["Grin all you fucking want."] Kiki barked in response to the galling grin. She pulled a great axe from the sides of her cloak that glowed and shifted colours in her left hand.

Launching the whip again, the conjured hands tried to shield Dylan, but it was no use. It smashed clean through the things; he barely had time to dodge, and the axe Kiki threw began to chase them around.

["Hmph. Seems this is the second time one of my lot encountered a surprisingly strong foe."

Kiki dismissed the talking, and Dylan, despite their best efforts at dodging and blocking, had no chance against such a flurry of attacks.

***

Wardi and the others could hear the ongoing battle in the distance. It was more intense than what they experienced at the castle. Even as they travelled further and further away, the booms and crashes still seemed as close as before.

Wardi was the first to point out, "What a battle that must be... I can't imagine how she was back in the day."

"Honestly," huff, "I had no doubts about her. My mind keeps thinking, if she's that strong, gasp, how strong is the current rank 1 to have dethroned her? and for us to have never heard of them still..."

Wardi felt a shiver down his spine; he'd thought about it before, and it terrified him more now than it did before. I have zero doubts that they are an absolute monster of a sentient.

The metropolis at the centre of it all, Eccles Ville, It was nearly an hour of running. before the trio even saw the walls of the central region's capital.

The sight of smoke and flames not far from the eastern walls and the burnt entrance dropped a huge bombshell of anxiety on the trio.

Lucy spoke up, pointing at the sights ahead, "What's going on? It's like the world is falling apart around us."

"It's hard not to notice the chaos happening around us right now."

An Entram was on fire with passengers screaming from the seating; Lucy began to cast an Aqua Art. The blue symbols rose around her, and she conjured a rain cloud to douse the flames. It wasn't as effective as she had hoped, though.

"Someone much stronger than me did this. Those flames burn stronger than anything I've encountered in a while."

"What do you think? Is there more fighting for us ahead? Wardi asked her, and she nodded.

"I can sense dark infusions in this. It's someone with a high wisdom stat. Look, the flames try to counter the water droplets!"

The trio watched as small little fire monsters seemed to link together in the flames to evaporate the water.

"My Art is only working because the caster isn't pouring any Lùth into their spell. But the level of the spell itself must have been at least two tiers above mine."

This doesn't bode well; I'm about to get fried for sure. Rhua thought about the prospect ahead with displeasure.

***

In the city of Eccles Ville, the less offensive types were taken down to shelters beneath them. Despite attacks which had been occurring on multiple fronts, there was an air of relative calm. Joe Scoff, the mayor, members of the city council, and acting heads of the guild gathered in a boardroom discussing the events at hand.

Joe was a gentle soul whose personality did not match his hulking grey-furred Felidhan physique. He barely fit in the room, both in height and in width. He spoke to one of his senior officials, Lawrence Robin. A Koanit trying to cosplay a Pinkdigo [flamingo] but forgot to stay on top of that root growth where his brown and white feathers had started to come through, "Tell me, Lawrence. What's the situation currently? Spare no details."

"Sir, it appears that we are being attacked by Mandems in the eastern walls, Gobheads in the west, and rogue sentients to the north."

"Outrageous." He scoffed, "Do we have any idea of why this has occurred? Why have such opposing sides joined forces?

"Bold of you to assume that, heh heh. There's no way those two sides would ever join together. The only things they hate more than us are each other." Curly of the Zooport counts was sent by Emcee to be the acting ambassador of the guild; his words were met with nods of agreement.

"But... that's not to say that at least one of those sides hasn't collaborated with the rogue sentients." Lawrence replied, causing a stir among them.

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"Why would rogues want to side with the Greys? They're nobodies in the grand scheme of things." Someone shouted from behind a crowd of guildies.

Joe spoke up in response, "They're easily manipulated, to be fair. poor, dumb and desperate. it makes you do the unthinkable when some poor parents just want to feed their child."

"Gobheads are more likely to sell the child than feed it themselves," Fawkes interjected.

"Mmm, I agree. So what do you want us to do then, Joe? This is quite the scrap. You're going to pay up well... right? Heh."

Closing his eyes and trying to calculate in his mind how much this is going to cost in the long run, Joe nodded to Curly after his money-grabbing statement.

"Do what you must. Any casualties, though, and I'll be docking the payments."

***

"Look at you..." "LOOK AT YOU SOOOOOO HAPPY. SOOOOO IN LOVE. IT MAKES ME SICK."

"Your Highness. Is something the matter?"

"CHERUB 101, BEGONE, YOU WORTHLESS SHIT."

SNAP

1 day earlier...

MC Horace Dillee and Norman had rejoined the roads leading up to the southern side of Eccles Ville. They tried to make up for lost time by taking advantage of speed potions Horace synthesised after managing to buy some ingredients in the mall.

Norman was relentless in holding a grudge against the trio for abandoning him still and certainly was making known how wronged he was.

"You really thought you would get away with this, didn't you! POOR FOOLISH NORMAN, THE MALTESE LAUGHING STOCK"

"Mate. It was a genuine mistake. We're not in the business of picking people up and then dumping them randomly." MC desperately wanted to give Norman a slap or twelve, but just like Horace, he felt the guilty pricks stab at him repeatedly.

Norman was really testing this, however. "Well, you could have fooled MEEEEE~ All alone in that horrible party shithole. Where the ex-wife and kids disappeared off to... I feel my heart crack."

I'll crack your bloody neck if you try to guilt-trip me anymore than you are currently doing.

As they reached the walls of the southern entrance. Dillee had picked up on something in the distance.

"Sirs. Have you noticed that random person over there?"

MC saw nothing, and neither did Norman, though that was because he couldn't stop his dagger stare directed at MC. Horace, on the other hand, did in fact see them.

"WHAT ARE they doing?"

"I'm not sure, sir. Though, they appear to be having a furious argument. Either with a wall or some sort of ghostly apparition none of us can see."

As the four grew closer to the towering city walls of Eccles Ville.MC was desperate to find some poor unfortunates to make his droolljillions of off. Horace had his mind set on buying new gear with his share.

Norman's insistence on not shutting up began to draw the gaze of the wall wailer.

Horace noticed it in the corner of his eye, whispering to MC, "Heads up." MC was too busy daydreaming, however.

They wore a set of white medical scrubs with a black lab coat. Though it was inside out, and they wore it the wrong way round also. A large rocket launcher-sized syringe was on their back, filled with a pink liquid.

"I DETEST THIS."

"Have you heard of a guy called MC?"

MC's attention was caught by the words, and he snapped out of his daze. "Huh, somebody asked for me?"

"The hills are alive!"

"Jam sandwich anyone?

"ARE YOU DONE WITH THAT REQUEST!?"

Oh no, what have we paired up with...

***

"Brother. All is coming to plan here."

"Amen to that, sister."

"Shall we join each other on the battlefield?"

"Hmm...well, I don't see why not, sister. It's been a while since the carnage has been seen directly."

Let's not overstay our welcome, though, brother; the gods will have their attention on the fighting before long."

"The gods will have to pick a camera to watch. Sending the Mandems to the Widdlewans and elsewhere was a great tactic."

"I thought so too... though it seems to be the one of Rising Dawn. Is faring even worse than his companion did against the colossi."

"No matter. A pointless sacrifice in the grand scheme of things. just like the clash in the eastern passage. Those cultists have kept their tails between their arses from fear, I bet.

***

Maelos had returned from his training in the far eastern desert, making his way through the grand halls and towards the recovery chamber.

He flung the door open to see Affilan, bandaging herself, staring into a mirror.

"Affilan, my dear. They did this to you?" His mechanical voice whirred with rage and concern.

Affilan turned to Maelos, speaking with him, she said, "I failed you and the lord. Despite my training. Despite my blessings. I was not able to kill enough. That fucking WRETCH OF A MAN hid many secrets about his person. I fear none but you may be capable against him, Maelos."

"I'll find him and claim his soul for my own at some point, my dear Affilan. Rest your head, heal those wounds. I've heard reports of much movement around the continent."

"Kaiser be praised."

"I relish in your praises of thy name."

Maelos and Affilan fell to the floor kneeling in respect; their heads touched the cold bitter floors, though only Affilan felt it. She enjoyed the frostbite it gave her.

"Fortune favours us, my children. Prepare yourselves for the road ahead."

"My lord? Have you discovered something in your meditations?"

"Are you not aware of the madness occurring across the central region, my son? Punish the agents; such a report should have brought you here sooner."

"Blame me, my lord. I am intentionally avoiding contact during my training."

"Hmph. Soon I shall have all the power necessary. To finally leave this wretched place. And our goal will be one step closer. The invaders have sent in the pawns.

Countless bodies will be ripe for my taking. A plethora of delicious energies to fuel the great trip."

Maelos had spent many of his years as the 1st, yet he began to question himself. For even he knew little of what the lords' plans truly were, and despite his position, felt it was not for him to ask, yet this time, he felt brave enough to do so.

With a deep inhale and an invigorating rush filling him with confidence he spoke to Kaiser, "My lord. Forgive me for asking, but what is this trip you speak of?"

To escape the gaze. A refuge in the boughs. For I fear not the darkness. But her dawn on the morrow. This path shall take us to the world rife with mourning.

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