They moved through the Safe Zone at a clipped pace, boots echoing across cracked asphalt. For Luke, coming back to this place stirred a strange sense of déjà vu, like walking through a fever dream. The same alleys, but now wrapped in tension instead of routine. At least, he thought, there wasn't an endless swarm of creatures this time — only the Midnight Wardens stationed at key points, hulking silhouettes lurking in silence.

Roy and his five soldiers kept close. Their nerves were obvious: hands trembling on weapons, eyes darting from shadow to shadow. Distant roars rolled across the streets. One closer than the rest made Luke snap his bow up, instinctively drawing a bead. Explosions rattled nearby blocks, but they soon realized they weren't under direct attack. Survivors were setting off distractions, pulling Midnight Wardens away from the crowded zones.

"They've gotten good at handling invasions," Luke said.

"Once Marshall was gone, it got easier to train people in simulated drills," Eleanor replied, running beside him with her bow half-drawn.

Ahead, Quinn split off to coordinate Haven fighters. The plan was simple: hold the creatures at bay and hand out Force Infusion runes to every survivor willing to fight.

Farther up, chaos gripped a street corner. A Midnight Warden was tearing through eight soldiers already on the brink. Luke and Eleanor loosed arrows in unison, both striking the creature's helm with a metallic crack. Ronan followed immediately, driving both fists into the monster and hurling it back with brutal force.

"Commander?" one of the soldiers gasped.

"Eleanor!" another recognized, relief in his voice.

"Finish it!" Ronan barked, pointing at the fallen Warden. "End it now before it gets back up!"

The soldiers hesitated for a heartbeat, then saw Ronan plant his foot on the monster's chest, pinning it to the ground. The helm split open, exposing part of its skull. Together they plunged their swords, tearing through the creature's hide until it spasmed and went still.

Blood sprayed across their armor. The soldiers stared at the group, eyes wide with shock and awe.

"Did you level up?" Ronan asked without missing a beat.

"Y-yes!" one of them stammered.

"Then help the others contain these things," Ronan ordered.

"We're not that strong," another soldier said, shaking.

Ronan glanced at Allison, who nodded.

"Use this," he said, tossing a handful of runes. Without waiting for a response, the core group moved on, leaving the stunned soldiers clutching the glowing stones.

Roars and screams tangled in the distance. Turning another corner, they caught sight of two more monsters battering a house. Beyond that, Bastion rose against the sky — their true target.

The group paused to take it in. Flames flickered off the walls, the Wardens' roars vibrating in their chests. Bastion loomed just ahead, its ramparts lit by the glow of ongoing combat.

"Every second counts," Mason said between breaths. "If we activate the mechanism, the Safe Zone stabilizes and the monsters retreat."

"But people are in the crossfire," Eleanor countered, loosing another arrow straight into a Warden's chest. "Can we even guarantee we'll end Bartholomew quickly enough?"

"Can you help the civilians?" Allison asked her.

Eleanor met her gaze without flinching. "Of course."

Allison looked to the others. "Do we split the group or not?"

"I vote yes," Roy said instantly.

Luke narrowed his eyes at him for a long second, suspicion flickering there.

"You don't have to split up," Eleanor said firmly. "I can handle support on my own. As an archer I can back up the Haven fighters and the soldiers, take down the Wardens. You all know I'm more effective than most. If we do it this way, we strip Bartholomew of his biggest advantage. You're the ones risking your necks inside, not me out here."

Her gaze flicked to the Wardens. "Besides, I haven't hit the peak of my rank yet. If I kill a few of them, my race regeneration will restore my HP and mana. I can catch up with you after."

Another explosion thundered a few streets over, a fireball lighting the night sky. There was no more time to argue.

"Then you'd better catch up fast," Luke said, adjusting the bow on his shoulder.

Eleanor drew another arrow from her quiver and gave a crooked smile. "Don't worry. Just don't die, idiots."

Before anyone could reply, she was already sprinting toward the two Wardens, her bow glinting in the firelight. The rest of the group turned back toward Bastion without a word.

***

With every stride, the streets narrowed, cracked and littered with debris. Luke checked his quiver through the system interface.

[Arrows in Quiver: 19/20]

He'd left the twentieth arrow unmade on purpose. Five mana points could be worth too much — a second of Wraith Form or a heartbeat of Demonic Predator Hands. Every point of mana was sacred now.

As they neared Bastion's walls, Luke spotted the massive double gates thrown open, a suspicious invitation.

"The fortress's main building is sealed," Roy called, lengthening his stride. "Commander Ronan, we're going to have to climb."

Luke raised an arm, signaling the group to stop. Roy and his soldiers obeyed, confused.

"What are you doing?" Roy protested. "If we don't activate the mechanism soon, innocent people will keep dying."

Luke's eyes narrowed. "How did you get out of the fortress if it's sealed?"

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The soldiers exchanged uneasy looks. Luke drew an arrow and leveled the bow at Roy's head.

"What the hell are you doing?!" one of the soldiers barked, while Roy swallowed hard.

"Answer or die," Luke said, voice cold, bowstring taut.

"Luke!" Ronan snapped. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"You've got two seconds," Luke warned.

"I left before it was sealed!" Roy blurted, panic creeping into his voice.

Luke didn't lower the bow. "Yeah? Then how did you know it was sealed at all?"

Roy gave a thin, strained smile just as Ronan stepped in front of Luke, trying to block him.

Suddenly, all five soldiers slammed their hands to the ground. A blue glow flared beneath their feet, the pavement rippling like cloth. It coiled around them like serpents, dragging at their legs. Luke felt the ground give way, sucking him down.

"Tailoring has its perks!" Roy shouted, leveling a crossbow at the group.

Before he could fire, a shadow burst from Luke's body, spinning with a blade.

[Princess Charlie has slain a…]

The scream cut the air.

Evangeline tore free of the cloth snare and lunged with her spear, impaling one of the soldiers. Allison drew her sword, and Luke loosed his arrow straight at Roy.

[You have slain a Human…]

[+1 Soul Fragment acquired]

In seconds, the ground was carpeted with bodies. Roy lay sprawled with his crossbow at his side. Ronan stood frozen, eyes flicking between the dead, unable to process the sudden slaughter.

Luke exhaled slowly and checked his arrow count.

[Arrows in Quiver: 18/20]

He slung the bow across his back and drew the twin kukris from his inventory, the scent of scorched cloth still rising from the ground. Ahead, Evangeline's raven landed with a sharp caw.

"Past the gate, there's a group hiding," she reported.

Ronan turned to Luke. "H-how did you know? Since when?"

Luke kept his eyes fixed on the fortress. "In a place like this, I've learned to expect the worst. I had Evangeline watching from the moment we left the Safe Zone."

They'd been bracing for an ambush since the second Safe Zone. The mechanisms had told them something was wrong. Bartholomew's trap had been obvious for anyone willing to see it.

"We're out of time," Mason cut in, breaking the silence. He dashed toward the open gates in a blur, dust spiraling in his wake. Passing under the arch, he spun and hurled two fireballs. Explosions tore across the courtyard, flushing soldiers from behind the walls.

The group surged forward through the chaos. Luke crouched, retrieving the arrow he'd fired at Roy. It was less damaged than the one he'd used to shatter the Midnight Warden's helm.

[Arrows in Quiver: 19/20]

He flicked a glance at his mana bar.

[Mana Points (MP): 832/5100]

A little had regenerated on the way here.

Straightening, he drew and loosed at a soldier trying to rise from the blast zone.

[Arrows in Quiver: 18/20]

The man dropped to his knees, bleeding out. Luke didn't hesitate, driving a kukri into the exposed throat to finish the job.

[You have slain a Human…]

[+1 Soul Fragment acquired]

There had been eight soldiers in the courtyard. Within moments, all of them were down. The group kept moving, cutting across the open space toward the main building. Watchtowers stood eerily empty, doors and windows sealed. The enemy had gathered inside.

"The door's locked," Allison said, pressing her palm against it.

Arrows hissed from the balcony above. Princess Charlie raised a spectral barrier, the bolts ricocheting off the translucent field as the group pushed forward. Ronan drew back a fist, ready to smash the entrance.

"Wait," Luke murmured. "You're not seriously going through the front door, are you?"

"It's the only damn door," Ronan growled, ducking as another arrow whistled past.

Luke took a breath, pulled an arrow, and fired upward.

[Arrows in Quiver: 17/20]

One of the archers toppled off the parapet.

[You have slain a Human…]

[+1 Soul Fragment acquired]

The other slipped back into the shadows above.

Wish I had that acid arrow now, Luke thought. Would punch a hole through the door and let me fire inside.

With no other option, he dissolved into black mist and slid beneath the narrow gap. On the other side the air was cold and heavy. Ten people waited — mages, archers, and warriors poised for a killing strike. Luke spread the mist wide, enveloping them before they could react.

"What the—?" someone in the formation shouted.

[Mana Points (MP): 771/5100]

Luke materialized with the kukris already in his hands, emerging right in the middle of the formation. The first blade drove clean through an enemy's back.

[You have slain a Human…]

[+1 Soul Fragment acquired]

In the same motion he hurled the second kukri. It struck another fighter square in the neck.

[You have slain a Human…]

[+1 Soul Fragment acquired]

The door burst inward with a crash as Ronan barreled through, shield raised. Earthen spells shot toward the entrance, but Ronan pushed forward, the shield deflecting the barrage as he smashed through the front line.

Luke closed on another target, slashing the man's throat open with a single cut.

[You have slain a Human…]

[+1 Soul Fragment acquired]

Princess Charlie sprinted forward, her shield flowing into the shape of a blade. With one smooth strike she skewered a warrior.

[Princess Charlie has slain a…]

Allison blurred into a dash, katana flashing as she dropped two at once. Evangeline's spear hissed through the air and found its mark in another.

"Everyone holding up?" Allison called back, blood speckling her cheek.

"Better than ever," Evangeline replied without missing a step.

Footsteps echoed behind them. The group spun, weapons up. A squad of ten armed figures entered — Quinn at their head.

"The soldiers are handling the monsters with the Force Infusion runes," he reported. "Eleanor's hunting the Wardens one by one. You need backup here?"

"Would've been nice a few minutes ago," Evangeline muttered, wiping her spear as they pressed deeper into the hall.

Princess Charlie moved in close behind Luke, guarding his back.

"Not much security for a place like this," Allison remarked. "Twenty fighters total counting the balcony archers?"

"There should've been what, 60 people in Kruger's ambush?" Luke asked. "That's how many Bartholomew managed to convince to stay in the tutorial, not counting the bandits in our fortress. Even so, it's a lot, around 150 people."

They reached a cross corridor. Footsteps approached from ahead. Weapons rose, tension tightening the air. Around the corner stepped a maid.

"Stop," Ronan ordered, hand raised. "It's my fiancée."

"My dear," he began softly, "they're here to help. We've come to activate the—"

The woman lifted her hand before he could finish.

"Lady Erza has invited only Allison Rhiannon's core party to see her. If anyone else advances, she'll take it as a threat."

The group exchanged glances. Allison stepped forward.

"Is it allowed for part of our team to search the prison? Some of ours were captured."

The maid's face didn't change. "As long as they don't try to sneak through Bastion toward the mechanism, they're free to go. But if anyone strays, we'll know."

Allison glanced at Quinn. He understood, leading his squad down a side passage and out of sight.

The maid turned and walked ahead with measured steps, as though the chaos outside didn't exist. Only Luke, Allison, Ronan, Evangeline, and Charlie remained. The corridor was silent except for their careful footfalls on stone.

They followed, trading wary looks but not daring to rush. Allison motioned for quiet.

"Do you know what Lady Erza wants?" Ronan asked softly. The maid didn't turn.

"Lady Erza only wishes to speak with Allison Rhiannon's group," she replied in the same flat tone.

The walls narrowed as they advanced, stone blocks clogging the side passages. It was a deliberately guided path. When they reached a door, the maid opened it.

Inside, seated in a velvet chair with a black dress spilling to the floor, was Erza Grimhart, sipping slowly from a glass of wine.

"Hello," she said, eyes fixed on them. "It seems our stories have finally converged."

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