BREAKOUT ARC:
The Five Angels & Three Shadows
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The three mounted their horses and resumed the journey to Greenhill Village. After the incident on the cliff road, G6 permitted no further stops, yet the delay ensured their arrival in deep darkness.
They reined in their mounts at the village entrance.
"It appears we must lodge here for the night," Zen observed.
"Why?" G6 asked, her stare as cold as the deepening dusk.
"The hour is late, my lady," Edmund interjected.
"I told you not to call me that." G6
"Forgive me. I find it disrespectful to address you so familiarly, even by an alias." Edmund
"Hmm. Then you two will address me as Captain. That will suffice?" G6
"It will, Captain," Zen answered. Edmund gave a firm nod. "This village seems unusually lively, however."
"I can feel outsiders," G6 stated.
"You can tell?" Zen's curiosity was piqued.
"Yes. I can sense the tension in the natives here."
"How?" Zen
G6 turned to him, her patience visibly thinning. "Because I can use the wind," she answered with a sharpness that made Zen fall silent.
"Let's go." G6 urged her horse forward at a slow walk, the two men falling in behind her.
They were nearing the village's edge, where the source of the lively chatter emanated, when Zen spoke again. "We must not approach."
"Are those the knights bound for the capital?" G6 had already assessed the distant figures. "There's quite a bunch of smug."
"It seems they are stopping here for the night," Edmund confirmed.
"Should we stay within the forest?" G6 asked.
"That would be wisest. We shall meet with the village chief tomorrow for his seal on the completed task," Edmund agreed.
The three pivoted their horses into the thick of the forest, carefully avoiding the possibility of encountering the resting knights' encampment.
However, a presence not far from their trail had already observed them.
"Hmm. Who might those three be?" a man whispered into the darkness.
"I do not know. But it feels as though they are actively attempting to avoid us."
"Do you believe them to be a threat? Perhaps, mercenaries?" another man asked.
"Impossible to tell. They are heavily covered by those cloaks. Remain vigilant, and inform Captain Kepler of these suspicious subjects," the first man ordered.
"I understand, Vice Captain Cortez."
G6 and her team established their camp deep in the forest, ensuring they maintained a secure distance from the village.
"Did you store water from the river?" G6 asked Edmund, who was now tending to the horses.
"Yes, Captain. It is better to be prepared than regretful," Edmund answered.
"You possess a collection of utterly weird things in your vault. You are truly not merely a butler," G6 commented nonchalantly, sipping a cup of the tea Edmund had brewed.
"Being a butler is etched into my very soul," Edmund replied with formal sincerity.
"Yeah. What a nerdy thing to say," G6 muttered.
"What do your own vault holdings consist of, Captain?" Zen asked, also drinking his tea.
"My two swords," G6 answered, a statement that caused Zen and Edmund to lean in slightly, anticipating more. "All I require is my weapon," she continued, shattering their expectation.
The two simply nodded. After a while, Edmund proceeded to reheat the rations—two torpedo-shaped rolls—and sliced them in half. While Edmund and Zen split one torpedo, the other two halves were allotted to G6.
"Alistair's cuisine is truly the finest," Zen remarked while eating.
"Indeed. It is said the surest path into a person's heart is through its stomach," Edmund observed.
"What a stupid thing to say," G6 retorted. "Is that why Janin married that ill-tempered old man? I truly do not comprehend the workings of people's brains."
"Captain speaks as though she is not, in fact, a person," Zen murmured quietly to Edmund.
"Ah. That is correct, you do seem remarkably different from your persona as Zero," G6 noted. "Your personality as Zero possessed quite a loud mouth."
"Unlike you, Captain. You have become colder than the Northern Region itself," Zen parried, referring to the perpetually winter-locked lands.
"Is that so? That must be why I enjoy the sight of blood; you see, it is warm," G6 remarked, a statement so chillingly casual that Zen immediately choked on his food.
The blunt, brutal comment instantly reminded both men of the carnage from earlier. Edmund immediately provided water, and G6 smirked, the brief fear flashing in Zen's eyes serving as a satisfactory dessert for her palate.
"That is correct, your hair is seafoam green, is it not? How is it now this shade of sage?" G6 asked, shifting the subject as if she had not just said something profoundly disturbing.
"It is due to the magical tool I am currently utilizing," Zen answered, still coughing slightly.
"Hmm. Is my hair color common?" G6 asked. I've noticed it's quite rare. Haven't seen anyone with the same shade at all.
"The truth is, no. Your hair color, Captain, is a signature trait of the Duchess Worthon's family," Zen answered. "However, it has been widely imitated by other nobles and commoners, so there are many 'fakesies' throughout the Empire."
"That is a relief then," G6 replied. "Then I suppose I must simply keep my shades on."
That is right, she thought. The grey eyes were the signature of the Worthon bloodline and could not be imitated by mere magical tools or chemical dyes.
"Do you not feel blinded by them? You have kept them on since darkness fell, Captain," Edmund inquired, concerned.
"Ah. I have been employing my Perception skill since we arrived. And I must say, this body is finally beginning to show its use," G6 said, a faint hint of pride in her voice.
G6's body was rapidly becoming accustomed to her skills. Without the rigid mana restraint imposed upon it, she could manipulate her abilities at will and at the right amount, and the resulting fatigue was no longer unbearable—in fact, it felt little more than muscle soreness now. The only thing G6 truly needed to master was the one affinity the Queen had forbidden her to use: Cryomancy.
The three continued talking of staffs and magic tools, G6's curiosity piqued as she plotted a future project, weighing which of her current pawns could manage it… or which new pawn she might need to coax into crafting the weapon she missed most.
In the midst of their conversation, the calm night air shifted, becoming heavy and grim with a sudden, ominous aura.
"Hmm. Could it be the dogs?" G6 asked, referring to the wolves they were tasked to eliminate.
Echo Trace.
The winds under her command scouted the source of the oppressive feeling. It was not far. There were movements, but they were… indistinct.
"I cannot discern if it is them. Furthermore, I cannot accurately gauge their number or movements," G6 admitted.
"They must be traveling as a full pack," Edmund said, already beginning to clean and secure their used implements.
"Ah, that is correct," G6 said. "You two, memorize this code, and use it at all times. Code Blue: if you sense an enemy presence. Code Red: if we, or you, are in a disadvantageous situation. Code Black: if your opponent is too strong for you to face."
"Understood," the two replied immediately.
"Utilize military time to communicate direction during the mission," G6 instructed. This world does not use military time, she thought. This will serve as a secure secret code between us.
"What is this, Captain?" Zen asked, perplexed.
"It is simple. The time here only revolves between 01 and 12. But we shall use the hours between 13 and 24," G6 explained, confusing them further.
"Do you lowly not employ the military time tactic in battle?" G6 asked, incredulous.
"No," Zen answered. "We only use, 'behind you,' 'at your back,' or 'beside you.'"
"Are you stupid?" G6 asked with exasperation. "Well, you will use it now. And we shall employ my time system for security. Do you understand?"
"We understand," the two answered simultaneously, surrendering to G6's bizarre, yet functional, codes.
"Good. Now, let us proceed to investigate the source of that disgusting aura. And be cautious; I believe there is a reason why my wind cannot precisely detail their number or movements," G6 warned.
The two nodded in comprehension, pulling up the hoods of their cloaks. As Zen extinguished the campfire and Edmund secured the horses, G6 led the way toward the direction of the ominous presence.
—-<><><>—-
Perception Skill. Whisper of Gale. Echo Trace.
G6's eyes, sharp behind her darkened lenses, traced the surrounding gloom as she flowed through the canopy. She moved between the high branches with a predator's silent grace, utilizing Whisper of Gale to carry her hushed commands to the two men and Echo Trace to map the erratic movements of their quarry below. In her old body, such sustained, multi-layered exertion would have been impossible. Now, it felt like child's play—a whisper of wind wrapped around her feet to cushion each leap from one towering tree to the next.
They moved faster, deeper—they were like shadows cast by three predators moving through the forest canopy. Soon, the ominous aura grew stronger.
"This path leads directly to the village," Edmund observed, his voice a thread carried by G6's wind.
"Could it be...?" Zen murmured, a question hanging heavy in the air.
"This is unusual. They are indeed descending toward the village," Zen noted. "But wolves are not typically this aggressive unless starving."
"They also behave suspiciously," Edmund added. "They seem to be drawn toward something specific."
"Do these villages possess a teleportation tool?" G6 asked, seeking tactical information.
"Not all. It depends on their proximity to a major town. The five villages bordering this capital region do not," Zen explained.
"I see. The forest itself feels… normal." G6's voice was analytical. "Could their natural prey be gone?"
"That is one possibility," Zen conceded.
"What is your order, Captain?" Edmund asked.
"Let them proceed," G6 said, a faint, cold smile in her tone. "There are knights present, after all. I am… curious."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Zen murmured.
"I can sense traces of magic upon those pups. I wonder what exactly it is," G6 mused. "Let us move."
They moved again, following from above the pack of wolves that were rapidly moving down the slope toward the village.
When the wolves neared the village, they became immediately aggressive; their eyes turned a horrifying crimson, and they ran like rabid dogs.
"Hmm. At this rate, they may indeed consume a few villagers," G6 commented dispassionately, never breaking her rhythmic flight through the branches.
The trio stopped at the forest's edge, perched high in the ancient trees with a clear vantage over the village square. Edmund and Zen watched with palpable anxiety, fearing the imminent harm to the villagers and sensing the ominous magical traces upon the beasts.
When they glanced across at G6, a deeper chill struck them. She stood perfectly still on a thick limb of the opposite tree, calmly leaning against the trunk with her arms crossed. Her face was an impassive mask, but in the set of her jaw and the tilt of her head, they could feel it—a cold, keen anticipation. Her eyes, hidden behind their shades, seemed to drink in the scene with quiet, terrifying excitement.
G6 tightly controlled the wind around the village using Whisper of Gale and Echo Trace. The distant chattering of the camping knights and the calm voices of the villagers reached the three observers as mere whispers.
"A play without audio is boring after all," G6 commented when Zen and Edmund looked confused by her focus.
"They are nearing the edge," Zen whispered, the anxiety in his stomach turning into a coil of dread.
"Why are you so distressed? They are Knights. And nobles," G6 said dismissively, her focus never leaving the village.
"Captain, are you, perhaps... interested in their elemental affinities?" Edmund probed gently.
G6 offered a sharp, satisfied smirk. "You truly know me, Eddie," she answered.
Then, the first pack reached the village perimeter. A woman carrying tankards of beer to serve the knights shrieked in terror: "AHHH!"
The lively chatter immediately fractured into panic and fear. "GET INSIDE YOUR HOUSES!" one knight bellowed.
"HEY YOU! CALL THE CAPTAIN AND VICE CAPTAIN NOW!" another yelled frantically.
The wolves hissed, preparing to attack the men while other packs spread out, targeting catered livestock.
"Are you certain they are knights?" G6 murmured, unimpressed by the disorganization.
A few knights advanced, coating their swords with elemental affinities.
"Hmm. I observed some utilizing four elementals," G6 noted. "I was under the impression only direct descendants could wield such complexity?"
"Branch families can manifest them, but with far less potency. Second cousins are usually the limit, and their power pales before the main house's," Zen explained. "And the reason such individuals often become knights, not Sanctum mages, is that channeling their affinity through a weapon offers greater control than pure spellcraft."
"How tedious. This world really does run on pedigree," G6 observed flatly. "And look—that child just had his leg bitten for it."
They watched the knights struggle. Just when a wolf seemed slain, its form would shimmer and reconstitute, rising again.
"A resurrection spell," G6 diagnosed.
"Agreed," said Zen.
"Are we not going to intervene, Captain?" Edmund asked, fighting his instinct to move.
"Why should we?" G6 asked, her indifference absolute. "They bore me with their incompetence."
Then Zen's eyes widened in realization. "This is dire! It seems that every time they respawn, they grow exponentially stronger!"
"They are becoming more aggressive and are losing their innate, predatory instincts," Edmund observed grimly.
The Knights grew exhausted, struggling to keep the regenerating wolves away from the houses. "FUCK THIS! WHAT ARE THEY, SOME UNDEAD?!"
"DO NOT TELL ME THEY ARE MONSTERS!"
Then, an enormous Alpha Wolf walked out of the shadows, drooling, its eyes glowing a demonic blood-red. The Knights in the front row were visibly crushed by its heavy, oppressive aura.
The Alpha charged, sinking its teeth into one Knight's arm. "AHHH! FUCK! FUCK!"
The others panicked, pulling the injured man out of the fray. The fight with the wolves was about to restart when suddenly, waves of water shaped like blades sliced through the pack.
"Hmm. Now that's interesting," G6 whispered, a flicker of genuine amusement in her eyes.
She didn't even blink at the lost arm, but this catches her attention, Zen thought, a cold understanding dawning.
"Forgive the delay. We were investigating a disturbance. Report," answered a new, authoritative voice. Five figures had arrived at the village square.
"Those are?" G6 asked.
"Captain Kepler De Lune, Vice Captain Cortez, Lieutenants Libert, Thonson, and Nocturne," Zen identified, his tone carefully neutral. "Captain Kepler is Sir Keith's elder brother. The Vice Captain is a third son of House Cortez. Lieutenant Nocturne is from a tertiary branch of the main Nocturne line." G6 noted the subtle tension in Zen's voice as he spoke of the house tied to his father.
"And Thonson?"
"I thought you would know, Captain. Lieutenant Thonson is from the second house of Worthon. He is your cousin."
"Is that so?" G6 said, inwardly noting, Of course I wouldn't. Reise's memories aren't part of the package.
"They are colloquially called the 'Five Angels,'" Zen added.
G6 let out a short, derisive laugh. "Five Angels? Let's see if they can sing—"
Her words were severed by reality. A spear of pure lightning, cast by Libert, obliterated a cluster of wolves. As the beasts began their eerie respawn, a fireball the size of a cottage, hurled by Cortez, engulfed them. Thonson followed with a whirlwind that superheated the flames, while Nocturne raised earthen bulwarks to shield the vulnerable huts.
"My first time witnessing them in combat. They do live up to their reputation," Edmund conceded.
A ragged cheer went up from the exhausted knights as the wolf corpses remained still. Nocturne lowered his walls. The crisis seemed over.
"THOSE DAMNED WOLVES ARE NOTHING TO OUR FIVE ANGELS!" a Knight bellowed.
"Silence! Secure the perimeter." the Vice Captain barked.
A tense calm descended. Captain Kepler moved to attend to the grievously wounded man. For ten minutes, hope held.
Then the corpses began to twitch. Shadowy tendrils, black as void-stuff, coiled from the earth and wrapped around the reforming beasts. Their auras exploded, dense and suffocating, a palpable wave of viciousness that made the earlier threat feel like a childish prank.
"What in the hell are those?" Lieutenant Libert cried out, fear spiking in his voice.
"This is no jest. Their malice has intensified tenfold," Cortez said, his face ashen.
The Five Angels reformed their line. Libert raised a hand, gathering crackling energy for another strike. A wolf, moving faster than sight, charged straight for his exposed throat.
Time seemed to slow. A collective gasp ripped through the air. The fear in the knights' eyes was a tangible thing—the certain, grim prelude to tragedy.
It never came.
A cloaked figure materialized between Libert and death—a phantom from the treetops. A boot connected with the wolf's jaw, snapping its head back. In the same fluid motion, a blade plunged into its heart. The beast dissolved into black smoke, leaving behind only a cracked, crimson marble that rolled in the dirt.
Silence, profound and stunned, gripped the square.
The figure stood a few paces ahead, a statue of dark cloth and quiet menace. She raised a hand. Two more shadows dropped from the canopy, landing without a sound. Then they moved. They were not knights; they were predators. They flowed through the respawning pack with terrifying, efficient violence, their movements enhanced by pure, unadorned combat magic that spoke of a different school of war entirely.
"Who are they...?" Nocturne breathed.
"They are the suspicious subjects we were talking about," Cortez hissed to his companions.
G6 did not join the slaughter. She merely watched, a silent conductor, as her two men dismantled the pack with brutal grace. The Alpha, recognizing that its weakness had been found, immediately retreated back into the cover of the forest.
"You dare run from me?" G6's whisper was colder than the retreating shadow.
A sharp whistle cut the air—a fallback command. Her two hunters finished their work and melted into the darkness. Then G6 herself was simply gone, leaving nothing but a faint swirl of disturbed earth where she had stood. The others vanished with her.
"AFTER THEM!" Captain Kepler's command tore through the stunned silence.
Libert, Cortez, and Thonson broke into a sprint, chasing ghosts into the dark.
The Five Angels fought with glory—spectacular elemental spells meant to overwhelm and awe. They were knights in a shining line.
The trio fought to erase. Their movements held no flourish, only a silent, surgical finality. They were not warriors in the light, but the sharp, sudden dark that comes after.
The knights were left with the echo of violence, the taste of their own fragility, and the chilling certainty that the real predators that night had not been the wolves, but the shadows that came to cull them. The chase was on, but it felt less like a pursuit and more like moths being drawn into a greater, darker flame
—To be continued…—