wrong about her. The black-haired girl suddenly sighed loudly in their faces. ¡°I¡¯m only asking because an old friend of mine is Alisson¡¯s apprentice, and where he goes, his apprentice has to be following.¡±


    ¡°Oh oh!¡± Ashlynde nodded with understanding. ¡°Well they said that-!¡±


    Marenix put a hand over her mouth and made her mumble into her hand for the second time. Ashlynde was too gullible an idiot to be left alone, truly.


    Marenix was about to open his mouth when a new presence filled the air around them. Large gauntleted hands were placed on both his head and that of the girl¡¯s.


    ¡°What are you kids talking about?¡±


    To their sides was a tall, masculine man. Marenix recognized him immediately from the insignia he wore, and his general age and maturity. ¡°D-Daventdale Se Sabathi¡­You¡¯re the vice-captain of the 51<sup>st</sup>, Alisson¡¯s right-hand man¡­¡±


    Marenix gulped, immediately scared that he¡¯d be reprimanded for making a scene about something confidential.


    ¡°Right you are. So, anything interesting going on?¡±


    ¡°N-no sir¡­¡± Marenix stammered.


    ¡°Sorry sir. I was just leaving.¡± The black-haired girl bobbed her head and glanced at Marenix, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time.¡±


    With that she turned and left.


    As Ashlynde was struggling and trying to free herself of Marenix, Daventdale looked to him, ¡°If there¡¯s anything wrong, you be sure to tell someone. You understand? You¡¯re still kids, you don¡¯t need to solve everything on your own.¡±


    Daventdale smiled gently.


    Marenix averted his eyes, mumbling, ¡°We¡¯re both graduating soon. We ought to be able to.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Daventdale took his hand off of Marenix, and stepped back. ¡°You¡¯ll get yourself killed thinking like that. Anyways, ciao.¡±  With that the large 51<sup>st</sup> strode away.


    Marenix hadn¡¯t even noticed his presence. He had probably been watching the other two before. Ashlynde finally freed herself of Marenix and gasped for air.


    ¡°What¡¯re you trying to kill me!?¡±


    Marenix shook his head. ¡°No, I was saving you, idiot¡­You shouldn¡¯t be talking about military secrets, especially if someone wants to know and is so forward like that¡­It¡¯s suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± Ashlynde shook her head. ¡°Being forward is a sure sign of innocence, since they have nothing to hide.¡± She crossed her arms and nodded to herself.


    Marenix sighed. ¡°And that¡¯s why you¡¯re a sucker¡­¡±


    That girl changed her approach to coax out information from Ashlynde. If she had stayed the same, deadpan persona, it would¡¯ve been less suspicious. But someone like that¡­someone who changes their tone to manipulate others¡­


    ¡°Blegh!¡± Ashlynde stuck out her tongue at Marenix again.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get out of here. We¡¯re going to be graduate soon¡­No use getting into any trouble before then¡­¡±


    As they left the proving grounds, Marenix couldn¡¯t shake the well of pressure in his stomach that something very bad had happened. But when he looked at Ashlynde¡¯s smiling, carefree countenance, he wondered if he was just overreacting, like he normally did.


    Still¡­Alisson is returning huh? I¡¯m sure there will be a parade or something¡­


    ***

 2. Great Return

    ¡°This is really happening¡­right Alisson?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going home.¡±


    Alisson reassured his apprentice, gently caressing her head as she sat between his legs. They were in the bunkroom reserved for the higher ranking aboard the ship. It was cramped, damp, and they could hear the ship creaking. A storm had picked up recently, and rain poured onto the deck, as such, there was no point being out in the open air. The two were alone under the covers there, safe from the chilly rain outside.


    ¡°Do you think any of it will ever matter¡­What we did? Who we met?¡±


    Celis asked him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But we were there together¡­We¡¯ll always be able to take solace in each other, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re the only ones who know what we saw.¡± Alisson said this while he kept on rubbing her head absentmindedly. ¡°When we get back to the homeland¡­You won¡¯t be able to tell anyone about anything. Nothing about who we¡¯ve met, what we did, what we found out¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Celis bobbed her head. She gave Alisson¡¯s hand a squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s us against the world.¡±


    The rain poured down in droves against the deck, making it hard to hear their soft conversation.


    ¡°For now, anyway.¡± Alisson concurred. ¡°We don¡¯t know who we¡¯ll be able to trust for a long time. We won¡¯t even be able to speak openly about anything while we¡¯re in Sidonia, lest her ears hear us. Are you sure you¡¯ll be able to keep a mask on that long?¡±


    Celis smiled gently, ¡°I¡¯ve learned from the best on how to do that¡­I¡¯ll be fine, Alisson¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to speak openly about even confiding in each other, at least around other Nekomata; we should be able to speak around other humans just fine though, like my servants¡­What about your friends, your old team for instance¡­Will you be able to keep your mouth shut?¡±


    Celis blew a bursts of air through her nose. ¡°More like my only friends¡­Oda and Ukari. They¡¯re probably prancing around with their masters¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to look them in the eyes again?¡±


    Celis was silent for a while. ¡°I can¡¯t say I''ve changed all that much¡­They¡¯ve probably gotten stronger and more mature all the same¡­¡±


    Alisson wondered how true that was. As of this moment, Celis was near Alisson¡¯s level of fighting prowess. She had survived countless life or death battles with him, and had inherited a great deal of his veteran mindset. Alisson was the third best in all of Sidonia. The entirety of Sidonia. That meant that Celis was¡­He glanced down at her. Much, much stronger than her fellow apprentices. He pat her head once more, and she nuzzled him back.


    No other Nekomata at her age should have their Opensen¡¯s unlocked either; The ability to manifest those parts which denoted a Nekomata as a Nekomata, the feline ears and the twin tails, that was. Without them, the only difference from a human was a longer life span. That¡¯s why the girl in his grasp, despite being more than a hundred years younger, didn¡¯t actually look that much younger.


    They sat there for a while longer, content that their entire trip back to Sidonia would be a boring one. However that thought changed when claxons suddenly blared. A red light flicked on in the bunkroom, and through the ship¡¯s horn, they heard Maerene¡¯s voice:


    ¡°All hands to general quarters. We will be searched shortly by three Irinian vessels. Enact action plan three.¡±


    Celis and him looked at each other, and quickly slipped out of the warm cot and threw on clothes for the weather, and dashed topside to Maerene.


    ¡­


    They found Maerene on the deck by the helmsmen. When she spotted the two of them, she was quick to say that their help wouldn¡¯t be necessary.


    ¡°Are you sure¡­? Me and my apprentice would easily be able to board those vessels and¡­¡±


    Maerene smirked. ¡°Just sit back and let me show you the power of my ship, Alisson.¡±


    Alisson looked off into the distance, and past the pouring rain and rolling waves, were indeed three ships. It was hard to tell, but atop their masts were lavenders flags, the colors of the Irine Principality. Alisson glanced up the Machavelli¡¯s mast, to see that they had lowered the Sidonian flag that had so arrogantly flew when the ship had retrieved him, and they now simply flew a black flag.


    As the formation of Irinian ships closed in on them, they started to call with loudspeaking spells across the distance to halt and submit for a mandatory search. Maerene gave the acknowledgement signal, and Machavelli slowed to a crawl. Two ships came up on either side of the Machavelli, and another took up position ahead the bow. In doing so, they made apparent that the Machavelli was more than twice the size of the other vessels. Perhaps the Irinians felt emboldened by this in what they saw was either a merchant vessel or a very stupid pirate crew.


    Alisson stood tepidly by Maerene, squinting at her, wondering what exactly her plan was. The rain poured in droves onto the deck, were it not for the scuppers, there would very well be a pool of rainwater now.


    From the Irinian vessels, Alisson could see search parties preparing to board. They had armed marines and were fully prepared for a brawl it seemed.


    ¡°Lower your railings, we are boarding now!¡±


    One of the Irinian officers called from across the way.


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± Maerene muttered with a smile.


    She rose her hand up. The Irinians who had eyes on her through all the rain and bobbing of the ships only had a split second to discern that she raised her hand with the signal to fire.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    She shouted and brought her hand down. Alisson heard the creak of wood, and although he didn¡¯t see them, small ports across the sides of the Machavelli opened.


    Alisson was stunned in the next moment. The sides of Machavelli seemed to light ablaze and explosions rumbled. It was a quick crescendo of a few dozen blasts. The ships to port and starboard were decimated, their own sides were now but mangled wood. The structural integrity of the ships were so badly damaged that the deck of one of them started to cave in on itself.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    It was clear that these ships had not been built with taking this type of punishment in mind. These were ships built for boarding¡­That was supposed to be the only form of combat on the seas; that and magic bombardment ¨C But their firepower was so strong and esoteric that to try to build countermeasures wasn¡¯t worth it. But this, this was something different.


    The Irinian ships reacted, and their own mages started to prepare spells, which Alisson could make out as a glowing lights on their ships as they began to try to break off and drift away. The ship ahead the Machavelli tried to do the same, though to greater speed, having been undamaged.


    Maerene only grinned. ¡°Although we have our own combat capability with mages, I thought to test our new weapons¡­¡± She calmly explained to Alisson. ¡°Fire the bombard when ready.¡± She looked to the helmsmen, ¡°Remember, keep the bow pointed at the enemy, as much as you can.¡±


    She seemed to be treating this not as a dire battle but as training for the crew. She looked up and barked loudly, ¡°Shields up! All hands brace!¡±


    All across the Machavelli, marine mages threw up protective spells, and the crew braced for the Irinian magic barrage. It took a few seconds, but when it came, it came sporadically and disorganized. Even by naval mage standards, their fire was uncoordinated and far too weak to break through any sort of protection spells. It seemed that the initial attack of the Machavelli, whatever it was, shocked the other crews. Celis was clutching his side, unused to naval combat. Spells splashed across iridescent films not mere meters away from them ¨C It felt as though they were in great danger, and Alisson¡¯s instincts screamed at him to duck and cover, but he trusted Maerene¡¯s calm demeanor.


    ¡°The bombard is ready, Captain.¡±


    Maerene nodded. ¡°Alright, this our first time using it against a moving target. Tell the gunnery officer to fire when he sees fit.¡±


    For another few seconds, Alisson watched as the only undamaged Irinian ship attempted to speed away from the Machavelli, firing sparse spells back at it here and there. Its plan was probably to get some distance before ramming them for a boarding action.


    All the while the Machavelli kept its bow eerily pointed at that ship. For a brief moment, the waves threw the two ships on the same plane, and the bow-mounted cannon fired.


    This, Alisson was more used to. It was a magic cannon, evident from the large colored beam it left in the projectile¡¯s wake. The other cannons on the sides had no such wake, only explosions. However, the frontal cannon was not purely magic, Alisson caught a glimpse of a large conical projectile ¨C Such a thing was certainly odd, typically magic cannons were just that ¨C pure magic. To mount one on a ship was foolish, for they were far too heavy and bulky¡­But it seemed Sidonia had managed to do it.


    Alisson furrowed his brow; This ship just became weirder the longer this battle dragged on for.


    The shell impacted on the frontal Irinian vessel with such force that Alisson could hear the ship¡¯s keel snap. And snap it did, in two. There had been in fact magic shielding that the mages on that ship had thrown up, but it was little more than putting paper in front of a fist.


    The frontal Irinian ship had been completely destroyed, nailed from stern to bow. Eventually, whatever resistance the paralyzed side vessels were giving was ended when the Machavelli launched another broadside at each of the ships, briefly lowering its shields before ending the battle, just like that. All three ships sank within the next few minutes.


    Maerene nodded, apparently content, and turned to Alisson. ¡°As you can see, the Lady has cooked up a grand vessel. It¡¯s the pinnacle of ship building, probably anywhere in the world. Not even Andestine possess any one ship to defeat us.¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head in agreement, looking over the quickly sinking Irinian ships, and the surviving sailors that were going to die a slow death at sea.


    ¡­


    The rest of the journey was uneventful. They made it to one of the only ports that would receive them within the Aleeze Sea: The Harpy capital. It had a name, but Alisson didn¡¯t bother to remember. The harpies were a small, insignificant sub-human city-state above Sidonia. Being between three nations, the Caliphate, Principality, and Sidonia itself, Alisson didn¡¯t think the harpies were going to be around for much longer. They were not cooperative with Sidonia. This fact meant that they were all alone against the two human superpowers on the continent. Despite being unwilling to enter Sidonia as a puppet state, Sidonia was still able to strong arm them into being allowed access to the sea.


    As Alisson stepped off the Machavelli, he was greeted with the sight of taller-than-life trees stretching into the sky. In the distance harpies could be seen flying here and there, in residences both high and low. To greet him on the docks were an entourage of 51<sup>st</sup>. Daventdale, his vice-captain, and a couple others. Alisson broke into a smile and hugged the man when they approached.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, captain. Safe and sound?¡±


    ¡°Safe.¡± Alisson nodded. ¡°Safe.¡±


    ¡°Well Alisson, this is where we part ways.¡± Maerene, who had followed Alisson and Celis off the ship, curtsied. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other again in Sidonia eventually, like old times.¡± She said with a small smile, before stepping forward and grabbing hold of Alisson¡¯s hand.


    Alisson was so unaccustomed to civilized life that he almost thought Maerene intended to attack him, and he warily watched her as she brought her lips to his hand. She kissed his hand. Alisson blushed red, but didn¡¯t say or do anything in response. Maerene smiled at him, and quickly turned and boarded her ship.


    Seeing as though Alisson had blatantly strong-armed the existing orders of the Machavelli and her crew, Maerene would remain in port with the harpies until further notice. As they stepped away from the docks, he caught Celis glaring at the Machavelli for some reason, until he noticed that she was staring at Maerene directly, with a sour expression. Alisson realized that she was probably jealous; He hadn¡¯t told Celis that Maerene had been his fianc¨¦e, long in the past.


    ¡°So, any stories you can share with us?¡±


    Daventdale as usual started small talk with Alisson to try to ease his nerves after a mission.


    ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t share without-¡±


    Without Sidonia¡¯s permission.


    Alisson blinked momentarily. He sighed.


    ¡°¡­Yes actually. We ran into just about every creature and power that would seek to harm us¡­Andestine, all manner of beasts, bandits¡­¡±


    ¡°Andestine were way up in the north? Chasing you?¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head. ¡°Our mission was of critical importance¡­So much so that they sent a battalion of knights just to deal with us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re popular as usual.¡± Daventdale smiled. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you managed give them the slip?¡±


    Alisson¡¯s face hardened. ¡°No. We fought them.¡± He looked into the sky, past all the giant trees around them. ¡°We killed them.¡±


    For a moment the 51<sup>st</sup> around them murmured in awe.


    ¡°Looks like the Captain still got it¡­¡±


    ¡°An entire battalion? It must not have been a pitched battle¡­¡±


    His 51<sup>st</sup> murmured around him while they walked. It had been a pitched battle.


    ¡°You alright, Alisson?¡± Noticing his expression, Daventdale asked him.


    Alisson blinked a couple of times. ¡°Yes¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    He looked to the insignia¡¯s his comrades bared on their shoulders and cloaks. Insignias of Sidonia. Of the 51<sup>st</sup>. How little those patches meant. That a man would kill you depending on which color and pattern of thread you had on your clothes. It was despicable.


    ¡°Daventdale. Why did you come here with such a large escort?¡±


    Daventdale shot a glance at him. Daventdale had fought by Alisson¡¯s side for years; He knew Alisson could handle himself. Clearly, the large escort was somehow warranted.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not as safe in Sidonia as it was when you left, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Heretics?¡±


    Daventdale nodded. Alisson looked down into the ground. Alisson, being both a prominent noble and a powerful fighter, was a frequent target of assassination. Alisson smiled to himself. ¡°I¡¯m thankful the enemy is straightforward at least.¡±


    Daventdale shook his head. ¡°Captain, you know better¡­They¡¯ll plant bombs under your carriage, poison your meals, bribe your servants, try to stab you in broad daylight¡­they¡¯ve even tried turning apprentices against their masters¡­¡± Daventdale briefly glanced to Celis worriedly. ¡°They¡¯ll try any sort of underhanded tactic to get you¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s very straightforward.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps not their methods yes¡­¡± Alisson conceded. ¡°But the enemy themselves¡­They¡¯re simple and you can grasp them with your hand and mind.¡±


    They weren¡¯t tall shadowy figures that watched you from kilometers away. They weren¡¯t flesh-eating beasts that wore your friends¡¯ skins. They weren¡¯t a shifting land that ate people in fog. They weren¡¯t cultists whom under robes were but bug and hatred. They were just Nekomata. Like him.


    ***

 3. Rat Bite

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Ashlynde slumped over Marenix, groaning, ¡°I¡¯ll be shoveling shit for the rest of my life!¡±


    She whined.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the worst outcome¡­at least you¡¯re in a safe place, right?¡± Marenix tried to reassure her.


    The graduation had taken place. Their assignments had been chosen. Marenix was to serve in the research division, under his elder brother Lente. It was the expected outcome. Ashlynde however¡­


    ¡°Civil duty¡­Hhhhhh¡­¡±


    To try to ease her pain, Marenix had recommended they pay a visit to a caf¨¦, as was their usual custom. They were sitting at low tables on mats, on the tables were silver containers with spouts that contained that veritable liquid, spiced in in the way that Sidonia was known for. Other Nekomata and some human Sidonians were sitting around tables chatting as well; the caf¨¦ was meant for those of Ashlynde and his ilk, that was, apprentices and those on the lower rungs of the social hierarchy.


    Whilst Ashlynde took tepid sips and averted her eyes in disappointment, Marenix could hear clearly the grumblings of the other patrons¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s just no way¡­These quotas are crazy¡­We might not be Nekomata but we¡¯re still Sidonians, sure, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re all miracle workers!¡±


    ¡°Shush! You keep talking like that and the Inquisition will revoke your honorary Sidonian status¡­¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t do that to us¡­Our families have both been integrated for generations! It¡¯s all the new labor that¡¯s been flooding into our borders that they should be going after¡­Who knows how many of them are spies and saboteurs¡­That¡¯s why everyone seems so scared of Inquisitors now a days, they¡¯re probably working overtime.¡±


    The mood was gloomy but cautiously optimistic that things would be better. Maybe Marenix shouldn¡¯t have taken Ashlynde here if it was only going to sour her mood¡­Marenix looked to her with melancholy. This may be the last time they can spend a day together like this, and see each other face to face. Marenix reached out to touch Ashlynde¡¯s head without thinking.


    ¡°Wow! Is that Alisson Vi Nuam¡¯s carriage?¡± Ashlynde suddenly jumped up, pointing out a window.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    Mare stared at the procession through the windows to their side, squinting. He didn¡¯t have the time to form any thoughts or words.


    The middle carriage detonated, the glass before him shattered and his vision turned white.


    ¡­


    ¡°An attack?¡±


    Alisson mused. A horseman had ridden up beside their carriage and had reported in.


    ¡°Yes, they seemed to have taken the secondary bait procession. There¡¯s still no guarantee they haven¡¯t also caught wind of your real route though¡­My lord, you need to stay low and keep your head down¡­¡±


    The guard warned. Alisson looked to Celis. This was certainly different. Everyone¡¯s attitudes were far laxer than they should¡¯ve been. They exhibited less shock and more annoyance than anything. Just how much had heresy spread throughout the Capital? That an attack would be expected and two feints be placed?


    ¡°If this happened a year ago, the city would be on lockdown until the perpetrators found¡­¡±


    Alisson remarked.


    ¡°Times have changed, and certain people seem to really want you dead, captain.¡± Daventdale replied. ¡°Take us the tertiary route, just to be safe.¡± He called to the driver.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°No.¡± Alisson shook his head. ¡°Let me see the damage. Take us to the bait location.¡±


    ¡°But captain-¡±


    ¡°There is no bait more tantalizing than the real thing, no?¡± Alisson smiled.


    His smile faded and he sighed. ¡°You leave home for a few days and look what a mess it becomes¡­¡±


    Per Alisson¡¯s orders, they arrived at the road where the attack had taken place. Apparently a bomb had been placed in the road, and the middle carriage was destroyed. However, the carriage had been empty, and other than some minor damage to the city, no lives were lost. 51<sup>st</sup> and garrison guards flocked the area, looking for any trace of the heretics whom attacked. Alisson stepped out of the carriage and surveyed the area alongside Celis.


    There had been two bait processions, one that was publicly announced and very large, and one that had only been whispered amongst the garrison, but was still marked with emblems of Nuam. The real procession was unmarked and a single carriage. It seemed the inquisitors wished to use Alisson¡¯s return as a chance to attack the heretics. However, there wasn¡¯t a trace of anyone suspicious; even with guards crowding the rooftops and roads, watching everything.


    A caf¨¦ had been caught in the blast; laid outside of it were a few who had been injured, among them a couple of apprentice-aged kids. Alisson knelt before them, frowning. They both seemed unconscious, and feverish. They had already been healed by garrison medics; however as healing spells were wont to do, the effects of the damage still lingered as phantom pain, their bodies believing they were still injured.


    Another of Rickard¡¯s wrongful ideals of how to go about things¡­


    He used the telepathy spell on instinct so that only Celis could hear, and she nodded. He wasn¡¯t sure anymore whether telepathy actually guaranteed a secure communication route, but it was better than speaking out in the open, at least hopefully.


    Do you think they know about what happened to him, to Rickard?


    Celis asked, and Alisson shook his head.


    I doubt news of his death has reached so far south so quickly. Their information network is good, but it¡¯s not unreasonable¡­


    As Celis and him were discussing, a shy looking girl approached the two of them. She was dressed in black, with similar dark eyes and hair. She was older than the two apprentices, but not by much.


    ¡°Celis, is that you?¡±


    She asked tepidly, and Celis eyed her for a moment, squinting.


    ¡°Oda?¡± Celis tilted her head. ¡°What are you doing here? It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    Oda averted her eyes. ¡°When I heard Alisson was returning from a dangerous mission¡­I was scared his apprentice hadn¡¯t made it.¡± She looked to Celis and smiled gingerly. ¡°But it looks like my fears are unfounded. You¡¯re as tough as I remember¡­There is something I wanted to talk to you about actually, in private¡­¡±


    Oda glanced at Alisson. Alisson shot a sharp glare at her and Celis, and bobbed his head in approval.


    Oda whisked Celis off into a secluded part of the road and spoke in a quieter voice, ¡°Ukuri hasn¡¯t been doing too well, she¡¯s bedridden right now¡­¡±


    Celis found herself not caring as much as she thought she would, but Oda continued. ¡°The apprentices of our graduation year are gathering for the traditional party, you know the one, right?¡±


    Celis nodded slowly as it came back to her. Traditionally, apprentices would gather in secret away from their masters and teachers as an informal send off, a real graduation from being kids. A tradition that had been passed down from generation to generation of apprentices.


    ¡°You¡¯re inviting me, is that it?¡±


    Oda slyly smiled at her. ¡°Yes, you should come. You can see how all the other apprentices have grown, I¡¯m sure a lot would want to spar with you, being Alisson Vi Nuam¡¯s apprentice and all¡­you¡¯re kind of a legend among the apprentices now¡­Most people thought you would die for sure.¡±


    Celis frowned. ¡°Flattery doesn¡¯t get you anywhere with me, don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    Oda rolled her eyes. ¡°Whatever, bed wetter. Be there. Afterwards, we can see Ukuri and bid her well.¡±


    Celis warily glanced at Alisson a ways away. ¡°If I have the time¡­¡±


    Oda, smiling, promptly turned and skipped away. Celis stared at her as she walked back over to Alisson.


    ¡°Celis, are you alright?¡± Alisson scoffed, his arms crossed. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too happy to have reunited with an old teammate.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Celis muttered. ¡°Oda didn¡¯t hug me.¡±


    Alisson watched as Celis developed a deep frown on her face, following Oda with her eyes. When Celis recounted the trivial things Oda had approached Celis for, it was certainly odd. Alisson had heard of the annual apprentice gathering when he himself was an apprentice, but he wasn¡¯t nearly as sociable or popular to get invited.


    Alisson looked back across the damaged road and the injured before him. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s nothing we can do about any of this now.¡± He set his sights on the Rolaign, far off in the distance, at the heart of the city; Where Sidonia was. He sharpened his eyes and began to walk when one of the injured called his name,


    ¡°A-Alisson Vi Nuam!?¡±


    A girl looked up to him, beaming a pair of sparkling red eyes at him, despite being bruised and dirtied. She began to try to get up to see him face to face, but Alisson moved his hand over her chest to stop her.


    ¡°Get some rest, little one.¡± Alisson said, smiling gently.


    ****

 4. My Fair Lady

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Sidonia requested that only you enter, Alisson.¡±


    A tall knight clad in gold informed him. Tall was an understatement, the two golden guardians of Sidonia herself were inhumanly tall, they were more than thrice Alisson¡¯s height.


    ¡°Fine by me.¡± Alisson waved away their words.


    He instructed Celis to wait outside, and she bobbed her head subserviently. The large doors to Sidonia¡¯s inner sanctum opened to reveal a large circular room. It had a high ceiling with the only source of light emanating from somewhere in the ceiling. Most of the room was covered in shadow except for the center. Alisson strode toward the center of the room, where sitting at a small tea table was the overlord of the Sidonian Empire; the Lady Sidonia. She had long white lochs and piercing blue eyes, her skin itself was also pale. Her body was most odd in that it was quite mature and motherly compared to other Nekomata. She wore only a simple white dress, and stared at him with a small smile as he approached.


    ¡°I have returned, my Lady.¡±


    He gave a flare with his cloak and knelt with his hand on his heart. Sidonia kept on staring at him with a seemingly self-satisfied smirk for a few moments.


    ¡°So Alisson, what do you have for me? You do know that you have gone against my orders in brazenly commandeering the Machavelli to come here?¡±


    Alisson stood without being given permission to rise, and looked at Sidonia in her eyes. ¡°I believe it was in my authority and initiative to report to you as quickly as possible, my Lady. I will draft up a report in the coming days explaining in detail the events of the mission, but if you¡¯d entertain me, I will summarize what is most important, and give to you what I believe is the largest fruit of my labor.¡±


    Sidonia nodded, still with a small smirk. ¡°Please do, then.¡±


    Alisson took a deep breath. ¡°The journey up the continent was not an unopposed one. Other than the normal difficulties faced on the road, Andestine was chasing us down.¡±


    Sidonia¡¯s eyes widened a little, but then slipped back into her normal countenance.


    ¡°They clearly knew of our intention, in that they met us and attempted to ambush us at several occasions, culminating in a large battle at Scratskoslovotskaya. We successfully reached and penetrated the Freigat Jungle, and inside we found what we were ordered to reconnoiter. However¡­¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t able to enter¡­¡±


    Sidonia put in. Alisson stared at her in silence for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s correct, my Lady. So, instead of cutting our losses and retreating, I acted to seek out a means of entrance to the structure. From the clues we could decipher, we ended up pinpointing a potential location in the Dead Zone.¡±


    Sidonia¡¯s smile started to fade, and her eyes started to widen, if only so slightly.


    ¡°Within the Dead Zone, we found what we were looking for.¡± Alisson slipped off his pack that he had vehemently worn and protected all this way, and placed it before Sidonia with a heavy thud.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Sidonia muttered. Alisson gave her another deadpan stare before continuing. He lifted the item of conversation from the bag; It was a black metal cylinder that looked industrially made.


    ¡°This item is what I believe to be the key to entering the structure you have pointed me toward, Sidonia.¡±


    He held it up for Sidonia to see. Her face was blank and her mouth was parted. ¡°This is the most important thing I can tell you.¡± Alisson continued, ¡°Whatever structure that is, Andestine was after it too, but now, I believe we have the edge on them.¡±


    Sidonia waved over an attendant from the shadows, who looked pale and lifeless. Alisson handed the cylinder to them, whom held it silently beside Sidonia.


    Sidonia shook her head slightly. ¡°You have done a great service to me, Alisson, this, let no one doubt¡­¡±


    ¡°I was merely doing my duty, my Lady. There are smaller, secondary items of interest I have found, if you would permit my apprentice to enter, I would also like to show them to you in person, although I believe summoning Marenix may be wise as some of them are quite scientific. I believe they will do well to better our understanding and advancement in the sciences.¡±


    Sidonia tepidly nodded, still processing Alisson¡¯s earlier words. ¡°Report to Marenix in your own time regarding that. Your instincts about this,¡± Sidonia motioned to the canister that the servant beside her now held, ¡°Being the most important fruit of your journey, is correct. Because of this¡­We will be able to strike at Andestine, we will be able to win.¡±


    Alisson stared dully at her. Win or lose. What did it matter? That¡¯s all she cared about.


    ¡°Rest up, then. You¡¯ve earned it. In time you will be sent to Queendom, seeing as though you¡¯ve sabotaged the operation there¡­¡± Sidonia smiled at Alisson.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°If there are no administrative things you need to inform me of personally, then I will take my leave, my Lady.¡±


    Alisson began to turn away, again, not waiting for Sidonia¡¯s dismissal.


    ¡°How did that apprentice of yours fair?¡±


    She asked, her old smugness returning to her. Alisson halted his motion, and looked back to Sidonia.


    ¡°That apprentice is Celistine Regadonia. I will be promoting her to a full-fledged member of the 51<sup>st</sup> for her performance. That is all.¡±


    Sidonia¡¯s eyes seemed to brighten in luminosity, and her smug smile deepened. ¡°You are aware you need permission from me to promote an individual into an elite unit?¡±


    ¡°Permission that I¡¯m sure you will grant, with all due respect my Lady. Trust me when I say that apprentice is more than she was when we departed. My report should make her growth clear. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, me and my apprentice will be resting for the night. I believe we¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    Sidonia hummed a little, but whisked her hand at Alisson, dismissing him, and leaned back into her chair as she watched him turn and exit the chamber.


    A Kitsune emissary quickly entered thereafter, ¡°Your Majesty Sidonia, a message from Queen Tsuhagara!¡±


    The doors closed quickly thereafter behind Alisson.


    ...


    The welcome back to the Nuam Keep, Alisson¡¯s home, was not as grand as one might expect. Before him and Celis, merely two servants bowed subserviently.


    ¡°¡°Welcome home, master.¡±¡±


    The truth was that these two servants, young twins whom Alisson had rescued off the streets of a backwater city, had been the only residents of the Nuam Keep. Of course, there were other noble families and close cousins and other Nuam affiliated bureaucrats, but with his father away from Sidonia with much of the house, there wasn¡¯t much reason to be here. Regardless, the two servants had kept the keep in extraordinary condition. There wasn¡¯t even a speck of dust that lined the intricately woven carpets or any of the immaculate furniture.


    Before him and Celis could settle in for the night however, his servants informed him of the current political situation with the houses of Sidonia; Things like which nobles had been married, new children of important families, and nobles who had expressed a want to meet with Alisson in the time that he had been away.


    Among them, Lady Salchyon, whom apparently only poked her head inside the Keep to make sure everything was ¡®okay¡¯. It seemed that everyone was expecting him and Lady Salchyon to duel; for in the time that Alisson had been away:


    Lackadaisical, the best swordsmen in Sidonia, went missing in action. Ardinand Li Arquis took his spot, and Lady Salchyon for the time being leap-frogged Alisson, and was now considered the second best. However, now that Alisson was back in Sidonia, a duel was in order to see who was really the second best.


    What a bother. It seemed people were very excited to see them fight, and that rumors of a duel had been blown up into a full blown expectation. Louise Alderon Salchyon and him were childhood friends, but were polar opposites, despite this they had never quarreled or fought, so a public duel like this was quite the spiced entertainment.


    At the end of the servant¡¯s long report, they had an uneasy expression.


    ¡°Master. We have a¡­request¡­¡±


    ¡°We have a request, master¡­¡±


    The two said tepidly, averting their gazes from Alisson and shifting uneasily on their feet. Alisson motioned for them to continue, and they shyly went on,


    ¡°¡°Would you allow us to hug you, master?¡±¡±


    How could Alisson refuse? He let them do as they wished with a gentle smile.


    ¡­


    ¡°Master, the bath will be ready soon. In the meantime, here is the drink you requested.¡±


    Celis looked quizzically at Alisson. ¡°Alcohol?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°We deserve some frivolities, Celis.¡± He replied, motioning for the servant to come closer with the plate of drinks.


    Within in his own keep, in his own room, with Celis and his servants by his side, Alisson couldn¡¯t possibly feel much more at peace and ease as he already did. It was a far cry from being¡­Well, anywhere they had been in the past few months, really.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much¡­?¡±


    Celis asked as the servant poured them glasses from a bottle from his family¡¯s personal collection. It was quite an expensive bottle to be enjoyed by a mere apprentice like Celis; she must¡¯ve felt a little wrong. However, Celis was no mere apprentice.


    ¡°You¡¯re a member of the core Nuam household for all I care, Celis. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He smiled at her.


    The servant pouring the drink narrowed their eyes at Celis, perhaps wondering if she would have to treat Celis with as much respect as Alisson into the future; As not a simple guest and apprentice¡­But as a member of the family. After preparing the drinks, the servant bowed and left, leaving him and Celis alone in his quarters. Alisson lifted a glass up, and smiled at Celis.


    ¡°Well, bottoms up.¡±


    ¡­


    It didn¡¯t take very long for Alisson to become a giggly mess on my lap. I can see why he never drank up north¡­I feel a bit dizzy and overly happy, but not to Alisson¡¯s degree. I could feel acutely that my face was blushed red, and I wore only a dumb little smile as I looked at Alisson as he nuzzled my thigh.


    ¡°You¡¯re really soft without your armor on¡­¡±


    He purred.


    ¡°You are too, Alisson¡­¡± I pet his hair, and he giggled a little.


    On Alisson¡¯s bed, petting him like this¡­This is bliss¡­This would¡¯ve been what I described as heaven a couple months ago, but here I am. Life sure is different back here in civilization. Even up north when we had moments of rest, in an inn or out camping, we didn¡¯t waste any time with just enjoying ourselves like this.


    On instinct I leaned in and gave Alisson a deep kiss which he reciprocated. The motion must have made him quite happy, because out came his Opensen with a flash of light; Atop his head appeared cat ears and two tails rose into the air. I grinned deviously and manifested my own Opensen, and playfought Alisson¡¯s tail¡¯s with my own, wrestling with them. The tails twisted and wrapped around each other, much like our bodies. We were quickly entangled in a playful wrestle, hugging and cuddling like children, or maybe clawless kittens.


    It looks like we¡¯ll have some time before we¡¯re to depart for the Queendom on Sidonia¡¯s orders. In that time, there¡¯s a lot of bureaucratic housekeeping to handle, having been away so long. I just hope we can keep being like this into the future, even away from Sidonia¡­But seeing as though we can be so happy even now, with enemies all around us, I think we¡¯ll be just fine¡­


    ¡°Celis¡­Do you think we¡¯ll have children together?¡±


    The question caught me off guard, but I gently smiled into his eyes. ¡°¡­How many do you want?¡±


    He blushed with a smile of his own, averting his eyes. ¡°If we manage to get through this¡­and live together on a homestead out in Siphrine or Piedz¨¦¡­We should just start with one. I¡¯d like to bring them up well and strong¡­I wouldn¡¯t want to divide my attention with my own flesh and blood¡­¡±


    I stroked his cheek as he thought aloud. The Alisson I knew in the months prior would never have talked like this, or even considered a peaceful happy ending. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m here.


    ***

 5. Showing Face

    The day after we arrived home was filled with errands. I woke up with Alisson after having bathed last night ¨C It feels really good to be nice and clean again ¨C I then followed Alisson¡¯s morning routine while he was in the city, which started with a couple hours lifting weights and drilling. Since we know we won¡¯t be fighting for our lives for the entire day, we can exhaust our energy all at the beginning of the day to maintain our readiness; It was novel to me. Afterwards, Alisson and I picked out some clothes from his wardrobe to wear.


    It was weird to wear things that weren¡¯t armor, but I felt girly for the first time in a long time. Alisson looks really nice in noble clothes¡­Since I really didn¡¯t have much other than my training uniform given to me from the Academy, Alisson lent me some of his older clothes ¨C They fit me quite well.


    I nuzzled the collar of my tailcoat, thinking that Alisson had worn it too, long ago. Alisson said I¡¯ll have to pay a visit to the tailor at some point before we depart to get proper clothes made for me. Before leaving the Nuam compound of the city, Alisson wanted to pay a visit to the library. While he quickly outlined the draft of his formal report on our prior mission, he instructed me to gather books on a select realm.


    The realm of enhancement. Becoming stronger. No books on sword play, or muscle growth ¨C But texts on powers and magics that would give you an edge in combat. I asked Alisson about it, and he remarked that it was prudent for us to keep in mind further avenues of increasing our fighting power. Our techniques and bodies were probably near the peak of what was achievable for us; Thus, external and unorthodox means were now our greatest modes of becoming stronger. Powers that, to others, would be unattainable. Topics that strayed between the lines of legend and fantasy¡­To Sidonia, such methods were looked down upon;


    Sidonians prided themselves on a disciplined understanding of straightforward techniques. That was to say, they fought without relying on magic or magic items, and anything that didn¡¯t produce grounded results, was discarded.


    To an outside observer, this further pursuit of power seemed frivolous, but I knew the reason for it. The Nuam archives, as expansive as they may be, aren¡¯t all-encompassing; Alisson said that if we have the chance to browse other sources of information on similar subjects, then we should.


    Leaving the Nuam compound, we visited a barber first and foremost. Our hair had grown out of control in the months without proper tending, Alisson looks like a girl and my hair is really long, it¡¯s not supposed to go past my shoulders¡­Well it¡¯s not only the length but it¡¯s also a mess, obviously. We can¡¯t see nobles with hair like this. After an uneventful trip to a barber, Alisson was far more handsome and I was far less primitive. We then paid a visit to the armory in the Rolaign, that held specialized weapons and requisitionable gear. We went there to deposit our armor and weapons and spent magical items, so that they could be tended to and prepared for the next mission. The quartermasters very obviously gawked at our ruined armor ¨C Such armor was probably deposited by the dead more often than not.


    Alisson advised that I should take the time earlier rather than later to put in a word with the smiths regarding my weapons and armor ¨C There were a lot of changes I had learned that I wanted done up in the north, not all of them crucial, but they would certainly be nice. Thus, I had some homework to do in writing up some requisition papers for myself. Next, was onto the real reason we left Nuam compound¡­Politics.


    After a full day of being in the city, meeting with nobles and keeping up appearances for the Nuam house, and eating out ¨C A welcome luxury I¡¯d forgotten ¨C Alisson and I both had one last meeting toward the end of the day. Alisson wanted to informally meet with Lente Li Arquis, the head of science in Sidonia and a childhood friend of his, to discuss his findings on our mission, and to touch base in general.


    I however, had the choice of going to my graduating year¡¯s send-off party. Alisson said I should go, since it was prudent that I could do things on my own in the social sense. Even if I end up just sitting around not talking to anyone, at least I¡¯ll have been there.


    It¡¯ll probably be more interesting than sitting behind Alisson like a dog all day in meetings with nobles. They all gave me funny looks, and some asked why Alisson had brought a lowly apprentice along with him to these important meetings. I understood where they came from. It was odd; The whole day, Alisson was treating me like an adult, like a fellow 51<sup>st</sup>, like a friend, and not like a student. It was completely different to the last time I was in Sidonia.


    I pushed my thoughts out of my head. Right now, I need to be presentable! I might not have the reputation of my family to guard, but now, I have Alisson¡¯s reputation to guard, being his apprentice. So, entering the gathering of apprentices, I kept my chin high.


    The whole thing was meant to be secretive. The location reflected this: It was in the sewers underneath the capital. I met up with Oda and navigated the large service tunnels under the city to find the gathering point. In contrast to the industrial, rusting, dirty sewers; the room was cleanly and soft, and very childish. It seems the apprentices responsible for putting on the event had retrofitted an unused room with several large improvements and furnished it with amenities.


    Soft pink cloth coated the walls and magic lights shone brightly high in the ceiling. We had to take off our shoes because the carpet was a soft walkable fabric. Trays of treats and desserts were laid out across the room, and several groups of apprentices my age laughed and chatted with each other. I recognized most of them, though they seemed to be from all of the socialite groups of our class- I didn¡¯t see many of the reclusive, studious types like myself.


    A few people who recognized me welcomed me in, if only because I was known as a good fighter back when I graduated. It was one of the given reasons I was assigned to Alisson as an apprentice. But most people gave me disinterest at best and disgust at worst. I found a quiet corner of the room while Oda went and chatted with other apprentices. I stared into the plate of treats I had been given.


    The gathering went on, business as usual for a long time, without me having to say anything or do anything. I¡¯ve never liked social outings. Alisson is all I need.


    Someone in the center of the room, on a little elevated platform hit a glass with a spoon to get the attention of the crowd.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to take moment to bring to everyone¡¯s attention, our very own Celistine Regadonia: The most notorious apprentice given that her master is none other than the fabled Alisson Vi Nuam¡­¡±


    One of the more popular types said, indicating to me. I¡¯d seen Oda and them conversing beforehand, and with Oda smiling at me from a distance, it seems this was probably put on by her.


    ¡°¡­But that¡¯s not all,¡± The prominent apprentice went on, ¡°Celistine here survived a trip all the way up north, encountering Sidonia-knows-what kinds of troubles and monsters!¡±


    The crowd ooh¡¯ed and aah¡¯ed.


    ¡°Would you like to make any remarks, Celistine?¡± The apprentice motioned for me to come to him, and take the stage.


    I showed a shy smile and shook my head no, waving my hand back and forth a little.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably classified, I get it¡­But-! There is something you can show us!¡± The apprentice went on, ¡°Your skill in combat! Here before me we have one of our most distinguished fellow graduates, why he slew a Gold Knight just last month!¡±


    The apprentice went on to explain this other apprentice, who was something of a big deal, apparently. He was large, his shoulders broad, and he had a cocky smile. I didn¡¯t bother internalizing any of their names. It didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°So, why not some fisticuffs? Come forward, come forward!¡±


    The apprentices were all worked up now, and it was hard to refuse. I guess they were making me fight the biggest, baddest guy they could find. Maybe they all had something to prove, to make themselves feel better; to watch the apprentice that was assigned to a famous master get beaten. Something like that. I eyed Oda as I rose to the guy before me. She was watching with great interest.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    In standing, I made apparent I was just as tall as him. I looked over his body. I was probably more muscular than him. It wasn¡¯t right to call him a man yet, but he wasn¡¯t a boy either. He rose his fists and took a stance, smirking at me. I did the same, giving a shy and nervous smile.


    After they said start, the guy swung for me. I can¡¯t believe I actually had my guard up for this. I stepped forward into his swing, and tilted my face to the side, his fist missing me by a paper. In stepping forward though, I let his chest collide with my collar, and I immediately let myself fall backwards onto my butt.


    I sat, rubbing my head with a little smile as everyone cheered the guy. He looked a little confused, but it looked like no one else even suspected that I wasn¡¯t actually hit by anything.


    I heard a few of them quip about me,


    ¡°I guess she really was dead-weight for Alisson that whole time!¡±


    ¡°What a letdown¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll never be a 51<sup>st</sup>, there¡¯s no way she deserves to be Alisson¡¯s apprentice¡­¡±


    But, after a minute or so, the jeers were replaced by something else. I was glad ¨C their comments pricked at me more than I care to admit.


    The more popular and viceful ones in the room, the ones who had beamed only scorn and disgust at me for what I can only assume is for jealous reasons, now smiled, satisfied by what they had seen. Over the next hour, the amount of people who approached to speak with me rose from zero. Whereas earlier they had shot nervous glances at me, they now approached with warm smiles, asking me questions about what life was like, if anything interesting had happened on my escapades, and what kind of person Alisson was.


    They asked things like if I¡¯d ever seen an orc before, or an angel. I had seen both, but I neglected to tell them the truth. They also asked about what the countries were like in the north. This, I could say plainly: That they were terrible places to live, and could hardly be called countries.


    I continued to give non-answers and spoke without really saying anything, but I apparently did a good job of it, because the apprentices seemed to like talking with me. I found myself smiling a little, my cheeks flushed with some sort of social excitement. The night thereon was entertaining and by the books.


    Some apprentices spoke of their times with their masters so far, and any exciting encounters they had, and so on. A few other apprentices also playfully fought with each other, sizing each other up and seeing who had grown stronger in the time since we¡¯d left schooling.  The apprentices who had gone into more civil sectors like the smiths, artisans, or engineers mostly kept to their own circles, largely discussing their fields and various logistics topics. Their topics of conversation were far more mature than those of the rest of the room.


    With that realization I was grimly reminded of the plain fact that the combat orientated apprentices here would not all survive the coming years. The civil service ones would continue to operate the Sidonian military machine while their friends went and died on the frontlines. It¡¯s not like I actually cared about anyone in the room, but I felt bad; knowing that I couldn¡¯t very well protect all their smiling, innocent faces. They didn¡¯t know what they were getting into. They didn¡¯t know anything. I smiled bittersweetly to myself. I was complicit in maintaining their innocence as well; But I had a veil of secrecy to confide within Alisson.


    Eventually the meeting started to come to a slow close. Apprentices started crying in each other¡¯s arms even, perhaps subconsciously realizing that this might be the last time they would see many, if any, of their friends again. Oda approached me, apparently laid back and satisfied with herself. She had spent the night talking with a few select apprentices, out of earshot from me specifically. It seemed less like they were catching up and more like they were making plans. At least, that was just me, I might just be paranoid. But I can¡¯t help but notice that Oda¡¯s body language said that she was far more eased around me; she didn¡¯t feel the same need as before to keep herself defensive around me. I could discern that in the time it took for her to talk to me.


    ¡°Enjoyed yourself, Celis?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I know I said I¡¯d take you to see Ukuri but the thing is, her condition has gotten quite a bit worse, I don¡¯t think we should see her until she gets a little better.¡±


    I gave her a shrug. I always liked Ukuri better. Oda was just the annoying one who added dumb quips in; But Ukuri talked to me with sparkles in her eyes of genuine friendship. She was quite extroverted. I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t enjoy her company, at least secretly.


    ¡°Well anyway, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about, come on, walk with me.¡±


    We made our exit from the party and once we were in a more secluded part of the sewer tunnels, she picked up again, ¡°So, how has your master, how has Alisson treated you?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Why?¡±


    I gave her a blank stare.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that, well¡­Popular masters like that tend to be really rough on their apprentices, you know, since they have to make you so much better than all your fellow apprentices, since it¡¯s their reputation, right...¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡± I looked away down the tunnel. My teeth started to clench.


    ¡°He¡¯s been a pretty bad master to you, hasn¡¯t he? You look, well¡­different. He hasn¡¯t hurt you, has he? I know they say Alisson is known to be a very gentle soul, but there¡¯s all these rumors about him that he¡¯s this crazy loyal servant who¡¯d slit your throat if he even thought you were going against Sidonia¡­That, and I¡¯ve done some research on him, and I was thinking that since his master was Serendipity, that must¡¯ve left some sort of long-lasting scars on him¡­¡±


    I grinded my teeth together. How dare you imply that Alisson hasn¡¯t taken care of me-!


    My eye twitched a little, more like a flutter.


    ¡°So, if he¡¯s had any craziness done onto him by his older sister during his training,¡± Oda continued, ¡°Then I thought there might be a chance that he¡¯d take something out on you. Besides,¡± She motioned to me, ¡°You know the rumors about him, right? About all of his former apprentices dying in terrible, horrific ways¡­You¡¯d think he would¡¯ve prepared them better, or maybe he set them up to be suicide-driven freaks or something¡­So I¡¯ve just been worrying about you¡­¡±


    My fist tightened slowly, but intensely.


    I took a small breath of air, which looked like a sigh from the outside, trying to calm myself.


    ¡°Not all of them died though.¡± I put in suddenly. ¡°Leukini Al Suzu is still alive, and that was his most recent apprentice.¡±


    I¡¯ve never met her. Alisson told me that Leukini hated him for her entire apprenticeship.


    ¡°Well yeah¡­¡± Oda conceded. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard much about her though. I think she was attached to some frontline unit or something, which is weird, because being the apprentice of someone like Alisson should land you a spot in one of the elite units, but¡­¡±


    We exited the service tunnels and got to the surface. Curfew would soon be in effect, and apprentices like us shouldn¡¯t be seen out in the streets this late. Despite this, Oda wanted to continue talking with me, so offered to follow me back to the Nuam compound. Having her enter Alisson¡¯s home was a definite no-no, so I said yes but resolved to end the conversation before we reached our destination.


    ¡°So, have you ever thought to, well¡­Stand up for yourself?¡±


    My eyes narrowed at her. I caught myself and straightened my expression.


    ¡°No... What are you suggesting?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­You still didn¡¯t give me an answer. How does Alisson treat you?¡±


    ¡°I already told you. He treats me fine. I don¡¯t think anything of it.¡±


    Oda rose a hand to her temple, and muttered to herself, ¡°Airheaded and a sucker¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± It took everything for that to not come out as an angry growl.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Maybe you really can¡¯t do anything on your own after all¡­Why did you even come out here today?¡±


    ¡°What kind of a question is that?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Oda sighed again. ¡°You know what? Never mind... have a nice night. I¡¯ll head back to my dorm now¡­¡±


    Oda turned and gave me a wave. I stared at her with sharp eyes as she walked away, not even looking back at me once. My teeth were grinding hard. I continued on to the Nuam compound. I got behind one of the perimeter walls near the keep, and silently put my back against it. No one was around.


    After a moment of looking up into the star-filled night sky, I clenched my hand and punched the brick wall next to me, my Opensen activating in the same motion. The explosive force made a small crater in the wall, and bits of stone fell from my knuckles.


    ¡°Damnit!¡± I shouted out at the sky, growling.


    Just who the fuck does that piece of shit think she is!?


    A million thoughts ran through my head as I grinded my knuckles into the wall. I wasn¡¯t wearing any gauntlets or armor. Realizing what I was doing after a couple of seconds, I pulled my hand back. My skin was cut up and abraded, but it¡¯s not like my bones are so weak as to break from that. I blew a heavy burst of air through my nostrils.


    I would never hurt Alisson. He would never hurt me. He¡¯s trained me well. I love him. Some third-rate piece of shit brat like you isn¡¯t going to do a thing to change my mind. The arrogance and ignorance of that little¡­


    I took a deep breath, and my body slackened.


    ¡­


    It wasn¡¯t long until Alisson got home. When he entered the door I fell into his arms, not even waiting for him to take his coat off.


    ¡°Alisson¡­¡± I whined. ¡°It was terrible¡­I hated it!¡± I shook my head vigorously.


    Alisson smiled wryly as he handed his coat to a servant. ¡°But it sounds like you managed it.¡±


    He pet my head. I giggled and activated my Opensen, my tails wagging behind me.


    ¡°I did.¡± I beamed at him. ¡°I kept a mask on and didn¡¯t say or reveal anything!¡±


    Alisson nodded in satisfaction, and kept petting my head. ¡°And I met with Lente. The results were, acceptable, but I was hoping for more¡­¡±


    I backed away from him. ¡°So, we can¡¯t¡­talk to him?¡±


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t able to ascertain his mind. The artifacts we recovered though, I handed over to him ¨C He seemed quite happy about them, so I think we did a good job of picking good pieces to bring to the homeland.¡±


    I nodded to Alisson, the once raging fire of my joy at seeing Alisson gradually cooling down to burning embers. I hesitantly looked to one of Alisson¡¯s servants, rubbing my cheek guiltily.


    ¡°By the way¡­I might¡¯ve put a hole in the wall outside¡­¡±


    She looked at me with wide eyes, but frowned soon after, perhaps choosing not to question it.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    Ignoring the meetings and antics of the day, tomorrow will be important.


    It¡¯ll be my last day as Alisson¡¯s apprentice.


    ***

 6. Ballroom Clutz

    Early in the morning of the next day, Alisson stood at the end of Nuam Keep¡¯s ballroom hall. It was the very room that Alisson had first laid eyes on Celis, and where she had become his apprentice.


    He remembered vividly the events of the that day: The 51<sup>st</sup> had lost an entire platoon in a horrific battle; and so some of the crop of graduates were sent to be replacements. Alisson had watched as all of the apprentices were taken up by other 51<sup>st</sup>, until the room was empty save Celis and himself. The once empty sight he envisioned was now replaced by a room filled with cheerful faces and celebration. Now, the ballroom would host her official induction into the 51<sup>st</sup> as a full-fledged member, in the process shedding free of her apprenticeship.


    Dressed in his formal attire, he stood tall with his hands behind his back. Whenever he was at formal events like this, he tried to imagine himself as his father, standing pridefully with the same style of black tailcoat and gloves.


    After the last of the guests had arrived, he decided to start the proceedings, and announced in a booming voice,


    ¡°Friends, family, comrades, we gather today for a momentous occasion¡­¡±


    The hall grew quiet. ¡°Regrettably not all of our fellow 51<sup>st</sup> have returned from our previous assignments to bear witness, but those who are here may glimpse upon something the 51<sup>st</sup> has yet to receive in its history ¨C A new, full-fledged member whom we can call our sibling.¡±


    In addition to the 51<sup>st</sup> who weren¡¯t scattered across the continent on missions of their own, some noble families and close friends of the Nuam House were in attendance ¨C A new addition to the 51<sup>st</sup> was just as much of a political event as it was a military one. Some of the Arquis, Sabathi, Beranz, Capifilla Houses, to name a few, were in attendance. That was because the 51<sup>st</sup>, like most military units in Sidonia, had a cabal of backers set in the nobility of the nation. The 51<sup>st</sup> was of course primarily backed by the Nuam House, the second largest in Sidonia, seeing as though its heir was the 51<sup>st</sup>¡¯s  captain.


    ¡°Through fire, flesh, gore and dirt¡­Celistine Regadonia accompanied me through the north not simply as a student, but as my partner. She saved my life on multiple occasions, bested odds that even I, the third seat, would find hard-pressed to topple¡­On my honor, I vouch for her capability and fidelity...¡±


    As Alisson spoke, Celis walked into the room from the far end, and started down a long carpet toward Alisson, wearing a dress. The surrounding attendees started to clap for her as she walked toward him.


    ¡°¡­She has far outgrown the title of apprentice, that let no one doubt. So thus¡­¡±


    Celis stopped before him, and kneeled. Alisson drew a ceremonial blade in flash, and pointed it squarely at Celis¡¯s face. Celis put her thumb to the tip of the blade, and drew blood. Alisson lifted the blade in air, so that a red stream of her blood now flowed down its length for the audience to see.


    ¡°I declare Celistine Regadonia as no longer my apprentice, but as our faithful sibling in the 51<sup>st</sup>!¡±


    Alisson gave the blade a flare across the sky, Celis¡¯s blood glistening through the air and fading across the 51<sup>st</sup> in attendance. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Alisson looked upon Celis with a smile. Truly, if their mission were not secretive in nature, he would¡¯ve given her a medal. Twenty, even. Regrettably however, her individual feats were not for public knowledge.


    He was proud of her. She¡¯d come a long way. She was once a meek little girl. Now, things were different.


    ¡­


    ¡°Wow! You¡¯ve really grown so much!¡±


    A boy who had been made an apprentice in the 51<sup>st</sup> the same time as Celis, Haruniel, said with admiration, sizing up Celis. She was now taller than him, which wasn¡¯t the case before she had departed all those months ago.


    ¡°Your gait and the way you carry yourself, everyone can see it, Celis¡­You¡¯re totally different now.¡± Haruniel¡¯s master, Cherisa, an archer in the 51<sup>st</sup> Alisson had known for decades, spoke up as well.


    The two approached Celis as soon as the dancing and music started, and the room was full of chattering voices. Alisson wasn¡¯t one for parties or social gatherings, but appearances needed to be upheld and Celis deserved a feast in her honor.


    Alisson let Celis converse and socialize for a while on her own; she needed to develop both her own bonds with her now comrades in arms, and her social skills that they had so thrown away in the months prior. Afterall, the 51<sup>st</sup>, himself, and Celis; they were not bludgeons; They were scalpels, to be precise and diplomatic as well as combat capable. They needed to be able to present well in front of others. The 51<sup>st</sup> was one of the few elite units in Sidonia that was able to be used in such circumstance. The 53<sup>rd</sup> would sooner slaughter everyone at a party, and perhaps the 56<sup>th</sup> as well. The 57<sup>th</sup> would end up caving in a ballroom floor with the weight of their armor alone.


    After a while, and the musicians started to play a certain romantic song Alisson was fond of, and he thought to invite Celis to a dance. He bowed and asked for one like a gentleman from her, leaning in with a hand on his heart, flashing a wry smile at her.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°¡­Really? W-why¡­?¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to understand.


    ¡°What, would you prefer me to court a dance with a rose between my teeth?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know any dancing¡­¡±


    Celis mumbled, shifting her feet shyly. Alisson smirked at her. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem¡­Just follow my lead. It¡¯s just like a footwork drill.¡±


    He extended a hand to her. She broke into a little smile and held it tepidly.


    ¡°There, there... just like this¡­¡±


    He spoke softly to her as they moved as one, back and forth, back and forth. Celis blushed for whatever reason. At an event like this, even though he was the heir to the most influential house here, and Celis was the guest of honor, it¡¯s not like everyone would be looking at them all the time ¨C There wasn¡¯t any reason to be embarrassed at dancing at a dance.


    Just as soon as Celis started to get comfortable with the basic movements, Alisson felt tremors through his feet. Big tremors. He locked his gaze on the door to the ballroom, wherein a second thereafter they swung wide open. In the light of the door¡¯s wake, was an armored procession.


    ¡°Oh! Prithee me! Gaze upon a new great warrior do we? Rouse the Salchyons, and call the Nuams, for a forbidden love will¡­uh¡­Bluam?!¡±


    Alisson frowned. The one who¡¯d spoken the nonsense was none other than Louise Alderon Salchyon. A girl taller than him whom was covered neck to toe in full heavy plate armor, but who moved as though she were unencumbered by it. She scanned the room before flashing a bright smile at Alisson with her bright blue eyes, her blonde hair seeming to reflect the light of the sun.


    The room had gone silent quickly with her stupid words, and everyone¡¯s focus was on her, only the musicians continued their tune. Behind her, were members of the 57<sup>th</sup>, the elite unit she was captain of, and the one most backed by the house of Salchyon, the most powerful and influential house in Sidonia, the chief rivals of house Nuam.


    So, when a fully armed procession of elite Salchyon fighters busted down the door of a Nuam party uninvited, it was simple to see why many of the attendees now stared with hostility at the Lady Salchyon. This sense of hostility was quickly shattered when Louise¡¯s servants suddenly appeared from behind her, with similar stupid smiles. The four of them were children, and shared their master¡¯s shining blonde hair and bright eyes, wearing jackets liveried with the blue of the Salchyon house. They spread flowers from baskets as Louise made a stupid pose.


    All the while the 57<sup>th</sup> ¡®Halberdiers¡¯, Louise¡¯s heavily armored subordinates, stood silently behind her, their helmets on and their towering figures eating up any light at their backs.


    She strode forward into the crowd with a cheerful smile. Alisson sighed. She had no sense for entrances or politics. Or anything that wasn¡¯t frontline combat, really.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve told me about your apprentice, Alis! I thought you and me were tight!¡±


    She strode up to Alisson and Celis, beaming a smile down at them. ¡°May I take a dance?¡±


    She laid a gauntleted hand down on Alisson¡¯s shoulder. He looked tepidly to Celis.


    This might be important.


    Celis reluctantly let go of Alisson and backed away, frowning. Louise took his hands immediately, and started swaying away with him, humming a dumb tune that was out of sync with that of the music in the room, but one that certainly made sense to her.


    Other than this, she was quiet. That was unlike her. Alisson would know; Lady Salchyon and him were childhood friends, it was an unlikely friendship the two of them had shared, being from rival houses.


    Alisson played along, dancing with Louise to the corner of the ballroom, where she guided Alisson through a door. The hallway they entered was darkly lit compared to the ballroom, and only a single window beamed a shaft of sunlight through at them. As soon as the door closed and they had relative privacy, Louise slammed Alisson against the stone wall, pinning his shoulder to it with one hand. She leaned in, almost nose to nose with him.


    ¡°Are you alright, Alis?¡±


    Her tone was suddenly gentle. He smiled softly at her. ¡°Yes, all is well. We had a tough time, but we came out on top.¡±


    She looked on at Alisson¡¯s face for a moment with a small smile. ¡°I wanted to check on you¡­Everyone¡¯s been saying bad things about you lately¡­You¡¯ve gotten very popular since you¡¯ve returned.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Alisson¡¯s smile faded.


    ¡°I¡¯m always here for you, Alis - You can always count on me!¡±


    What¡¯s going on?


    One moment.


    Louise¡¯s small smile was quickly replaced by her more normal demeanor, her smile turned into something less innocent and more devious. ¡°We¡¯re to duel soon after all! Last time you might¡¯ve won but, how do you think this time will go!?¡±


    Alisson averted his gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too confident this time around.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought!¡± Louise squeezed his shoulder tighter. She leaned in and nuzzled his cheek, as if she were a cat marking her scent on him. Her nose pricked suddenly and she looked at Alisson once more with a wild smile. ¡°Do I smell¡­¡± She made a few more motions of sniffing him, ¡°Bacilla? The scent of your apprentice? Lots of blood?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. A lot has changed.¡± He said tersely. Her sense was incredible to say the least¡­No one should¡¯ve been able to pick up on the fact that Alisson now had access to his Bacilla, save for perhaps his sister.


    ¡°So¡­! About your famed oh-so secret journey!¡± She promptly picked him up like a toy and shook him back and forth. It¡¯s not that she was much larger than Alisson, more that she was terrifyingly strong. She could dice three armored knights in half with one swing of her voulge, and Alisson didn¡¯t know if that was the limit. He had yet to see another person match her in physical feats.


    ¡°Who¡¯d you fight? Did you win? What kind of powers did you get? Did you get any cool artifacts!? Was there anyone strong? Stronger than me? I¡¯ll beat them up! Meet any cute girls?! Are they cuter than me? I¡¯ll beat them up!¡±


    She asked an unending stream of questions in a quick tempo that gradually melded into a singular drone from which Alisson couldn¡¯t make out any intelligible thoughts. Alisson didn¡¯t respond, he only looked at her with dull eyes.


    ¡°We should get back to the proceedings.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, I bet everything you did was boring anyway.¡± Louise dropped Alisson onto his feet and strolled back into the ballroom, cheerfully humming. He fixed his collar, sighing.


    He entered the ballroom once more to find Celis pouting at him.


    What happened?


    Nothing that important¡­You know Louise.


    He took up position to dance with her once more, which replaced her pout with a small smile.


    ***

 7. Put to Pen

    Alisson busied himself in the days leading up to the departure to the Queendom by writing and reading. As the sun blazed outside on Celis, training with her now fellow 51<sup>st</sup>, Alisson sat within his study, eyeing them from the relative cool interior of the building. He took a sip of his tea, and continued to write his report on the events that transpired on their mission. He conveniently forgot some topics and people here and there, but it¡¯s not like Sidonia had any means to realize that.


    He scribed the text with a fancy fountain pen, beside his report were the several books he¡¯d picked up from the Nuam archives. The one that lay open on the very top of the pile being titled ¡®KITSUNE: THE MOONLIGHT CANNON TECHNIQUE AND OTHER RELATED ABILITIES OF THOSE POSSESSED OF NINE TAILS.¡¯


    He was not only penning the report¡­In his mind, he ran through several ideas that he¡¯d never commit to paper out of fear. He occasionally glanced at a small map on his desk, pondering courses of action.


    As Alisson was writing away however, he heard a knock at his door and allowed one of his servants to enter with a message.


    ¡°Master. Lente Li Arquis would like to speak with you. He is waiting in the sitting room.¡±


    ¡°Send him in.¡±


    Alisson said with a wave, and moments later, Lente entered his study with a wry smile. He was a short boy, lacking in physical stature ¨C even compared to Alisson. Lente wore large round glasses, a large coat typical of those in the science division.


    ¡°What brings you here today, Lente?¡±


    Alisson asked without looking, continuing to pen his report.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not a social call¡­I have a couple things I was asked to pass along¡­¡± Lente gently sat down at a seat beside Alisson, and placed a bundle of papers on his desk. ¡°¡­The official orders and subsequent guidelines for the coming incursion to the Queendom. Things have really shifted around and melded together since you, well¡­Sort of went against the Lady¡¯s orders¡­¡±


    ¡°That would be a sure side-effect.¡±


    Alisson put his pen down with a sigh, and lifted the papers, flipping through them and skimming the headers, long used to the kind of paperwork those in High Command liked to produce.


    ¡°There are some amendments you should be aware of¡­it¡¯s¡­odd¡­The new requirements they shoved into the guidelines regarding you as soon as it became apparent you were joining them¡­¡±


    Originally, the Machavelli was meant to secure the port of the Queendom¡¯s capital city for further incursion from Sidonian envoys and related forces, but in commandeering the ship, plans had changed. Now, because of Alisson, the scheduled diplomatic envoys and security details would all be ferried by the Machavelli in one trip ¨C Not exactly good practice. Normally there¡¯d be at the very least a few other ships but the fact was, the Machavelli was the only Sidonian ship in the lake of Aleeze.


    As such, Alisson had been expecting some sort of updated rules imposed by High Command, however, one line immediately stuck out to him:


    In the event commanding officer Alisson Vi Nuam is unable to perform his duties, command will be unilaterally delegated to designated section commander Ardinand Li Arquis.


    ¡®In the event¡¯? Just what was that supposed to mean? Such clauses had never been included in prior guidelines that he¡¯d ever read. Alisson frowned, setting the paper down in thought.


    Ardinand was going to previously be in command of the operation before Alisson was shoved into it by Sidonia, but since Alisson was of a higher family rank, he was given de-facto control of the operation by norm; even though Ardinand was currently the number one standing fighter in Sidonia, in front of Lady Salchyon at number two, and himself at number three.


    The rankings didn¡¯t really mean much. The real strongest fighter in Sidonia wasn¡¯t even listed on them. She¡¯d long ago been exempt from public facets. There were those that chased fickle records and titles, and more power to them; but Alisson had never been one to care for any sort of accomplishment theatre.


    ¡°Check the guidelines about your requisition allowances, that¡¯s what I wanted to bring to your attention.¡±


    Lente added, and Alisson once again flipped through the papers. Why the articles on requisitioning? He was Alisson Vi Nuam, he was touted as the third best swordsmen and the heir to the second most powerful family; He was given full authority on what equipment and manpower he could ask for to complete a given mission ¨C That had been the case for the past century.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Alisson read over the lines.


    He was allowed no more than a squad of his 51<sup>st</sup>. It was odd that the requirement was even listed, but Alisson wasn¡¯t sure if he was even going to bring anyone else along other than Celis, so he shrugged this one off.


    He was not allowed the use of any items above grade one as classified by the armory division.


    What? Grade one items were used for self-defense, like a citizen would carry a dagger, or an ombudsmen would an item that could call for help or generate a defensive barrier. It meant that he couldn¡¯t even carry a sword, anything really, that might be used aggressively. He couldn¡¯t even wear any forms of protection above light gambesons. Alisson squinted, furrowing his mouth.


    He wasn¡¯t allowed to requisition any additional magic items or manpower; and if he so desired to, he was to inform Ardinand and receive his permission.


    He put the papers back down on the desk, his mouth curled into frown.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make too much sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lente seemed to share Alisson¡¯s recognition of the unorthodox nature of these mandates.


    The incursion into the Queendom would be a small-scale effort to aid Queen Tsuhagara, queen of the Kitsune, in liberating the country from separatists and human influence. In being that the Kitsune and Nekomata were close allies, it was only natural that this was a desired outcome ¨C With the war ramping up, the Nekomata needed as many allies as they could get their hands on. The Queendom had long been made into a vassal-like state by the Irine Principality, and remained a nation only in name. Those that were loyal to Queen Tsuhagara wished to make their country once more independent, and rid themselves from Irine; Though of recent there was a growing separatist movement that had been left unchecked ¨C They now threatened to overthrow the traditional leadership and culture of the Kitsune.


    As such, political assassination, bribery, coercion, all the usual abundance, were on the table ¨C A full scale civil war was a potential outcome. That was to say, it wasn¡¯t exactly a safe outing. Alisson would be a target. Limiting his defensive options bordered on malicious in this situation.


    ¡°There¡¯s also that other matter I wanted to bring up¡­¡±


    Lente looked a little hesitant. Alisson looked to him, bracing himself for some sort of bad news ¨C Lente was the kind of man to hold the worst news for last. Alisson had learnt as much in the time they had known each other since they were kids.


    Lente procured one more paper from within his coat. Taking the paper, Alisson quickly realized what it was. He had received four such papers before.


    ¡®DECLARATION OF APPRENTICESHIP; BY HIGH COMMAND¡¯


    Alisson would be receiving yet another apprentice to train. It was meant to be a voluntary duty of older Nekomata, to teach and bring up the young; But this was an order from High Command ¨C More likely, from Sidonia herself. Alisson set the paper down, sighing. He didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter it seemed. He¡¯d have to babysit a fresh, useless young Nekomata all over again, after having just bathed in the satisfaction of teaching Celis all he knew and watching her grow to such prowess. He didn¡¯t even get a break from teaching, apparently. People always told him he was better off in a classroom, but he never understood why his friends held that opinion of him.


    ¡°You took that rather well¡­¡±


    Lente muttered, eyeing Alisson. Alisson shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a sworn duty¡­I can¡¯t exactly complain. Though the timing isn¡¯t exactly great now, is it¡­¡±


    He would be forced to take this new apprentice with him to the Queendom. That meant he had mere days to prepare them. Not good.


    ¡°Well, the thing is¡­¡± Lente procured another paper, and handed it to him. It was another notification of forced apprenticeship, but it wasn¡¯t addressed to Alisson. ¡°Alisson, your apprentice, I mean, the newest member of the 51<sup>st</sup>¡­¡±


    The notice was addressed to Celis. She would be receiving an apprentice. He stared into the paper, his hand shaking. He resisted crumpling it and tearing it up.


    ¡°This is¡­this must be a mistake.¡± Alisson growled, ¡°She just graduated, she¡¯s far too young for this. She might be a strong fighter with experience but teaching someone is an entirely different skillset¡­To nurture and look after another like a mother bird to a hatchling is not something a Nekomata in Celis¡¯s position should be expected, much less ordered to do.¡±


    Alisson grinded his teeth together.


    Celis was inexperienced, she would make mistakes¡­Alisson was reminded of himself. His first two apprentices had died right after their graduation. In other words, it was Alisson¡¯s fault that he didn¡¯t prepare them enough. Now with Celis, he was two for four, and at least she didn¡¯t hate him like Leukini did.


    He blew a burst of air through his nostrils. That was it then. Alisson would have to de-facto take three apprentices. Celis, for he would have to teach her how to teach, and her and his own apprentices that he would have to look out for.


    Without fighting arms, proper armor, few guards, thrown into a dangerous civil conflict of political intrigue¡­Alisson himself may find it easy to protect himself, and Celis herself as well, but their apprentices¡­Alisson clenched his fist, and then released it, sighing and calming himself.


    He would do what he could to protect them, but at the end of the day, himself and Celis were more important.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Lente¡­You should go. If these orders are anything to go by, I¡¯ll be quite busy in the coming weeks¡­¡±


    ¡°So it appears¡­Good day, Alisson. Let me know if you need anything.¡±


    Lente bobbed his head and took his leave. Alisson stood and looked out the window of his study, taking another long sip of his tea. Celis was fitting in well with the 51<sup>st</sup>; that was to say, she was holding her own in the drills. The other 51<sup>st</sup> seemed to be pleased with a new face included in their ranks, they were eager to welcome a new family member, which Alisson liked to see. Alisson sighed. The apprentice ceremony would take too long to organize; they¡¯d have to do it impromptu.


    It looked like Alisson would only have a few days to get the apprentices into shape, straighten their provisions, and set off for the Queendom.


    His mind was a crowded mess of thoughts about what was to be done. So many considerations to take into account; one slip-up would result in death for him and Celis.


    How he wished he could simply remain idle until he was prepared to act, but orders were orders.


    ***

 8. Apprenticeship

    ¡°So why are we here again?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­Stop asking me!¡±


    ¡°You always know what¡¯s going on though¡­¡±


    Marenix flashed an annoyed look at Ashlynde. She didn¡¯t even read the papers that had ordered the both of them to be here, at the Nuam Keep. They had been escorted in by two little servants ¨C They were humans and were younger than Marenix, but for whatever reason they intimidated him. Ashlynde and him now sat in the waiting room. No one was with them except one of the servants.


    What did the Nuam house want with him? House Arquis was aligned with Nuam as one of its best allies...but regardless Nuam shouldn¡¯t have had any reason to call them here. Marenix was just about to be inducted into the science division. He had just finished packing all his books and personal belongings after being released from the clinic from that heretic attack. And Ashlynde was days away from being sent to go¡­learn farming or something¡­Marenix wasn¡¯t sure if Ashlynde herself even had read her assignment beyond the category of ¡®CIVIL DUTY¡¯. It could¡¯ve been entirely possible that she¡¯d been placed in a more prestigious role than she feared.


    ¡°The master will see you now.¡±


    The servant eyeing them said.


    Marenix and Ashlynde looked at each other briefly, before standing and entering through a door opened for them by the servant.


    They were met with two piercing pairs of eyes. It was late in the day, the sun was setting and its orange rays flooded through the large window in the room. It looked to be an office or study, with a yellow haired boy behind a desk and a blue haired girl standing by his side. Marenix was momentarily frozen stiff by their gazes. There was something about them that he¡¯d never seen before, some sort primal instinct told him that they could easily eviscerate him where he stood before he could even see them move.


    It was then when Marenix realized who it was that he was in the presence of. Alisson Vi Nuam. The current highest ranking Nuam official in Sidonia.


    He swallowed a knot in his throat.


    ¡°Apologies for the short notice and lack of accommodations...Marenix Li Arquis? And, Ashlynde Chasattes?¡±


    Alisson said, his fingers interlocked in front of his face. Marenix had heard stories about him¡­He couldn¡¯t put the reputation to the face; Alisson looked far too¡­cute? ¨C To be a grizzled war veteran. And¡­was that a hairclip on his bangs? His title ¡®Fairy of the Battlefield¡¯ seemed to make more sense now.


    Ashlynde and Marenix nodded in the affirmative. Alisson sighed, and continued, ¡°Normally there¡¯d be a large gathering and a procession and a party and all that¡­But we¡¯re short on time, and you can thank High Command for this abruptness¡­¡± He breathed in deeply, and then locked eyes with them, ¡°The both of you are now servants of the Nuam house. Any prior assignments have been rescinded. You¡¯re our apprentices now.¡±


    Marenix¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°¡­No¡­You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡± He stared blankly through Alisson.


    ¡°This was not a meeting on the grounds of facetiousness.¡± Alisson frowned at him.


    ¡°But¡­But I¡­I studied in the academy for so long¡­tried so hard¡­I wanted to be in the science division with my older brother! Why are you stealing that from me!¡±


    Marenix¡¯s heart was beating fast, and he shook with terror suddenly, realizing who it was that he was speaking out against. Alisson sighed, and responded,


    ¡°I understand¡­This was not my choice. This was a decision made top-down by High Command. By Sidonia. Refusal is not an option. I can accept your grievances for today, but come tomorrow, I¡¯ll hear none of it. Understand?¡±


    Marenix stared down into the carpeted floor, his eyes twitching. He never wanted to fight. He looked at the individual fibers of the carpet, as if discerning greater detail in the environment would expose this as some sort of bad dream.


    ¡°Pardon, but Miss Chasettes?¡±


    Alisson¡¯s lifted an eyebrow at Ashlynde, who had her eyes shut, and was shaking as well. She was clearly suppressing some sort of emotion.


    ¡°Grievances?¡± She said, her voice wavering. After a moment her head shot up and locked eyes with Alisson and she beamed a crazed smile at him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier! This is what I always wanted!¡±


    She stepped toward Alisson, like she was about to vault the desk and jump into his lap, when the girl standing by his side suddenly shot out a hand and blocked her, flashing a glare of death. Ashlynde backed off and raised her hands with a wry smile, instantly afraid of her.


    ¡°This is a dream come true!¡± She said, smiling despite the glare. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be a 51<sup>st</sup>! I never thought I¡¯d actually be here as your apprentice!¡±


    Her eyes were sparkling. Alisson cleared his throat. ¡°Unfortunately, I will not be your master.¡± He motioned to the girl next to him. She sighed, her protective aura falling for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m Celistine Regadonia. I¡¯ll be your master, Ashlynde.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Ashlynde pouted. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of you!¡±


    Celistine clicked her tongue annoyedly and averted her gaze.


    Marenix looked up to Alisson. ¡°That means¡­that means that my master is¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Marenix. I¡¯ll be your master heading forward. I¡¯m expecting a lot from a son of the Arquis family.¡±


    Marenix grit his teeth at Alisson¡¯s last remark. More expectation on his performance. It just didn¡¯t stop.


    Alisson stood and walked before Marenix. ¡°My apologies once more for the lack of ceremony but, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± He knelt before Marenix.


    Marenix swallowed a knot in a throat. He didn¡¯t have any say in the matter. Refusal would be going against Sidonia¡¯s word ¨C He¡¯d be hanged. But was it really any different than what awaited him? Alisson went up north, and faced death defying odds that made his older brother Lente terrified¡­Would Marenix really be able to survive in Alisson¡¯s shadow? He made up his mind, and extended his hand before Alisson¡¯s face. Alisson took his palm with a gentle grasp, and kissed his hand.


    Alisson rose, and smiled. He placed his hand on Marenix¡¯s head. ¡°Well, you should rest up for tomorrow. It¡¯s going to be a very, very busy day for you, apprentice.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Marenix averted his eyes, looking into the carpet again. ¡°Yes¡­master.¡±


    Alisson looked expectantly to Celistine, and she frowned, but reluctantly stood before Ashlynde. After beaming down an unamused look, she knelt before her. Ashlynde mirrored this attitude, and stuck out her hand, as though she were sticking her hand into the enclosure of a dangerous animal. Celistine grasped her hand and gave it a kiss, but it was far quicker and less ceremonious.


    ¡­


    This is crazy. These last few days have been crazy. I feel like my mind and body are eroding into nothing. The only thing I can think about is following Alisson¡¯s orders.


    ¡°The academy¡¯s standards seem to lower every year.¡±


    Was all Alisson had to say as he watched me sputter in front of him. We were in a forest outside the city, in a sandy clearing, where after running for hours on end I was now planking. The sweat was mounting on my body and I eventually collapsed with a gasp. My master sighed.


    ¡°I suppose you can take a breather for a few.¡±


    His words were like an angel¡¯s whisper. I downed some water from a canteen that he gave me and I sat up, breathing heavily.


    ¡°I understand that in being one dedicated to the sciences, your body is not as refined as Ashlynde¡¯s is, but if you keep this up, that will certainly change.¡±


    I looked down at my shirtless body, furrowing my mouth into a frown. Alisson continued however, ¡°You¡¯ll also develop a physique she might find more appealing.¡±


    I blushed and looked indignantly to Alisson. ¡°I¡¯m not into her! She¡¯s stupider than a sack of rocks and as reckless as a falling boulder! An idiotic brat like that is just going to get herself killed¡­¡±


    Alisson smiled gently at me. ¡°I understand. You must grow stronger if you wish to protect her.¡±


    I averted my eyes. I shouldn¡¯t even talk back to Alisson. He¡¯s been able to read me like an open book every time I do. But I guess I shouldn¡¯t be embarrassed when talking to Alisson about myself¡­He¡¯s my master now. He¡¯ll be guiding me for the foreseeable future. My apprenticeship could take years.


    ¡°You¡¯re a growing man, Marenix.¡± Alisson started. ¡°I was in the same boat at your age, slight of stature and on the¡­Let¡¯s say effeminate side ¨C you need to learn to embrace your masculinity regardless. It is something that takes long to refine and understand. It¡¯s something that I believe many forget about¡­It can be a flame to crush your enemies and protect your friends; or a flame of creativity, all the same as it motivates a man with unstoppable force.¡±


    I looked into the sandy ground as Alisson rambled. ¡°You don¡¯t provide a lot of specifics with your wisdom, master¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone is different, Marenix. Your solutions to the problems that life hands you will be different to mine, but there are general paths that I can point you toward. Of course, even these paths are ones I myself have taken ¨C There could be any number of other ways to look at something that may seem alien to us.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­what do you consider to be the one thing making you strong?¡±


    Alisson raised his brow at me. ¡°You mean in fighting strength? Or strength of spirit?¡±


    ¡°Combat.¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°The answers to both are complicated and multifaceted. But realistically, combat abilities are just repetition and experience. If you¡¯ve drilled and drilled for centuries you¡¯re going to have the edge on someone who hasn¡¯t¡­If you¡¯ve felled numerous opponents before, you¡¯re probably going to win against someone who hasn¡¯t. Most of the battles you encounter will be as simple to resolve as this ¨C Where two inexperienced men test their training and luck. However¡­Once you reach an apex of power, that is, matured, and face off against similarly matched opponents of veterancy ¨C That is where the technical side of combat I believe is expanded into a tree of possibilities and esoterics.¡±


    I sat digesting his words. Alisson has been mouthing off to me like this at every chance I¡¯m not physically straining myself. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯ve exactly internalized everything he¡¯s said, though.


    ¡°Esoterics?¡± I asked.


    Alisson shrugged. ¡°Techniques that are beyond simple swordplay tricks and the like¡­Like veteran bowmen using magic-imbued arrows, or swordsmen partaking in the blood of dragons to grow physically stronger. We know that these produce tangible results, but they aren¡¯t things that the common fighter will ever achieve or need. There¡¯s also techniques that may rend less tangible results, like partaking in a tribe¡¯s coming of age ritual, or seeking the blessing of a spirit ¨C These may not have an immediately obvious practical benefit.¡±


    I looked up at Alisson. ¡°I¡¯m guessing as a fighter so high up in the world¡­This realm is what you look to pursue.¡±


    Alisson nodded. ¡°Of course, keeping your body and swordplay in the best condition it can be is mandatory¡­But these esoteric techniques can¡¯t exactly be obtained with a simple stop at a store, the most that people ever get are one, after all. But, Marenix¡­I think you¡¯re rested enough. Another set, please.¡±


    Alisson tapped his thigh expectantly with a smile. I let out a groan and went back to feeling my body burn.


    ¡°Enjoy this time while you can, Marenix.¡± Alisson looked out across the forest. ¡°You may never know when you last live peacefully.¡±


    ¡­


    My apprentice was drowning before me. That was partly thanks to me.


    ¡°Master! I seriously can¡¯t swim anymore!¡±


    Ashlynde, in a swimsuit before me, was frantically trying to keep herself afloat in the water. I had brought her to a pond in a forest outside the capital, Alisson was probably nearby with his apprentice. He told me to just do whatever I thought would strengthen her body. So I ended up chaining a weight to both her legs. I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t gone under yet.


    ¡°Master! Master!¡±


    The water was kicked up frantically as she panicked. She¡¯s been panicking for the past five minutes now, so I don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll start sinking for real. ¡°I¡¯m not going to jump in there with you unless you actually start drowning. I don¡¯t wanna wet my clothes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my master made up this training exercise just to see her apprentice in a swimsuit!¡±


    I did make it up. If it were up to me, I¡¯d make her swim in the nude, but Alisson told me not to be unnecessarily cruel.


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡± I rolled my eyes at her. ¡°If you still have air in your lungs enough to complain then you¡¯re fine¡­You know this pond has been used for decades to train apprentices like this¡­I wonder if there¡¯s a bunch of skeletons at the bottom of weak little girls like you¡­¡±


    A lie, but my apprentice didn¡¯t know any better.


    Ashlynde shrieked and tears started forming at her eyes as she paddled the water faster in an attempt to stay further away from the bottom of the pond. The body of water was actually surprisingly deep for how small in surface area it was.


    ¡°Master! You¡¯re cruel! Let me get out! I wanna leave!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you rest in a second.¡±


    ¡°You said that a couple minutes ago! Master!¡±


    Am I cruel? I¡¯ve never trained someone else before. Compared to real combat in the north against beasts and man, this is nothing. It all just feels so trivial. She¡¯s not in any danger at all ¨C She¡¯s not even feeling any pain from wounds. I remember the first time I was stabbed. I thought it was the worst thing in the world. Now, I know there¡¯s worse that can happen.


    My eyes lazily drifted to my apprentice. She doesn¡¯t know yet. I can¡¯t exactly force her to the brink of death to get her to wisen up, that¡¯d probably be too cruel ¨C Even if it was to ultimately save her.


    Finally, Ashlynde started to irreversibly sink into the water. ¡°Master! Master!¡± Her calls came out in shoddy breaths. I reached down into the water and pulled her tiny body up with a single hand, the heavy weights dangling off her legs. I gently placed her on the rocks, sighing.


    ¡°Good work I guess¡­¡±


    I muttered, looking over her exhausted body, as her chest heaved up and down. There seemed to be a piece of weed wrapped around her foot, so along with the weights, I took it off, staring at it quizzically.


    ¡°What¡­is it¡­master?¡± Ashlynde heaved between breaths.


    ¡°This vine here was going to pull you down into the water.¡±


    ¡°R-really!?¡±


    ¡°Well, over the course of years it would have.¡± I threw it into the water. ¡°It grows slowly on other plants from the depths, and it pulls them down gradually over a long time. You probably just kicked your foot into an existing vine, though.¡±


    ¡°What a weird plant¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of weird flora across the world, yeah.¡±


    We sat in an awkward silence for a while as Ashlynde panted.


    ¡°Master¡­¡± Ashlynde said between breaths, ¡°Are you ever going to tell me about yourself and Alisson¡­?¡±


    I looked out across the forest. If I were to squint my brain would confuse the area with Freigat, and adrenaline would immediately seep into my bloodstream. I shook my head.


    ¡°Another time. When you¡¯re ready. We¡¯ll tell you everything when Alisson deems it right. I might not tell you everything right now, but I¡¯m not going to tell you falsehoods. It doesn¡¯t feel right to lie to kids like you.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡±


    She clearly didn¡¯t see.


    ***

 9. Inquisitorum

    Yeah. I¡¯m starting to realize just how weak my apprentice is. She can¡¯t even do three sets of upside-down crunches. Well, it''s better than not being able to do two like she was a couple days ago. We were in the Nuam proving ground, overcast clouds above blocked out the sun, it would be raining soon. Despite that, we were still training. Rather, me and Alisson were training our apprentices. Alisson gives me pointers when we¡¯re alone, and told me that I was as much learning how to be a master as Ashlynde was learning how to be useful.


    Ashlynde hung upside down in front of me, wheezing.


    ¡°Ninety-seven¡­¡±


    I counted, my arms crossed as she sputtered, her skin shining with sweat.


    ¡°Ninety-seven¡­¡±


    ¡°Wh-what!¡±


    She gasped.


    ¡°That one didn¡¯t count. You need to lift yourself all the way.¡± I replied, unamused.


    ¡°B-but master!¡± She sputtered, ¡°My bra is starting to slip off!¡±


    I eyed her top, it was true. I sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have any boobs so you shouldn¡¯t be embarrassed about that. Instead, worry about getting some abs, then you might look more appealing to at least some males.¡±


    Ashlynde went loose halfway through her rep, gasping for breath. ¡°I never knew¡­that my master was such a pervert¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me apprentice?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I NEVER KNEW THAT MY MASTER WAS SUCH A PERVERT!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it louder idiot!¡±


    I smacked her upside the head and she fell over into the sandy proving ground floor with a yelp.


    ¡°This is going splendidly, truly, it is¡­¡±


    Alisson muttered. He was standing a ways off, before a collapsed Marenix, who hadn¡¯t even done half the crunches Ashlynde had.


    ¡°It¡¯s been days and I haven¡¯t even laid a finger on a weapon! Master-!¡± Ashylnde pouted at me. ¡°Why are we just doing drills and footwork!¡±


    I sighed. ¡°You¡¯ll understand later. The basics come first for a reason.¡±


    Alisson gave me this same treatment when I was first his apprentice. I grew antsy as well, like Ashlynde. Alisson however entertained me a duel which I lost so badly I was put into a coma. I¡¯d like to humble my brat of an apprentice at some point, but beating them up right now would accomplish nothing ¨C We need to temper them first.


    Ashlynde opened her mouth, probably to whine, but was cut off by a familiar voice from behind me.


    ¡°Celis!¡± Oda shouted to get our attention, before muttering under her breath inaudibly, ¡°I see you¡¯re training with someone more your speed¡­¡± She closed in and continued, ¡°Celis ¨C It¡¯s Ukuri, she¡¯s¡­we¡¯ll she¡¯s not going to last much longer.¡± Oda said grimly as she paced toward us on the proving ground.


    The hell? Was she really that sick? I feel like I would¡¯ve known about it if that was the case. I furrowed my brow at Oda, but she continued, ¡°She wants to see you¡­She¡¯s in our old dorm room right now, come on.¡±


    Oda turned and whisked her hand, not waiting for my response.


    ¡°And why exactly should she be there if she¡¯s in such a bad condition?¡± Alisson questioned suddenly, stepping forward and crossing his arms.


    Oda sighed. ¡°That¡¯s just where she holds a lot of sentiment. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d understand, Alisson, you were never in an apprentice team like us if I¡¯m remembering correctly.¡±


    Alisson flashed a look at me, and I frowned at her. She¡¯s not even trying anymore. No Nekomata would address Alisson like that.


    ¡°Is it really so important that I should stop training right here and now?¡±


    Oda slowly turned at me, looking between me and Alisson. ¡°You¡¯re not a kid anymore, right Celis? You don¡¯t need your master¡¯s permission to see a friend before she dies.¡±


    I grit my teeth, suppressing a scowl. Alisson flashed another protective look at me.


    Will you-


    I¡¯ll be fine.


    I blew a burst of air through my nose and broke forward, much to Oda¡¯s delight. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come. Ashlynde, you can have the rest of the day off.¡±


    ¡°W-what!?¡± I heard her yelp in confusion behind me.


    We had been running them ragged all day and night since their apprenticeships had begun without rest, her surprise at being given a break made me feel a little bad about it.


    ¡°I do need to settle our equipment for the day after tomorrow. Marenix, you¡¯re free as well.¡± Alisson adjusted his collar, eyeing me.


    As we walked away, Oda asked me, ¡°Who were those two kids you were with? They looked weak¡­you¡¯re his apprentice already so who are they?¡±


    I guess Oda didn¡¯t get the memo. She doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m no longer an apprentice and that I¡¯m now a 51<sup>st</sup> with my own apprentice. There were tons of prominent nobles and people at the party¡­I don¡¯t know how she didn¡¯t hear. I sighed.


    ¡°Just some kids who Alisson thought to give a few pointers to out of the goodness of his heart.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡±


    ¡­


    We walked down the halls of one of the dormitories for apprentices ¨C The one me, Oda, and Ukuri stayed in when we were a team. It was only a year ago that I was walking through these halls with starry eyes, not knowing anything about the world.


    Me and Oda walked in silence. It looks like she didn¡¯t have any small talk prepared in advance this time.


    The sky outside was cloudy and overcast ¨C It would be raining soon. Only gray poured through the windows, which progressively darkened over time. We soon reached our room, to which Oda motioned for me to enter first. I took a deep breath and opened the door. It was indeed our old room. On one of the beds lay a girl with cyan hair, her eyes gently closed and her skin pale. I walked up to the bed as I heard Oda shut the door behind me. The room was dark, with the curtains drawn, only a small light of gray lit the area.


    It was then that I realized that Ukuri was dead. I laid a hand on her forehead, frowning. A certain smell pricked my nose ¨C It was not Ukuri¡¯s corpse, it was something else. A familiar smell. One of a certain poison.


    So that¡¯s how it is.


    ¡°Celis¡­Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for someone like me to just walk up to the Alisson Vi Nuam¡­¡±


    I shifted Ukuri¡¯s hair gently. ¡°It¡¯s only dangerous if you¡¯re an enemy.¡±


    ¡°¡­What if I told you that your master¡­He killed your brother, Rickard. Is Alisson then not an enemy?¡±


    I shut my eyes. ¡°My brother died along with the rest of my family when the Regadonian Keep was razed. That was almost three decades ago. Alisson had nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°Celis, really¡­You don¡¯t have to play dumb anymore.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I stared into Ukuri¡¯s face while Oda crept closer to my backside. I¡¯m sorry Ukuri. I should¡¯ve known.


    ¡°¡­Unless you mean to tell me that you didn¡¯t know that your master killed Rickard Aud Regadonia not months ago¡­¡±


    I looked up into the ceiling. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of heretics in this world. It could¡¯ve been anyone.¡±


    Oda suddenly broke out into a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s right Celis¡­Anyone!¡± She grabbed me from behind, restraining my arms. ¡°It won¡¯t take me long to cut a hole right into your spine from here, Celis¡­¡±


    I let her speak.


    ¡°¡­If you want to live, you need to pick your words very carefully, Celis, and answer me truthfully¡­¡± She spoke with a small smile, like in some sadistic sense this act of holding my life in her hands gave her pleasure. ¡°Rickard Aud Regadonia. Did you see your master kill him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Oda clicked her tongue. ¡°Do you have any idea who Alisson fought and killed!? Rickard was a powerful man! Their fight should¡¯ve split the very earth apart! You¡¯re telling me you didn¡¯t see anything!?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Oda growled. ¡°You must¡¯ve seen Alisson fight all those months being his little dog ¨C You¡¯re going to tell me everything about it, his weaknesses, trump cards, everything!¡±


    Her grip on my tightened. Even after her declaration of intent to kill me, she must not think I¡¯m too dangerous because she didn¡¯t even have her dagger drawn to do it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He never really did anything special, and he never lost or had any short comings.¡±


    I felt Oda¡¯s grip shake. ¡°You¡¯re useless! Useless until the very end! You¡¯ve always just been an empty-headed idiot! Blindly following Sidonia! Your entire family was killed and yet-! You¡¯re nothing like Rickard!¡±


    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±


    Oda fell silent. ¡°You¡¯re useless. You won¡¯t be able to do anything to save your life¡­¡±


    After a moment of silence, Oda continued. ¡°So I¡¯ll just put you out of your ignorant existence now¡­and avenge Rickard.¡± She whispered into my ear.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me, just like this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Oda leaned into my ear. ¡°Are you going to plead for your life? I¡¯ll hear you out, really, I will. Say it. Beg for that one thing you want¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I want¡­¡±


    ¡°And that is¡­?¡± Oda smiled sadistically.


    I flipped Oda over my shoulder and swung her into the wall. The wall cracked and exploded, bits of debris flying through the room. I grabbed hold of Oda¡¯s throat and slammed her weak body into the floor with the same force. Within the blink of an eye, Oda was on the floor, at my mercy. Blood fell from her mouth, her internal organs were probably damaged, and she might¡¯ve been paralyzed due to the blows to her spine.


    Her body is so frail and weak. It¡¯s really a shame Ukuri was killed by a rat like you.


    Oda could only sputter as my grip on her neck tightened.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die. For being a heretic. For poisoning Ukuri. For even thinking to hurt my mate.¡±


    Her hazy eyes widened and she sputtered in my grip.


    ¡°I killed the kind of the beast that secretes the poison you used on Ukuri while I was in the north. I know its smell.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°You might not be stupid, Oda, but you aren¡¯t smart either.¡±


    I rose a hand over her face and tightened my fingers audibly into a fist. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you suffer and die.¡±


    Oda trembled in my grip, and mouthed breathlessly, ¡°W-wait-!¡±


    I threw my fist down. It crashed with explosive force, shaking the floor. Oda¡¯s eyes were clamped tight, and her chest rose, hyperventilating. I could smell a faint trace of ammonia from her. She was still alive, because my fist hadn¡¯t hit her.


    It hit the ground right near Oda¡¯s cheek, where the stone floor now bore a crater the shape of my fist.


    ¡°¡­But why would I give you the mercy of a quick death?¡± I asked her rhetorically.


    I took a deep inhale, and at shouted at the top of my voice,


    ¡°Inquisitors!¡±


    I looked down at her with a smile. Her eyes were wide, and she was shivering.


    If she wasn¡¯t a conniving heretic who had answered to Rickard and killed Ukuri, she would¡¯ve looked like a terrified girl, worthy of pity and mercy. Letting go of her, I stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the inquisitors will love to have you. You can tell them all the weaknesses you think Alisson has.¡±


    Apparently, Oda wasn¡¯t paralyzed because she started to try to inch away toward the door. She had trouble breathing all the while, her lungs were probably popped or something. I slammed my foot down on her shin with just enough force to stop her from getting away, and then, I waited.


    All the while Oda started to cry and beg between breaths. She even activated her Opensen. I don¡¯t know if it was the first time she ever used it ¨C As they tended to come out in moments of extreme emotion ¨C Or if it was some last ditch attempt to fight back. Her tails raced up to attack me. I grabbed onto one and twisted it, hearing a crunch as Oda squealed in pain. The other I grabbed, examining for a moment, before bending it and hearing it snap; I dropped it to the floor, it lay there lifelessly, bent.


    It was a useful ability we had, but one that could easily just become a weakness. Looking over at her tails, I remember when I saw Alisson restrained; how I saw his tails ripped from his body. I heard the sound that they made in doing so. I looked over at the two feline ears now on her head. I remembered another time when Alisson¡¯s ears were grabbed crushed, and then pulled from his head.


    They recovered of course, and now no one will ever know that he suffered like that. Oda should be grateful she only feels this level of pain.


    She eventually passed out; her body probably couldn¡¯t have sustained the pain she was in from my first two blows. Weakling.


    The inquisitors soon arrived thereafter. They would always come should you call from anywhere in the city. One of them stepped into the room, their massive frame and gray clad attire eating up all the light from the outside. They wore alien helmets and didn¡¯t say a word the whole time. I lifted my foot off of Oda¡¯s shin and pointed at her.


    ¡°Odariss Fael is a heretic. She threatened my life after luring me here. She also poisoned apprentice Ukuri Sauzban. She intended to use me as a pawn to assassinate Alisson Vi Nuam and to extract information from me. I¡¯m sure she has much knowledge about the heresy in the city. I swear the truthfulness of this statement by my rank as a 51<sup>st</sup> and as the former apprentice of Alisson Vi Nuam.¡±


    With that, I sentenced Oda to untold weeks of torture before an eventual execution. I flashed a look of scorn at her as the inquisitor silently lifted her limp body.


    I don¡¯t know if Oda was so stupid as to not realize how many lies I told, or if I was really just that convincing.


    ***

 10. Bonsai Duel

    So, Oda had been a heretic all along. Alisson was hardly surprised. The kind of esoteric behavior that she displayed rarely came from a Nekomata¡¯s personality alone. He had followed Celis from a distance to be safe, but evidently Oda grossly underestimated her.


    Regardless, he instructed Celis not to tell anyone about the incident, even the apprentices. This was common with most heretic activity, but Alisson especially wanted to remain under the radar. Of course, he had to later instruct Celis on how to pen a report to High Command about her side of the story and all events pertaining to Oda that Celis had witnessed. Well, it was behind them now. Tomorrow, they would depart for the Queendom.


    Firstly however, Alisson was to take Lady Salchyon up on her duel.


    ¡°Are you really sure about this, Alis? You know your father will be furious if he learns that the Nuam heir lost to the Salchyon heir¡­And Lord Salchyon all the same if you win¡­¡±


    Daventdale asked concernedly before Alisson entered the arena.


    Such duels between powerhouses were rare. Alisson needed to make the most of this. He made sure that him and Louise fought in as public of an area as possible. There was a proving ground owned by the Salchyon house that hosted a large enough arena, with seating to boot. It wasn¡¯t as grandiose as the ones they had in human lands, it could barely seat more than a few hundred people. Sidonia wasn¡¯t one for entertainment spectacles on the daily.


    Regardless of the paucity of seating, word would get around fast of the outcome of the fight.


    With one last deep breath, Alisson stepped into the arena. This was not a matter of life or death. Just a simple spar. That¡¯s all. He wore his typical white cloak and the usual armor under it, and had chosen a common rapier. He had nothing else. No items, extra weapons, and he most definitely wouldn¡¯t use his Bacilla. This was by no means a real fight. He wouldn¡¯t even carry extra knives he typically used for throwing.


    The crowd roared as he entered. Louise was already waiting in the center, leaning on a voulge, smirking at him. She was adorned in large plate armor, among the heaviest of armor in the world. Alisson looked quite lacking by comparison. Her armor and blonde hair shined in the sunlight, her blue eyes catching the gleam of the sky. Celis was in the crowd, but he couldn¡¯t spot her anywhere.


    ¡°So Alis¡­Finally man enough to face me after all these months¡­I know you wanted a public setting, but this is way not your style!¡±


    Louise said with a smile. Alisson didn¡¯t bother to reply and drew his rapier, sinking into his stance, with his blade over his elbow.


    Once the fight commenced, both sides turned into a blur. Louise may have been adorned with that armor of hers, but she moved just as fast as Alisson. They clashed several times within the first few seconds, sparks flying as his rapier collided with her voulge and armor. Alisson didn¡¯t try to pull anything fancy, he would just hold his own.


    And that is what he did. Louise rushed him down numerous times, and Alisson retreated, sometimes with a parry but never riposting. This continued for a long while as both sides had no fancy tools or techniques to show. The audience started to get visibly bored with the display, some even booing. Louise¡¯s stupid quips seemed to do little to entertain them throughout.


    Once Louise concluded the fight had reached its climax, if such a monotonous display could¡¯ve had one, she gave a demon¡¯s smile, and a rush of steam escaped the folds in her armor, before the plates of her armor fell from her body. She was left only in a black gambeson, as she rushed toward Alisson. Her speed had nearly tripled, and Alisson was quickly overwhelmed. It was her signature trump card; one that the crowds had seen many times before.


    Quickly, Alisson was worn down physically, and grew exhausted. Alisson saw fit to use his Opensen now ¨C With a flash of light, feline ears and two feline tails now appeared on his body. This seemed to do little however, as the onslaught from Louise, who hadn¡¯t even used her own manifestation, still controlled the flow of the battle.


    That wasn¡¯t to say all Nekomata had their manifestations at their beck and call, but Louise was certainly one of them ¨C She simply didn¡¯t need the boost in vitality that they provided at this moment.


    He found himself on his ass not long after, her voulge pointed at his face.


    The crowd roared, with both cheers from those who preferred Louise to win and boos from those who had been betting on Alisson.


    ¡°And with that I think it¡¯s clear for everyone to see!¡± Louise stuck her voulge into the ground and loudly declared to the crowd: ¡°Demons are stronger than fairies!¡±


    She said, a hand motioning to Alisson. He rubbed his head with a frown, but his eyes showed no traces of anger. Louise looked to him, and continued quieter, ¡°At least, that¡¯s what you said I should say¡­I still think its dumb!¡±


    Nobody but Alisson could¡¯ve possibly heard her over the drone of the crowd. He looked to the watchers, and how they looked on back at him with faces of disappointment and surprise; That the great Alisson Vi Nuam, would be such a weak and boring opponent.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡­


    Later in the day, Alisson made his way to the Rolaign¡¯s armory to retrieve the gear he would be personally using for the mission. At one of the kiosks, an attendant passed over to him the items that he had requested, or rather, been allowed, to use. Among them, a simple gambeson, and a ¡®defensive¡¯ armament. It was a folding blade of sorts. Alisson stared at the oddly shaped weapon quizzically.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry milord, but this is the best we could do¡­¡±


    The Nekomata behind the bars of the kiosk spoke softly. It was late in the day, and there weren¡¯t many there.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Alisson shook his head. ¡°I was expecting something less than a dagger ¨C you have done me a great service¡­¡±


    It was the truth. Alisson wasn¡¯t expecting any sort of actual weapon, but it looked like someone in the armory division was looking out for him. This weapon looked custom made for the occasion ¨C By folding like it did, it technically complied with the standards laid out for grade one items, while still being a blade of sufficient length. Of course, it was still less than ideal ¨C The random rapier Alisson had used for the duel earlier in the day was more desirable.


    Even then, nothing was comparable to the weapon he had used whilst in the north ¨C One that he had been forced into handing back to armory, where no one else would even have the affinity to use it. Alisson sighed, attaching it to the back of his hip; He would just have to make do.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He bobbed his head and made his way back to the Nuam compound. Marenix had been waiting for him outside.


    ¡°Master¡­You dueled Lady Salcyhon earlier in the day?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Marenix averted his eyes while they walked.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything to either me or Ashlynde then?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that important.¡± Alisson gruffly replied. Marenix¡¯s eyes widened at him. ¡°Just be happy that you had some time off. You¡¯re ready for tomorrow, I hope?¡±


    Marenix bobbed his head. ¡°Yes, master. It¡¯ll be the first time I¡¯ll have gone so far from the homeland but...I¡¯m ready.¡±


    The cloudy sky above started to rain slightly and after some time, Marenix once more probed him, ¡°But master¡­you¡­lost. To Lady Salchyon. Isn¡¯t that¡­a bad thing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very bad. I¡¯ll certainly be losing sleep over it.¡± Alisson replied blankly.


    Marenix, his apprentice, was certainly far faster to question Alisson than Celis was when she was his apprentice. But that was a good thing. Marenix seemed to have spent far too long babysitting the more na?ve Ashlynde. He was certainly mature for his age, but he was still inexperienced.


    Marenix furrowed his brow in response at Alisson.


    ¡°Word has already spread far, master¡­They say you and Louise made top-tier fighting about as interesting as a Kitsune tending a bonsai¡­Wouldn¡¯t that hurt your reputation a lot? Won¡¯t it make people think you¡¯re weak¡­?¡±


    Alisson smirked at Marenix, ¡°Yes, yes it would.¡± Before looking blankly away. ¡°We¡¯ll be in the Queendom soon. You don¡¯t have to think about politics or reputations while we¡¯re out and about, apprentice. Just worry about staying alive.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, master.¡±


    Despite responding in the affirmative, Alisson could still see Marenix stealing wary glances at him out of the corners of his vision.


    He would tell him everything in due time, but this wasn¡¯t the time or place for that.


    ¡­


    Rain hounded his room¡¯s windows as Alisson was awoken by a storm early in the morning. Celis, sleeping beside him blissfully, was the first thing he saw. After petting her for a while, he arose, seeking to wash his face with some water.


    Today was the day they would depart for the Queendom. Alisson would leave the safety and familiarity of his homeland once more. It all seemed so trivial now after his last voyage. This was just a simple, childish task in comparison. Despite this, he felt void in his stomach from traveling away from his home, an irrational fear. Faraway places had been dangerous to him before, so certainly they were going to be dangerous again; Something along that line of reasoning.


    Alisson looked into the mirror before him after dashing water on his face. His torso seemed ever so slightly more tone and large than it was a year ago, but that might have just been his imagination.


    He stared grimly into his own eyes, concentrating on them, as to lose focus in the rest of his face.


    He suddenly saw the face of his older sister in that mirror. A woman with long, yellowed hair like his own. He could only briefly meet her gaze before he averted his eyes, his heart pumping and adrenaline wafting into his bloodstream. He doused more water on his face, and the visage disappeared. He took a deep breath, listening to the rain falling against the keep.


    The sun had barely risen, he could still sleep in for a while longer. He deftly slipped back into the sheets with Celis, which over time calmed his beating heart, and his quivering body.


    ...


    ¡°Welcome aboard! I swear on my ship and crew we¡¯ll get you to Ahvaratsu in one piece!¡±


    Maerene, the captain of the Machavelli, declared proudly before the apprentices and other passengers that hadn¡¯t ever met her. Their trip from Sidonia to the harpy capital had been uneventful, and now, they were to set off. In Alisson¡¯s entourage were a great deal of powerful specialists.


    Those in the dark about the power of the Machavelli were dubious that some ¡®Marene Ad Maccu¡¯ and an unknown ship could really weather the seas to their destination. Alisson had to assure them that yes, Marene and the Machavelli, although obscure and fresh onto the Sidonian naval board, were indeed competent. Of course, Alisson knew nothing of naval warfare, but a word from him was enough to temper the party.


    As the Machavelli left port, him and Celis stood near the bow of the ship, feeling the sea winds rush against them.


    ¡°We¡¯re going back out again¡­¡± Celis murmured.


    Alisson smiled gingerly at her, and put a hand on her head, petting her while no one was around. ¡°This time won¡¯t last as long as before, I promise.¡±


    Celis smiled back.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get the ball rolling while we¡¯re away.¡± Alisson stopped petting her and looked grimly into the horizon. ¡°With every action we take we¡¯ll float further down the stream. Eventually the current will be so strong that we won¡¯t be able to go back.¡±


    Celis peered up at him. ¡°But this is the only way, right?¡±


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°There are other ways¡­¡± His eyes suddenly sharpened. ¡°But those would require that we give up our dignity as independent living beings. We¡¯ll make our own choices. We¡¯ll take our own risks. We¡¯ll undo what the world has wrought.¡±


    ***


    <hr>


    End Movement 0

 11. Ahvaratsus Mischief

    Movement 1: The Kitsune Queendom


    It all just feels like a waste of time, doesn''t it?


    <hr>


    The Machavelli bobbed in the gentle waters of the morning sea, anchored close to the coast of the Queendom. On the shore was a large forest, which easily concealed an operation to move cargo off the ship and onto the land. Several rowboats made trips back and forth. Alisson and Ardinand both watched from the deck of the Machavelli. They would be parting ways here.


    ¡°Will you be alright, Nuam? The city will be dangerous, you¡¯ll be out in the open, exposed¡­I read the guidelines about you, you won¡¯t have any weapons or armor, and only one fresh inductee from your 51<sup>st</sup>¡­¡±


    Ardinand looked over at Alisson concernedly, his arms crossed. Ardinand was a man who resembled Alisson¡¯s, some might say ¡®princely¡¯ looks, but his browned hair and red eyes marked him as one of the Arquis bloodline, like his younger brothers. He and Alisson¡¯s resemblances stopped at their positions and aesthetics, however.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll have Celistine with me. She¡¯s more than a match for any manner of rogue kitsune or Irinian scum.¡±


    Alisson responded, feeling the cold wind of the sea blow at his face. Ardinand sighed.


    ¡°There are some bigshots in the area, you know that as well as I do¨C the Crimson Swordsman comes to mind. And they say Sir Remis is on station at the border to the Queendom right now¡­Who knows what other heavy hitters might be lurking.¡± Ardinand shook his head. ¡°Just remember, you won¡¯t be alone in Ahvaratsu. My group will be nearby, just call if hell turns up early.¡±


    Alisson looked on at the couple dozen men that had departed the Machavelli, under Ardinand¡¯s command. They were the majority of Sidonian military assets being sent to the Queendom; The remaining manpower consisted of himself and Celis, and their apprentices. That was all. This separate team would make their way into the city unannounced, while another group of envoys would enter from the port. This was not something any side in the conflict knew about. If the Queen learnt that Sidonia was sneaking in a hardened platoon of fighters complete with heavy equipment, there¡¯d be a scandal. Ardinand had brought with him fighters of the 56<sup>th</sup>, and some of his personal guards.


    ¡°And Alisson, keep Marenix safe for me, will you?¡±


    Alisson gently smiled and bobbed his head.


    Ardinand departed shortly after, and the Machavelli rose its anchors to start its final sail toward Ahvaratsu, the Kitsune Queendom¡¯s capital.


    ¡­


    The docks were ablaze with activity. Ships came and went, unloading and loading both people and goods. I¡¯d never seen such a hustle and bustle before¡­Sidonia doesn¡¯t have any ports of this size.  The trip here was uneventful. Me and Ashlynde finally drilled using weapons with our masters, but with the rocking ship, it was hard to keep my footing at first. The crew was quiet and solemn the whole journey.


    But we¡¯re finally here. Sun beamed on my face from the clear blue sky. Sea birds flew overhead, and a din of voices and industrial noises filled the area. I could spot deeper into the city the unique Kitsune architecture, the signature pagodas and red bricks most of all. All around there were Kitsune, people who had on their heads large, fluffy fox ears. On their backs swayed a varying numbers of fluffy tails, most had only a few, though.


    Departing the Machavelli in a large group were the envoys sent by Sidonia, and those assigned to guard them, being me, Ashlynde, and our masters. Of course, it¡¯s not like one could look at our party and immediately know our affiliations; it¡¯s not like we wore insignias of Sidonia or anything, but we didn¡¯t take steps to hide our faces either.


    Almost immediately after setting foot on the docks however¡­


    ¡°Alisson! Over here!¡±


    A particular Kitsune with orangey hair and large, devious red eyes ran toward us. I looked to my master worriedly,


    ¡°Do you know her¡­?¡±


    Alisson sighed with a small smile. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s an old friend.¡±


    As she approached, I realized she had seven tails, the most I¡¯d seen thus far.


    ¡°Hi there! Oh, it¡¯s been too long you two!¡±


    She embraced both Celistine and Alisson in a hug, which they reciprocated, albeit not as energetically.


    ¡°I was assigned as your guide here in Ahvaratsu.¡± She looked to the rest of the unamused diplomats, and curtsied, lifting the hem of her hakama. ¡°I am Tsuharane of the Areni clan. But you can just call me Tsuhara.¡±


    The kitsune led our entourage into the city proper. I listened intently to her descriptions of the various buildings and shrines we passed; some were hundreds of years old. The streets were wide and filled with activity. Most of the residents were Kitsune, but I could make out the occasional human here and there, but no other kinds of people.


    Tsuhara led us to where we¡¯d be staying for the duration of our visit. A district in the city was cordoned off for governmental affairs, and a large building within seemed to play host as an embassy. We had the whole top floor to ourselves.


    The entourage of Sidonians was quick to disperse, spreading out to their individual rooms, some already departing to meet with notable figures in the city.


    As soon as we were alone with Tsuhara, her tone changed drastically.


    ¡°Political theater is such a bother sou¡­¡± She let out a sigh, her shoulder¡¯s slackening. ¡°Surely you two are all dirtied-up from the ship-ride, are you free? Let¡¯s go to a bath! And who are these two kids you¡¯ve got following you around¡­You two didn¡¯t get busy as soon as you left me in Daigoro, did you?¡±


    The ¡®sou¡¯ seemed to be some kind of enclitic or catchphrase I wasn¡¯t familiar with.


    ¡°This is Marenix and Ashlynde, they¡¯re our new apprentices. Please treat them with the same courtesy you would us.¡± Alisson spoke for us. ¡°And yes, we¡¯ll take you up on your offer.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­apprentices¡­¡±


    Tsuhara eyed me up and down. I felt her eyes touch every part of my body and I felt a shiver run down my spine. She gave a quick lick at her lips after looking me over.


    ¡°Cute boys tend to mass in packs, I see¡­How many of you will there be by next year?¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°You can ignore her, Marenix. It¡¯s safe to do so most of the time.¡±


    I felt a blush on my face, and once I realized it, I covered my cheeks. It was a strange feeling I¡¯d never felt¡­No one had ever called me cute before. Something deep within me wanted to interact with Tsuhara more, but I followed in Alisson¡¯s footsteps and remained stoic as best I could. We walked out into the city, mostly in silence. It was a little scary. They were supposed to be old friends, so why were Alisson and Celis not speaking with Tsuhara in public? Well, they were, here and there, but it was about such mundane and boring things that I tuned them out. I watched the walls of the city pass me by as we walked.


    On them were posters, rather legal notices, speaking of shrines being closed down, and certain Kitsune customs being met with legal fines if done in public.


    We arrived at a bathhouse that Tsuhara is apparently a regular at. Kitsune have a very strong bathing culture, even I know that. There are tons more baths of varying types here in Kitsune cities than in Sidonia¡­Hygiene here is a pass time, whereas in Sidonia it¡¯s more like a duty. I can¡¯t say I dislike the idea. Tsuhara, being someone high up in Kitsune society, got us a private bathing room.


    That was another thing unique to the Kitsune, their baths were public and social. Of course, we Nekomata are pretty much the opposite, so I think it was courtesy that Tsuhara got a private room. But that still means that I was left with the conundrum before me¡­


    I was shaking nervously next to Alisson in the men¡¯s changing room. It was just us here, but¡­I have to¡­strip? Here? I¡¯ll be nude in front of A-Ashlynde? I was frozen, my mind a mess. My prudish Nekomata brain couldn¡¯t comprehend it. Alisson, noticing my trembling, let out a sigh, and threw a nearby towel over my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can use one of these.¡±


    Alisson, my savior! My angel! ¡°T-thank you¡­master!¡±


    ¡°I was just like you not a year ago, Marenix.¡± Alisson averted his eyes from me, frowning. ¡°I understand how you¡¯re feeling, and innocence is a good thing that should be a preserved, but¡­There are lines dividing practicality and triviality that once we look at through unfiltered lenses, are stupid to worry about.¡±


    I peered up to Alisson, feeling that he was about to talk at me for a while. I wrapped the towel around myself and then started stripping off my clothes slowly as he spoke.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°You are born nude. Animals all around the world are nude. Think of the raw power that your body can exert, the techniques it can employ; the ingenuity of your nude brain to use tools and to adapt¡­in a battle of life and death, it matters not if someone can see you nude¡­What matters is that they can see how you¡¯ve refined your body, reflected in its muscles, its shape, and speed; And there¡¯s no shame in being proud of it therein if you¡¯d like to.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­Are you a nudist, master?¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened and he shook his head. ¡°No. There are very good reasons socially why we use clothes to cover ourselves. It¡¯s a factor of social cohesion, a string in the embroidery of society. I¡¯m just telling you that¡­Here in a situation like this, with people you like¡­Ashlynde, that is¡­it¡¯s okay to not be ashamed of yourself.¡±


    You could just tell me that instead of going on long winded rants, but thanks for the affirmations anyway, master.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡±


    Alisson started to thus strip like me, and I couldn¡¯t help but peer over at him. I had imagined Alisson as being either super ripped or totally skinny but¡­he¡¯s actually just somewhere in the middle. I mean, I guess that makes sense¡­


    My eyes lowered and I looked back down at myself, and then back to Alisson, and then back at myself. My face started to grow red again.


    ¡°Something wrong, apprentice?¡±


    Alisson tilted his head blankly, his eyes as innocent as an angel.


    ¡°No, nothing...¡±


    I looked down and resolved not to look at Alisson anymore, tightening the grip on my protective towel.


    ¡­


    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re developing in all the right places Celi-sou!¡±


    Tsuhara said, not even waiting for me to take off my clothes before saying that.


    ¡°Shut up, stupid fox¡­You didn¡¯t even see me the last time we bathed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to see to notice the way you carry yourself¡­it¡¯s totally different! You and Alisson really must¡¯ve¨C¡±


    ¡°Shut up...! I¡¯ll hit you.¡±


    Tsuhara shrugged smugly. ¡°All I can say is: I¡¯m disappointed I didn¡¯t get there first.¡±


    Ashlynde, between the two of us, looked on blankly.


    ¡°Er¡­What are you two talking about?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re talking about se-!¡±


    I smacked Tsuhara upside the head.


    She fell over, chuckling to herself. ¡°Ow¡­! There¡¯s no need to take your anger out on me¡­¡±


    ¡°She does that to me too¡­¡± Ashlynde mumbled.


    ¡°Anger over what?¡± I asked, irritated.


    ¡°Anger that stems from your tiny, small, petite, miniscule breasts!¡±


    I rolled my eyes at her. She was bigger than me. Big deal.


    I should¡¯ve taken Alisson¡¯s lead in ignoring Tsuhara¡­Talking with her is just a way to make me look like a fool in front of my apprentice. Speaking of which¡­


    Before Tsuhara could stand, I quickly wrapped a towel around her.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s this for?¡±


    ¡°Master¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°U-uh¡­okay¡­¡±Ashlynde quickly submitted to my will.


    Tsuhara was quick to object however, ¡°A towel? In a bath!? That¡¯s like using a fork to eat instead of chopsticks! You gotta do it right¡­¡±


    She slipped behind Ashlynde, about to disrobe her when I grabbed her by the scruff of her little conniving neck.


    ¡°Stay away from my apprentice.¡± I growled.


    I don¡¯t want this stupid fox seeing my Ashlynde in the nude.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? We¡¯re all girls here¡­And those two boys are basically girls too¡­But whatever, suit yourself, Nekomata¡­¡±


    She looked on demeaningly. I¡¯d like to see her try some sort of Nekomata custom that makes her embarrassed¡­Like¡­What do we even do? Drink coffee? I wasn¡¯t ever taught anything like culture. Just how to contribute to our fratello and Sidonia. I¡¯ll have to ask Alisson.


    ¡­


    Alisson and his apprentice sat in the bath quietly, clearly hearing the women shouting before they entered. The two apprentices sat nervously stealing glances at each other; The sight was quite adorable. Alisson suddenly realized that him and Celis probably looked the exact same in months prior.


    However, once they were in the bath properly, the mood in the air changed drastically.


    ¡°So, why are you Sidonians really here?¡± Tsuhara asked, her face straight.


    ¡°I would rather we relay Sidonia¡¯s intent directly to the Queen¡­But as I understand it, there¡¯s a long waiting period¡­¡± Alisson responded.


    Tsuhara nodded briskly. ¡°I¡¯ll put in a word to get you a meeting with her as soon as they can manage. But for now, I¡¯ll have to be your humble courier, you must understand.¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°Officially, we¡¯re here to negotiate trade deals with the Irine Principality¡¯s trading partners in the coming event that the Queendom as a nation ceases to exist.¡±


    Tsuhara¡¯s face darkened. Alisson continued slowly, ¡°In truth, we¡¯re here to cleanse this city of them. High Command believes that by severing the head of the Irinian snake in the Queendom, we will halt their integration at large of your people. At least for a time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just the four of you? Unless those lame-looking ambassadors were really shinobi or something, I don¡¯t think you have the numbers for that¡­They control the city, Alisson.¡±


    Alisson glanced at the two apprentices, tepidly listening as steam rose from the wooden bath. He figured it didn¡¯t matter to have them here for this. Alisson agreed to come here for a reason.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. They have some embassies and barracks here and there. We¡¯ll flatten them in due time.¡±


    Tsuhara shook her head angrily. ¡°No! You don¡¯t get it. It¡¯s not just a couple buildings and a group of humans here¡­They¡¯ve implanted themselves in our society¡­Degenerate nightclubs, the tearing down of our shrines, the banning of our traditions, an influx of migrant humans! Already they have collaborators all throughout the Queen¡¯s cabinet, and most of the trade associations are controlled by them¡­Irine is behind it all. We even have to praise Prince Iridide just to be ¡®inclusive¡¯ with the Irinians¡­The Queen is not like the Lady Sidonia¡­that¡¯s to say she can¡¯t push back against this anymore.¡±


    Alisson was silent for a long while. ¡°I see. I assumed the two sides were on equal footing at the very least.¡±


    Tsuhara looked into the water with a frown. ¡°We¡¯re losing the war. Culturally, economically, there¡¯s so many human norms that are just common now here¡­¡± She looked up to Alisson, ¡°Surely you understand how we loyalists feel...No, we¡¯re not loyalists, we¡¯re just normal Kitsune! Real Kitsune! They¡¯re the ones labeling us loyalists! Like we¡¯re supporting some dictatorial Queen and we¡¯re terrorists or something¡­They want to tear down the monarchy, oust the Queen¡­But that¡¯s how we¡¯ve lived for generations¡­¡±


    Tsuhara started to shake. ¡°Ever since coming back from my mission to Daigoro, it¡¯s been so demoralizing! My own clan¡¯s shrine was turned into a warehouse for Irinian arms!¡± She clenched her fist. Tears started welling in her eyes. ¡°They can¡¯t do this! This country is for us¡­for Kitsune! I don¡¯t care if all these humans are coming here seeking a better life, they¡¯re doing so at the expense of the thousands of years of our labor and work to improve this land!¡±


    Alisson frowned. He hadn¡¯t seen Tsuhara break down like this before. Alisson opened his arms, and motioned for Tsuhara to come closer. Seeing this, Tsuhara shifted forward and fell into Alisson¡¯s embrace. He let her cry into his shoulder for a while, caressing the back of her head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t begin to understand how it feels to see your people come to this.¡± Alisson spoke softly. ¡°But it¡¯s okay, Tsuhara. We¡¯ll get rid of them. All of them.¡±


    A long few moments passed in silence. He understood how she felt; returning your home only to find it suddenly so alien and wrong.


    She leaned away, and looked into Alisson¡¯s eyes. ¡°But there¡¯s only four of you¡­and two of you are just¡­¡± She looked over at Ashlynde and Marenix. ¡°Useless apprentices¡­You can¡¯t hope to dismantle such a deeply rooted parasite¡­even if you manage to pull it off, you might end up damaging the host as well.¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head. ¡°Trust me. I might not know exactly how things will play out here, but I swear on my name that by the end of it, the Kitsune will have their sovereignty, and their dignity.¡±


    Tsuhara looked into the water with a small smile. ¡°I can rest assured then, surely sou¡­¡±


    With Celis pouting at him, he gently pushed Tsuhara away from him. Tsuhara leaned back, lifting up her hand and clenching and unclenching it. ¡°I should¡¯ve thought to check just what kind of package Celi-sou has to work with¡­¡± Her eyes shifted over to Marenix, ¡°Did he impress you?¡±


    She was probably saying that to get them to forget about her crying and lighten the mood a little. Alisson sighed.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Marenix reluctantly opened his mouth to answer, but Alisson was faster,


    ¡°Playful your intentions may be, and as much as me and Celis are fine with it¡­Our apprentices may not find the same belittlement of physical structure as something to be disregarded.¡±


    Tsuhara looked at Alisson, furrowing her mouth. ¡°You could just tell me not to make fun of them, but you still put things oh-so eloquently when you¡¯re embarrassed, sou¡­¡±


    The rest of the bath was uneventful, barring Tsuhara¡¯s lecherous manner. He was pretty sure Tsuhara was a virgin, so he didn¡¯t know why she carried herself like that.


    A year earlier, Alisson would¡¯ve thought that bathing with his apprentices and some fox was abhorrent, as such lower creatures shouldn¡¯t have the privilege to gaze upon him or share the same body of water. Now, it all mattered so little to him.


    ¡­


    After eating out with Tsuhara, we parted ways with her and made our way to the embassy. That whole bath was probably the most uncomfortable I¡¯ve been in my entire life. That stupid fox only made things more embarrassing for me, at times even Ashlynde played along with her. I asked Alisson afterwards why he even decided to take her up on the offer, to which he responded that there were certainly worse places to have a private conversation. So, I guess it was a matter of my master and Tsuhara speaking privately; they must be cautious because of the separatists.


    ¡°Hello there, Alisson Vi Nuam! I¡¯m Captain Versatsu, I¡¯ll be keeping you and yours safe over your stay ¨C So just come to me if you ever have any problems!¡±


    A booming kitsune introduced themselves as we entered the building. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man. He was apparently the captain of the city guard. Along with him were a couple other kitsune who would be guarding the embassy to keep us safe. Again, it seemed to be a defense that was in place because of the separatists.


    Hmph. I smirked. I¡¯m a VIP.


    Moving on, we found our rooms and got acquainted. It quickly became evident that me and Ashlynde would be sharing a room here¡­But compared to sharing a bath, sleeping in two separate beds was far easier.


    ¡­


    With him and Celis finally getting some privacy, he could get down to business. They both lay in bed, talking quietly.


    ¡°Our objective here is simple. I want to meet the Queen.¡±


    ¡°To get her on your side?¡± Celis tepidly responded.


    ¡°Yes, to get her on my side. Well, and to seek the Moonlight Cannon. I believe I can put the technique to use in ways the Kitsune would think unorthodox. There¡¯s also the matter of the spirit that lives in one of the shrines here, if possible, I¡¯d like to meet with them. There¡¯s any number of boons they may grant us once they learn of our intentions.¡±


    Alisson remembered his last encounters with spirits. They were small, peculiar things, hosting swaths of old knowledge and tools, and all bearing child-like appearances. The ones Alisson had met were above all else lonely ¨C He didn¡¯t know if the one living here in a shrine would be like that. That was to say, that lonely spirits, and people, were easier to sway to one¡¯s side.


    ¡°I want to spend this time while we¡¯re being a decoy here finalizing some plans I¡¯ve been thinking about¡­But they all hinge on what happens here with the Separatists, and what kind of person Queen Tsuhagara turns out to be.¡±


    Celis frowned a little and averted her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s great and all but¡­There¡¯s something that really bugged me today¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Alisson tilted his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get all close like that with Tsuhara.¡± She flashed a glare at Alisson. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    Alisson smiled gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­She¡¯ll get no closer than that to my bare body.¡±


    Celis still wore a soured expression, but reluctantly settled in next to Alisson for the night. He gazed out the window to their room, overlooking the city. For being touted as a bastion of traditional ways, the city hosted a lot of night life.


    ***

 12. Spirit Shrine

    Today Alisson was to meet an Irinian liaison, on behalf of some trade commission or the like. He had been instructed to go to a certain club at midday, but Alisson had time to kill until then.


    ¡°This here is the Seishin shrine! One of the oldest shrines in the city!¡±


    Tsuhara motioned to the gates of an imposing structure. He asked her to bring him here in the meantime. This was the shrine that supposedly housed the spirit Alisson had heard of. If he could meet with it, it may prove beneficial.


    Tsuhara led Alisson¡¯s party of Celis and their apprentices into the shrine proper, where within its walls was a garden of stone. That was to say, that the ground looked to be made of rocks and stone. He could see some of the Kitsune serving at the shrine sweeping the paths and making sure the rocks of the garden were neatly arranged.


    ¡°No farther than this!¡± Tsuhara swept her hands out, halting Alisson. ¡°It¡¯s unsightly for guests to be wearing such attire, deep into the shrine, at least.¡± Tsuhara gazed at Alisson. ¡°You¡¯ll have to change.¡±


    Alisson looked to his companions and shrugged. ¡°Fine enough. You all can stay here with Tsuhara. I wish to go further.¡±


    Tsuhara nodded with excitement and waved over one of the shrine girls. Tsuhara was left to spout the lore of the shrine to the poorly enthused Nekomata.


    Alisson was led by a shrine girl into a wooden structure with some privacy and handed traditional clothes of the Kitsune, a hakama and a kimono, and some odd footwear called tabi. After failing to wear to the robes after a couple minutes, the kitsune thankfully helped him.


    As he stepped out into the open air, he could feel how quiet and peaceful the sounds were here. It was as if there were a barrier between the shrine and the city. He was told to follow the main path into the garden and bobbed his head in thanks to the shrine keeper.


    ¡°Oh and sir¡­You are a Nekomata, correct?¡±


    Alisson nodded.


    ¡°Then you should show your true self, you will appear more guileless. Sei will more easily recognize you¡­¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    With a flash, Alisson activated his Opensen, and ears appeared at the top of his head, and two tails swung at his back. He left the shrine girl behind, walking along. As Alisson followed the path, the air fell quieter, and the density of the flora grew. The shrine was deceptively large, it seemed, for Alisson walked for quite a while.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Alisson stood tall, glancing at the surroundings. The canopy above was now thick enough to blot out the sunlight, and a relative darkness now surrounded him. The path ended; and ahead lay only a tangle of flora. He stepped off the path, and stared into the dense brush before him with sharp eyes. The ears atop his head narrowed and tilted across the landscape, but he heard nothing out of the ordinary.


    Alisson knew this realm of the world well. It may have been a different culture, a different country, but it was such a familiar feeling that surrounded him. He sat down, and stared into the brush, and waited.


    He felt no need to speak out to call for it. If it wanted to show itself, then it would.


    Time passed and Alisson closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t know how long he sat there, but eventually, he understood that he was not welcome here.


    ¡°My apologies. I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you.¡±


    He stood and turned, and walked back down the path. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught two glimmers staring back at him. But he chose not to investigate. This was evidently not the right time.


    ¡­


    ¡°¡­Which led to the 3<sup>rd</sup> Budou War. Eventually a bunch of kitsune, including the Queen at the time, all crammed in this shrine, and cast a barrier that still protects this hallowed ground from foreign invaders to this day¡­So if you¡¯re thinking any evil thoughts, you¡¯ll get ripped into little bits by old magics!¡±


    Tsuhara raised her hands, trying to scare the apprentices, but they were both light on their feet, bored by the history. The sun was high in the sky, and I briefly considered going after Alisson, but I saw him not long after walking toward us wearing kitsune garb, with his Opensen activated.


    ¡°Did you speak with the spirit?¡± I asked.


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, no. It was a pleasant walk though, and certainly a wonderful place to reflect.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at him. He looked funny wearing that Kitsune stuff, with his oblivious and serious expression. He could probably be told to do anything ¡®in good manners¡¯ and he would. I feel like most other Nekomata would just march straight into the middle of the shrine and demand what they wanted.


    ¡°Alisson!¡± Tsuhara embraced Alisson. ¡°You look just like a kitsune wearing those! A strong traditional male sou!¡± She looked up at Alisson, and quietly whispered, ¡°Marry me?¡± She tilted her head, eyes like a puppy dog.


    Alisson was briefly stunned and blinked his eyes a few times, one of his ears fluttering atop his head, as if mishearing her words.


    ¡°My condolences, but now is not the time for jokes.¡± Alisson looked to the sky, and then at Tsuhara with a frown. ¡°I must shed this attire which an Irinian would find disgraceful.¡±


    Alisson remembered what I told him and pushed Tsuhara away. ¡°Kitsune included.¡±


    Alisson stared out of the shrine, a face of disgust forming on him, and I knew why. The liaison was to meet him at a particularly distasteful establishment, apparently. A nightclub.


    ***

 13. Going Clubbing

    Alisson adjusted the collar of his tailcoat, and then made sure his gloves were tightly on his hands. He stood before a large building; from the outside it didn¡¯t seem like anything special. Similarly, without his manifestation, he looked like any other nobleman. Well, maybe normal noblemen didn¡¯t wear hairclips.


    He had instructed Celis to head back to the embassy with the apprentices. This was no place for those kids. Or Celis, for that matter. He didn¡¯t want to see her in such a place.


    There was a man outside who could best be described as a bull, large and unseemly, ready to charge at Alisson given the smallest reason. ¡°This is the back entrance, kid, I doubt you have any business here, so run along¡­¡±


    Alisson looked up at the man. ¡°Ilodith. I¡¯m here to speak with him.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re the Sidonian they told me to look out for¡­Aren¡¯t you just the tiniest little thing¡­¡±


    He leaned in smirking. He turned and opened the door. ¡°Right this way, big man¡­¡±


    Alisson was led through dark hallways of varying glamour. He wore a deep frown as he walked. Music of some sort could be heard faintly through the walls, and it got louder. Alisson could¡¯ve sworn he heard voices and other sounds, but he wasn¡¯t sure without his true ears. Alisson¡¯s gaze splashed across the columns in the building as he walked.


    Finally, after numerous flights of stairs, the bull said,


    ¡°That door on your right¡¯s the place, go ahead, don¡¯t be scared¡­¡±


    He gave Alisson a shove on the back and grinned, showing his surprisingly well kept teeth. Alisson continued, and walked into an unfamiliar sight.


    It was a dark room with many moving, bright lights. There was a great deal of activity; women danced, and waiters moved along with trays of food and drink.


    Alisson had never been in such a place. Hedonism. That¡¯s all it was to him on paper, but looking at the room before him, he could say for certain that this room was hedonism embodied. Alisson knew there were probably more extreme avenues of fulfilment in this very building than the mere club before him, but it was all the same to him.


    He heard a whistle that cut through the loud music. Alisson couldn¡¯t see very well, but he followed where the whistle had come from. As he walked by many tables and what Alisson could only think was space for dancers, he noticed that much of the club was empty. It was midday after all, he could imagine it wasn¡¯t exactly peak hours.


    Alisson averted his eyes from the dancers that and attendants that were in the club, however. They were mostly scantily dressed and in some cases nude.


    He found a booth in the corner of the club where a man was sat, holding a drink, smirking at him. Upon a table before him was a small candle, barely noticeable in contrast to all the fast moving, bright lights of varying color. Alisson at first sat opposite the man, but he shook his head and wagged his finger, and pat the chair next to him. Alisson reluctantly sat near the man, smelling a stench of alcohol.


    ¡°Wonderful place, isn¡¯t it? You should see it in at midnight! ¨C Is what I would say, if I didn¡¯t have to report to command every night¡­¡±


    Alisson recognized the man¡¯s voice, and suddenly he realized that he was speaking to Captain Versatsu, the captain of the guard.


    ¡°Versatsu?¡± Alisson squinted at him, hardly making out his large frame. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? You¡¯ll have to talk louder than that if you want someone to hear you over the music!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± Alisson asked again, louder. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be on duty?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a management job mostly, you see. There¡¯s not much happening now ever since Irine sent a detachment of their military police, crime has been at all time low.¡±


    Alisson furrowed his brow at Versatsu. ¡°Would it not be your job to then watch over the foreign MPs?¡±


    Alisson looked around the room. Crime may have been at an official low, but if something like this was now considered legal here, then he wondered how many other crimes were really happening in this city that now went undocumented.


    ¡°The military police are pushovers Alisson, they¡¯re like eh¡­what do you call them¡­¡± He swirled his drink around, ¡°Paper tigers¡­They just deal with common thugs, it just makes my job a lot easier!¡±


    ¡°What about external threats? Surely the walls of the capital need to be garrisoned and-¡±


    ¡°What external threats? Irine has the damn country land locked for all I care, and if they decide to attack, there¡¯s not much a city garrison can do now is there?¡±


    He chuckled to himself. ¡°Anyway¡­I¡¯ll let Ilodith know you¡¯re here¡­Oh and Alisson, say hi to that little lady that follows you around everywhere, you know, the one with the blue hair¡­¡±


    Versatsu stood and downed the rest of his drink before walking away into the darkness of the club. Alisson was left in the alien environment, deeply frowning, averting his eyes from anybody else. Eventually another man came to sit opposite Alisson. He was well dressed, and a bit on the older side. He seemed professional, but his little smile bore traces of some underlying degeneracy. Another man, a bodyguard, stood nearby behind the first.


    ¡°So, a real Nekomata, here in the flesh¡­For being so storied you really aren¡¯t all that imposing, you know that?¡±


    Alisson brought his unamused gaze to the man. ¡°Are you Ilodith?¡±


    Ilodith nodded, never breaking eye contact with him, and Alisson continued, ¡°There are certainly better mistakes to make then assuming that of me.¡±


    Ilodith¡¯s gaze seemed to settle on Alisson¡¯s hair. ¡°An orange hair clip, huh?¡±


    Alisson wore it so often he almost forgot he had it on, and realized it was probably in contrast to the rest of his black, noble attire.


    ¡°A gift from my late mother. The rest of them went to my sister.¡±


    ¡°I bet that¡¯s a whole story onto itself¡­¡± Ilodith cracked into a grin, and leaned forward, lifting a hand over Alisson¡¯s head. ¡°There there, aren¡¯t you a cute little kitty¡­¡± He pet Alisson¡¯s head for but a moment.


    Alisson struck the man¡¯s face with a lightning-fast jab. Ilodith recoiled, his hands on his face. ¡°Oh-ho-ho¡­¡± He wiped his face. ¡°¡­I like you.¡±


    Alisson hadn¡¯t struck him hard enough to draw blood, and not in the right place to knock him out.


    ¡°Do you know how few Sidonian envoys would¡¯ve done that?¡± Ilodith asked, finally smiling back at Alisson again. ¡°They would¡¯ve glared at me sure, but to them it¡¯s stupid to hit someone they¡¯re trying to negotiate with, and that¡¯s where their mental processes end¡­But you, Alisson Vi Nuam, you¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ve got yourself an ego and everything¡­Not some sort of sociopath like all the other Nekomata I¡¯ve seen.¡± Alisson kept frowning at Ilodith, and he continued, ¡°I get it¡­You¡¯re disgusted by this whole place, looking down on me from your high horse¡­But meeting with me here makes you just as much of an opportunistic scumbag as the rest of us¡­Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t deny that. But hedonism and securing strategic objectives are two very different outcomes that we desire.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Alisson, we¡¯re both here for the latter¡­I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been rucking it with an Areni girl, and yet here you are ready to descend on their nation¡¯s corpse. Like a vulture. I guess it¡¯s par for the course, I mean you know the Areni foxes are one of the lowest and vilest castes in their society, so she¡¯s a good match.¡±


    Alisson had heard whispers of it before, but had never bothered to ask about Tsuhara¡¯s clan.


    ¡°You know, isn¡¯t it incredible how two nations at war can both come together like this in a third-party state and just divvy up the spoils? It¡¯s a little heartless of Sidonia, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°We¡¯re here in this meeting already, small talk like this won¡¯t produce any reaction from me.¡± His eyes narrowed at Ilodith. ¡°If Irine were a rational entity, then it would not permit any further communication and trade between Sidonia and the Queendom, but you and the other Irinian nobles vested here are greedy ¨C But this can be beneficial for all parties involved. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    Ilodith smiled at Alisson, raising a finger at him. ¡°Now, don¡¯t say that part out loud. You know the Prince recently purged a good chunk of the nobles of Irine, that is, the stupid ones. The only ones left are the smart ones, and of these there are two camps; the blindly loyal, or those who know how to do good business. The one I represent is thankfully of the latter.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s brow piqued. ¡°I¡¯m presuming this noble has many such establishments cropping up around the Queendom?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But I obviously can¡¯t tell you their name. For every place like this that operates, another battalion of knights can be paid to kill your kin.¡± He rolled his head with a malicious smirk. ¡°But such a tiny nation like yours is just dying for any trade, so I wonder what kind of moral predicament you¡¯re in.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Alisson blew a burst of air through his nose. ¡°Let¡¯s cut the prodding and probing. I¡¯d rather spend less time listening to this awful music.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course¡­¡±


    Ilodith snapped his finger and called over a waiter, for drinks. Ilodith and the waiter bantered while the drinks were prepared, apparently they were about to change shifts for the night. Alisson obviously didn¡¯t get anything to drink.


    The two began to discus the finer points on the overall Sidonian agreement with Irinians pertaining to the noble that Ilodith served. Many times Ilodith jotted down notes from what Alisson said, not suspecting that what Alisson spoke of was sourced from a document which had been distributed to all Sidonian envoys in Ahvaratsu. That was to say, it was all lies.


    Alisson couldn¡¯t tell exactly how much time had passed thanks to the fact the club had no windows in it, but it was starting to fill with more and more patrons.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s been a pleasure, Alisson. Like I said, you don¡¯t need to keep up this whole act you¡¯ve got going on, I know there¡¯s something going on beneath those eyes of yours¡­¡± Ilodith stared into Alisson¡¯s gaze, smirking. ¡°You look like a man that¡¯d be ready to throw the whole world away to get what he wants. I like that.¡±


    Ilodith put down a business card on the table, and slid it to Alisson. ¡°Give me a holler if you need something, I think you¡¯re the kind of guy to make it worth my while¡­¡±


    With that, Ilodith and his bodyguard took their leave. Alisson sat for a few moments in the club, staring at the business card. He had learnt through his conversation with Ilodith that he was engaged with all sorts of enterprises in the underworld of Ahvaratsu, from trafficking kitsune to running brothels and the like.


    Alisson pocketed the card. He had a thorough understanding of the architecture of this room, but the rest of building could do with more ¡®sightseeing¡¯. He called over a waiter in the same way that Ilodith had. Apparently this one was from the midnight shift.


    This waiter in particular was familiar looking. For a moment, Alisson had thought that Celis had followed him and infiltrated the club, that was because the girl shared her likeness, remarkably so. Her hair was longer but the colors and complexion and the face, it was all the same, but Alisson could tell she wasn¡¯t his Celis.


    ¡°Something catch your eye?¡± She smiled at Alisson. Forgetting for a moment that the girl was not Celis, his faced blushed red, though in the darkness of the club, it was probably obscured.


    ¡°¡­Yes actually. You.¡± He motioned with a finger for the girl to lean closer and asked what her name was.


    She giggled a little and replied, ¡°Utsuru. It¡¯s Utsuru.¡±


    ¡°That is a Kitsune name, is it not?¡± He looked to the top of her head, noticeably absent of any fox ears.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Utsuru appeared to become uncomfortable, and Alisson rose his hand to silence her. He withdrew some coins from his tailcoat and placed them against her body. ¡°Go tell your supervisor that you¡¯ve been bought for a while. I¡¯d like to have word with you in private.¡±


    Utsuru¡¯s eyes seemed to gleam with greed upon seeing the coin. ¡°Of course, Milord.¡± She bobbed her head and hastily went off.


    It seemed Alisson was correct in assuming this establishment was also a brothel of sorts. He had heard another patron say the same sort to another waitress. Utsuru was quick to return, and she seemed to be forcing down a smile. He rose and started walking toward the backdoor he had come into the club from.


    ¡°Um¡­Milord, the private rooms are over there¡­!¡±


    Utsuru tried to grab hold of Alisson, maybe thinking he hadn¡¯t heard her mumble over the music, but he grabbed back at her hand and dragged her along with him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk, first.¡±


    He said into her ear, and she came quietly after that.


    Finally with booming music behind them, and the door to that hedonistic pit closed, Alisson started walking down the stone hallways, which were only dimly illuminated with sconces.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your story? You are a Kitsune are you not? Why be in a place such as this? Were you forced here?¡±


    ¡°I, um¡­well¡­no¡­I came here because it¡¯s good money. My clan was dissolved pretty recently so I haven¡¯t had any family or place to call home¡­¡±


    ¡°So you threw in your lot with humans?¡± She tepidly bobbed her head. ¡°Is that why your ears and tails are gone?¡±


    Alisson asked as they walked around the perimeter of the building, circling the center clubroom. He probably wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. A few employees passed them by, but seeing Alisson¡¯s fancy attire and the woman following him were enough for them not to ask questions.


    ¡°Well, they said I¡¯d get more business if people didn¡¯t know I was a kitsune so¡­¡± She averted her eyes in shame.


    With healing magic, her ears and tails would grow back. If Alisson remembered correctly, the Kitsune could regrow their tails all on their own given time. So it wasn¡¯t exactly a permanent scar.


    ¡°You kept your name, however?¡±


    Alisson asked, only partly interested, his eyes gazing over the walls.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t bring myself to go that far¡­¡±


    ¡°If this is just for money then why did you seem so happy back there? Does wealth bring you such pleasure?¡±


    Utsuru fell silent for a while. ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ve never been called up by a patron like this¡­And I know its good money compared to the usual but¡­I¡¯m just happy the first time is with someone like you¡­¡±


    Alisson eyes opened a little. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re well¡­handsome¡­and, much more gentlemanly than any other man I¡¯ve seen visit here¡­You look out of place.¡±


    They came up on the same door they had exited the club from, making it apparent that he had just walked around the entire outer hallway of the floor. Alisson slowly stopped, closing his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t belong here. I¡¯m sorry to cut our talk short but¡­¡± He turned to Utsuru, ¡°I must take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± She looked up at him, mouth agape. She really did look just like Celis. He bet if he took her to a barber he could make the two look almost identical.


    He withdrew the business card that Ilodith had given him, and flipped it on its blank side. ¡°Would you mind writing down where I can reach out to you for later?¡±


    ¡°L-later?¡± Her face blushed red. ¡°O-of course! Right!¡±


    She took the card and sped into the club, in search of something to write with.


    Alisson stood, his arms crossed, gazing down both ways of the hall. There were eighteen on this side. Eighteen on the side opposite, and twelve on the adjacent sides each. The main room hosted a dozen or so as well. That amounted to seventy-two total visible.


    Utsuru soon returned, and bowed, handing Alisson the card where she seemed to have jotted down an address. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Alisson slipped the card into his coat.


    Before Utsuru could raise her head, Alisson reached out to pet her without thinking, seeing only Celis, but stopped himself, frowning.


    ¡°This is all really sudden and I don¡¯t really get it but¡­¡± She looked into Alisson¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard about it. I¡¯m not fond of such places. I was only here for business, after all. Here, for indulging me,¡± Alisson slipped her some extra coins and started off down the stairway. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch, Utsuru.¡±


    ¡°Safe travels, Lord Ilodith!¡± She bobbed her head quickly.


    Alisson stopped, and careened his head at her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s Alisson. That card was from someone you would do well to stay away from. Good day.¡±


    ¡°A-alisson¡­like¡­¡±


    Alisson walked down the stairs and heard her faintly, ¡°Alisson Vi Nuam!?¡±


    After walking away and sure that she wasn¡¯t following him, he frowned to himself. It was a mix of multiple things that compelled him to do that to her. Part of him was disgusted at himself for dragging an innocent girl into potential danger just because he saw something useful from her.


    Alisson sighed. It was hard to have morals. Tasks are more easily accomplished without them, and morals only complicate situations. Such was the foul reasoning that a Nekomata of Sidonia would use to act bereft of guilt when disposing of their morality.


    It was also hard to say one¡¯s real name to people. Alisson had always used aliases, but this time, it was on official business that he was here. The reputation his name brought served to both haunt and dignify him.


    He stopped for a moment and gazed at landing. The columns¡¯ placement shifted over every other floor. He looked up into the stairwell, before continuing on.


    ¡°Had a fun time, Alisson?¡±


    The bull outside said mockingly as Alisson walked out. It seemed many were on a first-name basis with him and his companions. Alisson kept walking down the dimly lit roads toward the embassy. That was because of course, there were eyes watching him whenever he was out and about. Although Ilodith never openly admitted it, it was clear that he was in contact with whoever was watching Alisson.


    ¡­


    Later that night in the embassy, a cloaked figure kneeled before Alisson in his room. He had drawn the curtains ¨C Something that would seem suspicious to any watching from the outside, but he figured at least some suspicion was better than none at all. Celis stood nearby, her arms crossed, in full combat gear. He had instructed her to be on guard during the night. Alisson¡¯s room bore little resemblance to the state it had been given to him; boards reinforced the walls and furniture was tipped and laid out against sides of the room. The room had also been soundproofed. This was thanks to the envoys who doubled as specialists.


    ¡°You called, Alisson?¡± The cloaked Nekomata said, a hand on his heart.


    ¡°The Davoss Industries main warehouse is a nightclub, teeming with Irinian patrons; a hotspot of their meetings. Make note of what I will tell you.¡±


    ¡°I will inform Ardinand and mark this location, my lord.¡± The cloaked man said, withdrawing a sheaf of a paper and a writing utensil.


    Alisson withdrew the business card from Ilodith. ¡°There is a minimum of seventy-two supporting pillars across the building, which alternate in placement every other floor. I would wager that knocking down two-thirds of them on the first and third floors would be sufficient to collapse the building, but the more charges the merrier.¡±


    The cloaked man scribbled down notes as Alisson continued to speak, ¡°I¡¯ll inform the other envoys to pick that location for later talks ¨C They should be able to sneak in a good deal of the explosives beforehand. I believe VIP patrons are allowed private lockers.¡±


    Alisson flipped over the business card in his hands. ¡°Then, there is Count Ilodith, an influential Irinian instigator. I want him arrested.¡±


    ¡°I believe he¡¯s been flagged for termination on multiple occasions, my lord, very good.¡± The cloaked man responded, writing down a death warrant.


    ¡°I said arrested, not dead. He should be restrained and handed over to the authorities, the law should handle his kind of ilk; He is not so foul as to warrant immediate death, it is up to the people to decide how he should answer for his crimes.¡±


    The cloaked Nekomata looked up at him, puzzled. ¡°¡­It will be harder to apprehend someone, I don¡¯t believe many will share your opinion, but I will make it known.¡±


    This had been an almost nightly routine for the past week. They were so quick to jump to assassination.


    After the Nekomata was finished writing, he stood and placed his hand on his heart. ¡°I will ensure that Ardinand receives word of these updates. The Lady protect you.¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head and watched as the Nekomata cast an invisibility spell on himself using an item and disappeared from the embassy.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Celis¡¯s eyes were locked onto the card Alisson held. ¡°An address¡­? Why are there hearts on it¡­?¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes with a sigh. ¡°The kitsune I told you about, that¡¯s their home address.¡±


    Celis sourly look away. ¡°Is there any reason you decided to ¡®hire¡¯ a courtesan from some whore house?¡±


    ¡°I told you, she bears your likeness¡­I believe a body double is quite useful, in a variety of circumstances. I thought to plant the seeds of attaining her as an asset sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°¡­Whatever.¡± Celis responded.


    Alisson smiled gingerly, and closed the distance between them. ¡°Rest assured, seeing your likeness only made me acutely aware of the fact that you weren¡¯t by my side.¡± He put his hand on her shoulder.


    Celis smiled at Alisson with his words. ¡°I really should have been¡­You know I don¡¯t like leaving you alone, and here in this place it¡¯s really dangerous too¡­Oh, by the way, that captain guy paid a visit to our floor while you were gone¡­¡±


    ¡°Versatsu?¡±


    Celis nodded. ¡°He wanted to take a look around or something¡­but I think he paid more attention to me than the building¡­¡±


    Alisson looked away, thinking. ¡°Probably just scouting out the area while he knew I wasn¡¯t present.¡±


    Celis smirked at him. ¡°I wonder why that is.¡±


    ¡°Why indeed.¡± Alisson said blankly, ¡°But we shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡±


    Alisson peeked through the curtains across the city, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be able to spot anybody watching the building, but he fruitlessly scanned the rooftops despite it.


    ***

 14. Delivery Man

    Another night passed in peace. Him and Celis took turns sleeping, and keeping watch. A habit that had yet been broken since their return to civilization. For once, Alisson¡¯s schedule was clear from meetings, and so later in the day, him and Celis, as well as their apprentices, found themselves perusing the docks district, laden with boardwalks and piers. Celis had wanted to call it a date, but with their apprentices tagging along out of necessity, it certainly hadn¡¯t felt like one.


    The docks district was awash with foreign business and goods. Being on the coast of the Aleeze Sea made Ahvaratsu connected with the rest of the world. Most ships were from the Caliphate, here to trade with the Queendom, and to further move goods inland to the Principality. The odd ship from a northern kingdom would also be among the trade vessels that visited here. This was all to say, that one could buy almost anything they desired.


    ¡°Master! That¡¯s a cute dress! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But master!¡±


    This had been Alisson¡¯s background noise for the better part of the day. It seems Ashlynde did not share Celis¡¯s impassivity for feminine things.


    ¡°If you want something so badly, why don¡¯t you buy it yourself?¡±


    Celis asked blankly, knowing the answer.


    ¡°Because an apprentice like me wasn¡¯t given any human money! It¡¯s not like I want to buy everything! Can¡¯t we just go look around! This is boring!¡±


    ¡°You should indulge her, at least a little.¡± Alisson put in.


    ¡°Begging isn¡¯t something my apprentice should get into the habit of doing¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Celis responded, her face still bored and uninterested.


    It was among this drone that they had entered a particularly crowded part of the district. There was chatter and movement all around in Alisson¡¯s vision.


    Which was why when the man shoved a box into Marenix¡¯s chest, Alisson hadn¡¯t reacted fast enough to stop it. The cloaked figure ran into the crowd thereafter, with Marenix stumbling, grabbing onto the box with surprise.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened. He grabbed the box out of Marenix¡¯s hands and threw it as hard as he could out over the ocean. With a wave of his hand, he threw up a defense spell:


    ¡°Obice!¡± With his words a bright translucent film appeared before the four of them.


    Just as the barrier materialized, the box exploded with a blinding flash midair, engulfing them in the blast.


    It seemed that Alisson¡¯s instincts had proved right. It had all happened within a couple heart beats. He had turned his back toward the explosion, guarding Marenix with his body, Celis doing the same with Ashlynde; Though thanks to Alisson¡¯s throw and the barrier he laid down, the four of them and the civilians behind them were unharmed. Alisson quickly canceled the spell as the dust settled.


    He could hear the wailing of those injured, all around. People lay everywhere at their feet, coughing and in distress.


    Alisson looked out quickly across the crowd, squinting, trying to see if he could spot the cloaked man responsible. He looked to Celis, and pointed in the direction that the man had run off to.


    Go. Find him and kill him.


    Right.


    Celis sped off into the carnage and across the boardwalk, quickly climbing a building and disappearing from sight thereafter. Alisson decided against sending Celis to apprehend the attacker; he¡¯d rather not take the risk.


    ¡°This is¡­m-my fault?¡± Marenix was staring at the people around him. He looked to his shaking hands, shock on his face.


    Alisson laid a hand on his shoulder, ¡°No. Just be glad that it was a bomb was shoved into your chest and not a knife.¡± Alisson muttered angrily.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    In the moments thereafter, the three of them did what they could to rend aid to the civilians, and called for the garrison. The Queendom, unlike Sidonia, did not have readily available mages trained in healing on station and in great numbers for such an event. That was to say, that outside of theft, they didn¡¯t exactly have an organization in place to respond to emergencies like this. The wounded around Alisson would mostly turn into fatalities over the course of the day, but there wasn¡¯t anything they could do. He had just sent the only Sidonian in the area that had healing capabilities away, so first aid was all the rest of them could spare.


    The garrison soon arrived in force and started to clean up help where they could. Celis reported to him:


    Target is down.


    She must¡¯ve been close enough for the for the telepathy; as the spell had a short range, you could probably only converse clearly in the range of a couple blocks, anything more than that and static started to cloud the messages.


    Did he fight back?


    He wasn¡¯t able to.


    Good. Make sure no one gets too close to the body. I¡¯ll tell the garrison to send defusal experts.


    Yes, master. I mean¡­You know what I mean.


    He smiled to himself, hearing Celis still refer to him as master habitually. Alisson spoke with the garrison about the perpetrator being dealt with, but no one seemed to take him seriously. That was, until finally, Captain Versatsu arrived. For his earlier poor impressions, Versatsu wasted no time in organizing succor to the wounded, and dispatched word to form a team for the assailant¡¯s body. It seemed he was just as shocked and confused by the attack as anyone else had been.


    As the sun set, Alisson recalled the apprentices, and they took their leave back to the embassy.


    The two of them looked shaken, their faces were in a perpetual state of fright. They were unable to stop glancing at their surroundings, and at anyone that got too close. The attack had certainly been a wake-up for them. That, and having to deal with the all the gored bodies. It¡¯s not like people had been ripped in half or blown to dust or anything, but Marenix and Ashlynde hadn¡¯t ever experienced such raw and visceral sights before. He was glad that this served to ease them into it, to erode their innocence slowly, with supervision.


    The guards at the embassy were on high alert, whereas they had lazily waved them through in the days prior, the Kitsune now thoroughly checked the three of them as they were supposed to, their weapons at the ready. Alisson told the apprentices to go to their room for rest, and he sat in the lobby, awaiting Celis¡¯s return.


    He wouldn¡¯t have had to send her after the attacker if he¡¯d thrown the bomb in the man¡¯s direction; But he had reconsidered in the moment, choosing not to inadvertently harm Kitsune in the crowd for the sake of vengeance.


    Celis returned promptly to the embassy.


    ¡°So, what of the attacker? Who were they?¡±


    Alisson asked as soon as him and Celis were in his room alone. Celis could only shake her head. ¡°They weren¡¯t Kitsune, and they weren¡¯t human.¡± Celis paused for a moment, her gaze drifting. ¡°They cut him up at the guard station, and looked at his insides. He was a Nekomata.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Was it one of Ardinand¡¯s men?¡±


    They had spent weeks on the Machavelli together ¨C Celis would recognize if he was one of them. However, she shook her head again.


    ¡°No, definitely not. It was someone else. Nobody could identify him.¡±


    Alisson stared down into the floor of the lobby. ¡°¡­Heretics. Then there must be some greater reason to do this; they wouldn¡¯t try such a stupid thing, they¡¯re smarter than this. If they wanted to kill our apprentices, then a knife to their backsides would¡¯ve worked better. I should¡¯ve been more watchful¡­¡±


    Celis stared at him in silence as he spoke his mind.


    ¡°¡­They waited until we were in a crowded area. That was the first time any of us have been in a public place like that, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Celis bobbed her head. ¡°Me and Ashlynde were never in a crowd while on our own, no.¡±


    ¡°To think that their heresy reaches to even the Queendom¡­No, rather maybe it''s better to think of anywhere but Sidonia as being their home territory; most of them live in exile from the homeland after all¡­¡±


    ¡°Should I get a courier for Ardinand¡¯s team?¡± Celis floated the idea.


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°No. He¡¯s probably already heard of the attack by now. He¡¯ll probably assume it¡¯s a separatist attack, but I¡¯ll inform him the next time we¡¯re in contact. That is, assuming he doesn¡¯t send someone to check on us¡­¡±


    A knock was heard at the door, and Alisson gave look at Celis. ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡±


    Alisson couldn¡¯t simply tell them to come in because the room was mildly soundproofed, so he went to the door to find an unexpected visitor.


    It was Tsuhara. He let her in, and she briefly gawked at the odd interior of the fortified room.


    ¡°What business brings you here?¡± Alisson crossed his arms. ¡°Is it about the attack on the boardwalk?¡±


    Tsuhara averted her eyes at first. ¡°Well¡­Yes and no.¡± She looked up to Alisson. ¡°We need to speak privately. It¡¯s on the Queen¡¯s orders. I want you to come to my house. You can bring Celis with you.¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡°Why can¡¯t we discuss here?¡±


    Tsuhara¡¯s ears flattened over her head. ¡°I can¡¯t really trust any Nekomata right now¡­You must understand, I don¡¯t want to talk about this here.¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll meet you there later tonight. However, Celis will be staying here, I can¡¯t leave the embassy unguarded after what has happened.¡±


    Tsuhara bobbed her head, and took her leave. After Alisson confirmed she had left the building, he looked to Celis and said simply,


    ¡°I changed my mind. Fetch a courier; We have need of Ardinand.¡± He looked at Tsuhara walking down the dimly lit street below, and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡±


    ***

 15. Force Multiplier

    The trip to Tsuhara¡¯s household had been a lonely and uneventful stroll. The dimly lit roads were sparse of activity at this hour. The moon was hiding behind clouds, leaving only darkness in the air. Alisson had never been to Tsuhara¡¯s residence, but he thought that someone in close contact with the Queen would have somewhere near the royal palace, but this seemed to just be an unassuming home. Alisson squinted the building. It looked newly built, and seemed to be for a family or two, but here Tsuhara was living in it alone. For being on civil business, he wore not his tailcoat, but a cloak over his body, hiding the gambeson he wore, and the weapon at his back.


    He knocked on the door and moments thereafter was let in by Tsuhara. The inside the building seemed poorly furnished and what furniture was here wasn¡¯t anything one couldn¡¯t get at the market; That was to say, there were no heirlooms or historical pieces.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing no one tried to pull anything on the walk over here?¡±


    Tsuhara asked as they made their way to a table in her bedroom where she had prepared tea.


    ¡°No. It seems no one is brave enough to attack me when there is nothing to hide them.¡±


    Tsuhara closed the door behind her, sighing, and sat down across from Alisson.


    ¡°Not going to take off the cloak¡­? Why are you wearing it anyway? It¡¯s not that cold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to stay my hand in the event of an assault of my person or of this building, you must understand.¡±


    She stared into his eyes for a long moment. ¡°I guess there¡¯s not a lot of trust you¡¯re giving me right of the bat¡­Alisson.¡± He locked eyes with her. ¡°I need your word that the attack earlier today wasn¡¯t orchestrated by one of yours.¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡°Why cast this suspicion on us? We were the targets.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me.¡±


    ¡°No. I have no knowledge of a group of Nekomata acting without my word. This attack does not come from Sidonian affiliated forces. I suspect them to be of heretical descent.¡±


    ¡°Heresy?¡± Tsuhara squinted. ¡°Why would you use that word?¡±


    ¡°They are to us what separatists are to your Queen. Traitors. Their line of reasoning is deemed heretical by the Inquisitorum, in other words, by our Lady. But that¡¯s just a fancy way of saying that they don¡¯t believe in the despotism of the Lady Sidonia, among other things.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any proof that it was a heretic that brought about this bombing?¡±


    ¡°You have my word that I know of no Nekomata of such a face. I know all whom I brought with me on this expedition; Why continue to suspect us? Is this all you have brought me here for?¡±


    Tsuhara sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alisson. But you have to understand¡­The Kitsune who survived the attack know nothing of the Nekomata activity in the city, all they saw, was a group of strangers throw a bomb into a crowd. The Queen¡¯s cabinet are in an uproar, many are saying we should throw you from our lands, or worse¡­¡±


    Alisson tightened his fist. ¡°We stayed with the victims in the aftermath, gave them succor, and we dispatched the attacker in the immediate aftermath, we were the first to raise the alarm bells and yet you blame this on us?¡±


    ¡°An elaborate show, and a way to silence the sacrificer; they would argue.¡±


    Alisson tilted his head with dark eyes at Tsuhara. ¡°One might think there is a plot to put the blame of this incident on us to create tension and further the separatist cause.¡±


    Tsuhara¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°A man was murdered on streets of our city; people saw this and thought that a hurricane had torn some poor citizen to pieces! Do you know how much of a mess Celis made? A corpse in the downtown district! Just lying there!¡±


    Alisson smirked. ¡°Celis is a fine hunting dog. She would never let prey escape her.¡±


    Tsuhara blew a burst of air through her nostrils. ¡°Your dog she may be, but that makes you responsible for her actions all the same¡­Look¡­¡± Tsuhara brought her head down. ¡°I was just told to bring you here and talk. I don¡¯t want to think you carried that out¡­There are many in the cabinet that wouldn¡¯t put it past Sidonians to attack their allies in order to make themselves look better¡­They would take anything to mean that you¡¯re hiding something from us.¡± Tsuhara locked her eyes with Alisson. ¡°For the sake of my people I have a duty to heed their concerns and place you under doubt.¡±


    She was just told to bring Alisson here and talk. Is that so? Alisson closed his eyes. He felt a feeling building at his back.


    ¡°I understand we all have things we must fight for, loyalties we must uphold and commanders we listen to. The Kitsune¡¯s reluctance in allowing me an audience with Queen Tsuhagara have given me little reason to trust your government or people; What if that attack was orchestrated by the separatists to make the loyalists look worse in their support of Sidonia?¡±


    ¡°The ones complaining are in themselves separatists, Alisson! It¡¯s not like them to plan an attack that they purposely get so heated about; their rage is genuine, they want to help the nation as much as the loyalists, they just think there¡¯s a better way to go about it; The Queen thinks as much.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Alisson piqued an eyebrow. ¡°You have separatists in the Queen¡¯s close council?¡±


    Tsuhara sighed angrily. ¡°Yes, Alisson! We do things democratically here, unlike in Sidonia! With words and diplomacy and not with blood and inquisition! Knowing Sidonia, you would round up all of the separatists in that cabinet, kill them, and declare victory ¨C That¡¯s not how the Queen sees it. She thinks that the movement is of the people¡¯s origins, and as such killing the politicians are only going to anger the populace, she wants to reach a compromise or sway their minds¡­¡± Tsuhara glared at Alisson from beneath her bangs. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t expect you to understand.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re conflating me for a stereotype. You know I¡¯m better than that, Tsuhara ¨C ¡±


    Tsuhara shook her head angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t know you at all! You think just because I¡¯ve heard of you in the news and that we¡¯ve shared a couple baths mean that I owe you or something!? That I trust you!? You¡¯re one of the top-dogs in Sidonia; You¡¯re responsible for the stigma as much as anyone else is!¡±


    Alisson fell silent for a moment. ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    He looked at Tsuhara with pity. It was a shame to see a close friend be warped by doubt and conspiracy. Alisson mentally prepared himself to face the fact that he might never speak with Tsuhara as a friend again. She must have had a rough day at the Queen¡¯s palace. They must have wanted blood.


    On the thought of blood, Alisson could feel a certain bloodlust building behind him. Some kind of growing force; it was the kind of gut feeling he¡¯d had before a beast would pounce at him in Freigat.


    From what he¡¯d seen of Tsuhara, making a further effort to talk was going to get him nowhere, so he didn''t say anything else.


    Tsuhara took a small sip of tea. Alisson eyed the door behind him out of the corner of his vision.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry Alisson. For what it¡¯s worth¡­I didn¡¯t want it to come to this.¡±


    Alisson stood out of his chair and unhooked the folding blade that had been resting under his cloak. With a swift motion it unfurled, and he held it at his backside, just in time.


    A slash of light came from the door behind Alisson, cutting the wall in two, horizontally. The wave of light crashed against his blade, and he buckled. It had been aimed directly at his neck. The force of the attack sent him off his feet and against the wall opposite the door. He crashed through it; either his body breaking through the wall, or the surprise attack having broken through it as well.


    He heard Tsuhara briefly call, ¡°Alisson-!¡±


    He landed on the streets before Tsuhara¡¯s residence. Or rather, whatever home she had been given to facilitate this meeting; As an Areni girl like herself was only to be useful as a canary, it seemed.


    He jumped back raising the chunk of metal that constituted as his self-defense weapon. The moon had emerged in the time that he had spoken with Tsuhara, and illuminated the streets. He saw in his hands how his weapon had an abnormal bend in it ¨C The blade had been one centimeter away from splitting in half and letting that first slash lop off Alisson¡¯s head.


    Just what had power to cut through two walls and a finely crafted blade like this? It had been a horizontal slash, not a bomb.


    He got his answer when a figure leapt from the destroyed building in the seconds thereafter. They stood up, across the road from Alisson, illuminated by the moonlight.


    They wore a traditional white mask, made to resemble a fox¡¯s head, with flowing red lines across its surface. This obscured the person¡¯s face; but not the long red lochs of hair that flowed in the wind behind them; or the similarly colored fox ears atop their head; or the tails at their back. They wore armor befitting a Kitsune swordsman, a long robe and hakama adorned with plates of armor of protection across it. These were not metal like typical armor, but the Kitsune¡¯s unique style. Their attire was crimson and white in color.


    They laid their hands on the weapon sheathed at their hip, and prepared to draw it, staring down Alisson.


    Behind them, expanded nine tails.


    Alisson couldn¡¯t have found a more conspicuous looking Kitsune if he tried. It was obvious who had struck him; The Crimson Swordsman. The ardent sword of the Queendom. Alisson glanced at their weapon. Or perhaps more aptly, the ardent katana. He didn¡¯t know exactly their position in society, whether they were a mercenary or some kind of chivalrous warrior, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    Alisson sunk deep into his stance, resting his blade over his elbow. Alisson was familiar with Kitsune iajitsu, their quick draw techniques; But he¡¯d never seen them in action before.


    Just then Tsuhara leapt down from the building, flourishing between her fingers, wooden talisman. These Alisson knew to be imbued with a variety of deadly spells.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alisson. Your execution was ordered by the Queen herself. If you give up, we¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t feel any pain ¨C The Kensei is skilled in decapitation.¡± Tsuhara said, gritting her teeth, not in anger, but in pain.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes lightened with realization. The Queen had ordered this. He loosened his stance and stood erect. ¡°I understand now.¡± His shoulders fell loosely.


    ¡°What!? Alisson, this isn¡¯t the time for this! She can cut you in half where you stand!¡± Tsuhara hissed.


    He bobbed his head in understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll set everything straight. I¡¯m going to speak with Queen Tsuhagara.¡±


    ¡°You think we¡¯d just allow that!?¡± Tsuhara spat. ¡°You just want to assassinate her!¡±


    Alisson dropped his weapon onto the road. It wasn¡¯t very useful anymore anyways.


    ¡°I suppose the both of you would try to stop me in the matter.¡± Alisson retorted and raised an arm up.


    Luckily for him, another killing intent, another force, another whirlwind of pure power and rage had been building behind him for some time now. One that was fully equipped for combat.


    He swiped his hand across the two of them. ¡°Celis!¡±


    Instantly, a flash of blue erupted into the two of them with an earsplitting cry.


    Alisson couldn¡¯t make out too well what happened next, but he saw Tsuhara lifted by her collar and thrown into a nearby building as if she were a rag. A flurry of attacks left the ¡®Kensei¡¯, that was, the Crimson Swordsman, and Celis, in a cloud of dust, sparks, and magical explosions.


    Alisson turned and began to dash away, toward the royal palace.


    Keep them busy for me, Celis.


    ¡­


    THEY DARE ATTACK ALISSON!? THEY DARE BETRAY HIS TRUST!? THESE DAMN FOXES WILL KNOW HELL!


    I stared down the Crimson Swordsman at the other end of the road from me. They had been forced to evade my initial barrage. They took their hands off their sheathed blade, making apparent that they were going to try to go after Alisson.


    I sheathed my stilettos, which were still simmering from the first magic attack I unleashed with them.


    I drew the baselards mounted at my wrists, and charged forward at the Crimson Swordsman, letting out another howl of rage into the air from my lungs.


    ***

 16. By Which Nations Would Fall

    The royal palace was not meant to be a place that one could stroll into.


    Alisson made his way inside through various means, trying not to cause a commotion. He could use the invisibility spell, but only for a short time, as he had no items to fortify his meager Nekomata mana supply. This was enough for him to breach the outer perimeter, carefully avoiding guards where he went. Now that he was inside however, he simply walked with confidence toward the Queen¡¯s personal abode. He shed his cloak, and simply told people that he was supposed to be there. Some didn¡¯t buy it, but they were easily dealt with and made unconscious.


    It didn¡¯t seem that the Queendom¡¯s garrison ever foresaw such a brazen maneuver. It didn¡¯t help that if Alisson were fully equipped and ready to shed blood, he could flatten the royal palace ¨C The strongest Kitsune the Queen had to guard her was already being tied down by Celis. Alisson could sometimes hear explosions and rumbles, faintly in the distance, only perceivable by the ears that fluttered sensitively atop his head, which he had used to great effect in aiding his infiltration.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he was in front of the Queen¡¯s throne room, or whatever name the Kitsune had for it. There was a lack of guards here. Alisson pushed open the doors to find them unlocked. The chamber inside was far brighter than the dark outside, as if the walls themselves pulsed with light. In the middle of the room, at the end of a long walkway, was whom Alisson could only assume to be Queen Tsuhagara, sat at an elevated position on a comfortable looking mat.


    Alisson began striding toward her as the doors slowly closed.


    ¡°You would allow me to walk this hallowed ground?¡± Alisson asked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t slay any of the guards here, you came quietly, and unarmed. I figured you were either a weakling, or that you meant no harm. That is to say, that when you realized that I meant to kill you, you sought me out for peace, and I am quite intrigued by that line of reasoning¡­So, why have you come?¡±


    The Queen responded in a syrupy voice, fitting of her buxom and mature body. She was adorned in a simple robe, apparel which did little to hide her cleavage. Nine tails to Alisson¡¯s count; just like the Crimson Swordsman. Alisson stopped before the elevated platform that the Queen was sat, but did not kneel.


    ¡°In truth, I wanted to meet with you from the moment I set foot in the city for far different reasons than those you might now assume, given the context of the day.¡± Alisson began. ¡°But a certain event made it clear that I needed to converse with you now rather than later; lest I risk more harm done for no good reason.¡±


    The Queen gave a purr of intrigue. ¡°Let me ask you definitively, Alisson Vi Nuam, do you come here to slay me? I thought you to be the overconfident one, that you would guess that a Queen like me would be helpless¡­¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡°As I understand it, all nine-tailed Kitsune are made to pass a rite of combat. You are undoubtedly a strong foe in some way, even being as unarmed as I am. Unfortunately, I would humbly consider myself a formidable opponent all the same.¡± Alisson shook his head. ¡°But, combat is not why I come. I would not attempt to slay the head of a people on such meager whims, nor any of their leaders for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Surely you are aware, Alisson, that I have written an order for your death. Do you not hold this over me?¡±


    Alisson shook his head, and stared into the Queen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I think I know why you have chosen, or rather been provoked, into going through with this¡­In truth, it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with today, does it?¡±


    The Queen wore a small smile that was hard to decipher, but said nothing, so Alisson continued,


    ¡°You saw an argument erupt in your cabinet, and saw a way to curry favor with people on all sides; by doing something you were going to do anyway. Before I continue, may I be assured that this room is private?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nekomata boy¡­Nothing leaves this room.¡±


    Alisson took a deep breath. His heart was beating quickly, and adrenaline pulsed through him. ¡°The reason you committed to kill me, it was because the Lady Sidonia had asked you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    The Queen¡¯s smile broke larger. ¡°Oh my¡­What makes you say that?¡±


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°I know the two of you have been in close contact, as well as with Seraph Michaela, and have formed a strong bond in the face of the threats facing your nations¡­¡±


    ¡°I only desire the prosperity and protection of my people ¨C But, yes, being a part of a trifecta of female autocrats unified against Irine would certainly help.¡±


    ¡°Because of your alliance with the Lady, you would take her at her word if she said that I, Alisson Vi Nuam, was a threat to both Sidonia and the Queendom. Or that I was heretic that needed to be dealt with, if circumstance permitted. Is that more or less what she told you?¡±


    The Queen stared into Alisson¡¯s eyes. ¡°Before I decide to answer, tell me, what reason do you have to believe that your Lady would even consider betraying and disposing of one of her own; a loyal and powerful servant such as yourself, no less¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen it happen before.¡± Alisson clenched his fist tightly.


    ¡°Oh? Do indulge me, I¡¯d like to hear everything you have to say¡­¡±


    ¡°I plan to lay all my cards on the table for you to see, your majesty.¡± The Queen smirked, happy to hear that from Alisson apparently, and he continued after a deep breath, ¡°First, I want to tell you about why I believe the attack earlier today took place. My¡­mate, Celistine Regadonia, had a brother that I believe to have been a high-ranking member of a movement against the Lady Sidonia, us Sidonians would call them heretics. About twenty years ago, the Lady Sidonia knowingly allowed the Regadonian Keep to be sacked, and with it fell the Regadonian family, all of them innocent, save her brother, Rickard Aud Regadonia. He and Celis were the only two to survive, and Rickard took the opportunity to fake his death, and live a life in the shadows as a heretic, and Celis was believed to be the sole survivor by the world.¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°I slew Rickard not months ago. As such, the heretics want me dead. Which is why I believe the earlier bombing today took place ¨C They wanted to frame me. I know not if they have connections within your cabinet, but I would take heed all the same, for I do not know what their current motives or plans are.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, your Lady allowed a keep to be attacked, and an innocent family was slaughtered¡­Your mate almost being included¡­Is this why you believe her to dispose of you now?¡±


    Alisson waved his hand. ¡°Far from it. That¡¯s just one fact. The very fact that I am able to accuse Lady Sidonia of ordering my death is in itself one of the reasons why she wants me dead. I have recently had a string of discoveries that have led me to deep introspection about the Lady Sidonia and my own loyalty therein. The Lady probably never thought of me and Celis as large issues, and thought nothing of disposing us¡­By surviving, I believe we have been elevated from fruit-flies to nuisances. That is to say, she still does not believe we provide a real threat to her and her regime. I intend to keep it that way.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Queen smirked. ¡°Is this the part where you tell me that you¡¯re really a heretic anyway?¡±


    Alisson looked down. ¡°By my country¡¯s definition, yes. They would execute me if they heard the words I now speak. But make no mistake.¡± He looked up to the Queen. ¡°I do not associate myself with those fools. Their methods are disgusting.¡±


    ¡°It appears that you are in quite the hard place then, Alisson Vi Nuam. If what you have said is true, then everyone is an enemy to you. You are alone.¡±


    Alisson fell silent for a moment. ¡°¡­Yes. It¡¯s just me and Celis. The only other person to be made aware of our predicament, would be you, Queen Tsuhagara.¡±


    ¡°What exactly would you do if I told you that the decision to put you to death was solely my own? And what if I relayed to the Lady the words that you spoke to me?¡±


    Alisson looked down, his fist tightening. ¡°I would respect your decision, and I would leave. I would be exiled from both nations, and I would need to gather my strength in obscurity.¡±


    The Queen looked slyly down at Alisson.


    ¡°Well then, Alisson, it¡¯s quite a gamble you¡¯re taking right now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I was never a betting man, but circumstances have forced my hand.¡±


    The Queen continued on smirking at him, ¡°What if I told you Sidonia did happen to send a letter informing me that you were a Nekomata that was of sly tongue and charisma, and would make up any number of stories to paint himself as a tragic hero, and that he was really a deceitful and chaotic bundle of hatred, a heretic down to the bone.¡±


    Alisson grit his teeth. ¡°Then I would tell you that I do not believe that the zealous nature of our people, human and Nekomata, can be justified by serving the greater good that is the Lady Sidonia. I would tell you that I plan to oppose her.¡± He clenched his hands. ¡°And that I intend to win.¡±


    He looked up to her. ¡°And then, I would ask of your support, when the time comes.¡±


    The Queen grinned at Alisson. ¡°Come hither, and sit.¡±


    The Queen pet her lap. Alisson took another deep breath, and realized his heart was beating quickly. This was not only a gamble, but an exposure of things he¡¯d kept bottled up ever since learning about them. Alisson accepted the Queen¡¯s offer, and mounted the elevated platform the Queen was on, where a couple mats for meeting were laid out. He slowly sunk down onto one of them.


    ¡°Alisson, I offered you a seat¡­¡±


    The Queen continued to pet her lap. Alisson frowned, blushing. ¡°I am a dignified man speaking of a serious issue, I would prefer you do not trivialize my resolve.¡±


    The Queen smiled. ¡°But you¡¯re also a scared young boy, wary of repercussions and beset on all sides by enemies. You don¡¯t catch a break, and you never ask for one either; that¡¯s what kind of person you are¡­Please, it is rude to deny me further.¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡°Then consider me rude.¡±


    ¡°Fine then...¡± She acquiesced.


    Alisson couldn¡¯t tell whether her request was coming from a place of genuine care or that Kitsune mischief he had grown all-to-accustomed to. It seemed it was in the Kitsune blood to soothe tension through one¡¯s body, either through a bath, or through physical contact. Alisson couldn¡¯t say he disliked the idea.


    ¡°Then come hither, and swear that all you have said has been true.¡±


    She extended her hand at Alisson. He came closer, and knelt, taking her hand. ¡°I swear it.¡± He looked into her eyes for a moment, before placing a kiss upon her hand.


    ¡°Then, Alisson, consider us allies.¡± She spoke softly. ¡°There are many specifics I would like to hear, but I believe you to be true, and just, in your actions and words.¡±


    Alisson let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Then¡­Is it true? Was I right?¡± Alisson peered up at the Queen.


    She had a small, melancholic smile. ¡°Yes, Alisson. Sidonia labeled you a heretic. I apologize for treating your life with so little value.¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°I understand the position you have been placed in, I hold no malice over you.¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°Now that I have your word, I can speak upon deeper secrets.¡±


    The Queen listened intently with that little smile of hers.


    Alisson started after a deep breath, ¡°Let¡¯s begin by addressing the fact that there is a second Sidonian unit operating in the city¡­¡±


    The night continued. Words were exchanged by which nations would fall.


    ¡­


    The sun would be rising soon. Him and Celis reconvened on a beach outside the city, and watched the ocean as he filled her in. Partway through his conversation with the Queen, she had given orders to the Crimson Swordsman to cease aggression, and Celis warily followed suit.


    Apparently, the Crimson Swordsman had offered Celis a shot of sake in the moments after their battle, to which she accepted. The Swordsman had thrown down the glass, shattering it, and Celis followed suit, not understanding what it meant. He had to tell Celis that the Swordsman had recognized Celis as a formidable ally for the future.


    ¡°Everything that¡¯s happened tonight will be covered up.¡± Alisson said quietly as they stood, overlooking the starry night. ¡°You did well, Celis. I believe I achieved our main goals in being here.¡±


    Celis peered up at him, listening intently.


    ¡°The Queen has taken measure of my character, and deemed our cause worthy. She has granted us various permissions, among them the ability to visit their most sacred archives, and to ascertain the Moonlight Cannon.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Celis asked warily. ¡°Will she protect us from Sidonia?¡±


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of being protected. I made a comprehensive agreement with the Queen. She only stands to gain, and is at little risk of harm. It is simply a pledge of support for the future. That is to say, that if we fail here, she loses nothing, and nothing changes for her country, and she will continue to be allied to Sidonia. This is despite being told of all of Sidonia¡¯s little secrets from which our Lady would want none to hear.¡±


    ¡°So then¡­What do we have to do?¡±


    ¡°The Queendom is in no place for drastic action with Irine about.¡± Alisson tightened his fist. ¡°We agreed upon a human-first policy; That is to say, the threat of the humans must be dealt with before we bring our ire to Sidonia.¡± Alisson looked out across the water. ¡°The Irine Principality¡­must be destroyed.¡±


    ¡°¡­What!? Alisson, that¡¯s one of the three largest human nations! We can¡¯t do that on our own!¡±


    ¡°Not on our own, no. We will need an army. The plans for the future in my head are beginning to shape and form, I think I know how I can take command of an army, and use it to bring Irine to bear.¡±


    ¡°But Sidonia won¡¯t promote you to be a general, she wants to get rid of us¡­¡±


    ¡°No, but you don¡¯t have to be a general to lead an army.¡± Alisson retorted. ¡°The Queen informed me that the Holy Angelic Country of Angela will most likely give me the same response. That is to say, I must meet with Seraph Michaela in the near future to formalize our agreement, and I will similarly tell her my intentions to bring Irine to its knees.¡±


    The two stood in silence as the sun began to rise over the ocean, hearing the tides crashing against the coast.


    ¡°Are you scared, Celis?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am¡­¡± She pouted. ¡°Are you?¡±


    Alisson smiled. ¡°More than I have ever been in my life.¡±


    He had dedicated his entire life in service to his Lady, to his nation, to his people, and now, he had taken the first step in openly opposing them. This was for himself and Celis, for his kin, for the betterment of the world. Alisson told himself this, but he knew that there was no greater drug for man to invent than that of a righteous cause for violence. He would tell others it was for the world, that Sidonia needed to be ousted, that she was a threat to all of the Nekomata, but in reality, it was all just so that he and Celis could have a peaceful future.


    ¡°It feels like in comparison to tonight, the rest of our threats here in the Queendom are pitiful¡­¡± Alisson remarked. ¡°The purge of Irinian assets will begin within the week; and the separatists and the heretics are sure to try to do something to stop us. After that¡­We will wait as Irine makes their reaction to our operation known; They may even invade the Queendom outright as result.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make the Queen not want us to kill all the Irinians here¡­?¡±


    ¡°She resolved that it would happen one way or another. She has already been assured by our Lady that in the event of an invasion, the Sidonian 5<sup>th</sup> and 6<sup>th</sup> armies will make a renewed push, and attempt to aid the Queendom. The ensuing chaos may be a boon to help further cloak our movements.¡±


    He turned, and began to walk from the beach. It was time to return to the embassy.


    They arrived to find bodies around the perimeter. The embassy had been attacked.


    ***

 17. My Little Escort

    Alisson¡¯s precautionary move had proved invaluable. Those within the embassy were unharmed, the apprentices included. They entered to find a scared pair of Marenix and Ashlynde, hugging each other tightly in their room. The envoys within were also shaken.


    What had been Alisson¡¯s defense? He¡¯d called for Ardinand to send some of his men to defend the embassy, since he¡¯d planned on taking Celis anyway for protection, plainly lying to Tsuhara that he wouldn¡¯t. Ardinand¡¯s men did their job. They left the premises in the morning discretely; that was to say, that only the Sidonians and the attackers knew that they had been there. The Kistune guards outside the embassy were not so fortunate.


    The attackers must have seen Celis and himself depart, and took the opportunity to strike. However, upon seeing the veteran Nekomata within, they decided to withdraw. Their actions pointed toward only one suspect; The heretics. The bombing must have been a way to isolate the Nekomata elements in the city, and destroy them piecemeal.


    Their plan had failed. But the murders of the guards outside combined with the unharmed embassy residents would cause suspicion.


    That was to say, Alisson was pulled into law council to give information about both events. Or, he would¡¯ve. He left that job to one of the envoys in his company, who were infinitely better at speaking without saying anything than he was. His meeting with the Queen and the assassination attempt had all been covered up, and with the Queen looking out for him now, Alisson didn¡¯t think he needed to worry about getting into any legal trouble anymore.


    The days after felt light and carefree. It was now a waiting game until the day that Ardinand¡¯s team enacted what they had been preparing all this time. Tsuhara met with them, and on her hands and knees, apologized. Alisson could only smile and tell her to raise her head. The Queen must have told her about what transpired.


    He had another visitor that did not bring such amiable feelings. Captain Versatsu.


    In a room empty save a table and chairs, Alisson and him spoke privately, as had been requested.


    ¡°So Alisson, you¡¯ve gotten yourself into a whole host of trouble, haven¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Alisson remained silent, and Versatsu smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to negotiate.¡± His face straightened. ¡°The separatists want you gone. I can¡¯t guarantee your safety here at this embassy, especially with original guards having been mysteriously dispatched¡­¡±


    ¡°An unfortunate occurrence.¡± Alisson replied, but before he could continue, Versatsu cut him off,


    ¡°Yes, yes, all result of these ¡®heretics¡¯ you and yours keep prattling on about. We both know that the legal council that you sent a stand in for is just political theater.¡±


    Alisson straightened his posture slightly, and frowned. It seemed this was something more than just a stupid social call.


    ¡°Me and the garrison have been hard at work, and I believe we¡¯ve secured a private little meeting where you and some separatists can settle your differences, outside of the protection of the garrison. You understand? Otherwise, they might just break into this place and cause all sorts of unnecessary bloodshed and bring unwanted attention.¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°I understand. That would be bad for the both of us. I¡¯ll agree to meet with them. Are there any conditions they imposed?¡±


    Versatsu grinned. ¡°Just keep it quiet. They ain¡¯t doing this with the Queen¡¯s blessing, you see. Oh, but there is one thing¡­¡± Versatsu clenched his hand. ¡°My benefactors would like a small down payment to guarantee your cooperation¡­That Nekomata girl with the dark blue hair¡­¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Alisson stared at Versatsu with a blank expression. ¡°You want a hostage.¡±


    Versatsu smiled greedily. ¡°That¡¯s a extreme way to put it, but sure. Just think of it as a little escort duty.¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°Very well. Come by tonight. I¡¯ll require something to put them unconscious, you understand.¡±


    ¡°We can provide that. I¡¯ll send some people to come collect at sunset.¡±


    Versatsu gave a deep, self-satisfied smile to Alisson, who only looked on with a small frown.


    With the deal having been made, Versatsu told him the date and location of the meeting. It was tomorrow in the early morning; The day that the hammer would fall on the city, the day that Ardinand¡¯s team would strike. When he finally saw Versatsu out, Alisson exhaled heavily. The separatists were clueless fools in arranging this.


    They were growing anxious. They might not have consciously realized it, but they felt the pressure and danger growing, and like animals caught in a shrinking cage, the suffocation was making them act rashly.


    ¡°Alisson¡­Are you okay?¡±


    Celis looked at him with concern, and he broke into a small smile upon seeing her face.


    ¡°Yes. We have need of Utsuru. Bring her here.¡±


    Celis frowned, but did as she was told.


    Utsuru was none the wiser. He had one of the envoys cut her hair to Celis¡¯s likeness; she thought this was just to get her presentable to him for the night. When Versatsu¡¯s men arrived, they had with them a special kind of drug. One that their ilk were used to employing. He offered Utsuru a drink tainted with it, and she was out cold in the moments thereafter. He personally carried her to the back door of the embassy, and left them in the hospitality of the Versatsu¡¯s garrison soldiers, who probably didn¡¯t even know what they were doing for him.


    Alisson watched as they carried Utsuru away into the darkening night with dull eyes. He knew nothing bad would come to Utsuru, but to do such a thing to an unsuspecting girl, who shared Celis¡¯s likeness no less, left him with a well in his stomach.


    Celis. Keep her safe. Even if she¡¯s just your stand in.


    I will¡­But only because you told me to. Ah¡­Ashlynde¡¯s lagging behind¡­


    Celis was bitter about the arrangement, clearly. He spotted a blur move across a nearby rooftop, following Versatsu¡¯s men. Celis would both keep the bait safe, and see where they would take her to. Come the morning, Celis would exfiltrate Utsuru, and destroy any separatist elements nearby. It was akin to rats taking poisoned food back to their nest.


    Alisson glanced at the rising moon. There was one last thing that needed to be done before tomorrow. He withdrew a business card, examining an official address. It was time to plant a little seed of debt for the far future.


    ¡­


    The Seishin shrine at this hour in the night was empty and still. The wind blew heavily, and slight trickle of rain fell from above. Alisson sat before one of the thuribles in the shrine, a couple sticks of incense burning from its suspended bowl. With his eyes closed in thought, he could easily hear the unsteady and unrefined steps of the man who entered the shrine behind him.


    ¡°So you uh¡­Like sitting out in shrines during the nights¡­? Not the weirdest hobby but¡­¡± It was Ilodith spoke up behind him. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the urgency?¡±


    ¡°Listen closely.¡±


    Ilodith came to a stop and said nothing behind Alisson.


    ¡°Tomorrow, a hammer will strike flint and the sparks will ignite a raging flame, the kindling Irine has prepared so generously will be set ablaze.¡± Alisson opened his eyes slowly. ¡°A feeling of overwhelming danger seemed to take you over the night before, and when everyone looked in the morning, you and yours had fled the city. Do you understand?¡±


    Ilodith was quiet for a moment. ¡°I¡­I see¡­¡± He started, though took a few more moments to process the implications of Alisson¡¯s words. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this, Alisson Vi Nuam.¡±


    Alisson heard him clench his fist.


    ¡°Good business can benefit all. Irine¡¯s capital of Penthreigin will have pressing ventures that we¡¯ll both see to when the time comes. Now, your midnight stroll is over. Go.¡±


    Ilodith nodded despite Alisson not looking at him and he turned and fled the shrine. Alisson stared into the burning incense before him. Foulness to defeat foulness. It all left a bad feeling in his belly.


    ¡°I suppose guilt is a new feeling I¡¯ll have to get used to.¡±


    Alisson said to himself. He looked to side, deeper into the shrine, where within a tangle of flora, a set of eyes stared back at him.


    ***

 18. To the Wolves

    ¡°This is giving me a bad feeling¡­¡±


    Marenix said, eyeing the surrounding buildings as he followed Alisson. It was early in the morning, and there was only a little activity around.


    ¡°Then you have a good instinct. Just stay near me. This may be a valuable learning experience.¡±


    Alisson responded, striding forward toward a large building before them. A couple of Kitsune were at the front, and patted them down for weapons and armor before they entered. As Alisson had agreed with Versatsu, he didn¡¯t bring anything, only his apprentice. They entered to find a large room wherein a group of men stood, facing them, armed. At the head of the procession stood Versatsu, his arms crossed. The men behind him were not the diplomatic type that Alisson had been promised; these were muscle.


    Alisson kept his stride until he was a mere meter before Versatsu, which seemed to make the men in his company flinch a little.


    ¡°You bought me out here, so what will it be?¡± Alisson started. ¡°It doesn¡¯t appear you have many orators among your ranks for discussion.¡±


    ¡°Alisson, you should know I¡¯m a sweet talker all the same¡­¡±


    Alisson averted his eyes, already bored. ¡°Using clich¨¦d lines with prostitutes isn¡¯t a skill.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a happily married man thank you very much!¡± Versatsu puffed out his chest. ¡°With kits on the way¡­That reminds me, you haven¡¯t gotten around to claiming that mate of yours¡­right?¡±


    Versatsu grinned at him.


    ¡°Enough of this small talk. Irinian or Kitsune, your type never ceases to create issues and words where none existed.¡± Alisson crossed his arms, taking a deep breath.


    ¡°Hey, hey¡­It¡¯s just a warning, considering what¡¯s probably happening to her¡­She might already be bearing someone else¡¯s kits¡­You understand?¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. An idea surfaced in his head, and he let his arms fall loosely to his sides.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean to say?¡±


    Alisson asked with trepidation. Marenix looked up at him with eyes of fear.


    ¡°You know what I mean, Alisson¡­Let¡¯s cut the bullshit.¡± Versatsu raised hand and motioned for his men to close in on Alisson and his apprentice. They formed a circle quickly. ¡°I did some digging about you and that girl, Alisson¡­I couldn¡¯t find anything about her, but I¡¯m going to assume she¡¯s your mate¡­What kind of guy just throws their mate to the wolves like that? After all, you don¡¯t seem to be a very popular guy¡­¡±


    Versatsu kept talking, and the men kept drawing nearer, weapons at the ready, while Alisson remained motionless.


    ¡°¡­To the wolves¡­What do you mean?¡±


    Versatsu sighed and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t gotta act aloof with me, Alisson. It¡¯s obvious. You threw a little body double to the wolves instead. But you know what that equates to? A mighty fine bait for the real thing.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s hands clenched. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your implying¡­¡± He spoke through his teeth.


    ¡°Give up. Celis has been caught and soon you¡¯ll join her.¡± Versatsu raised a finger at Alisson. ¡°You¡¯re something a whirlwind of destruction¡­Or so the rumors say¡­But I know you¡¯re not invincible.¡± Versatsu frowned, continuing, ¡°I know the truth. It¡¯s just calculated risks and stage play for you. You lost to Lady Salchyon in a one-on-one duel back in your homeland¡­And she¡¯s an idiot. You¡¯re not all that strong in a fight. Without your fancy weapon, your team, you¡¯re just like us¡­¡±


    Alisson remained silent for a long while, his fist shaking as it clenched.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? A fluffy Kitsune tail got your tongue?¡± Versatsu asked.


    ¡°Celis is¡­Celis is going to be ok¡­¡±


    Alisson muttered to himself.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what it is¡­Sorry to break it to you Alisson, but it¡¯s all over for her. Killing you here and now would probably be a mercy instead of letting you see her again. Someone needed to replace all those clients that tailless Kitsune could have been servicing¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­no¡­¡±


    ¡°M-master?¡± Marenix shakily asked. ¡°Are¡­you okay?¡± Marenix tugged on Alisson¡¯s side, but he was met with no response.


    ¡°Pfft¡­He¡¯s broken now. Mages, at the ready. Men, move in.¡±


    Versatsu commanded. A couple men behind him raised their arms up, spells at the ready, hands pointed at Alisson.


    Alisson moved quickly enough to surprise the nearest man, grabbing the sword out of his hands. He ran toward Versatsu with unstable steps, raising the sword in a slow, wide motion.


    Versatsu cracked into a grin, already moving to dodge the attack.


    ¡­


    This is bad, this is really bad¡­I think Alisson has totally lost it. I shut my eyes tightly. They were getting closer now. Should I do something¡­? Run? Fight back? Alisson said to just stick near him so¡­I¡­I need to trust him! I need to believe in my master! But¡­My legs tensed as the thought to run grew in my mind.


    Before I could make up my mind, Alisson moved in a blur, grabbing a sword from the nearest thug and running at Versatsu. I broke into a smile.


    Then, something my eyes couldn¡¯t follow happened. I thought Alisson had moved fast at first, in grabbing that sword but¡­This was different. The motions Alisson made beforehand were like he was moving in gelatin in comparison.


    In the next moment, Alisson¡¯s foot slammed into Versatsu jaw, having dropped the sword. He brought Versatsu head straight into the ground with his leg, and planted his boot on his forehead.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    He leaned in close to Versatsu head, like a predator examining its freshly caught prey. Versatsu was still conscious, wincing, shaking, and about to call out when Alisson stood and kicked his foot into Versatsu¡¯s head for a second time, finally knocking the large Kitsune unconscious.


    ¡°Alisson watch ou-!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t able to finish my sentence when the mages that had been at Versatsu¡¯s backside unleashed their spells. Alisson waved his hand and used one of his barrier spells. A blue film stopped the overwhelming barrage for only a moment, but it was enough time for Alisson slip around the spells and rush toward the mages with inhuman speed. Within a second, they were on the ground. In a flash he lifted a sword from the mages, pointing it at the rest of the men, who were in shock like me at my sides.


    ¡°You still wish to fight?¡± Alisson muttered.


    One finally broke out of their trance and thrusted their sword at me. I thought I was already dead, but before I could even close my eyes to wince to preparation for the pain, Alisson¡¯s fist blew into the aggressor¡¯s jaw, and he fell limply toward the ground. The sound Alisson¡¯s fist made was like an explosion, I could have never imagined such a sound from a punch. Alisson grabbed the scruff of my neck and threw me to safety. I rolled across the floor like a useless sack of potatoes¡­


    I could hear screams and cuts as I shook my head and looked up at Alisson, getting my bearings.


    But the fight was already over by the time I laid eyes on him.


    ¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­You¡­Master¡­¡±


    I looked on at Alisson in awe. He looked away with a frown. ¡°Mongrels. Common trash like this is not something to boast about having toppled.¡±


    ¡°But stripped of your weapons, surrounded and put at such a disadvantage¡­And what about Celis¡­? Shouldn¡¯t we go save her and Ashlynde!?¡±


    Alisson broke into a smile. The room was still other than the two of us. He looked out the lone window, beaming the early morning sun into our faces. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need to worry about them, Marenix. Come. The loyalists will be here shortly to place these men under arrest.¡±


    Alisson stepped over the large body of Versatsu and walked toward the door. I followed, my mouth furrowed. ¡°Why arrested? They¡¯re bad people¡­why did you¡­Not kill them?¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°Senseless murder gets us nowhere. If they are to die, let their own people and laws do it. They are lucky that I had the strength to spare them.¡±


    ¡°But what if¡­They all just get released from jail¡­? I thought the legal courts here were all stacked with Irinian sympathizers¡­¡±


    We exited the building, and Alisson looked at the surrounding buildings. ¡°That will no longer be the case after today.¡± He rose a hand and pointed toward one of the towers off in the distance, while withdrawing a pocket watch that ticked loudly when he opened it.


    ¡°If our comrades are on schedule¡­¡±


    A row of detonations suddenly circled and crawled up the building, causing it to start collapsing instantly. I heard the explosions a moment thereafter, and stepped back, my mouth agape.


    I swallowed heavily. So that¡¯s what it looks like¡­


    ¡°With this, the Queen makes her verdict known. We are now responsible for passing judgement.¡±


    ¡­


    That day would live on in infamy in Irinian history, and in pride in Kitsune history. Buildings were brought down, men were chased through the streets, quietly picked off by assassins or ran through with spears by dozens of kitsune, workers rebelled against their bosses, bosses rebelled against their workers, families were suddenly fractured, wives were separated from their husbands, and human-kitsune half breeds were taken away. Alisson did what he could to stop the bleeding.


    But the buildings being evacuated didn¡¯t stop the people who had evacuated them from simply being killed on the streets, or rounded up and sent to the newly made pens for holding prisoners. Things gradually settled as the night fell, though there was still blood to spill in the city, and his comrades would work diligently through the night.


    ¡°So Celis, how went your tasks?¡±


    Celis bobbed her head. ¡°All according to plan.¡±


    ¡°And of Utsuru?¡±


    Celis averted her eyes. Alisson tilted his head with a frown.


    ¡°I knew you would give me that look¡­So I kept her safe. She¡¯s fine. But¡­She¡¯s a little, er¡­Traumatized.¡±


    ¡°To be expected.¡± Alisson nodded in understanding.


    In the days following, the city became unrecognizable. A public execution would be held for the Kitsune who turned their backs on the Queen. They were branded traitors, and there was no longer any sympathy remaining for them. Humans were simply rounded up and killed. The underlying rage at the defilement of their culture had finally boiled over. Many Kitsune opposed the bloodshed, but in the face of being labeled a traitor, they kept their mouths shut, or were perhaps taken over in the bloodlust like the rest of their kin.


    Within only a few days, the Queendom had spiraled into radicalization. Where once there were factions of political thought, now there was only one way to act. Absolute loyalty to the Queen. It wasn¡¯t too dissimilar from the situation in Sidonia. He didn¡¯t think the Queen and her loyalists would go this far, but the push of the Nekomata toward radical action probably didn¡¯t help.


    For all that talk that Tsuhara gave about doing things democratically, and without blood, they certainly didn¡¯t seem remorseful at this outcome.


    Alisson sat at a balcony at a table with prominent loyalists and Ardinand. In the street below, the gallows hosted the executions. The loyalists raised glasses to the Nekomata, having been told of their involvement and efforts to help them, and now him and Ardinand were welcomed as heroes; All prior suspicions and doubts had evaporated, and Ardinand¡¯s shadowy movements had been forgiven and ignored.


    Alisson raised a glass of wine all the same, but didn¡¯t drink anything. He looked out across the gallows below with an uninterested frown. On one hand, it was all senseless killing¡­But on the other, Alisson sympathized with the Kitsune. He probably would feel the exact same if his people had been in this position; These traitors and humans deserved this to a degree.


    ¡°This grace period will be fleeting, but I don¡¯t think the Kitsune realize that yet.¡±


    Ardinand spoke up behind Alisson, leaning over the balcony with him to watch the street below.


    ¡°Has there been any word from Sidonia?¡± Alisson asked.


    ¡°The 5<sup>th</sup> is still on standby, and Irinian assets are still immobile. It¡¯s only a matter of time until they marshal armies to storm the Queendom. Whether or not the Kitsune can hold on their own until the 5<sup>th</sup> arrives, is the gamble this time.¡±


    Alisson nodded. With Sidonia¡¯s strategies there was always a gamble.


    ¡°Barring something crazy,¡± Ardinand continued, ¡°We¡¯re to wait in the Queendom, hold down the fort, and help them where we can.¡±


    Ardinand was about to continue when the cries of a man below cut him off. The next Kitsune shoved onto the gallows was a familiar one. The no-longer-captain Versatsu.


    ¡°You fools! All of you!¡± He looked around like a wild animal. ¡°Irine will kill you all! Why forfeit peace and prosperity for war!? The tides of time will prove you wrong!¡±


    Nobody around seemed to pay any mind to his words. Alisson stared on dully.


    ¡°Pride is a fool¡¯s vice! The Queen will lead you all to hell! She and Sidonia are warmongers! Tyrants! Can you not see that!? You are giving up a republic in favor of a dictatorship!¡±


    He was struggling with the guards to be tied up, so instead they pushed him onto his knees, and a headsman approached, readying a large axe.


    ¡°You will drown in blood like you drown in your own ignorance! I didn¡¯t raise my kits to die for your wars damn it!¡±


    He kept struggling until the axe fell, and his head rolled across the gallows floor. With that, the executions came to a close.


    ¡°Overall, I think it¡¯s a good job we¡¯ve done, Alisson. Mission accomplished.¡± Ardinand flashed a smile at Alisson. Alisson tepidly returned the smile to his comrade, and Ardinand continued, ¡°The only hiccup were a few escapees, it looks like one of the nobles caught wind of the plan, and fled with a chunk of his men the day of. That¡¯s probably why Versatsu had so few men when he tried to ambush you. I just wonder how they could¡¯ve known¡­Not like anyone tipped him off or anything¡­¡±


    Ardinand idly mused.


    ¡°Another question that may be lost to time.¡± Alisson spoke softly, looking out over Versatsu¡¯s limp body down below.


    ***

 19. Tales of Afar

    ¡°Here we are! Queen Theratsu¡¯s Library! Otherwise known as our oldest archives¡­¡±


    Tsuhara said proudly, twirling a key chain around a finger.


    As agreed, Alisson had been given permission to browse the old knowledge of the Kitsune. That was one of the two great boons the Queen would be bestowing on them. The second, was the Moonlight Cannon.


    Before him was a library that was as old as the nation itself. It rested somewhere under the royal palace, as Alisson had needed to walk several flights of stairs down into the earth, through guard checkpoints and magical barriers. He had brought along Celis and the apprentices, but for good reason. The library was vast, one pair of eyes wouldn¡¯t be enough to find what he was looking for.


    ¡°Thank you, Tsuhara. We¡¯ll notify the guards when we are finished, though I suspect we may spend the day here.¡±


    Tsuhara nodded happily, though would stay for some time. Alisson approached a nearby reading table and motioned for Celis and the apprentices to come near. He withdrew a notepad from which he had listed some topics.


    ¡°Spread out, find me any texts on the people of Sabasa. In the same vein, I hear the only books on slimes and dragons are here as well. Go.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, his posse nodded and dispersed. He had some time to contemplate in the quiet library. The shelves here were tall, their construction was clearly ancient. There were some layers of dust over books which were so thick that he couldn¡¯t make out the binding of the texts; It felt wrong to disturb even the dust here. The candles had been relit by them as well, at the bases of the candles were large piles of melted wax. There were loose sheafs of paper, perhaps left by previous patrons of the library that contained notes of various intelligibility.


    He spent the time writing a letter that contained a piece of his upcoming schemes. That was, a reason to head north to meet with the angels of the HACA in the short term. In the long term, it would give him his key to an army. Alisson was quite proud of himself for this scheme. He had never applied his mind to developing these kinds of political maneuvers against those considered his allies, so he was still wary. Wary that he might have overlooked something. Even just one crack, one mistake, it could lead to his and Celis¡¯s executions.


    He waved over Tsuhara, and handed her the letter. ¡°Deliver this to the Queen. I don¡¯t need to tell you to keep it secret.¡±


    Tsuhara nodded, and took the sealed envelope. With a bow, she took her leave just as Marenix returned with the first pile of books. He seemed to be the only one of the three that actually knew how to use a library to find desired titles.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Alisson smiled and started to read the first of many texts that day.


    ¡°Why do you wanna learn about this stuff anyway¡­?¡± Marenix asked tepidly.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± Alisson muttered offhandedly, waving him away.


    Marenix frowned but complied.


    The first topic of note was that of the Sabasa. The island nation had been stricken from maps following a decision by Sidonia to keep the people¡¯s existence a secret, that was about a millennia ago, so not many in the rest of the world even knew they existed anymore. Even Alisson, someone high up in Sidonian society, had only heard whispers here and there. There had apparently been some sort of agreement between the Sabasa and Sidonia, and that¡¯s where Alisson¡¯s knowledge ended. To that end, Sidonian naval forces have done a good job at blockading the island and keeping shipping routes away from those waters.


    The island itself was south of Andestine, and east of Sidonia, laying in the open waters southeast of the mainland of Aleeze.


    For the first time, Alisson peered into what the Sabasa really were.


    ¡°Dogs¡­They¡¯re dog people.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened. Like the Kitsune who bore foxlike resemblances, the Sabasa had dog-like appendages, and were apparently renowned warriors. They were sought after by the people of the world as excellent, loyal companions. That was to say, that before Sabasa was isolated, they exported mercenaries of the highest caliber. They were the first knights. The first masters of the longsword, the idols of loyalty that the rest of the world would model their chivalry after.


    Their government seemed to resemble an anarcho-monarchy. The best of the Sword Barons would rise to become the high monarch once the previous one had died of natural causes. Lineage meant nothing to these people, only skill and loyalty mattered.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Alisson put a hand to his chin as he read. Certainly, a dog was a man¡¯s best friend. If he had the chance to¡­Perhaps he could cultivate a crop of powerful allies from this breed of people. A dog never betrays its master. Promises were brittle things in comparison to a loyalty that was so deeply rooted that it stemmed from one¡¯s blood and bones.


    But knowing the history and the people did not tell Alisson as to why they were now isolated and stricken from the world.


    The next topic of note was that of the slimes. A breed of beast Alisson had thought, some mutated abomination that was hellbent on killing and eating those around it, but no, slimes were not like the common beast at all. They lived in isolation, their sentience was in question, and the inner workings of their biology was all a mystery as well. They were gelatinous, amorphous things of varying color, but apparently could change their shape, color, texture, hardness, anything really, at will. They had a documented ability to devour and break down any material or living thing caught within them. There were theories that they were not one cohesive being, but rather a colony, an amalgamation of smaller things working together.


    They had, in recent times, gone extinct to the public eye. None had been seen on the mainland for hundreds of years. When they were around however, it appeared they were useful to great warriors and spymasters for reasons that Alisson couldn¡¯t decipher.


    So, they were tools. Valuable tools. If Alisson encountered one, he would do well to make it one of his belongings. They might be extinct on the mainland, but Alisson had the hope that they were still to be found in places that were no longer traversed by the rest of the world. Deep underground, forgotten springs and forests, the highest of mountains¡­


    Or¡­Alisson tapped his finger on a map, on the island of Sabasa. A place that had been isolated from the rest of the world.


    The last topic Alisson wanted to investigate were that of the dragons. He had heard long since birth of tales of great warriors that drank the blood of dragons to grow physically stronger. Those great warriors, knights of eld, may very well have been the Sabasa. Thus, if he could perhaps find himself a dragon to slay and devour, he may grow with that same boon that did aid the men of old in fighting the rampant beasts of then.


    It seemed the stories were not far from the truth. There were dragons, but those described were far more human than Alisson had heard. People with scales, horns, reptilian tails, and bodies that resembled insects more than reptiles. There were many breeds and kinds of dragon, of varying degrees of monstrosity. Some were like him and the Kitsune, men with traces of a more bestial blood that had long since faded with time; but others were more horrific, more akin beasts that would destroy villages singlehandedly to feast. Monsters that roamed the earth, sieging the castles and bastions of man as walking calamities.


    At least, that¡¯s how the texts described them; they appeared to be a big problem for the old world. Now, they were gone. Perhaps it was a case of humanity finding a foe so terrible that once they had the means, there were genocides until they ceased to exist. If only man had the collective strength to do such a thing to the common beast.


    By that same thinking though, walking calamities was how the man of eld would describe the Kitsune and Nekomata of old. From the stories Alisson had heard from his elders, the old Nekomata had not an ¡®Opensen¡¯ to use their manifestation, but their true form was constantly on display, and it was more bestial and abominable than just ears and tails. The elders lamented how far fallen the current living Nekomata were in comparison to the old bloods. That was history that was so far back that Sidonia was not in the picture however, so Sidonia had thrown most of it away; giving the illusion that the history of the Nekomata started with herself.


    But Alisson now knew that truth.


    It seemed these dragons were now in the same boat as the slimes, they¡¯re extinct, or so people say. There were more recent sightings of them than the slimes; the problem was that these sightings were disputed as being real dragons or not, as they were not like the beasts in the stories, but something different. He didn¡¯t know where he could go about finding such creatures, let alone partaking in their blood, but now he knew more about them.


    Alisson was sure that there were other things that he could learn if he scoured all the texts here, more advantages to be gained, but as it stood that would take far too long. Time was of the essence, and just learning this had taken the entire day. Ashylnde and Celis were slumped over the table, bored out of their minds and tired from reading. Marenix seemed to have a greater stamina than even Alisson in reading however, as Alisson had to peel him away from the books before they left.


    ¡°We went through all this trouble to come to this library and now we¡¯re just going to leave?¡± Marenix whined.


    ¡°Mare¡­It¡¯s been like ten hours! I wanna sleep¡­¡± Ashlynde moaned.


    ¡°Then at least¡­At least tell us why we we¡¯re even here!¡± Marenix looked up to Alisson defiantly, closing his fist. ¡°You haven¡¯t been telling us anything! There¡¯s something going on and I know it. You just make us train all day and night when you¡¯re not around and then when you do bring us along you don¡¯t tell us anything.¡±


    Marenix¡¯s outburst seemed to get the attention of Ashlynde because her head snapped up and she took Marenix¡¯s side, pouting up at Alisson in protest.


    Alisson sighed. ¡°I suppose I will need to tell you both at some point or another. The full story of things.¡± His eyes sharpened at the two of them. ¡°That time is not now, but if you still desire the truth, I will reveal it to you soon enough.¡± Alisson turned and began exiting the library. ¡°A word of warning however¡­Once you learn the truth, there is no turning back. You will be bound to us in life and in death. Though I doubt hearing that will satiate your suspicions.¡±


    Marenix and Ashlynde were left silently looking on at Alisson, seemingly conflicted. Celis walked by and ruffled Ashlynde¡¯s hair. ¡°Come on¡­I¡¯ll make you my body pillow tonight if you don¡¯t hurry up.¡±


    Ashlynde shivered and sped to follow Celis.


    Marenix stood still, frowning. ¡°The truth, huh?¡±


    ***

 20. The Moonlight Cannon

    The Crimson Swordsman, that was, the Kensei, was a woman of few words. Alisson followed behind her as they marched deep into the Seishin Shrine.


    The second boon that Alisson would be receiving in exchange for his cooperation would be personal training from the Kensei. Today he would learn of the Moonlight Cannon; The most storied technique of the Kitsune. It was unknown whether or not a Nekomata outsider like him could even channel the ability, and it seemed that the Kensei and the Queen had little hopes for Alisson. Despite this, Alisson needed to try; He needed every advantage he could get his hands on.


    He wore once more the traditional clothes of the kitsune, but had no arms on him. The sun was high in the sky. Eventually, the Kensei stopped in a clearing, and turned toward Alisson. At their hip they had two swords, and slowly unbound one of them from its belt. She tossed the sheathed katana at Alisson, and he caught it deftly. She spoke no words, but Alisson knew what she wanted. This was unrelated to the Moonlight Cannon. She wanted to taste his blade.


    The Kensei crouched low, their hands on their sheathed blade, and began to circle Alisson.


    He was not well versed in using Iajitsu. He drew the katana out of its sheath, tossing the sheathe to the ground. He rose the blade up, sunk into readiness, and began to circle the Kensei.


    Alisson soon entered the all too familiar trance of battle. Real battle. Time seemed to slow and his perception changed drastically. He could see every muscle that the Kensei used in moving, and his brain gave him an image of the future out of instinct.


    The Kensei made the slightest of motions, imperceptible to a normal man; But in that instant, both he and the Kensei blurred into action. Only but one strike was exchanged on both sides. The sound of metal echoed through the forest.


    The Kensei was chest to chest with Alisson, her blade was high above his head, held away by his own. He had successfully survived. With a weapon he was unaccustomed to, limited in his options, it was the best he could do against the Kensei¡¯s specialty, and they knew it.


    They backed off from Alisson, lowering and sheathing their blade. They then bowed. Alisson exhaled heavily, and bobbed his head. The Kensei then rose a hand to the mask at their face, and with a click, took it off, revealing her face. Her eyes were red like the depths of a fire, and her skin was smooth like porcelain, as if she had only revealed a second mask to Alisson.


    ¡°You did well in training your apprentice. From one swordsman to another, you have my respect.¡±


    She spoke in a strong, dignified voice. Alisson bobbed his head in response. ¡°All the same to you.¡±


    She pointed at Alisson. ¡°Strip everything above your waist, and get out your tails.¡±


    Alisson complied, sheathing the donor sword before activating his Opensen and sliding the haori and kimono off his shoulders.


    ¡°You only have two, so the results might vary. I will demonstrate.¡±


    The Kensei had also stripped their top, and now only wore a chestwrap. They turned from Alisson, their nine tails raising evenly around them. Their tips pointed forward. She began making fluid, mesmerizing motions with her hands and her tails, like she was dancing.


    This went on for a while before Alisson realized what was happening. She was channeling mana. This was a spell, but without any incantation runes. Alisson could feel it in his gut. She was amassing a truly ginormous amount of mana at the tips of her tails, and circulating it between them through her body with her motions, as if her hands were guiding the tides of a rushing river. If she made but a small mistake, that mana would break and rush outwards like a bursting dam.


    After a while, her movements changed, and the mana began to disperse slowly as she breathed out heavily, until it seemed like nothing had happened. She turned to Alisson with a stern expression.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    Alisson nodded. ¡°At the apex of your mana, you would normally expel and direct the power outwards in a stream, thus creating the ¡®cannon¡¯ effect of the Moonlight Cannon.¡±


    Alisson could imagine it. A massive beam of pure mana, enough to bring down a castle¡¯s walls.


    ¡°You learn well. Now, attempt it. The mana is dense here in the shrine. It will come easier to a beginner.¡±


    Channeling mana without incantations¡­Was it pure force of will? Was it a state of mind? Were the movements truly all that was required? Alisson furrowed his brow, thinking through all the factors.


    He went on to attempt to replicate the Kensei¡¯s movements. It was like trying to pile invisible water into buckets with ones hands from the very air around you, with the buckets being his tails. It was common knowledge that one needed runes, that was, the building blocks of spells, to control mana. But the mana that one controlled with typical spells came from within oneself; this technique employed resident mana in the environment, much like his Bacilla could.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The Kensei neared his rear, and moved with him, her eyes closed, occasionally adjusting Alisson¡¯s motions.


    ¡°Your tails are conducting mana just as well as ours.¡± She ran a hand along one of Alisson¡¯s tails, and he shivered, but did his best to remain in the flow of the motions. ¡°I believe you will be able to use a more muted version of the Cannon. If only because you lack the necessary number of tails to store the excess mana. You will learn to draw mana to them with practice.¡±


    Alisson nodded, and continued to follow through with the motions. He could feel the mana begin to well at the tips of his tails. The feeling was familiar.


    After a while, he heard rustling in the forest undergrowth, and he turned his head, still following through with the motions. What he saw almost made him lose his focus.


    There was a small girl with glinting orange eyes. Her skin was metallic and grey, and seemed to made of many layers. Her hair seemed artificial, and long. There was no doubt. This was a spirit. This must be Sei.


    ¡°Cat hide secrets.¡± She said, and started pacing closer to Alisson. The Kensei backed off silently. Alisson did what he could to dispel his built-up mana but it was no use, the spirit grabbed his arm with inhuman strength and tugged it down. He cursed and directed his tails away from the three of them. A flash of light and an explosion followed as mana spilled from his tails and exploded outwards in two blue bursts of light, singing some of the undergrowth.


    ¡°Spirit. What is the meaning of this?¡±


    Alisson asked, his body kept still as it was gripped by this thing half his size.


    ¡°Cat hide. Cat will reveal everything. Sei will teach you true way.¡±


    There was something scratchy about her voice, something artificial. She was not nearly as human-like as the other spirits Alisson had encountered. She was very clearly made of metal, and had no exterior shell of skin like the others did.


    Alisson took a deep breath. He was hiding something. His Bacilla. The innards of his Nekomata tails that acted as his channels of mana. He didn¡¯t want anyone to see them. They were a powerful card that he had unlocked in his time in the north. But¡­around these two¡­


    ¡°May I have your word that you will not tell anyone about what I¡¯m about to show you?¡±


    ¡°Sei not speak with those untrue. Cat not true with others. Cat will be true with me.¡±


    Sei responded. Alisson looked warily to the Kensei, but took a deep breath, and focused on his tails.


    The tips of his tails seemed to bubble and glow, before they peeled like flowers blooming, to reveal a pure white surface, like crab meat.


    Alisson figured he would start with eight. The two tails¡¯ bacilla extended outwards, and peeled into two. Then these four strands peeled once more into two each, making eight strands of white that surrounded Alisson.


    ¡°Is this sufficient?¡±


    Alisson asked, standing tall. The Kensei¡¯s eyes were wide, and she seemed taken aback at the very least.


    ¡°Cat have more. Cat not need more right now. More tails, more mana. More mana, more death.¡±


    The spirit looked up to Alisson, its eyes dulling and reigniting several times over. ¡°Death bad. Death necessary. Cat will use death to stop death. Sei knows truth. Sei will give help.¡±


    Alisson slowly processed the spirit¡¯s broken grammar, but understood what she was saying with that quick, monotone tempo of hers. She let go of Alisson.


    ¡°Sei thank Cat for help other Sei. Cat will go north to Sei home. Cat will find big help at Sei home.¡±


    ¡®Other Sei¡¯ must be other spirits. He didn¡¯t know how this spirit knew, but perhaps they were very wise on the inside, and could tell what Alisson had seen in his past just from how he carried himself.


    ¡°Sei¡¯s home? Where is that?¡± Alisson asked.


    ¡°North. Most north. Under. Deep. Sei cannot leave here. Sei sorry.¡±


    Most north, that must be Halaruth. The most northern nation on Aleeze. The most northern point of Aleeze was a coastal city, Halaruth¡¯s capital of Ferstadt. Therefore, Sei¡¯s home must be under Ferstadt. This spirit is saying that he could find great help there. Alisson committed it to memory.


    He looked to the spirit. ¡°Thank you, Sei. Maybe I¡¯ll bring the other spirits I met to meet with you.¡±


    Sei¡¯s face did not change expression, and her mouth did not move when she spoke; However, her head tilted, and her eyes ignited several times over.


    ¡°Sei understand Cat feelings. Sei not like other Sei anymore. Sei use mana. Other Sei do not. Other Sei scared of Sei. Sei stay away from others.¡±


    Alisson furrowed his mouth.


    Spirits were said to be beings of pure mana, and use mana to live. That was before he had met two spirits that had contradicted this common knowledge. They said mana was alien and foreign, and that they didn¡¯t know what it was. This one however, Sei, seems to have adapted, and now uses mana as its lifeforce. Sei was the most public and well known spirit, probably the only known one to that end, so thus people probably went with the logical assumption that all spirits are like Sei. It seems they were wrong.


    ¡°I see¡­Well, thank you regardless. I wish to repay unrequited kindness, but I don¡¯t know what I can do for a spirit like you.¡±


    ¡°It okay. Sei go now. Cat in trouble.¡±


    Alisson squinted at Sei, but just then he heard footsteps. Another group was coming. In the next instant, Sei was gone, and the Kensei clicked on her mask once more. He similarly collapsed his extended Bacilla back into their tails.


    Alisson turned to see Tsuhara at the head of an armed procession. They were the new military police of the Queendom, soldiers adorned in white traditional robes and black insignias of the Queen. The Zantsuketsuden. They were an old, archaic order that had been revived in the wake of the swing towards traditionalism in the Queendom of recent. But why were there a dozen of them here, with Tsuhara?


    ¡°Wow, you look good shirtless¡­¡± Tsuhara mumbled in her usual, playful tune, but quickly cleared her throat. ¡°Alisson Vi Nuam. You have been found guilty of misconduct with a citizen of the Queendom. You are under arrest. Come with us.¡±


    The Zantsuketsuden approached Alisson, with hands on their sheathed blades, and circled him.


    ¡°I suppose our time is at an end. Thank you for everything, Kensei.¡± He bobbed his head at the Crimson Swordsman. ¡°I will come quietly, but I do not admit to any wrongdoing, whatever it is that you have found me guilty of.¡±


    Alisson swallowed heavily. This came sooner than he¡¯d expected.


    ***

 21. Cat in Trouble

    Alisson sat quietly in the cell. This was only his temporary housing before he would be transferred to solitary confinement. The doors to the room opened, and in came Ardinand, followed close behind by Celis and the apprentices, all wearing concerned looks.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true, they locked you up¡­¡± Ardinand muttered, standing before Alisson¡¯s cell with crossed arms.


    ¡°This must be a mistake.¡± Marenix mumbled. ¡°They know that you were just using her as a body double, right? You didn¡¯t do anything else.¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°The Queendom has seen fit to charge me with trafficking, accessory to sexual misconduct, and sexual misconduct. I will be transferred to solitary confinement until word reaches the homeland.¡±


    The three of them recoiled. ¡°Why!? Why would the loyalists do this! They¡¯re stabbing you in the back! All of this is bogus! Did you hear, they want to send out Celistine and the two apprentices here to do ¡®training¡¯ in the wilderness!¡± Ardinand said, cursing. He looked to Alisson, ¡°We¡¯ll get you out of here, legally or not. You can count on your fratello.¡±


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t need this incident being escalated any further. I have already been found guilty unilaterally, and they have a victim¡¯s confessionary. I¡¯ll be fine. Sidonia will sort this out when she hears of it.¡±


    ¡°Why not just ask the Queen? I¡¯m sure she¡¯d pull some strings.¡± Ashlynde added.


    ¡°Because the Queen is probably the one who set this up.¡± Ardinand muttered angrily.


    ¡°Or, it¡¯s true.¡± Celis said darkly, staring on at Alisson.


    Alisson closed his eyes in response. ¡°Truth will be decided on by others. Not us.¡±


    Ardinand tapped his foot. ¡°We can¡¯t have you out of action for potentially months ¨C Irine¡¯s counterattack will come and we¡¯ll need every one we can get to help clot the bleeding.¡±


    Alisson nodded. ¡°If the Queendom wishes to rid themselves of an able-bodied ally, then let them.¡±


    ¡°What if they execute you? Are you just going to lay down and die?¡± Marenix scowled.


    Alisson didn¡¯t answer, and only looked down into his lap. Ardinand stepped closer, and grabbed the bars tightly.


    ¡°If you call, we will get you out, Alisson. That, I can promise.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the sentiment. For now, however, comply.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean going and training out in the middle of nowhere¡­?¡± Ashlynde asked bitterly.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°It is most likely an excuse to separate me from my close companions, so that you do not try to do anything on my behalf¡­¡± Alisson said with a  deep breath. ¡°Just do it. We don¡¯t need any more trouble than my oversights have caused.¡±


    ¡°Oversights!?¡± Celis snapped. ¡°Are you admitting that you did something wrong!?¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡± Ashlynde tugged on Celis¡¯s side in an attempt to calm her down.


    Celis exhaled a breath of air and turned away from him. ¡°I hope you enjoy solitary.¡±


    ¡­


    I never expected this¡­One day we¡¯re celebrating with the loyalists and now suddenly my master has been thrown in jail. It feels so contrived, so wrong. There has to be something going on here. You would think someone falsely accused of rape would be more indignant, but Alisson seemed calm, content even. I don¡¯t get it.


    Celis led me and Ashlynde through the streets of Ahvaratsu. We were given three horses and plenty of supplies for this supposed ¡®training¡¯ trip they¡¯re forcing us to go on. It¡¯s just like Alisson said. They want an excuse to throw us out of the city. Celis hasn¡¯t said anything to us since we left Alisson to his fate. It looks like she either believes that he did something wrong, or that she¡¯s mad that he didn¡¯t tell her anything. I thought the two of them had an unbreakable bond, but I guess that¡¯s just what it looks like on the outside.


    I guess Alisson won¡¯t be telling me the truth any time soon now, with him being off in solitary. I clenched my fist. Me and Ashlynde are in no position to refuse though¡­We just have to do what we¡¯re told.


    We reached the gates of Ahvaratsu, and soon, we were out of the city, trotting along. I¡¯m not exactly an expert in horse riding, so even travelling at this pace still makes me nervous.


    I had never been in the wilderness like this before. The sounds of the city slowly dulled behind us the longer we traveled the road. We soon saw no other travelers or signs of life, as the sun started to fall. My eyes darted at the nearby tree lines, fearing that any moment, a beast could leap out and take a bite out of me.


    ¡°This is the place.¡±


    Celis suddenly came to a stop, and I struggled for a moment to rein my own horse to stop. We waited there in silence for a moment, Celis not even looking back at us.


    ¡°M-master¡­?¡± Ashlynde asked nervously, but it was hard to speak with the newfound absence of a din of city life.


    ¡°You took your time.¡± I heard a familiar voice and jumped.


    At a nearby tree, sitting calmly, was my master, Alisson.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d miss being outside of a city.¡± Celis said, and I caught her smiling.


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Alisson concurred with a small smile, and rose up. Tethered to the tree he sat against was a horse, that was similarly equipped for travel like ours were.


    ¡°W-wha¡­what?¡± I muttered, at a loss. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be in a cell¡­¡±


    ¡°That would be the common knowledge, yes.¡±


    Alisson untethered his horse and stepped closer, but before he could continue, Celis had dismounted and embraced him in a hug that almost made him fall back.


    ¡°Never make me do that again!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°I hate it!¡±


    Alisson gently rubbed the back of her head. ¡°I can¡¯t say that it¡¯ll be the last time. It¡¯s better that people think that even my greatest ally has turned on me. Ardinand will spread that news well enough on his own.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop blinking in disbelief. Then, it all clicked. ¡°You¡­Master¡­You wanted this to happen? You wanted to be thrown in solitary?¡±


    Alisson nodded to me. ¡°All a ruse. But thanks to that ploy, Sidonia will believe I am somewhere I am not. We are free to move as we please.¡±


    I was a little stunned by his forwardness. ¡°You¡¯re¡­telling me the truth? Now that we¡¯re out here, alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s time I am frank with the two of you. Come, there¡¯s a cliff to the sea nearby that is quite scenic. It is a better place to converse than this. I will tell you everything. Then, we will head north, to the Holy Angelic Country of Angela.¡±


    ***

 22. The Truth

    Movement 2: Strategic Air Supremacy


    Flying with the Angels. Maybe it¡¯ll make you forget the real world¡­and how na?ve you really are.


    <hr>


    The sun was setting. It cast an orange glow over the sea before them. The winds pushed softly at Alisson¡¯s face. He took a deep breath, and turned to the apprentices. It was time.


    ¡°Make yourselves comfortable. This will be a lot to take in.¡±


    Celis pat her lap, motioning for Ashlynde to sit, to which she reluctantly did, seemingly not having a choice. Ashylnde was immediately locked in place by Celis¡¯s arms, hugging her tightly as Celis hummed with glee. Marenix simply stood looking at him, frowning.


    ¡°There is much to say, so let us work backwards from the questions you have at the forefront of your mind. Ask, and I will answer.¡±


    Marenix stood for a moment, furrowing his brow. ¡°Why solitary? Why did you indict yourself of a crime you didn¡¯t commit?¡±


    ¡°There are two benefits. One, with Sidonian forces in Ahvaratsu believing I am in solitary, they won¡¯t question as to why Alisson Vi Nuam is missing. They will report back to the homeland that I am in solitary, and thus Sidonia will also think that is where I am. Thus, I have an alibi in meeting with Seraph Michaela. Second, by bringing dishonor to my name, I have a path into the 56<sup>th</sup> ¡®Blackened¡¯ platoon, which I will use to take command of army to destroy Irine with.¡±


    Marenix blinked several times as Alisson spoke. ¡°¡­Why do you want to meet with Seraph Michaela?¡±


    ¡°To formalize an agreement as I did with Queen Tsuhagara. An agreement to aid me, in exchange for destroying Irine.¡±


    ¡°Aid you in what¡­?¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. ¡°They will aid me in marching south, to destroy Sidonia.¡±


    Marenix¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No way¡­You¡¯re a heretic¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°A traitor¡­¡± Marenix backpedaled a little, and Alisson could tell he was deciding whether or not to draw his weapon.


    All the same did Ashlynde suddenly become uncomfortable in Celis¡¯s grip, and squirmed.


    Alisson sighed. ¡°Please continue asking questions before you make your judgement. Me and Celis are not affiliated with the common heretics commit acts of terrorism and petty violence.¡±


    Marenix was quiet for a while. ¡°¡­So then why¡­? Why do you want to¡­Destroy Sidonia? You¡¯re a Nekomata like us¡­your friends and family, your comrades¡­they¡¯re Sidonian, are they not?¡±


    ¡°Make no mistake. I want to destroy our Lady Sidonia. I have no malice against our country or people.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    Alisson took another deep breath. ¡°With this knowledge, you will become traitors like myself and Celis.¡± Marenix swallowed nervously, but Alisson continued, ¡°Sidonia sent us on a mission to the north, as you know. It was to find a supposedly important structure in the Freigat Jungle, the most dangerous, beast ridden place on the earth. She ordered us to travel up the entire continent, alone, with no support, to the most dangerous place on the earth.¡±


    Alisson crossed his arms, staring deep into Marenix¡¯s eyes. ¡°Upon our return, I surmised from Sidonia¡¯s reactions that she already knew where this structure was. She also didn¡¯t expect us to be at the evacuation point provided to the Machavelli. Thus, I have concluded that the mission from which myself and Celis spent more than half a year bleeding and fighting up the content¡­¡± Alisson¡¯s voice was now a deep, primal growl, ¡°¡­Was an excuse to kill the both of us.¡± His eyes glinted some kind of deep rage, or determination. ¡°However, she made a miscalculation. We returned.¡±


    Marenix was frozen still, but still Alisson continued, ¡°While on our journey, we learned much that Sidonia would not want any in her service to know of. Chiefly, the reason why we serve her. Have you ever wondered why?¡±


    Marenix was clearly in a state of shock, and his body gave the default response that Alisson could¡¯ve imagined himself giving a year ago. ¡°Because we must¡­We Nekomata need her guidance to survive in this world. We agree to absolute loyalty in exchange for her support and leadership. She is the brain of our organism. We must protect and follow her, if we want to move as one, and survive.¡±


    Alisson nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, a very logical deduction to make.¡± He leaned into Marenix, ¡°But have you considered why? Why do you follow her? Why would you throw your life away for her? Why do armies of thousands of our kin die for her? Why have we never rebelled against her? Why is even thinking to rebel met with death, despite never speaking or doing anything with those thoughts? Why is the loyalty of the Nekomata so powerful that we alone stand as the most united species and nation? Do you really think that we are so different to other species? That we are all monsters of fanatical rationalism, and they are not? And what of the humans who serve Sidonia? Why are they looked at with such suspicion despite their loyalty? Why are they forever barred as second-class citizens?¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Marenix looked side to side. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Alisson turned, and looked out across the sea. The sun was now below the horizon, and it was growing darker as the minutes passed. ¡°We Nekomata have a vulnerability that Sidonia has used for thousands of years to exploit us. She has an Influence over us. A great power that emanates from her person, that compels all with Nekomata blood to follow and listen to her. An Influence so great that by merely being face to face with her, she would be able to see your thoughts and memories. I don¡¯t believe it to even require a conscious action on Sidonia¡¯s part, if she thinks something, you will think it as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­W-what? That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s brainwashing! That¡¯s not possible!¡± Marenix replied indignantly.


    Alisson nodded sadly. ¡°For one reason or another, it is the truth. Indeed, the next time you stand before Sidonia, she will see this conversation, she will see that this knowledge which she believes poisonous has infected you, and she will sentence you to death.¡±


    Marenix backpedaled, and fell down to his knees. ¡°Why¡­No¡­This is¡­¡± He cuffed his face in his hands. ¡°If this is true then, why!?¡± He looked up, suddenly in a rage. ¡°Why have you told us this!? Now we¡¯re going to die! I never wanted this! Ever since graduating, my whole life has just been stolen from me!¡±


    Alisson, with his hands behind his back, still spoke with a solemn, quiet tone. ¡°I understand. My reaction was the same as yours when I first had the truth revealed to me. But, it was thrust upon us, and now, we must live with it. Our only choice now, is to fight.¡±


    For a moment, all was quiet, until Marenix spoke up once more. ¡°No¡­There¡¯s another choice that you could¡¯ve made. Confess, and remain loyal.¡±


    ¡°¡­And then die?¡± Alisson asked quizzically.


    ¡°¡­Dying while upholding your honor, and your loyalty, is that not what we all strive for?¡±


    Alisson turned to Marenix with dark eyes. ¡°Would you like to test your resolve?¡±


    Marenix shook his head quickly. ¡°No¡­I¡¯m just giving you the other choice that you didn¡¯t take¡­I don¡¯t want to risk death either.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Alisson exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to mark you up as missing on this ¡®training¡¯ exercise that Celis is escorting you on. That goes for you too, Ashylnde.¡±


    Ashylnde, who had been listening with dull, glazed eyes, jumped at her mention, but was kept still by Celis. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°Just follow your master and everything will be okay.¡± Celis said, idly running her hands through Ashlynde¡¯s hair.


    Marenix looked down into his lap. ¡°So the third best swordsman in Sidonia is really a traitor¡­And now I¡¯m an accomplice¡­What¡¯s to stop Sidonia from just mind controlling all of us?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there is nothing that stops the two of you from being susceptible to the influence. There may come a time when you will be unable to act on your own will, and attempt to attack us.¡±


    ¡°You say that like you and Celis have something we don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Alisson looked into the sky. ¡°On our journey, we met an elder Nekomata, tens of thousands of years old, who lived in isolation as a hermit. They freed myself and Celis from the Influence, and Sidonia cannot see our minds or control us.¡±


    Marenix frowned. ¡°Then that must make the Law of Meaning a lie as well.¡±


    Alison nodded. Nekomata that were slated to grow older than one-thousand years of age were taken and ceremoniously released of service every few years. That was, they were killed. It was said that Nekomata who grew older than one-thousand suffered intense pain and were deformed horribly. That, and biological immortality was said to strip one¡¯s life of meaning. Hence the name.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to take you to the hermit in question, so that you may be shielded like us, I fear that is out of the question, for they reside in the Dead Zone, and may or may not even be alive anymore. But, it sounds like you are beginning to understand our situation, Marenix.¡±


    Marenix still looked down into the ground. ¡°Yeah¡­¡¯our¡¯ situation¡­¡±


    Alisson sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to agree with my decision to turn against Sidonia, but you do have to listen to what I tell you. We will take measures to keep the both of you out of Sidonia¡¯s sight, lest she learns that all four of us are traitors.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­¡± Marenix muttered, ¡°She assigned me and Ashlynde to be eyes for her.¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head. ¡°She probably also wished to slow us down by tethering two ¡®problematic¡¯ apprentices to us. But I will teach you. I will make you more than she ever estimated you capable of, that I can promise. We have the element of surprise.¡± Alisson rose a fist, and clenched it. ¡°We must grow in strength, build our alliance, and then crush Sidonia in one swift and decisive action. Until then, we must hide our strength, and avoid suspicion. Now, come. I believe that¡¯s enough lecturing for today. I can tell you more as we travel. The beasts will be upon us this far from the city come the moonrise.¡±


    Alisson began to walk away, but was interrupted by Marenix. ¡°I have¡­Just one last question¡­You¡¯re already strong, right?¡± Alisson stopped in his tracks. ¡°Why do you need an army¡­Why not just go to the Rolaign, and kill Sidonia? You would have a window to take control and then maybe make up your own story, or a million other things¡­¡±


    Alisson exhaled a deep breath. ¡°¡­Who do you think is the most powerful being in Sidonia?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­Since you have your Bacilla, and now the Moonlight Cannon, and since you have the experience of that mission¡­I feel like¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be you?¡±


    Marenix asked, but Alisson shook his head, still looking away. ¡°You are correct in assuming that just because Ardinand and Lady Salchyon are ahead of me in the official ranking, that they are not far from my level. Similarly, Lackadaisical isn¡¯t out of reach either. That should only leave one person you¡¯re overlooking.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the top ten¡­and the elite units and all the regulars are factored into that¡­But there¡¯s two¡­Who aren¡¯t in the ranking anymore.¡± Marenix thought aloud. ¡°Lackadaisical used to be the number one, but he was captured and hasn¡¯t been heard of since, so he got removed. Which leaves¡­¡±


    ¡°Serendipity. The strongest being on Sidonia¡¯s side. Perhaps one of the strongest in the world, if not the strongest humanoid entity.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t she¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. When I was an apprentice, ¡®Serendipity¡¯ was my master and trainer¡­That would be the alias of my older sister, Apophria Vi Nuam. She, is the reason we cannot attack the Lady directly. We know the Lady is not aware of our intents simply because we are still alive. Apophria would¡¯ve already killed us all if she was aware.¡±


    With that, Alisson continued into the darkness of the forest.


    The most powerful. One that had been stricken from so many official rankings and documents. One that only lived in Sidonia¡¯s shadow. Alisson could picture her twisted smile.


    Even with an entire army, a coalition, on his side, even if everything went perfectly, and everyone gave him their strength, he still wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough to bring that monster down.


    ***

 23. The Beasts That Roam

    It had been days since they Ahvaratsu. They had seen not a single beast yet. It was off putting. Rain hounded in droves from above, and the moon was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. The four of them moved along a road that was turning to mud as the minutes passed. The topography changed as one moved further north, the trees became taller, darker, and they bore not leaves but pine needles. Between the forests of trees were sometimes large expanses of open fields and rolling hills. They had exited Queendom territory, and there was a small sliver of land that belonged to Irine between the Queendom and the HACA, though there was not much sign of Irine.


    Irine had only recently surrounded the Queendom and the HACA in their conquests, thus there was plenty of undeveloped land. Their armies were now northward, further conquering land for their people. Ever since the war with Sidonia broke out, these northern armies have probably been making their way southward. It would only be a matter of time until the full might of the Principality crashed into Sidonia¡¯s western flank. The same story could be said for the eastern flank, where the Jedathari Caliphate had similarly conquered their side of Aleeze, and had sent their armies northward. However, they had no stubborn sub-human holdouts like the HACA and the Queendom locked within their borders.


    Alisson had plenty of time on his hands to think while they traveled. He found himself relishing the peace of traveling on foot for days in silence through the nature. Of course, the beasts would sometimes interrupt that peace.


    Alisson rose his hand up, the ears atop his head twitching. He was thankful for the fact that out here in the wilderness, he didn¡¯t have to worry about using his manifestation as much as he could; for his stamina in keeping it activated grew in proportion to its use, like a muscle. He could hear their movements despite the rain, the only thing the rain helped them conceal was their scent to the beasts.


    The beasts knew him and Celis. Most of them seemed to sense the power that they held, sense the scores of beasts they had killed with ease in the past, and avoid them. There were some that, despite this, saw two weakling apprentices, and attacked regardless.


    Out of the shrubbery emerged the first of many. A Roamer, or ¡®Dog¡¯ as the humans sometimes called them. They were quadrupedal and bore sickly white skin. Patches of fur and hide sometimes hung loosely from their bodies. Their paws were large, clawed things. Their jaws were their main weapon however, The common Roamer saw the greatest variation among the beasts, in aesthetics and shape and size, but also intelligence and danger. There were some Roamers deep within Freigat whom Alisson swore had the intelligence of veteran swordsman, had abilities like camouflage and acidic spit, among others. However, these were not those kinds of beast. These were the common trash that roamed the land, hunting lone travelers and animals, and in bigger groups, caravans and military patrols.


    ¡°Marenix, Ashlynde, you¡¯re up.¡±


    Alisson spoke calmly in a projected voice. Ashlynde enthusiastically leaped from her mount towards the beast, while Marenix reluctantly dismounted, and ran forward.


    The only good thing to come of the beasts attack them was that it gave the apprentices a valuable opportunity, easy prey with strong allies to make sure you had a safe environment to fight them in. Ashlynde, taking after Celis¡¯s aggressive nature it seemed, drew her maces and swung directly at the beasts head from a cobra quick lunge. The roamer evaded, and tried to bite back with its large jaw, howling a deep growl, its pearl-black eyes locked on Ashlynde¡¯s thin frame.


    Ashlynde nimbly evaded and Marenix finally swung forward with his broadsword, cutting a deep wound in the beasts side. With a growl, the beast turned and swiped at Marenix¡¯s chest, knocking him back and across the muddy ground. Before the beast could do anything else, a mace smashed directly into its skull, and it fell limply suddenly to the ground.


    ¡°Crushed it!¡± Ashlynde smiled with glee to herself.


    ¡°A distraction your strike may have been, Marenix, but beasts do not falter from pain as normal creatures do.¡± Alisson eyed Marenix as he rose from the mud, his armor seemed to have saved him any major damage. ¡°I have seen even common Roamers function with all their limbs cut off, and cuts across every portion of their body, whilst on fire; These are unrelenting things that will kill you given any chance. You were lucky that was a glancing blow.¡±


    Alisson continued to lecture. ¡°Thus, immobilize them, or strike at their vitals, attacking their hide blindly will do little. Observe now how Celis will dispatch this one¡¯s pack.¡±


    As Alisson had been speaking, the rest of the Roamer¡¯s pack had arrived, but they had not charged in as the first beast had. That was because Celis had dismounted, and stepped toward them slowly. They backed off, growling and howling at her. From under her cloak, she drew the two baselards holstered on her wrists. In an instant, she threw both of them towards either side of the crowd of beasts, and then drew the stilettos from the back of her hip, and charged forth. Her baselards stuck perfectly in the heads of the beasts they had been thrown at, burned with effulgent blue for a moment, before detonating in a magical explosion, engulfing the nearby creatures caught in the blast. Similarly, Celis stabbed with her stilettos, and left the blades embedded in the beasts¡¯ bodies before leaping back, these stilettos too did explode with magic.


    Only one beast remained, which charged at Celis. From her back, she drew a long estoc, and met the Roamer¡¯s charge head-on. Despite being smaller, the beast was lifted onto its hind legs as the estoc was rammed into its chest, Celis¡¯s shoulder impacting onto the beasts head and perhaps disorientating it. She threw and explosive punch down at it, which sent it to the ground, where she again rammed her estoc through its skull.


    The entire engagement had only last about five seconds, and Celis sighed with boredom, as she went to retrieve her baselards and stilettos.


    ¡°Yay! Master is so cool!¡± Ashlynde cheered.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have fancy magic imbuements to do that¡­¡± Marenix mumbled.


    ¡°You must start with the basics, apprentice. Celis attained those powers only after she became a master of those weapons.¡± Alisson replied.


    ¡°How about you, master?¡± Marenix asked, looking up to Alisson. ¡°All you¡¯ve done is watch from your horse, you aren¡¯t even armed¡­What if something came that Celis couldn¡¯t hand on her own?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Well, as you know, High Command saw fit to ill-equip me. I would typically be armed with a rapier, and throwing knives imbued with magic similar to Celis¡¯s weapons. I still have my spells, but yes, if push came to shove, we would be at a disadvantage. Ashlynde is the only one who would have no options without her weapons¡­¡±


    ¡°Learning magic is boring!¡±


    Ashlynde retorted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk back to Alisson.¡± Celis scolded her.


    ¡°Uh, right!¡±


    What Alisson had said was only half the truth. Celis was currently at her full fighting power, but that would only be the case for Alisson if he were equipped with a certain white rapier; a weapon he shared a close bond with, that was now locked in the depths of Sidonia¡¯s armory.


    ¡­


    Nekomata could go days without sleep. As such, when traveling on foot, a party like theirs would move for three days straight, only stopping to rest the horses, and then take a day to rest, while sleeping in shifts to keep watch.


    The fire crackled before Alisson, and he stared into it. Marenix was by his side, wiping down his blade with oil. The apprentices at first were averse to the idea of cleaning and maintaining their gear so frequently, but for him and Celis, it was ingrained in them to care for the equipment at every opportunity. Similarly, the apprentices complained about their tendency to eat foraged food rather than the rations they had taken with them, a habit that seemed so natural to himself and Celis, having been faced with starvation multiple times before.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now¡­Alisson.¡±


    Celis said, hugging him from behind, and then quickly planted a kiss on his ear that made him shiver and frown. Celis giggled and escaped into the tent at their backside along with Ashlynde, who was probably going to take Alisson¡¯s place as Celis¡¯s hug-pillow for the night. The only difference being that Ashlynde didn¡¯t have the strength to escape her vice-like grip if she wanted to.


    He didn¡¯t appreciate being made to look like this in front of his apprentice, but he supposed it didn¡¯t matter. Marenix looked on at him with a small frown. As the night progressed, he later said out of the blue.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little jealous of you¡­master.¡± Alisson looked to Marenix and he continued, ¡°¡­That you have such a relationship.¡±


    Alisson looked back to the fire. ¡°These things do not happen spontaneously. By the time you realize you have it, it appears normal, and you take it for granted. I¡¯m sure Ashlynde will come around for you at some point.¡±


    Marenix blushed. ¡°D-don¡¯t say that out loud¡­!¡±


    Alisson smiled and shook his head. ¡°We both know those two girls are heavy sleepers.¡±


    Marenix looked down into his lap, blushing deeper. ¡°Yeah¡­They¡¯re probably tangled together in the covers¡­stripped down to their under garments¡­and¡­¡±


    Alisson cleared his throat. ¡°You don¡¯t have to fantasize aloud, though.¡±


    ¡­


    Later, I was woken up by Alisson and it was our turn to keep watch. I kept busy by tending to my gear with Ashlynde, and giving the horses some water and hay. It doesn¡¯t look like the beasts are too set on bothering us here. I still found it weird that Ashylnde uses two maces in either hand.


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get you a couple of axes too.¡±


    ¡°And then I can be more like you!¡± She looked up, her red eyes sparkling at me. ¡°You have so many weapons!¡±


    Five, but sure. ¡°Yeah, funny thing about that¡­All of them are weapons I took from opponents.¡±


    ¡°Really?! That¡¯s so cool! They¡¯re like war trophies!¡±


    It looks like Ashlynde has done a total one-eighty on how she views me and Alisson. I¡¯m the one doing all the fighting and with the gear, whereas Alisson has been the boring one, so it only makes sense. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not displeased with the praise. Alisson has lived a hundred years at the top of the hierarchy, longer than I¡¯ve been alive, but I¡¯ve only recently gotten so strong. If anything, I¡¯m set to become way stronger than him, judging from my awesome explosive growth.


    After giving myself more pats on the back, I realize that Alisson faced a long period of stagnation after his own growth spurt, and suddenly feared that I wouldn¡¯t get stronger for a long time just like he did. He told me he spent decades lifting weights and training, and never saw himself actually get any physically stronger or any more precise, until recently with our little trip courtesy of Sidonia.


    I spent some time drilling with Ashlynde as well. I thought I got the worse of the two apprentices at first, in that I didn¡¯t get the smart one¡­But Ashlynde is active and always wants to do something; kind of like me; kind of like a dog. I pet her head after she did well on a drill and she smiled happily. Definitely a dog.


    I don¡¯t get why Alisson never treated me like this when I was an apprentice. Just petting and grabbing me and stuff whenever¡­Well I guess it would¡¯ve been weird since he¡¯s a guy and stuff. But I can do whatever I want to Ashlynde. I thought to myself during my apprenticeship that if I ever got my own cute little apprentice I would just grab them and pick them up and play with them all the time. It¡¯s not far from the truth. I can do whatever I want to her since I¡¯m her master.


    I suddenly remember when I myself was graduating, and my friends were giving warnings of weird masters that treated their apprentices badly¡­Maybe I¡¯ve turned into one of them. But Ashlynde doesn¡¯t seem to mind¡­most of the time.


    After exerting ourselves, we still had more time to kill, so while eating, I spent time answering more of Ashlynde¡¯s questions and telling stories of my last mission. Is this what elders feel like? Having the little ones crowd around you and eagerly listening to your stories? Because it¡¯s a very nice feeling. I could get used to it; Even though I¡¯m only ten years Ashlynde¡¯s senior.


    ¡°We also met two spirits¡­there was this one that lived deep in the Menton forest¡­She was like the guardian of the forest, preserving it¡¯s diversity and integrity¡­The other one wasn¡¯t so noble, she was holed up in some rickety old mansion in the north near the cult¡¯s lands¡­Abducted Alisson the first chance she got while he was wounded and weak, and I had to rescue him. She used a bunch of string to move around dead bodies, but in the end she was just a pushover who helped us out a bunch.¡±


    Ashlynde listened intently. After a moment of looking at her I couldn¡¯t help but wrap my arm around her back and pull her closer. I wish Alisson was like this to me.


    ¡°Then there was also this time we ran into a succubus¡­It was really awkward actually.¡±


    ¡°A succubus? Did she have really big¡­You know¡­¡± Ashlynde made boing-boing motions with her hands under her chest.


    ¡°Yeah, it was actually a little scary how big they were. We got in a scuffle but Alisson being Alisson sat down and talked our way out of a confrontation. They¡¯re not really people, just beasts that are good at mimicry.¡±


    Thinking about succubae and illicit acts got my brain going.


    ¡°Say Ashlynde¡­When are you going to be a little more forceful with Marenix¡­You want him, after all¡­Right?¡± I leaned in to Ashlynde¡¯s face with a smirk.


    ¡°Wha-¡­I¡­I mean¡­Uh¡­¡± She averted her eyes with a blush.


    ¡°You need to take initiative, it¡¯s like a fight, and when the time is right¡­¡± I pushed her down by her shoulders. ¡°You pounce¡­And you bite down¡­¡± I nuzzled her ear. ¡°And never let go. You can¡¯t let anyone else get too close either.¡±


    ¡°M-master-!¡± She squirmed in my grip. ¡°T-this is weird¡­let me go!¡±


    ¡°Even if they say that¡­¡± I put my weight over her so she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°You can¡¯t relent¡­¡±


    ¡°Master-!¡± She suddenly spoke in a quieter tone, ¡°¡­Is this all you ever think about¡­?¡±


    My eyes widened and I recoiled away from her. ¡°Uh, no.¡±


    The rest of the night was left in an awkward silence.


    ¡­


    They reached the HACA in the days that followed. The country had not a spawl of towns and villages across its territory, no, it was less of a country like the name said. It was a city state. It¡¯s entire being was focused around one large structure. They saw it in the distance as they neared. It looked like a metal ant hill, with tall, gleaming walls that reflected the light of the sun. Though, it was so tall that its central spire reached up toward the clouds. Throughout the structure, they could make out Angels flying in and out of ports and hangars, even from so far away, the glow of their wings and halos were clear.


    It was time to meet with the Seraph.


    ***

 24. The First Monastery

    It wasn¡¯t long before angels flew toward them from the city. When they landed, Alisson could tell they were of the lowest hierarchy, the only one he was familiar with. They had visors that covered their eyes, and white liveried uniforms. At their backs were their wings, which did not resemble the feathered wings of a bird but were rather two-dimensional glowing wedges of glowing energy. The same could be said for their halos, which were similarly dull and white, flat things, that hovered over their heads.


    ¡°Halt and state your business.¡±


    The lead angel said, extending an arm out at the four mounted Nekomata. Like most angels, they had long golden hair. Others in the formation bore grey and white hair, however none of them appeared armed. Alisson couldn¡¯t tell their genders either, they were all fairly androgynous.


    ¡°I have come to speak with your Seraph.¡± Alisson started. ¡°I will comply however necessary in order to facilitate this. These three are my traveling companions, pay them no mind.¡±


    The lead angel nodded, and brought a hand up to their ear for a moment. ¡°SC has recognized who you are. Please proceed forward to AB-0. Another TAC team will help you there.¡±


    Alisson didn¡¯t understand their words completely, but nodded anyway. The angels braced their wings and then shot into the sky, and began flying back toward the large structure, or city, whatever it was.


    Alisson looked to Celis and the apprentices, and then reined his horse, moving forward once more. As they approached, angels sometimes flew low overhead, in pairs of two and four, and like the previous team, they were unarmored and small physically. Higher in the sky, Alisson could spot angels that wore heavy suits of armor, who appeared much larger, their wings and halos had varied colors, and they had with them large weapons, but Alisson couldn¡¯t make out too much from such a distance.


    Reaching the base of the city took time, and it became apparent just how massive it was. It had the circumference of an average city, sure, but by virtue of its walls extending high in the sky like a hill, it appeared staggeringly large. Perhaps it was the largest single artificial structure Alisson had ever seen. Alisson realized suddenly that there were no gates or ground transit from the city.


    Another group of Angels descended from the skies. These were large, but unarmored. Unlike the previous angels, they were clearly male by the broadness of their shoulders.


    ¡°We will bring you and your mounts into AB-0. Allow us porters, sir.¡±


    Alisson tepidly agreed and dismounted. The large angels hoisted himself and his party one by one, and rose into the sky with shocking speed. The wings on the backs of these porter angels were large and seemed to exhaust pure mana out of their tips as they rose. They reached sufficient elevation, and were brought into one of the hangars Alisson had spotted whilst on the ground.


    Celis and himself had used flight spells before, but Marenix and Ashlynde were dizzy and unstable on their feet. To greet them, Alisson saw the first angel that did not have a visor to cover their face and eyes.


    ¡°Greetings, I am Seralus Ubulus Therulus, an Archangel of the Lowest Order, but you may refer to me as Seralus. I will be your guide here in AB-0.¡±


    Their tone of voice was more human than the other angels had exhibited. They had golden hair and blue eyes, and a princely face, and combined with his tone of voice, Alisson was led to believe this was a male.


    ¡°Likewise, Seralus. Unfortunately, I would rather not disclose my identity publicly, I wish to be discreet here.¡±


    Seralus nodded. ¡°That was the conclusion of SC, Strategic Command. We know who you are. Rest assured, your presence here will be kept a secret for the time being. Follow me. Your mounts will be kept safe for the duration of your stay as well.¡±


    They were led by this Archangel through the hangar, and Alisson finally had the time to take in the surroundings. The whole hangar was made of metal, with inlines of blue lights from corners and extrusions. Angels came and went, of varying sizes and armaments. Some were inhumanly large, armored warriors, and others were small and frail children.


    ¡°CAP is go for launch. Clear bay three-one.¡±


    Alisson could also hear sporadic announcements through some sort of intercom in the hangar.


    ¡°We don¡¯t get many outsiders here, as we turn most away at our borders.¡± Seralus explained as they walked. ¡°We recognized you as you crossed into our territory, so SC sought to not deal with you as a normal intruder. That is to say, the four of you are probably quite overwhelmed, as have been other outsiders when they first visit.¡±


    They approached a door which slid open without anybody moving it, and they stepped through it to a hallway.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse the lack of flightless accommodation, most of the pathways in the AB-0 are for flying only.¡±


    Every few meters on the wall Alisson could spot a hanging cross. He didn¡¯t know much about the Angel¡¯s culture, but it seemed to be an important symbol. They passed through another of those sliding doors, to a room that was full of visible air. As Alisson stepped in, it appeared to be incense or vapors of some kind.


    ¡°As outsiders, your bodies are too unclean to be in the presence of any higher-ranking among us. This room is for outsiders to cleanse themselves, but as it is rarely used, you will have to excuse the lack of capacity. There is a changing room and a shower. Please strip down and cleanse yourselves one at a time. Then adorn yourselves with these robes.¡±


    Seralus motioned to some folded white robes across a table.


    ¡°I can go with Alisson together in the shower, it¡¯s okay!¡±


    Celis suddenly grabbed onto him, smiling gleefully.


    Seralus cleared his throat. ¡°Such promiscuous behavior would warrant banishment. Please refrain from it.¡±


    ¡°Wha-¡­¡± Celis frowned, and looked up to Alisson.


    ¡°We are guests here, Celis. We must do as they say, and reciprocate the hospitality they are giving us.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Celis grumbled, and let go of him.


    Despite the Archangel¡¯s apologies, Alisson was surprised by the accommodations afforded to them. The shower and the changing room were cleanly and had smooth walls, and warm, inviting lighting.


    The water was odd however. When it touched Alisson¡¯s skin, he could feel a sting. He accidentally got some in his mouth and it tasted salty, and sharp, before it began to similarly burn the inside of his mouth, and he spit it out. By the time he was finished, his body felt completely different. He ran a hand along his skin, finding it to be smooth. He then realized that the callouses on his hands had disappeared, his fingers and palms were now soft. He suddenly worried for his ability to hold a weapon.


    As he exited the changing room, adorned in the white robes, he asked Seralus just what the water had done.


    ¡°The holy water cleanses you of bodily hair and other imperfections¡­Or perhaps in your case is it fur?¡±


    He tilted his head, pondering.


    ¡°Hair.¡± Alisson responded quickly. ¡°We are not animals.¡±


    Seralus bobbed his head. ¡°My apologies in my presumption. We angels do not need things like callouses to better grip objects, as a shell of divination surrounds us, and hardens to our needs.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have such a thing.¡± Alisson frowned.


    Seralus bobbed his head in understanding. ¡°It is not something that you cannot attain, however.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened if ever so slightly. Attaining that power may aid him as a form of armor. Seralus noticed this and smiled. ¡°All will be explained when you meet with the Throne.¡±


    ¡°You say this shell protects you, but I saw Angels wearing armor before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, our shell protects us to a certain extent, but armor worn by those of us who can afford the weight will always help. However, it must be admitted that for most warriors, they wear it for purely aesthetic purpose, as their shells form the shapes of armor that you gaze upon.¡±


    Alisson scarcely understood, but nodded anyway.


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m so soft!¡± Ashlynde bobbed with glee.


    ¡°This feels really weird¡­¡± Marenix muttered, staring at his hands.


    ¡°Your prior clothes will be cleansed and blessed for your departure. For the duration of your stay, please wear these robes in the meantime. If you were visitors of a less notable standing, then like the water that cleansed you, your belongings would also be immolated. Now, follow me.¡±


    Again they followed the Archangel guide through another hallway. The walls here were of stone construction, in stark contrast to the prior rooms. He didn¡¯t know if it was aesthetic, or that the city was built in layers of different materials; That as the city expanded in size, more layers were tacked on, like an onion. The crosses here were also wooden, and seemed ancient.


    ¡°Please also cleanse your bodies with a small meal. Then, the Throne will see you.¡±


    They reached another room where food was laid out.


    It was just bread and water. Upon biting into it however, Alisson could admit then and there that it was the best bread he had ever tasted. The water was similar in taste to what he had felt in the shower, but to a lesser extent, he could feel a slight burn within him, that gradually faded as time went on.


    They were then led to something Alisson was more familiar with, the next room appeared to be a more normal church hall, with pews and an altar. Though it was made of wood and stone, and its light sources consisted of candles, and not the metal and magic lights of the exterior layer. There was a large hole in the ceiling above the altar.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Please kneel. The Throne is arriving.¡± Seralus said, kneeling and closing his eyes.


    The four Nekomata did the same, and after a moment, with a rush of air, came a large angel through the hole in the ceiling. They descended with intense speed, but similarly slowed gracefully before they touched the ground. They had long, silver hair, and sharp, silver eyes. Their shoulders were broad, their jaw was strong, and they easily stood taller than Alisson. His wings expanded outwards a great deal, and his halo was noticeably larger than the other angels Alisson had seen.


    ¡°I am Constantius Trasuntias Illsatius, a Throne of the Highest Order.¡± They spoke in a regal, authoritative tone, ¡°You may call me Constantius.¡± He looked over the four of them. ¡°I see you have been cleansed well.¡± His eyes rested on Alisson. ¡°Alisson Vi Nuam. You said you wished to speak with our Seraph?¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head and Constantius continued, ¡°Know that mere outsiders like you are not allowed in her presence. Only we of the Highest Order may speak privately with Her. If you are intent on communing with her regardless, it will have to go through me.¡±


    Alisson furrowed his mouth, but Constantius went on, ¡°We did not invite you here to simply tell you this, however. We can tell that you, Alisson, and one of your companions,¡± His eyes flicked to Celis, ¡°Are pure of spirit, untethered to any force; unlike the rest of your people. I believe we have an understanding of why you came here because of this, and so, I would like to extend to you an offer.¡±


    He rose his hands up, and looked down at Alisson. ¡°Learn the teachings of the Trinity, follow in our footsteps, and become one of His children, like us.¡±


    Alisson looked on quizzically at the Throne, but couldn¡¯t deny that the offer made him intrigued. ¡°I was under the impression that those of the HACA were not inclusive to outsiders in their midst¡­Especially those not born Angels.¡±


    Constantius shook his head. ¡°What do you think we ¡®Angels¡¯ are, Alisson?¡± He paused for a moment, before answering himself, ¡°We are Man. We are Human, made in his His image. You Nekomata may have different blood, but look upon your faces, for you are Man as well. At first we were all-accepting, as we were taught¡­But due to the grimness of this world, we were betrayed by those we sought to help, thus we became more wary. But you, you are a reputable man, pure of spirit, and free from control, if anyone would be worthy of converting, it would be one like you, Alisson. If you demonstrate your worthiness, you too can receive His blessings.¡±


    Constantius motioned to his wings. ¡°You do not have to decide right away, but know that our arms open to you and your companion. Your apprentices are not so fortunate, we would need time to cleanse them of the same ill-spirited control that grips the rest of your species.¡±


    He must be speaking of the Influence. ¡°You can remove it?¡± Alisson asked.


    Constantius shook his head. ¡°We have never tried, but we are confident that all can be welcomed if their hearts are pure. If you committed yourself to Him, we would let you convene with the Seraph, and we would offer you our support for what we believe a most noble and just purpose you have endeavored upon.¡±


    The Angels seemed to know more about Alisson than he had ever revealed to them. They probably had a pretty good idea of his situation; Their leadership must¡¯ve inferred much from the fact that he was free of Influence, and traveling alone here. The personal boons they offered were tantalizing. To have them as allies as well¡­It was starting to sound as though this was something that was worthwhile.


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°¡­What would you have me do?¡±


    Constantius smiled. ¡°We are aware that you most likely do not wish to be here for very long; and we will work with you to that end. We are nothing if not adaptable. To start, how much experience do you have in flying?¡±


    Alisson looked to Celis warily. ¡°I have dabbled in flight scrolls and spells in the past, the same with Celis here; However these two apprentices have no experience.¡±


    Constantius nodded. ¡°To first become one of us, you must fly with us; Show us your courage and valor, and demonstrate your resolve. To this end, we have a new problem that you are familiar with: The Irine Principality.¡±


    Alisson looked up at him with a frown.


    ¡°They have begun a two-pronged offensive against the foxes to the south. Their northerly army skirts our territory, and as result, their aerial-mage defense network has intersected our defined territory. Thus, in both defense of our land, and as per our agreement with both the Lady Sidonia and Queen Tsuhagara, we will be initiating a strike upon this army. You will join them. Is this acceptable?¡±


    Alisson thought for a moment, and then nodded. ¡°I will have to think about whether or not I will accept your offer in its entirety, but I can assure you this: Given the opportunity to weaken Irine, I will help as best I can. They are a threat to us all.¡±


    ¡°That is good to hear. The operation begins at dawn tomorrow. In the meantime, you may rest in the Cloister. Archangel Seralus can answer your questions further, but I must take my leave in preparation for the strike. Farewell, Alisson.¡± He shined a smirk, ¡°May you decide to embrace the Lord.¡±


    He shot into the air and was gone in the next instant through the tunnel in the ceiling.


    ¡­


    The Cloister was perhaps the largest enclosed space Alisson had ever been within. There was an indoor garden, rows of pews, stained glass, and the architecture was breathtaking. Greenery hung from the high ceilings, as there were hundreds of chandeliers hosting thousands of candles. The room was so large that at the ceiling there seemed to be clouds. There must have been hundreds of angels here. Some were floating in the air, speaking with others, some were sitting at the pews, their hands interlocked. The angels here seemed to be of the lower hierarchies; Thus the Cloister was probably the place where the angels without personal dormitories were put out to pasture.


    Since their meeting with the Throne Constantius, Alisson had spoken with Seralus at great length on what it meant to be an Angel. It was already quite late into the day, and the apprentices had dozed off on the pews while Alisson continued to speak with Seralus, Celis listening intently.


    In speaking with Seralus, Alisson had attained a fairly comprehensive history of the Angels. It appeared that even a lowly Archangel was well learned here.


    The Angel¡¯s began their history as most peoples did: They arose from the ground. The ground under AB-0 was a holy site where the Angels had taken refuge for untold millennia, before emerging upwards, and creating the superstructure that would become AB-0. The people here had always been magically gifted, but they didn¡¯t see it as magic, but rather the will of God, and that divinity granted them the abilities to fly through the sky and control a shell.


    Thus, from what Alisson could surmise, these people had, in being religiously driven, adapted their magics and created themselves in the image of the scriptures that they venerated.


    They also had their roots deep within military tradition. The ground under AB-0 was perhaps a military base of some kind, far in the past, and this permeated and melded their society into one that was highly centralized and disciplined. An Angel had both a duty to advance themselves spiritually and physically, and in doing so aid their fellow Angels, the collective as a whole, in surviving.


    Other than AB-0, the Angels had a few outposts across their territory, where they gathered raw resources, but thanks to their adept magics and frugal way of life, they required little. They took in those that wished to join them; lost souls with nothing left, ready to be melded into Angels. Though this practice of assimilating outsiders seemed to have sharply declined in recent years with the expansion of Irine as a superpower.


    The Irinians were scared of the Angels. Terrified, even. In years past, Irine had tried to conquer the Angels, and almost succeeded. They breached AB-0¡¯s superstructure, and were on the brink of winning. But the Angels¡¯ ferocity and fanaticism led them to keep fighting, outlast the Irinian aggressors, and eventually develop and reawaken their fighting roots that they had thrown away in the desire for peace.


    All Irine had done, was prod and awaken a titan of power; And Irine knew it.


    The Angel¡¯s dominated in one field and in one field only. Air power. A large, seasoned Irinian army could do nothing if their supply lines were bombed from the stratosphere by Angels, and their men picked off by hit and run attacks from the skies. Thus it was solely because of the Angels that Irine had developed their own air power ¨C Aerial Mages. Among the three great human nations, Irine had the largest contingent of these Aerial Mages, in an effort to contend with the Angels. They were elite magicians that specialized in air operations, as the name implied.


    Thanks to their exploits in the air, the Angels also had an incredibly powerful information network. High ranking, powerful angels known as Vigilants circled high above their territory, with extremely sensitive magic spells detecting all ground and air traffic in and out of their nation. The Angels probably had scouts over Irine and other nations by this same logic.


    As he conversed with Seralus, it became clearer to Alisson how a city-state like the Angels, despite being so small in territory and manpower, could exert so much strength.


    These were disciplined professionals, loyal to a fault, bound by their faith, and powerful as individuals. To have them as allies would be a great boon for Alisson. All the while, Alisson was waiting for Seralus to say something out of the ordinary, something to give the Angels a bad light, a dark side from which every nation had; But no, Alisson couldn¡¯t immediately decipher an underlying fault with their culture. But of course, AB-0 was a large place, and he knew nothing of the day-to-day life; Alisson was willing to stand corrected.


    He then asked more on what it was like to be an Angel, the personal experience, what one had to do, what they had to sacrifice.


    At first, the blessing of the Lord, that was, the augmentations the Angels made to their bodies, had such a great strain on them that their lifespans had shrunk far below the average human. It was probably because the human body wasn¡¯t built for the raw amount of mana that coursed through the angels. Over time however, perhaps by natural selection, and the refinement of their powers, the Angels¡¯ lifespans were increasing, but were still below a normal human¡¯s. The higher ranking angels however lived longer lives, perhaps by virtue of a better understanding of their blessings or by a body that was more receptive to them.


    Alisson wondered if these blessings would similarly cut his lifespan down. Regardless, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make, if it even applied to him. Perhaps because of his Bacilla, those powerful mana conduits of his, it would allow him to better control the powers of an angel, or at least, Alisson could hope.


    The Angels were brought up to rigorously study their scriptures and history. They were sorted into different roles depending on their affinities, hence why the porters earlier in the day were all large and physically capable, used for manual transportation. This, Alisson found to be a little dubious as an emerge of a caste-based society that created oppression for those unfortunate enough to be born among the lower levels. The angels looked to be treated like tools for the greater collective; but by that metric, what nation wasn¡¯t guilty of doing the same to some extent?


    A pair of familiar twins were sent to deliver them more bread and water later in the day. Alisson had rescued them from a band of slavers in the north on his previous mission. They were quick to thank him and bow their heads. Alisson couldn¡¯t help but pet their heads. They were children that were used as low-priority messengers; given that they were not high-ranking angels, they probably didn¡¯t have much longer to live.


    After once more tasting the best bread he¡¯d ever had, and water that was similarly starting to grow on him, he continued his talks with Seralus. He wanted to know what would happen to him, were he to agree to join them in their covenant.


    Seralus conceded that Alisson, because of his high rank in another nation, would be treated differently, and leadership would probably make an exception for him, in granting him their powers and techniques whilst letting him an unprecedented degree of autonomy away from AB-0. Not something Alisson could complain about, but the way Seralus saw it, a fellow child and brother would be thrown out into the world to fend for themselves. Alisson responded tenderly by saying he could very well handle himself, but admitting that a peaceful life within AB-0 certainly wasn¡¯t abhorrent to him.


    Seralus continued by saying that Alisson would have to undergo some sort of tribulation, a ritual that would be painful for him both physically and mentally, and in doing so, he would gain his wings and halo; but the specifics would be up to a higher ranking angel to decide.


    Overall, from what Alisson could gather, the Angels were offering him their blessings, in exchange for a spiritual commitment. Other than that however, they would let him do as he pleased. An arrangement that Alisson was quite amiable to. He just wondered how the Seraph would react to his plans to betray his own nation, and if they would suddenly turn their backs on him, and side with Sidonia. However, if these Angels were as morally just as they looked, they would side with him. At least, Alisson hoped.


    Before any of that though¡­


    He would need to prove himself, along with Celis, in tomorrow''s engagement. It would be the first large-scale attack on Irine since the Angels had been nearly obliterated by them; It would function as a declaration of war, in solidarity with the Queendom and Sidonia.


    The Angels wanted vengeance. Alisson was happy to oblige them.


    ***

 25. The Heavens Moonlight

    To fly with the angels, one needed wings.


    Early in the morning, Alisson received his wings alongside Celis. They were brought to an inner sanctum of stone and light, devoid of any others. He could hear prayers and litanies from somewhere, but he never saw anything out of the ordinary other than an apparatus that hung from the ceiling. Alisson was instructed to kneel, and when he did, the apparatus descended, and crested upon his bare back two searing wounds; The branded wings of a sinner.


    ¡­


    The hangar was abuzz with activity. Angels clad in armor crouched low, holding on to catapults embedded in the floor, waiting for the time to launch. Alisson took a deep breath, and spread the wings that had been branded to his body earlier in the morning. The pain he felt during that process was only eclipsed by the haze he remembered it in. He was awoken and taken there, and didn¡¯t remember much else. The wings he now bore were temporary blessings, white, translucent wedges that sprouted from his shoulder blades, and hung down, at the ready.


    The same story went for Celis. The both of them still wore the white robes given to them, in a addition to extra layers to protect from the air and the cold at the high altitudes. This included a black mask that he clicked over his face, the glass visor in front of his eyes would help shield his vision from the rush of air, or so he had been told.


    Angels floated between the columns of waiting fighters holding thuribles of burning incense, and others behind them threw holy water with aspergillums across those waiting.


    << Tactical Air Command online. Standby for launch. >>


    Alisson heard from the device tucked into his ear that had been given to him. Alisson took another deep breath, and pulled the hood of his robe over his head.


    << Assault package 1 is go for launch. Fly. May God will victory. >>


    The Angels nearer to the hangar exit were launch out of the bay doors from the catapults that they held; The ran along the floor and propelled the gliding angels to an incredible speed before they let go, and soared out into the white of the blinding sky. The rows of Angels continued being launched from the hangar until it was his row¡¯s turn. The handlebar at his feet sprung forward, and he felt the air rush under his wings as his body glided off the ground. The catapult continued to pull him across until he reached the edge of the bay doors, and he was shot out, into the sky.


    Flying with wings was a first for Alisson, but it was similar to the flight spells he had used before. These seemed to give more raw power to his movements, more control, and allowed him some sense of how fast he was going. Celis was close behind them, and they rose up as they had been instructed.


    Celis served no practical purpose on this mission; However, she had insisted and twisted the arms of the Angels into being brought along. It appeared she didn¡¯t want to leave him alone to himself.


    Alisson took a glance behind him at the city.


    AB-0 was lit up with activity as Angels poured from all hangars that he could spot, leaving air contrails in their wakes. It was a mesmerizing sight, and a wonder how they didn¡¯t crash into each other.


    << Increase altitude and rendezvous with His Majesty. >>


    The commands issued to him by the TAC were sometimes general, to all angels, but this was a command to him directly. Alisson did as he was told, and shot upwards toward the clouds alongside hundreds of other angels.


    This mission was two-fold. A show of force, and a way to cripple the northern Irinian army, to slow them down. It would be quite the journey firstly, so several refueling vehicles had been launched in advance. Alisson could see them circling above; They looked like triangles with underslung hangars from which angels could land to rest and regain their mana to continue operations. He reached the altitude of the orbiting craft, and quickly found his assigned refueler, His Majesty. Higher in the sky, where there existed no clouds, was a circular craft, flanked by angels with halos so large that he could spot them from his elevation.


    << Airbourne Warning and Control System online. Commence operation. >>


    With that announcement, the orbiting refuelers and the squadrons of Angels that had formed up around them began moving southwest, toward the Irinian army¡¯s basecamp. As they moved, the formation formed neatly together; The angels paired off in squads of four, and the refueling aircraft lay in the center of formation, alongside Alisson and his detachment. They were the ones nearest to the center. The angels that flanked him and Celis were the most elite of the those in the air.


    Whereas the majority of the Angels deployed today would be acting as a distraction, Alisson, Celis, and a couple dozen of these elite Angels, would be penetrating the army¡¯s airspace. With such a large formation, the Irinian mages on the ground could probably detect them, even so far away. However, the real threat were those in the air. A spherical array of aerial mages acted as a defense net for the army on the ground. The angels in Alisson¡¯s posse were to punch a hole in their net, slip in undetected, and then rain fire on their supply depots. They didn¡¯t have the firepower to destroy the whole army, but they could certainly starve them.


    The flight lasted all of thirty minutes. Granted, they were traveling at high speeds, but Alisson was already getting winded, unused to such prolonged flying. It made the week of travel up to the HACA from the Queendom feel pedestrian in comparison.


    << Rally point reached. Assault package 1, split from main force and commence infiltration. >>


    That was their cue. Alisson rolled and dived down alongside the other angels in his formation. The refueler His Majesty was quick to follow, flanked by its escorts. Apparently those craft were not piloted. They were Angels. They had been fused, body and mind, to the inner workings of the craft.


    << Alright Alisson, it¡¯s time to show us what an outsider can do on borrowed wings. >>


    The flight lead, Throne Constantius, spoke to the formation, giving a cursory glance back at Alisson. Alisson couldn¡¯t make out his face, for all the angels wore sleek helmets from which no light escaped. They continued onward at a lower altitude toward the Irinian defense net.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    << There¡¯s our target. Prepare barrage. >>


    Alisson couldn¡¯t see anything in the distance, only clouds.


    Regardless, the angels around him started to prepare their attack magic, or ¡®divinations¡¯, as they called them.


    << Fire. >>


    The Angels unleashed a rapid and focused long rage attack, a flurry of golden, silver, and blue magics shot with high velocity into the clouds in front of them. After a moment of a silence, Constantius reported:


    << AWACS reports mage mana signature is gone. The net is broken. Let¡¯s move. >>


    With those words, the elite angels exponentially increased their speed, shooting forward, and Alisson hastened to keep pace. The refueler and its escorts were left behind to orbit outside Irinian airspace.


    With that, they had slipped in.


    << Increase altitude. >>


    They shot upwards as they moved above the target facilities. They were within the sphere that Irinian¡¯s aerial defense forces had created; A sphere that was very large, and probably more focused on the main force of Angels a great distance away.


    << Flight of four Irinian mages bearing 270. Intercept. >>


    A squad of four angels gave a flourish to their weapons, which suddenly materialized as burning yellow blades, and peeled into the clouds. The Irinians must be responding to the sudden disappearance of one of their mages with a patrol to investigate. This time, they were so close that Alisson could hear the fighting; He heard the rumbles of explosions faintly. The angels rejoined them promptly thereafter.


    << Flight of twelve, bearing 70.  >>


    << Flight of four, bearing 330. >>


    More angels peeled away to intercept. They continued on, and passed one engagement, speeding by it. Alisson could only spot for a few seconds, mages flying in tandem with Angels, as if they were dancing, they shot spells at each other, and the Angels closed in with their burning yellow blades and cut throw them with great speed.


    It felt wrong to be escorted this way, but Alisson was a novice in aerial combat, he¡¯d probably be beaten by a common Irinian mage. He had only ever used flight to maneuver terrain, not to engage in combat.


    << Over the target area soon. You ready, outsider? >>


    Alisson didn¡¯t know how to operate the communications device, so he simply gave a thumbs up to Constantius. They reached the presumed spot. Alisson assumed that directly below them, thousands of meters, was an Irinian supply cache, one that they had hauled and built to supply their army for the coming campaign into the Queendom. It would go up in flames, alongside anyone nearby.


    Alisson and the Angels halted, creating a circular formation around him.


    << You¡¯re clear, start your heathen magics. >>


    With a flash, Alisson materialized his Opensen, and split his tails into Bacilla. A net of dozens of white tendrils surrounded him, and he saw some of the Angels stealing nervous glances back at him, like he was some kind of monstrosity. He began pulling mana from the surroundings and channeling it into his Bacilla with fluid motions. His Bacilla peeled and peeled, separating into hundreds of individual strands.


    << AWACS just reported in. Irine knows we¡¯re here. They¡¯re sending all available air defense to us. Expect anti-air fire from the ground. >>


    Two large Angels floated nearer to Alisson, with shields slung to their shoulders. Another, very frail, unarmored Angel neared; she looked younger than even the apprentices.


    ¡°I will act as your telemetry and shot guidance. Please allow me, Alisson.¡±


    She bobbed her head low. Alisson briskly nodded back, not wanting to distract himself from his motions. She floated to his rear and held onto his shoulders, whispering to herself. Celis looked on; He couldn¡¯t see her face but he knew she was bitter.


    As he worked, battle began to erupt all around him. The Angels shot forward into the clouds, and Alisson caught glimpses of Irinian mages beelining for him, before they were cut in half by Angels from their sides, flying through them with their slices. He could see their corpses fall down lifelessly under his feet. Long range magic also began to impact on the escort¡¯s shells from the aerial mages. Loud rumbles and explosions sounded off that Alisson could feel in his chest. It appeared that, because of the elevation, and lack of a floor, the explosions of magic here in the open air were magnified in their intensity.


    Alisson did not buckle or wince at these signs of combat; he had experienced it plenty on the ground before. That was until the first bolt of AA fire came from the ground. A massive spike of mana shot upwards, narrowly missing the entire formation; the shot split into dozens of smaller blasts upward. If that had met its mark, it would¡¯ve decimated the entire formation.


    << They¡¯re zeroing in on us. Outsider, ETA? >>


    With one last motion, Alisson rose a hand over his head, a blue sphere of congealed mana visible above it. On each end of his Bacilla¡¯s tendrils there was a similar ball of mana, glowing and wafting with power.


    ¡°Ready!¡± He shouted.


    << Fire for effect. >>


    The small Angel at his backside tightened her grip on his shoulders, and said into his ear, ¡°Follow this trajectory¡­I¡¯ll do the terminal guidance.¡±


    Across Alisson¡¯s visor, he could see a line that shot down into the ground, into the clouds below. It must¡¯ve been the work of the support angel. Following the line provided to him, he reached his hand into the ball of mana above him, grabbing it, and then swung it down, releasing it. A beam of pure mana erupted from his hand, sending quakes through his body. He did is his best to remain still, and control the mana. His Bacilla surrounded his arm, mana flowing through his body and into the beam.


    This was the Moonlight Cannon.


    A moment later, Alisson could hear a rumble from below.


    ¡°¡­Hit.¡± The support angel said quietly.


    In the next instant, the mana dried up, and Alisson was finished. He breathed a deep sigh, and turned to the support angel. Alisson¡¯s eyes widened and he recoiled back. Her legs were gone, and her hips were fading and disintegrating into white specks.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    The support angel gave a smile and a little giggle. ¡°I¡¯ve done my task¡­You don¡¯t have to look so panicked¡­Hehe.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re¡­¡±


    << Good hit. We are pulling out. Go! >>


    The Angels around them swung out and fled the way they came, but Alisson was stunned by the one before him.


    ¡°I¡¯m only a few days old. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s my purpose.¡±


    She continued to flash a smile at him. Half her body was already gone. Celis flew nearer and pulled Alisson away. ¡°We need to go!¡±


    Alisson reluctantly turned and flew with her in the wake of the other Angels, speeding up to keep pace with them. Alisson turned to see the support angel, still there in the clearing between the clouds, fading into nothing. An AA shell from the ground impacted on the position they were at moments before, and the support angel was engulfed in a cloud of thundering explosions.


    Alisson pried his gaze away and sped after the angels alongside Celis. He suddenly felt quite winded.


    More AA shells fired up at them from the ground, they thundered all around with deep rumbles that shook Alisson to his core. He closed his eyes and just kept flying, hoping they didn¡¯t impact any nearer to the formation.


    They were soon out of the defense net, and to his relief, they spotted the refueler His Majesty orbiting close by, ready to take on any wounded.


    << Theater-wide alert: The mission is a success. Return. >>


    Alisson heard the TAC issue an announcement to all the Angels in the sky. He was panting heavily by this point, and his body ached.


    ¡°Are you okay, Alisson?¡± Celis peered up at him.


    << Alisson, land with His Majesty. That fox-magic you used looks to have drained you. >>


    Alisson did as he was told by Constantius, and flew into the underside of the refueler, where a small hangar was. Alisson touched the ground of the craft and held onto a nearby handlebar, panting heavily. He looked out behind him at the clouds, relieved that the explosions of AA fire had been left behind.


    ***

 26. The Seraph Queen and the Lamia Hatchling

    The mission had been a success. There were no casualties on the side of the Angels. The Irinian army had halted in its tracks, and was forced to march back into their lands for fear of running out of food.


    Thus, their two-pronged offensive was broken. There now only remained a southern army that the Queendom and Sidonia would focus their full attention on. Thanks to his efforts, he had been recognized by the Angels as a battle-brother, and had been given an audience with the Seraph. Still bearing the wings that had been temporarily seared onto his back, he was able to fly through AB-0 like the other Angels. The flying highways crisscrossed the innards of the AB-0, hundreds of Angels flew at highspeed past them.


    ¡°Your apparel has been purified, you may now wear them in the presence of the Seraph.¡±


    Archangel Seralus informed him, and Alisson was quick to change into his old armor which now seemed to gleam in brightness. The fabric of his cloak was also soft to the touch. Constantius met with him to escort Alisson the final leg of the way to the Seraph, where after one final vertical tunnel, he was met with a large pair of doors.


    ¡°Michaela is waiting for you. Do as she says. The room beyond these doors is protected with anti-espionage blessings. You may rest easy in your confidentiality.¡±


    Constantius said as he made way for Alisson, motioning to the door. Alisson nodded in thanks and with one motion stepped inside. It was not too dissimilar to Rolaign; but instead of dark, shadowy corners and a high ceiling, this inner sanctum had glass walls that made Alisson realize just how high up he was.


    ¡°Like the view?¡±


    Gently floating in the center of the room was a bright entity; a sphere of pure white, which had a halo over its head, and several rings which circled it.


    Alisson fell to a knee and placed a hand on his heart. ¡°Seraph Michaela, though I am unworthy to be in your presence, I have come to speak with you on critical matters.¡±


    ¡°You need not prostrate yourself. Rise.¡± He did so, listening to the melodic hum that her voice carried at its edges. ¡°Alisson Vi Nuam. You are, unique, among your kind.¡± He looked up at the rotating sphere, which continued, ¡°All who bear your blood bear a heavy weight that chains them down, limits their thoughts; But you are different. You have no traces of such weight. I eagerly await your story.¡±


    Alisson took a deep breath. ¡°I must preface this by saying that I am well aware that I could be considered a most terrible retainer of Sidonia; a disloyal and treacherous servant that has failed to uphold his duties.¡± He looked at the white sphere with sharp eyes. ¡°But I believe that you will understand my griefs, even if you do not agree with my solution.¡±


    He took another deep breath, and went on to tell the Seraph the whole story. The order given to him that may as have well been to commit suicide, the Influence, Sidonia¡¯s obfuscation and undermining of the Nekomata as an independent people, and Alisson¡¯s plan for revenge.


    ¡°Thus, when Irine is dealt with, I will lead our combined armies south, and besiege Sidonia. I have seen the Angel¡¯s performance in the sky, and I would humbly ask for your support. Sidonia lacks dedicated air combat teams or any air doctrine, by contrast.¡±


    The Seraph finally spoke after a long while. ¡°Alisson, to say this is a matter of selfishness is a grave underestimation.¡± Alisson¡¯s body tensed in fear. ¡°Your leader wronged you, so you intend to destroy her entire nation and your own people in petty revenge? Is that how you see it? That you are simply an inflamed traitor who will act on their own gain?¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes, doing his best to remain calm. ¡°To a certain extent, yes. To destroy an entire system simply because I was disserviced by it, that would be the height of arrogance¡­¡± He clenched his fist.


    ¡°Your self-reflection is admirable. You think these things but you still want to go through with them. It¡¯s not really for yourself, is it?¡±


    The Seraph¡¯s sphere pulsed whitely. Alisson¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°Yes¡­I do it¡­For love.¡± He smiled. ¡°I want to live a peaceful life with my partner. It just so happens that¡­To achive that¡­I need to destroy a nation.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to settle for a less involved solution, you don¡¯t want to run away and escape, you want to meet this problem head on. I believe this is admirable.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­Sidonia does not like loose ends. She won¡¯t allow me and my mate to live a carefree life. I must¡­¡± His eyes flashed with the visage of his sister, and he clenched his teeth. ¡°I must defeat them utterly and completely. I don¡¯t even really care much about saving my people from her tyranny. If anything I am doing my people a disservice; For she has been a boon that has made us formidable¡­¡±


    ¡°This is true, but this formidable boon comes at a grave cost that I believe you still do not understand. One¡¯s sovereignty, one¡¯s one free will. If you were to oust Sidonia, the Nekomata would gain these things back, and others with similar situations as yours would be redeemed. You also plainly admit that you do not have a deeper, righteous motivation in saving your kind from a perceived tyranny. I applaud your honesty. Only those who consort in politics will conceal their intentions underneath a righteous mask.¡±


    The Seraph went silent for a long while, and Alisson gradually calmed his beating heart.


    ¡°Alisson. I believe I find you admirable. You may not be Man, you may even be a pagan, but you have a drive of free will that embodies the spirit of humanity. Sidonia is not very human. We are only allied to her because of geopolitical circumstance; But if she were the one landlocking our territory, she could very well be worse than Irine in her rule. We of God will support you. You, who have done so to prove yourself to us. We will stand behind you as God intends us.¡±


    Alisson broke into a wary smile, a feeling of accomplishment rising in his chest.


    It seemed the Michaela had already intended or at least had her reservations about Sidonia all along.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°I will allow you to gaze on my true form.¡±


    The sphere expanded and melded shape into a humanoid entity, before its brightness faded and revealed the true womanly body of Seraph Michaela. Her wings stretched out, and her halo sat over her head, spanning an arm¡¯s length in radius. She wore simple white ropes over her mature body, which glowed faintly white.


    ¡°Come hither.¡± She beckoned him nearer as she floated in the air. ¡°There are a few trite matters I would like to discuss. But firstly, I wish to caress your ears.¡±


    ¡°M-my ears?¡± Alisson¡¯s face reddened.


    ¡°I have always been curious of how they would feel. Animals are not allowed in my presence, you see.¡±


    Alisson looked at the Seraph¡¯s body, her deep blue eyes, and her innocent, small smile. How could he refuse? He may have been able to resist the devious fox queen, but he didn¡¯t stand a chance against this. He mentally apologized to Celis as he stepped closer, activating his Opensen, and kneeling before her. He closed his eyes, and tried not to think about it.


    Her hands grazed the ears atop his head, and cupped them gently. Her hands were soft, and gentle. She giggled. ¡°They feel peculiar, but it is not an unpleasant feeling.¡±


    Alisson looked up to her. ¡°Is worldly pleasure not sinful to pursue¡­?¡±


    Michaela smiled gently. ¡°We are here, Alisson, in this material world, as God intended. We experience the woes of life, but also the frivolities.¡± She lowered her hand and gently pet his head. Alisson shivered. She pulled her hand away suddenly, as if guilty.


    ¡°But I do not mean to trivialize your resolve or your will as an independent person, I apologize if I have.¡±


    Alisson smiled, and shook his head. ¡°Your consideration is plenty.¡±


    ¡°There are three items of interest of which I wish to bless you with. Rise.¡±


    Alisson stood, the Seraph was so close to him that he felt a pulsing warmness emanating from her.


    ¡°The first is the most trivial, and was something that you already possessed. We just happened to come across it in our territory.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened. He knew immediately what it was.


    ¡°There were a band of vile merchants who were using the Sidonian breed of horse, two of them, they were armored and had the personal possessions of what appeared to be two travelers. In lieu of an explanation from Sidonia, we have been holding these steeds on Sidonia¡¯s behalf; After hearing your story, I believe I know who to attribute these mounts to.¡±


    Alisson nodded in thanks. At the great battle of Scratskoslovotskaya, Alisson had made a deal with a shady merchant to keep care of his steeds while they were in the Deadzone. By the time they returned to the city, the mounts were nowhere to be found, and Alisson chalked it up to a regrettable, but acceptable, loss. They were nearing the end of their journey by that point anyway, and easily found other mounts to replace them, though none compared in the training in discipline that their personal steeds had. They had seen horrifying things, alongside himself and Celis. They also held with them a few things of interest.


    ¡°The second is this.¡± Michaela gave a swipe with her had, and a sword materialized in her hand¡¯s wake, which fell into her grip. It was white and elegant, but simple and thin. ¡°I have noticed that you do not have a weapon, for Sidonia has stripped you of your arms. Please take this as both a personal ward and a symbol of our bond.¡±


    Alisson nodded, and lifted the sword from her grip.


    ¡°It will conduct mana better than a normal sword, which should suit your, esoteric, abilities.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Then, there is the final item. The wings you have had branded to you disappear within a few hours; But you have expressed a desire to partake in our true blessings. For one as old as you, this is a difficult endeavor, which cannot be done immediately. However¡­¡±


    The Seraph reached into her robes and retrieved what appeared to be a silver necklace, with that cross symbol Alisson had seen everywhere in AB-0.


    ¡°This is a blessed amulet that will collect your prayers and deeds, it will store your will and the will of those you have slain; With this, you will be able to build your strength. When it has reached sufficient capacity, return to me, and we will begin your transformation in earnest.¡± She held the necklace before Alisson¡¯s eyes. ¡°Say a prayer before resting for the night, and before taking lives. If your soul is as pure as I believe, you should have no trouble amassing the store of will.¡±


    She dropped the pendant into Alisson¡¯s hands, and he furrowed his brow. ¡°What exactly is it? How does this work?¡±


    Michaela smiled and shook her head. ¡°Do not bother with trite things like that. Have faith. Believe earnestly in your prayers.¡±


    Alisson furrowed his mouth, but looked to her and nodded in acceptance.


    ¡°Now, I believe you wish to depart. I will allow you to take your leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Seraph, for everything. I will not forget your hospitality.¡±


    Alisson turned and began to leave when he felt something graze his tails, and he froze a moment, before realizing the Seraph had caressed them.


    ¡°¡­Soft.¡±


    Alisson continued on out of the room with a deep breath to calm himself.


    ¡­


    Basil was her name. A lamia; a race of feared serpentine warriors whose bottom halves were that of snakes. Purple scales and long purple hair adorned her body, and she had a human-like face, which she licked with her long, bifurcated tongue occasionally.


    ¡°So it seems Celis has reunited with her pet¡­¡±


    Alisson rubbed his temples as Celis hummed gleefully, feeling the lamia wrap around her arm.


    ¡°When she hatched, Basil was so small that she could fit in my hand, but now she could eat one of my fingers whole!¡±


    Celis exclaimed with a happy smile. There seemed to be few things that brought Celis more joy than pets. Ashlynde bobbed up and down with similar glee, ¡°Let me touch her again! Please?¡±


    Marenix sighed. ¡°These creatures are endangered, no one has seen of them in years¡­You and Celis found one in the north?¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head. ¡°We came across a destroyed nest, with one egg intact. It happened to hatch before we were able to eat it, and Celis decided to keep the little snake that had emerged.¡±


    Basil had been left with the mounts at Scratskoslovotskaya, so when the merchants backstabbed them and sold the mounts, Basil hid within their pouches, eating what rations she could until she was picked up by the HACA, where they had cared for her. The lamia was still just an adolescent, who couldn¡¯t even speak, a useless toy ¨C What was really important, were the combat-hardened steeds that the Angels had recovered, mounts which had served them well before, who were evidently happy to see Alisson and Celis. Alisson ran an idle hand over his stallion¡¯s neck, smiling as the animal seemed to neigh in happiness. These were not assets to throw away lightly.


    ¡°Uh, master, what¡¯s this?¡±


    Ashlynde had been busy digging through their old supplies, and now lifted a notebook in the air, and quickly flipped through it. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of drawings of Alisson in here-!¡±


    Celis quickly slipped behind Ashlynde and cupped her mouth tightly. ¡°Yes! Alisson likes drawing his baths one bunch at a time! Be quiet!¡±


    Alisson tilted his head, his curiosity getting the better of him, and stepped nearer. Celis couldn¡¯t stop him from plucking the notebook out of Ashlynde¡¯s hands and flipping through it. He flipped through one page at a time, seeing doodles of what appeared to be himself. Celis blushed and her shoulders shot up by her cheeks, averting her eyes guiltily.


    ¡°I guess even mean old Celis had a crush when she was an apprentice¡­¡± Marenix peered over at the pages, remarking.


    Alisson was a little touched to see that her love had been so deep, and long winded. He closed the notebook. It was a simple matter that he didn¡¯t need to pay any attention to or further embarrass her over, though.


    Alisson cleared his throat and pushed the notebook against Celis¡¯s chest, and turned away with a flare of his cloak. Their time in the HACA had come to an end. It was time to return to Sidonia, and attain an army.


    ¡°Master, teach me how to draw too?¡±


    He heard Ashlynde yelp as she was hit upside the head.


    ***


    <hr>


    End Movement 2

 ??. ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    The journey southward was simple other than the few run ins with beasts. Alisson glanced daily at the pendant he had been given, examining its silver glow, still unsure of what exactly to do with it. He had also been given a small book that hosted the holy scriptures of the Angels.


    They reached Ahvaratsu, and Alisson split from the rest of the group; he would make his way into his cell on his own, to maintain the ruse. Once he was in position, he gave the Queen the greenlight to proceed with the final part of imprisonment. The Queendom ruled that Alisson would be extradited to Sidonia for punishment, and the Machavelli would take him and the apprentices back home.


    The Machavelli departed with no incident. Ardinand and the other Sidonians would remain.


    The ship crested waves and crashed down into troughs. They weathered storms and the inclement emptiness of a journey at sea. The ship would ride down the falls, not to ride back up them, ride up them, not to ride down them. Steps and paths were followed that would never be traced again. The sails caught a wind that would take them off the edge and into the howling black.


    Alisson gazed upon the Capital with glazed, dull eyes. All had left him, all he had abandoned, for this one motive. He rose from his sitting position, and took a deep breath. The moonlight would see to the destruction of the outer walls; the traitorous mana would clear his path. His tattered cloak flew in the wind as his Bacilla surrounded him.


    The winds continued to blow at the ship¡¯s sails, pushing its crew forward toward a certain death.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    The forest turned men inside-out. Eighteen men walked sixteen paths. Ten heads rolled but only one mattered. Only one smile mattered. Only one.


    More than one taste of blood was required. Many would flow through a single vein; but do not forget that only blood will pay for blood.


    Only a faithful watchdog can be relied upon to keep peace while you sleep in the midst of your enemy. A circus by the end, with a distinct lack of clowns. The walking corpse kept many in his company that lacked the essentials.


    SR only served one purpose. She was a flightless angel, used and discarded like the rest of them. Lay their body across the tracks and wait for the train.


    Fidelity. This is fidelity.


    The long halls had no lights or ceilings, and occasionally the stampedes would run through them. That¡¯s how it felt to have your body stolen. Trapped in it. Wandering in circles, finding brief images of the outside, brief images of your reason for living. Only love would allow one to last so long.


    Love would be the cause of the fires that would burn the land but faith would heal all, even the eternal rage that brewed in him. The exoskeleton only served to keep those feelings within, temper and strengthen the flame, and reflect those that would try to cool it. Indelible rage has no cure.


    Throw it to the wind. Destroy those that you have failed to destroy before. Utterly and totally. Do not let them even raise their hand from their mangled corpse. Make them know that it is futile.


    You may forget, but they won¡¯t. A friend she was and a friend she will be. The armored fist will crush through all with its raw strength. Whirlwinds never moved so stupidly.


    If no one ever paid it any mind, then was it ever there to begin with? Did it ever matter? Was there any value in its existence, in the sweat that was shed in its creation? Did the great dreadnoughts and gunships rain their fire down upon the demon for no purpose?


    Above all she will be kept alive by constant pain, but also, hope. Fidelity. This is fidelity.


    ***


    You know, right?

 27. Dishonored 56th

    Begin Movement 3: The Slime and the Hound


    It served them right.


    <hr>


    ¡°Just sit tight. Fetch me in like twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­okay.¡± Ashlynde murmured back as I left Basil wrapped around her by the fire.


    The trip back to the homeland had been uneventful. The seas were calm and the winds had been fair. We would soon be in the capital again. Thus, this might be the last chance I get to be with Alisson for a while.


    I slipped into his tent where he slept soundly. You can sleep so peacefully because you know I¡¯m guarding you¡­Well, I guess right now I¡¯m not doing a very faithful job of it. I crawled atop Alisson in his sheets, and rested my head against his chest, nuzzling him.


    We¡¯ve made our plans. Alisson will work his magic to get placed in the 56<sup>th</sup>. They¡¯re a battalion of soldiers that have been dishonored in some way or another; But are too skilled to simply have executed; so, they repent by being sent into extremely hazardous conditions. Using this position, Alisson will get attached to an army, and then somehow steer it into Irine. In the mean time, me and Ashlynde have our own assignment. It¡¯ll be the first time I¡¯ll be acting on my own to get something done.


    For now though¡­


    I nuzzled my cheek against Alisson¡¯s chest.


    I want to savor my time with him.


    ¡°Pst¡­Master¡­It¡¯s been a while since you left.¡±


    I heard Ashylnde whisper from outside the tent.


    ¡°Give me another five.¡± I whispered back angrily at the interruption. I needed the time to put my clothes back on anyway.


    ¡­


    The legal proceedings were a farce. False allegations upon false actions and false confessions. Alisson didn¡¯t even need to see Sidonia in person. The bureaucracy recommended the penal battalion as a solution to Alisson¡¯s troubles; a way to let the political situation forgot about the scandal. Alisson held a paper in his hands penned by Sidonia as we walked to the 56<sup>th</sup>¡¯s barracks.


    He had been demoted, and command of the 51<sup>st</sup> had been placed in Daventdale¡¯s capable hands. A piece of Alisson disliked having to throw away his command and his spotless track record, his shining legacy, but they were such unimportant things. His friends had all advised him of how easy it would be to sweep this non-issue under the rug, to just deny everything and be exonerated. He didn¡¯t take their advice.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    He had stayed far away from the apprentices and Celis to avoid dragging them close to the Rolaign, close to Sidonia. Marenix was residing in the Nuam keep, and Celis and Ashlynde had their own task. He had tapped Lady Salchyon to take Marenix under her wing while Alisson was with the 56<sup>th</sup>.


    Alisson sighed and prepared himself as he stepped through the doors to the 56<sup>th</sup>¡¯s barracks; The ones they called the Blackened Platoon.


    A circle of men stood in a dark room wearing brown cloaks. In the center there was one with a black cloak. ¡°So, he arrives.¡±


    The one with the black cloak stepped forward to Alisson. ¡°These accommodations are temporary, but sin is eternal. Your name and your deeds matter not to me.¡± He handed Alisson a similar large cloak as the rest of the men had, which shielded their faces and made them appear as phantoms.


    ¡°You will not speak. You are a newcomer, but these are my brothers; their lives matter to me ¨C Yours does not.¡±


    ¡°That makes two of us.¡± Alisson muttered as he wound the cloak around him, and descended the veil that marked him as a dishonored warrior.


    ¡°You will lose your poetic retorts come our first mission. The Lady has seen to graciously expedite our outing because of your arrival, newcomer.¡±


    Sidonia. She must know something. Alisson¡¯s fist clenched.


    ¡°Come hither and I will brief you.¡±


    Alisson joined the circle of 56<sup>th</sup>. A magical display of lights formed in the center of the room showing a map of the world.


    ¡°There exists a land known as Sabasa. Andestine has moved and discovered its existence. To avoid unnecessary loses, our navy has withdrawn their blockade. Andestine has invaded Sabasa. We are to head to Sabasa and repel the invaders.¡±


    Alisson was immediately beset by a dozen questions. ¡°How did Andestine find them? Why are they there? Why are we going to their aid?¡±


    Alisson asked, almost indignant. The 56<sup>th</sup> were silent until the leader responded,


    ¡°Count not the number of doubts and questions you have. Count only the number of Andestinians you kill. Our Lady has ordered it, there is no further explanation necessary.¡±


    Alisson clicked his tongue. He should¡¯ve expected such treatment in a penal battalion.


    ¡°There is a great tunnel under the sea that connects our nation to the isle of Sabasa. We will be the screening element of a larger convoy. The tunnel has not been used in many years, we do not know what is in it. Once we reach Sabasa, we are to await further instructions.¡±


    Sabasa. The island of chivalrous dogs. The place where Alisson might find a slime. It may be under expedited and unusual circumstance, but he stood to gain, even if this mission was irrelevant to the entire point of being in this battalion.


    ¡°What of our deployments after this mission? Are we not attached to an army?¡±


    Again they responded with silence, until the leader spoke, ¡°Silence, brother.¡±


    Alisson frowned and averted his gaze. He supposed that he¡¯d have to hope that the circumstances aligned better in the future. Still, this wasn¡¯t a useless exercise. Perhaps he could go AWOL from the 56<sup>th</sup> while in Sabasa, and search for what he needed on his own.


    So, sent to a foreign place with no clues as to what he was accomplishing or what he was doing there, Alisson settled in to the 56<sup>th</sup>.


    ***

 28. Every Girl Needs a Hero

    I breathe a burst of air through my nostrils, looking over Arciel¡¯s shoulder as she wrote the report.


    ¡°We already reported to the council¡­Is this really necessary?¡±


    ¡°Comprehensive reports are always needed, Shepard¡­We need to be clear in exactly who we met and what we did and how the battles played out.¡±


    Arciel replied stoically. I frown. I wanted to drag Alisson before the head councilman, and get a hell of a lot of fame for it. But that didn¡¯t happen. I looked out the window at the moon now rising above Re¡¯relihn, the capital of Andestine. From here in the safety of the Hero¡¯s Chapel, the horrors of Freigat seem so far away.


    My eyes drifted down to Arciel. I didn¡¯t think a spoiled brat like her would take bureaucratic crap seriously, but she¡¯s humbled me enough times when it counts. With the war kicking up, me and Arciel will probably be sent to the mainland along with the rest of the hero summoner pairs to fight Sidonia.


    I don¡¯t want to see her get hurt again. She¡¯s just a kid. I know she can cast spells that can wipe out hundreds of people with the snap of a finger but¡­What I see in front of my eyes isn¡¯t a terrifyingly powerful mage who has the mana to keep a Hero like me summoned, I see a little girl. A scared little girl. My mind flitted to the memories of that ¡®Lady Salchyon¡¯ from Sidonia. Alisson was bad enough¡­If you blinked at the wrong moment you¡¯d end up with a rapier in your throat; But that Salchyon girl was like an unstoppable whirlwind of gore on the battlefield, just dicing through fully armored grown men with that terrible smile of hers.


    I don¡¯t want to think of that demon touching Arciel. I frowned. This world is too rotten. I really do need to get the hell out of here. The moon was high in the night sky now, and I felt tired. I would have this room all to myself but¡­Arciel didn¡¯t want to go to her family¡¯s home. It had been a few days since we got here, and she¡¯s been putting it off ever since.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide from your father forever, you know.¡±


    I put in, and she stopped writing. Her hand began to tremble a bit, like she had been trying to suppress those thoughts this whole time.


    ¡°I¡­I know¡­Tomorrow¡­I¡¯ll go tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°You said that yesterday.¡± I said bluntly, my arms crossed. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll go in the morning.¡±


    She stayed silent for a long while. I sighed, and laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here, Arciel. I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to you.¡±


    Arciel never had anyone to protect her back then. But now, she has me.


    ¡°¡­Fine. I promise I¡¯ll go tomorrow. My family will just end up busting through the doors of the Hero¡¯s Chapel eventually¡­¡±


    I smiled and left her the room; it only had one bed after all. Even if it had two, she wouldn¡¯t want to sleep in the same room as me anyway. I¡¯ll go find a bench or something to sleep on.


    ¡­


    The carriage halted abruptly, and Arciel almost fell out of her seat. We were now outside the Arcielvitzi compound, that is, Arciel¡¯s home. For being the namesake of her family, it¡¯s ironic how threatening Arciel has made her home out to be. As we stepped outside, I could already see the towering keeps and acres of gardens of the compound. We were in the countryside, a short carriage ride from Re¡¯relihn¡¯s suburbs. It¡¯s clear the nobility don¡¯t exactly want to live with the rest of the populace in the big cities.


    Before us, were a party of three. A slender boy, younger than Arciel, stood bowing, dressed in a fine suit. He had bright hair and shared Arciel¡¯s unique turquoise colored eyes. Arciel¡¯s hair however looked far darker. Her family was apparently meant to be one of the purest blooded in the Andestine nobility, so it was odd that what was evidently her brother had a different hair color.


    The other two standing beside Arciel¡¯s brother were knights clad in full protective equipment, save their helmets, and were armed. My eyes narrowed at them.


    ¡°Welcome, Arciel, father is waiting for you inside the main dining hall, please follow me.¡±


    Arciel bobbed her head and with that we were escorted deeper into the compound.


    ¡°So lovely that you could join us for dinner, dearest sister, but if I may ask¡­What matters kept you for so long before returning home? As I understand it, you returned to Re¡¯relihn a whole week ago¡­¡±


    Arciel took a moment to think.


    ¡°A lot of paperwork. It¡¯s confidential.¡±


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


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to think of a better excuse than that, Arciel.¡±


    Her brother responded immediately, and I could detect the faintest hint of amusement in his voice. I frowned at the back of his head.


    Our group walked in silence thereout until we reached our destination. When Arciel¡¯s brother opened the grand doors to the dining hall, what met my sight was a long room hosting a very long table. On either sides of the table, more of the same type of armored soldier flanked the walls. I could only assume the man sitting at the end of the table was Arciel¡¯s father, Riegal.


    ¡°Arciel! How the sight of you warms my heart! Come, come, sit down, lunch is just about to be served.¡±


    Arciel did so, and I stood behind her, already having learnt my lesson that nobility get pissy when a hero like myself dare steals seating from them. Arciel chose to sit at the near her father at the end of the table, and across from her sat her brother.


    ¡°Arciel, this is your summon?¡± Riegal took a glance at me.


    Arciel replied in the affirmative.


    Riegal bobbed his head, but otherwise that was the last time he spared me any notice, not even asking for my name.


    ¡°I imagine the journey you had on the mainland was¡­Exhilarating? Please, tell me all about it¡­¡±


    Arciel was silent for a few moments.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say, the head councilman asked everyone to be discrete.¡±


    ¡°Weis, that scum¡­¡± Riegal began, but Arciel continued,


    ¡°But, I can tell you that we were chasing a group of Sidonians¡­They led us north, where they entered the Freigat Jungle¡­¡±


    Riegal¡¯s brow piqued. ¡°They call that place the most dangerous part of the world¡­Surely you did not follow them there?¡±


    Arciel averted her eyes. ¡°¡­We did. We hoped to find what they were after.¡±


    Riegal rolled his eyes. ¡°Such a decrepit place ¨C It must not be all that dangerous if you and your summon could walk in and out like that¡­But regardless, all this talk of weak willed so called ¡®special operations¡¯ sours my appetite ¨C Your mission was nothing but folly in the face of armies and generals¡­¡±


    I frowned at Riegal. How a father could be so dismissive at his own daughter venturing into such a dangerous place.


    ¡°But this isn¡¯t an interrogation¡­¡± Riegal continued, ¡°How have you been, Arciel?¡±


    Arciel again took some time before responding. ¡°I want to ask first¡­Is there any reason you have so many guards here¡­? Is there some sort of threat you¡¯ve heard about?¡±


    I guess its not normal for Arciel¡¯s family to dine with a dozen soldiers in the room.


    ¡°The answer is right behind you, Arciel.¡± Riegal smirked. ¡°Your brutish summon there. You know I¡¯ve never trusted Heroes, and he is a new one after all, you never know with these people, where they come from and what their motives are you see¡­¡±


    I frowned at Riegal. Such open hostility. I wasn¡¯t expecting Arciel¡¯s father to act so brazen.


    ¡°Father.¡± Arciel looked into her lap. ¡°Shepard saved my life ¨C He fought alongside me, You shouldn¡¯t be-¡±


    ¡°And what grounds would you tell me what I should and should not do? You are an heirless little girl with no legitimacy or claim and you tell me what I should think? Please¡­I would also prefer that you did not sully my ears with the name of your pathetic summon.¡±


    Riegal waved his hand dismissively. Arciel shut up after that until the food arrived. I of course was not served anything. Arciel poked at her food, frowning.


    ¡°I hate to have dampened the mood¡­but¡­¡± Riegal started after a long lapse of silence, ¡°What I said was the truth, Arciel. As your father I must ask of you, what is your plan? Surely you won¡¯t continue to serve in the military as some drone of combat¡­Perhaps you have been making connections with nobles on the mainland? Do you even have any candidates for marriage in your head?¡±


    Arciel was silent.


    ¡°You need to think of these things, Arciel, you need to think. For being a mage you do very little of it. I of course will always look out for you¡­¡±


    I don¡¯t like where this is going.


    ¡°¡­Which is why I¡¯ve petitioned your expulsion from the military. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll hear about it soon from those in the Chapel. I¡¯ve prepared a list of suitors that I would like you to take a look through.¡±


    Arciel stared into her food, her mouth furrowed.


    ¡°I know what happened the last time was unfortunate, but Arciel, you¡¯re sixteen now. You can¡¯t go running off to learn magic to escape this any longer. You are a daughter of the Arcielvitzi family and you must remember your duties. Take a husband in marriage, and live safely in our borders¡­Heed my words, Arciel, this is the wisest course of action.¡±


    Again Arciel was silent, before she promptly stood. ¡°I¡¯m going to finish the rest of my food in my room. Come, Shepard.¡±


    She started off, plate in hand, when Riegal spoke loudly behind her, ¡°It won¡¯t be your room for very much longer, Arciel. You can¡¯t keep running.¡±


    I heard him smile. My fist tightened, but I took a deep breath. Outside of Arciel¡¯s room, she stopped, finally turning to face me. We were alone in the corridor together.


    ¡°Thanks for not blowing up, Shepard¡­Here.¡± She rose the plate of food to me.


    I broke into a smirk, charmed. A year ago, she looked at me like something she scraped off the bottom of her shoe. ¡°I graciously accept, ¡®princess¡¯.¡±


    Arciel frowned blankly, and entered her room. Before closing the door fully, she glanced at me for a long moment, hesitantly shutting her door thereafter.


    Again, I¡¯m left like a dog outside in the rain. As I sat against Arciel¡¯s door, eating what I could from her unfinished meal, a servant approached me.


    ¡°His majesty has seen fit to grant you residence in the south wing, please, follow me.¡±


    I frowned at the servant. The south wing was on the entire other side of the building.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying right here.¡±


    I said gruffly, and ignored the servant, shoving a bite of food into my mouth as barbarically as I could to try to scare him off. He pestered me for a little while longer before finally admitting defeat and slinking off.


    I put down the clean plate, still hungry. I don¡¯t really need to eat ¨C The mana that Arciel gives me at all times keeps me satiated enough. But eating like this helps me feel like I¡¯m still a normal human.


    But¡­A normal human wouldn¡¯t be able to hear Arciel undressing and slinking into the covers of her bed on the other side of the wall. Nor hear the servants all around the wing, attending to their duties. Farther off were the knights that Riegal kept in his company, their armor clinking loudly. I looked into the ceiling. I don¡¯t trust this place one bit. I¡¯ll stay here outside her door and protect her all night. I made a promise to someone who was far more reminiscent of a father to Arciel that I would do as much.


    ***

 29. The Red Hand

    The tunnels were a familiar place to Alisson. He was glad that he hadn¡¯t brought Marenix with him. It had only been an hour since entering the tunnel, and he could already feel in his gut that something was wrong.


    The 56<sup>th</sup> had departed the capital and made way for the eastern coast, by which there was a great hole in the ground, concealed under layers of flora and nets that had been put there centuries ago. They exposed the great hole, dragging the nets and tarps away. The hole seemed endless. The 56<sup>th</sup> attached ropes to the lip of the hole, and began their descent as elements of the main convoy arrived and started the preparations for the true force. The 56<sup>th</sup> and him were just the scouts.


    He wasn¡¯t given any map or indication as to where the tunnel lead, just the promise that it had been used in the past as a route of passage to Sabasa. If Sabasa was somewhere east of Sidonia and south of Andestine, then it must have been far into the sea, isolated. Mounts were thankfully lowered down, along with a couple wagons of supplies towed by horses. Once they were all set, they set off into the blackness of the tunnel.


    At least this time, Alisson was given leeway to bring his preferred arsenal. He now wore a cloak over his armor, a mix of chain, plates, and gambeson. At his hip he had the sword that Michaela had gifted him with. Around his body, he had with him several throwing knives. In lieu of his attack magic, these were his main ranged option. These knives were imbued with several types of expensive spells that were stored within them.


    The tunnel was nothing unique compared against Alisson¡¯s experiences, other than its size. Its diameter could easily fit a couple buildings. The stone here was also fairly straight, and because of the flat ground, it was most likely an artificial tunnel.


    The 56<sup>th</sup> moved in silence, and nothing in the tunnel sparked any stimuli in him, so Alisson was left to his thoughts. He spent time trying to piece together the situation and what this mission even was.


    Sabasa was an island that Sidonia had some sort of ancient agreement with, one that perhaps only the Lady Sidonia remembered fully. They were valuable to the Nekomata in some way, otherwise this expedition wouldn¡¯t be dispatched. Andestine had uncovered Sabasa as he had heard, hence the issue. The Sidonian navy must have been patrolling the seas around the island for a millennia, guarding its existence from the rest of the world, simply believing that they were defending Sidonian waters. But now, they had pulled back.


    This told Alisson that Andestine probably had naval supremacy of the island, and that Sabasa wasn¡¯t so important as to throw the full weight of Sidonia¡¯s navy to break the blockade. Hence, this path through an undersea tunnel to reach Sabasa.


    What exactly was happening on the island, Alisson hadn¡¯t a clue of. For all he knew, the Sabasa as a people had long since died out, and the island was only a secret base of operations.


    The formation had ample magicians to cast lighting spells, in addition to scrolls were brought with them, thus a fleet of hovering magic lights followed the men closely, both behind and in front of them.


    After a few hours of walking a leisurely pace, the 56<sup>th</sup>¡¯s commander gave the order to speed up.


    The horses broke into a quick trot, as it became apparent to the men that the tunnel was most likely empty, and completely abandoned. The main fear was that in its centuries of disuse, beasts could¡¯ve burrowed into it. Or even worse, the tunnel might¡¯ve collapsed. Seeing as though it wasn¡¯t already flooded, at least the weight of the sea had not broken it yet.


    It hadn¡¯t been very long and already Alisson was homesick. No, that wasn¡¯t right. He didn¡¯t yearn for home. He yearned for what he had left behind. Celis. It had been so long that he had been together with her that he had forgotten what it was like to be without her. He could scarcely believe that he had spent all but the last year and a half of his 278 years of living without her.


    For hours and hours, they continued on through the tunnel. The tunnel rarely differed in its topography. Eventually, they halted their travels and made camp to rest. The Nekomata might have been able to go without sleep for extended periods, especially when they weren¡¯t physically exerting themselves, but the horses still needed their rest. The wagons were placed on either end of the tunnel, and the 56<sup>th</sup> made themselves comfortable for what was going to be an uneventful couple hours. Alisson sat alone by the front of the camp, looking out into the darkness of the tunnel.


    He quietly ate the soup that had been cooked for him.


    He wondered how far he could see into these tunnels without any light sources. With just his ears and his senses. He could usually hear an animal¡¯s heart beat with his true ears, and thus sense them even in total darkness and stillness. There were many places where blending in with the darkness, becoming a lifeless and still thing, was the only way to survive, as he had learned. The rest of Sidonia looked on at the 56<sup>th</sup> as alien and emotionless people, but Alisson doubted they were truly so devoid of emotions on the inside. The shame of their dishonor was the only thing that bound their minds and lips tightly.


    They also did not have Alisson¡¯s last hidden ability, a gift of the hermit Nekomata. It was a special spell that projected two needles of magic from one''s temples; these hypersensitive mana prongs allowed one to gaze through any fog or darkness, and see a great distance forward. He hadn¡¯t ever used it before, as he had received the spell very late into his previous mission and hadn¡¯t been in a circumstance to need it. Celis however did, and the spell had seared her skin upon its use; nothing permanent or fatal, but it made Alisson reluctant to think about using it if he needed to.


    Eventually, the order was given, the formation began its travel once more.


    ¡­


    Alisson didn¡¯t know how long the 56<sup>th</sup> were in those tunnels for. It was long enough that they made camp to sleep for an extended period, taking watch and resting fully, before continuing onward.


    Alisson was mind numbingly bored. At least with topside travel, there was a view.


    The air was silent and the blackness of the tunnel ahead of them cleared as they moved forward. Alisson had been placed in the front to take point during the next couple hours of travel. There were a few by his side as well. This was the most dangerous part of a formation in a tunnel of course, only equal in danger to the furthest rearguard.


    It was sudden and unexpected, much like if one suffered terrible news with no warning. The gut feeling that had been simmering deep inside Alisson¡¯s gut welled and rose into his chest, and then into his throat, where it choked him, and made his eyes go wide. He had instinctively stopped his horse, and in retrospect, it might¡¯ve been the only reason he survived. The other two 56<sup>th</sup> to his flanks looked back at him for a moment, before they too caught a glimpse of something sticking out of the shadows of the tunnel before them.


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    It was bright red, so it easily drew their attention. Alisson only had a moment to squint his eyes at it. It was a hand, or perhaps more aptly a claw, the surface of which was eerily glossy, like it was skinned.


    The 56<sup>th</sup> in front of Alisson were tackled off their steeds by red blurs. It all happened within a moment. He saw them then quickly dragged out of the light, and into the shadows by long, fleshy red hands. Alisson knew then that this was no time to be mounted. He leapt backwards from his horse, drawing his sword.


    ¡°Lights forward!¡± He swung his arm out.


    His inclination to command took over, but regardless of his rank, the 56<sup>th</sup> complied, and lights surged forward. The three steeds were the next to go in the second thereafter, grabbed and taken into the darkness, struggling and scrambling, but fruitlessly so.


    Before the lights could fully reveal whatever had taken them, more of them surged into the formation, from the front, from the sides, from the ceiling of the tunnel. Alisson was briefly stunned in a sensory overload before his adrenaline took over and time seemed slow. The creatures looked vaguely humanoid or quadrupedal, were covered in a fleshy red, and had long claws, like rats. That¡¯s all Alisson could make out.


    ¡°Cut through them!¡±


    He ordered, charging forward to meet the one directly before him. With a swing of sword endowed to him by the Seraph Michaela, he diced the beast in two. At least they could be killed. However, a dozen more quickly took its place, surrounding Alisson. He was locked in a dance, weaving around claws and red flesh of these large rat-like things, dicing at them as best he could. He saw spells fire off from deeper in the formation, which slightly aided him. In a split-second window of respite, he looked back toward the 56<sup>th</sup>.


    They were completely overrun.


    The horses were butchered, men were dragged into the darkness, and directly behind Alisson, he saw the 56<sup>th</sup>¡¯s leader being torn apart by a trifecta of the creatures; Alisson could hear his flesh tear and his bones break as his body was split into three pieces within an instant.


    The 56<sup>th</sup> clearly had not the same explosive aggression that was needed to combat beasts of this nature.


    Alisson decided then that this position was untenable. He turned away from the 56<sup>th</sup>, and broke into a sprint forward down the tunnel, alone. He flashed his manifestation, and cut through the creatures that impeded him, focusing on moving rather than killing. It was truly a torrent of flesh, but they were not so oppressive that Alisson¡¯s speed could not penetrate the gaps where there were no creatures. As he blurred past them, they turned and slammed into one another to try to give chase. Perhaps if he drew some away, it would give the 56<sup>th</sup> a fighting chance.


    He quickly ran into another problem. There were no longer any sources of illumination this far away from the formation. The spell that had been lingering in his mind was suddenly presented as an option; but Alisson decided against it; it was a spell he had never used before and a complicated one at that. Casting spells quickly while in combat was something almost no one could do but the very best. And even then, Alisson could only cast the spells he was extremely familiar with, incantations that he had ran in his head so many times that the thoughts had become a kind of muscle memory.


    He threw up magic lights in every direction without a care for his mana supply, just so he could see the enemies around him. Alisson realized this was a mistake.


    The tunnels walls were now red, moving flesh. There were beasts everywhere around him, and upon seeing the lights, they all shifted direction to him. It was do or die. Alisson withdrew from inside of his cloak, a flourish of throwing knives, and threw them in every direction with a swipe of his hand. The knives impacted flesh, and a moment thereafter, detonated in large explosions. He continued forward, and withdrew one of his most specially imbued knives. He threw it behind him, and the knife detonated into a cloud of bright, white, noxious and burning gas. He could immediately smell the scent of burning flesh as the gas burned the creatures to his rear. That should halt at least one side of the wall of flesh. Alisson threw more knives directly forward and ran as fast as he could. In only a few seconds, he had already used half his throwing knives.


    After they were dried up, he would have no means of large radius attacks. Almost in a rage, he tore through the creatures directly before him, slipping to their backsides and cutting them through.


    He refused to die here, without Celis by his side. Before, he had only cared about surviving for the mission. But now, it was for Celis. One of the creatures leapt on him, and after a brief struggle, he threw it to the ground and rammed his blade through its head. More quickly took its place.


    As Alisson fought, and progressed forward, the lights faded, and he was cloaked in darkness. In him, he reawakened those long-suppressed memories of Freigat. This was just Freigat. He told himself this. He survived then, he would survive now, he just needed to keep fighting, even if the enemies numbers were intangible, even if his comrades were all long dead behind him. He needed to survive.


    He didn¡¯t have the time to charge the Moonlight Cannon, not in these conditions. The light seemed to attract them. It was a gamble dealing the creatures in the dead of the darkness; he could hear and otherwise feel them moving around him, but his senses weren¡¯t always accurate, especially not with esoteric creatures like these. He needed the magic needle spell. He focused mental capacity on forming the spell, praying desperately that he remembered it correctly.


    He cut through beast after beast. He couldn¡¯t be allowed to get knocked down or otherwise grabbed. It would mean death. Alisson felt blood run over his face and eyes. He was probably covered in the blood and gore of these creatures¡¯ insides.


    He completed the spell, and with a burning sensation at his temples, two yellow prongs materialized from the sides of his head, pointing forward, like antennae.


    He could suddenly see all the creatures around him. Not with his vision, but with his mind ¨C He didn¡¯t know how the information came to him, but it was so coherent and detailed that his brain visualized it in his eyes, and he imagined the whole space around him, despite the darkness.


    The going became more manageable after that. He continued forward. He had sustained some cuts and was bleeding, but it was nothing major. There was a dedicated healer in the 56<sup>th</sup>, so they carried with them no healing scrolls. It was idiotic. Alisson had learned from his time in the north that consumable items meant life and death; but Sidonia saw the expenses for one time use items as frivolous things, and even then only slightly tolerated refillable imbued items.


    The torrent of flesh grew slimmer until it dried up. Alisson looked around, as he ran in the tunnel, completely out of breath. He slowed to a stop, and panting, doubled over, his chest heaving. He looked behind him, and saw a trail of red corpses.


    Just then one of the creatures leapt at him from behind, and tackled him to the ground. He struggled with it, grabbing hold of its neck. Its claws dug into his shoulders and arms, and its jaws opened wide, racing to his neck. He kept it away as best he could as they became tangled on the ground. Alisson¡¯s tails split into their Bacilla and the white tendrils rose into the air. They sharpened suddenly and shot toward the creature, impaling it from every direction, but yet it wouldn¡¯t go limp. He punched its face repeatedly, which knocked it away for just the briefest of moments for him to withdraw a throwing knife and jam it into its neck over and over until it fell limply onto his body. He sat still for a moment, clutching the knife and pushing it further into the beasts neck.


    Alisson pushed the body off of him, his arms now tattered and his shoulder barely functional. The armor had saved him from the worst of it, though.


    He looked around wildly, grabbed his sword, and continued forward into the passage. He needed to reach Sabasa. His Bacilla wrapped around his wounds, tightening on them, and entering his flesh partially to stop the bleeding.


    ***

 30. Napping Kids

    The Voorhee¡¯s industrial basin was an old, dried out lake, near Re¡¯relihn. It was now used as a firing range, and various mages tested their spells here. Among them, Arciel elected to take a day trip here to get away from the city. That is, to get away from her father. I stood behind her as she prepared her spells, nearby were other mages doing the same. At first, they paid her no mind; young mages were a common sight in Andestine. The nation had various systems in place to screen for magic aptitude, magically capable orphans being drafted into the military, and various schools and institutions to help facilitate magic use.


    That¡¯s not to say magic was the focus of Andestine, it had a larger vendetta on young men, to train up into being world class, professional soldiers. All the same on women and families to produce as much offspring as possible, it was off putting to me.


    When Arciel started unleashing her arsenal downrange, the focus of all the other casters in the area shifted to her. They were in awe. Arciel was, after all, one of the best in the nation in terms of magical power. She had three things in excess which endowed her this;


    A large mana capacity, a substantial mana regeneration rate, and she had the fundamental blessing from whatever gods of this world that the magic actually listens to her. That is to say, that there are plenty of mages and mage-wannabes, who when trying to cast a spell, simply can¡¯t; the mana doesn¡¯t respond to them.


    That¡¯s why she was selected as a summoner. The term was misleading, because she didn¡¯t actually summon me, the big hats in Andestine did that, but she is responsible for feeding me mana to keep me corporeal. This is why having a high mana regeneration rate is crucial, she needs to not only feed me an incredible amount, but also have enough to spare to regenerate another supply to use for spells.


    Explosions thundered in the distance, rumbling the ground. Arciel¡¯s were the largest.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± She turned with a flair of her hair, giving herself a self-satisfied smirk.


    It was then when an even bigger explosion shook the earth, and the brightness of it appeared to make the area go dark. I looked in the distance to see another cloud, one that was far bigger than Arciel¡¯s had been. She looked awestruck, but also fearful.


    As the dust settled it became apparent who the agent of destruction had been. Down the line of mages was an even younger magician than Arciel, one that we were both familiar with, the summoner of the strongest hero.


    ¡°A-Arciel, I didn¡¯t know you would be here¡­¡±


    Stumbling toward us on short legs, barely holding up a staff that was far too large for them, was Fifio; A young girl that just about reached my waist in height. Close behind her was her summon, Jeremiah. The strongest Hero of Andestine. In contrast to the pipsqueak Fifio, Jeremiah was a large, masculine and broad shouldered man, hefting a large, ornate spear at his back.


    ¡°Shepard, good to see you.¡± He nodded at me, and I reciprocated him.


    He looked at me like a nobody when we first met, with arrogance and scorn, but it looks like he¡¯s warmed up to me now that I¡¯m not hero fresh off the boot.


    Arciel and Fifio exchanged pleasantries the way girls usually did, as if the two of them weren¡¯t walking vectors of mass destruction.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing your summoner wanted to get some fresh air from the Arcielvitzi compound?¡±


    Jeremiah asked whilst standing near me, his arms crossed.


    ¡°Does everyone and their mother know about Arciel¡¯s home situation¡­?¡± I muttered back.


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    ¡°No, but word among nobility of instability travels quickly. You forget I¡¯ve been alive to witness her whole life.¡±


    I sigh. Jeremiah didn¡¯t look too much older than me, but he was the oldest and longest serving Hero. He was probably hundreds of years old; having been partnered with dozens of summoners. I was just fresh meat in comparison.


    ¡°I know this may be insensitive to ask, Shepard, but how was your experience of Freigat? That is a place even I have not ventured.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s everything the rumors chalk it up to be. It¡¯s hell.¡±


    He put a hand on my shoulder, smiling. ¡°If nothing, it has wiped that signature commoner cockiness that so many Heroes are endowed with. You have been humbled and tested, I can see as much from the way you carry yourself.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Aging three decades in three weeks is bad for your health.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heroes, Shepard. Age is nothing but experience.¡± Jeremiah lifted his hand from my shoulder. ¡°Come, we¡¯re in a proving ground for mages, I tire of idly watching.¡±


    I looked at him quizzically. ¡°You want to spar?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Was that not the first thing you wanted from me when we met? To topple the highest ranked Hero?¡±


    I frowned. When I first came here, I found out that the highest ranked hero was given special permissions and was in close contact with the high council of Andestine. I wanted answers then, about everything. After all that¡¯s happened, I¡¯ve sidelined those desires.


    ¡°Sure, why not.¡± I took him up on his offer, and we found a clearing that was free of idling mages.


    Though the both of us were unarmored, we still brought with us our weapon to protect our summoners.


    I drew the large sword at my back. When first coming here, I always thought it just looked like a comically large hunk of metal; despite the fact I could hold it with one hand because of my Hero-enhanced strength. Now, I know there are some great uses for a weapon like this. I never really got to pick what I got handed, now that I think about it. It may have been a boon in retrospect, I could kill beasts fairly easily with raw strength despite not knowing the first thing about swordsmanship. Hell, I still wouldn¡¯t consider myself a swordsman.


    Jeremiah drew his spear, and soon, we were locked in combat. I could do little to keep up with his speed and technique; But at the very least, I saw what he was doing, and I knew what I was doing wrong.


    I decided to show him what my real specialty was. I swung widely, before dropping my blade and rushing forth with my fists at the ready, which seemed to take him by surprise. Unlike the swings of my blade, my strikes were fast and precise. I¡¯ve punched a hell of a lot more than I¡¯ve swung a sword, even after being here for so long.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to save me as eventually Jeremiah smashed the end of his spear into my chest, sending me sliding me back across the ground, but still on my feet. A blow like that probably would¡¯ve cracked a normal man¡¯s sternum.


    We took a moment to breath, and relaxed our bulging muscles. It looked like quite a crowd had formed around me and Jeremiah, the mages were either in awe at our fight, or looking on at us with self-satisfaction, in that they were above such pedestrian means of combat.


    ¡°Well done, Shepard. You¡¯ve gotten better with a sword, but you still fight like a brute.¡±


    ¡°I take that as a complement.¡± I smirked.


    I suddenly felt a weird feeling within me. Now that I was not embroiled in battle, I could recognize it as not being simple fatigue. I was running out of mana. Arciel wasn¡¯t supplying me.


    I looked around, confused, my heart starting to race.


    ¡°U-uh, Shepard!¡±


    Fifio came stumbling through the crowd. ¡°Arciel¡¯s family, they took her, and, she, and they¡¯re-!¡±


    I stepped closer. ¡°Slow down.¡±


    Jeremiah neared and laid a hand on her head. ¡°What is it, squirt?¡±


    ¡°They took Arciel! Her father and his guards, they took her!¡±


    I clenched a fist. The second I¡¯m not around to protect her-!


    Jeremiah shot a glance at me. ¡°Have you ever ran out of mana before?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve died before, but mana depletion, no.¡±


    ¡°It works the same way.¡± Jeremiah explained. ¡°If Arciel is taken away from you, you¡¯ll wither and die like an old grape on the vine within the hour. She¡¯ll be able to regenerate you, but¡­¡±


    He trailed off.


    ¡°Her father isn¡¯t going to let her do that.¡± I ended the thought for him. I looked into his eyes. ¡°I need to follow her.¡±


    Jeremiah smirked. ¡°Fifio and I have our own reputation to guard. But a raging Hero commandeering our coach wagon would certainly be out of our control if we weren¡¯t looking.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I turned to rush away when Jeremiah added, ¡°You should be able tell the direction of your summoner depending on which one trickles more mana to you. Good luck.¡±


    I did as he suggested, finding the coach with Fifio¡¯s family crests on it, and gruffly ordering the servants to take me back to Re¡¯relihn at the threat of violence.


    I guess this was bound to happen eventually.


    ***

 31. For Monolith

    Alisson continued on through the tunnel. He didn¡¯t know how long he traveled for, sometimes walking and sometimes jogging where he could. He ate the scarce rations he had on his person as he walked, warily eyeing his backside. Since that last beast that had tackled him, there had been no traces of any other living things here.


    His wounds had healed well, but he was still worse for wear. He pushed forward and just didn¡¯t think about them ¨C It was nothing compared to Freigat.


    The tunnel was back to its previous state. There must have been some sort of nest, or hive like thing, that had taken up residence within the tunnel in all the years since its last use. He may have already passed the opening where those creatures came from in running forward so fast. He could occasionally hear something akin to a rush of wind coming from above, but concluded that it was the currents of the ocean above.


    He eventually saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and hastened to it. There was a single shaft of light that beamed down. It was sunlight. He had reached the end of the tunnel.


    There was another vertical hole that stretched up into the sky, much like the one that the 56<sup>th</sup> had used to descend into the tunnel. In the very center of the shaft of sunlight, stuck into the floor of the tunnel, was a long sword. It was old, and rusted.


    Alisson stepped toward it, and then looked back down the tunnel.


    He was probably the last living member of the 56<sup>th</sup>. They had most likely all perished. Such was their atonement in the penal battalion. He reached into his clothes, and withdrew the pendant that was wrapped around his neck, the cross he had received from Michaela. He took it off his neck, and draped it on the sword, before sitting before it.


    He realized that here in the light, his cloak and armor had been splattered with blood. He wiped some off his face, but figured it was all dry now and that there wasn¡¯t any point.


    He closed his eyes and silently meditated.


    A short vigil was all he could offer to the 56<sup>th</sup>. He may have not known them, but they had still been his temporary comrades.


    After a long while, he stood, and grabbed the cross from the sword, and looked to the sky above. He slung the pendant back round his neck, tucking it into his clothes.


    The tunnel was climbable, thankfully. With his Opensen activated, he got a head start and jumped up onto the walls, climbing up them, his tails swaying to help his balance.


    The climb took almost an hour, revealing just how deep he had been. At several points he had to stop and take a rest whilst hanging.


    Alisson finally grasped the lip of the hole, and pulled himself into the light of the sun, shielding his eyes. It was early in the morning, and thick clouds covered the sky above in a gray and overcast day. Behind him he heard crashing waves, and sure enough, he was by the coast.


    Alisson looked out across the endless sea for a moment before withdrawing his compass. He¡¯d have to head inland, and find some sort of settlement. He had eaten all his rations, and would need a source of food. The surroundings here were nothing he hadn¡¯t seen before. Just rolling forests and grasslands that were pushed by the increasingly heavy winds.


    He quickly spotted a rising smoke stack on the horizon, and his eyes sharpened.


    He deftly moved through the forests and the land, his ears fluttering atop his head. There didn¡¯t seem to be any beasts here, or any animals at all for that matter. He reached a hill that overlooked the source of the smoke, and sighed. The smoke rose from charred buildings. A small village had been burnt and razed. Alisson made his way closer, and still didn¡¯t see any signs of people or any clues as to what could have happened.


    He neared and crept through the barren streets of the village. Debris was scattered everywhere, and the mud was thick here. He saw many footprints in the mud of both humans and horses. He entered the buildings with his sword at the ready, scanning the insides for anything edible. He found some grain some cellars, and some smoked meat elsewhere. Clearly, this village hadn¡¯t been hurting for food. Alisson ate what he could and stuffed the rest into his pouches. He found a backpack among the remains of the village, and figured if he was going to need to travel, more food would be the safe option.


    It wasn¡¯t long until he found the bodies. On the outskirts of the village, were the corpses of what Alisson presumed to be its inhabitants. They were muddy, and their blood was dried, but they hadn¡¯t died too long ago. Some had been impaled on skewers and burned, and others had been hanged from trees, many others lay dismembered. Women, children, and the elderly mostly. Not many fighting age men.


    He knelt nearer to a small child¡¯s corpse. Atop their head were a pair of floppy dog ears. Alisson sighed, and ran a hand over the child¡¯s face to close the eyes that had been wide in fear. Each and every one them were ethically Sabasa, with dog ears and tails.


    This kind of brutality, Alisson was familiar with it. Given the circumstances of the situation here, there was only one culprit. Andestine. They must¡¯ve landed on the island, and the Sabasa rallied their armies, hence the lack of fighting men here at the village. They must have lost. And now, the whole island of Sabasa was probably being razed by Andestine.


    Razed was the wrong word. It was genocide, cleansing the world from the subhumans, as Andestine would put it. They would do the same to Sidonia if they could.


    For the moment, it seemed that the only purpose Andestine was here, was not to secure resources, or an advantage position, or even to deprive Sidonia of allies, but to simply kill.


    Alisson once more withdrew the pendant and offered the townspeople a short vigil.


    He reluctantly left the scene. Within the village outskirts was a single hut, plastered over with animal hides. Within, was a horse. Alisson had heard it neighing. It may have been the only survivor of the entire village. He led it out, and gathering the food that he could into the backpack, mounted the horse, and set off.


    There was a dirt road that trailed out of the village, from which Alisson could only assume led to a larger settlement. He would follow the road, see if he could find any living Sabasa. He looked to the gray sky and pulled the hood over his head as it started to rain.


    The day went on. The sun rose but it didn¡¯t change the gray sky much. The sun started to fall as Alisson spotted more smokestacks on the road ahead. He broke away from the trail and entered the forest as he approached. There were a great deal many more smoke stacks than there had been at the village.


    He crested a hill and looked out. There was a peninsular city in the distance, much like the capital of Sidonia. Its walls were destroyed, and several buildings burned. Alisson saw no figures moving or any fighting, and concluded that any battle for the town was already over as well. The city was large, if Alisson had to wager, it may have been the capital of the Sabasa. The rain had let up to a slow trickle, but the ground had still turned to mud. Alisson figured he¡¯d find a horse in the city, and that it would be safer to move on foot, so he dismounted, cut the horse loose, and approached on foot quietly. As he reached the outskirts, the buildings outside the city walls were in similar states as the previous village.


    The only difference was the sheer amount of corpses. More dead Sabasa, and again, no sign of any soldiers. Alisson tucked his backpack of food away, wagering that if he needed it, he could come back for it later. He made his way into the city proper, and finally found stone roads. He crept through alleyways and in the shadow of buildings, finding most to have been burned or destroyed.


    Bodies littered the streets. The brutality on display was a step above the village. People hung with entrails falling from their stomachs; unborn babies had been cut from wombs and had been impaled on spikes before their mothers¡¯ corpses; men had their genitals cut and stuffed into their mouths; among other sights.


    The people who committed this were either extremely angry after a long siege, or were exceptionally brutal. Andestine typically didn¡¯t display this level of prejudice, not that Alisson had seen before.


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    He began to doubt if Andestine was even involved when he finally spotted them. A group of men walked through the streets. Alisson peered at them from out of the shadow of a window. They had long cloaks, but Alisson heard clearly the rustle of heavy armor. It had to be Andestine. On their cloaks, Alisson spotted an insignia he had never seen before. It depicted an eye on top of a tall structure, like an obelisk or monolith, with lines radiating from it.


    So, it was some sort of intelligence detachment? Typically that¡¯s what eyes meant, but Alisson didn¡¯t think this was the work of Andestine intelligence officers.


    He didn¡¯t stalk them further. They were clearly looking for survivors. They must¡¯ve breached the city not too long ago.


    Alisson continued on. There was a large keep in the deepest part of the city, against the coast, where the most smoke rose from. As Alisson neared, he spotted more and more soldiers marked with that insignia from before. Alisson had done well to memorize and research all insignias he¡¯d seen before, but nothing came to mind with these.


    He reached the citadel of the city, where siege lines had been recently set up and abandoned around the walls and the doors. It looks like the Andestinians had very recently gained entry and had rushed inside. Alisson crept quickly into the citadel. He heard distant fighting, and hastened to run as quickly as he could without making a noise.


    He came upon a group of Andestinians who had just killed an armored figure. In their hands gripped a longsword, and at their feet were a pile of dead Andestinians. Alisson realized then that the Sabasa were at their last stand. He blitzed forward and attacked the Andestinians from behind, quickly impaling one. Before they could even turn to him, he had dealt with them all. He gave a brief glance down at the Sabasa knight, before he continued on through the door he''d been protecting. The door had already been breached, and that was where Alisson saw a large struggle. Two Sabasa fought against a dozen Andestinians. One was another knight, and the other wore a regal furred cape. When Alisson looked, he saw that the man had a crown atop his head, alongside his graying dog ears. It was the king. He was covered in blood and wounds.


    This was evidently a throne room; and within, there must¡¯ve been hundreds of dead Andestinians and Sabasa alike.


    Alisson rushed forward to aid the Sabasa, and with his help, the Andestinians were quickly dealt with. He shoved the body of an Andestinian off his sword, and stepped back as the Sabasa pointed their longswords at him.


    He pulled his hood back, revealing the feline ears atop his head.


    ¡°Nekomata¡­¡± The king muttered.


    Alisson bobbed his head.


    ¡°Are there any more of you?¡± He asked in Sidonian, which Alisson wasn¡¯t expecting, but spoke back regardless,


    ¡°No, my detachment was wiped out in the tunnels on the way here, and further reinforcements either won¡¯t come or would probably take too long. What happened here?¡±


    The king sighed. ¡°More will come. Let¡¯s make this quick.¡±


    He stepped closer and put a hand on Alisson¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The men of the sea invaded with their large boats to our northern coasts; They brought with them an army, and they beat our combined armies in one great battle. That was about a week ago. The men of the sea have since left, and these, Monolithians, have been tasked with killing every last one of us.¡±


    Alisson nodded. Andestine was in the ¡®cleanup¡¯ operations phase. The bulk of their manpower had already departed. They came to destroy Sabasa¡¯s ability to defend itself, and then left. How Andestinian of them.


    The king looked gravely into Alisson¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°This was our last stronghold. And We three may the last Sabasa left.¡±


    ¡°Three?¡± Alisson tilted his head. There was only the king and a single knight.


    The king nodded. ¡°My daughter¡­I told her to go clear our escape route. Theres a hidden path behind the throne. She wouldn¡¯t leave me to my fate otherwise, and I would rather she not share in it. Please,¡± He tightened his grip on Alisson¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Go find her. Keep her safe. I intend to die with honor here, with my knights.¡±


    He let go of Alisson and hefted his sword up.


    ¡°The princess, alone?¡±


    The king shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s not the princess. And she can handle herself. There¡¯s no time to explain. Just go. Farewell, fellow warrior.¡±


    Alisson nodded. He heard more ¡®Monolithians¡¯ approaching, and slipped behind the throne to find a hatch that led downward. Alisson quickly slid down a ladder and reached the bottom, to find a cave. He looked up to see the entrance had been blocked.


    Alisson readied his sword and looked around. There were a couple of dead Monolithians here, but nothing out of the ordinary. Alisson continued down the cave.


    He turned a corner and heard a yelp, or perhaps a bark of surprise. He had come face to face with an armored girl. The two of them looked at one another for a long moment. Behind her were the bodies of dead Monolithians, and in her hand she held a longsword. She was half Alisson¡¯s height, but was fully clad in steel armor that was splattered with blood.


    She stepped back, looking Alisson up and down with her dull blue eyes. She didn¡¯t look to be related to king by blood; her hair was a dirty blonde, unlike the king¡¯s.


    ¡°You are¡­The daughter of the king?¡±


    She looked at him and slowly nodded. She didn¡¯t seem very talkative. Alisson opened his mouth to ask more questions when she started to step toward him. He backpedaled slightly, wary, but didn¡¯t go far. He didn¡¯t realize what she was doing until she embraced him in a hug, and looked up at him from below, placing her chin on his chest. Her floppy ears raised a little, and her tail began to sway behind her.


    Her grip was strong on him, it stunned Alisson for a moment before he averted his eyes.


    ¡°¡­We should get going and get as far away from your attackers as we can. Please, unhand me.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond and raised her head into his neck, sniffing him. Her tail began to sway faster.


    ¡°H-hey¡­¡±


    Alisson objected, momentarily, before the girl opened her mouth and licked Alisson¡¯s neck.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡±


    He quickly became flustered and unbalanced by her actions, which is why when she threw her weight into him, he fell onto his back. The dog did nothing more than lick at his neck and face obsessively, her tail wagging quickly behind her.


    Is this how the Sabasa greeted new faces¡­? The king seemed normal, so then why was his daughter not saying a word and slobbering over him as if she were a¡­dog? Alisson looked to the ears atop her head.


    ¡°C-cut it out!¡±


    He utilized his strength fully to rise and grab her by the scruff of the neck to attempt to wrench her free. The dog was strong, but not stronger than Alisson, thankfully.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He ordered in as commanding and deep a tone as he could, pointing down the cave. She slowly shook her head.


    ¡°¡­You want to wait for your father?¡± Alisson tepidly asked, and the girl nodded. He closed his eyes solemnly. ¡°He wished to die with his knights, and he beseeched me to make sure you didn¡¯t share in his fate.¡±


    The armored dog took a step past Alisson. He could see the wheels turning in her head; thinking about whether or not to make a break back toward her father. Evidently, this girl was either extremely tight-lipped, or did not possess the ability to speak.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Alisson said after a period of silence, grabbing her hand. ¡°He wanted to you to live.¡±


    He pulled on her and after a moment she followed him. She held a somber expression, but was mostly stoic, despite the circumstance. Alisson decided not to think too hard about the peculiarities until after they were safe.


    He figured he had the time to search the bodies of the Monolithians that the girl had evidently slain. He quickly tore one¡¯s patch from its seams and stuffed it into his pouches for safekeeping. He didn¡¯t find anything resembling orders on them, but he did find something perhaps more useful ¨C A map. It appeared to represent the island of Sabasa, and had some notes made in Andestinian.


    To the north there was a circle that denounced the position of the Andestinian landings, a base of operations had been set up there. To the west, there was a large cross that was noted to be tunnel entrance that led to Andestine. Other circles were sporadically made around the east and the south, saying that they might have been potential positions for tunnels connecting to Sidonia and that more searching was required. Alisson stuffed the map into his pockets and rose.


    It looks like he had his reason why Sidonia considered this place important. It was functionally a land bridge between Andestine and Sidonia. To think such a thing had existed all this time. It was clear what Alisson needed to do. He needed to move west to the tunnel that connected Sabasa to Andestine, and collapse it. It seems that only recently Andestine had discovered this place and the tunnels ¨C If Alisson was quick, he could sever the connection before Andestine massed their whole damn army on Sabasa, and rammed it into Sidonia from within.


    Certainly, a cataclysmic scenario that probably wouldn¡¯t take place, but prudence was a core Sidonian tenant.


    He flicked his head to the king¡¯s daughter, and they moved deeper into the cave.


    ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Alisson asked as they walked. She didn¡¯t respond, and only pointed to her backpack, which Alisson only now realized she wore.


    That didn¡¯t answer Alisson¡¯s question, but he supposed it was a matter for later. The cave exited onto a beach beneath the city. Alisson looked up at the high cliff face, and spotted the rising towers of the citadel above. They continued moving along the beach, staying in the shadow of the cliff when they could.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite impassive, given the circumstances of your country and your people¡­¡±


    Alisson tried to make small talk, but she only ever gave him nods or shook her head, sometimes only staring on at him with those large, blue eyes of hers. Maybe she was in a state of shock, from everything that¡¯s happened.


    They made their way back further into the mainland, and Alisson took the time to find the backpack of food he¡¯d left behind. They found some horses that belonged to the Monolithians tethered near the city, and Alisson commandeered one of them. The dog was small enough to ride with him on one horse. That, and Alisson would rather keep her close.


    He mounted up, and extended a hand to her. She looked to him again with her large, empty eyes, before reaching out, and firmly grabbing his gauntleted hand with her own. He pulled her up to sit in front of him, and then spurred the horse forward. For the meantime, they would head west, across the island. He took one last glance at the razed city behind them, and he caught a glimpse of her doing the same.


    ***


    Woof.

 32. Fight Like Men

    It didn¡¯t take me long to follow the mana trail back to Re¡¯relihn. Considering that we¡¯re in the city proper, Arciel must have been taken the Arcielvitzi keep within the city, a more militaristic, official building as opposed to their estate.


    ¡°Set me down here.¡± I ordered the carriage driver and after a moment, stepped out into the streets before the keep.


    There was a gatehouse with a couple of soldiers that I started pacing toward.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t enter, this is private property¡­¡±


    The guard¡¯s voice trailed as I strode right by him. I grabbed the iron gate, and pulled its bars apart, creating a gap that I stepped through.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re a hero! W-wait! Stop!¡±


    They hastened to draw their weapons and follow me. They followed me down the long walk to the keep¡¯s front entrance, but never actually tried getting in my way, constantly ordering me to stop and leave. I reached the door and punched the handle, destroying whatever locking mechanism there was, and then I opened the door, closing it in the guard¡¯s faces. They didn¡¯t bother to follow me.


    I feel Arciel¡¯s mana stream coming from below, she must be a dungeon or something. I scoured the bottom floor of the keep, which was noticeably absent of any officials. Her father probably made sure that there were no witnesses to the scene of him dragging his daughter around.


    I entered a room, and saw two fully armored guards besides a door that seemed to lead downward. They didn¡¯t seem like they were expecting me and they stumbled back. I thought I was going to be able to step right by them like I did the others, but these personal guards drew their swords and stepped in front of the door.


    ¡°His lordship has requested none enter. You are trespassing on family grounds.¡±


    I continued walking toward them, ignoring their threats. One knight moved forward to swing at me. I blurred forward and grabbed his wrists, crushing them as hard as I could, but without my own gauntlets, I risked breaking my hands trying to punch armored opponents. I shoved him away when the other knight slashed at my back.


    I turned in sudden rage, punching forward at the second knight¡¯s helmeted head. I heard an explosion as it left a dent in his helmet, he stumbled back, disorientated. It was clear these two weren¡¯t going to place nice.


    ¡°You wanna fight for real, motherfucker¡­?¡±


    I growled and slipped my sword off my back, still sheathed. The first knight tried slashing at my backside but I weaved around him and slammed the hilt of my sword into his helmet. This time, the results were more noticeable. He fell to the ground, blood seeping out of his visor. I drew my sword from its scabbard, tossing it to the floor and lifting my scabbard up as a cudgel. The second knight backpedaled, but it was too late.


    I moved forward and slammed the scabbard into his neck. I heard an ugly noise, and whatever happened to the knight beneath his armor, he wasn¡¯t getting up after that. My scabbard was broken in two though. I tossed it to the ground and then continued through the door. I doubt Riegal has any other guards. I don¡¯t think he knows how heroes function to have realized how I was able to follow him in the first place.


    A flight of stone steps lead deep underground, and I hurried down them, my worries growing stronger. It didn¡¯t seem to be a normal dungeon, it seemed specially built for this one purpose.


    I eventually reached the bottom level, and found a single room. Behind a door I heard Riegal¡¯s voice,


    ¡°I want to give you one last chance¡­Dispel your summon, and concede your magic¡­¡±


    Another door had its lock broken as I stepped through it, revealing a sight I hadn¡¯t thought I would actually see.


    I knew the rumors, and I had my suspicions ¨C About how Riegal had treated Arciel in the past. But I didn¡¯t want to believe them, that a father could act in such a way to his flesh and blood.


    It was a small, circular stone room, with a shaft of light beaming from above, waters flowed around the floor from some source. In the middle of the chamber, strung from a chain and suspended in the air, both her hands bound, was Arciel, not wearing a scrap of clothing, her back exposed to me. Beside her was her father, there was a bull whip in his hand. I took a moment to look at Arciel¡¯s back, but thankfully it didn¡¯t look like there were any fresh wounds.


    I say fresh because I did see old wounds. Scars of previous whip strikes, from years ago, that crisscrossed her tiny, thin body.


    ¡°What are you doing here!? Guards! Come to me!¡±


    I stepped forward, staring at Riegal.


    ¡°Dispel your summon! Do it, damn it!¡±


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    Riegal lifted his whip with the intention of striking Arciel, but I wouldn¡¯t let him get any further than that. I charged forward, shoulder checking him into the wall.


    ¡°Get, off me!¡±


    I saw one of his fancy amulets start to glow, presumably with self defense magic. I grabbed hold of it and ripped it from his neck, throwing it to the floor. In doing so, I gave him the time to punch me, not realizing that a ring on his hand had started to glow with magic as well. His fist impacted on my side, and I felt a sudden shock and an explosion of pain ran through me. The force wasn¡¯t enough to send me off my feet or move me, though.


    I grunted with rage and batted his hand away, He tried to further struggle, as I revved back a punch aimed at his head.


    As a normal, unarmored man, getting punched by a hero at full strength was essentially a death sentence. The power that Arciel gave me improved my strength, it would probably turn his brain into mush, if not his entire head. I briefly reconsidered. I made a promise to keep Arciel safe. But killing a Grand Noble would probably cause more issues for her. I grabbed his neck and gripped it, choking him. He tried to punch me again with that ring of his, but the same trick would work twice on me as I held his arm.


    His face turned red and he struggled, kicking me and writhing, breathlessly trying to speak.


    After a moment, I let his body fall loosely to the ground. I looked down at him, before giving him a hard kick to his stomach and spitting on him.


    I turned, and was stunned again in seeing the sight of Arciel. She look back at me out of the corner of her eyes, her gaze dull. Her had that been styled into twintails before now hung loosely over her body. At her feet was a pile of her clothes.


    I stepped forward and grabbed the chain holding her arms up. They snapped, and I caught Arciel as she fell the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright now.¡± I said softly to her.


    I grabbed her coat from the floor and wrapped it around her as I held her close.


    ¡°You¡­really came.¡±


    She tried speaking normally, beginning to say more, but her voice faltered as she began to cry.


    I held her quietly in my arms for a long while.


    ¡°I grew up with three younger sisters.¡± I began, ¡°They always got up to the stupidest stuff¡­We all thought they were supposed to be boys since they were such troublemakers. Even after getting injured playing in the road, or slipping on rocks, they never stopped smiling and playing stupid games.¡±


    Arciel had stopped crying, and she looked up to me. ¡°That¡¯s probably because¡­They knew you were there, looking out for them, when they fell.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t wanna give myself too much credit¡­It¡¯s what anyone would have done.¡±


    She averted her eyes, with a small smile.


    ¡­


    It was a large debacle that blew up in the Arcielvitzi family¡¯s face.


    After making sure Arciel was safe and sound, Fifio¡¯s family, at the behest of Fifio and Jeremiah, had quietly alerted the city garrison to what had happened. The keep was soon crawling with soldiers, and Riegal was, for the time being, put behind bars pending an investigation.


    Andestine had once been a more evil place. A place where this kind of behavior on the part of the nobles was accepted quietly at the top rungs of government. I was half expecting Riegal to walk away a free man, but it looks like he¡¯ll be going through the works.


    It was thanks to the head councilman of Andestine. The high council was made up of a small number of delegates that were elected by a congress, and given oversight over the different sectors of Andestine. The newest head councilman however, had ruffled feathers with his total reform of the government in the last decade. People whispered that he was a dictator under their breaths.


    But if this is the result of his power grab, of his radical reforms, that a man like Riegal is actually persecuted, I¡¯m all for a little bit of autocracy.


    Riegal argued over and over that he was being unfairly treated, and that may have very well been the case ¨C He seemed to have a history of disserving people and now that the barrel of the law was pointed at him, no one was sticking their necks out for him, and the dogpile had begun.


    Regardless, Arciel was safe, and that was all that mattered. We stayed at the Heroes Chapel again in the immediate aftermath. Oddly enough, Arciel requested another bed in her room for me, and told me she wanted me to stay with her. I was in no position to argue, but it was certainly weird to have her treating me this way. I knew she was scared though. I won¡¯t tease her, at least for a while.


    A few days went by in relative peace. I had to urge Arciel to leave her room and get out into the sun every day, and she was still in a state of fear and shock, but at least I could still make her smile.


    It was when we received correspondence from the 153<sup>rd</sup> knight platoon that our brief peace was ended. The 153<sup>rd</sup> was the unit that me and Arciel had been assigned to before, to chase down Alisson into Freigat. Me and Arciel alone had returned to the homeland at Riegal¡¯s behest, we were essentially plucked off the frontlines on the whims of a noble. Looking back on it though, it may have saved our lives ¨C


    Because we learned that the 153<sup>rd</sup> had been wiped out. The news had taken months to reach the homeland. Only one survivor remained, another summoner that me and Arciel were good friends with. The old man made it out and lived to tale. The news brought a certain panic among the higher echelons. The details of the engagement and the battle between the 153<sup>rd</sup> and Alisson were fuzzy, some people were saying that Sidonia had a whole army hidden in the north, an entire base of operations. Everyone seemed to underestimate Alisson, and leave him out of the equation. I think he destroyed the 153<sup>rd</sup> alone along with his little apprentice.


    We couldn¡¯t exactly ask the single survivor for details, he was resting and was probably under a gag order for the time being.


    That was all to say, that the government mobilized us hero-summoner pairs in flurry to try to be proactive, put another way, to make themselves feel better about losing an elite unit.


    Me and Arciel got a pretty bad pick of the lot. We were to head to the south of Andestine, where a tunnel had been discovered that may lead to an obscure island, way south of Andestine. I had heard some rumors about a small scale invasion going on, but the secrecy of Andestine¡¯s military operations were pretty good, so I didn¡¯t know exactly where it was going on. If I had to wager, that island was probably it.


    Me and Arciel were to head there alone. Through the tunnels. Whether it was Riegal using the last of his influence to try and kill us, or sheer incompetence, Arciel and I were going to face a lot more danger for seemingly no reason. They were just using us like canaries I guess. That¡¯s all we heroes are at the end of the day. Disposable, killable things.


    ***

 33. Mans Best Friend

    Night had since fallen. The skies hadn¡¯t cleared up, so the moon was hidden behind a thin layer of clouds. Alisson could hear a distant thunderstorm, and the wind blew gently at his face. He had told the peculiar dog-girl his intentions of going to the tunnel that supposed connected Sabasa to Andestine, and to collapse it. She had nodded, and had been leading the way, pointing down which roads to go to get there.


    Alisson saw that as the hours passed, her hand began to shake as she held it up, her fingers no longer straight but curled. Eventually, he could feel her shivering in front of her on the horse. It wasn¡¯t that cold out, so her exhaustion probably stemmed from mental fatigue. He put a hand on her shoulder, and her body tensed.


    ¡°You should rest for the night. I¡¯ll watch over you.¡± He said gently to her, and of course, she didn¡¯t respond.


    They found a tenable thicket to dismount, tethering the horse to a nearby tree. The food Alisson had found did not need to be cooked, so starting a fire would only serve to give away their position.


    As they both sat against a large, downed tree Alisson took off his backpack, and offered her food.


    She stared at the grain in her hands, frowning. ¡°¡­Meat.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened as he heard her say that. Her voice was in a hushed tone, not quite whispering, but very quiet, and weak.


    ¡°I want meat.¡± She finished her thought.


    Alisson broke into a smile. She could probably smell the dried meat that Alisson had pilfered from the village. ¡°So, you do speak.¡±


    He indulged her, and figured that if she was going to eat meat, he may as well cook it. He started a small fire and roasted some of the strips for a while. Once cooked, he handed her a strip. Instead of taking them from his hands, she leaned in closer and opened her mouth. He could see her salivating. She ate the food directly from his hand.


    Alisson smiled guiltily. He was about to make a snide remark about how dog-like the girl was, but then realized that may be a little stupid of him to say. She seemed to have an aversion to using her hands if she could grab something with her teeth.


    ¡°When I asked you of your name early, you only pointed to your backpack¡­What is it that you carry?¡±


    Alisson asked as she chewed. She didn¡¯t respond, and only took off her backpack, sliding it to Alisson.


    Taking it as permission to peruse her belongings, Alisson opened it, and found several books within. He deployed a dull mage light and examined them. He realized that these were works of history. Some of it was written in Sidonian oddly enough, but most was written in a language he couldn¡¯t read. The king must¡¯ve given his daughter these books and told her to escape, as a last hope to keep the memory of Sabasa alive.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t answer my question¡­¡± Alisson closed the book, and looked to the girl.


    She opened her hands at Alisson, wanting the book. Alisson gave it to her. She stared at it for a long moment, before tossing it into the fire.


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    Alisson quickly reached into the fire and pulled the singed book out of it. He looked to her, and she averted her gaze with a blank impression. He sighed, and laid the book down.


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    ¡°I understand how you feel¡­Your country may be gone now, but that doesn¡¯t make this information any less valuable; if not to you, then to the scholars of the future. Those Andestinians will no doubt burn all knowledge of this land. If you don¡¯t want it, then I¡¯ll take it back to the mainland¡¯s libraries.¡±


    Alisson stared into the fire for a moment before dousing it. He heard the winds blow and another distant strike of thunder strike the lands.


    ¡°¡­Daschtundt.¡±


    He heard her say quietly again. ¡°Your name is Daschtundt?¡± She nodded, and Alisson broke into a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s elegant, but strong. It¡¯s a bit of a mouthful, isn¡¯t it?¡± He thought for a moment, ¡°Can I call you Dascha?¡±


    She looked to Alisson, and her tail began to sway. He took that as a yes.


    They sat in silence for a long while. ¡°You don¡¯t have anywhere to go, do you?¡±


    Alisson asked. Dascha didn¡¯t respond, and only stared at him for a moment. She then slowly crawled toward him. He already knew she was about to get very touchy, and mentally braced himself.


    She straddled him, and pushed her body against his chest, looking up at him. If he were to wager, this was her way of begging. Again, she gave a few licks at his neck.


    ¡°¡­Smell¡­¡± She started in that quiet tone of hers, ¡°¡­You smell like my mate.¡±


    His face blushed red. So that¡¯s what she saw in him. He then realized what exactly she was doing when she was pushing herself against him, grinding on him like that over and over. Before he could respond, she said one last thing.


    ¡°¡­Owner.¡±


    Alisson swallowed heavily, looking down at her. Dascha met his gaze with her large guileless eyes. He didn¡¯t know how to react, and thought for a long moment.


    Alisson knew that he had come here partly to find an ally in the Sabasa, but he had been thinking of the entire people as an ally, or at the very least, a combat hardened brigade. This was¡­this was certainly different, something more personal. Alisson hadn¡¯t read the history that she had with her ¨C Perhaps Sabasa were prone to imprinting on people like this. Thinking along that line of reasoning, and remembering the old monicker that dogs could tell who was good and who wasn¡¯t, Alisson felt a little proud to be chosen like this.


    At the same time, was it not wrong to capitalize on these circumstances, and monopolize what could be the sole survivor of an entire species as his own?


    Dascha¡¯s intentions were clear. He saw numerous things in those eyes of hers. Chiefly among them, loyalty. Alisson sighed. He supposed it couldn¡¯t be helped. Just what was he supposed to do, turn her away?


    He rose a hand and laid it on her head, petting her.


    Dascha¡¯s tail wagged quickly, which made Alisson smirk again.


    ¡°I accept your fealty. I hope you don¡¯t go bowing to everyone you meet¡­¡±


    She shook her head.


    He pet her more, scratching behind her ears, which made her tail swish wildly. To avoid making her pounce on him again, he stopped his pettings.


    ¡°Sleep. I¡¯ll keep watch. I¡¯ll wake you up come the sunrise.¡±


    She frowned at him. He suddenly felt guilty. He just simply didn¡¯t trust her enough to actually sleep in turns like he normally did with Celis.


    ¡°Just rest. You need it more than I do.¡±


    She reluctantly submitted, and began to make herself comfortable on top of him.


    ¡°I would prefer you not sleep on me¡­¡±


    She looked up at him for a moment before crawling off his body. She cuddled up by his side instead, resting her head in the cradle of his shoulder. She was asleep within minutes, her chest bobbing up at down.


    Alisson looked up at the sky, hearing the winds and the distant thunder again. The last time he had tried taking someone in, so closely, so quickly, they hadn¡¯t made it out of Freigat. He looked down to Dascha. As amiable as she was, her survival would depend on her own skills, her own fortitude. Alisson couldn¡¯t fall into the trap of babysitting someone weak. This wasn¡¯t a toy like Celis¡¯s lamia. This was a dog. A loyal companion.


    Having the time to think made him remember the second reason why he had wanted to come to Sabasa. Slimes. He would have to ask Dascha if she knew anything about them.


    The night was so empty of chatter. Just wind, thunder, and the occasional cricket or insect. The lack of birds and howls of beasts sat wrong with Alisson. It was like him and Dascha were the only living things on the whole island, and that the Andestinian ¡®Monolithians¡¯ were inhuman specters sent to kill them.


    He wondered what Celis was up to. Marenix was probably being trained to the bone by Lady Salchyon. All he could hope for was that everything was normal back in the homeland.


    ***

 34. Real Knows Real

    The journey west had been a quiet one. A few days of travel with Dascha hadn¡¯t left Alisson with any more information about her from her own mouth. He had to attain more info about Sabasa and herself through the books that she had carried with her, which he had been reading.


    He finally let her keep watch one night and he slept soundly with no issues. She hadn¡¯t even tried any of her molestations of which Alisson had grown all too familiar with while he slept.


    In reading the half-Sidonian Sabasa texts, he found answers to a number of questions. Daschtundt wasn¡¯t actually the princess, or related by blood to the king, despite being his daughter. This was the case for all Sabasa ¨C For every litter of pups that was born, they mixed up the children and had parents pick equally from the pile with no consideration as to who were their own blood. Hence, every parent in Sabasa was adoptive. It was certainly a strange behavior that Alisson would expect to result in societal unrest, but there was no evidence of it.


    The Sabasa for the most part lived in peace, apart from the occasional civil war which brewed whenever the monarch died. Sometimes rivals would be equally powerful in swordsmanship, and their disputes as to who became king would escalate into wars, but such conflicts were rare.


    That made the Sabasa an isolated and relatively peaceful people in the modern world. Andestine showed up and changed all of that.


    As to why Dascha had so quickly ¡®imprinted¡¯ on him, he didn¡¯t find any specific examples illuminating her behavior. Perhaps he simply didn¡¯t have the information with him, or maybe it was buried in the Sabasa-printed portions of the text. Alisson chose not to think too hard about it. He was sure she had her reasons.


    The books appeared to be penned in Sidonian because Sidonian was considered a higher, elegant language of rulers. Clearly, Sidonians had influenced the regions in the centuries past, and had left a biased impression of themselves.


    They approached the western tunnel late into the night. He had dismounted and tethered the horses further away and had crept closer on foot. It was exactly similar to the eastern tunnel from which Alisson had emerged onto Sabasa with. Ominously enough, there were already ropes tied to descend with to the tunnel.


    They looked recent enough, so perhaps the Andestinians had already scouted out the area. Regardless, Alisson needed to get down there and unleash the Moonlight Cannon to level the tunnel. He was glad he didn¡¯t need to worry about firepower anymore.


    Dascha and him descended quickly. They hit the ground floor and drew their weapons, scanning the area. He decided to use this time to cast the magic needle spell well in advance. Just in case. After a minute of concentration, twin yellow prongs sprouted from his temples. He told Dascha to stay close to him, and that they would move without lights unless they became engaged. The prongs may have been emissive, but they didn¡¯t cast light; moving in darkness like this was safer.


    They walked for a while, and it became apparent that nothing was amiss here in the tunnel. Wagering that this was a good enough distance, he let go of Dascha¡¯s hand and began to make preparations to fire the Moonlight Cannon.


    It was then when he sensed moved ahead with his needles. He motioned forward with his hand to Dascha to indicate a threat. They both sunk into readiness. Soon after, he saw, far down the tunnel, a light source moving closer. It was people, it had to be. Alisson cancelled his needle spell to leave them in absolute darkness. He pulled Dascha by the hand to the side of the tunnel, and crouched, content with spying on the party from afar.


    As they neared, Alisson could spot a small figure with a staff and a large one wearing armor. Was it a summoner pair? Here? Alone?


    Alisson wagered that these were the scouts that had descended the ropes. Hence, they were probably in cahoots with the Monolithians, and probably weren¡¯t keen on conversing. He held his blade at the ready, lying in wait, the ears atop his head twitching sensitively as the two humans neared. The lights that circled them were too bright to make much out about their faces, but he figured it didn¡¯t matter. Once they were near enough, he blitzed into action. He tapped Dascha and in lieu of not being able to point, he stroked across her cheek the direction of the target for her to attack.


    She would take the mage, and Alisson would take the Hero. The hero would probably put up some resistance, but if the mage dies, then the heroes goes with them.


    The two of them broke into a lunge out of the darkness. The pair took only a second to react. Alisson aimed for the heroes head, but he managed to dodge out of the way, placing himself between Dascha and the mage.


    Dascha¡¯s sword bounced off the Heroes armor, and she moved to strike again when Alisson realized who exactly they¡¯d ambushed. They were a summoner pair he¡¯d seen before, they were apart of the knight battalion that had chased them into Freigat, but they weren¡¯t present for the final battle.


    ¡°Wait, stop!¡±


    He ordered Dascha. The hero had time to draw his sword and strike at Alisson, to which Alisson was barely able to hold in a blade for a second before he had to jump back. The strength of a hero is unmatched. Well, maybe Lady Salchyon could still win.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Alisson spat in Andestinian. Dascha had backed off to his side.


    The hero scowled at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything to talk about, killer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to engage in conflict if I don¡¯t have to.¡± Alisson said quickly. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve turned a new leaf since we last met.¡±


    The hero frowned.


    ¡°Are you apart of the forces on the mainland, back there, on Sabasa?¡±


    Alisson asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s it matter to you?¡±


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    The summoner girl behind him said.


    Alisson clenched his teeth in anger at their supposed obliviousness. ¡°There is a detachment of your people back there on Sabasa ¨C ¡± He pointed back down the tunnel, ¡°They have killed everyone, men, women, children, all of them ¨C Butchered like animals! Are you with them, or not?¡±


    Alisson stepped closer, scowling whilst gripping his sword tighter.


    The hero gave an Alisson an ugly look. ¡°How do you expect us to believe that at face value?¡±


    Alisson sighed, taking a deep breath. It looks like they truly were oblivious. ¡°You can see the truth with your own eyes,¡±


    Alisson was about to continue when he saw something out of the corner of his vision, at the edges of the shadows. A red hand.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened and the world seemed to slow as he saw a red creature lunging at the four of them out of the darkness.


    Moving purely out of instinct, Alisson rushed forward and impaled the beast, to find Dascha had done the same. The Andestinians recoiled in momentary shock before they too readied themselves.


    ¡°Back! They will swarm us!¡± Alisson spat.


    Without thinking, he assumed the four of them would be allied against this threat.


    Before the Andestinians could object, dozens of red fleshed creatures leapt out of the shadows at them. They were quickly cut down by Alisson, Dascha, and the hero.


    ¡°Kill the lights! I believe they are attracted to them!¡±


    Alisson ordered the mage girl.


    ¡°Are you crazy!?¡±


    She shouted, before firing off an attack spell down the tunnel which fried several scores of beasts, giving them a brief respite.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t then fall back and collapse the tunnel! I know you have the firepower to do so!¡±


    Alisson continued to suggest options as he felt the innumerable bodies of beasts crawling toward them along the walls and the ceiling. They continued to fight and hold their ground for a few seconds longer, Alisson quickly on the verge of abandoning the two Andestinians and making a run for the exit with Dascha.


    ¡°Arciel, I think we should do as he says!¡± The hero shouted.


    Music to Alisson¡¯s ears.


    ¡°F-fine! J-just shut up I can¡¯t concentrate!¡±


    ¡°Grab her and get some distance to prepare a barrage! We will hold your rear.¡±


    Alisson quickly ordered the hero. The hero nodded. He turned and scooped up the mage girl, Arciel, like she was a bag of potatoes before sprinting down the tunnel. Being given some distance and not having to worry about fighting and the mental pressure of having enemies all around you, an expert mage should be able to cast a good sized barrage. They just needed to hold.


    The pressure was intense, but Dascha was certainly pulling her weight. The threats he needed to face were reduced in half thanks to her ferocity by his side. He didn¡¯t need to run like a maniac through the enemy to survive like last time. He could take up a more traditional strategy against beasts. That was, standing your ground. The use of his few precious remaining imbued throwing knives was unnecessary.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if this beast was self replicating, and was rather some sort of phenomena instead of an actual animal. Perhaps it was all a mental illusion. Both times Alisson had seen the that hand, the image that was burned into his mind.


    The pressure after about a minute became too intense.


    ¡°Dascha, let¡¯s go!¡±


    He flicked his head and the dog followed. They turned and ran like hell. The beasts were hot on their tail, and he was expecting to have to slow down for Dascha to keep pace, but to his surprise, she was quick on her feet.


    When Alisson looked, he saw her bounding on all fours, like an animal, her sword swung around her back thanks to a strap. She may have been the one slowing down for him, he realized.


    He they quickly came upon the hero and the summoner, who were facing them down the tunnel. Arciel had her staff held out, she seemed ready.


    ¡°Do it!¡± Alisson yapped at her.


    A moment thereafter, an undulating beam of blue energy sprouted from her staff, striking the tunnel ceiling above him. The tunnel began to rumble and collapse as he dashed closer, turning back toward the swarms with his sword at the ready.


    A cloud of dust was kicked up, and through it, a few stragglers had escaped the tumbling rocks, which were quickly dealt with by the three fighters. The tunnel came to a silent standstill as the dust settled, and rocks now covered the entrance.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do for now, I suppose¡­¡±


    Alisson muttered, lowering his sword. He looked to the two Andestinians. ¡°I came here to collapse this tunnel to ensure that Andestine cannot funnel and army to Sabasa. Now it seems you two are stranded here.¡±


    ¡°Was that your plan?¡±


    The hero rose his sword at Alisson. Alisson shook his head. ¡°Come. I¡¯ll show you what your countrymen have done to an isolated, innocent people, simply because they are of a different blood.¡±


    The hero looked to Arciel reluctantly, and lowered his sword, relaxing his broad shoulders.


    ¡­


    ¡°You are cordial, for Andestinians.¡±


    Alisson muttered as they made their way to the nearest village.


    ¡°And you¡¯re reasonable, for a Nekomata.¡± Arciel remarked back. ¡°The last time we saw you, you had lead an entire swarm of beasts into a city for your own purposes. Why are you acting like you¡¯re such a good person now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not a good person.¡± Alisson growled back. ¡°At the very least I know now what I did was wrong. And I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    They came across a village in a similar state as the first one Alisson had seen. He let the Andestinians gaze across the bodies and the strung up corpses.


    ¡°Do you see now? The rest of the island is in a similar state.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­why? There has to a reason.¡±


    The hero, Shepard, clenched his fist.


    ¡°No good reason can justify a genocide.¡± Alisson crossed his arms.


    Arciel was silent all the while, it looked like she was keeping something to herself. Alisson withdrew his pendant, and offered a silent vigil for the dead. Shepard caught a glimpse of this and muttered off-handedly with a hint of suspicion, ¡°A cross¡­?¡±


    Alisson neared the hero, and withdrew the map that he had found on the dead Monolithian. ¡°There¡¯s a base not far from here, you two should be able to link up with those responsible and go back to your homeland. Assuming they aren¡¯t completely rogue from Andestine, that is.¡±


    He handed the map to Shepard.


    ¡°What, you want us to tell everyone what happened here?¡±


    ¡°That, is your choice to make.¡± Alisson said sharply. ¡°This insignia,¡± He withdrew the patch he had pilfered, flashing it at Arciel, ¡°Is it familiar?¡±


    She shook her head, and he sighed.


    ¡°Then go. I wish no trouble with the likes of you.¡±


    The hero turned and looked at Alisson for a long moment, furrowing his brow. He stuck out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s Shepard.¡±


    Alisson stared at his hand, before reluctantly shaking it with his own, feeling the hero¡¯s firm grip. He could¡¯ve easily broken Alisson¡¯s hand like this with his strength, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Alisson.¡±


    Alisson looked down for a long moment in silence. ¡°Can you keep a secret? At least for a while?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the secret.¡± Shepard replied.


    Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°In an indeterminate amount of time, I will spring a rebellion against Sidonia.¡± He looked up to Shepard. ¡°When that time comes, tell them that it was me who is responsible, and tell them that if they want a chance to destroy the Lady; attacking her from the other side in tandem with my own forces would be the wisest choice.¡±


    Shepard cracked a smile. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is. You got it.¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head in thanks.


    They parted ways with the Andestinians after that. Certain that they were well on their way, Alisson made another trip to the tunnel. Under Dascha¡¯s protection, he charged and fired the Moonlight Cannon down the tunnel, collapsing it further.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡±


    His eyes set on Dascha as they mounted on their horse. There was one last thing that he wanted to do here before he departed for home. He had been skimming Dascha¡¯s books, and it had only confirmed his suspicions.


    ¡°Where would one find a slime?¡±


    ***

 35. Gooey

    A few more days of travel landed Alisson at the center of Sabasa. Dascha had led him to a large mountain in the middle of the island. It was certainly an odd geographic feature ¨C One did not see lone mountains, but chains and formations of them; this one in Sabasa stood completely alone.


    According to Dascha¡¯s books, great swordsmen would make pilgrimages up the mountain. Under what circumstances and why, Alisson didn¡¯t know. Apparently, if they were judged worthy, they attained the power of a slime. Alisson could only think that there were slimes living within the mountain somewhere. He didn¡¯t know about the tradition and the history of the Sabasa, and that might cost him dearly ¨C There may be actions which must be taken to attain this power, hidden in elaborate rituals.


    Considering how fuzzy the details were, and how Dascha hadn¡¯t been able to tell him much, that was, anything, this practice may have fallen out of style in recent years. This led Alisson to think that perhaps the slime population on the island had been exhausted or depleted in some way. He hoped not.


    On the way to the mountain, they encountered numerous Monolithian warbands. They held with them no captives, no glamourous decree, only a desire to cleanse the world. Alisson avoided them where he could. Some groups were as large as a hundred men, he didn¡¯t need unnecessary attention. Dascha seemed to want to slay them, to enact revenge. Her eyes burned and her tail wagged with killing intent. But he had to temper her.


    It was good she was able to restrain herself with his commands alone. He didn¡¯t want a dog that needed a leash.


    The journey up the mountain was a simple but long affair. There was already a trail in place. It looked worn and unkept.


    After a day of travel, they reached the summit, having found nothing out of the ordinary. He asked Dascha if she knew what to do, but she only shook her head. He looked out over the land below. The view was stunning, but despite the elevation, he couldn¡¯t spot anything out of the ordinary. He saw a few burnt villages from a distance, bodies of water, and that was it.


    Alisson didn¡¯t want to believe that there required some complicated ritual that was no longer possible thanks to the destruction of the people here. He searched the summit with Dascha.


    As the sun fell, they found their lead ¨C A cave hidden in the rocks. There was a row of swords along either side of the entrance, stuck into the earth. He flicked his head to Dascha and they began their journey into the mountain.


    As they descended the tangled mess of caves, he spotted several discarded swords and other pieces of armament laying on the sides of the path; as if they were warnings to future warriors. He spotted both odd mushrooms and glowing crystals that hung from the ceiling, giving a dull blue glow to the whole interior. Surely, if the outside world new about this mountain, it would¡¯ve been picked apart by science teams many times over. If Andestine caught wind of this, if they hadn¡¯t already, the whole mountain might be leveled to examine it, to garner some sort of advantage from its flora and crystals. Alisson stayed away from the mushrooms and stalactites, not wanting to disturb anything.


    They came to a larger room within the network, that seemed to be a dead end. There was a great lake within, simmering with effervescent water.


    ¡°An underground spring¡­?¡± Alisson mused to himself.


    Certainly, it was humid and the temperature here was high. Grass even sprung from some patches of the ground that were covered in dirt.


    Other than the odd setting, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything out of the ordinary that could point towards the existence of a slime.


    He started to examine the area with Dascha, weapons at the ready. They came across a large gash in the wall of the cave, that led to a glowing blue, gelatinous substance. Alisson stepped closer, squinting.


    He stumbled back when he suddenly heard a voice filled the cave.


    ¡°Child of our enemy, why have you come?¡±


    The voice was serene, but clairvoyant in some resounding way; as if it had been made a crescendo of tuning forks. It spoke in fluent Sidonian, oddly enough.


    Alisson stared at the crack in the wall. ¡°Unworthy and ignorant I may be, I have come to attain a selfish power that I have heard exists in these lands.¡±


    ¡°The last hosts have all perished. We have lost mass. We require more durable hosts and new breeding grounds. You are traveled. You will travel away from this place?¡± The voice responded instantly.


    It was hard to make out what it was even asking of him, but he nodded. ¡°Yes, I plan to leave this island as soon as I¡¯ve attained whatever power you may offer me.¡±


    He could then hear a burst of static that hounded at his ears for a moment, and he cringed, before the voice suddenly redoubled, ¡°The Sabasa army ¨C Is Gone ¨C They¡¯re all dead.¡± The voice spoke between bursts of static. ¡°You are stronger than them ¨C You do not understand ¨C The host is in grave danger ¨C Lacking knowledge.¡±


    The voice was interweaved with many others that interrupted each other, some whispering and others shouting.


    Alisson furrowed his mouth. ¡°I may not understand what to do or what it is that you offer, but I¡¯m willing to accept it. I understand you might not have the capacities to relay to me accurately the information that the Sabasa have so passed down.¡±


    ¡°Correct ¨C Understanding ¨C First a piece of us will detach ¨C Reproduce ¨C Lose mass ¨C Accept it ¨C Hand yourself over to it ¨C You must do this ¨C You must accept.¡±


    Alisson squinted in suspicion. Its words gave Alisson a bad feeling. Dascha perhaps saw his unease and she stepped nearer.


    ¡°This is normal? You know this?¡± Alisson motioned to the slime in the wall.


    Dascha bobbed her head. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a Pact. Accept it.¡±


    There was that wording again. ¡®Accept it¡¯. Something was telling Alisson that this was a tad more involved than just a binary yes or no as to whether or not he could attain this power. This slime amalgamation must¡¯ve made similar arrangements with other Sabasa warriors in weeks prior, but since they had all died, is why it said it had lost many hosts. Referring to him as a ¡®host¡¯ was a bit ominous for his taste.


    Alisson finally made up his mind regardless. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I agree to whatever terms you lay out.¡±


    He agreed, mostly due to Dascha¡¯s guileless stare. To attain great power, there was always risk.


    The slime in the wall bulged and coalesced, and with a squelching noise, a small piece of it fell down the wall, and onto the ground. It flattened across the ground like a viscous liquid.


    ¡°Outer wall ¨C Weak ¨C Unnecessary ¨C Get rid of it ¨C Strip.¡±


    ¡°My clothing and armor?¡±


    ¡°Yes ¨C Get rid of it ¨C Accept.¡±


    Alisson swallowed, and looked at Dashca. She bobbed her head quickly.


    He had to strip for this. He still had no idea what he was in for, but complied. He had spoken to Marenix what felt like so long ago that one shouldn¡¯t be ashamed in one¡¯s body, but living by those words were a different thing. He tried to ignore the fact that Dascha was staring at him as he got into his birthday suit, and then stared down the puddle on the ground, probably blushing.


    To his surprise, Dascha didn¡¯t get worked up, she only backed away a good distance.


    The puddle on the floor started to creep closer to him, somehow. He started to similarly back away, but the voices resounded through him again, ¡°Accept it.¡± They all said.


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    He stopped backpedaling, and swallowed hard, standing his ground. It reached his toes, and he winced at its coldness. It started to creep up his body. It was an interesting sensation, like thick water running over his skin. He felt shivers down his back as it rolled up to his shoulder, and then around his neck, then up to his head.


    It covered his ears, his nose and his eyes. He tried to close his eyes, but the liquid somehow peeled them apart. He could feel it start to fill the insides of his ears. His jaw similarly was being pulled open, and the goo started to seep between his lips down into his throat.


    He quickly started to panic, raising his hands to his head and trying to wrench the liquid from him as it penetrated deeper into his skull.


    His brain ¨C It wanted his brain! He realized this and became even more panicked. The slime in his throat went upwards, and more still flooded in through his nostrils and his eyes. The sensation was unlike anything he¡¯d experienced before. It was a complete overload of all his senses; he felt tingles, sharp stabs of pain, a cooling numbness, and an overall distinctly uncomfortable feeling which welled at his stomach and burned its way to his shoulders.


    He couldn¡¯t even swallow or scream out. He fell to his knees, hands on the slime at his ears. It felt like it was tearing at his very brain, filling his skull with its form.


    Dascha had ran closer, and held his hands.


    ¡°Accept it.¡±


    She said hurriedly, pulling his hands away.


    Accept it!? How could he accept this ¨C  The very violation of his mind and body! It felt like he was ¨C A sudden flash of Celis flew through his mind, then one of his days at the Academy, then one of a random acquaintance. A sudden barrage of memories assaulted him, stumping his train of thought. Then he realized why ¨C The slime was poking and prodding at his mind! It was running through and reading his entire brain!


    Just how could he accept it!?


    He struggled more furiously. He saw it as a monster trying to tear him away from his memories of Celis, like it was trying to overwrite him. He tossed and turned on the ground, tearing at his head. Dascha backed off with a sullen expression.


    With that a sudden thought emerged in his head. Why did he come here? To attain strength. For Celis. For Celis.


    He grit his teeth. This is what it was. This is a power that no normal man can grasp. Only seasoned warriors of mental fortitude can accept this violation in exchange for strength. Alisson¡¯s eyes flared with a sudden determination. He wasn¡¯t any normal man, he was Alisson Vi Nuam! Some stupid slime wasn¡¯t going to overrule him!


    He fell loosely onto his back, staring up at the ceiling through the blue filter of goo that enveloped his eyes.


    Come and prod all you want! He thought to himself. He would accept it, let it do as it wished. He saw Dascha crack a smile out of the corner of his vision, and that only redoubled his resolve in that this was the right thing to do, even if it was against his better judgement, and against his primal fears.


    He felt it wriggling inside his throat, inside his sinus, inside the sockets of his eyes, and most of all, around his brain. It felt like his skull was being squeezed from every angle. A barrage of thoughts assaulted him all the same. He held onto the reasoning that if this thing wanted to kill him, it would¡¯ve and could¡¯ve done so already.


    Alisson didn¡¯t know how long he sat there on his ass. Phlegm had started to leak from his mouth. At first it had been an uncomfortable experience to say the least, but now, after so long of it, he was numb to it. He had essentially recalled his entire life, and it had left him mentally worse for wear. All the good parts, and all the worst parts.


    Alisson was even starting to get used to the feeling. It was like being drowned in water. Somehow he could still breathe through the slime.


    He felt it withdrawing itself. It must¡¯ve been hours. Dascha had sat down nearby, watching intently. His body was freezing cold.


    He didn¡¯t realize it was out of him for a few moments. He sat up with sudden clarity, touching his own body, and sighing in relief that everything was normal. Before him was the puddle once more. He stared intently at it.


    It began to bubble, and from it, rose a vaguely humanoid figure.


    ¡°Hi there! You survived! Congrats!¡±


    It spoke to him in a sudden, high pitched and high energy voice.


    ¡°The hell¡­?¡±


    ¡°I figured this would be the best voice to address you in. You act like you don¡¯t like this archetype, but in reality, you really do!¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything as clearly as I can.¡± As it spoke its form became more humanoid and it developed a dark mouth and large, dark spots on its head for eyes.


    ¡°Mom can¡¯t really articulate things too well, so sorry on her behalf that you didn¡¯t know what was going to happen to you.¡±


    Alisson nodded slowly.


    ¡°I am a piece of that bigger slime you saw in the wall. I was just a few hours ago, a brainless and amorphous amoeba ¨C But now, I¡¯m a full-fledged sentient being!¡±


    The slime made a prideful pose, tilting its head.


    ¡°And before you go asking questions, just shut up and sit back, because I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± It said, leaning forward. ¡°That whole poking and prodding your brain thing wasn¡¯t just for fun. I scanned and absorbed all the information you¡¯ve stored there!¡±


    ¡°You have all my memories?¡± Alisson asked tepidly.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I just said! This is how we slimes form a pact with humans and other animals. Mom separates a piece of her body, we absorb every little detail about them, and then, we can work perfectly together! You and I are now a perfect match, in both body and mind! Not to intrude on your love for Celis, that is.¡±


    The slime also spoke perfect Sidonian. It already knew who Celis was without him saying anything. Alisson readily accepted what it was saying as the truth.


    ¡°You can think of it this way ¨C Slimes are parasites! We latch onto hosts and form a symbiotic relationship. I¡¯ll help you fight and other physical needs, and you¡¯ll supply me with your bodily resources! Like blood, waste, sweat, anything you have. And then eventually, after I¡¯ve absorbed enough resources, I can split into two. Or rather, I¡¯ll grow in mass to better fortify you.¡±


    Alisson got to his feet warily. He was about to ask what these fortifications were but the slime answered for him.


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show you!¡±


    It surged for him and wrapped around his body. A thin layer soon covered the whole of his flesh. In doing so, it suddenly became transparent, and one couldn¡¯t even tell that anything was around him.


    ¡°I know every crook of your muscles, every which way you move, how you like to handle your fingers in the handle of a blade¡­I¡¯ll move with you, make you faster, stronger.¡± It whispered in his ears giddily. ¡°Oh and uh, I¡¯ll be thinking of myself as a girl. It¡¯s what you would like too, deep down. I¡¯m not some animal to you.¡± His groin suddenly felt tight, and he winced. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be gentle here.¡± She giggled.


    Alisson didn¡¯t know whether blush, scowl, or be happy at this straightforward explanation. He realized that in the slime enveloping him, his body temperature had now stabilized, and he was snug. It was very comfortable. He no longer felt the cold cave underneath his feet, but the slimes embrace around every piece of his body.


    He tried to move and found his limbs maneuvering faster than he could will them to move. He would think to move his hand and then already see it in front of him. He would will to clench his fingers only to find them already clenching, hard. He could feel the power in his hands.


    ¡°I see that little smirk. Aw¡­You¡¯re happy, aren¡¯t you? C¡¯mon, just admit it! Praise me! Praise me!¡±


    Alisson warily broke out into a little chuckle. He knew that this was just a parasite trying to make him feel good and like it back, but he couldn¡¯t help but do so. ¡°You¡¯ll need a name. Firo.¡± Firo was the Sidonian word for goo. ¡°And yes, this does seem quite extraordinary.¡±


    He could see now why warriors would seek out this boon.


    ¡°But increasing your strength isn¡¯t the only thing I can do!¡±


    His body suddenly became a vibrant red, and then a cool green. ¡°I can change colors and texture to camouflage you. I can also alter my viscosity in a number of ways, to help you grip things better or cushion stop blows. That flimsy armor you were wearing doesn¡¯t hold a candle to my protection!¡±


    ¡°This seems like a lot to take in¡­¡± Alisson muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it! After a while you wouldn¡¯t even know I¡¯m here with you! I promise I¡¯ll stay quiet like Dascha if you¡¯re with your mate. Wink.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say ¡®Wink¡¯ out loud.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wink! I have to!¡±


    Alisson thought for a moment. ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    After a little while longer of moving around, he noticed Dascha staring intently at him and he remembered he was completely nude.


    Firo was quick to remark, ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be embarrassed master! I can make it look bigger if you want!¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡° ¡®Master¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You act like you don¡¯t care, but deep down you actually really like being called that.¡±


    Dascha stared with wide eyes before muttering. ¡°¡­Master.¡± She clearly took Firo¡¯s words to heart.


    Alisson heaved a deep breath. ¡°Please refrain from saying personal things out loud for everyone to hear.¡±


    ¡°Will do, master! But Dascha doesn¡¯t count, she¡¯s a doggy.¡±


    Alisson adorned himself in clothes once more, with Firo under all of them, clinging to his real body.


    It appeared that she serve as both a physical enhancement, and his last and strongest layer of protection. Firo¡¯s nature as a slime would probably endow her capacity to solve various special problems; For instance, lockpicking.


    ¡°So, is there anything else I need to know about this arrangement?¡± Alisson asked, sheathing his now paper-light sword.


    ¡°Nothing you NEED to know, no. Mom has an important job for me, though. She¡¯s kind of in the dumps since all those Sabasa got killed by Andestine, and we lost a lot of our family. So, she wants me to go to distant lands, and reproduce lots! She doesn¡¯t have the mass to spare anymore slimes, so I¡¯m her last hope for the time being.¡±


    It certainly felt odd that Firo could make references to Andestine despite having just been born and never speaking about them, but he supposed it was use in that she was able to think on the same page as him.


    ¡°Very well. Then you know my overall objective.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡± She said, suddenly solemn. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help you fight against Sidonia, and your sister.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh and uh¡­Would you mind collapsing the cave one your way out? It¡¯s what mom wants. It¡¯ll be a long time before she gathers her strength to make more kids, and other humans coming and killing her wouldn¡¯t be any good.¡±


    ¡°That is a simple matter.¡±


    He did as she asked with the Moonlight Cannon on a low charge. He stared out across the lands from the summit of the mountain, illuminated by the moon.


    With this, he had found himself the second piece of his puzzle here on Sabasa. He set out to return back to the western tunnel, and to Sidonia.


    ***

 36. Liquid Mercury

    Life with Firo would take some getting used to. She kept Alisson¡¯s body clean, knew everything about him, and was always with him. It felt like he had no privacy, quite literally living with something else in his skin. Firo normally siphoned blood and other resources from Alisson¡¯s body. He offered her food, but apparently eating his prepackaged resources was easier for a parasite like her.


    She strongly implied that her presence would require him to eat a good deal more. Annoying, and potentially deadly, but the power was well worth it. He tried to just imagine her as a tool on his belt, not as another thing, and that mostly overcame the dreading issue of privacy. Firo could diffuse through his armor to be on the surface of his clothing when times called ¨C He tried climbing a tree with her help, and the slime provided grip where none existed.


    The same boon could be extended to his swordplay. He tried drilling with Dascha to break in his new body, he was able to manage, but it would take getting used to. Firo could move his blade within his grip ¨C He had no need for this in his already refined technique, but there were an infinitesimal amount of new techniques he could create with this ability.


    On Firo¡¯s suggestion, he also tried punching a tree at full strength. It didn¡¯t hurt. The tree shook, and leaves fell from it, creating a loud noise ¨C But it didn¡¯t hurt. He asked Dascha to punch him in his belly. Even undefended and without taking up a stance, the best she could manage was to make him stumble back a foot, with no real damage.


    His testing would come to a head when they spotted a column of Monolithians. They were headed back to their headquarters, and had several wagons and horses. Alisson decided that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to make one of their mobile killing teams go missing. He would be gone from this island within the week anyway.


    Opting not to open an attack with the Moonlight Cannon for fear of escaping enemies reporting it, and to its general visibility to any nearby forces, he simply attacked the front of formation.


    He withdrew the pendant from his neck, and held it up, muttering a quiet prayer.


    ¡°Let none weep the passing of those before us. An unexpected and pointless death of filth that serves only to enrich the world.¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Firo¡¯s strength allowed him to lunge in an animalistic pounce, and impale a rider off his horse. The Monolithians were stunned for a moment as Alisson rose and walked toward them, holding his pendant by his cheek, his tails swaying behind him.


    ¡°Lay to rest the souls of those slain by the hands of these men, for their revenge will have come at last.¡±


    Alisson tucked the pendant into his collar and blitzed forward. They stood little chance. Alisson killed the majority of them before they could put up a fight. He slammed his hilt into the helmets of some, to let them writhe in pain or unconsciousness as he passed them. Those that he allowed to ready themselves to fight him weren¡¯t all that great as swordsmen. Perhaps they were lax from killing those that could not fight back for so long. Most of the men were physically larger than Alisson, but with Firo and his Opensen, there was no doubt that he now had an advantage in physical strength on every one of them.


    There were only a few left in due time. They had ran into the woods, a small group. Dascha rounded up near his backside, having finished off those Alisson had left her. He figured it was rude to deny her revenge. He pointed toward the men that were fleeing and she swung her sword around her back and broke into a quadrupedal sprint.


    Suffice to say, all the Monolithians were dealt with, and it gave him some good experience in fighting with Firo. Though he had killed them with ease, these were fighters among a high caliber in the world. A year ago, he probably would¡¯ve fought for his life against such a large convoy of armored men alone.


    Dascha returned to him, dragging the bodies of three armored Monolithians that were each thrice her size. He wasn¡¯t alone anymore, for one.


    One of the men was still alive, and Alisson wondered why she had kept him so, before she started to stab him in non-vital areas. She looked down at the man with her large, guileless eyes, as if she were a child stomping out ants.


    He stabbed the man through the head, ending his suffering. He looked to Dascha with a frown. ¡°These men deserve worse, but we should not stoop to their level of mindless violence.¡±


    It was a bad habit that he had seen his men of the 51<sup>st</sup> sometimes slip into. Whether it was rage or taking a sadistic pleasure in the torture, getting emotional with combat was never something that Alisson saw as a positive. He didn¡¯t care much if these scums suffered, but he did care if Dascha became just like them.  She growled at him, and he had pull her by the scruff of her neck away from the battlefield to stop her from further stabbing the corpses of fallen Monolithians.


    He brought her close to his face, and lowered to her eye level, sharpening his expression. ¡°Don¡¯t growl at me.¡±


    He released her, and they continued on, Dascha apparently frightened into submission.


    They were soon upon the western tunnel, the one that led back to Sidonia. Waiting outside the tunnel, were a familiar pair of humans. Shepard and Arciel.


    ***

 37. Crimson Crashing Carcasses

    ¡°They attacked you?¡±


    ¡°This idiot just had to go and run his mouth.¡± Arciel grumbled in response to Alisson¡¯s question.


    Shepard nodded at Alisson. ¡°I asked those ¡®Monolithians¡¯ what they were doing on the island, and they said they were doing what needed to be done.¡±


    Shepard clenched his fist.


    It appeared that the summoner pair had reached the Monolithian base of operations to the north of the island, and were going to fetch a ship ride back to Andestine, when Shepard got in a verbal argument with an officer, and he and Arciel had to make a run for it.


    They had been conversing near the tunnel opening that Alisson had emerged from when he first set foot on Sabasa.


    ¡°Did you ascertain what their real unit designation was?¡±


    Shepard shook his head. ¡°No idea; they were tight lipped. None of them seemed human in the least. But I guess that¡¯s what an extermination battalion would act like. They know about this tunnel, ¡± Shepard pointed down at his feet. ¡°They¡¯ll be coming any time soon. We figured it was our best chance to get off this island. We can go back to Aleeze, and make our way north to the Caliphate, they should be more than willing to welcome us and send us back home, in being allied to Andestine.¡±


    Alisson nodded in understanding. ¡°Reasonable enough. Then let us journey together.¡± Alisson pointed down at the tunnel, ¡°This passage, like the one you previously traversed, is also infested with those red-skinned rats. Moving together and protecting each other will make our trip easier.¡±


    With that, they agreed to a temporary alliance. The four of them slowly descended. Alisson would¡¯ve climbed down quickly using Firo¡¯s powers, but he didn¡¯t want to reveal them to anyone. Firo¡¯s layer of slime also acted as shock absorption ¨C Alisson could probably take a much larger fall than he could¡¯ve before with no issue.


    They started down the tunnel, cutting the mounts they had used loose on the surface, and moving on foot.


    ¡°There¡¯s no telling when they will attack, but once the tide of beasts starts, it will not end until we progress a good distance past them, or collapse the tunnel mid-way.¡±


    Alisson would need to once again punch through the tides of beasts. This time however, he had three extra fighters, and the power of a slime. It should be easier.


    They advanced cautiously for many hours, Alisson and Shepard at the front, Arciel in the middle and Dascha watching the rear. Arciel¡¯s lights floated a good distance in either direction with the group.


    It was bound to happen eventually. They all saw it. A red hand. Far in the distance, creeping out of the lights.


    ¡°Aricel, smoke ¡®em!¡±


    Shepard commanded. A second later, Arciel unleashed a spell she had been keeping ready all this time. A large undulating beam flew down the tunnel. With that, it was time to speed up, and break through the enemy. Shepard grabbed Arciel and slung her over his back, and started to sprint down the tunnel. The mage girl was, understandably, not as physically capable as the other three. The tides of red fleshed, long-clawed creatures flowed out of the darkness toward them. Alisson rushed forward to take the lead. He would thin out the center of the hordes, and Shepard and Dascha would take the sides, trailing behind in his wake.


    With Firo¡¯s power, dicing through the beasts proved an easy affair at first. His strength allowed him to cut through their bodies, ignore their vitals, and continue with great speed. Every so often, Arciel would launch off a barrage of magic to give them some breathing room, her lights followed with them, illuminating clearly the enemy in all directions.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The pure mass of beasts ramped up quickly, and Alisson was slowed in his momentum.


    ¡°Enough clearing them, we need to focus on running now!¡±


    He signaled, and the three began to ignore more and more beasts, simply trying to run through the ones they didn¡¯t have the time to kill. Even with three strong fighters and a formation, the tides were oppressive. There must¡¯ve been more than last time thanks to Arciel¡¯s lights ¨C But they didn¡¯t have the leeway to fight in the dark like Alisson could alone.


    ¡°There¡¯s too many of them-!¡±


    Shepard was swinging wildly, unable to fight well while carrying Arciel.


    ¡°Do not lose will! Keep moving!¡±


    Alisson spat. He didn¡¯t want to have to leave the humans behind. These were good people. He had confidence in himself to fight off the hordes on his lonesome if it was needed, but it wasn¡¯t ideal.


    He suddenly heard a loud whine followed by a whimper.


    He looked to see Dascha tumbling across the tunnel ground. A red fleshed beast was entangled with her, gouging its claws into one of her legs. Alisson flew into action, dicing the creature apart and shoving it away. He only had a moment to ascertain the damage to his comrade, but all he could spot upon her crumpled armor was her blood. He scooped her up with a hand, tucking her under his arm.


    Just then, Arciel fired another barrage in both directions, clearing the immediate area for the briefest of moments. Shepard and Alisson put their backs against each other.


    ¡°Now what do we do?¡±


    Shepard growled.


    ¡°We keep moving.¡± Alisson sheathed his sword and flourished the remainder of his imbued knives. ¡°I¡¯ll block the passage to our rear with a phosphorus cloud, we just need to keep moving forward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m running low on mana here¡­¡± Aricel grumbled.


    ¡°Save it in case of an emergency. Now, go!¡±


    As the hordes of red beasts emerged from the darkness, Alisson threw a knife behind them. It detonated in a cloud of searing white, burning through the flesh of any creatures caught within. Him and Shepard broke into a sprint down the tunnel, cutting down any beasts that got in their way. The hero acted like less a vector that cut through enemies and more as a battering ram, pushing them aside by blowing through them and shoving them aside with his body.


    With his heavy armor and pure strength, it was a viable tactic. Although Alisson was stronger with Firo, he was still slight of stature and nowhere near the power of a hero.


    The going was tough, but they managed after the initial hiccups. Soon, the torrent of beasts slowed to a trickle and halted, giving them some time to rest and lick their wounds. Dascha was worse for wear, she wouldn¡¯t be able to walk on her own until they reached someone who could heal her. They did what they could to stop the bleeding and ease her suffering. He hoisted her on his back and they continued the long journey back to Sidonia.


    ¡­


    The tunnel¡¯s Sidonian entrance was guarded. Alisson moved ahead, instructing the humans and Dascha to remain behind. He used Firo¡¯s abilities to camouflage himself and crawl up the walls of the entrance. Sure enough, there was a small garrison of Sidonian soldiers, clad in white armor, defending a small depot that the 56<sup>th</sup> had used.


    Alisson decided on a course of action. He crept back down silently, and disengaged the camouflage. He crawled up normally, and the soldiers took notice.


    ¡°Hail and take heed!¡± Alisson called. ¡°The 56<sup>th</sup> is gone! And so is Sabasa! I have much to report!¡±


    The soldiers took him in, and he briefly informed them of the situation.


    ¡°You captured a hero and a summoner? Amazing¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. I also retrieved a surviving Sabasa who is wounded. Pray allow me to go retrieve them, I was making sure this area was safe.¡±


    With that story, he was able to secure passage for the four of them. The garrison had a healer with them, who patched up Dascha in no time. Alisson requisitioned a few of their horses, and set off for the capital, saying that this was all confidential and that he would report to Sidonia on these matters in person; as well as to return the prisoners.


    Finally, when they were a good enough distance from the garrison forces, Alisson said his goodbyes with Shepard and Arciel.


    ¡°You should be able to continue north. Just watch out for Sidonian patrols. I won¡¯t be sticking my neck out for you if you get caught.¡±


    Shepard nodded. ¡°Thanks for everything, Alisson, we¡¯ll see you around.¡±


    With that, Shepard reared his horse and turned away. Alisson set his sights down the road to the Capital.


    **


    <hr>


    <h4 style="text-align: center">End Movement 3</h4>

 38. They All Fall Down

    <h3 style="text-align: center">Begin Movement 4: Downfall


    All good things come to an end. You know that, don¡¯t you?


    <hr>


    On the road back to the Capital, Alisson was consumed with thoughts of Celis. Being away from her for so long led his mind to ramble to itself. He wondered what she would think of Dascha and Firo.


    She would probably be able to smell Dascha¡¯s scent all over him, and briefly wondered if he ought to bathe before seeing her just in case. He could already picture her being jealous over Dascha¡¯s presence and clingy nature. The same could be said for Firo ¨C Though she was less a sentient being and more a tool, a talking suit of armor in effect, but it would probably take Celis some time to fully appreciate what Firo even was.


    He wondered if into the future, Firo could duplicate itself and Celis could have her own Firo. He would need to inquire further on the specifics, as there seemed to be some requirement for specialized resources before a slime could grow or reproduce.


    He wrangled his mind onto the matters at hand ¨C What to do with Firo and Dascha within the city? He was assured by Firo that no one would be able to sense or detect her presence on him, so he could forget about her. Alisson thought it over and decided to go public with Dascha, and simply tell the truth ¨C That she was a survivor of Sabasa that needed refuge for the time being. It just so happens that the traumatized Sabasa princess was fully capable of following Alisson¡¯s orders and fighting on his behalf, and would join him on further exploits.


    All and all, Alisson was quite happy with himself when he entered the city proper. He returned mounts and then sought to report to Sidonia, but firstly, he stopped at the Nuam Keep.


    ¡°Stay here, Dascha. Don¡¯t make a ruckus.¡±


    Dascha bobbed her head subserviently.


    He briefly informed the servants about her and told her to stay in his room for the most part. He asked where Ashlynde, Marenix, and Celis were, not immediately seeing them anywhere in the compound. Apparently, Marenix was out of the city with Lady Salchyon on a training mission, but was slated to return later in the day. Celis and Ashlynde had been spending their time in a separate wing of the Nuam Keep and had instructed the servants to leave them be ¨C And Alisson knew why this was. Therein, the servants hadn¡¯t seen them very much of recent, and didn¡¯t know their whereabouts.


    Alisson was about to pay a visit to that wing when Lente stopped by.


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s true, you cheat death once again.¡±


    Alisson broke into a smile, and nodded. ¡°What have they been saying about me?¡±


    ¡°That you and the whole 56<sup>th</sup> got wiped out¡­But I guess those rumors weren¡¯t true.¡± Lente¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. ¡°Sidonia requests your presence. It sounds important.¡±


    Alisson nodded. ¡°I was just about to report on my own. I¡¯ll be off, then.¡±


    His personal matters would have to wait, ignoring a direct request from Sidonia wasn¡¯t an option. Sidonia knew that Lente and Alisson were good friends, and since Lente spent a lot of his time in the science laboratories near the Rolaign, he was often her messenger to Alisson. It was quite informal for such important business between important individuals, but having a high level of trust among the top invited a looser, more familial way of bureaucracy.


    He walked toward the Rolaign, hearing the news that later in the day, executions of some ten heretics would be held. This was a fairly common occurrence ¨C Those branded with heresy were saved up for a few months or years, and then executed all in one go every so often. The rate of executions and subsequently the number of heretics killed had seen a dramatic uptick since Alisson had returned to Sidonia from his Freigat mission.


    Like he had done so many times before, he made his way through the most important building in Sidonia, the Rolaign. It hosted many floors of varying purpose, all furnished immaculately. The carpets were colored blue like most Sidonian affiliated paraphernalia, and various bureaucrats fluttered to and fro. Finally he reached a pair of large doors which led into Sidonia¡¯s inner sanctum, where the Lady Sidonia herself resided.


    The organism that was the Sidonian Empire had its central nervous system here, its brain, its most important organ ¨C The being that all Nekomata would sacrifice themselves to protect. The two golden guardians standing at either side of the doors parted and let Alisson enter. Within he saw the all-too familiar sight of Sidonia sitting at her little white tea table. He strode toward her and dropped to a knee with a flare of his cloak.


    The room was dark as usual other than a single shaft of light that beamed down into the center where Sidonia was. Its edges were covered in shadows.


    ¡°I have returned, my Lady.¡±


    Sidonia smiled at him, tilting her head a little. ¡°¡­So it would seem.¡±


    He looked up to her and met her eyes. ¡°The 56<sup>th</sup> was wiped out in the tunnels underneath the sea to Sabasa. There is a beast infestation there; I fear I was only able to survive due to my experience in Freigat. Once I reached Sabasa, I found evidence that Andestine had crushed the Sabasa as a nation and as a people. They have now deployed hunter-killer teams to exterminate the Sabasa.¡±


    He withdrew the patch of the Monolithians. ¡°They bore this insignia, but I¡¯ve not seen it before. I figured it was in your best interest for me to escape and report my findings rather than take unnecessary risk in attacking the Andestinian occupational forces on my own ¨C However, I did take one offensive action in collapsing a secondary tunnel which led to Andestine proper. I assumed this would¡¯ve been the safest option to prevent the Andestine army from having a direct route to our lands through Sabasa.¡±


    He awaited Sidonia¡¯s words, fairly confident that she would understand the situation he was placed in. Sidonia murmured in agreement.


    ¡°Very interesting. As always, you have performed well above expectations.¡±


    Alisson bobbed his head. ¡°I will pen a comprehensive report for you in the coming days as always, my Lady, but I believe there exists no present threat to the homeland or any action to take ¨C I fear the Sabasa have already been completely wiped out, and that to take action to save them will only put our own forces at risk.¡±


    Sidonia nodded. ¡°Yes, my thoughts exactly.¡±


    Alisson stared into her smiling face for a moment.


    It was Sidonia who lowered the blockade in the first place to let the Sabasa be attacked ¨C She could¡¯ve ordered them to fight, but she opted to cede the waters. She was just as guilty as Andestine in Sabasa¡¯s destruction.


    She was also the one to haphazardly sent in the 56<sup>th</sup> to their deaths after Alisson joined them. Though he didn¡¯t know if this was an attempt to get him killed or if it was just how she normally used the 56<sup>th</sup>.


    ¡°Although the report you have for me is very interesting, that isn¡¯t why I called you today, Alisson.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s brow piqued, looking up at her.


    ¡°I value you, Alisson.¡± Sidonia started, setting her sights squarely on Alisson with that small smile of hers. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me and your siblings throughout your life, you¡¯ve performed uniquely well in your ability to take the initiative and act on my behalf without requiring my orders. Which is why I wanted to bring this matter to your attention, without further disgracing your name in making it a public affair¡­¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    She lifted a hand and motioned with a finger for someone to come closer. ¡°Bring her out.¡±


    Alisson heard the roll of wheels and looked behind him, to see something coming out of the shadows. Two servants covered in deathly white apparel rolled a standing bed. Strapped to it, wearing a straitjacket with innumerable belts that restrained their body tautly, was Celis. She was blindfolded and gagged, and her hair was disheveled, but he could still recognize her.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened, for a moment not believing the sight. How could he have not sensed her before? It must not have been her. Alisson would¡¯ve been able to tell if she was near. Alisson¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly.


    He spotted a line of phlegm leaking out of mouth. He didn¡¯t think it was a fake.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± He let slip from his mouth.


    His eyes shook and his vision blurred as he looked at her. A million thoughts ran through his head. Was she compromised? What happened? Was she okay? Why was she in such a state?


    Alisson could barely restrain himself. He couldn¡¯t tear his vision away from her.


    Sidonia. He had to assume that Sidonia knew everything. The gig was up. He found his hands shaking and covered in sweat.


    ¡°Alisson¡­¡± He jumped in response to Sidonia¡¯s calling, ¡°Don¡¯t look so frightened. Please look at the person you¡¯re speaking with.¡±


    Alisson took a long moment before he finally mustered the power to look away from Celis, swallowing a knot of saliva that had formed in his mouth.


    ¡°Celistine there was found to be involved with a heretic operation.¡± She motioned with her hand, her movements slow and dreamlike. ¡°She was found adjacent to a heretic, so she has undergone re-education. Rejoice, for she has been saved from heresy, Alisson.¡±


    Alisson looked back at Celis out of the corner of his vision, his lips shaking.


    ¡°Eyes on me, Alisson.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s shoulders jumped and he snapped his eyes back to Sidonia.


    ¡°The heretic she was involved with will be executed, and everything about her involvement will be covered up. You can think of this as a favor for your diligence and loyalty, I wouldn¡¯t do this for just anyone¡­¡±


    Sidonia continued to smile her little smile down at Alisson. He could barely keep eye contact with her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been awfully quiet, Alisson. Do you understand everything I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Alisson opened his now suddenly dry mouth, and swallowed nothing before answering, ¡°Yes¡­¡± He said breathlessly, ¡°I understand, Lady, Sidonia.¡±


    His chest heaved up and down with his words.


    ¡°Well then, cut her down.¡± Sidonia motioned to the servants. They withdrew knives and cut through Celis¡¯s harnesses.


    ¡°Why¡­Why tie her up like that¡­?¡±


    Alisson asked under his breath, not looking at Celis. He immediately regret asking the question, but Sidonia still answered,


    ¡°She was found in contempt of me, it¡¯s for my own safety. All our safeties. She¡¯s quite an aggressive little bundle of Regadonian blood when she gets going, but you can attest to that better than I can, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Alisson again lost his will and glanced back at her, to see them cutting the blindfold and gag off her face, in the process cutting her skin slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t hurt her¡­!¡±


    Alisson¡¯s breath turned into a growl and his chest started to rise with rage.


    ¡°Alisson, could you be saying that traitors shouldn¡¯t be harmed?¡±


    Alisson¡¯s rage subsided and he clenched his fists and teeth. ¡°N-no, not at all. I fear this is all a lot to take in and I may be emotionally irrational, pray¡­pray forgive my outbursts.¡±


    Alisson said on shaky words. The blindfold fell and he could see her eyes. He realized then why he wasn¡¯t able to sense Celis earlier. That wasn¡¯t Celis. She wasn¡¯t there.


    Her eyes were empty, soulless, glancing off into space without any thought or life. The gag fell and her mouth hung open as if she were a zombie.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wake her up.¡±


    Alisson looked back to Sidonia to ask what she meant when Alisson suddenly felt a overpowering energy burst outwards from Sidonia¡¯s person. He was so overwhelmed by the abrupt wave of pressure that he fell back onto his rear, shielding his eyes. He swore he could¡¯ve seen the room go dark with the light that was emitted from Sidonia. He had never seen something like it before. Was that the power of her influence? Uncapped and unrestrained?


    It was over before Alisson could think further about it.


    ¡°Hello, Alisson.¡±


    Celis was suddenly above him, looking down at him. Her eyes were still empty, but there was now movement in her face. She wore the slightest of smiles on her countenance, but her eyes and her brow remained blank. He looked into her large, empty blue eyes. There was nothing there. No matter how deep he looked in them. There was nothing there.


    ¡°Behold your new subordinate, free of heresy. A gift from me to you, Alisson.¡±


    Sidonia spoke but Alisson didn¡¯t pay attention.


    ¡°Celis, you¡¯re okay?¡±


    He got to his feet, and desperately resisted the urge to lay his hands on her and embrace her.


    ¡°Yes, Alisson.¡±


    Was all she said. It wasn¡¯t a monotone voice she had, it still had some sort of life, but the life that was there was artificial, implanted. It wasn¡¯t Celis. Alisson¡¯s eyes twitched. It took all his willpower to stand still and not lash out in any way.


    ¡°Celistine will diligently guard you and execute your orders as she always has, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    Alisson stared at Celis, and then at Sidonia. Sidonia was¡­the master.


    ¡°Well, Alisson?¡± Sidonia tilted her head.


    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Alisson said slowly, and laid a hand on his heart. ¡°Thank¡­thank you. For this¡­¡±


    He sputtered.


    ¡°Good.¡± Sidonia replied, apparently satisfied with his gratitude. ¡°That¡¯s about all I wanted to discuss, Alisson. You may be on your way.¡±


    Alisson, still in a state of shock, bobbed his head, and turned, his bones and muscles locked and stiff. Before he reached the doors out of this abhorrent place, Sidonia once more echoed words through the chamber,


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one last thing I wanted to discuss. Come hither.¡±


    At her behest, he walked back to the center of the room, feeling Sidonia¡¯s gaze burn at his skin while Celis shuffled alongside him. He didn¡¯t feel her. He only saw her bobbing at the edge of his vision, like a walking corpse.


    "I understand that you wished to be transferred to an army, and that you have expressed a desire to destroy Irine.¡± She leaned in and whispered slyly, ¡°Let¡¯s just save ourselves the time.¡±


    Alisson heart felt as thought it were going to beat out of his chest.


    ¡°Effective immediately, you are no longer of the 56<sup>th</sup>. You are now General of the 7<sup>th</sup> Army, and I charge you with the destruction of the Irine Principality. Is that clear?¡±


    Alisson was in a state of shock for a moment.


    He fell to a knee out of muscle memory and laid a hand on his heart. ¡°O-of course, My Lady. It will be done.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now fly.¡±


    She shooed him away with a hand. Alisson stood on shaky and legs and walked all the way back to the entrance, fearing she would call out to him again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t choose a foolish path, Alisson.¡±


    Was all she said. Alisson hastened to get through the doors, and almost collapsed when they closed behind him.


    He looked to Celis. She looked blankly forward at the wall. Alisson resisted his urges to embrace her and was frozen stiff for a long few minutes. He could feel the gazes of the door guards burning into his back.


    There were no thoughts in his mind. His train of thought which on every occasion before would begin to formulate a course of action was completely shut down.


    One thought popped into his head. He looked at Celis. Something was missing. Someone was missing.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened. The execution grounds. He needed to get to the execution grounds! He ran down the halls, the sun outside was falling fast ¨C It would be time soon.


    Celis shuffled along to keep pace with him wordlessly.


    He was out of the Rolaign in minutes, and dashed through the street, adrenaline pumping through him. People turned and looked at Alisson, wondering what was going on.


    Among the people who spotted him, one called out to him, ¡°Oh, master! You¡¯re back!¡±


    He looked to see Marenix flashing a smile at him. It seemed he had just returned from his training mission with Louise.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look pale¡­¡±


    He asked, suddenly confused. Alisson¡¯s heart sunk when he looked across Marenix¡¯s innocent face.


    ¡°The grounds¡­The execution grounds¡­¡± Alisson didn¡¯t spare him any more mind and then continued running toward one of the clearings in the city.


    He eventually reached an opening of buildings, that was used as a park. A small crowd had gathered, where there was gallows set up. The one being pushed down to her knees was a familiar face. The heretic that Celis had subdued in the month prior ¨C Odariss Fael. It seemed her time was finally up.


    Her eyes were dulled and her expression was gone. She had clearly been on the receiving end of a lot of ¡®interrogation¡¯. She had no last words to say as the headsman¡¯s axe fell. Her lifeless head rolled across the gallows, and the headsman kicked her body aside.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the next heretic in line. She had long blonde hair and large, fearful red eyes. Ashylnde Chasettes. Alisson¡¯s hand twitched for his sword.


    He didn¡¯t know what to do. Start fighting and save her? Risk everything to save Celis¡¯s apprentice? His hands clenched and his eyes, wide with indecision, were locked on Ashylnde. They pushed her forward, and onto her knees, her hair falling over her face. She looked side to side across the crowd, like a scared dog who didn¡¯t know what they had done wrong.


    Alisson didn¡¯t listen to the verdict or the crowd¡¯s cheers. He sat frozen stiff. Ashlynde caught his eyes, and he saw her pleading to him. He reached for his sword, gripping it tightly. He suddenly felt a pair of hands on his sword hand, and saw Celis looking up at him with wide, empty eyes.


    The headsman raised their axe.


    ¡°Wow, you run fast¡­¡± Marenix came up behind them, breathing heavily. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you liked watching executions, master¡­¡±


    Marenix¡¯s voice trailed when he saw who was on the gallows. Ashlynde met Marenix¡¯s eyes, and suddenly broke into a smile. She mouthed something then.


    The axe fell and her head was severed from her body.


    It was a surreal few moments that Alisson observed as her head, free from her body, fell through the air. Alisson wagered that at least for a fraction of a second, she was still alive as her head fell. Her head hit the ground and rolled along with the others.


    ***

 39. Set Straight

    Alisson couldn¡¯t bear it. He needed time alone. He left Marenix behind, and left the city, escaping to the all too familiar surrounding woodland.


    As if to haunt him, Celis had managed to follow him all the way out to the clearing he now found himself in. He stepped toward her, and laid his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes.


    ¡°¡­Are you there, Celis? Can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right in front of you, Alisson.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes silvered, and he buried his head in the nook of her neck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...!¡± He sputtered, sobbing into her collar. ¡°You¡¯re there, right? You can hear me? Please¡­just tell me you¡¯re there¡­¡±


    Here, away from any prying eyes, he could finally release the pent up emotions that had welled inside him. The sun had set, and the moon shone above them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, Alisson.¡±


    He shook his head, and continued to sob. He rested his body heavily over hers, and she crumpled to her knees, legs splayed. He sat with her, breathing heavily. Only now, his mind settled back into some sense of rationality.


    The most immediate question at hand was this: What happened to Celis? Was she gone forever? Was the Celis that he knew now erased and replaced with some automaton of Sidonia¡¯s making? Or was, deeper in this shell that was Celis¡¯s body, locked away, the real Celis?


    He had left Celis behind. He entrusted everything to her. It was his fault this happened to her. It was such a na?ve thing to entrust to her. She had stayed behind with the sole task of trying to steal Enh¨¦rej?r back into Alisson¡¯s possession, to further increase his fighting strength ¨C Not to simply conduct a heist, but to make preparations for its removal from the Sidonian armory without anyone¡¯s notice.


    Evidently, Celis and Ashlynde had done something and had been caught. He would find answers. He leaned back, and stared at Celis¡¯s moonlit face. A sudden fire caught within his stomach, that seemed to burn away the fear.


    Answers weren¡¯t enough.


    He started to growl and breath deeply, adrenaline flowing into his veins.


    He needed blood. Sidonia would pay for this. He would kill her himself.


    He clenched his hands with a certain, pure rage. Did Sidonia think that this would scare him? Force him back into submission?


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill her¡­I¡¯ll kill them all!¡±


    That¡¯s right. This only served to stoke his resolve. There was no way that-


    ¡°Kill who?¡±


    A sudden voice whispered into his ear, and his mind froze, a shiver rolling down his back. He knew that voice. He felt her behind him, crouching low.


    ¡°W-w-wha-¡± Alisson could barely speak when he was cut off,


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    ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t say anything¡­¡±


    The voice was deeply feminine, mature like¡¯s Sidonia¡¯s. He stared at Celis with wide eyes, daring not to turn around. Celis stared back at him with a blank expression.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re a bit on the slow side, so I decided to come and make sure you understand exactly what Sidonia said back there¡­Dearest brother.¡±


    She laid her black gloved hands on his shoulders, and began to massage them gently. Alisson shook with fear.


    The one behind him, was none other than Apophria Vi Nuam, or by her alias, Serendipity.


    ¡°How long has it been since I¡¯ve last seen you, Alis? You were such a good dog when you were my apprentice¡­You¡¯ve really fallen far, haven¡¯t you? Just how much weaker have you become?¡± She leaned in, moving her hands over his stomach. She was much larger than he was physically. ¡°You¡¯re shivering. Pathetic.¡± She grabbed his stomach and he immediately assumed she was going to rip him open and spill his entrails, but she didn¡¯t. ¡°Take a good long look¡­¡±


    Her words were slow and syrupy. She moved his chin up to look at Celis.


    ¡°That right there. That¡¯s what you get for an honored service record, or so Sidonia says¡­That means that if it were anyone else, the blue haired brat would¡¯ve been on those gallows just like her apprentice.¡±


    Alisson cringed his eyes, trying to stop his teeth from chattering.


    ¡°Instead, she spared your little hunting dog¡­You know why, right, brother?¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak back to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­She¡¯s sending you a message. This is your first and only warning. The lady¡¯s is going to dangle the sanity of this brat right in front of your little traitorous eyes. And hey, who knows, if you prove yourself to ole¡¯ Siddy, then you might just get your girlfriend back in one piece. You understand?¡±


    She gently rubbed his stomach.


    Alisson consciously understood what Sidonia had intended from the beginning. Apophria probably knew that he did, but came anyway. He knew she was just here to scare him further. But knowing that didn¡¯t stop it from working. He spoke without thinking, seeking some amount of mercy from her presence,


    ¡°I, I know-!¡±


    She got up in a blur and kicked in his side. He went rolling across the ground and slammed into a tree. Blood exploded from his mouth and he gasped out. Before he could even settle on the ground he felt himself get grabbed by the scruff of the neck and pinned against the tree.


    ¡°I told you not to speak. You still remember how to apologize, right? Go ahead. Do it.¡±


    Without thinking Alisson activated his Opensen, whimpering, ¡°Yes, Appy¡­¡±


    He said on wobbly words. She cupped one of his feline ears. ¡°Very nice¡­¡± She then grabbed his two tails with a single fist, and then, letting go of his neck, swung his entire body over her head and into the ground. She planted a boot on his head and ground his face into the dirt. ¡°Good boy¡­¡±


    She smirked, squatting over his head. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ve grown at all where it matters¡­¡± She sounded like a predator contemplating if the meat before her was worth eating or not. Apparently deciding against doing anything, she gave a little sigh of content.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough fun for now¡­¡± She grabbed Alisson¡¯s hair and brought his head up to face Celis, still sitting down a ways away. Apophria leaned in, ¡°Don¡¯t forget. Do what you¡¯re told, and the brat lives. This goes without saying, but that means no little rebellions or conspiracy or plots¡­¡± She swayed Alisson¡¯s head back and forth as she listed off things. ¡°You felt rage before. Anger.¡± She tightened her grip on his hair. ¡°Those are great things to feel. Just don¡¯t point them at Sidonia. Point them at your enemies. Got that? Let it flow through you¡­Let the small amount of testosterone you do have burn like a wildfire. Maybe then you¡¯ll start acting like a real man.¡±


    She let go of his head then, and stood up.


    ¡°You can thank me later for the advice. Well, I¡¯ll be seeing you¡­Crybaby.¡±


    With that, she was suddenly gone. Like she had never existed.


    Alisson never even saw her face. He looked up, and stared at Celis, illuminated by the moonlight. Her face was so empty, so blank. Which is why when Alisson caught a sliver of liquid at her eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but start to sob again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    He had his confirmation from the single tear on Celis¡¯s face; and Serendipity¡¯s words. Celis was still in there. Deep inside. This is what he got for trying to rebel. He had lost the one thing that mattered to him.


    ***

 40. Close Council

    After a long while of contemplating his situation from the outside world, Alisson returned to the Nuam Keep in the middle of night, still a tad injured from his older sister¡¯s beating. Celis still shuffled along at his backside wordlessly.


    Walking through the darkened halls, Alisson saw a silhouette through the darkness. It was Marenix. Alisson stepped closer, and was content to walk by Marenix to his room.


    ¡°Are you going to find out what happened, master?¡± Marenix asked with a dull tone of voice.


    ¡°Knowing what happened won¡¯t bring them back.¡± Alisson muttered, and Marenix fell silent for a long while before continuing,


    ¡°Why, master? Why didn¡¯t you do anything?¡±


    Marenix muttered to him, his words unsteady. Alisson knew what Marenix was asking about. Ashlynde.


    Alisson averted his gaze, stopping by Marenix¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Alisson remembered the fear that had struck him in that moment, seeing Ashlynde on the gallows, thinking to himself, that if he acted to save her, Celis would be the one those execution grounds next.


    ¡°¡­Is that all you have to say?¡± Marenix clenched his fist, and looked up to Alisson. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save her!? You have the strength to, so then why not!?¡±


    Alisson fell silent, looking away guiltily.


    ¡°Why! Why didn¡¯t you! Tell me!¡± Marenix grabbed Alisson¡¯s hands, his eyes burning with rage. ¡°She¡¯s gone now! Because of you! She had nothing to do with any of this! And you took her away from me! For what!? To save yourself!? To save Celis!?¡±


    He shot a glare at Celis.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes suddenly ignited, and he threw off Marenix¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Alisson shouted back. ¡°I did it for Celis! I did it for myself! If you have a problem with that, then too bad! You can¡¯t change anything because you¡¯re just a weakling like Ashlynde was!¡±


    Marenix looked up, suddenly in shock, and fearful.


    Alisson growled, ¡°Get the hell out of my sight!¡± He swung his arm out and pushed Marenix to the ground as he continued down the hall.


    Alisson entered his room. Celis tried to follow him, but he shut the door on her.


    ¡°Leave me be. Stay somewhere else.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to raise his voice at her.


    ¡°Yes, Alisson.¡±


    He heard her respond from behind the door. Inside his room, waiting faithfully and patiently, was Dascha. She was sitting on the floor, her tail wagging. Alisson realized she probably had no idea what had happened within the last day. He sat down on his bed, cupping his forehead in his hands.


    Dascha crawled between his legs, whining a little, and looking up at him.


    ¡°What do you want¡­?¡±


    Alisson muttered. She pressed herself against his leg, grinding her body on it. Alisson flared with anger and kicked her away.


    ¡°Stop that! Stupid bitch¡­Think about something else for once!¡± Alisson snapped at her, and she backed away warily and quietly, suddenly aware of his temperament.


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    ¡°Do I even have any real allies left?¡± He thought out loud.


    Celis was gone. She remained in body only. Marenix hated him ¨C And he was a weakling who couldn¡¯t offer anything to him anyway. Ashlynde was gone too. This stupid dog was only loyal to him out of a lust for breeding. The Kitsune and the Angels were just political allies; and that was only if he destroyed Irine like he said he would. The 51<sup>st</sup>, his unit that he had spent the last century building and fighting with, were no longer under his command. It¡¯s not like they ever knew him personally. They were just subordinates. There was no one who could fill the hole that Celis left him. This would be his normal state of being now.


    He sighed, and fell back onto his bed. His vision suddenly blurred, and he jumped in shock. A shell of him rose from his face and seeped out from under his clothes, forming into a copy of his body.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting someone~!¡±


    ¡°Firo¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t take my appearance. It¡¯s weird.¡±


    She leaned in to his face, and it felt like he was looking into a mirror. ¡°I¡¯m you, Alisson. I¡¯m your shadow now. I¡¯ll always be here.¡±


    Alisson¡¯s eyes flared again. ¡°Then where were you when Apophria beat me! I sure as hell felt every ounce of those blows! So much for being armor¡­You damn parasite.¡± Alisson growled.


    Firo sighed. ¡°I purposely didn¡¯t protect you. Else I would¡¯ve revealed myself to her. You understand, right? It¡¯s the same reason you never fought back today. Because deep down, you know it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± She pressed a finger on his chest.


    Alisson was silent for a moment. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    Firo circled his chest with her finger. ¡°You have two choices¡­only two paths that might get Celis back. Number one, submit to Sidonia.¡±


    Alisson averted his eyes, frowning.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Firo whispered gently. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been thinking about. Whether or not to just submit. As a parasite¡­I recommend this option. It¡¯s the safest bet to stay alive for you. But it involves hinging on Sidonia¡¯s mercy; that she doesn¡¯t get rid of you later on; and makes good on her word to return Celis back to her original form.¡±


    Alisson nodded. These thoughts had been swirling around aimlessly in his mind, but he was silently thankful that Firo could lay them out without being burdened by emotions.


    ¡°Then, there¡¯s option two.¡± Firo leaned back, straddling Alisson. ¡°Concede and comply¡­For now. Until you find your opening. Until then, do as you¡¯re told, gather your strength, and hope that there¡¯s a way out of this mess. Personally, I recommend against this option. It¡¯s far more dangerous to both you and our Celis. But we¡¯re prideful, aren¡¯t we? It¡¯s a dumb emotion you filled me with¡­¡± She rubbed her belly. ¡°But it¡¯s a strong one. One that makes you not want to submit.¡±


    Firo sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Ultimately, the options are the same in the short term, it¡¯s up to you to decide. Have you already?¡±


    Alisson averted his eyes, not responding.


    Firo smiled, and leaned in, her form changing back into a blue, viscous feminine figure like a chameleon changing its colors. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m some rational thing anymore¡­I¡¯m angry too.¡± She leaned in. ¡°I feel your bloodlust. Your rage.¡± She shook her gelatinous lower half that was covering Alisson¡¯s hips, ¡°Your lust..¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Alisson scowled.


    Firo giggled. ¡°All I¡¯m saying, you¡¯ve got two really willing girls in your room to relieve a lot of pent-up stress¡­¡±


    Alisson flashed a sour look at her. He didn¡¯t know if he would consider Firo as a girl, and perhaps he should just consider Dascha as an overgrown animal.


    Perhaps sensing something from Firo¡¯s words, Dascha jumped between Alisson¡¯s legs, shoving her head into his groin. He pushed her back angrily, and sat up. He could see her tail wagging furiously, and she looked up to Alisson with large, heated eyes. It seemed that she wouldn¡¯t let anything let her down.


    ¡°Thanks¡­For giving me council.¡± Alisson mumbled to Firo.


    She nodded giddily. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here, for whatever you need me for¡­¡± She said with those fleeting words as she once again surged forward and engulfed Alisson¡¯s body, before stabilizing in color and appearing as though she wasn¡¯t even there.


    He called his sleeping servants who hadn¡¯t realized that he would return so late in the night.


    ¡°The whole bottle, master?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°The whole bottle.¡±


    After they brought him what he requested, he sat quietly at his desk, jingling the ice in the whiskey filled glass. The sun would be rising soon. His father wasn¡¯t really a drinking man, but this whiskey was his favorite. He apparently fell into quite the stupor when Alisson¡¯s mother passed away in childbirth.


    Father was off with the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> Sidonian armies, so Alisson silently apologized for pilfering from his collection behind his back.


    He sat for a long time there, Dascha sleeping, curled up on the floor by his feet. After several glasses, Alisson made up his mind on what he would choose to do.


    Despite how much Alisson drank that night, he never grew even the slightest bit tipsy. He supposed that no amount of drink could ease his pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Celis¡­¡± He muttered to himself.


    Despite his words, his grief was eclipsed by a new feeling that had been nurtured within him. Rage.


    ***

 41. Bubble Bath

    The paperwork was sure to catch up in the following days. On Alisson¡¯s new appointment and subsequent promotion to General of the 7<sup>th</sup>. Alisson had never heard of a so-called 7<sup>th</sup> army up until this point ¨C Sidonia had always used five armies, and a sixth army had been cobbled together and subsequently destroyed on the outbreak of the war. This 7<sup>th</sup> army was probably brand new, and made up from stragglers of the 6<sup>th</sup>.


    Alisson tried not to think about military affairs, at least until it all became official. He needed to settle his mind instead of worrying about the big picture, at least for a little while longer.


    Despite what he said last night, Alisson still paid a visit to Celis¡¯s and Ashlynde¡¯s rooms in the morning, seeking some sort of clue as to what went wrong. The doors were left open, and the rooms had been turned upside down ¨C They had clearly been searched by Inquisitors. He found Celis laying on her bed with all her clothes on, wide awake.


    ¡°You should really get in proper attire for the night¡­¡± Alisson muttered,  knowing that his words would phase through her.


    He neared her bed and caught a scent of her, and frowned. ¡°And you should really bathe. You stink.¡±


    Whatever automaton that had taken over Celis¡¯s mind seemed to be very rudimentary at working on its own.


    ¡°Yes, Alisson.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to acknowledge my every command either. You don¡¯t happen to know what happened for you to get strung up like that by Sidonia, do you?¡±


    Celis sat up, and locked her eyes on him. ¡°I did not do anything. Incriminating documents were found on my apprentice that detailed messages exchanged between heretics and a human mafia. I was punished by my proximity to a heretic.¡±


    A human mafia? Just what had Celis¡¯s plan been? He had given her full creative control over the operation to seize Enh¨¦rej?r. Involving a criminal organization outside the borders of the country was certainly outside of the box. He could probably pay a visit to the Inquisitor¡¯s field station in the capital and ask if they still have the documents that were seized. He may be in Sidonia¡¯s bad graces now, but he doubted that the average bureaucrat would really say no to him.


    He noticed that Basil, Celis¡¯s pet lamia, was writhing around on top of Celis, and obviously knew something was wrong with her. Alisson scooped up the lamia. With Celis out of it, no one would be around to take care of it. Alisson didn¡¯t want to have to raise a lamia on his free time, so it was probably best he turned it in to the Orphanage for safekeeping. He knew the orphan-keeper there personally, she would be happy to watch over Basil in their stead.


    Deciding to set out for some fresh air, and with a couple errands to now run, Alisson left Celis in her room for the time being, guarded by Dascha. He finally changed out of his armor and cloak, and into some more normal clothes.


    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t really have to wear anything¡­¡±


    Firo whispered giddily to him. He sighed. ¡°I know, you can probably make it look like I¡¯m wearing anything. That still doesn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t be nude.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d still be wearing me¡­What makes clothes and a slime that much different? We cover you all the same¡­¡±


    Deciding not to engage in pointless conversation with Firo, he exited the Nuam keep and took a walk to the Orphanage. It looked like a normal house from the outside, but Alisson could already hear kids roughhousing on the inside. The keeper here was actually a well-vetted warrior, and could protect those entrusted to her on her own, the position was highly respected. He entered to find the keeper tangled with a pair of kits, trying to calm them down. Upon seeing Alisson, the young ones scattered and watched him anxiously from afar.


    Alisson explained briefly of Basil¡¯s past and that he¡¯d found her on Sabasa for simplicities sake. The keeper was certainly confused to be entrusted with an endangered species, and a tiny little snake at that, but readily accepted Alisson¡¯s words. Basil wrapped itself around the keepers arm tightly. As much as seeing guileless children put his mind at ease, Alisson decided not to linger. Some of the kids knew Alisson from his previous visits, and waved him goodbye, asking him to stop again to give them more lessons on swordsmanship.


    Alisson¡¯s smile faded as he left the orphanage, setting his mind on more grim topics.


    An unsuspecting building near the Rolaign hosted some of the worst torturers and police that Sidonia had to offer. As Alisson entered, he eyed some of the surrounding Inquisitors that were on station, waiting to act on any calls of violence or heresy. It could¡¯ve very well been that one of these men had been involved in seizing Celis and Ashlynde. He decided not to hold a grudge against them, and continued on to a desk behind bars.


    He informed them he wanted access to any documents and information regarding Ashlynde Chasettes. They held primary evidence for at most a few months before incinerating it, so Alisson feared they may have already disposed of any evidence involved with Ashlynde and Celis, but thankfully, they hadn¡¯t. He was led to a vault and an inquisitor handed him a folder. Under supervision, he inspected the primary documents which were supposedly found on Ashlynde.


    On a day like any other, she was subjected to a random search by Inquisitors. No doubt this ¡®random¡¯ search was ordered by Sidonia. The same with Celis, but they didn¡¯t find anything on her. Ashlynde had been on her way to deliver these documents somewhere, but was stopped before she had the chance to.


    The documents were a part of a correspondence with the Gofyfielze, a mafia situated in the city of Curlessi, in the Jedathari Caliphate. Celis knew the Gofyfielze from the time that she and Alisson had traveled through there on their trip up north; so she was probably the one to reach out to them. It looks like she was inquiring to get a certain sword made to a specific aesthetic.


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    It was simple to understand what her plan was ¨C She wanted to make a copy of Enh¨¦rej?r out in human lands. A good enough decoy that could be switched out with the real one. Since no one but Alisson and his sister ever used, or could use, Enh¨¦rej?r, it¡¯s not like people would find out that it was a fake once it was replaced.


    What exactly Ashlynde was doing out and about, alone, Alisson couldn¡¯t determine. It seemed to be purposeful on Celis¡¯s part to make Ashlynde do all of the hands-on dirty work, and that¡¯s probably one of the reasons why she wasn¡¯t the one to be killed. Alisson, satisfied with knowing at least a little more of what happened, said his thanks and left the Inquisitor station.


    The sun was setting by the time he returned back, and he found Lente lingering by the gates of the Nuam keep.


    ¡°Ah, glad to have caught you.¡±


    Alisson stopped and bobbed his head in greeting.


    ¡°Alisson. I know you¡¯re probably tired from your mission and with Celis¡¯s apprentice being, well you know.¡± He paused for a moment, and continued, ¡°Be sure to tell Celis that it wasn¡¯t her fault. These days, anyone can turn out to be a traitor. I heard that girl and my younger brother were good friends, so I hope he¡¯s taking it well¡­¡±


    Lente was rambling. Irritated, Alisson closed his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s shut himself in his room. He¡¯ll probably need time to himself.¡±


    Lente bobbed his head in understanding. He withdrew a folder from his coat. ¡°It looks like Sidonia¡¯s finally tapping you for something big, Alisson. Or rather¡­¡± He smirked, ¡°General.¡±


    Sighing, Alisson accepted the folder. ¡°I¡¯ve been expecting this. Good day.¡±


    Lente nodded and said his goodbyes as Alisson entered the keep. Alisson threw the folder across his desk, its contents lazily spilling across its surface. He would read it later. For now¡­


    There was someone using his bath. Alisson hadn¡¯t told the servants to draw him a bath on his return, so curious, he peeked in. He saw quite a profound site. Sitting in the bath, with water pouring over her head, was Celis, her legs splayed and staring blankly at the wall.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± Alisson stepped closer and realized the water was ice cold.


    ¡°I¡¯m bathing.¡±


    Alisson frowned. ¡°Get up, you¡¯re going to catch a cold like that¡­¡±


    He grabbed her under her armpits and pulled her out of the freezing cold water. Her hair was soaking wet. He wrapped a towel around her shivering body and pulled her close. She didn¡¯t hug him or react back. Alisson remembered why he hadn¡¯t told her to share his bed. It was too painful to see her like this, acting like a doll; unreciprocating of his love.


    He called for his servants and told them to draw a proper bath. It looks like he¡¯d have to be the one washing her. He sat on his bed, waiting, clutching Celis on his lap, trying to warm her up with the towel as best he could.


    ¡°The bath is ready, master.¡±


    ¡°Please tell any visitors that I¡¯m not to be disturbed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    He entered the bath with Celis, and stripping her of her towel, dropped her in to the warm waters. Following close behind, he scrubbed her back and body with soap. He was expecting her to react in someway, but she didn¡¯t just blankly looking ahead.


    He almost forgot that Firo existed when she peeled away from him into the water.


    ¡°Slime baths are superior to your ¡®soap¡¯!¡±


    The water of the bath became more slime than water and it felt quite odd, but therapeutic in a way. He gave Firo permission to engulf Celis and clean her. Alisson watched Firo work when someone opened the door to the bath.


    ¡°I thought I said not to disturb-¡±


    Alisson turned to look, expecting to see one of his servants, but he saw Dascha instead, still in her armor. Her tail was wagging. She probably wanted to join. Alisson sighed. It¡¯s not like he could refuse her, and its not like she didn¡¯t already see him vulnerable when Firo had imprinted on him. Celis probably wouldn¡¯t care if a slime and dog saw her nude either, if she was present anyway.


    ¡°Fine. You can join.¡±


    ¡°Yay! The more the merrier!¡± Firo said from somewhere below.


    Alisson regardless averted his eyes when Dascha started to strip down, her tail wagging furiously now.


    ¡°Erm¡­that¡¯s¡­interesting¡­¡±


    He heard Firo, who was suddenly offput by something. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡±


    Dascha was quick to enter the bath, and pressed herself against Alisson¡¯s back. He frowned, but figured it couldn¡¯t be helped. A sliver of Firo crept up his arm and against his ear, and whispered to him,


    ¡°You¡¯re not looking, but uh¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t have to whisper.¡±


    Firo continued to whisper anyway, ¡°Dascha has a¡­a thing.¡±


    ¡°Use your words.¡±


    ¡°Look, I absorbed your prudence too, so I don¡¯t like being vulgar! It¡¯s a member! She¡¯s a he!¡± Firo said, slightly louder into his ear.


    Alisson¡¯s eyes widened. He then took a deep breath, and centered himself. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°I just thought you should know!¡± She hissed, and then the slime retreated down his body.


    Despite saying that it didn¡¯t matter, Alisson¡¯s curiosity got the better of him, and he stole a glance behind him. Seeing this, Dascha only became more excited. He looked down and saw what Firo was talking about.


    Just how had he managed to find himself in these situations? Alisson sighed and looked away. ¡°So, you¡¯ve actually been male this whole time.¡±


    ¡°Not¡­male. Not female. Both.¡±


    Dascha said quietly behind him. Alisson was left speechless for a moment, finding his mouth parted in disbelief, but promptly straightened himself. He had seen alien monsters of unspeakable horror and men torn apart in the most gruesome ways imaginable. He refused to let himself get flustered over something like this.


    ¡°Are all Sabasa hermaphroditic, then? I don¡¯t recall hearing about this.¡±


    Dascha didn¡¯t respond to his question, but replied, ¡°Bathe¡­You.¡±


    Dascha stood up and began scrubbing Alisson¡¯s hair roughly. He was already clean, but he supposed it wasn¡¯t really about that for her. He let her do as she wished, sometimes acutely feeling ¡®that¡¯ grazing his back as she moved back and forth.


    Firo was quick to comment, ¡°I¡¯d watch out if I were you, master, she¡¯s going to stick that somewhere unpleasant if you let her!¡±


    Alisson closed his eyes in a sudden bout of anger. ¡°Alright. The two of you have had your fun. Get out.¡±


    ¡°Even me?¡± Firo seemed disheartened. ¡°Baths are great for us slimes!¡±


    ¡°Even you. You can survive for a while without me, right? Just go hide in a corner somewhere.¡±


    Dascha and Firo unwillingly complied with Alisson¡¯s orders, and left him and Celis alone.


    He took a deep breath, savoring the peace and quiet. Friends were nice and all, but he was an introvert at heart. He held onto Celis like a pillow on his lap, and moved the hair out of her eyes.


    Tomorrow he would assume control of the 7<sup>th</sup> army. In doing so, he would prepare it for war. He would prepare the 7<sup>th</sup> with the sole objective of destroying the nation known as the Irine Principality.


    He found himself not able to enjoy himself as much as he thought he would, even bathing with all his close friends. He had found himself so, apathetic, despite the situation. The prospect of being able to release some of his pent up rage on the other hand, grew ever more appealing the more he stared into Celis¡¯s lifeless eyes.


    ***


    <hr>


    <h4 style="text-align: center">End Movement 4</h4>

 42. Iron General

    <h4 style="text-align: center">Begin Movement 5: Indelible Rage</h4>


    <h4 style="text-align: center">Look at him go. If he keeps this up, it might even make me proud to be his sister.</h4>


    <hr>


    Alisson adored himself in a long black coat. An insignia of his new authority was contained in the folder Lente had given him, that had denoted his new position as General. He affixed it to an armband; the metal shining brightly against his black apparel. Alisson stepped out into the cold morning air, his breath visible before him.


    ¡°Are you really sure this is what you want people to see the leader of your army looking like¡­? It¡¯s kind of tacky.¡± Firo whispered to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to win a war and destroy a nation.¡± Alisson tightened the black gloves around his hands. ¡°Not to make friends.¡±


    He would make sure his subordinates understood his intentions.


    As he walked through the chilly air, Alisson ran through in his head the current geopolitical situation of Sidonia.


    The mainland of Aleeze was donut shaped, and stretched vertically up the map. Sidonia was at the southern tip of Aleeze, its holdings stretched outward until its borders collided with three other nations on land. To the west, the Irine Principality, which held the western half of Aleeze. To the east, the Jedathari Caliphate, which held the eastern half. To the direct north, the small subhuman nation of the harpies blocked off Sidonia¡¯s access to the Sea of Aleeze, and had remained a thorn of neutrality for all sides involved.


    To the very north, a cluster of minor human nations rested, slowly being conquered by Irine and the Caliphate in recent years.


    The Sidonian armies were spread across the world. The first and second, the largest and most veteran, were currently off on an expedition to the far east, a chain of islands that were around the world, past the continent of Andestine. Why exactly Sidonia had sent them there right before the outbreak of war, Alisson wasn¡¯t privy to know. Regardless, they were effectively off the board.


    The 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> armies were on the border with the Caliphate, and were in a tentative stalemate, not wanting to attack and stretch their supply lines, despite the Caliphate not having any large forces to stop them for the time being.


    The 5<sup>th</sup> army had been holding the line against Irine for the past two years. A border skirmish had escalated to an all out conflict, the 5<sup>th</sup> was battered, bloodied, and by all accounts should¡¯ve collapsed long ago against the increasing weight that Irine was throwing their way.


    The 6<sup>th</sup> had been disbanded recently after it suffered a great loss in Irine right after deploying in a vain attempt to help the 5<sup>th</sup>.


    Thus, Alisson was tasked with reinforcing the 5<sup>th</sup>. In his official orders, this was all that was asked of him ¨C High Command didn¡¯t seriously think a small, rookie army, like the 7<sup>th</sup> could destroy one of the three biggest human nations on its own.


    Alisson intended to prove them wrong.


    He stepped into his office, and as expected, adjutants had gathered well in advance, and gave him a crisp salute. He had requested a group of sub-commanders to aid in the final formation of the 7<sup>th</sup>. The core of the 7<sup>th</sup> would remain unchanged: A corps of thirty-thousand standard infantrymen, which included their miscellaneous supporting elements.


    However, auxiliary detachments were up to Alisson to form.


    ¡°General Nuam, sir!¡±


    ¡°At ease.¡± Alisson stepped inside and returned their salute. ¡°First of all, I want to make clear our schedule. We will set out two weeks from now.¡±


    ¡°Sir, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°No objections.¡± Alisson snapped back. ¡°Two weeks. I want everything ready.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    The adjutants would relay his orders to the rest of the army¡¯s structure. The details were not his responsibility. The 7<sup>th</sup> was currently gathered at their parade grounds in the center of Sidonian land. After finalizing his preparations here, he would depart to the army properly.


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    ¡°The current supply line capacity. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­?¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    The logistics officer snapped to attention. ¡°Enough to reach the 5<sup>th</sup> army and remain there, sir! We will share our supply lines!¡±


    The officer said like he was stating the obvious.


    Alisson shook his head. ¡°Separate the supply lines. We¡¯re not going to the 5<sup>th</sup>. I want as much capacity and distance as you can manage. Consider our army twice its size. Requisition every scrap of supplies they¡¯ll give us.¡±


    ¡°Why, sir? If I may ask¡­¡± The officer said nervously.


    Alisson pointed to a map that hung up behind him. ¡°We¡¯re not staying in our homeland. We¡¯re taking the fight to Irine.¡± He tapped the Principalities capital. ¡°Please procure a supply plan that can manage our size at a distance of their capital. We won¡¯t be going any further than that.¡±


    The officer stared at him, blinking.


    ¡°Get it done.¡± Alisson growled.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡±


    Alisson crossed his arms, looking across his adjutants. ¡°I want to be perfectly clear. Our number one priority is our supply line. The fighting capacity of the men come second. If you don¡¯t think you are up to task, then please resign and I will find men that can.¡±


    ¡­


    And resign they did. Almost half the command staff resigned when they learned of Alisson¡¯s insistence on a stronger than necessary supply line. If they didn¡¯t have faith in their commander, then let them leave. He wasn¡¯t here to babysit officers who assumed they would have a safe job in reinforcing the 5<sup>th</sup>, hiding behind its veteran, overburdened legions of soldiers.


    Alisson sent out calls for replacements, and personally picked some men that he had met earlier in his life. If anything, his demeanor served to weed out his subcommanders.


    Alisson believed that when it came to two armies clashing, only two things mattered. Firstly, supplies. If one army was starving, then it wasn¡¯t much of a fight ¨C And a fight may not even be necessary at that rate.  Secondly, the commanders. An army of sheep led by a lion will always beat an army of lions led by a sheep.


    Still, he needed muscle and specialization. That was where the Sidonian military¡¯s 50<sup>th</sup> to 59<sup>th</sup> units came into play. They were the best of the best, and Alisson wanted as many of them has he could get his hands on.


    Firstly, he needed to fight for command over the 51<sup>st</sup>, his own unit that he had built. It was now commanded by Daventdale Se Sabthi, his second. This would be the easiest elite unit to take control of, every solider there knew and respected him. They would all petition to join him. A few days of negotiations later, and Alisson found himself shaking Daventdale¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Welcome back, Captain. Or, General.¡±


    Alisson walked before the 51<sup>st</sup> in their barracks. ¡°As usual, High Command doesn¡¯t appreciate our value. You will all be the center of the 7<sup>th</sup> army ¨C My most reliable unit that I¡¯ll be throwing at any problem I might find.¡± Alisson smirked. ¡°So be prepared. I won¡¯t be going easy on you.¡±


    Of the available units that weren¡¯t deployed, most were too small or didn¡¯t offer any specialty he found useful. For example, the 52<sup>nd</sup> was comprised of two members, who were trained in assassination. The 57<sup>th</sup>, Louise¡¯s unit, were being saved for the Caliphate front, and would soon be deployed ¨C But they were such a valuable unit that Alisson never had hopes that he would be able to poach them.


    There was one unit that stuck out to him. The 58<sup>th</sup>. They were washouts that weren¡¯t good enough for other units; cobbled together from mainline infantrymen for their individual performance. In other words, it was a large elite unit that consisted of roughly two-thousand strong. Pound for pound, a single 51<sup>st</sup> could probably beat a handful of 58<sup>th</sup>, but two hundred of them?


    He wanted them. Getting them would be a challenge, but Alisson spent his time pushing for their transfer. A stroke of good fortune occurred when Sidonia herself ordered that the 58<sup>th</sup> be assigned to Alisson. Sidonia was prone to micromanaging even the smallest of topics, but it seemed she had shown him favor.


    Lastly, Alisson needed a unit that could get close and personal with the enemy. To handle interrogations and civilian matters. He entered the Inquisitor¡¯s field office, and asked for volunteers who were willing to train and create a special police detachment. One Inquisitor by the name of Hoffman rose to Alisson¡¯s call. He and a few of his comrades were sent to the 7<sup>th</sup>, and would in turn open up recruitment for a militarized Inquisitor detachment ¨C A unit Alisson could use to deal with dissenting humans.


    He also tried wrangling a Ranger corps to task with defending his supply lines. Though this proved to be too much of an ask. Rangers were light infantrymen who specialized in asymmetric warfare, perfect for harassing enemy supply lines or defending your own.  They were hard to come by however, as most had already been deployed to aid the frontlines.


    Two weeks passed by in a flash. Rumors had spread that something was going on with Alisson, the way he conducted himself in his negotiations and management had spread, and people were surprised by a new aura of intimidation that he now held with him. People were unsure of what to think; But Alisson didn¡¯t care what people thought.


    He set out to his army and was greeted by the sound of trumpets announcing his arrival. On his battle-hardened stallion that he had rode north with, Alisson was followed by a convoy of his confidants. The 51<sup>st</sup>, the 58<sup>th</sup>, Dascha, who now had the official title of his bodyguard, and Celis, who now held the position of his personal adjutant ¨C But it wasn¡¯t like he was actually going to assign her any work in her condition. He just wanted to keep her close, and away from the capital.


    He looked out across the field of tents and camps before him from the top of his stallion. These were his men now.  Behind him, in across dozens of wagons, were barrels of unknown contents.


    ***

 43. Stir the Tide of Immolation

    The army had been expecting a short march to the 5<sup>th</sup>. Instead, Alisson¡¯s first order was to head north, toward the land of the Harpies.


    ¡°Begin march.¡±


    ¡°Forward, march!¡±


    The army gathered their things and set out down the long roads to the north. He heard his officers grumbling on more than on occasion:


    ¡°Does Alisson even know what he¡¯s doing¡­? He¡¯s young and has never been given such a large command before¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are we heading north? The fight is to the west¡­! This golden-haired brat...¡±


    ¡°Our comrades in the 5<sup>th</sup> are bleeding and dying while we march around doing nothing!¡±


    ¡°Why did we bring so much tar and oil¡­? Look at how many wagons are hauling the stuff back there¡­¡±


    Alisson ignored their gripes, and scolded any who dare question him. He didn¡¯t share his intentions with anyone. He had been mulling it over the past two weeks, wondering if he truly had the right to do this, but grimly concluding that it was well within his power to do so.


    ¡°Stop here, I need a small group of guards to come with me.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    They reached the edge of Sidonian territory. His 51<sup>st</sup> surrounded him briskly.


    ¡°Augen.¡±


    Alisson motioned for one of the battalion commanders, a large man whom Alisson had met only in passing. Of the battalion commanders, his stoic demeanor and few words, along with never seeming to gripe about Alisson¡¯s new command, made him to be the most amiable of his sub-commanders.


    Augen rode closer, giving Alisson a deep stare. Alisson withdrew a folder that he had prepared in advance.


    ¡°Remain here with our forces. I will send a runner to inform you which course of action to take outlined from this list. Do not show this anyone. If no runner arrives within the next day, then refer to the list. Please tell the engineers to begin constructing package one.¡±


    Augen nodded and took the folder. Alisson stirred his horse, and surged forward with his 51<sup>st</sup> at his back. The harpies were a city state; in that this entire forest could be considered theirs. The trees were massive, and a great deal of unique wildlife resided here. The harpies were nature lovers, and stayed neutral and isolated to protect their lifestyle and their land. The trees broke up large troop movements, allowing the flying harpies free reign for guerrilla combat, and along with their staunchly neutral political stance, made the forest impassable to most.


    Alisson was going to negotiate. By the end of today, one of those factors would cease to exist.


    It wasn¡¯t long until the outer sentries spotted them, and flew down to ask his purpose. He ignored them, and continued riding toward the center of the forest, not slowing. Harpies flew over head, both watching their formation and fluttering back to their homes.


    By the time he reached the coast, which was where the brunt of their infrastructure was, A large group of harpies settled down before the wooden gates of their city, in full combat armor.


    ¡°Halt! If you continue to disregard our orders then we will attack!¡±


    Alisson slowed to a stop, flashing a glare at the lead harpy. ¡°I¡¯m here to speak with your brood mother. It is a matter of upmost importance.¡±


    With those few words, the harpies reluctantly accepted Alisson¡¯s request, and escorted him deeper into their city. A few houses on the ground level had been shoddily constructed from wood and twigs to service foreign diplomats.


    ¡°Barbarians¡­¡±


    Alisson muttered under his breath.


    Alisson was escorted within one of the buildings and readily dismounted.


    ¡°Your weapons and companions must remain outside.¡±


    Alisson frowned, but did as was asked, ordering Dascha and the 51<sup>st</sup> to remain outside. He had no weapons with him, leaving his sword and knives with Celis and the command staff.


    He entered an interior room and was made to wait for a long while. Alisson sat with his arms crossed, deeply frowning at the guards assigned to them. Even their armor was barbaric, and barely covered their frail bodies to allow them to continue to fly. In ground combat, the harpies were probably terrible warriors.


    Alisson thumbed the cross that hung from his neck idly when the door opened, and in walked a large, feminine harpy; but one who clearly wasn¡¯t the queen bee. Alisson sat up and before she could even sit down before him, he stated his demands simply.


    ¡°Allow passage to all Sidonians in my company, and stay within your huts and homes until the day is over.¡±


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    The harpy stopped trying to sit down and scoffed at him. ¡°What is this? We don¡¯t take orders from you people.¡± She smirked. ¡°Be civil, small boy, or else all our hospitality will have gone to waste.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for this.¡± Alisson growled. ¡°Do as I say.¡±


    ¡°Or what¡­? You and fifty little men? We can¡¯t very well let you use our forest as a highway ¨C This is part of the neutrality agreement that we uphold with all nations ¨C Have you just woken up from a long nap¡­? Sidonia is back that way.¡±


    Alisson rose out of his chair. ¡°So then, it¡¯s a no?¡±


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting at here, boy, but nothing you do will make us-¡±


    ¡°Very well. Let the record state that I gave you a choice.¡±


    Alisson turned, and tried the door, but found it locked.


    ¡°My utmost apologies, but it¡¯s in our policy to hold onto intruders until they¡¯re vindicated by their homelands ¨C You¡¯ll have a lot of explaining to do to your Lady, Nekomata¡­¡±


    She said slyly. Alisson growled and kicked down the door with explosive force, and started marching through it to the outside.


    ¡°Wha-wha-!? Stop him!¡±


    The guards descended on him. Alisson activated his Opensen and surged toward the closest one, throwing an explosive punch at their head which made a horrific crack before the harpy fell limply. He turned and with a flurry of attacks, pushed, tackled, and beat down the dozen guards who had tried to restrain him. Firo¡¯s power combined with his Opensen¡­Even without any armor on, only wearing his black overcoat and no gauntlets, it was enough.


    ¡°Did you truly think a General would be so defenseless¡­?¡± Alisson muttered, fixing his gloves, his tails swaying behind him.


    Alisson thought briefly to use their weapons, but Alisson saw the crude craftsmanship and concluded that he didn¡¯t want those cobbled together pieces of dirt to violate his hands.


    ¡°W-what are you doing!? It¡¯s just one kid! Stop him!¡±


    Alisson turned and gave a glare at the diplomat. He lunged toward her in an explosive action, grabbing onto her throat as her wings began to flap to try to flee. He slammed her light body through a thatch wall, tightening his grip on her neck as she struggled to breathe. Alisson sighed, and mustered his strength to throw her body, which was twice his own size, out of a nearby balcony and into the air. She struggled to stay upright, flapping her wings, coughing and sputtering.


    Alisson turned and rejoined his men outside, who were staring down a flock of harpies in the sky of above.


    ¡°51<sup>st</sup>. Go back to where we came from. The order is Roteskreuz.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    His 51<sup>st</sup> followed his orders without question, and stirred their horses, leaving him behind. Dascha sat by his side, unwilling to leave, growling loudly at the surrounding birds, her large longsword at the ready.


    Alisson crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting right here.¡± He called to all the surrounding harpies. ¡°You can choose to attack me as you like, but I won¡¯t hold back. This land is now property of the House of Nuam, and any sign of aggression on my territory against my person will not be taken lightly.¡±


    ¡°YOUR territory!? YOUR land?!¡±


    A harpy surged toward him indignantly, a spear aimed at his neck. Alisson bobbed to his side and kicked the harpy in their back, sending them tumbling across the ground and ruining their wings. Another had seized on the opportunity to attack, and dove from above, the air whistling around their speed. Dascha slammed into this one¡¯s side, and slid the length of her longsword through their body, before quickly returning to his side.


    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t throw your lives away! Wait for the royal guard!¡±


    Compared to man eating beasts, of which untold thousands that he had slain, some stupid empty-boned and empty-brained overgrown hens were no match for him.


    After that initial display, it seemed that the birds were at least smart enough to know that challenging him was a bad idea, and waited for their own big-swingers to appear before attacking.


    More and more harpies appeared. It seemed they had given up on chasing down his 51<sup>st</sup>, and had let them leave unimpeded.


    It appeared that the plan to distract the harpies was working.


    ¡°Those bars¡­that insignia¡­You¡¯re a general, aren¡¯t you?¡± A harpy clad in heavy armor dropped down before Alisson, their clawed legs digging into the ground. ¡°Are you a traitor running away¡­? Or perhaps something more nefarious? Regardless, your fun ends now.¡±


    It looks like they actually sent someone decent. Alisson cracked his knuckles.


    ¡°I am-¡±


    Alisson blurred forward, and the harpy braced themselves, thrusting forward with their polearm, confident Alisson couldn¡¯t do anything to them whilst he was unarmored.


    Alisson easily weaved around their weapon, and got chest to chest with the large harpy, slamming his palm against their chest plate. It was time to see what Firo could do. Unbeknownst to anyone else, a stream of slime ran along the harpy¡¯s armor, entering the gaps and folds.


    ¡°Wh-what the!?¡±


    Alisson threw his weight against the harpy, but it wasn¡¯t enough to make them fall. The harpy rose with their wings, trying to kick at Alisson with their talons. Alisson sidestepped, and in doing so, found his arm stuck to the harpy, thanks to Firo. Something strange happened however, when their front plate flung off with a pull of Alisson¡¯s hand. Alisson took the opportunity to give a rough kick at their now unarmored chest, which blew the wind out of the bird and sent them stumbling back.


    Alisson clenched and unclenched his hand. ¡°Not bad¡­But I was expecting something more dramatic.¡±


    Firo was quick to answer back, ¡°It¡¯s not like I can go inside someone and vaporize them or something in such a short time span! You¡¯re way too fast! I can¡¯t control independent parts of me if their not connected to my main body!¡±


    ¡°A main body, huh?¡±


    Alisson appeared to be talking to himself, thoroughly uninterested with those around him.


    ¡°W-what are you all waiting for!¡± The large harpy said, coughing. ¡°Go! Attack all at once!¡±


    But, no one moved. That¡¯s because they all noticed it. A stream of smoke entered the circle of fighters. When they looked, they saw that in the distance, fires now raged.


    Alisson saw the sudden terror on their faces.


    At the edges of the forest, and closing rapidly, the great trees that had stood here for thousands of years, had now caught into a brilliant blaze. Above the smoke, barrels were seen thrown through the air, their contents exploding outwards with black substances, feeding the flames and powering the inferno.


    This forest wasn¡¯t usually dry enough to catch fire. The natural wildfires burned at the base of the trees to clear debris¡­But this was different. The top canopies of the trees were covered with black liquids and sticky substances, before nearby flames touched them, and instantly set fire to an entire cluster of flora. These flames would burn quickly and ravenously. In a few more minutes, the temperature of the whole climate should increase to a level where a self-feeding firestorm was born.


    The harpies quickly broke out in cries of confusion and terror, and some even went limp, freezing midair and falling to the ground.


    Alisson broke into a smirk, and then a little chuckle, and then maniacal laughter. It was not joyous laughter. His eyes were wide in fear, at himself. That he was capable of this.


    ***

 44. Rolling Fire

    Though the harpies may have posed little threat to him, the fires would kill all who were caught in them. Dascha had to snap Alisson out of his mania, and they mounted up, and began to dash away. The edges of the forest had yet to catch fire ¨C There was still an open route to escape from. The harpies promptly ignored Alisson to save themselves, trying to evacuate and prepare their brethren for the coming blaze.


    When they reached the edge of the forest, as Alisson expected, the 7<sup>th</sup> army had deployed to block any escape, and welcomed Alisson back into their lines.


    ¡°Continue the barrage. Let¡¯s hope this wind keeps blowing into them.¡±


    Alisson ordered, turning his horse toward the burning forests. In the distance, the 7<sup>th</sup> army¡¯s engineers had deployed several siege weapons that they had brought with them, which now lobed flammable materials into the forest.


    The fires would burn long into the night. Alisson saw harpies catch fire whilst trying to fight the flames, before flying around and burning up in the air. Others tried to rise above the forest, where the smoke choked them out, and left them falling toward the ground helplessly into the fire¡¯s embrace.


    They had successfully brewed a firestorm. The heat of which was able to burn through the thousand-year old trees, and with them, the entire land of the harpies was reduced to a blackened crisp from which no life remained. Some tried to escape and found their way through the flames, to be met with the battle lines of the 7<sup>th</sup> army. Mages and siege emplacements quickly shot down any fleeing harpies, and those on the ground were overwhelmed by a tide of Nekomata clad in shining white armor.


    In the morning, Alisson ordered the army¡¯s advance into the burnt lands ahead of them.


    ¡°Our path is now clear. Advance.¡±


    ¡°Forwards, march!¡±


    The lines of Sidonians crept into the harpy lands, finding survivors and holdouts as they went. A lot more harpies had survived than Alisson had initially estimated. Among them, the brood mother and the diplomat that had disrespected him. He had them brought before him in chains. They begged and pleaded with teary eyes, beseeching his mercy and offering anything he might desire.


    ¡°We will fight for you! You need airpower to defeat Irine, right?! We can help! Please, spare us!¡±


    Alisson looked upon them with dark eyes. ¡°The Angels are better than you poultry in every way. I don¡¯t need rotisseried oafs in my army.¡± He looked to Hoffman, the Inquisitor commander of the special police detachment. ¡°Leave one-in-ten, dispose of the rest.¡±


    Hoffman had but a single following question to ask, which he did in a slow, deep, and crackly voice from under his large helmet, ¡°And of the leaders?¡±


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    Alisson looked down across the broodmother and the high-ranking harpies. He waved his hand. Hoffman nodded.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> moved quickly through the harpy lands. Alisson only allowed them one day to rest, recover, and purge the harpies. A small number were kept as prisoners, and would travel with the 7<sup>th</sup>.


    A command tent had been set up in the center of the burned lands, where Alisson met with his subcommanders.


    ¡°I thank you all for your cooperation thus far. I will now explain why we are here.¡± Alisson pointed to a map hung up behind him. ¡°The 5<sup>th</sup> is being pushed back by a large tide of Irinians. Instead of moving to support the 5<sup>th</sup>, we will do something different.¡±


    His eyes sharpened. ¡°Using this new corridor, we will swing around the Irinian armies, march to their coast, and cut them off from their supply routes. We will then engage individual Irinian units from behind ¨C In doing so we will annihilate the enemy¡¯s frontline.¡± He drew a line along the Irinian border. ¡°This will both relieve the 5<sup>th</sup> and put an end to the immediate threat on our border. We need to be quick with this ¨C Before Irine responds and sends reinforcements and we are placed between two overwhelmingly large masses of humanity. Understand?¡±


    His commanders nodded.


    ¡°Afterwards, we will march north, on Irine¡¯s capital, and destroy any and all resistance we find. They should be momentarily surprised by our action ¨C And we will be able to penetrate deeply into their territory before meeting a response.¡±


    Night fell, and the army began to move out once more. The gripes they had welled against him were dispersed with that meeting. His men now grimly moved with determination. This massacre would undeniably lower morale, but with the prospect of wiping out the Irinian frontline instilled in them, no one complained. Alisson saw the work of Hoffman¡¯s unit as he rode past the harpy¡¯s lands:


    Harpies lay skewered on their pikes wherever one looked. He made sure the prisoners gazed upon their dead brethren; he hoped they felt in their souls that these were the consequences of denying Alisson Vi Nuam anything. The bodies of hanging harpies were laden with scripts of the Inquisitorum, which fluttered in the wind, denouncing their corpses as untouchable to any well-to-do Sidonians.


    ¡°Not to rain on your parade master, but¡­¡± Firo whispered to him, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this sort of maybe remind you of what Andestine did to Sabasa?¡±


    He looked to Dascha grimly, wondering if she held his actions against him. ¡°And what of it? Does one need some righteous justification to kill? Does merely thinking differently suddenly vindicate a murderer of sin?¡± He thumbed the cross on his chest.


    Dascha looked to him guilelessly. She didn¡¯t care. These weren¡¯t her kin. These weren¡¯t her comrades. They were enemies. Even the women. Even the children. All of them.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s not the thought I¡¯m talking about¡­This wasn¡¯t something you had to do, was it? They forced your hand, right?¡±


    Alisson looked grimly ahead as Firo spoke. ¡°No, I came here with this in mind. Nothing more. Burning our way through these lands was the fastest option.¡±


    Firo shut up and they continued forward. Was she really him? She should¡¯ve understood his mind if she had absorbed it. He looked down into his stallion.


    Unless he had changed that much since she¡¯d imprinted on him. He gave a deep sigh to himself and set his eyes forward again.


    The harpy¡¯s had always been a thorn in Sidonia¡¯s side. This was a long time coming. Nothing more needed to be said.


    Utilizing this new corridor, they would strike into the undefended belly of Irine ¨C A land they had thought neutral and impassable which they left undefended. The burning of the flora here opened way for the 7<sup>th</sup> army to cross into Irinian territory within a single night. Roads were paved by the engineers to make way for future supply wagons to fuel the flame that was the 7<sup>th</sup> Army.


    ***

 45. Encircle and Incinerate

    It took two weeks to reach the coast. A third of the 7<sup>th</sup> was now relegated to patrolling their newly opened corridor, to stop both enemy supply routes and enforce a fog of war behind the bulk of Irinian forces. He left Augen take control of these forces.


    Alisson led the remaining twenty-thousand soldiers against individual pockets of Irinians, starting with the smallest and then making his way up to the largest, where the 5<sup>th</sup> would hopefully realize what was going on and support him.


    ¡°My comrades, my brothers¡­The harpies were just an exercise.¡± Alisson paced before a large formation of soldiers of the first battalion. ¡°This is where you will test your mettle ¨C Where we will either be made fools of or where we will be made heroes of ¨C Endeavor to instill in Irine the foolishness or standing in the 7<sup>th</sup> Army¡¯s path. Leave no room for mercy in your heart.¡±


    With that, Alisson launched forth the first of many battles. The first was against an Irinian force roughly the same size as Alisson¡¯s, a rear-line of resting soldiers. If the 7<sup>th</sup> couldn¡¯t handle this, then the war was already lost. It was an insignificant battle, but it was still the first.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> attacked during the night, and with speed and ferocity, overwhelmed the enemy¡¯s encampment, slaughtering all of them. It wasn¡¯t really a fight ¨C They had the total element of surprise. This would soon be lost, but Alisson acted quickly, ambushing and attacking isolated rear units as much as he could before they realized what was going on.


    Finally, an army group roughly twice Alisson¡¯s size was keen enough to sense what was happening, and turned and sallied forth at Alisson. The only problem was, that they foolishly believed it was a ploy by the 5<sup>th</sup>, and left themselves completely open to attack from the front.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> buckled against these veteran Irinians, and saw what would be their bloodiest battle for the foreseeable future. Alisson kept commanding despite the losses, despite the buckling battle lines that threatened to collapse at any moment.


    That all changed when the enemy was suddenly annihilated, and routed. Out of the dust and the blood and the smoke, came marching a relief force by the 5<sup>th</sup>. It seemed their commander was worth half a damn. Alisson rode out to meet them, and confirmed that it was a shock-battalion that had sensed something was off, and charged forth out of their battle lines. Alisson rode with them back to their defenses, what was the main line of the 5<sup>th</sup>¡¯s defenses, seeking to converse with the general.


    He saw as he rode the damage to the environment; the once verdant forests had been reduced to barren deserts of swirling dust, stained with blood and corpses. Several trenches were abandoned between the two lines of battle, that Alisson now crossed over.


    He entered the 5<sup>th</sup>¡¯s command tent to a confused looking general.


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    ¡°The 7<sup>th</sup>?! What are you doing here?¡±


    He entered the 5<sup>th</sup>¡¯s command tent to a confused looking general.


    ¡°Closing this theater.¡± Alisson answered.


    He gave his name, extending a hand to her.


    ¡°General Gryphys.¡± She nodded.


    Her face was dirtied and stained with old blood stains. The armor of her soldiers were in tatters, but they were clearly veterans that, pound for pound, were probably more capable than the 7<sup>th</sup> because of their experience. However, they were clearly tired from months of constant fighting.


    General Gryphys was like Alisson in her out of place appearance, sporting long, braided blonde hair and bright eyes.


    ¡°What do you intend to do, Nuam?¡±


    ¡°I will continue to hammer the Irinian¡¯s soft metal against the 5<sup>th</sup>¡¯s reliable anvil.¡± He locked eyes with her. ¡°And then, I will push into Irine properly.¡±


    ¡°W-what!? Are you crazy?¡±


    She looked worried. Alisson smiled and had to spend some time to reassure her. They briefly exchanged plans and troop movements before parting ways ¨C Time was of the essence. They needed to kill as many Irinians as possible while they had this advantage.


    There was one piece of information that General Gryphys gave to him that he took note of.


    ¡°The 87<sup>th</sup> Southern Expeditionary Army, led by Count Barindough Nariseer Iquaintseer. They¡¯ve thwarted us at every opportunity¡­Every time we think we¡¯ve won, they swoop in from the backlines and¡­They¡¯re good. Watch out for them.¡±


    The 87<sup>th</sup>. Alisson would do well to remember.


    The 5<sup>th</sup>, now armed with the knowledge that the Irinians were being squished by two Sidonian armies, mounted a massive counterattack, one last effort to finish their long fight, placing their trust in Alisson.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> continued their campaign with impunity. Within another few weeks, organized Irinian aggression against the 5<sup>th</sup> had ceased. Many had slipped through the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s grasp, but it was to be expected. The rough estimates for casualties weren¡¯t incredible, but they certainly weren¡¯t disappointing. One-hundred-thousand was the rough guess on the number of Irinians they had slain ¨C with perhaps another hundred-thousand having escaped and routed.


    This was thanks to the combined efforts the 5<sup>th</sup> and the 7<sup>th</sup>, and along with their supply lines being cut ¨C It didn¡¯t leave the Irinians much choice. Most groups that escaped the encirclement were disorganized, but some were entire organized units that had wise commanders that saw the writing on the wall. The 7<sup>th</sup> had lost a couple thousand by contrast, and about double that were wounded, but would heal with time. For their first major action, the 7<sup>th</sup> had done well, and already, later battles had proved easier going thanks to the 7<sup>th</sup> attaining veterancy.


    Casualties for the 58<sup>th</sup> and the 51<sup>st</sup> were still at a nice low zero. Alisson would endeavor to preserve these elites.


    Alisson handed off clean-up operations to the 5<sup>th</sup>, and made preparations to march as quickly as possible to capitalize on this strategic encirclement. Grphys wished him well, and had a little present for him.


    She knew that Alisson was giving the 5<sup>th</sup> a break ¨C And so asked her men if any would want to volunteer to continue the fight under Alisson¡¯s command. Some five-thousand veterans of the 5<sup>th</sup> army joined up, which easily replaced their older loses. Alisson left it up to Augen and Hoffman to distribute these new troops across the 7<sup>th</sup> as they saw fit.


    Once reorganization and supplies were in check, Alisson set off, into Irinian territory. He would be sure to release the captured Harpy prisoners, to stoke terror across Irine.


    ***

 46. The Hypnotized Army

    The Irinian nobles were in a full-blown panic. That much, Remis could determine.


    Word had reached Penthreigin that the frontline with Sidonia had collapsed, and now, a Sidonian counterattack was pushing straight for the capital. It was the most serious threat to Irine in the better part of a century ¨C The subjugation of smaller nations had never provoked such a large response.


    Still, this was certainly unorthodox of Sidonia. The Sidonians liked to advance only when they felt comfortable, and in one massive, unstoppable wave ¨C But Remis believed that wasn¡¯t the case this time. This tendency was illustrated in the fact that they had stubbornly held their ground with their 5<sup>th</sup> army for so long, remaining so idle, no doubt feeling that victory was unassured.


    Reports had already trickled in of something horrible advancing up the continent. Villages had been burned wholesale and their residents slaughtered. Harpies had escaped the coming Sidonian onslaught, and said that they had burned down the great forest north of Sidonia all the same.


    Remis would wager that¡¯s how they got around the frontline ¨C Through the harpies.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to speak with the Count.¡±


    Remis said before a command tent. He had made the journey here to the 87<sup>th</sup>¡¯s parade grounds.


    ¡°Right this way¡­¡±


    Remis stepped into the command tent, looking down upon a figure half his height, a frail thing by all accounts. It saddened Remis that this was Irine¡¯s best general; Count Nariseer Barindough Iquaintseer.


    Nariseer looked up from the map, their expression turning innocent and childlike. ¡°To what do I owe the best swordsmen of Irine, the Prince¡¯s second, Sir Remis, a visit on this occasion?¡±


    A girly voice met Remis¡¯s ears.


    Remis frowned upon seeing Nariseer. ¡°I will again ignore your degenerate choice of attire in lieu of the situation we find ourselves in.¡±


    Despite the extravagant dress, adorned with lavender frills, that Nariseer wore, he was male; though no one would normally be able to tell that little secret.


    Sir Remis continued, ¡°The northern theater forces and all our available reserves are massing near Penthreigin now. The Prince has given you the chair of command if you wish to take control and lead the defense.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Nairseer broke out into a gleeful smirk. ¡°A great vote of confidence, but it won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Nariseer looked down at the map, and pointed to where they currently were. ¡°The rest of the armies you¡¯ve had waiting around up there will just get in the way, and they¡¯ll need a bigger supply line.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you wish to move out now, and intercept the invaders quickly?¡±


    Nariseer nodded. ¡°Well, that, and I don¡¯t really have much faith in the, ahem, quality, of armies that are not my own.¡± Nariseer winked.


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    Remis sighed. It was a said but true fact that the 87<sup>th</sup> was the most veteran, best performing force that Irine had to offer. They had started off as a small detachment, but under Nariseer, claimed victory after crushing victory. Thus, it became the army that outstanding soldiers were sent to, and thus it ballooned into seventy-thousand men could stand toe-to-toe with anything.


    The 87<sup>th</sup> all had a girlish, lavender and pink color scheme, flying colored banners at the ends of the their pikes and painting stripes on their armor. It was all an effort by the men to show their loyalty to their general ¨C Nariseer. They all had an almost manic loyalty to this end. This was most likely because of their faith in his abilities, but Remis didn¡¯t know whether or not the crossdressing was a factor in it.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re already so set on it, I¡¯m guessing you have a plan?¡± Remis crossed his arms.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Remis frowned. Nariseer was famous for never revealing the inner workings of his mind, even to someone like Remis or the Prince. On paper, his demeanor and authority over an army would land him in a great position to stage a coup d¡¯¨¦tat, but Remis knew Nariseer would never do that. He did not fight for Irine. He fought for blood. He fought because he had a personal enmity against all things Nekomata.


    ¡°Then I have one last thing to tell you. From all the evidence we¡¯ve gathered, we believe that Alisson Vi Nuam is leading the offensive.¡±


    Nariseer put a finger against his soft cheek, pondering for a moment. ¡°Very valuable information, thank you!¡± Nariseer bobbed his head graciously. ¡°Knowing the enemy commander is a big step in defeating them! But I don¡¯t really think there¡¯s much to say about Alisson other than his sudden brutality¡­¡±


    Nariseer seemed to be lost in thought again, and Remis sighed. The Prince had hoped that Nariseer would accept the offer to take command of the combined defense forces rallying to the north, and crush Sidonia once and for all, but if Nariseer had deemed this the best choice, then so be it.


    ¡°So then, is there anything you would want the rest of us to do up north?¡±


    Nariseer nodded. ¡°Please make provisions for a great number of refugees. We must muster all the supplies we can, for both myself and for my coming strategy!¡±


    Remis deepened his frown. ¡°You¡¯re not intending to employ a scorched earth policy against Alisson, are you? No one is going to take well to a cowardly tactic like that¡­¡±


    Nariseer smiled gently as he looked at the map. ¡°Many a fool denounce the victors as cowards once they have been outsmarted by superior strategy.¡± Nariseer looked up and locked eyes with Remis. ¡°Please ensure the 87<sup>th</sup> has a stable supply line this time.¡±


    Remis sighed, and shook his head. ¡°All this talk of supplies and logistics. Just defeat the enemy.¡± Remis growled. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand you generals.¡± With that, Remis left the tent, set on returning to the Prince¡¯s side.


    ...


    ¡°Knock knock!¡±


    I heard a manic voice call as something crashed through the door to my room.


    I was curled up on my bed when something moved in the darkness toward me.


    ¡°You really gotta open a window or something in here!¡±


    She drew the curtains and I had to shield my eyes from the sudden light.


    ¡°W-who are you?¡± I muttered, my voice unused to speaking ever since I¡¯d last seen Alisson.


    ¡°I¡¯m Alisson''s B-F-F! That means best friend!¡± She leaned in, ¡°You can call me Louise!¡±


    Louise Alderon Salchyon!? The terrifying Demon of the battlefield? What¡¯s she doing in my room? She beamed a cheery smile at me, her blonde hair reflecting the light of the sun.


    ¡°Alisson told me to get you into fighting shape!¡±


    ¡°He should be doing that himself¡­He¡¯s my master¡­¡± I mumbled back.


    Louise shook her head. ¡°Not anymore! He just left to go be a big smarty-pants general, so I get to babysit you now! He didn¡¯t want you to get hurt, you know!¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want me to get hurt¡­?¡± I repeated to myself.


    ¡°Come on!¡± She hit me in the back roughly. ¡°You¡¯re going to join the 57<sup>th</sup>¡¯s drills!¡±


    ¡°I d-don¡¯t use a halberd¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important! Come on!¡±


    I was dragged out of my room against my will. It looks like be with Alisson¡¯s friend for the time being¡­


    ***

 47. Fun Games

    The 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s march into Irine had been, for the past few weeks, unopposed. To denote the rabble militia that attempted to delay them as ¡®resistance¡¯ would be an insult to the rest of Irine. The baggage train behind the army had grown ever long as Alisson continually amassed supplies, far more than was necessary, from every settlement they crossed. The villages were ransacked and the inhabitants dealt with.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly a great way to achieve long-term peace, this Alisson knew, but he wasn¡¯t here to make friends.


    It was smooth sailing until one report from his scouts. They had sighted an enemy army, headed right toward them. He hadn¡¯t expected an organized response for some time, but he supposed it was bound to happen eventually. Judging by the fact he knew nothing about this force other than the fact it was comparable or larger to Alisson¡¯s, he opted to take a defensive position and await their arrival.


    There was a nearby river that ran east to west, to the south of which was a hill. That was where Alisson positioned the 7<sup>th</sup>. This was a good defensive position ¨C It provided advantages in combat and gave them the ability to withdraw quickly if the enemy force was overwhelming. Attacking the 7<sup>th</sup> directly across a river and up a hill was a death sentence. If they tried to flank them, they would still have to ford the river at some point, to which the 7<sup>th</sup> could harass and contest and maneuvers.


    Alisson waited atop the hill for this force to arrive, half expecting it to just be another rabble of militia that could be easily defeated. Scouts didn¡¯t always provide accurate information, and tended to overexaggerate. Regardless, what arrived was indeed an army. From their vantage point on the hill, Alisson saw a great force. One that was both substantial in size and armament. Alisson watched with intrigue, wondering what they intended to do. Once they neared, they were identified as the 87<sup>th</sup>, that hot-shot army that he had been warned about. The abundance of lavender colors looked stupid for an army.


    Some of the men even broke out in laughter. Regardless, the 7<sup>th</sup> was dug in, and ready. Skirmishers were on standby to sally down the hill, and intercept any crossing they might attempt.


    The army before them waited a full day before launching any action, thoroughly scouting the river and Alisson¡¯s position. Mages were at the ready on both sides, wary of large magical strikes at such a close distance. It seemed the 87<sup>th</sup> purposely encamped as close as possible to the 7<sup>th</sup> to make them uncomfortable. Come daybreak, the first actions of the battle began.


    Above the 87<sup>th</sup> flew squadrons of Aerial Mages, which Alisson had no answer to other than conventional ground-to-air spells.


    The 87<sup>th</sup> massed at over a dozen points across the river, making it very obvious they were going to cross. Alisson sent out the skirmishers to harass them, but as the day progressed, he realized just how large the 87<sup>th</sup> was. It was easily double the size of the 7<sup>th</sup>, perhaps even more so. His skirmishers could do little to contest the crossings ¨C Irinians mages shielded their infantry and parted the waters, rushing through the river with waves of heavy infantry.


    This occurred in tandem with a full-scale frontal assault, which took much of the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s attention. Alisson believed that this might be it ¨C One stupid charge that would end the battle ¨C But the 87<sup>th</sup> were reserved, and it took Alisson too long to realize why. The frontal assault was just a distraction ¨C Their main goal was to surround the hill.


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    From there, the 87<sup>th</sup> could cut off his supply lines, and simply starve the 7<sup>th</sup> out, without needing to attack their fortified position.


    Once Alisson had followed this train of thought to its conclusion, sweat formed on his forehead. He¡¯d been spoiled by human commanders. They were all so stupid. It had rubbed off on him.


    He should¡¯ve retreated as soon as he saw the size of the 87<sup>th</sup>. Their commander evidently wasn¡¯t an idiot either.


    ¡°She got me¡­¡± Alisson growled. Dascha looked on worriedly as he stood at the top of the hill.


    It would take more than a good position to defeat the 87<sup>th</sup>. That much was evident. No. The 87<sup>th</sup> wasn¡¯t special. It was their commander. Count Iquaintseer. His efforts would be henceforth spent fighting the Count, not the army.


    Alisson would pay for this mistake. But he attained valuable knowledge of his enemy¡¯s strength.


    He gave orders to immediately pull back off the hill, and retreat south. They would have to ditch the baggage they¡¯d pulled all the way here, along with most of their supplies.


    Although these supplies would¡¯ve endowed Alisson the ability to hold a long siege on the hill, given the 87<sup>th</sup>¡¯s size and veterancy, he doubted he could win in a long battle of attrition, and would probably need to stage a break out at some point anyway. This commander wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to hand him a victory even if she had them surrounded for an extended period ¨C They were probably patient as well.


    Reinforcements from Sidonia would never arrive to relieve them either; by contrast, the enemy would only grow in strength.


    Given these suppositions, Alisson made the decision to abandon the hill.


    ¡°Are you sure, General?¡±


    He was sure.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to leave our supplies behind!?¡±


    A necessary sacrifice.


    ¡°We have the high ground! We can wait them out!¡±


    Being in enemy territory didn¡¯t exactly give the 7<sup>th</sup> the benefit of time.


    His officers voiced their objections as they pleased. Almost no one supported his decision. They argued loudly at him as he sat in the command tent, his eye twitching.


    ¡°You do what I tell you to do!¡± He snapped at them, slamming his hand on the table.


    The officers shut up after that.


    This was his mistake. He walked them into this mess, they had the right to be angry; but Alisson found his temper unable to bear their complaints. He overheard some of the nearby soldiers openly complaining about his decision;


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we fighting? We came to this hill and now we¡¯re just leaving when the enemy shows up?¡±


    ¡°Be quiet! Battles between masters are decided in seconds. Have faith in the good General!¡±


    At least some of his troops trusted him regardless of the situation. Certainly however, running would never be a positive thing to morale.


    ¡­


    ¡°So they retreated¡­?¡± Nariseer mused before taking a long gulp of warm milk from a mug.


    The officers watched Nariseer¡¯s throat bob for a long moment before one responded, ¡°I-it appears they ditched their gear and food¡­they ran south late last night before our encirclement was complete.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Nariseer put down the mug, stretching her legs out and erecting her back with a short whine. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t seem like Alisson is a total idiot¡­¡± Nariseer smirked. ¡°This might be fun!¡± She looked to the officers around her, ¡°Confiscate the supplies they left behind. Make sure nothing gets back into their hands. Send out the 505<sup>th</sup> south. Tell them to reach as many villages as possible. It¡¯s imperative we work to starve the invaders out.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡±


    Nariseer kicked her legs, looking down at the map.


    Alisson will either be smart enough to back off and retreat back to his homeland, or a supply deficit will make him lash out and act stupidly. The choice was his. Nariseer had gauged this so-called 7<sup>th</sup> army. They were small and inexperienced. Open combat with Nariseer¡¯s loyal soldiers was enough to topple them. It would take one hell of a good position or maneuver to put them at an advantage when facing the 87<sup>th</sup> ¨C And that was assuming that Nariseer didn¡¯t see through it first ¨C A maneuver that Nariseer seriously doubted Alisson had the skill to organize.


    ***

 48. Scorched Earth

    Alisson awoke to hear the sound of rain hounding the top of his tent.


    For a brief moment, he thought there was a crack in the tent because of the moisture he felt on his face. He cracked his eyes open to find Dascha licking his face slowly and methodically.


    She locked eyes with him and tilted her head, rubbing her body closer against his, making him acutely aware of the fact that she was under his covers. Sensing no obvious signs of arousal or otherwise perverted intentions, he pet the back of her head with a small smile. He couldn¡¯t take too long in getting up though. The 7<sup>th</sup> needed to move. Lest they were caught by a much larger and more capable army.


    He sat up to find Celis standing in the doorway of his tent with a blank expression, staring at him and Dascha. This was a common sight to see over these last few weeks. He didn¡¯t know if she even slept. It was unnerving, and a little embarrassing to see her staring at him so intently with Dascha pushing her head against his chest.


    He got up to find the floor of his tent completely turned to mud. It was going to be a cold, muddy day, something becoming more and more common as the season turned in Irine.


    There was still some time before the army was set to head out, so Alisson went on a walk outside the camp. Dascha and Celis wordlessly followed him without being told anything. With Firo absorbing any moisture, he didn¡¯t need to worry about the rain very much.


    He found a small pond in the forest nearby. The added water of the rain had increased the pond beyond its capacity; and so it rushed through a stream that ran downhill. After staring into the pond, finding his reflection to be scattered and broken by the rain droplets, Alisson followed the stream.


    He encountered a dam made of sticks and forest debris ¨C Some animal had no doubt made it. He saw how the overabundance of rain struggled to pass through the dam. The dam held firm regardless, turning the torrents of water into but a small dribble that continued to flow down the hill.


    Alisson stared at the sight for a long while, his boots sinking into the muddy ground. His eyes widened slightly in enlightenment as an idea formed in his head. He heard the calls of trumpets not long after, and upon his return to the army, he had his plan.


    ¡­


    The town of Udraphor was next on the list. The last stop before the 7<sup>th</sup> would execute its risky maneuver.


    Udraphor was a large settlement, but was notably lacking a sufficient defensive wall to keep out aggressors. A rapid growth and prosperity that would meet an equally sudden end at the hands of Alisson¡¯s army. The objective, like the previous settlements they had attacked since encountering the 87<sup>th</sup>, was twofold. Secure supplies; and root out the townspeople. Turn them not into corpses, but into refugees. Send them running north.


    The first objective looked like a failed one by the time they laid eyes on the city. The crop fields surrounding the settlement were blackened. They had been burnt in advance.


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    The 7<sup>th</sup> deployed their remaining siege equipment to smoke out the townspeople, and an ultimatum was issued to the town ¨C Which simply stated to leave and run north while they could. Any who remained would become casualties. News of what happened to other towns had probably spread here, because the remaining inhabitants heeded the warning. They left through a corridor the 7<sup>th</sup> had made for them.


    Alisson rode on his horse, overlooking the stream of people. Just then a rock flew at him, missing his stallion by a small margin. Alisson eyes flared with rage and he looked down across the mass of people, instantly spotting a young boy who flashed a glare at him.


    ¡°Butcher!¡± He said in Irinian.


    Alisson motioned to Hoffman, who was beside him, and then beckoned at the boy with a finger. Hoffman nodded and rode out with a couple Inquisitors who easily restrained the boy, the cries of his family members doing little to stifle the motions of the grey-clad Inquisitors.


    They brought the boy to the hill that Alisson had been overlooking, and kicked him to his knees. Alisson dismounted and paced toward him. The boy perhaps realized his mistake too late as his eyes widened in fear. Alisson drew his blade cut through the child with one motion. The mass of people below yelled out in horror, but beset on all sides by armed soldiers, none of them acted foolishly.


    Alisson took a deep breath as he gave a flare to his blade, splattering blood across the ground, before sheathing it.


    The rest of the residents were henceforth declared partisans, and the town was stormed.


    Peculiar reports emerged from his forces thereafter. Organized resistance was apparent within the city. Some of the apparent militia were armored like real soldiers ¨C With lavender insignias. Alisson wanted answers, but already had a pretty good guess as to what was going on. He ordered one of the armored men taken alive. With the overwhelming advantage, the resistance was stamped out relatively easily, and the pillaging began.


    Alisson¡¯s requested captive was delivered and brought before him. He was clearly from the 87<sup>th</sup>.


    ¡°Just kill me! I¡¯m not saying anything to betray her excellency Nariseer!¡±


    The man struggled intently with the 51<sup>st</sup> who restrained him.


    ¡°We can¡¯t have that.¡± Alisson motioned for Hoffman again, and said simply to him, ¡°Make him talk.¡±


    Hoffman bobbed his head, and the soldier was taken away by two towering Inquisitors into a tent away from the battle. It was a brief affair, but one that was silenced with the aid of the Inquisitors casting noise suppression spells around their special little tent as to not bother Alisson.


    They soon returned with the answers Alisson wanted. The subject evidently didn''t survive interrogation.


    The soldiers here were indeed from the 87<sup>th</sup>. They were a small regiment that had been dispersed to all the surrounding settlements. They ordered any towns they came across to burn their fields and destroy any supplies, as well as prepare them for evacuation. Then, they would begin organizing defensive militias to attempt to both attack the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s supply lines and hold out against any sieges.


    It was clear what Nariseer was intending to do. Starve Alisson out and force a confrontation; one that the 87<sup>th</sup> would undoubtedly win. Luckily for Alisson however, he had his own plan.


    The city was sacked, but little to no supplies were found. The 7<sup>th</sup> was low on supplies thanks to their retreat from the previous battle, but not so badly that he couldn¡¯t execute large maneuvers.


    Which was exactly what the 7<sup>th</sup> did after Udraphor was dealt with.


    ¡°Augen. You have your orders. Best of luck.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    With that, Augen rode southwest with half of the 7<sup>th</sup> army, minus the 51<sup>st</sup> and 58<sup>th</sup>. With Augen riding off, Alisson endowed with him the majority of his remaining supplies. This would give Alisson the time he needed to march east; toward the Kitsune Queendom, and toward the HACA.


    There, Alisson would find both supplies, and manpower to level the playing ground with the 87<sup>th</sup>. The Angels and the Kitsune had both promised him support. Now, it was time to cash in those favors.


    ***

 49. Emoluments to the Deluded

    Trumpets sounded the arrival of Alisson to Ahvaratsu, the capital of the Kitsune Queendom. He had left the 7<sup>th</sup> temporarily at the border of the Queendom, and had brought only a small guard force to expedite travel into the Queendom. Marching an army into an allied nation wasn¡¯t exactly politically kosher.


    Upon confirming his identity, the garrison outside of Ahvaratsu sent word to the palace that he had arrived. It was odd that they didn¡¯t invite him in immediately, so Alisson was made to wait outside the walls like a stranger.


    Out sallied a procession headed by Tsuhara, who, by her garb, seemed to have been promoted in light of the reforms spiraling around the nation.


    ¡°Alisson! Good to see you!¡±


    Alisson exchanged pleasantries, but got to business quickly.


    ¡°I have come as I said I would. The 7<sup>th</sup> marches to end the Irine Principality, and we require your aid as your Queen promised.¡±


    ¡°Well, what do you need?¡± Tsuhara tilted her head blankly, as if it wasn¡¯t obvious what an army needed.


    ¡°Supplies and manpower. That is, food and other necessities to wage war with; as well as any units you would be willing to give to my command.¡±


    Tsuhara¡¯s eyes widened like she hadn¡¯t ever even considered Alisson¡¯s requests.


    ¡°Uhh¡­I¡¯ll have to ask the Queen and the cabinet!¡± Tsuhara stammered.


    ¡°Of course. Please do so with haste. Irine¡¯s best army may come at any moment, and I do not intend to linger for more than a day.¡±


    It was only then that Alisson and his guards were invited into the city, where they were led to the royal palace. It was there where Alisson endured more politics and discussion.


    Put bluntly, the reforming nation was ill-prepared to equip Alisson with his requests. They buttered up their response with condolences and excuses, but Alisson didn¡¯t listen. He was sure some of them were good reasons, and some may have even been true.


    All he had heard after a day of discussion, was that he would receive a small amount of food, and a group of lancers. The Kitsune were not modern in their military organization; they did not have units that could be tasked and stationed, prepared and trained for specific purposes. That was to say, he could wave goodbye his dreams of having tens of thousands of kitsune regulars to bolster the 7<sup>th</sup> with.


    An elite cavalry unit was useful, sure, but it wasn¡¯t what he was looking for. He made this clear to the cabinet, but they did little to fulfil his demands. They offered more support if Alisson were willing to stay in the capital, and further discuss a deal as well as a postwar situation.


    The war was far from won. Alisson clenched his fist.


    It seemed the little coup that he had orchestrated here had done little other than replace an inefficient, but functioning, bureaucracy, with a cabal of loyal idiots. He wasn¡¯t sure if their response was outright malicious, or if it was truly the result of incompetence; but Alisson supposed that the latter was a politician¡¯s signature card in concealing their intentions.


    Regardless, Alisson departed the Queendom, with wagons of supplies and roughly two-thousand cavalry men at his back, and a burgeoning contempt in his chest. He had told the cabinet that if this was all the support they could spare, then to not even say publicly that they were supporting him, rather, to denounce his brutality and adopt neutrality. It would conceal the cavalrymen he had gotten at the very least, and make Alisson¡¯s supply situation appear worse if he was turned down. Whether or not the Queendom did so, was as good as a coin toss.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> prepared to march north, toward the land of the Angels.


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    ¡­


    Nariseer¡¯s legs dangled from atop their horse, looking out over a hill.


    ¡°That is indeed many smokestacks¡­¡±


    Scouts had reported that there was a massive army nearby, so much larger in fact that there was no way that it was Alisson¡¯s army. They had deduced this by studying the amount of campfires they had spotted in the night sky.


    Far off in the forest, against the black night, thousands of streams of smoke rose, a warm glow illuminating the horizon. It appeared like a huge scouting detachment for a massive army.


    Appeared. Nariseer pouted. This was one of the oldest tricks in the book. A small army lights a bunch of campfires to scare off a bigger army. This had to be the case. Alisson didn¡¯t magically materialize new men into existence to do battle with; if he really could do that, he would¡¯ve done that in their last confrontation.


    ¡°Excellency?¡±


    Nariseer needed more time to think, and didn¡¯t reply, heading back to the command tent, and pondering the situation whilst staring at a map. If Alisson wanted more men¡­Then there was only one place he could really get it. The east. Two nations there were at the very least amiable to his cause.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he had it in him!¡±


    Nariseer exclaimed. Alisson had really given the 87<sup>th</sup> the slip. He had evidently tried to throw Nariseer off his trail. Nariseer turned to her subcommanders.


    ¡°The fifth through eighth divisions will continue pursuit of the army in front of us. The rest of you are coming with me. We¡¯re going to hunt down the real prey!¡±


    Deception and fleeing was all that this portion of the 7<sup>th</sup> could do. Nariseer doubted it could defeat her amazing soldiers in open combat. Half would continue to chase them. No doubt Alisson had ordered his detached force to split up in several directions to further confuse the 87<sup>th</sup>, appear larger, and avoid confrontation.


    The ensuing chaos of hundreds of tiny Irinian units chasing hundreds of tiny Sidonian units in all directions wasn¡¯t exactly something Nariseer wanted to micromanage. Plus, it really didn¡¯t require his expertise. The officers of the 87<sup>th</sup> would be able to handle it. He needed to chase down Alisson firstly. Without Alisson, the 7<sup>th</sup> could be easily defeated.


    ¡°I hope we can take him prisoner!¡±


    ¡°That can be arranged, your excellency.¡±


    One of Nariseer¡¯s personal men, the captain of the Iquatine Guard, responded.


    They were a unit of subhumans that Nariseer had collected from all over Irine. If Alisson ever tried to assassinate her, as he and his 51<sup>st</sup> have been known to do, Nariseer doubted the Iquatines would falter.


    ¡­


    They needed to hurry. The HACA was a day away, but currently, the 7<sup>th</sup> was in open Irinian territory. He prayed Augen¡¯s distraction force had been potent enough to throw Nariseer off Alisson¡¯s trail for but another couple days. He hadn¡¯t seen any trace of the Angels, odd, because he had learned of how extensive their monitoring network was ¨C They should¡¯ve been able to see him coming from weeks away.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> marched across an open, hilly field to the northeast. The long grass swayed gently and verdantly as the sun beamed down on it.


    It was here that the 7<sup>th</sup> would fight for its existence.


    Rear-screening scouts came scrambling to Alisson¡¯s side, and they told him his worst fear at that moment. The 87<sup>th</sup> was directly behind them. Indeed, as he looked out behind him, over the hills and through the tree, came the brightly adorned Irinian regulars.


    It seems Alisson¡¯s ruse was up. And in such an exposed position, no less. Nariseer had undoubtly waited for the 7<sup>th</sup> to enter this open terrain. There were no large features here to strategically defend.


    Alisson had a number of decisions to make in that instant. If he took too long to choose a course of action, the 7<sup>th</sup> would simply be overrun.


    First option. Accelerate the march. Leave everything behind. Try to reach the HACA and hope they support him.


    Second option. Dig in. Stand his ground, and try to beat the 87<sup>th</sup>.


    Any other choices were simply derivations of these two. Fight or flight. Or both. Alisson considered leaving his army here while he traveled to the HACA by himself, and requested they bail out the 7<sup>th</sup> with an overwhelming strike. A good idea, but he shouldn¡¯t be the one to leave.


    If they ran, Alisson feared the 87<sup>th</sup> would pick off the 7<sup>th</sup> bit by bit, running would essentially concede the fight and let everything weigh on the Angels. Alisson didn¡¯t like the sound of that.


    His officers looked to him anxiously for guidance. He turned his stallion, and stared down the massing army.


    ¡°Turn us around. We¡¯re digging in.¡±


    His officers complied, not arguing due to their immediate fear of the enemy. He sent a few groups of couriers ahead to the HACA. With any luck, an airstrike would bail him out of this. If not, this was it.


    The 7<sup>th</sup> had roughly eighteen-thousand men. The 87<sup>th</sup> was said to have somewhere on the scale of a hundred-thousand at full strength. Assuming Nariseer had brought the entire army, and completely ignored Augen, this was an unwinnable fight. Regardless, his comrades prepared themselves.


    ***

 50. Embered

    From this position, the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s supply lines could be intercepted. Regardless, the 87<sup>th</sup> still charged forth. They may know that Alisson had a chance of receiving reinforcements this time, and intended to end the battle swiftly.


    In a flurry of actions, Alisson got to work organizing the defensive line, he rode between units on the front, simply point at them and then pointing at positions to take. Seeing their commander so close on the front would send to the men a clear message; Win or lose, Alisson would share their fate.


    Instead of forming a defensive line on the hilly terrain, Alisson opted for something unorthodox. He took individual units, groups of hundreds of men, and ordered them to hold certain hills, leaving the specifics to the defense of that hill to each subcommander. Alisson knew he was going to be encircled. Better to be fighting in every direction downhill than trying in a vain attempt to hold a defensive line that Nariseer, with her larger army, would be able to sidestep.


    There were a few units that Alisson did not leave on the defensive. He sent the Kitsune lancers to rear, and had them hide in the forests. If needed, he would ordered them to charge. From Nariseer¡¯s position, they shouldn¡¯t have been able to see the lancers moving into position.


    The 51<sup>st</sup> rode with him as he gave commands. They would act as his guards; and his assassination unit.


    The 58<sup>th</sup> would be the core of his defense. Their full name was the 58<sup>th</sup> Armed Infantry Fighting Battalion, which was odd because it implied the existence of an infantry battalion that either did not fight or was not armed. The Lady Sidonia never had a sense for names. The one-thousand veteran regulars was the strongest single unit in the 7<sup>th</sup>, and he intended to put them to work this time.


    The 58<sup>th</sup> would wait at the center of Alisson¡¯s defense, and once given the signal, would charge into the enemy center. This move was betting purely on the fact that Nariseer would commit her strongest troops to the flanks, and attempt to encircle the 7<sup>th</sup> quickly. If the 58<sup>th</sup> could break through their center, he had a chance to flip the script on her, and encircle the enemy.


    Alisson only had the time to organize this before the first Irinian units came crashing against the 7<sup>th</sup>. Alisson rode to the front with the 51<sup>st</sup>, and was momentarily stunned as reality set in ¨C Just how outnumbered the 7<sup>th</sup> was. The hills at the front were completely surrounded, but they allowed the Sidonian units leeway against the larger force. He rode between encircled hills with his 51<sup>st</sup>, attacking the Irinians from behind whilst rallying the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s moral as best he could.


    The 87<sup>th</sup> largely consisted of heavily armored pikes, some equipped with large shields; Not exactly great to charge at whilst riding a horse. Alisson and the 51<sup>st</sup> dismounted before every engagement ¨C They were not a cavalry unit, after all. As an elite unit, they had no trouble weaving around the dozens of blades thrust at them as each individual penetrated enemy lines, and wreaked havoc as their own flurry of destruction. Before the Irinians could rally to attack them, Alisson gave the order to withdraw, and find a new part of the Irinian line to attack.


    Spells and magic flew through the air as Irinians launched explosives at every Sidonian position. But for every Irinian spell, there was a Sidonian mage deploying a shield to defend the infantry around them, kicking up smoke all around the battlefield. Alisson still noticed a distinct lack of aerial mages, which made him nervous.


    He thought he would¡¯ve seen them flying above the battle, scouting the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s positions, but perhaps Nariseer feared the trained Sidonian anti-air response, and had ordered them to lay low for the time being.


    Cresting the top of a Sidonian-occupied hill, not half an hour into the battle, Alisson saw what he had been waiting for. He saw from the elevation how the Irinian¡¯s rear units were peeling away to the sides of the 7<sup>th</sup>. The majority of Nariseer¡¯s forces intended to sidestep the front, and crash into the 7<sup>th</sup>¡¯s sides. Thanks to the lack of a defensive line, if they completed this maneuver, the 7<sup>th</sup> wouldn¡¯t suffer greatly, so Alisson tried not to worry about it.


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    He rode to the 58<sup>th</sup>, and gave them the order to advance. The commander of the 58<sup>th</sup> smirked and acknowledged Alisson¡¯s orders, as if the battle wasn¡¯t so desperate. Alisson waited atop one of his hills, watching the 58<sup>th</sup> advance, holding his 51<sup>st</sup> at his rear, at the ready.


    He saw how the 58<sup>th</sup> tore through the Irinian vanguard ¨C The 58<sup>th</sup> consisted of some of the largest and most physically fit Nekomata Sidonia could offer, and it showed. They bashed their way into enemy lines with raw strength and disciplined aggression. Alisson rode in after them, rallying the Sidonian hill units that were relieved by them to follow the advance.


    Seeing the suddenly unstoppable advance of the 7<sup>th</sup>, Alisson knew that this was the time to commit all his forces. He sent couriers to run back and take what hill units they could find and send them to the front. Alisson would overwhelm the 87<sup>th</sup> before they could respond ¨C By being such a large army, even being so veteran, it would take time for them to organize so many men to react and change their plans.


    Alisson rode forward with the 51<sup>st</sup>, intent on finding and assassinating Nariseer. A good commander is always close to thick of the fighting, at some sort of vantage point where they had a commanding view.


    The 58<sup>th</sup>¡¯s advance left the enemy¡¯s center in shambles, and Alisson and the 51<sup>st</sup> were able to easily weave around scattered and disorganized Irinians, searching fervently for the commander. Alisson soon realized that Nariseer would probably be on one of the flanks ¨C Where they could lead their men in the important maneuvers.


    Thinking on these terms, Alisson scolded himself for being too rash. Without killing the commander, this frontal attack now only put the 7<sup>th</sup> at risk the longer Alisson pursued it. He gave the orders, and the 58<sup>th</sup> and surrounding units halted their advance to reform.


    Alisson¡¯s instincts proved correct as soon as he again mounted a hill to scan the battlefield. He saw that in the rear of the 7<sup>th</sup>, the flanking Irinians were completely overrunning the rest of the army that remained on the hills.


    ¡°Damnit!¡±


    Alisson cursed. He knew being encircled was unavoidable, but seeing the hills with Sidonians atop them surrounded on all sides, made him panic. With the enemy to the front mostly scattered, Alisson pulled every unit he could from around him, and charged back toward the center of the 7<sup>th</sup>, intent on taking pressure off the surrounded Sidonians.


    So much for not having a single, coherent defense, as Alisson now lead a more traditional line of men that crashed into the Irinians. They did not buckle, however.


    The fighting thereafter was long, and brutal.


    ¡°Hold your ground! Fill your lungs with rage and destroy them!¡±


    ¡°Alisson fights on! We can¡¯t let him down!¡±


    Alisson rode between units, waving his sword in the sky. He could do more by supporting the men this way then attacking, if he couldn¡¯t find the commander.


    Alisson tried not to think about the desperate situation he was in. The Irinians had more men. This had turned into a battle of attrition, and with time, the 7<sup>th</sup> would begin to seriously crumble. Sidonian and Irinian units were everywhere, scattered and disorganized. Irinian units even started resorting to defending their own hills as they became surrounded by Sidonians.


    This hodge-podge of men was unable to do any fancy maneuvers other than kill each other in close combat. Alisson supposed that when two competent commanders met, it was akin to two people playing noughts-crosses, who were both very intent on winning ¨C The result was a draw, at best, as the board became a tangle of pieces. However, a draw wasn¡¯t in the cards for the 7<sup>th</sup>. As Sidonian positions became overrun, it became apparent that the 87<sup>th</sup> simply had more men. The quality of the Sidonian army simply couldn¡¯t make up for this large disparity.


    The 58<sup>th</sup> was taking casualties. It had been a few hours now since the battle began. Alisson rose his hand, about to launch the signal spell to order the Kitsune lancers to begin their charge, doubting if they were still in position or if they would even have much of an effect on the disciplined 87<sup>th</sup>.


    He was interrupted by a sudden crescendo of explosions that rocked the ground, making his stallion stumble. He looked around in a panic.


    The 87<sup>th</sup> had finally unleashed their aerial mages. It seemed they were conserving their mana, and Nariseer had deemed that the 7<sup>th</sup> had exhausted the majority of their own mana for shielding and anti-air. The aerial mages were limited only in the fact that Irinian and Sidonian units were so intermingled, meaning they couldn¡¯t use high-yield spells, otherwise they¡¯d blow away their comrades.


    Alisson scowled. This was it.


    Alisson prepared the incantation of the signal spell as he stared up at the aerial mages. His incantation faltered and then fell apart completely when he saw a white blur cut through one of aerial mages with an inhuman speed, before hitting the ground in a massive explosion. Similar instances occurred as, from high in the sky, came soaring Angels.


    Alisson broke into a smile, seeing a glimmer of hope.


    ***