Gate: Journey In The New World Vol I

Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan as it belongs to its rightful owners.

Arc 2: A City A Diplomacy A Dragon.

Noble City IV: Calm Before A Storm

Even up until now, she could still remember the time she had spent in that certain place.

What is it really days, weeks, months...or an eternity?

The memories of the haunted estate which housed a devil of a person.

Back and forth, she found herself in the midst of a corrupted luxury, a place of fiestas and celebrations that were only filled with greed, lust, and pride. Everything turned out to be a lie.

Not too long, Wrath would soon arrive.

"Please stop!... Have mercy!"

"Keep your mouth shut girl...!"

All that who resisted were thrown into the darkest areas of the cellars, having no choice but to endure the anguish and suffering created by the friends of the devilish man.

"No please...!"

She was one of them...Begging for her own life, only to have her dignity violated and subjected to a series of mental tortures...

It was the only way she could exact her own vengeance against them, no matter what she had been through.

The light that appeared in the midst of the darkness...was the spark that ignited everything.

Her ascension from the forgotten depths.

She recalled how she saw glory and hope that emerged from the door.

A familiar silhouette and a voice she thought she would not hear for a long time.

"Parna, I thought, I'd find you here..."

A person she thought was dead after her betrayal...

"Your Highness..."

As she was finally brought back to reality, Parna heard the call. The foggy visions of the haunted estate had vanished, replaced by the Palace's old grandeur halls. The massive pillars stood in rows, and she found a place to lean on one of them while returning to the current scene

The light of the sun was slowly making its presence through the many windows, indicating that the dawn was almost complete.

At the same time, a worried voice filled the silence of the halls.

"I've already Informed the other captains to tighten security in every corner of the city walls and we also sent out messages to nearby garrisons for reinforcements in case they would attack in larger numbers..."

The official had never felt such a rush of adrenaline in his veins. He could still feel his cold sweat from when he received intelligence of an alleged enemy plot to strike the Noble city on this exact day.

He could have informed the rest of the cabinet members, including the Prime Minister, but he ultimately failed to hold even a brief meeting with them due to unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately, he was informed that they had not yet arrived at the palace.

"I couldn't get in touch with the other ministry heads...and even with Prime Minister Kanata...I am aware that he's still recovering from his illness but...

He kneeled in front of the Elder Elves in the midst of the eerie silence.

They were the only ones that he could go to and ask for fruitful advice. Even though, they were treated as irrelevant people for many years now.

"I beg you, great elders...You're the only ones who had knowledge comparable to our founding fathers..." the official explained, becoming increasingly desperate. "What can we do to prevent this ordeal?"

Yet he only received silence right away once he had finished his words.

Most of the Elder elves had given him a look of puzzlement. They were more skeptical rather than focusing on the latter's emotions, some of them were even unaffected by his begging.

As the official awaited their answer, he wondered why they were taking time at such a decisive moment.

Then one of them finally spoke.

"To whom this information you received...?"

The official widened his eyes in surprise." Have they been listening?" He thought to himself as he sighed and said...

"The young mage girl from Coda...He explained." She is part of the envoy who came from the Alnus region."

The leading elder formed a small smile." Ahh yes, the so-called people hailing from a world beyond a Gate." He said with little delight.

"Yes sire." The official replied immediately, still feeling the pressure of the situation.

"And to which source does this mage girl base her claims...?" The leading elder elf asked.

A little moment of silence followed as the official found it tough to explain the truth.

"A book from a former captain of the Sadera Army." He carefully said.

In turn, the leading elder elf smirked." What a ridiculous claim..." He remarked, causing the official to widen his eyes.

"But sire there is more to this than meets the eye!" The official pleaded once more." I know the information only came from a girl, but we need to act as fast as possible in order to prevent this."

Another moment of quietness followed once again.

Parna could definitely sense the urgency in the situation, but why does she have to sympathize with the man's problems?

It was fortunate that she had other matters to attend to rather than having the responsibility of defending a walled city from an unknown threat. Yet, she didn't know why she felt sadness at the moment.

Alas, the elder elf nodded in understanding much to the latter's surprise.

"Very well, since the Principality is no stranger to threats every day, then it is considered that the Noble city would be protected at all cost." He declared, eyeing the official.

"You may carry out the orders, but keep in mind that if there is an attack and you all fail to defend the city, all blame should be placed on Minister Kanata and his Cabinet." The leading elf incorporated, "And a People's Assembly should be held to determine whether this type of leadership system is still relevant."

Parna secretly shook her head.

Why does everything have conditions for them?

Despite being slightly annoyed by their words, the official eventually nodded in response. "Thank you sire," he said, finally standing up and moving towards the huge wooden doors.

Parna watched the official as he passed by her. "He doesn't know what's really going on."She thought to herself, before turning towards the elder elves.

Once the man had left that the plan can now begin.

The long wooden table, which served as the main venue for the negotiations, awaited its usual morning grooming. Not long after that, the doors reopened, revealing several groups of servants carrying new cloths, candle holders, cups, and other decorative items.

The only difference was that these servants emerged with fear in their hearts as they were escorted by the same guards who protected the palace, but they were not themselves to begin with.

Each group of female servants was carrying out their assigned tasks while the guards kept a close eye on them and, in some cases, aimed their swords and crossbows at them.

The poor servants had no choice but to keep going without allowing their emotions to take over, or their lives would be taken away.

When the long table was fully decorated, a servant approached with a tray of cups, which she placed on the table facing each empty chair. Following that, another servant arrived with two massive teapots containing the hospitable hot drinks that would be consumed by both delegations. The only difference was that one of the teapots contained a potion capable of instantly destroying a person's insides.

"Please, make sure to fill these cups in half, and then use the normal tea so no one would suspect," Parna instructed, smiling at the worried servant as she also tried to calm her down.

The servant slowly nodded in return and did what she was told.

The Elder elves watched with amusement, regarding the warrior bunny's calmness of handling the situation.

The leading elder elf smiled." A wonderful display of leadership Parna." He remarked." You certainly had the potential to become the queen of your tribe...if they're ever still in existence." He gave a little laugh, and the others did so as well.

Parna remained silent, hiding her annoyance.

"However, I am definitely proud of your actions...We are and as well as the old spirits of the alliance." He then added." You're making the right choice of being a part of this historical day."

"Too many years have gone and the Principality has not regained its glory since the old leadership had faded."

The leading elf then rose from his seat, gazing around the grand hall. "Now, the time has come for the grand order to return, and all of that will begin with your actions today," he declared, looking at the young woman.

"You will be blessed with the highest honor of the Goddess, and assured that you will get the peaceful life you always wanted.." He added, placing his full trust in her.

"Once this is all over..."

Parna, on the other hand, remained emotionless and unaffected by the old elf's words. She could only look at them with her own opinion on the matter that came out of her mouth.

"Is that so..?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The last thing she wanted to do in the early hours of the morning went about her usual routine, especially on her days off. She was looking forward to bringing her family to the city's grand plazas to be a part of a historical event now that the day of celebrations had finally arrived.

Captain Ine knew it was her day off when the date arrived, but the first thing she heard was the messenger delivering new orders for the day.

"I apologized for the sudden announcement captain...but you are most needed to supervise the divisions."

That was the time, her excitement vanished without a trace.

She had no choice but to accept and follow the decision, and it was not her mentor who gave the order.

She wanted to understand why and what had ended up causing the new changes, however, the man's only response was a few words.

'There has been an inconvenience with our rotations as well as within the government body...So I apologized once again."

It was very surprising to hear such an explanation and add the fact that the knight had made his own personal remarks.

"You're the only one I know, who is capable of incredible leadership."

She wanted to laugh it off and dismiss it, but seeing the man genuinely pleading for her help, finally made her agree with him.

She found herself in the wyvern stables in the blink of an eye, walking along a path that leads to the headquarters of the Principality's Aerial force, home to countless divisions tasked with protecting the kingdom's skies.

The smell of grass, dung and pee reminded her that she had come to the right place to begin with. The area was a dysfunctional mess as usual, with all the caretakers attending to every wyvern's needs. The only thing new regarding them were the multiple barrels full to the brim with some sort of powdered supplement mixed with water as well as poured into massive wooden containers for these creatures to drink.

She halted her tracks for a while as she approached a nearby caretaker to ask the question.

"Excuse me sir, but these powdered juices..."She paused trying to force out the words from her mind." What are they for?" She finally asked.

The caretaker, who was busy feeding a wyvern with stacks of grass, smiled in response." Oh, they are supplements for these lovely creatures." He explained, pointing at more barrels, which were stacked in one area." The other kingdoms across the orient have been using this kind of supplement to their wyverns...Of course for strength and better health."

The young captain gave a surprised look.

How come she was not aware of it?

It is already a rule that the Principality will not use any kind of chemical on their wyverns, even if it is beneficial to their health and strength. Since the people of the land had been using it for many years, only the natural process was acceptable.

Then it dawned on her that the same trend had been rapidly spreading across the first civilizations from the north.

"I see...Although, who supplied these powdered supplements?" She asked.

Silence returned for the first time.

Thus The young captain had noticed it, the oddness.

The caretaker's eyes suddenly went from calm to anxious in mere seconds and he looked straight at her in the eye. Ine, in turn, became but a little bit hypnotized.

"Young lady, always be careful from now on." The old man said." This day is not what it seems to be."

"Time is running out."

Ine had not realized her world had slowed. She struggled to understand what the caretaker had said to her. She blinked and was brought back to reality, hearing the noise once more.

"Alright fellas! Stop getting distracted and focus on your tasks!"

The caretaker's worried look disappeared and smiled as if nothing happened altogether.

The young captain was about to ask another question before being cut by the old man.

'I am sorry...but I have to go.." The caretaker then said as he immediately left the scene in a slight hurry in order to return to his task.

The young captain found herself a bit puzzled, and then a part of her began to remind her that she had her own matters to attend to.

She continued to her path once again, with new thoughts that now continued to worry her.

"Are things not what they seemed to be?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

To many eyes of the defense corps, the control tower of the aerial force was considered a state of the art.

A more advanced and decorative version of the control room, with innovative Mana communication tubes that could reach even the furthest Wyvern Knight riders outside the city walls and towards the lone towers across the fields that the Principality had set up over the years.

Yet to the young captain it was just an ordinary control room as she entered the premises.

Several members of the wyvern knights simultaneously glanced at her, while doing their respective tasks, not a single of one them greeting her except for a certain captain, who was currently in charge of monitoring the day-to-day activities.

"Ahh, good day Captain Ine! We were expecting your arrival." The man smiled as he slightly bowed down in respect.

Ine nodded in return." Captain Julius..." She replied back, mentioning the head of the Wyvern division.

A man in his late thirties wearing the famous slick armor with the aerial corps' crest embedded in the center.

Every member of the Principality's wyvern division, as the saying goes, should be proud of their identity and represent first-class character whenever they meet other people face to face.

That is exactly what the captain did, displaying a proud demeanor despite the fact that the young captain had a more important role than him.

"We received word of your supervisory role...and we prepared this early just to show you that everything is fine in the skies of the Principality," he informed the her.

Ine could only sigh.

"I am aware of it...I'm just here for the daily check-up of operations." She forced a small smile along with the bored tone of voice, showing the clipboard in her hand.

The Wyvern Captain kept his smile." Of course! Then I would be proud to show you the rest of the troupe...Please follow me, Captain." He then said, with respect this time around.

So she was led on a quick tour of the area. She was already familiar with some of the spots and stations. She remembered the next steps after being here several times. She would have explored the entire area if it weren't for the man himself.

She did, however, notice a minor difference as they walked through the area. She was well aware that the man would frequently attempt to converse with her about his role as Wyvern Captain and the successful missions he had undertaken with a variety of divisions.

Ine knew the man as a casual acquaintance, and expected him to constantly brag about the Wyvern force's victories over mercenaries, rogue armies, and even a dragon.

Like any prideful knight as she always expected him to be.

Yet, this time, it was different.

"So I heard your superiors asked you to work on your day off." The man asked.

Surprised by his words, the young captain decided to go along with him.

"Uhh Yes, I actually had plans to take my family to the Grand Plaza." She was able to let out some of her frustrations in the calmest way she can." I just don't know why they have to issue the order at the very last second." She wondered.

For the first time, the older captain had let out a faint smile, something which she had not seen before.

"I always wanted to take my wife and children to the city for a stroll but considering the situation I am in...It would be a very long time before I can eventually do it." He said, stopping for a moment to take a quick look at the view of the city from a window.

Quietness took over for a brief moment as Ine glanced at him, noticing a subtle solemnness in his eyes.

"Why?" She raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

The man remained silent for a few moments before staring back at the young woman.

"Because I made a decision to have them move out of the Principality and into a place where they could be safe until this nonsense conquest of Sadera is over.' He simply replied, before continuing his path towards the next destination.

Ine blinked a couple of times, trying to absorb the information she had just received and she began to wonder if things really did drastically change without her knowledge.

Brushing off again the slight signs of oddness, she followed the man once again.

Eventually reaching the final area which was another room, the young woman took notice of the unique designs of the walls and alas the main area where a wide board made of stone was located, guarded by a young knight.

A main highlight of the tower, she immediately recognized the intricate artifact.

"Isn't that...?" She trailed off.

The wyvern Captain simply nodded." Yes Captain, what you see here is the magical artifact known as the "Siren." He explained." Gently touching its stone facade.

He then took a specific rune and offered it to the younger captain. "For it to be activated, you would need this particular rune," he stated. "And once you placed it on the socket...it would cast great magic across the city as a method of warning the people of the impending threat."

Captain Julius then gave a serious look, as if giving her an instruction to do later on.

Ine, for her part, examined the rune as she felt hypnotized by its presence.

Something had been warning her all this time.

Then she finally heard the voice from her own Manacom.

"Sire! The General has requested immediate aerial reinforcements to Ejei!"

It has finally begun.

The one voice that alerted everyone in the headquarters, and the mood had changed from now on.

"Hurry up! Get the armors!"

"Knights! To your stations and prepare your wyverns!

"Quickly! Time is of the essence!"

Orders were immediately given as the majority of the aerial divisions had left their current positions to heed the call for a potential conflict in the skies.

The halls were in chaos as huge groups of knights rushed towards the wyvern stables.

Along with them were the caretakers, who carefully brought the respective wyverns out of their own homes and towards the open fields. The necessary gears were attached and each knight boarded the winged reptiles, preparing to launch at any moment.

Ine found herself directly thrown into the chaos of the situation, something that she had never been into before. Though, she kept her eyes on a certain person which was the Wyvern Captain himself.

She wanted to ask if he was going to be alright, yet she wasn't able to voice her concerns due to him being occupied with giving orders to the rest of the knights.

Multiple voices began to blend together and she did not know what has already been saying. Her world was spinning around as she tried to fight the confusion.

Until they reached the nearby fields.

"A full aerial invasion!?" Captain Julius widened his eyes in surprise, still in disbelief regarding the information he had received.

"Yes sire, according to our wyvern scouts, large groups of them are heading towards Ejei."

A fellow scout member had said, as he greeted him before his wyvern.

This was very serious news to take in. Normally, the empire would orchestrate small attacks to just inflict terror and intimidation but a full-blown aerial assault on a very unexpected day was concerning.

"Understood...Thank you for relaying the information." The captain stood firm, as he proceeded to board his wyverns.

At the same time, he did not pay heed to a small scene of some wyverns vomiting while being prepared by their caretakers and knights, and some of them even displayed nauseating actions and tiredness.

Ine continued to stare at him." Are you sure you'll be alright?" She asked, with her own concern.

The older man gave a small smile." Don't worry about me, Captain." He assured the girl." I only ask for you to protect the city at all cost and keep our people safe.' He added, excluding the superiors that were currently governing the land.

"Do it for our homeland.'

With that said, the captain finally took off along with his wyvern to join a big display of the Principality's Elite Wyvern units as they head to face a similar enemy from the north.

Ine observed as the aerial reinforcements left the city, leaving her with more responsibility. But something in the back of her mind was still attempting to warn her about the strangeness of the situation.

She returned her gaze to the headquarters and immediately returned to the main base to learn the truth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Keep yourself together, Pina."

In the midst of the silence, the young lady stared at her reflection as she tried to gather herself for one more time.

"I know you can do it! Just believe in yourself."

She kept talking with powerful words as the rays of the sun reached through her room. Now dressed in her simple but lovely rose knight's attire, the young lady found herself at a crossroads before she could face the delegation for one last time.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, remembering a person with certain words which resurrected the fire and passion within her.

"You just got believed that you can do it!"

Simple but powerful words from a person she had just known for a day.

What was his name again?

She couldn't help but sense a certain purity in his heart. He was simply an average man determined to pursue his own path and inspire others to do the same.

And the fact that he appeared to be bookish and unsophisticated.

As a certain Hamilton emerged and entered the room, the door opened once more. The brown-haired lady seemed breathless, leaning against the wall to gather her breath.

"By the Gods, they are so strange..." She remarked, raising the latter's curiousity.

"Are you alright Hamilton?" Pina asked, raising both of her eyebrows." What was so strange?"

Hearing the princess speak, the young page widened her eyes as she gestured for her friend to remain quiet.

"Milady, This has to be the strangest morning, I've ever encountered!" She explained with a loud whisper.

"The palace guards are acting differently compared to when I first saw them." She followed, what seemed to be an exaggerated testimony.

Pina's confusion continued to grow at the unexpected news." Palace guards? What do you mean by acting differently?" She asked.

Hamilton had a hard time thinking of a simpler way to explain the scene that she saw and eventually, something came up to her mind." You know how Golems act when they don't have any orders to take?" She explained.

"Yes?"

"That's how they were acting when I happened to pass by them in the corridors," she explained, recalling how the guys were jumping at odd moments for no apparent reason, how some were walking nonstop in different directions just to knock against the walls and shrug it off as if nothing had happened.

The creepiest part was that whenever the young girl walked by these locations, the royal guards would stop what they were doing and give her an indifferent stare.

"I know it's hard to believe but that's what I saw Pina." Hamilton pressed on with her claims, though she calmed down." I don't know but I have a feeling that something isn't right here." She added.

After the first negotiations that things started to change.

For the redhead herself, she could only sigh in return as she gave a smile.

"Hamilton, I understand the challenges we are facing right now." She told her friend, placing a hand on her shoulder." If Fate is trying to prevent us from reaching our main goals, then the only thing we can do is keep going forward."

The young page stared at the latter with surprise.

"Don't let any of these things distract you," Pina added as she tried to erase any uncertainties and motivate her childhood friend.

"If there is really something going on, then we just have to be as ready as possible."

Silence followed for a few moments.

Hamilton released a deep breath, putting aside any inconveniences that continued to bother her mind. She let out a small nod as a sign of understanding.

"So what do we do next now?"

Pina kept the smile as she held a small notebook where she wrote down all the advice from wise and good people.

"We prepare and talk to the rest of our envoy."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The morning preparations could have been busy yet different at the same time.

In a sense that things were a bit more relaxed than usual.

It wasn't long before a message was relayed not just to the envoy but to the other representatives as well and it was the main reason they took the time and didn't rush things that much.

"So they're telling us to wait in line in some hall along with the rest of the other representatives?"

"Yes."

"Before we could meet them and continue the negotiations?"

"I guess I should say "Yes" three times then."

Rory smiled as she handed the brown parchment to the envoy's two leaders before taking a seat on one of the room's library chairs.

The apostle was having a wonderful time doing double duty as a representative of her own church and a diplomatic messenger.

Lieutenant Brian could only seem surprised at the news he had just gotten as he studied the contents of the document, which was only a single piece of paper.

On the other hand, Itami nodded." I guess they realized they can't talk to everyone at the same time." He commented as he took a sip of his hot cup of coffee.

"Or maybe, most of them got tired after that dinner party last night and they're all still hungover?" Carl added his own thoughts to the subject, causing some of the others to glance at him.

Brian eventually sighed." So how are our diplomats doing so far?" He then asked.

It was during this time when the old Sgt. Kuwahara who was also drinking his own hot cup of coffee stepped up.

"They're still having breakfast along with the other representatives back in the halls sir." He explained.

Carl raised both eyebrows in surprise." Wow, a breakfast buffet...This place is surely rich...I am calling it...Well, it's kinda obvious." He remarked with a slight shrug.

"I think you mean this place surely." Blessed" Mari slightly chuckled, clarifying what the locals had informed them prior.

"Oh yeah, when your country's food resource is literally blessed by a Goddess, then I don't see any reason not to hold breakfast buffets every day." The Californian soldier reacted with realization.

"Again...We are in another world." Itami then said, before changing the subject.

"So Kuwahara-san, at what time exactly did they tell you about the humanitarian aid?" The Japanese Lieutenant added." And how are things going so far?"

The old sergeant cleared his throat." Around noon sir, we'll be going with a group of knights and an official to guide us." He explained." And it's somewhere in the heart of the city itself." He then added, much to the latter's surprise.

"Interesting...So I am guessing it's a depressed area?" Lieutenant Brian asked.

"More like a temporary encampment for those who are displaced by the war," Mari spoke this time, clarifying an important detail of the place.

"For all I know, Ms. Rory has been there before." She added, causing everyone to look at the black-haired demi-goddess.

At this point, Rory had gotten herself into drinking a hot cup of chamomile tea via the small electric kettle, and at the same time, trying to figure out a certain handled video game only known as a "Nintendo Switch" to which she had borrowed from one of the recon members.

As soon as she noticed the attention she was receiving, she gave a smile.

"Oh yes, dear! In fact, you might find the people there uplifting." She simply said with delight" And don't forget to bring extra snacks and sweets...They really love them."

Everyone gave astonished looks.

As expected kids will be definitely involved in this mission.

Sgt. Kuwahara then stepped up once more as the man recalled the other side's missions.

"Speaking of Humanitarian aid, The guys will be going with Ms. Tuka in the city to search for her relatives again...and Ms. Lelei has volunteered to accompany her as well." He explained.

"Same time as the Humanitarian mission?" Carl asked as the older man simply nodded.

"Yes sir, they'll be going with the rest of them." He replied.

Silence followed once again.

Brian cleared his throat as he looked at his childhood buddy. "Well, Carl, as always...you'll go with the main pack," he stated as he switched his focus to another ranger. "And Al, that means you'll be staying here to keep the main base updated and, of course, secure the room."

"Noted Brian." The man replied with a slight salute.

"Then that means, I'll be staying here too for awhile."

All attention shifted to the Oracle once again.

"I always wanted to learn how your mysterious devices worked." Rory giggled in delight." Besides this magnificent box." She said while raising the Nintendo Switch and slightly shaking it to get their focus.

Some of them chuckled and some gave a sigh.

Brian chose the latter.

"Alright Ms. Rory, but you do know that we might need you once the negotiations begin." The American Lieutenant then said, not forgetting the importance of her presence at the event.

The Oracle simply smiled." No need to worry about it, I'll be there at the right time." She said while giving a little wink towards him.

Itami couldn't help but noticed the slight cryptic tone that the demi-goddess had or was he just assuming things?

In the midst of that, the walkies finally came to life.

"Sarge, supplies are all fully loaded and LAVs are good to go."

Alas, the signal has been given.

"Copy that, Wataru." Sgt. Kuwahara replied back immediately.

The silence had returned, and the others exchanged glances. Some were optimistic, some were accustomed to the feeling, and some were apprehensive.

They knew that this would be the first time that they were going to be separated once more due to the different goals assigned to them, thus bringing back some bad memories. Despite having good preparations and coordination, the question still remained in their minds.

"What could happen next?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

With a single tilt of a key, A number of LAVs roared to life once again.

The courtyard itself became the center of attraction during the early stages of the morning.

With the sunrise in a favorable location, spectators such as palace servants and several representatives who happened to pass by were treated to a spectacle.

This was a one-of-a-kind event for them.

All owing to the reports about the green iron horseless forts that recently appeared in the city. Everyone wanted to see it, and the residents of the Palace were among the fortunate to experience it firsthand.

"By the Gods! It is true!"

"How did they make these iron forts move without any horses?"

"Of course, this has something to do with magic, maybe one of them is a specialist in arcane magic?"

"Perhaps, they came from the lands across the orient?"

Gossips and whispers were all that Lelei could hear at the moment. Making her way through a small crowd of servants and palace officials that surrounded the other main encampment of the Men in Green.

The young mage could only give a small smile since they haven't seen the other unique things that the otherworlders possessed.

Finding herself in the middle of a busy scene, she tried to search for a certain blonde.

Boxes, crates, and carefully wrapped goods were being carried and loaded to the iron forts. It did not take long enough for her to realize that the next phase of the mission had begun.

As agreed by both sides, it was going to be a joint venture to help the people affected by the ongoing conflict, and at the same time, she will get the opportunity to be part of it.

It didn't take long enough as she finally found the small green tent located just near the familiar vehicle she had taken a ride in before.

And she saw a shade of blonde.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"So just pressed this small button right here and you'll be able to say anything that you want.

Apparently, the lesson was just about to end on a good note.

A little demonstration of small artifacts that she had seen but had never gotten to use.

Surrounded by her busy colleagues, Tuka sat on a lone chair as she watched a fellow Man in Green, demonstrate the use of a communication device from his world. Though, it was different from the usual ones she had often seen back in the base.

It was tiny and can also fit into one's ear.

"In our world, we just simply call it an earpiece...Well, there are many names but I prefer the latter."

Higashi smiled as the man proudly explained the device he was holding. He then placed an earpiece on his ear and then pressed the tiny button." Now can you hear me clearly?" He then asked, speaking through the small mic.

Tuka's eyes widened in surprise." Definitely." She simply said, a bit amazed to hear the man's voice right through her ears.

"So, if you find yourself lost in the city, just use these lifesavers, to inform us of your location and we'll find you." The Japanese Recon member explained.

Though there were a lot of secrets and ways that he wanted to tell her, he eventually realized that too much information would certainly make her state of mind worst.

"Higashi, just tell her the basics...that's all." Shino, who was carrying a box, had remarked.

"Don't worry, she'll get used to it." The young Japanese soldier grinned in return.

The elf girl simply nodded in understanding as she continued to further study the device.

"I wonder how far these artifacts could reach a person?" She wondered aloud as couldn't even sense a trace of magic inside the device, except for the occasional heat that it produced.

Perhaps, she could possibly contact her father back at the base using this magnificent device.

At the same time, the curtains of the tent opened once again finally revealing the young blue-haired girl herself, dressed in her usual mage's uniform while carrying a small wooden staff and a leather messenger bag that she wore again.

"Sorry, I am late..." She apologized aloud.

"It's alright kiddo, we're just finishing loading some stuff to the LAV, and we'll be definitely leaving in a few minutes' time," Shino spoke this time with a grin.

Lelei simply nodded in understanding, before focusing her attention on a still surprised Tuka.

The elf girl was only aware that her blue-haired companion was preoccupied with her own mystery-solving quest, which was likewise more important than her own, but she was nonetheless present..

The young mage gave a small smile." Well, you'd think I forgot my promise?" She said, showing her support for her friend.

At the same time, the curtains opened again and came in the ever-excited Kurata.

"Everything's ready! I'll wait for you guys outside." He informed the rest of the group, before leaving the scene.

The atmosphere quickly shifted when they were eventually called for another journey in the city. In reality, no one knew how long it would last or end, and this time, there was a sense of urgency just around the corner, which did not fully alter the group's mindset.

The mission was not yet fulfilled, and they intended to accomplish it.

The elf girl's confidence was restored when she eventually cracked a smile.

As a response, Lelei reached out to her friend and said.

"Let's go find them."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the saying goes breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Although, to the eyes of a certain diplomat, the type of breakfast that he was witnessing at this moment was certainly beyond his own expectations.

Same location.

Same faces to meet.

And a chance to try out new kinds of dishes.

Representative Tanaka believed the dinner event was magnificent, but the breakfast event was breathtaking because it was being hosted on one of the Palace's top levels at the moment. Specifically, a huge room with a balcony that provided a spectacular view of the city.

The Japanese Diplomat sat down with his American counterpart and together with the other representatives of other kingdoms, they continued to enjoy their morning meal and in the midst of that, a conversation began.

As usual, the food was stranger to them yet unique at the same time.

"This certainly looks and tastes like Salmon Sushi." Representative Diane remarked, studying the said food which she had taken from a large plate serving.

"I know right? Tastes like exactly the ones from my hometown." Her Japanese counterpart gave an astonished look.

To think that some dishes here eerily resembled that from their homeworld.

"Well, that type of dish hails from the Kingdom of Fenn." A voice then said, capturing their attention.

It was a bearded man in his 40s, dressed in plain attire with an emblem indicating his own community on his vest.

"Kingdom of Fenn?" Representative Tanaka inquired, intrigued.

"Yes, across the orient lies a kingdom that lives by the sword and dies by the sword...yet their kindness and politeness are unmatched." The bearded man explained." They don't possess the rich lives of other kingdoms yet they maintained their high spirits."

"Sounds like a place I would like to visit." Representative Diane remarked.

Representative Tanaka smiled." I believe we haven't introduced ourselves properly but I am Tanaka and this is my colleague Ms. Diane and we are from..."

"You're the Diplomats from the Alnus Region," the bearded guy stated, "and the majority of delegations have been discussing you and your horseless carriages." "I must tell, even I am pleased with a sort of innovation," he added.

"Tell me what kind of magic did your arch mages use to create such wonderful transportation?" He then followed a question.

A question to which the diplomats had been receiving throughout their stay here.

"Uhm, it's really difficult to explain but in the place we came from, we don't exactly use magic." He explained carefully, much to the surprise of the bearded man.

"Hmm intriguing...I've heard of many kingdoms that live a life without the need to rely on magic but certainly, they're not from this continent." He remarked, before remembering something out of the blue.

"Oh my manners, please forgive me." He then apologizes with a smile." You may address me as "Anfar" and I hail from the small kingdom of Auden."

The Japanese Representative simply nodded." It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." He replied back, as he then took a glance at his surroundings before focusing back on the conversation.

"I guess for little kingdoms such as us, we are definitely lucky...or should I say blessed to be welcomed in a great city." The young man then said, as his American counterpart gave him a subtle look.

Japan and the US as a couple of small humble kingdoms... really?

The bearded man chuckled in return." Oh don't get carried away with it sir." He then said." The Principality for many years had been going greater lengths to retain its kind image." He explained." I know for in the fact that the Noble city is the only great city in this land, and the rest is all nothing but farms and fields."

"But from the looks of it, this place has a strong military...Just that it doesn't look like it has.." Representative Diane spoke this time around.

Of course...Qua-Toyne used to be a significant bastion of the old alliance that battled against the Demon Lord's troops, during that time that it was able to command vast armies of Elves, Dwarves, Wyverns, and Men," he continued." Many great mages also fought for them."

Thus some unknown parts of history were coming to light.

"But what happened to the Alliance?" Representative Tanaka asked.

Quietness remained for a few moments.

"To be truthful, The alliance fell apart just after the demise of the Demon Lord." The bearded representative replied back." Some say it disbanded due to different goals and ambitions of the races, yet I believed it's because many were weary of wars and revolutions that once and for all... They decided to end any kind of possible conquest.

"Interesting..." Representative Diane remarked." So they sacrificed any possibilities to become an Empire and chose to live in peace with their own people."

"Precisely."

And throughout the years, the system of governance changed, successfully preventing any kind of conflict from happening until recent times.

Representative Tanaka slightly shook his head." Quite the story sir...Though, I am still amazed that the Principality gets a lot of support from many communities outside of its walls as well." He remarked, referring to the many delegations that had arrived since yesterday.

Eyeing the young man once again, the older man said." It's because they believed that the Qua-Toyne had never lost its power." He explained." They still believe that the old alliance would return to defeat the Saderans and bring peace unto these lands once again."

"But they won't be coming back..." Representative Diane then said.

The bearded man shook his head to clarify." They won't but hear me this...There will always be a possibility of some individual or a group that would do everything to restore that forgotten glory." He explained." But will never replicate its contribution and purpose."

Silence returned once more.

Hearing the old man's statement, both of the diplomats' thoughts focused on a specific group of people, not to judge but just to wonder if they had a similar ambition.

By then, Representative Tanaka raised his hand and asked." So do you think the Elders Elves have that kind of ambition?"

Only to get a simple response from the older man.

"They're just a bunch of fools."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first thing that came into his mind was where the heck was he now?

He knew that the Palace was a huge place but he never expected that it had its own little maze.

Once breakfast time was over, he eventually decided to take one more walk in an attempt to explore more of the halls and rooms of the palace, until he could finally find the person that he'd been wanting to see again.

She wasn't present among the representatives that attended the small morning gathering nor her trusty friend.

It wasn't just the simple "Late" excuses.

The only thing that came into his mind was that there must have been some secret meeting planned and held at this time and he knew how ridiculous the idea was, yet it was just a feeling that he surprisingly trusted.

Yuji walked along the halls one more time. Different voices had begun to emerge from the new communication earpieces which he was provided by the coalition team. Giving him the idea that they were now embarking on their next objectives.

The young writer observed the halls of the palace, having this confidence that he could find her again.

He took a deep breath as he continued on with his little journey, but now without giving his own small remarks.

"What a bummer..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day could never have been this electrifying as the plaza was the first one to witness the first phase of the celebrations now being played at hand.

The flags bearing the symbol of the principality were all raised to the top and banners were displayed in every shop house and structure.

The majority of the locals of the city were all dressed in their finest clothes in honor of the event.

Such an event had been in engraved in the Principality's history and lore.

Friends and families continued to pour in, and soon there were areas of large groups strewn about. There were many stalls and stores everywhere, and even little venues featuring small shows arose, increasing the entertainment level.

"Rejoice Rejoice and Rejoice! My Beloved Homeland for it is time to remember the great victory that was achieved a thousand years ago!"

It was definitely a huge celebration.

The noise and cheers came together for the first time and oh boy it was deafening. Right in the middle of the plaza stood the main stage, where a series of performances was set to be held, and everybody was looking forward to it, especially for the main event.

Who would be ignorant to participate in such a magnificent occasion or just let alone praise the effort that they've been giving?

"Rejoice my fucking arse!"

The whisper came from an unusual blonde fiery chef as the smoke and fragrance of cooked ingredients approached his face.

The cacophony from his surroundings didn't exactly help him stay focused.

Like the annoying fly that kept ruining his lunch while he was working on the Kitchen Nightmares series.

He knew he had to get these dishes ready and plated, even though they were only using disposable ceramic and wooden plates to begin with.

Chef, we really need the three orders of beef wellington now or else..."

"Just give me fucking 15 seconds to plate this food and all is well!" The Fiery chef exclaimed as he proceeded with the little decorations.

"Gordon, they don't really care."

It was the first time in a very long time that he had heard someone called by his first name.

He took a quick glance at the counter and saw a familiar brunette giving him a stoic look.

But again, the blonde man immediately calmed down and sighed, "Fine..." he mumbled, finally serving the three plates of beef wellington he had just cooked.

Maybe coming here for a few cooks was a horrible idea for him, but he did end up cooking for the masses.

Anna smiled as she walked away from the counter to give the rest of the orders to a lengthy line of customers.

So as the rest of the staff, who were attending to every customer needs as they can. Working hard just to promote the restaurant he had set up in this very world since arriving here the past several years.

Gordon caught another glimpse of them and his memories brought him back to the dedicated crew of his own restaurants back home.

Was this really the retirement he had been wanting to achieve after all those adventures he had been through?

Finding himself was a temporary slave running for his life, to a man that found a new home, a man that unexpectedly saved a land and a kingdom from the hands of evil forces.

He was definitely a hero...

A hero that still has yet to find his purpose.

He had already realized that it would be a long time before he could return to his old home, albeit three years in this wild world had changed his perspective.

Wherever he went...there would always be a part of that "Home" with him, and it provided him with the peace he was yearning for.

"Chef! Is the egg-fried rice ready?"

Then another voice came in and this time it was from a female fairy, who was also a part of the crew.

Hearing the name of the next dish, his ears lit up and his eyes widened.

By then there was a whiny voice that was so loud that he could hear it from the makeshift kitchen.

---

"Haiyah!

The word was so recognizable that one would already assume that person came from an ancient kingdom on the northwest seas.

The accent, mannerisms, and especially his overall appearance along with a color which was already known for.

The people surrounding the stall were already in a secret discussion regarding the man.

In his unique yet simple oriental dress, the hairstyle consists of an almost bald head with a long tied ponytail on the back, all that covered by an orange hat.

Yes, most of his clothing is associated with the color orange and it wasn't that annoying.

To the eyes of the people, he was an entertainer, with a witty sense of humor. He is a successful trading merchant, who happens to own a huge junk ship, and yet to his loved ones he was a caring man, who wants nothing but the best for his family.

And He was simply known as "Uncle"

In fact, he wasn't the only one present in the said stall.

"Why does your chef take too long to cook the meal? Is He playing Mahjong inside?" The man remarked, with a distinctive tone.

A certain cat girl waitress could only give an apologetic smile.

"I am so sorry Uncle, but please don't worry...I'll get to it that Master Ramsay will make sure the dish is delicious and be worth a served nya!"

The orange oriental man just stared at the demi-human with a bored expression.

"It better be...Look at all my niece and nephew...They are all hungry." He then said, referring to a number of family members who filled the rest of the seats, having the same bored expression as him.

"We had come all the way across the sea using my beautiful junk ship, just to eat his dish and this is how it's going to be? Haiyaaah!"

Selina nervously grinned." Uhm, like I said Uncle, I'll get to it right away." She assured.

Yet before she can leave the curtains opened again this time revealing the fiery chef himself, along with the Demi-Human Wolfman, Boris, who carried a large tray of freshly cooked food.

The cat girl's eyes widened not expecting the latter to come out from his domain." Master Ramsay!?" She exclaimed.

When he heard the latter call him by such a name, the blonde man's eyes twitched. However, instead of yelling back, he was able to simply give her an annoyed look.

"Here you go, sir," Boris remarked proudly as he set the tray on the table and began serving the meals that had everyone amazed as usual.

"Fuiyoooh!" The Niece and Nephews exclaimed in unison.

Right in front of them, were oriental-like dishes that greatly resembled the dishes of their homeland.

"Chef's Green chicken saucy curry...check!"

Another then bowl was then served.

"Ramsay's Special Pho Noodle...Check!"

And the final dish was then served.

"And lastly, We have the seafood egg fried rice."

Small cheers then erupted as the niece and nephews started to eat their meal, and every one of them had satisfied looks.

Gordon Ramsay simply nodded, knowing the issue has been resolved, though he chose to stay just to interact with the oriental man.

"Ahh, Mr. Nanjing Ng! Famous Merchant from the Peking Peninsula, I am humbled to meet you." The blonde man then greeted with the utmost respect, only to receive an unexpected response.

"Fuiyoooh, but cut the bullshit Gordon, no need to greet me like that...I am just an ordinary old man." The oriental merchant then replied." Just be yourself...like me." He pointed towards his own chest, as a subtle sorrowful expression managed to slip up." That's why my wife left me..."

"Awwww."

The other niece and nephews, as well as the other customers, were able to sympathize with the old man. Such aura and emotion he brought to this place.

Although for Gordon, he was just confused and astonished.

"By the way Uncle Gordon, how did you cook these delicious meals?" One of the nephews then asked.

The fiery chef sighed." Don't worry, I used a "Magical Seasoning" imported here from your place." He simply said, trying to avoid the subject from being talked about.

"Fuiyoooh!"

The old oriental man quickly recovered from his brief heartbreak phase to finally ask another question he'd been meaning to ask for a long time.

"What kind of pot and pan did you use?" He then asked."Better not be cooking this on a stick pan or else..." He remarked.

Gordon Ramsay sighed once again." Of course not, I always cook my dishes using my big, wide, long, and strong wok." He then said, before immediately turning to the younger kids with a embarrassed expression and issuing an apology right away.

"Sorry Children..."

Then at the same time, a small parade of drum boys passed by the stall playing a specific beat.

Soon laughter from the crew and the customers would fill the rest of the area as the blonde man could only shake his head in defeat for saying those words.

"What the fuck am I doing?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Away from the lively food markets and stalls, that another team from the fiery chef's crew had begun to set their sights on a familiar destination.

They'd be wearing the Inn's customary uniforms as their main disguise, as predicted, but some of the others had gone a step further and emerged with a unique yet simple appearance.

Albrecht couldn't take his gaze away from his friend for the first time. He fought so hard not to be charmed and drawn to gaze upon the draconian woman.

No, it wasn't the revealing dress that stuck out for him this time, but the primary face.

The spiky hair had been smoothed down, straightened, and tied into a ponytail. Her face had also received a makeover, making it more attractive and feminine.

And it occurred to him that his companion had finally resembled a demi-goddess.

"What are you staring at?"

Then the teen heard the words.

""It's just that those fairy waitresses are some fantastic makeup artists," he said, trying to look away to hide his own flush.

Giselle arched an eyebrow in skepticism, and it was clear that the boy was flushing, and she, too, was self-conscious about her new look.

She wasn't the complete feminine type.

She became a boyish type of person as she grew up in a more carefree environment. She was a boisterous, aggressive, and confident young lady who craved adventure.

She's been in a number of fights and brawls.

Faced with frightening and massive monsters

And somehow became an apostle for the land of the dragons.

""Cut to the chase, Albrecht, you've been staring at me for a while now." She groaned, bored.

"Well, at least you're not wearing the revealing dress anymore," the boy replied.

"You have a point," the Young Draconian lady said, hiding a faint flush of her own.

The uneasiness remained; this was the only time the two could hold a discussion this long. Not because of any unpleasant themes, but because the two were basking in uncertainty.

They weren't expecting another chance to get their objectives right.

"You know Giselle if this is our final mission together...why not make it the most memorable?" he suggested out of nowhere.

Giselle was taken aback by his statements and gave him a look that said, "Why would you say that? I mean, you don't have to say that." She added, "This isn't your last mission."

"Hey wait a sec, I was just saying that after all of these shenanigans...that I thought it would be the last mission before I take a break from this adventure stuff for a while," the youngster grinned as he raised both his hands.

The young lady surprisedly raised both brows.

This was the first time she had heard him speak like this.

"I-I don't know what to say." She muttered.

Her companion continued to smile." You don't have to worry, if you understand that not all of life is traveling to different places, fighting beasts, and saving people." He explained while looking towards the sky.

"For the time being, I want to go back to my hometown and live a normal life as a farm boy." He added while recalling old memories before he took in his uncle's footsteps.

"Besides I kinda missed my mother's cooking."

Giselle was speechless for a few moments yet she completely understood what the boy was trying to tell her.

He still has a life back home.

A small sad smile formed around her lips as she halted her tracks and pulled the latter into a tight embrace.

Albrecht was taken by surprise by the sudden move, though he could feel the emotions that came from his friend.

She really did care after all.

Giselle, on the other hand, found a new kind of motivation altogether. She started right into the young adventurer's eyes with a more determined look and said.

"Let's finish this mission once and for all."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alas after the short journey, they were in front of the circus tents yet again.

Though this time there were specific things that had changed.

Aside from the eerie silence, no one was present on the docks, and the row of banners and flags were nowhere to be found except for a lone wooden pole that was broken in two and laying on the ground.

Where were the private guards?

Where were the organizers?

And what happened to the rest of everyone?

It was an unusual scene, and the last thing they noticed were streaks of dried red substances stretching out towards the circus tents.

Albrecht could feel the atmosphere shift as he considered whether or not to continue, but his partner had beaten him to it.

Giselle dashed towards the tents, ignoring the small shambles around her.

"Giselle! What the hell!?" shouted the teen within his head as he, too, was forced to follow her.

Even walking along the wooden docks was nerve-wracking.

The Draconian Apostle kept her eyes forward as she tried to find that one door where she had previously faced unpleasantness, but while the memories projected two delinquent guards playing around, no one was protecting the entry.

It was clear at that point that something was wrong.

"I don't get it...They were scheduled to start the march here at this time..." she mused.

Even on the drapes, the red stains were still visible.

Giselle took a deep breath before proceeding and deciding to enter the tent. She realized that looking wouldn't help her solve the puzzle. Her friend followed her cautiously from behind.

The bright surroundings of the docks would change and soon they found themselves in the dim-listed areas of the circus. Though, the scene that greeted them upon entering also brought a feeling of shock and horrifying.

Now a question inside their heads had now been answered.

Bodies.

Lifeless bloodied bodies scattered across the pathways, the main stage, and corridors.

When Albrecht saw the bloodshed, his body froze. The boy couldn't even speak since he had never seen so much death gathered in one area before. It's possible that more bodies will be discovered in other regions.

His mind could only assist him by displaying an image of the veiled man.

A part of him wanted to flee the sight, but his bravery won out.

Giselle put her hand on his shoulder to try to calm him down.

Something was wrong, as per the Draconian Apostle. She could have infiltrated the circus before sunrise, but she had more pressing tasks to attend to, such as sending a message to the older dragons of the north.

"We need all the help we can get...Starting with you".

She remembered the Chirithy's words and speaking of him where he has he gone off to?

They were supposed to meet him at the entrance.

They gathered up minor clues that gave them an idea as they investigated more of the circus. The bodies on the ground belonged to the private guards, as well as some crew members.

They all fought with weapons ranging from swords to sharp wood and circus items.

A brief battle had taken place, resulting in a carnage.

They finally spotted him when they reached the main areas where all the cages were stored.

"Took you a long time."

Terra greeted them as the Chirithy stood in front of the iron cage, which formerly housed the creature itself.

The beast that they were looking for was now gone as the only blood stains remained inside the cage.

A few survivors of the unexpected ordeal were by him. Members who had miraculously avoided the slaughter were mostly female. They were crowded together, sobbing and embracing.

Giselle could feel her emotions rising as she approached the scene quickly.

"Terra! What the heck happened here?!" she shouted, desperate to learn the truth.

Terra kept his cool as he peered at the draconian apostle.

"It turns out you were correct," he said. "I went to the tents earlier to monitor the situation...and what I saw is already beyond my control."

"What are you saying?" Giselle inquired, a little concerned about the person responsible for all of this.

"The enemy...They knew someone was trying to stop them," he stated, his face sad. "I could only save a few since everything happened too fast."

Albrecht shuddered with terror, knowing that the mysterious cloaked figure had done it.

"It turns out you were correct," he added. "I went to the tents earlier to monitor the situation...and what I observed is already beyond my control."

During this time, one of the female circus crew members was able to speak up.

"T-The Dragon Tamer...the He's one who did it all," she confessed. "He massacred the guards and even the performers who tried to fight back."

Giselle inquired quietly, "Do you know what happened to the creature?"

"I don't recall much of everything," the woman stated, "but I saw a great light that encompassed the cage and everything was gone."

"T-The other guards...I'm not sure what's wrong with them, but I saw them taking Mr. Barnam and Ms. Leia away from here."

New information began to emerge, and Giselle raised an eyebrow at the new names being mentioned.

"That would be the owner and his daughter...Am I correct?" Terra then guessed.

The woman nodded again.

Albrecht widened his eyes surprised." The daughter! I think she's the one I saw talking to the dragon." He added, gaining their attention.

Giselle sighed back." At least we know what's going on...But do you guys have any idea where they've possibly taken them to?" She then asked.

A brief moment of silence followed.

There was no time to guess, and it was already obvious that the culprits were going to a much-crowded place to bring the chaos there.

"Then it's the city square...I presumed," she remarked, referring to the massive plaza where the biggest entertainment stages were frequently set up and where the 'Lonely Lamb Inn crew members were currently marketing the business.

They finally began to act in less than a second.

"Albrecht, Giselle, and I will be returning to the city center," Chirithy said. "In the meantime, please take them to the nearest council station here...There should also be healers to cure their injuries."

The child nodded in agreement.

"And don't forget to inform them of what happened here."

"I will." He replied again.

With that, both Giselle and Terra left the premises, but not before the Draconian apostle cast a glimpse at the boy, sensing that this might be their last mission together.

Albrecht responded with a confident grin. It was the only job he could do at the time.

In the midst of this current crisis, a small ray of hope began to sprout in their hearts.

Time, on the other hand, was still moving quickly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Noble city was now seeing its celebrations come to life.

Parade after Parade, almost every street was filled with its own stories to tell. The people began to rejoice and some chose to put on small shows to entertain everyone.

These street celebrations with small parades began to commemorate the various stories of the past which had often something to do with the great event that had transpired a very long time ago. Unique makeshift statues and effigies were created from scratch and the locals began to wear costumes that portrayed the great and unsung heroes of that time.

Some street parades also chose to tell current events such as the ongoing peaceful treaties of their communities and some tried to replicate the new trends that emerged, mainly the green horseless iron forts that arrived in the city which definitely caused a lot of hype around.

"Gosh, they really make good effigies of our own LAVs, especially for their celebrations." A certain Otaku soldier had commented as he observed a street parade depicting the very vehicles they were riding.

"Well, not so much for ourselves, I mean they got the color right but...Us wearing metallic armor and using magic staffs?" Kurata added, giving his own thoughts." That's a whole new level of lore there."

There were several chuckles that erupted inside the LAV.

"It may sound weird but I kinda like it." This time, the remark came from Tomita sitting all the way from the back, as he garnered everyone's attention.

"I didn't know you were a fantasy fan Tomita-san?" Kurata jokingly said.

The big man kept quiet, not sure how to explain his small new hobby." Well, I was...Just a day ago." He replied with a shrug.

The others gave him surprised looks, especially Hitoshi.

"Wait...Weren't you sleeping the whole time in that library?" He thought, recalling that moment he saw the big man drooling off while surrounded by books or maybe it was only his imagination.

"I hate to change the topic but...which group do you think we'll be doing the humanitarian operations?" Shino asked this time.

"Wasn't it an official group from the Principality?"

For a few moments, there was silence while Higashi drew out a piece of paper.

"Well, it says here that we'll be spearheading the humanitarian aid with a separate group, which just happens to be working with the government here," explained the young man. "And two people are leading this specific aid today."

"They are Elizabeth and Ernest Sheridan of Grantham," he said thoughtfully. "Well, they sound like British names to me, but do you know who they are?"

Another silence followed as he realized it was silly to ask people who don't know much about them..

Yet, in the midst of that, a certain blue-haired mage raised both her eyebrows recognizing the names.

"They are Nobles..."

The attention then shifted towards her.

"Noble what?"

Lelei smiled." Nobles...which means they are part of the aristocracy...or what remains of it in the Principality." She then continued. "From what I've learned, they've been responsible for helping a lot of the poor and recently...the displaced villagers of the war." She explained, recalling one of their carriages stopping by Coda Village, to donate goods during a food shortage crisis.

"I am guessing their rich philanthropist but Royal?" Higashi remarked.

The young girl simply nodded and shrugged." Something like that." She replied.

It was at this time that the LAV had turned in a new direction. They found themselves in another street surrounded by rows of ancient shophouses and a scene that no one paid heed to but she had noticed.

Lelei noticed what appeared to be a tiny procession of private guards dressed oddly led by a shrouded man. They heavily guarded a lone horse carriage in the middle of the procession.

As she continued to examine them, the girl's curiosity grew. Despite the fact that there appeared to be no danger in the scene, she couldn't help but be suspicious. At the same time, she heard a familiar voice from right next to her.

"Is everything alright Lelei?"

Tuka had noticed the oddness of her friend.

The young mage simply nodded." Yes, I am fine." She smiled, before taking a deep breath.

Then suddenly the long-awaited announcement was heard just as the vehicle finally halted.

"Alright people! Let's unload the goods...We are finally here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As it turned out, the location was unexpectedly a bit more welcoming than they expected.

Gone were the thoughts of slum areas or poor villagers leaving in old and unmaintained houses. Was it because of how the officials had described the place through their own personal opinions?

The official Principality envoy carriage had escorted the LAVs to the backyard of an antique worship temple in the center of a humble township.

The open backyard itself was spacious enough to host a huge number of tents and was surrounded by rows of adobe-style buildings where the majority of the locals lived. There were also makeshift businesses and tiny lots converted into parking spots for the numerous carts, carriages, and wagons.

The primary attraction was a large field with a massive tent that stretched into the distance. A number of long tables were set up, and many people gave various goods to help the poor and needy.

There were also long lines that grew since dawn and volunteers and numerous guards were helping each other to keep the process organized. In the middle of it, a man and woman in their mid-to-late thirties stood in the growing crowds assisting the others.

The presence of LAVs would soon attract most of their attention but instead of being frightened, their own curiousity reigned which would soon turn into excitement.

"It's the Men in Green!"

A little elf boy from the crowd exclaimed.

By that then, cheers erupted and the recon members raised their eyebrows in surprise.

They weren't expecting to get this kind of treatment.

"So we are rockstars now?" Shino remarked as several groups of children approached them.

"No, I think we're heroes." Kurata then said causing the others to glance at him.

It was quite true.

The recon team continued on with their mission as they unloaded the boxes from the vehicles while Sergeant Kuwahara and a single official went up to meet the two organizers of the event.

"Good day, Nobles of Grantham, We apologized for being a bit too late, but I supposed here we are with the rest of the new partners." The Qua-Toyne official then explained, presenting the new arrivals.

It was then Sergeant Kuwahara stepped in and introduced himself.

"We are pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan." He greeted them firmly and with respect.

The only thing to which he received was a smile.

"Oh, we heard about you and we are delighted by your presence." Elizabeth then said.

The Japanese Sergeant paused for a moment to think.

"We're informed that you're here to provide donations?" Ernest had remarked.

The Man in Green simply nodded." Not just donations but medical care and assistance to these people as well.

"We'll do everything we can to help you all." He added.

The two nobles smiled and nodded in understanding. They have now personally seen the rumored horseless carriages and they were looking forward to how they help people. Yet, amongst all that, they appreciate what these people were doing.

"Well...Shall we begin?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Just like that, she unknowingly became part of the event.

Some may call it a little frustrated since she had a goal to pursue and she wanted to proceed it with. If given the chance, she would have continued the mission on her own.

It was very rare for the elf girl to get that little stubbornness. Of course, she was not that perfect of a person. Yet, it was the situation itself that had caused her to have a change of heart.

Now she found herself being one of the volunteers, distributing these goods to the good people of the area.

Goods that she also has to explain regarding its purpose.

"Alright guys, just keep your heads up and spread those smiles of yours."

She could hear Shino's voice emerging from the little communication device on her ear.

"Damn, I didn't know the JSDF were this hospitable."

Not too long, the other members began to speak

"Well, that's why we still can't lead the pack."

"Okay, who's gonna help me carry these sets of wheelchairs?"

As much as it brought positivity to the situation, the elf girl couldn't help but get bothered by her own thoughts.

Would it be okay if she could just ask that little permission?

"Thank you miss Elf Girl!"

Then she was brought to reality as a little girl joyfully exclaimed after receiving a box of goods.

Tuka unknowingly flashed a small smile of her own. She soon took a glance at her left to see the other Men in Green assisting the other villagers, mostly the elderly. As usual, the big men of the group had no choice but to give their time to the countless children that wanted to play.

And then there was Lelei, who was just beside her, interacting with the people. It was the first time she had seen her without the books and the magic. Very far from the quiet mage girl whom she had known for quite some time now.

She never knew that she had those qualities or was she just that forgetful?

Nevertheless, she continued to distract herself from the irritation that is pursuing her search.

"They could be anywhere here."

She remembered the simple words from the busty JSDF woman.

If she was going to search for them, then it would be tough since she had no leads or clues in the first place other than that they've resided in this place.

What does she know?

Go with the flow? No.

Pray and wait for a sign. No, she would not waste her time by just waiting altogether.

"Everything alright Tuka?" Lelei's voice rang through her ears.

The elf girl blinked as she was brought to reality. She simply nodded.

"Yes, quite fine.." She replied." It's just that, I've been wondering whether we should continue searching without their guidance."

Lelei simply understood." Don't worry, this will be over soon." She assured." Once we finished our current task, then they would let us continue our search..."

Somehow, the elf girl had calmed down for a bit and eventually decided to continue on.

At that very moment, she would then meet an unlikely person.

"Excuse me, miss...May I ask if you still have one of those chairs with iron wheels attached to it?"

This time a teenage girl stood in front of her. She had short wavy blonde hair styled in a bowl cut and she donned simple commoner clothes.

Like any normal girl that everyone would expect, but the difference was that she was of the same race as her and instead of the shy facade, the girl had a strong appearance. In addition, she was trying to not show her own impatience.

"I'm really sorry, I am a bit in a hurry."

Tuka blinked a couple of times." Oh, you mean those? Well...I am afraid that you have to-" She was then cut from finishing her sentence

The teenage elf girl then gestured to her to stay quiet as possible.

"Listen...Those guys over there didn't even attend to my concerns and I think you're the only one that can understand my situation." She explained to the surprised Tuka.

The latter nodded."Uhmm, to whom is going to need it?" She asked.

"It's for my cousin...You see he had his leg injury during a trip from his home village and He hasn't still recovered from it, that's why I hope if you could get me one." She straightforwardly pleaded.

Tuka could only stare at the mysterious sassy girl, still taken aback by her sudden appearance, a part of her continued to understand the latter and eventually, she felt that she was telling truth.

She smiled." Alright."

Taking what appeared to be a scroll, she then handed it over to the girl." The wheelchair is inside that scroll, you might need someone to unlock that seal and-"

"Don't worry, I can handle it." She grinned with delight." Thank you so much!"

But before she could leave, Tuka suddenly felt an urge to ask a certain question.

"Wait please!" She said." May I ask, What's the name of the village that your cousin came from." She could feel her heart beating fast.

A small silence followed before the girl spoke again.

"Koan...I think he came from that village from the northern regions."

"M-May I know his name?" Tuka stuttered in nervousness.

The wind blew past them.

Then she heard the faint whisper.

"Aldon."

She froze once more as the memories returned. Images of the Koan villagers walking towards the sunset on their way to the unknown.

Her world was changing once more, and before she realized it, the girl in front of her had vanished as she proceeded through the crowds.

"Tuka, do you copy? How's it going? We'll start the search in 10 minutes."

"..."

"She's not answering...Lelei can you please check if she's alright?"

Unbeknownst to her that some of the others were trying to check the situation, yet she could not hear what they were telling.

"Tuka, are you alright?"

Then it was the young mage's turn to ask.

The elf girl slowly turned to her friend with an enlightened expression and her eyes now brewing with determination.

Tuka then reached for the earpiece and pressed the button.

"I am very sorry, but I think I might have to leave for a while." She informed them." I found what I'm looking for." She added.

And not more than a second, she gestured for her friend to follow before leaving the premises.

"Tuka! Where are you going?" Lelei exclaimed as the rest of the recon members heard what she had said.

"What the heck is going?'

"I think Ms. Tuka left to find that village girl.

"*Sigh* Alright, Lelei please go and follow her for the meantime...Kurata and Higashi, go with me, while Hitoshi and Tomita, please cover for us."

Shino immediately started to give instructions.

"Copy that!"

The rest of them just followed.

As for Lelei, the young teen had immediately left her post as she followed her friend towards the crowds.

Only hoping that things would turn out for the better.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(Small Note: Play Never Surrender by Corey Hart while reading this scene)

Alas, this was her final chance as so to say.

Traversing through the crowds, Tuka was determined to find the mysterious village girl. She could only wish that her desperation would never emerged throughout all of it

She paid no need to the distractions surrounding her. The various voices of the locals, to the different emotions that filled the entirety of the place.

It was almost as if it was trying to eat her up.

For the first time, she found herself helpless as she looked everywhere for any clue or sign.

Yes, she did remember the latter's appearance, yet she did not know how to find her in the middle of the sea of people. She could have blended with them and disappeared forever.

Was this girl really telling the truth or what is just her imagination?

"Tuka, wait up!"

From behind, Lelei and the others were trying to catch up with her and because of a growing anxiousness, she failed to attend to their calling.

The elf girl had noted that she had not traveled this far from the back of the temple. She was already in an unfamiliar area.

The rows of old dwellings and still bustling streets had greeted her.

The environment was more relaxed compared to the previous places she had been to, yet the signs of celebration were still there.

She was at a loss.

For the first time, she didn't know what to do, despite the fact that she had overcome most of her previous challenges, that the smallest things could undoubtedly have a bigger impact, and as she was about to be eaten by the environment around her, something unexpected immediately brought her back.

From the crowds emerged, a small white butterfly that passed by the elf girl. Its presence had now caught her attention.

Tuka gazed at the beautiful little creature as it flew slowly around a certain direction as if seeking to guide her.

She moved her feet and followed it without hesitation.

She never gave up her focus as it was the only thing she had invested in.

She was soon led into a narrower street, and from there, she found herself in the center of a small circular plaza surrounded by the same two-story residences. In the center of the square, beside an old small fountain, where the teenage girl was currently standing.

Tuka came to a standstill as she struggled to breathe. The small white butterfly that had led her had vanished, leaving her to discover what lay ahead for her.

The elf girl then began to survey her surroundings in search of an important sign or clue.

And from a certain direction, a group of children emerged escorting what appeared to be an injured and frail-looking teenage boy, who was able to walk through a make-shift wooden crutch.

The children were carefully but excitedly leading him towards the elf girl on the fountain.

Tuka's heart had stopped for a second when she recognized him and his small smile.

She recalled that fateful day she last saw him, not knowing if they are would ever meet again.

She slowly took more steps towards the fountain and not before long she was a few distances away.

Tears were now finally falling from her eyes as she tried to muster up the courage to speak.

Then that very moment she finally said the name.

"Aldon!"

She exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear her. There were more curious and confused looks from the children and the other girl.

The frail boy widened his eyes as he immediately recognized the voice. He then turned around to finally face a person he hadn't seen for such a long time and had also missed dearly.

T-Tuka..." He muttered weakly.

At that very moment, the white butterfly appeared again, crossing their paths and finally bestowing its blessing.

The elf girl left her position and dashed toward her childhood friend. In a blink of an eye, she pulled him into a warm and tight embrace.

At last, she had finally found what she was looking for.

"I thought I'd never see you again."

It was this time that Tuka had let her emotions go as she silently cried on her friend's shoulder

The still surprised teenage boy who had accidentally let go of his own crutches had returned the hug back. Him, being more calm and collected, accepted her once again.

"I know..." He whispered as a tear fell down from his eye.

From a distance away, Lelei, Shino, Kurata, and Higashi had finally arrived only to be greeted by the heartwarming scene.

The others quickly understood what was going on as they decided not to interfere right away. Happy that their friend had found a part of her life.

"Well, I guess that's it" Higashi had commented." Mission accomplished, but nice try, it almost made me cry." He added, before shifting his attention to an unexpected reaction from a fellow recon member."

As it turned out, The small sobbing came from the busty Japanese woman, who surprisingly got her heart touched by the scene.

Like watching one of those romantic teen movies.

Everybody turned to face her, especially Kurata who bluntly asked." Shino, are you really crying?"

Due to that, the young woman frowned and gave him a look." What does it look like am I doing?" She then said with a bit of sarcasm.

As for a certain mage girl, a huge sigh of relief escaped her.

Lelei smiled as she was proud and happy for the latter, who had finally overcome her struggle.

However, in the midst of that she suddenly felt a tension in the air, and not before long, she would receive a sign of things to come.

"Save Her."

A faint voice suddenly called her and the mage turned to her right where a certain alleyway greeted her. Not long before, images of a little girl running for her life flashed before her eyes and it was followed by the spilling of blood and a lifeless body laying on the ground.

Witnessing these strange visions, finally gave her a reason to take action.

Without any hesitation, she quickly left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She ran fast as she could.

For a little girl, she didn't know how she had managed to escape from their clutches. Nor how she managed to escape that prison of a carriage.

As far as she was aware, things have gotten into a chaotic change, witnessing many deaths of people in the circus, the capturing of her father, and the complete take over of the unknown assailant.

There was no time for crying nor for any regrets.

Her life now depended on her current actions at hand.

"Over there! She's heading towards the alleyway!"

"Don't let her get away!"

"Kill her if you must!"

The voice of the guards that she once befriended and knew exclaimed as they chased her from behind.

The little girl gasped for her breath as she tried to find a way out. Fortunately, she was in the middle of the celebrations and the sea of crowds was the ones protecting her so far. Without them, they would already have caught up with her.

Along the way, she silently prayed for the Goddess to help her, find her a way to finally escape them for good.

In an unexpected turn of events, she would eventually find her saving grace.

Heading towards a specific narrow street, the little girl found herself in yet another crowded place as the street itself was filled with small-time vendors and merchants, but this time she wasn't looking in her direction properly, fortunately catching a glimpse of light blue hair.

She soon bumped into that someone, causing her to tumble to the ground.

"Oh, I am so sorry! Are you alright?"

The mystery person quickly rushed towards her and immediately helped her get up from the ground.

The first thing that the little girl saw was the light blue eyes of a certain teenage mage.

Lelei was concerned about the girl's desperate eyes and from that then on, she immediately figured that something was definitely wrong.

As for the little girl, she wasted no time pleading for help.

"P-Please we must get out of here! They're going to kill us."

For the first time, she cried.

Hearing her statement verified the latter's suspicions, and she spotted the group of men pursuing them at that very moment.

The mage girl promptly stood, knowing she had no choice but to confront the approaching threat.

Lelei gripped her staff as the orb on the top began to glow brightly as the magic came to life. From then on, she bravely faced the man while the poor little girl stood behind her.

The last thing that the mage girl did was confidently smirk.

If there was really an escape, then she will make one.

The wind grew stronger as the birds felt the tension and flew away from the roofs of every structure in the city.

A small conflict has emerged.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day had gotten so quiet right after their departure.

From the tower balcony, Ine observed the view of the Noble city, as she tried to find an inner peace right before she went back to the hellish task of keeping things in check.

She had ordered, to begin with, and she performed her duties very well.

The only thing that continued to bother her was how she was going to assure the head of state and the people that nothing serious was happening. In fact, it had been one of the Principality's Sole purposes of a thousand-year peace, first started by the elven ancestors until now.

She didn't understand how she ended up in charge of everything and that she had to make this through in just one day.

Her mentor was busy.

The colleagues she often trusted were not around.

The cabinet members and the Prime Minister Himself were all at important diplomatic meetings.

Even the elder elves, who weren't really doing much of anything.

Ine took one last deep breath before heading back to the control room in order to get an update on the Principality's aerial division.

Finding herself once again in the corridors, she immediately noticed the eerie silence that greeted her. Of course, most of everybody was all on their way to wage battle against the enemy and only several ones were left to manage the headquarters.

Passing by the room where the power of the siren resided, she failed to notice the magical seal which encrypted on the door as well as the member who had locked himself up.

The journey didn't take long to reach the main control room, and as she stood behind the door, she felt unease, since a part of her had told her not to go in for the sake of her own well-being, but her worry for her comrades won out and she eventually opened the door.

A few moments later, Ine was greeted by the expected sight of the wyvern knights closely monitoring the situation. But there was something amiss altogether.

"This is from Headquarters...What's the status?" One of the knights kept close contact with the divisions.

"All clear! Magnificent view of the fields and we are already."

"Understood sire, may the Goddess be with you."

Everything seemed to go well as Ine slowly approached the main area. She could feel this kind of nervousness that was growing and she could only hope that victory would be upon her homeland.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Remember men! We are here to fight and defend our homeland!"

Shouted by the Captain himself.

For Qua-Toyne!"

For many years Julius had been leading the men towards every glorious aerial battle. It was such a magnificent scene to be part of and every pride of a Wyvern Knight is born each time and renewed.

It was the largest reinforcement group ever assembled by the division, and it took careful preparations as well as studying the enemy's plan, even though how far-fetched it was from the beginning.

All credit goes to the informants who relayed the enemy's intentions and the unforeseen turn of events, which were all coming to fruition.

"Captain, I think this could be our chance to gain the highest blessing if we successfully trample those Saderan blokes!" exclaimed one of his officers and closest companions.

Captain Julius then gave the man a smile.

"Of course, we're all going to be for in fact, we are the kingdom's greatest strength." Another officer then boasted.

"Alright then, I guess it's a bet...The knight with the lowest kill count for a Saderan will lead every ceremony...and that includes memorizing and singing out the hymn."

Silence then followed, it was obvious that nobody would dare to do it.

"Oh don't be kittens! Accept the challenge like a man!"

"Fine! But you'll be the one to do it first"

Before every battle would commence, there would be these occasional light conversations for laughs. So to say that it had been already a tradition for them as this was considered a sort of mental preparation and readiness.

Every moment like this, they hoped that this won't be the last.

As the wyvern knights crossed the borders of the last town, one could see a familiar landmark of the bastion.

The tower that overseas the lands of Ejei.

"There it is! The General's Lovely Home." Uttered by another wyvern knight.

The Aerial Reinforcements were riding with the best confidence and the beautiful weather was just another blessing for them to get a good look at the area.

As they approached the infamous fields, their minds began to anticipate the enemy. Every eye was scanning the skies for any sign of a wyvern approaching them, but none appeared.

As they reached the fields, the silence continued.

They were puzzled and had thoughts that defied their expectations.

"Where are they? The Saderans?" A Wyvern Knight then asked.

Could this be another false alarm?

"Strange, our mage doesn't detect any trace of magic nor spirits." Another Knight remarked.

They were supposed to meet them right at this very moment, and speaking of other important things, where in the world was the scout that had kept them updated?

Right at that very moment, they were greeted by this flash of dark purple light and a thunderous sound was heard, not too long the missing scout finally appeared before them, what was left of him.

One of the Wyvern Knights had the unfortunate opportunity to see up close. Apparently, the scout's corpse directly hit his wyvern, but he was able to regain control. Although it did not survive a second time as a half-torn version of the dead scout's wyvern, it directly hit the Knight, causing him to depart from his group in a violent manner.

The others were taken aback, and before they could comprehend what had happened, another unfortunate event persisted.

"What's happening to the Wyverns!?" One of the Knights then exclaimed, finally being overtaken by his own fear.

One by one, their Wyverns began contorting uncontrollably and most of them growled in anguish and pain. Some began to vomit and released fire which accidentally caused a commotion.

"The Wyverns are falling!" Another one then yelled out, before he too also fell from his spot as his own wyvern gave out its life.

The Aerial Reinforcements found themselves, slowly falling downwards, as the Wyverns dropped dead like leaves. Along the way, taking their own riders, who were left speechless, with them.

The young man could hear every scream of his fellow knights as they fell to their deaths.

"Captain, what is happening!?" The officer then looked towards the head of the division as he was now overcome with confusion and fear.

Although, the older man kept silent as his mind went back to the powdered supplements that the majority of the wyverns had taken. It seemed that the plan had gone well and none of the men from the customs even suspected it.

The Principality's Wyvern knights tried their best to find any solutions only to fail miserably.

As their numbers dwindled drastically, another flash of light would be then witnessed by the officer.

"What in the world..." He trailed off as he widened his eyes in shock.

Right in front of him was a massive army of Dark Wyverns approaching in his direction. His body froze in terror as his eyes moved towards the familiar flag which was carried by a soldier of the enemy.

"Sadera" He muttered under his breath, before turning towards his superior.

"Captain Julius...is this a trap?" He asked, finally realizing the whole truth of the situation.

But before, he could fully turn to his superior, the older man then drew out a certain magical weapon attached to his belt and pointed it towards the young officer with a regretful expression.

"Always has been."

With that said, he finally pulled the trigger, releasing a small but powerful magic orb that directly hit the man's back.

The young officer departed from the world along with his Wyvern, who had finally succumbed to the poison as both fell to their own deaths.

Captain Julius could only stare at the young man with sorrowful eyes. In truth, he felt a little guilt for making the move but still, he had no choice.

"I am sorry..." He muttered under his breath.

By that then, his own goal had been finally accomplished, as he observed the Dark Wyverns of the Saderans as they headed towards their real destination.

The Noble City of Maihark.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"There was silence amongst the rest of the knights inside the control room.

Ine could not believe what she had heard. Her mind still struggling to comprehend the situation that had transpired.

The screams, protests of the wyvern knights, and the sorrowful yet menacing voice of the captain.

No one expected that there was ever going to be some sort of conflict and betrayal from within the upper ranks of the aerial division unless the plan had been kept hidden away from them.

How could the others have noticed the irregularities?

As obvious, it was indeed terrible news, and the question was that...

What they were going to do now?

The young captain began by determining whether the others were already taking action. But to her surprise, the vast majority of people did not respond immediately. The fact that their own friends and comrades were being killed did not cause them to react in a worrying manner or become distressed.

Then she began to realize soon.

Not a moment too soon, the man responsible for communicating with the division finally decided to take action.

"They're not answering...This is already a state emergency, We must alert the-"

"We'll take it from here."

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as one of the Knights pulled out a small crossbow, and pulling the trigger, it caused the arrow to fire towards the man's back.

Ine had witnessed it and tried to reach for the culprit in order to apprehend him but it was all too late.

The young man dropped dead on the ground and at the same time, the majority of the group drew their swords and surrounded the female captain.

"What's the meaning of this Gerald!?" She then demanded, while the man who killed the knight, calmly smiled.

"I thought you'd figured it out sooner." He remarked, staring at her with glowing purple eyes." But it's alright, and I'd love to see to it you'll understand why this has been done." He added.

Ine widened his eyes in shock, realizing that they too were a part of this. Upon further inspection, these men seemed to be in an emotionless expression, and the fact that they looked as if they were being influenced by something out of the ordinary.

"What have you done.." She muttered aloud, still shocked of the sudden and unexpected death of the man.

Gerald smirked." You see...Captain Julius had foreseen this." He said, walking towards her." Even with the strong sense of pride and a skillful aerial army like the Principality's Wyvern knights, they still cannot fully defeat the enemy."

"Where is your faith? Have you fully lost hope?" Ine frowned while still being surrounded by her assailants.

The man chuckled in return." What are you talking about? Of course, I'd never lose hope." He explained." This is still my homeland, and the only way to prevent its destruction is by allowing a peaceful takeover by the enemy."

"You let go of an irrelevant and hopeless future for the greater good of the people."

Ine couldn't believe what she was hearing. For how long they've been planning this?

Surely, their claims are bogus.

"So you would sacrifice the identity that you've been fighting for all these years for an Empire that is keen on enslaving people?" Ine fired back, as she would soon begin to work on a small escape plan.

Silence prevailed for a few moments.

"Don't worry Sadera, makes its promises," Gerald replied back with the same calmness.

"And as a matter a fact, keeping the Principality unaware of the current happening outside is a massive factor." He grinned.

"They may never know what had hit them."

The man then did a small gesture, instructing the others to relax for a little bit.

"You have every right to be shocked right now." He said as he reached forth his hand towards the woman's ear and took out her Mama communication device, and threw them away.

The young captain remained calm yet narrowed her eyes.

"But I must say, you don't have to inform the rest as it's all about the survival of our own being." He explained, gripping his fist." Unfortunately, someone is still guarding the Sirens."

Then the latter widened her eyes in realization.

"And you're going to finish him for us."

Just as the traitor was about to announce his next instructions to the guard, the young captain finally made her move. During that time, she had secretly drawn out a small rune from her pouch. With a small whisper of the incantation, she forcefully dropped the rune towards the ground and at the same time, the magic finally activated.

There was a small blast and flash of light, by then Ine had closed her eyes while the others did not.

"Ahhh, My eyes!" Gerald yelled in pain as held his head and covered his vision.

The rest of the men did as well and that gave the young woman an opportunity to escape but not before grabbing one of the knight's spears and using it to sweep their legs causing them to lose balance and fall towards the ground.

When she tried to escape, another knight, who had recovered quickly, made an attempt to subdue her but she immediately countered it by grabbing his hand and threw him down over her right shoulder causing one of the tables to break.

She finally made space for herself.

Knowing that this was her chance, she finally made her move and ran towards the door.

"Get her! Don't let her reach that room!" Gerald demanded as he and the rest followed and chased the young woman.

Ine, with a new goal in mind, ran as fast as she could along the corridors and hallways of the Headquarters. The only thing she needed to do is find that certain room and activate the magical sirens, yet, with the men still in tow, she had no choice but to participate in a game of cat and mouse.

Nonetheless, time is of the essence and everyone in the Noble City and the rest of the Principality should know that death and destruction is now upon them.

The Calm was fading and the storm was now fast approaching.

CHAPTER END.

AN: Hey there fellas! It's been a while, apparently, I'm pulled back to real life and got a bit busy. Though fortunately, I did have little free times where I could have the chance to write the chapter. Anyways, I just would like to congratulate DFMRCV for successfully publishing his original fic in Royal Road, and so far it's doing great.

So here are some of my thoughts regarding the chapter.

So as the title says...It is literally a Calm before the situation explodes. The characters getting ready for the big day and in hopes to finish it on a higher note. Of course, the aspect won't be complete if not for weird things happening behind the scenes.

You got the weird and scary guards, eerie atmosphere, and people, who seemed to be not doing anything when there's really something going on.

You also got the little scenes of a slice of life with Gordon and the gang, Tuka's final chance to find her long-lost childhood friend with the support of her friend and as well as the Recon team leading up to the big reunion.

Team Giselle discovering that unexpected twist that happened with the Circus (More of that will be explained in the next chapter) The Elder Elves with them finally execute their plans to restore the old order, while traitors within the ranks of the Aerial Division sell out the kingdom for the sake of their own families safety

Parna, is on her way to balancing out her own allegiances to the other factions and trying to figure out what she truly wants in life.

And many more...

So what would an Apostle like Rory do all this? Well...She already has a plan for that.

And of course, I apologized for ending the chapter on a cliffhanger. The chapter length had reached around the 27k-30k mark, (Because of character perspectives, subplots, and more scenes) so I had no choice but to splice it, or else, it would be tiring for the reader to read a chapter with a 30k words.

Yet still, the chapter will be part of the final phase of Arc 2.

With that said, Thank you very much for spending time to read the chapter, I really appreciate it! I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes since English is not my main language.

Thank you so much and Best Wishes!