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[Special] Rebuilding the Army

◆Two Months Since The Coup D'etat◆

It's been two months since the stunning fall of the Royal Army's once promising Intelligence Division and their failed coup d'etat. Currently, in response to their failure to prevent the rebellion by one of their own divisions, the army is undergoing a major reconstruction of their internal organization. To find how they intend to regain the trust of the public, we got a behind the scenes look at their reconstruction efforts.

◆Reconstruction Challenges◆

Under the command of General Morgan the reformation of all Royal Army units has been proceeding swiftly. However, even our decorated general acknowledges that rebuilding the chain of command will take some time.

The cause, we're told from an Army source, is that the I.D. unit's reach had permeated all levels of command, and removing that influence has proved to be quite the task.

◆The Road to Rebuilding the Royal Army◆

The Royal Army is determined to continue reforming whatever difficulties may arise. One such issue they face is lack of transparency. For national defense reasons, the organization of the military has been heavily guarded, but it was this very policy that allowed the I.D. unit to get as far as they did. One effort to blow fresh air into the rigid Army structure is the recent cooperation with the Bracer Guild. How much further the Royal Army can open up and still maintain the secrecy needed for security, though, is probably the biggest hurdle facing the rebuilding of the army.

[Foreign Affairs] The Queen's Peace Proposal!

According to reports from the Foreign Affairs section, the Erebonian Empire, Calvard Republic, and Liberl Kingdom have all agreed to enter into a treaty of non-aggression. Preparations are already underway to host the signing of the pact following the Royal Parliament's approval of the terms proposed by Queen Alicia. Will this pact be the guiding light to peace between nations?

◆General Morgan to Resign?◆

A change at the top of the army ranks seems in the air as Chief of Staff General Morgan indicated in a recent meeting that he would yield the reconstruction of the army to someone else. Signs also suggested that he will resign from the top post entirely once the army reorganization is complete. Eyes are on Cassius Bright, the general's right hand man, to take up the reins. We will be keeping close tabs on any further developments.

[Special] Ruan Mayoral Election Special

◆Two Candidates - Two Platforms◆

With the arrest of former mayor Dalmore, a new mayoral election has come to Ruan. Initially delayed due to the coup d'etat, it has now been officially announced. The two nominees are: the industrialist Norman and harbor master Portos. Both candidates have solid support bases and distinct platforms. Which will Ruan's citizens entrust with their future? Stay tuned!

In fact, no information has been released at all, due to army regulations prohibiting the dissemination of intelligence to the general public -- a policy that I'm sure we'd all like to see repealed!

[Promoting Tourism - Candidate Norman]

Owner of the Hotel Blanche and staunch proponent of the tourism industry. The core of his campaign is to 'invigorate tourism.' He believes that tertiary businesses are the future of Ruan, and he has many supporters who agree.

[Promoting the Harbor - Candidate Portos]

Caretaker of the harbor block and passionate campaigner for the maintenance of the port facilities. His platform centers around the reinvigoration of the harbor industry. Has the support of the harbor laborers and sailors.

◆Voter Opinion and Election Direction◆

Currently, public opinion is split. The north city blocks that run on tourism favor candidate Norman, and the harbor block supports Portos. With such clearly-defined positions, this election is shaping up to be very divisive.

As both camps possess solid blocks of support, it will be a battle of who can cut the deepest into their opponent's voter base. This scenario seems to favor Candidate Norman, but there's plenty of time for a turnabout, and it's sure to be a fierce battle to the end.

[Society] The Increasing Threat of Monsters

According to reports from the Royal Army, monsters across Liberl have been increasingly ferocious, and previously unseen species are roaming the kingdom. The cause of these changes is currently unknown, but theories range from septium vein fluctuations to planetary alignment and even solar abnormalities. The Royal Army is investigating, but caution is advised when traveling between regions.

[Society] New Chief of Staff Selected!

The new commander of the Royal Army has been announced as Cassius Bright. Promoted to general, Cassius Bright (formerly Colonel Bright) will be replacing General Morgan as chief of staff. Hopes are high for the reconstruction and future of the military under the guidance of this new leader.

[Foreign Affairs] Pact to be Signed in Liberl

The signing ceremony of the non-aggression pact will take place in the Liberl Kingdom. A central location was considered initially, but declined for safety reasons.

[Technology] New Model Tactical Orbments

The wave of change has not only come to the Royal Army but to orbments as well. The new model tactical orbments (as shown) were developed by the Epstein Foundation and are spreading quickly.

Improvements include the addition of a new slot, and while incompatible with standard quartz, it has been receiving praise from bracers and others for the new, powerful arts it enables. Factories across the nation are already geared up and eager to support the new model.

[Special] Ruan Election - Clash of Candidates

◆Conflict Between Camps Boils Over◆

With election day drawing closer, the race in Ruan is only getting hotter, and tensions finally boiled over into a near-brawl between supporters. Thankfully, the conflict, rumored to stem from an argument between camps, didn't come to physical blows. Debates are one thing, but we urge the candidates and their supporters to respect one another and reflect on this.

◆Candidates Need to Compromise◆

Behind the incident lies a deepening opposition between supporters. Some level of antagonism is, unfortunately, to be expected given the passionate platforms, but brawling is unworthy of any future leader. Reflection and compromise is the mature answer.

◆Saved by the Lute?◆

A mob of angry supporters on the edge of violence...calmed by the sound of a lute? It seems a certain musician was playing nearby. Perhaps music does soothe the savage beast.

[Society] Ghosts in Ruan?

'I saw a white shadow that danced in the night sky.' Amidst the furor of the election, ghost sightings like this became quite common in the region for a time according to reports. The Bracer Guild was sent in to investigate and determined the sightings to be a pointless prank. The culprit is still at large, but the equipment used has been confiscated, so citizens can rest easy now without fear of the 'ghost' reappearing.

[Foreign Affairs] Royal Villa to Host Signing

According to an announcement from the Foreign Affairs division, the signing ceremony is to be held at the royal villa. The ceremony is slated for the end of the month, and the army appears to be ramping up its security operations in preparation for the event.

[Breaking News] Earthquakes in Zeiss

Early yesterday there was an earthquake reported in the vicinity of the Wolf Fort. The quake was of short duration. No damage was reported.

[Special] Earthquakes Over

◆Zeiss Stops Shaking◆

The earthquakes plaguing Zeiss have finally ended, it seems. The Wolf Fort incident mentioned in our previous edition was only the beginning. The City of Zeiss, Sanktheim Gate, and Leiston Fortress were all hit by quakes as well, causing distress in the region.

◆Sudden 'Declaration of Safety'◆

However, not long after the earthquake at Leiston Fortress, a declaration of safety was issued by the Central Factory's Chief Murdock. Some concern was expressed at the statement, but as a practical matter there have been no earthquakes since. How such a declaration of safety is possible was explained by Chief Murdock. 'We determined that the earthquakes were being caused by special circumstances,' he clarified. These earthquakes, it seems, were being caused by underground septium veins, and that after analysis it was possible to state accurately when they had ended. The declaration also emphasized disaster preparedness for future incidents, however.

[Technology] New Model Engine- Finally Complete!

The new model orbal engine from the Central Factory is at last completed and has been revealed to the press. This engine was specifically designed for the cruiser 'Arseille,' and has higher output, as well as streamlined maintenance for field repairs. The new engine will increase the Arseille's cruising speed to 3200 selge/hr, over 4x the speed of an airliner, making it the fastest ship in the world.

[Foreign Affairs] New Engines Drive Peace

Samples of the new model engines referred to in our previous article are to be presented to both the Empire and Republic as tokens of the peace represented by this pact.

These engines are said to be the key to next-generation flight and such technological exchange is the promise made to those who promise to uphold the harmony between nations. Much is expected from Liberl's ace in negotiations.

[Society] Elmo Hot Springs Get Hot Hot Hot!

In the earthquake-struck Zeiss region, even Elmo Village felt the wrath of nature. Following a quake, their hot springs began boiling. The phenomenon ceased after a few hours, but it's thought to be related to some form of underground abnormality. After investigating, the Bracer Guild issued a statement that it was temporary with 'no likelihood of reoccurrence.' A possible connection to the quakes will be investigated by the Central Factory at a later date.

[Special] Ruan's New Mayor Decided!

◆New Mayor, Norman◆

The Ruan Mayoral Election is finally over. In both Ruan and Manoria, voters were out bright and early to cast their votes. The voting went smoothly and without a repeat of the earlier incident. Early voting was also in place for reserve Army forces. After polls closed and votes were tallied, the victor was declared as Norman, who secured roughly 60% of the vote.

◆Harbor Industry Also Critical◆

New Mayor Norman was elected on promises to promote the tourism industry, and after his victory he reaffirmed those intentions in an interview but also acknowledged the important role of harbor. For the new mayor, exactly how he responds to the harbor industry may be the touchstone for his ability to run the city.

◆Portos Prepared to Offer Full Support◆

Portos was defeated by a relatively small margin but has indicated he intends to cooperate with the new mayor. His consideration appears to be repairing the earlier division that arose during the campaigning. His experience with the harbor will be invaluable to the new mayor.

[Society] Signing Ceremony - An Event to Remember

The signing ceremony for the non-aggression pact is almost upon us. All eyes are on the capital as representatives from every country will be present. Thanks to public interest in the event, the city is experiencing an unseasonable level of tourism. Local businesses are screaming for joy at the uptick in traffic.

[Society] Royal Villa Gets a Security Boost

Yesterday afternoon, Security HQ was established at the royal villa, site of the signing ceremony, under the command of Lt. Colonel Cid of the Royal Army. There they will screen and monitor affiliated personnel and eliminate any monsters to ensure safety.

[International] The Crossbell Problem

Positioned between the Erebonian Empire and the Calvard Republic is the Crossbell Independent State, a buffer nation that has seen countless conflicts in the past between the two larger nations as they've fought over critical septium production sites. Since the last conflict, Crossbell has been recognized as an independent state, but recent expansions in orbal technology and the ensuing demand for septium might yet reignite tensions. Liberl is in a similar position, but while some may doubt the effectiveness of the pact, just having the Empire and Republic onboard is no small feat. The pact, therefore, is not so much a promise of peace but a basis for conversation; a conversation that can lead to lasting peace.

[Society] Threat Letter to our Magazine

A threatening letter was delivered to our editorial branch in the West Block of the capital. The letter demanded that we cease reporting on the non-aggression pact. The Liberl News Service immediately reported it to the Royal Army and the Bracer Guild. Currently, there has been no clear progress on the case, but an investigation is underway.

[Special] The Intelligence Division Resurfaces!

◆Former Captain Amalthea Captured◆

Remnants of the former I.D. unit once again shook the capital. Rising up in the harbor block, they took Duke Dunan captive and began an assault on the castle. However, after a tense battle involving bracers and the Royal Guard, their rampage was halted, the duke rescued, and all involved were arrested. Following Amalthea's capture, all central coup d'etat members have now been secured.

◆Biding Their Time◆

According to the Bracer Guild's investigation, after the coup d'etat former captain Amalthea's group had been in hiding in the abandoned Ravennue Mine. Seeing the duke's release from house arrest as an opportunity, they rose up again and returned to the capital.

◆Fox Falls to the Falcon◆

The former captain's force set off and set their plan in motion by activating a tank they had developed in secret before the coup d'etat. In order to use the tank in their plans, the former I.D. unit needed a high-output orbal engine, such as a new model developed for the Arseille. Amalthea, a.k.a. 'The Fox,' executed a successful plan to steal one of the new models from the harbor, and their uprising was well underway before a joint force of bracers and Royal Guard managed to avert disaster.

◆Giant Shadow Sighted - Related to the Case?◆

On the night of the I.D. incident, several persons reported seeing a giant shadow fly off from the harbor. As it's currently under investigation, the Liberl News was unable to obtain any meaningful info regarding it.

[Foreign Affairs] Pact Signing Ceremony Nears

A historic day approaches tomorrow. Guests from all over the continent have been arriving, and security preparations at the royal villa are complete. The weather for the day of the signing is forecast to be beautiful. The stage for peace is set. May the Goddess bless this event.

[Society] Threat Letter - Crime of Pleasure?

Threat letters were delivered to a number of organizations related to the pact, including the Liberl News. While a connection to the Intelligence Division was suspected for a time, as there were no specific damages, it is being viewed as nothing but a crime of pleasure.

[Society] Capua Sky Bandits Steal Own Airship!

The sky bandits, the gang which rocked the world with the Linde case, have reappeared after their escape during the coup d'etat. In a daring move the bandits infiltrated their old base in the Nebel Valley (currently used by the Royal Army), and stole back their airship, the Bobcat. The Royal Army is once again in pursuit of these slippery criminals.

[Special] Non-Aggression Pact Signed

◆The Pledge of Three Nations◆

It was a signing ceremony to remember. Under the watch of neutral party Archbishop Currant, Queen Alicia opened the proceedings with an oath of non-aggression. The representatives from the Empire and Republic affirmed their participation and became signatories. The pact now complete, the three nations have been brought to a new beginning thanks to the efforts of the queen.

◆International Interest High◆

While the Imperial emperor and President Rocksmith of the Republic were unable to attend, VIPs from each nation assembled in the hall, showing again how muattention this pact has drawn. Foreign news agencies also gathered, and this most international of affairs was christened with a storm of camera flashes.

◆New Engine Samples Provided◆

As a crucial component of the pact, samples of the new model engine were also provided to the representatives of the Empire and Republic. The queen extended her wishes for cooperation and again reaffirmed her stance that technology was something to share, not monopolize.

◆Future of the Three Nations◆

Voices of doubt remain that question the practical effectiveness of the non-aggression pact, but as our column has pointed out before, the value of the pact lies in the chance for meaningful conversation that it creates. Skeptics would point out that there are many valid excuses for breaking the pact. But, while this is certainly a possibility, what should be focused on is the path to peace that lies before us now thanks to the opportunity created today.

[Society] Rolent Region Covered in Fog

Starting yesterday morning and continuing throughout the evening, the Rolent region has been shrouded in a deep fog never before experienced in the area. The unusual weather has grounded flights and made travel within the region nearly impossible. Residents and experts alike are scratching their heads at the severity of the mist.

[Breaking News] Ancient Dragon Appears!!

◆Bose Market Flattened by Legend!◆

I doubt any words are needed for this edition. The photograph says it all. This is the dragon that appeared yesterday at noon in the City of Bose. The dragon flew in from the east then proceeded to 'land' on top of the Bose Market. At a length of around 40 arge, its enormous size crushed the roof of the market, causing it to collapse, resulting in injuries. Afterwards, it flew west to Ravennue Village and razed the village orchards. Following its trail of destruction, it took to the clouds and vanished. The Royal Army immediately restricted airspace.

◆Citizens Flee Damaged Market◆

Crushed by the dragon, the domed ceiling of the Bose Market collapsed and injured several persons despite the rapid response from nearby bracers. Some of the injured remain unconscious. The Market is currently cordoned off, and it is unclear on when, or if, it will reopen. For the emblem of the city to be so damaged has been quite the shock to every citizen.

◆Ravennue Village Grieves Over Orchards◆

The dragon's attack on Ravennue Village reduced the orchards to ash. As Ravennue's main industry, their loss is a terrible blow.

◆Queen Makes Emergency Announcement◆

After receiving reports of damage from across the region, Queen Alicia announced emergency support for the afflicted areas. The Queen also stated that in order to prevent further damages she would appeal to the Royal Army to respond to the threat immediately. According to persons within the army, a plan is already in the works. Currently, the dragon remains at large, and citizens will remain anxious until that plan is enacted.

◆Legend Vs. Reality◆

Dragons have always been described as moderate and intelligent in lore, but the destructive creature witnessed here seems a far cry from that idealized image. Specialists in ancient life confirm that the anatomy is the same, so what does this behavioral difference mean? As a being from before the Great Collapse, it's theorized that perhaps it may be confused by the change in environment. Regardless, the Army has been forced to categorize it as a threat despite the concern expressed by specialists.

[Special] Operation: Dragon Capture

◆Dragon Leaves Liberl's Borders◆

The dragon that appeared suddenly in Bose and caused damage to the region has been confirmed by the Royal Army as having left the borders following a failed plan to capture the creature. The border garrison is continuing patrols, but no further sightings have been reported since then.

The Liberl News is following developments closely as we report from the front line.

◆Full Details of the Capture Operation◆

The day after the dragon appeared, the Royal Army immediately enacted a plan to capture the dragon. Enforcing the 'capture' portion of the plan was Queen Alicia, whose respect for the holy creature shaped an operation using airships and tranquilizers to neutralize the threat by driving it to Valleria Lake and subduing it. Included in the operation was the Arseille, loaded with its new engine, plus bracer observers and your trusty Liberl News reporters.

◆The Failed First Capture Operation◆

After some time on standby, information came in that the dragon had been sighted above the Malga Mine. General Morgan ordered the operation to begin immediately. Employing skillful aerial maneuvers, the signature of the Royal Army, the airships chased the dragon to above Valleria Lake and shot it with tranquilizers. Unconscious, it fell into the lake. The plan initially seemed a success, but the legendary creature wasn't under for long and soon woke up, leaving behind the army airships meant to tow it to shore. The Army gave chase once again, but it was eventually lost on radar somewhere over the Nebel Valley.

The deep silence aboard the ship was only penetrated by the roar of the new engine echoing hollowly through it. The first operation with the full might of the air forces had failed.

◆Substitute Operation: Pursuit from the Ground◆

The operation believed to be perfect had ended in failure. However, the Royal Army immediately took to a new plan. The bracers who had been aboard as observers would pursue the dragon into the Nebel Valley. It was a decision that would immediately bear fruit, for, perhaps startled by the bracers' actions, the dragon once again took to the skies.

◆Dragon's Departure Confirmed◆

The dragon's reappearance was immediately noted by the royal forces, but the dragon only calmly flew out of Liberl airspace. In such a fashion, the case that had rocked the entire kingdom came to more or less an end.

◆Ancient Dragon - Possibility of Return?◆

Has the dragon truly departed? When asked about the possibility of a return, the Royal Army was unable to comment with any certainty. For the moment, they intend to enhance national air patrols and prepare for the unexpected.

 [Society] Donations Pour In - 10,000,000 Mira!

Donations have been flooding in for the affected areas in the Bose region. Amongst them was an anonymous donation of a gold septium crystal (valued at 10,000,000 mira). Needless to say, those handling the rebuilding efforts were quite shocked.

[Society] Bose Market Reopens

One week after the dragon attack, the Bose Market is back in business following a frantic reconstruction effort. Under the guidance of Bose's Mayor Maybelle, local merchants came together to make this speedy recovery possible.

'It reminds me of how we came together after the Hundred Days War,' said one local man. It seems the spirit of Bose is alive and well.

[Special] The Royal Army Reborn

◆Reformation and Change◆

The Royal Army, the same organization that in the past refused any cooperation with the Bracer Guild, is now engaging in joint tasks such as the recent dragon operation. It's clear from these recent efforts that fundamental change is happening, and Cassius Bright is serving as the central role and driving force behind this change.

◆Starting Point for Organizational Reform◆

In reforming the army, it's said that General Cassius has had one ideal in mind from the start. That ideal is the independent mobile force he commanded during the Hundred Days War. As indicated by the emphasis on independence, this unit was small in scale yet organized in a way that it could execute operations entirely on its own. Using the newly developed airships, these kinds of units were able to drive chaos into the Imperial lines by swinging behind them and dividing their troops. This maneuver is credited with turning around the war, and it was made possible by the small scale units and rigid cooperation between all branches of Liberl's forces. It's not hard to imagine that in General Cassius' thoughts these lessons weigh heavily.

◆Permeating Doctrine◆

The general's ideals are permeating through all branches of the Royal Army. The dragon operation serves as a good example. The Border Patrol, the Air Force... Regardless of each unit having their own chains of command, they were able to adapt to changes in the situation. On top of that, even after the operation failed, it's important to note that the commander present was able to request cooperation from the bracers, a move previously unheard of.

[Breaking News] 'Crimson Soldiers' Reported

From all across Liberl, eyewitness reports of 'unknown soldiers' wearing bright red armor are pouring in. Witnesses have taken to calling them 'crimson soldiers.' Some unconfirmed reports suggest they are using airships as well. The Royal Army is upping security, but recommends not being distracted by rumors.

[Breaking News] Royal Army Raises Alert Status

In response to reports of unidentified armed groups, Army headquarters has decided to raise the alert status. Distant military posts are reported to be shutting down passage on the roads in preparation for combat. Army HQ is observing the situation carefully, but also deploying troops from Leiston Fortress to all major cities. Information is difficult to confirm at this stage, but we urge our readers to remain calm and act responsibly.

◆A Message From the Editor-in-Chief◆

As you are no doubt aware, all orbments are experiencing an abnormal loss of power. This phenomenon appears to be nation-wide and is having a severe effect on both manufacturing and transport. Even our magazine has had significant difficulty reaching print. While this phenomenon is hindering our ability to distribute nationally, we will try to release in the capital at least. Additionally, information is difficult to confirm in these circumstances. We apologize for any inaccuracies.

[Breaking Story] The Kingdom Under Fire!

◆Monsters Swarm Urban Centers◆

According to the Royal Army, yesterday morning unknown monsters began swarming around all major cities, save the capital. Army units engaged the fierce beasts, but thankfully things quieted by evening and no major damage was reported.

◆Crimson Soldiers Attack Guard Posts◆

At roughly the same time as the monsters appeared, reports came in of crimson soldiers attacking guard posts across the nation. Defense forces, prepared and alert for combat, engaged the invaders. As far as we have been able to confirm, no guard posts have fallen. We also have unconfirmed reports of the crimson soldiers departing via airship.

◆Just Who Are These Red Invaders?◆

From their equipment to their armor and abilities, it is clear that the crimson soldiers are a highly organized and well-funded force. Their allegiance is a mystery, but the most viable theory suggests they are jaegers, a foreign mercenary group. The reports of airships at their disposal, however, raise questions of more powerful backers given the limited production of such vessels. The Bracer Guild is currently investigating.

[Breaking News] Mysterious Object Appears In Sky

Early dawn yesterday, an enormous flying object appeared over Valleria Lake in a flash of gold. The moment it appeared, across the nation orbal power seemed to cease immediately. While the two incidents are believed to be connected, at the moment that link remains pure conjecture.

[Breaking News] Orbments Remain Inoperative

With this Orbal Shutdown Phenomenon continuing, the government has called for citizens to prepare replacements. Lamps and candles are recommended for light while wood stoves and solid fuel for heat can work as well. The abnormality is not mechanical in nature, so repair is not possible. The situation may drag on, so citizens should prepare accordingly.

[Breaking News] Activity at the Ancient Ruins?!

While defense forces were engaged in skirmishes all across the country, the ancient ruins known as the Tetracyclic Towers were witnessed as having their roofs engulfed in what was described as a 'black sphere.' The towers had previously shown signs of activity following the Birthday Celebration when they emitted a mysterious light. Researchers are taking notice, and the towers are under observation.

City Under Siege - Crimson Soldiers Invade!

◆Fighting in the Capital!◆

Yesterday at noon, in a capital already crippled by an orbal blackout, fighting broke out as crimson soldiers plowed through Army lines and began pouring into Grancel via airships. Mysteriously able to use their own orbments despite all others remaining inoperative, the invaders easily pushed on towards the castle. It seemed almost certain the royal keep would fall.

◆Unexpected Reinforcements Appear◆

Just as things seemed hopeless an unexpected ally took to the field of battle in the shape of the former Intelligence Division's Special Ops. The same unit that had been dismantled for their treasonous action used the chaos of the attack on the capital not to escape, but to defend their homeland against the crimson invaders. With the arrival of these new players, the tide turned and the Royal Army was able to counterattack. Between the combined might of the Royal Army, the Intelligence Division's combat specialist unit, and bracers who joined the fray, the enemy was forced into retreat and the threat averted.

◆Intl. Criminal Organization Behind Attacks◆

The true nature of these crimson soldiers has been wrapped in mystery until an investigation from the Royal Army and Bracer Guild revealed the armed unit to be under the command of a mysterious organization, a 'society.' Given the sophisticated equipment of this group, it is believed that the society possesses significant technical leverage and funding, but their goal remains unclear.

[Breaking News] Heir to Throne Named!

In the first bit of bright news in a while, Queen Alicia held a press conference where she named her granddaughter, Princess Klaudia, the crown princess and official heir to the throne. Abbreviated ceremonies formally installing the sixteen year old princess as heir have taken place. We hope to overcome our current national troubles and make her future reign a bright one.

[Breaking News] Shutdown Phenomenon Solved?

It has become clear that the Orbal Shutdown Phenomenon is occurring not just in the capital but across the nation. However, Professor Russell, with the aid of the central factory, has developed a new invention called the Zero Field Generator that may open a path to a resolution. This device produces an orbal energy field that neutralizes the shutdown phenomenon and restores orbments within a few rege to normal operation. Production of these devices requires high level machinery, however, and mass production is difficult. The Royal Army and Bracer Guild have managed to restore communications at their bases using the available units, and we hope that this revolutionary invention will eventually alleviate more of the troubles caused by this phenomenon.

Chapter 1 - The Girl

The Calvard Republic.

There's a city in this country, a place where migrants from the East have recreated their homeland down to the bright lacquered tiles. Nicknamed the Eastern Quarter, it's a vibrant place, bustling and hot.

Orbal buses trundle down the main street lined with stands of fragrant Eastern cooking as the welcoming cries of sellers rise and fall over a crowd of travelers from every nation.

The place where the cultures of East and West meet. Yes, it was a place that wore that mantle well.

On the northern outskirts of that town was a little, run-down bar. Doubtless it had been presentable once, but now the plaster was crumbling and what doors were left barely fit their pitted frames. Of course, such a seedy place attracted the clientele to match. To the lawless and violent, it was home.

'Heh... Sorry. Looks like my win again,' muttered a low voice that echoed through the grimy room. The voice belonged to Jack.

He was of medium size and in his early thirties--a man in his prime. The frayed shirt he wore had seen better days, but the accessories adorning his body were of obvious worth. Much like the brilliant blue of his eyes, none of them quite fit someone like him.

Compared to the dirty, poor, and desperate thugs around him, he looked out of place.

Jack was always to be found at that bar gambling or sharing a round with the dregs of the town. Sometimes fighting, sometimes drinking, he passed his days in idle recreation.

As usual, today found him hunched at the bar. He'd been deep in his cups since early noon. It was the same as always--a day set to be just like all the others was stretching out before him...

...and into that familiar scene cut the shriek of the door opening.

A new customer stepped into that same old bar. But who was this new arrival?

It was a girl...unlike any other he had seen before.

Chapter 2 - The Offer

The girl strode into the bar and closed the door without turning a rege. There was no hesitation in her manner; clearly, her arrival was not happenstance. Her face was determined, but her confident entrance couldn't erase the lingering innocence of youth--even the best liar wouldn't try and claim she was more than eighteen. Dark brown eyes and hair suggested she was Eastern, but her nose and features made it hard to be sure.

The girl slowly walked forward.

With each step, her cute little knees peeked out from under the trim cut of her skirt. Her outfit was a design without any sense of decoration. It seemed her taste lay more along the lines of utility than style.

Maybe because of that, the Eastern symbol necklace on her chest couldn't help but look equally unremarkable. ...The lack of volume in that area probably had something to do with that as well. It would still be some time before she really 'bloomed,' so to speak.

An appearance bearing the signs of East and West both, and simple, unembellished clothes... The girl might have been the spirit of the Eastern Quarter made flesh.

She caught the eye of one of the punks hanging about almost instantly.

'Heh. Hey, little girly,' he slurred. 'Wanna have some fun with me?'

As he spoke, he grabbed the girl's wrist with one greasy hand.

It happened in an instant.

Her arm flew up, dislodging the punk's grip. Now freed, her hand disappeared deep into her skirt and then slid out with a mass of gleaming black iron.

She pressed it to the space between his eyes. He stared at the object for a moment before collapsing to his knees in fear.

It was an orbal gun of cunning make--a high-caliber Verne Company model. If she'd shot that firearm, the punk would have lost his head instead of his bladder. Needless to say, it was not your average self-defense weapon.

'It's the latest model,' she purred. 'Want to see what it can do?'

She was cool and calm, the barrel of the gun never wavering. Were she to fire, her aim would be perfect.

Overwhelmed by the girl, gun, or perhaps both, the punk couldn't move a muscle. Everyone else in the bar remained frozen as well. All eyes were on the girl.

'*hic* ...Hey, miss. Hate to ask, but could ya let him off with that?'

Maybe the speaker couldn't stand it anymore or maybe it was disturbing his drink, but the husky, sensual voice broke through the silence.

It was Jack.

Still planted firmly in his chair, breath smelling of liquor, he continued.

'I'm sure he's very sorry, and he's learned his lesson.'

As if in answer to it, the punk started nodding his head vigorously.

'I've come here to gamble,' the girl replied abruptly. She slowly lowered the gun in her left hand, her expression continuing to remain cool and detached.

'Sounds good. C'mon over here. Gimme everythin' you got.'

Jack's words had an immediate impact, not on the girl but on the gathered goons and hoods. They all shared a glance, each and every one of them, with the dirtiest grin you could imagine.

Chapter 3 - Challenge at High Noon

Jack and the girl moved over to a table in the back. Unlike the other pitted and sticky furniture, this table was smooth and polished to a shine and seemed meant for gambling. Without a word, both took their seats. Jack sat against the wall, and the girl faced him straight on.

The other patrons were captivated. Helplessly fascinated by the match, they snuck glances at the pair, ears straining to listen in.

The bar filled with fidgety silence.

The girl's game of choice was poker.

Jack accepted wordlessly.

After a brief exchange to confirm the terms of the challenge, they settled on bets. It was to be 100 mira a hand--not even enough to buy a beer--but Jack considered that fair for a match against a kid and said as much.

The dealer was the small-fry punk from before. Jack gave him a quick eye signal.

First hand:

Both discarded just one card.

Jack called and the girl stood.

Jack had two pairs.

The girl had just one. Jack was the winner.

'Haha. Sorry, little missy,' he drawled.

He raised his glass to her and downed the amber liquid in a single, decisive gulp.

Second hand:

Both discarded just one card.

Perhaps trying to look confident, Jack let out a big, clear sigh.

The girl called and Jack stood.

The girl had two pairs. Jack had the same. But the cards told the tale...

The girl's hand had the high card.

It was her win.

'...What?!' Jack exclaimed.

His hand that had been toying with the glass froze. Immediately, he glanced over at the punk who was dealing. The other man avoided his gaze.

'Something wrong?' the girl asked.

Her face betrayed nothing.

'N-No... Forget it,' he shakily responded.

Had she swapped out some cards? The game had suddenly taken on a whole new angle.

The look on Jack's face changed instantly.

Lightly clearing his throat, Jack put the glass back on the table with his left hand. Then, once more, he cleared his throat. The dealer, recognizing the signal, picked up the cards again. It was their code for 'Deal normally next round.'

Third hand:

As expected, each discarded just one card.

Jack called and the girl stood.

Jack's hand was...a full house.

'Hahaha! How 'bout THAT?!' he crowed.

With a flourish, Jack laid his cards on the table. The bar patrons snickered into their cups.

The girl set down her own cards without a word. ...Four sevens.

It was the girl's win.

The bar once again returned to silence.

Chapter 4 - The Daughter

Ultimately...it was the girl's win.

The silence in the bar was punctuated only by the sounds of a raucous argument out on the street.

'Heh heh... Hahaha...'

Holding back the laughter bubbling up, Jack asked the girl a question.

'Hey, missy...where, oh, where, did you learn to be this good?'

The girl made no reply.

Instead, she took the cards into her hands and began shuffling. They flew back and forth with exquisite grace between her long, slender fingers.

She dealt five to Jack, then five to herself.

'Show them,' she demanded, and Jack obliged, hesitantly turning over the cards.

His hand was four jacks.

Her hand was four kings.

'You're... You're kidding me!'

Jack was nearly speechless by the sight, to which she only said: 'Jack doesn't beat King.'

At the word 'King,' murmurs rippled through the bar.

'King.' It was the handle of a legendary gambler, said to be the best in the Republic until his death. The card technique the girl had shown was one of the ones the King had been fond of using when he felt like teasing Jack.

'Who...? Just who are you?' Jack asked the girl. She gave him a long, bitterly-cold glare at the question, as if it were both stupid and one she'd been dying to answer.

'You probably don't know me, but I know you VERY well,' she spat. 'Hello, Victory Jack. My name is Halle. I'm the daughter of King, who you killed.'

'...You're King's daughter?!'

Jack had never met King's daughter--not in person, no. But nonetheless, he did have memories of her. King had been a doting father that had drilled holes in Jack's ears with endless stories about her.

'I see... So King's daughter has come to kill me, huh?'

The atmosphere in the bar was suddenly charged.

'All right, then. Kill me.'

The words casually left Jack's mouth.

It was a line no one in the bar had ever expected.

He tapped his chest.

'The heart's here. Make sure you aim well.'

The girl--Halle--quietly drew her orbal gun. Her aim, of course...was Jack's heart.

Chapter 5 - The Invitation

Halle's fingers sought out the trigger of her gun.

There wasn't a man in this bar who could find the courage to stop her. The punks and hoods just cowered, whispering from their seats.

'SHUT UP, all'a ya!' Jack shouted over the buzz.

The chatter in the bar stilled.

Grinding his back teeth, Jack looked straight into the girl's eyes.

'...That's right. My goal is revenge,' she seethed, 'But...it won't mean anything like this.'

Halle lowered her gun.

As Jack watched the barrel of the weapon slide away from his chest, confusion creased his face.

Halle continued talking.

'Over these last three years, I've spent blood, sweat, and tears to learn to be as good as I am.'

With that, the girl threw a card in Jack's face. It was some kind of invitation.

'I have a stage that's better suited to settling this all ready for us,' she said, never giving Jack a moment to protest. 'We'll finish our match there. It'll be one of the poker matches you love oh-so dearly. And I swear, I'll make sure you eat your full share of misery and bitterness after the slop you forced my father to swallow.'

With her threat lingering in the air, Halle disappeared.

Unable to grasp the meaning in the girl's words, Jack just sat there for a while. Finally, he picked up the card that had fallen to the floor and read the text printed on it.

[Tomorrow night at 10, come to the harbor.]

'The harbor? Huh. It can't be...'

A sense of foreboding ran through the back of Jack's mind.

As he was about to crush the card in his hand, a small signature on the back caught his eye.

[Enrique]

The penmanship was familiar...as was the name.

'...

...Oh, man.'

Jack's sense of foreboding would prove right.

Chapter 6 - King

On the night after the day Halle visited, Jack headed to the harbor as the card instructed. In a rare show of sobriety, he hadn't had a drop of booze.

He realized at some point that he was being followed. Just as well, he knew it was someone acting on behalf of Enrique.

'Don't worry,' he yelled as he stopped and turned. 'I ain't gonna run or hide from this.'

No one answered.

'Tch. What a boring fella you are.'

Turning back around, Jack continued on. That night was a dark one, with neither moonlight nor a single star piercing the cloud-shrouded sky. Jack only had the road lamps to guide him as he meandered through the empty streets, and as he did, memories of the grand match between him and King flooded back...

King's legendary skills had earned him his nickname to match. He had been both Jack's teacher...and his greatest rival.

Seven years ago, Jack and King had played the game of their lives.

It was Jack who found himself the winner. Their game was used by the privileged in the underworld of the Republic to decide the outcome of a struggle for power. King, forced to take responsibility for losing, was killed. Though indirect, it could not be denied that Jack's win had been King's ultimate loss.

Around an hour after leaving the bar, he reached the harbor. The smell of refuse and brine wafted in on a warm breeze. An enormous boat was floating on the dark night sea just ahead, waves lapping quietly at its sides. Its hull was painted a solid black, making it almost impossible to see.

It was the same boat Jack and King had been on for that final, fateful game.

As Jack approached the gangway, he was met by a small silhouette from the shadows--Halle.

'Welcome, Victory Jack,' she said. 'I really didn't think you would come all the way out here on your own two feet. Heh. I have to admit, you've got courage.'

'...'

Normally Jack might have had a joke or a comeback, but tonight alone he was a different man. Glancing at Halle, he boarded the ship without a word.

The light from the portals shone blue, glinting off his eyes as he passed. The sound of the steam whistle was swallowed by the lonely darkness, and slowly, the ship slipped free from the harbor and out to sea.

Chapter 7 - The Banquet of Darkness

The ship was utterly silent as it cut through the velvety darkness of the night. In contrast to the stillness and inky black of the outside, one layer down the ship's interior was filled with light and sound. Furnishings from every part of the continent adorned the walls, and a band of musicians played a cheery song... The orbal glow of a chandelier imported from Liberl shone down on every form of human desire.

In the hall built at the center of the ship, guests laughed and chatted. They appeared to be the finest of ladies and gentlemen, but each and every one were a part of the seedy Republican underworld. They were the type of folk that spoke of murder as easily as one would dinner or a fine wine. Their faces hadn't changed much in seven years.

The farthest depths of the hall reserved discreet seating for the highest ranked of the lot, and just like before, there was a certain group of men there. One old man, who was flanked by several bodyguards, stood out in particular: Chief Minister Shamrock. He happened to be the host of the party aboard the ship.

A long, white beard trailed down his chest. It was his symbol, and also the symbol of power. Though he retired several years before, he continued to serve in an advisory role to many organizations. Retirement had done nothing to slow his influence on the nation; he was a man well worthy of being called the monster of the underworld.

Chief Minister Shamrock held this party once every year as a place for the powerful to meet and share useful information. Of course, there were many in the group who could hardly be called friendly in their attitude. Two of these such men were Enrique and Won.

Enrique, both seven years ago and now, was the man behind arranging Jack's fateful gambling matches. Formerly an arms dealer, he had expanded his dealings to smuggling drugs within the Eastern Quarter a decade prior and never looked back. For that, he became a villain on the rise--the best of the new class.

Conversely, Won was a villain whose roots ran deep in the region back to even before the Eastern Quarter. He was the kind of man who ruled from the top, commanding gangs of thugs, punks, and the like. For as long as the two were in the same business, Enrique and Won had been locked in a vicious territorial dispute. It was the classic tale of new versus old, and neither side yielded a rege. Every drop of blood in their attempts to claim dominance was only washed away with more blood.

However easy it was to wash away, the constant splattering of blood across pavement did little to bring in the mira for either side. It took three years of profitless violence for Enrique to finally propose a solution: a one-on-one gambling match between the best of the best. Even cheating was welcome, for it could hardly be called cheating at all if one was never caught in the act.

Won's first instinct was to reject the idea, but even he could see the heavy toll the fighting had taken on his own organization. Truly, the only thing keeping him from agreeing was his old-fashioned, stubborn mentality; he was, at his core, a man greatly adverse to change.

In order to set his plans in motion, Enrique brought his proposal forward to none other than Chief Minister Shamrock, who also served as advisor to Won's group. With him having granted the match his blessing, there was little more Won could do but accept.

Chapter 8 - Halle

The clock chimed the 11th hour.

The match between Jack and Halle was to start at midnight exactly. She waited in the interim in Enrique's room.

'Your father became ill and died seven years ago.' That's what the girl had heard from her mother, and yet three years ago, she learned her father had instead lost his life in a match.

Halle didn't have many memories of her father. She'd spent her childhood with her mother. That was exactly why, though, that each and every one was engraved into her heart as irreplaceable treasures.

The things she remembered best were the sights in the gambling dens. She didn't often get to go along, but to her, the way her father could silence even the most finely dressed of gentlemen with his near-magical card handling was something she admired with all her heart.

The last memory Halle had was of him taking her hand while she was in bed and telling her not to worry.

Maybe that memory was what kept her from believing what her mother said about her father's death. After all, how could the strong, healthy man from that memory drop dead of illness so suddenly?

It was a typical day when she had learned the truth. She was out shopping for her mother, and rather than take the usual route home, she found herself heading to one of the gambling dens along the back streets on a whim.

One fateful whim. That was all it took for her to overhear the careless chatter of thugs who spoke of her father. It had been seven years, yes, but it was a match of the ages--a match which still ushered in fervent whispers among the men and women who frequented the darker corners of the gambling world.

The truth left her with a hatred so all-consuming that she was blind to all but one desire: revenge.

Swearing she would become as good as her father, Halle obsessively frequented the gambling dens and played with that one burning desire guiding her hands.

It was Enrique who, upon hearing rumors, approached Halle first. He had claimed victory in his first match against Won by betting on Jack; with Halle, he saw his chance to do so again.

Anyone could see that, to Halle, participating in such a match would be a perfect means to an end.

Cutting all ties with her mother was a sad but necessary sacrifice, and though she was young, she was welcomed as the newest addition to Enrique's group. Being blessed with talent to begin with and having abandoned all else to focus on improving her craft, it took a mere three years for her to master what King had spent a lifetime studying. Revenge had proven to be an incredible motivator.

Halle's eyes were distant as she waited quietly for the match. Perhaps those three years were running through them. Still seated, she bowed her head and let out a big, long sigh.

'No need to let the weight of this drag you down, you know,' Enrique said softly to her.

'...Don't worry,' she replied. 'Now that I'm here, my heart is as light as a feather.'

Her face betrayed the lie in her words as a flicker of sorrow creased her features. Before anyone could notice, she was back to the same poker face as before.

'Right now, the only thing on my mind is seeing Jack lose.'

Enrique's lips contorted into a smile. The more confident he grew in his victory, the more disturbingly warped his smile became.

Chapter 9 - Nostalgia

While Halle sat and contemplated her past, Jack was hunched at the bar counter in the main hall. It was a spot with a full view of the setting for the match to come. He stared at the stage, never once even touching the drink he'd ordered.

The same seats, the same colors...

The more he looked at it, the more it felt as if the events of seven years ago had happened only yesterday.

A voice started Jack from his reverie.

'How about a drink on me?'

Without turning, he wordlessly shook his head. Jack didn't need to look through seven-year-old memories to recognize that voice. It was Won--the very man who had punished King with death.

'I eagerly await seeing the level of skill that once dethroned a king, Jack.' With that, Won disappeared.

'Heh. A jack dethroning a king, huh...?'

Jack could only smile bitterly.

The clock steadily ticked away.

It was 11:50.

The match would begin in ten minutes.

The guests had begun to gather in the hall. Every one of them seemed to have been waiting eagerly for this night. Many had money riding on the outcome. Compared to Enrique or Won's contest, though, they barely had anything to lose.

Halle followed Enrique out into the hall. Taking her seat immediately, she sat quietly, eyes straight ahead.

If she was bothered by the crowd or the enormity of the event, she gave no sign.

After watching Halle take her place, Jack slowly rose from his spot at the bar. Unlike Halle, Jack had a bit of a name, and as he stepped forward, the crowd called out. It brought back more memories of his match with King--how nervous and restless he was by the shouts and cheers. How he wanted nothing more than to run away.

Jack and Halle were both seated now.

The card table in the center of the hall lay between them. The two faced each other, but their gazes never met.

In total silence, time passed.

Shortly after the two took their seats, a black-garbed man sat in a chair across from them. Just like seven years ago, he was the dealer provided by Chief Minister Shamrock.

The dealer pressed a switch below the card table. Slowly, the table area sank into the floor, allowing the guests in the hall a bird's eye view of the duel.

From behind their respective backed players, Won's group and Enrique's group cast intense gazes at the gamblers' hands.

Farther back, behind it all and watching over everything, was Chief Minister Shamrock.

'Now, then, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we have a revenge match!' Enrique yelled, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

It had been far too long since the gambling world was given such a high-stakes game. The crowd answered Enrique's introduction with a roar of approval.

Chapter 10 - The Match

Separated by the small card table, the two faced off. Each player had a mountain of chips to wager. Once someone's pile was reduced to nothing, the match would be over.

The clock struck midnight.

In the silence following the chime, the grand match between Jack and Halle began.

At first, the match was totally even. For every hand Jack won, Halle won another.

Whenever Halle won a hand, Jack had the next. Neither gave a rege. The ones most surprised by this close contest were Won and his group. Everyone who had bet on Jack started to jeer and holler.

During the match, time and again, Halle spoke to Jack. Using conversation to distract your opponent was all part of the game, but Halle's persistence went beyond just tactics.

However, Jack never said a single word back to her until roughly thirty minutes passed. Then, finally, he broke the silence at the time with a low, textured voice.

'...Once upon a time, there was a man.'

It was so soft that the crowd could barely hear, but Jack wasn't speaking for them. He continued.

'This man had somethin' he admired. He wanted to become the thing he admired, and he wanted to win against the object of his admiration...

And through it all, he was drawn closer to that which he admired.'

Both laid down their hands.

Jack had one pair. Halle had two.

Chips moved from Jack's mountain to Halle's.

'Heh. What is it, Jack? This all part of your plan?'

Halle would occasionally add a sarcastic remark, but Jack just kept on telling the story.

'The man stole some tricks from that which he admired and practiced his own skills as best he could. In the end, his efforts eventually made him strong enough that people called him 'Victory.'

'At some point, there was someone who took notice of that reputation. He thought, why not pit the best against each other? There's no show that could be better.'

Enrique's ears twitched. Something in what Jack was saying bothered him.

'The man gladly accepted the offer for the show. It was the match of a lifetime with that which he admired most, after all.

'...The man's heart danced with excitement. Back then, that man was a young fool who didn't see the world around him for what it was. Certainly, he'd never have thought about what it would really mean to lose that match.'

Halle listened intently.

At some point, she had started to pay attention to Jack's story. The audience was much the same.

Everyone in the hall strained to hear the tale tumbling from Jack's lips.

The two played their cards.

Jack had no pair.

Halle had a full house.

Chips moved from Jack's mountain to Halle's.

Chapter 11 - The Decisive Moment

'Jack,' Halle chided, 'you're so busy talking, you're forgetting to play the game. ...Enough. I'll settle things here now.'

Halle's words reignited the crowd.

The silent hall burst into excitement as she pushed forward every last chip in her pile. Perhaps she was just that confident, but Halle already had a significant lead on Jack. He couldn't possibly accept the bet...

...could he?

'To match my bet, since you seem a little short, how about you wager...your life?'

Halle reached under the table and unholstered her orbal gun, then set both it and a bullet on the table by her chips. 'If I win, you can kiss your life goodbye.'

The audience waited for his answer with bated breath; surely no one would be foolish enough to accept such a bet, they thought, but Jack's response was the opposite of what they were expecting...as well as precisely what they were hoping for:

'All right. I'll call your bet. Not like it matters--if you don't kill me, someone else will.'

His response sent a wave of shock through the gambling enthusiasts in the hall, with each and every one of them erupting into claps and unbridled cheers of approval.

Enrique, personally, could not have been more pleased. Won sat quietly. Whatever he thought of the situation was privy to him and him alone.

The stakes were now that much higher, but neither side opted to change out their cards. Rather, they chose to place their current hand face down.

'So, what happened to the man?' Halle asked, seemingly smug with victory. Or possibly she was just asking to hear Jack's final words.

'...The man never won against the one that he admired.'

Silence followed in the wake of his response, and in that one moment, Halle's unfailing mask shattered to pieces. Her true expression, shown at last and one so beyond her years, was a long-unquenched rage that even Enrique had never seen.

'What are you talking about?! You won, didn't you?! Here, in this very hall!' Tears flooded Halle's eyes and her voice buckled. 'And... And you made a fool of my papa!'

Perhaps caught in the moment, Jack was as abrupt and impassioned as she was. The texture in his voice thinned as he locked eyes with her and cried:

'Your father NEVER lost! Not to me. He was never made a fool, he never felt a second of misery or humiliation, he... His pride is as intact now as it was seven years ago!

'He CHOSE to lose in order to protect everything he held so dear to him!'

Enrique, visibly panicked upon Jack's confession, sent his thugs forward to silence Jack before he could say any more. Won would have no such interruptions, however, and with a snap of his fingers had his own men step forward to prevent any interference. For the first time since the match began, his curiosity was now visibly piqued.

The crowd was restless and clamoring for the results. Once Chief Minister Shamrock gave his sign, the dealer flipped both players' cards.

Jack...had four kings.

Halle...had four jacks.

It was well and truly Jack's victory.

The crowd immediately hushed but mouths were left agape, and the room was bathed in a silence that was uncomfortably palpable. All eyes were on the table and all ears were perked, awaiting some kind of reaction. Seconds passed; finally, Jack was the first to speak.

'...See?' Jack muttered. 'Jack can't beat King.'

Chapter 12 - The Truth

The charged battle had closed with Jack's dramatic upset of a victory.

Putting aside Jack's words, Won took a moment to breathe a welcome sigh of relief, for this turn of events was no small victory on his part. Conversely, Enrique sat stunned, head in his hands.

Halle stared blankly at the cards.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

'No way...'

'How...did you...? Four kings? That... That should be MY hand!'

earing this, Enrique began to violently object, leaving no excuse unaccounted for. Jack was a cheat, he insisted. The match was a wash! No--Jack was disqualified for breaking the rules!

'Give it up, Don Enrique,' Won commanded. 'If you think he's a cheat, then how about you show us, huh?

'Go on. Show us exactly what it is Jack did.'

Won stood resolutely, arms crossed.

'Cheating's fine as long as you're not caught,' he recited.

It was a core rule of the match and Enrique knew it. There was nothing he could say back that could lay bare the trick. He stammered over his words as he rushed to nitpick every single one of Jack's actions throughout the match, but it was no use.

'...Impossible.'

Jack denied it all with a single word.

'This is a technique King used in his final match. I didn't know it at the time, so there's no way Mister Enrique could.'

'To make me win and to keep you safe, Halle, King used this very trick. Truly, a trick worthy of a king.'

Head bowed, he continued.

'...I could never understand it. If he had a great trick like this up his sleeve, then what on earth would make him do somethin' dumb like throw away a match? ...I hated him for that, y'know. Hell, I've spent these past seven years consolin' myself by drownin' in booze.'

Jack looked up, his eyes catching the sparkle of the chandelier above them just right.

'But once I saw that invitation of yours, Halle, it started to make sense. Seeing Mister Enrique's name on the back was all I needed for everything to fall into place.

'Do you remember, Halle? On the same day as that match, you were in bed after being struck with a very sudden illness. No one could explain what it was.'

Jack's words had Halle like a fish on a hook.

'So what? What does that have to do with anything?'

Jack ignored her and continued.

'Around the same time, I'd heard a certain rumor about Mister Enrique. Word was, he'd gotten his hands on a hell of a poison. Somethin' along those lines, anyway.'

Perhaps Jack wasn't the only one who had heard this rumor. Curious at they were to listen in on Jack's story, a flurry of whispers swept through the audience upon the mention of the poison--the kind of whispers where one couldn't understand word for word what was being said, but any onlooker would know exactly what everyone was thinking. Enrique could only stare at the ground and bite his lip.

The facts weren't difficult to piece together. There was Halle, who just so happened to fall ill during the worst of times for King. There was Enrique, who had so conveniently acquired a poison during the best of times for him...

'...And then there was King, who had so blatantly lost against me on purpose,' Jack listed. 'There's an easy way to explain all those things, and it boils down to one simple truth.'

Won leapt to his feat, fury writ all over his features. He began screaming at Enrique.

'YOU! Seven years ago, you poisoned this girl... And then...then you threatened King with it!'

Chapter 13 - The Sense

'You put poisoned this girl and then threatened King, didn't you?!'

Every word from Won's mouth was akin to being punched in the gut, blow after blow after blow. Her body could only stiffen.

Before Won's accusations, Enrique desperately scrambled to put a defense together. He tried valiantly to hide how flustered he was, to conceal how sweaty his palms were, but never was there a poorer actor on a stage. Indeed, the way he begged and pleaded his case before such a massive jury was almost humorous.

Everyone was quick to believe what Jack was saying. Of course, there was no proof that such a tragedy had occurred at all--it could easily have been a cleverly arranged string of lies. Yet Enrique's rambles professing his innocence didn't make any 'sense' to them, whereas Jack's story of few words made far too much.

In the underworld, betrayal was a constant companion. That was precisely why, however, plain logic trumped proof time and time again. So long as the masses felt your story made the most logical sense, proof, be it present or lacking, didn't mean a damn thing.

Enrique knew this rule as well as any other man or woman present. As it slowly dawned of him that his punishment was only a matter of when, not if, he ceased his protestations.

Halle merely continued to stand as still as could be. She was being held upright by a throng of emotions, and her mind worked overtime to catch up to each new feeling the revelations of that night had brought.

'My father never lost,' she whispered.

The truth was a comforting balm to her heart, but at the same time, it filled her with a deep sense of loss.

Her father had chosen death himself.

The very thought of it was far too big and far too sad.

The flames of revenge that had fueled her actions suddenly and utterly went out, and as her once burning drive died, all that remained was thin smoke and cold white ash where her anger had been.

'That means...that for me, Papa...'

The feelings that began to well up turned to words, and as they parted from her, everything that had been bubbling up inside surged without.

Falling to the floor, Halle curled up in a ball and began to cry like a child.

As he glanced at Halle from the corner of his eye, Won put a hand on Jack's shoulder and patted him in a congratulatory way.

'Tonight went better than I could have possibly imagined. I'll do anything you ask if it's in my power,' he whispered to Jack.

'Then give me Halle,' Jack requested without a moment's hesitation.

Won was hard-pressed to answer.

No matter how pitiable he found Halle, she was still a pawn of Enrique's. Even if there were to be punishments meted out for the events of seven years ago, her freedom was very much in question.

'Give Jack what he wants. Will it really be such a problem?'

The voice from behind both of them froze every single person in the hall. All eyes turned to a single point.

The one who drew their gaze was the bearded consultant to the underworld: Chief Minister Shamrock.

'Giving him the girl isn't a problem...is it, Enrique?'

Enrique nodded weakly.

At last, the ship was filled with cries of celebration.

Finale - To Each their Own Wish

Jack and Halle returned to the harbor at dawn.

The enormous ship disappeared into the morning fog, gone before most knew it was even there, as if it they had been played by an illusion all along.

'...What will you do with me, then?' Halle asked.

'Nothin'. You're free,' Jack shrugged nonchalantly. 'I doubt anyone will ever try to use your life in any deals ever again. Do whatever you wish.'

Halle was quiet a moment, then said, 'Hey, Jack. Why? Why would you do all this for me?'

Jack gave her a small, rare smile.

'King gave his life to keep you safe, and by saving you, he saved my life as well. I'm only standing here today because of him. Don't you think it's only natural I'd use the life he gave me to make his wish come true?'

'Wish? What do you mean?'

Jack's smile disappeared.

'I believe your father regretted setting foot into those gambling dens. Not because of the game, but because there's no way a guy like him would've ever risked putting his daughter in danger for anything. He adored you, you know.

'You should've never gotten wrapped up in this dark world, Halle. I'm sure he would've wished the same.'

Halle didn't know what to say.

Jack continued.

'If you get what I'm sayin', then run off from here and don't you ever come back.'

And with that, Jack strode away and left Halle standing there by the sea.

The Calvard Republic.

There's a city in this country, a place where migrants from the East have recreated their homeland down to the bright lacquered tiles. On the northern outskirts of that city was a little, run-down bar.

Over a week had passed since that fateful game. Jack could still be found there in that same, dingy bar. As always, he was at his liquor starting from noon. He had settled things with his past, but he was still the same man he was before.

No. He was changed.

He drank less. And when he drank, he didn't throw it back like a man dying of thirst, but instead sipped slowly and appreciated the taste.

And that day, once more, the door to the place opened with a sound like a shriek. A new customer stepped into that very same bar. And that new customer...was Halle.

Jack choked on his whiskey.

'...Halle? What are you doin' in here?! This ain't the kind of place you should be in!'

Ignoring his sputtering, she pulled up a stool and gave him her most dazzling smile.

'Hey, Jack,' she began. 'Let's play a game. A real shocker of a match.'

'...Only this time, all bets are off.'

<END>

Chapter 1 - The Imperial Chronicle

I stood there, upright in front of the revolving door, scuffing the heels of my boots against the ground. Pulling slightly on the collar of my trench coat, I dropped my chin and gazed at my partial reflection in the curved glass. Aside from my short-cropped hair, I wore a modest-looking, double-breasted leather raincoat and a pair of special order, steel-reinforced boots, both of which at first glance appear to be the most common of common apparel. Yet, they were in fact, much more than the naked eye could detect.

My ordinary, average appearance--It was of just as much importance today as it had been on any other day in times past.

Not far off, the sound of footfalls echoed rhythmically like the steady beat of a pendulum swinging back and forth, as the throngs of those coming and going moved quickly along the cobblestone avenue, enveloped and tinged silver by the morning mist. At times, the calling voice of a street peddler disrupted the steady flow, but as soon as the hawking cry faded away, it would resume its course.

Each morning that I found myself setting foot in the imperial city, I also found my surroundings to be unchanged and stained by the same somber tone of gray. Snatching up a magazine from the underarm of a street vendor, I tossed a few mira into the left hand poised expectantly behind his back.

The Imperial Chronicle; the magazine I read so often that even the ink bleeds were familiar. Roughly flipping open its cover, I scanned the headlines along the top of its monochrome pages. Then suddenly, my breath caught in my throat.

At the very bottom of the local news page, I found those letters, that sequence of characters which I had not heard nor seen since the time of that life-changing incident. My eyes instantly gravitated to the spot, and for a time, remained fixated.

'Ein Selnate.' The very meaning of those letters became lost to my senses as I stood motionless, my gaze fixed on the same line of text, until it all seemed to coalesce into a single blotch of ink. After a few seconds of blank comprehension, my vision settled and I wrenched my eyes to the beginning of the article. As I began to read, my memories verged on a single point in my past, and then slowly started to run in reverse, heading for that fateful event three years prior when this name was first introduced to me.

It was on an afternoon all those years ago, on a day not unlike this one, where the capital was overshadowed by its typical gloomy aura. I was a little younger than now, a twenty-two year old boy who stood silently in front of the boutique door as usual, double checking his appearance before lightly treading over to Micht's Imperial Factory.

It was on this day that it had been arranged for me to receive a new job from Micht, the shop owner, himself.

Although he was a drab middle-aged man, I, being the orbment enthusiast I was, had found myself as one of his few regular customers.

I headed down a dank alleyway and after passing through a partially rotted wooden-gate, I could see the soft glow of the flickering orbal light just outside the entrance of the factory whose structure was halfway below street level.

I first began receiving jobs from Micht about the time when dissension began to occur in society over the Hundred Days War. It was during this period that relations between the Liberl Kingdom and the Empire were at their worst and the importation of orbments had become almost non-existent. Conspiring with underground elements and planning a smuggling operation, Micht made me out to be his accomplice in crime. For the job which I received by his hand, was none other than that of the courier.

Being nothing more than a commoner in my teens at the time I met him and a juvie devoid of any connections in life besides, I naturally jumped at the opportunity without a moment's hesitation. Yet, even after relations with Liberl had returned to some degree of normalcy, I realized I was in no mood to give up my specialty which focused mainly on the delivery of stolen goods. The reason being: there was no job out there which could bring in the kind of mira this one did.

With an unrefined and inconspicuous appearance, I had countless times before, hidden items of various sorts in my hat and trousers and made my way hither and thither between the borders of these neighboring nations. And though to my delight, my wallet had become increasingly laden with a bounty of monetary rewards, I had routinely changed my alias as a precautionary measure. So much in fact, that these false names had built up into quite a list over the last few years. I had been known as Phil, the frivolous, Rooney, the trickster, and even Kris, the coward. However, Micht had always called me by one name: Toby. This was the identity I had used for my initial job, and the one I liked above all the others.

Chapter 2 - The Train Station

'Hello there, Toby. You've come at just the right time.'

Greeting me with these words, Micht shuffled slightly in his seat behind the counter. The baked confection he had been eating was ever so carefully placed atop his lap to prevent it from falling onto the floor. He smacked both of his powdered sugar-covered hands together with a clap, and a cloud of white particles puffed into the air. The smell of sweet spices and baked apple pervaded the dimly lit shop.

'We had an item dropped off no more than a few minutes ago,' he continued.

Turning in his seat, Micht reached back and snatched up something wrapped in old magazine paper from off the shelf, tossing it to me. Knowing full well I wouldn't get any sort of answer, I asked anyway.

'What do we have this time?'

Laying out my railway and airship tickets, Micht ignored my question and said, 'Make sure this gets to the same place as always.' In his slow drawl he added, 'It would be in your best interest to keep your involvement to a minimum by leaving the business side of things to me and focusing solely on getting the job done, Toby.'

He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh, the balls of his fingers kneading the bags under his eyes. Then, once again, his large hand extended down toward the unattended cake resting on his leg. Before the sweet treat could reach his watering mouth, I had already made my way out the door of his tiny shop.

As I walked, the waste paper-bundled package bounced around inside the folds of my bag. By the feel of its shape and weight as it beat steadily against my side, I concluded that the object in my possession was probably just more swag. It didn't make me nervous not to know what it was that I was carrying, for I had done this type of job many times before. And no matter what kind of trouble I found myself wrapped up in, I had always somehow managed to come out unscathed.

In truth, my experience on the job had made me tough, and I had become well-versed in the art of orbal magic. So it was that when I laid eyes on that rough-looking trio at the station, I felt no more knots of uneasiness in the pit of my stomach than was necessary for someone of my abilities.

The platform for the train bound for Liberl was a bustle with passengers awaiting its eventual arrival. Seeing that the benches were so crammed full of people that they could have very well been a tin of packed sardines, I resigned myself to standing near the entrance as I patiently waited for the train to come in. Twisting my body in order to move the bag to my other shoulder, I noticed the figures of two men.

Heads bent together and conversing in an inaudible tone, they stood just beyond the ticket gate, right about where the horse head of the imperial emblem lay embedded in the ground in a grand mosaic of tiles. After a short interim, another man approached and joined in the conversation.

From my own perspective, this was one ragtag group I most certainly couldn't have given a passing grade to based on looks. All three were extremely well-built and sported the same haircut. To put it mildly, they stuck out in the crowd like a bunch of sore thumbs.

Making sure to avoid eye-contact with them as they glanced in my direction, I slung my bag back onto my shoulder, and ever so calmly reached my hand into my pocket and ran the tips of my fingers across the surface of my orbment.

A woman's voice reverberated within the walls of the station notifying the passengers that the train had arrived. The low rumble of an orbal engine could be felt in the distance and after a few moments, a large vehicle was seen rolling up on the shoulder.

I muttered to myself, 'All is well,' but the sound of my voice was drowned out by the din of the massive machine. Brakes screeched, and a flash of black light reflected off the surface of the giant iron beast as it came sliding in across the rails. The immense vibration in the air emanating from the moving locomotive at its epicenter let me know that the orbal engine had been put into full-reverse in order to decelerate and bring the train to a grinding halt.

While being shoved to and fro by the waves of impatient travelers flooding out of the waiting area, I was swept toward one door of a passenger car. As we passed by the conductor, I caught another glimpse of the ticket gate. The men who were once there were now gone and the only thing that remained was the profile of the horse made of glossy tiles, glaring back at me in a shade of deep crimson.

Chapter 3 - Representative of the Septian Church

The train barreled on, almost flying through the thick veil of fog. Droplets of water splattered against the window glass, extending out like transparent veins, and continued to wriggle back and forth under the pressure of the swiftly passing wind.

Placing the temple of my head against the glass, I stared blankly down at the tickets in my hand and rubbed the two of them together between my fingers. I would be traveling by train to the border city, far south of its imperial cousin, and then to reach the Liberl Kingdom I would have to transfer to an airship. Both of my tickets were first-class-- but not the highest-end seats available.

The passenger car was nearly at full capacity, but for some peculiar reason, nobody had seated themselves in the space next to mine. As I mused about the empty seat, it occurred to me that Micht may have purchased the spot ahead of time, leaving it vacant on purpose. There was no doubt in my mind that he was being paid handsomely to make sure this job was done and done well.

'Will you be traveling to the Liberl Kingdom, sir?'

Right around the time my trip on the rails had passed its halfway mark, I was met with this sudden question, and set up with a start. My eyes searched for the one who asked it. There, standing in the isle, was a single woman with a radiant complexion, beaming down at me. She wore a coat with overlapping buckles secured slightly above her breast and appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Gingerly bending her knees and pointing her finger at the empty seat beside me, she asked, 'Do you mind?'

With a tilt of her head, she indicated the rear of the passenger car where swirling smoke saturated the air and softly muttered, 'The smell from the tobacco smoke is just dreadful.'

Wordlessly, I nodded and dragged my bag from its place on the floor, moving it over by the window to the opposite side of my feet. The woman expressed her thanks and delicately sat herself down in the seat next to mine.

For being a perfect stranger, she talked on endlessly, and I appropriately reciprocated the conversation by saying that I was on my way to the Liberl Kingdom on business as an orbment specialist. Her story was that she was on a mission of mercy for the church and had an errand to fulfill in the border city.

'Just so you know, people sometimes refer to me as 'Sister',' she went on. 'Of course, it's just a nickname.'

She recrossed her black leather boot-clad legs and let out a sort of suppressed titter from the back of her throat as she made mention of this. Sister Carnelia was her nickname.

We continued on in this fashion, subjecting ourselves to a variety of idle banter. And as the time drew on, the sun overhead began to dip in its arc, crossing the celestial meridian and descending into the west. Each time the moving train cleared a grove of trees, the entire vehicle-- passenger cars and all-- was bathed in a warm apricot hue, flooding into the cabins, creating a majestic spectacle. I gaped at the coruscating effect, and in doing so locked eyes with Sister Carnelia right at the moment the brilliance of the sinking western light seeped into her rich brown irises, causing them to give off an exquisite rubescent sparkle. The glimpse made me wonder if the origin of her nickname was somehow related to the color of her eyes being likened unto the luster of a polished carnelian stone.

The train gradually began to decelerate, and Sister Carnelia returned to her original seat in order to collect her bags. As a matter of habit, I checked my bag and orbment and found both the junk paper-covered package and the magical device fastened into my trousers' inner pocket by a series of chain stitches-- exactly where and how I'd left it.

A woman's voice came over the intercom system announcing that the train would be arriving on schedule and that rainy weather was to be expected at our destination. At the conclusion of the announcements, a number of disappointed sighs could be heard coming from along the rows of seats. Raindrops pattered against the windows outside as the looming silhouette of the overcast city came into view. The station's signal lamp emitted an angular light which was scattered with a refractive effect by the falling droplets of water. Then came a spine-chilling metallic sound followed by the jolt of the orbal engine's reversing thrust as the locomotive at the front of the train lurched to a halt.

Over the loudspeaker came another announcement asking passengers to ensure that they did not leave their baggage behind. And with that, several people stood up and crowded into the aisle. Watching a station worker in uniform as he waved a small flag amidst the falling rain, I picked up my bag and rose to my feet. I crossed paths with Sister Carnelia as I attempted to step into the aisle, but when she tried to step aside and allow me room to pass, she suddenly tripped and fell forward. Grabbing onto my shoulder for support, she picked herself up and, with an embarrassed smile, let me by. I gave her a short bow in line with general etiquette practices, then headed for the exit ahead of her. Following my lead, Sister Carnelia shuffled along closely behind me-- so close, in fact, that it felt as if she would step on my heels.

Something about it just didn't feel right.

Instinctively sliding my right hand into my pocket, I searched for my orbment, but the brass feeling I had grown accustomed to was nowhere to be felt.

In an instant, I felt my arm being twisted behind my back by someone or something with incredible strength. The sleek sound of a blade being unsheathed and then a warning prick of the tip at my back indicated the seriousness of the situation.

'I have what you're looking for, Toby,' whispered Sister Carnelia in an almost inaudible tone, her lips barely moving just behind my right ear. 'Let's not try anything either, shall we? I'd hate to see your afternoon spoiled any more than it's going to be.' And to show that she meant business, Sister Carnelia slightly altered the angle of her grip on my wrist, causing an explosion of agony that sent sparks flashing behind my eyes.

Chapter 4 - Human Fodder

Sister Carnelia spoke to me in a tender tone as she sent a wave of immense pain rushing through the whole of my right hand.

'I won't have any trouble with you, now will I, Toby?' she asked.

Far from eyes just brimming with tears, I nodded my head in consent as the salty streams of water ran down my face. Satisfied with my answer, she loosened her grip, and I felt the pain vanish as if it had all been some sort of illusion.

With a wry smile, she further added, 'Don't get me wrong, Toby. I've been sent here to protect you by the Goddess, herself.'

This is what she said while instructing me to keep my eyes focused on what lie beyond the window glass. Yet, there was something about the way she pronounced the last syllable of my name that really rubbed me the wrong way.

Little by little, the line of passengers slowly began to flow out of the train car. Prodded on by Sister Carnelia, I inched forward while keeping my gaze on the platform through the passenger car window. Down the stairs which led to the front ticket gate were the figures of those men from earlier this morning, the three thug-like passengers who had been loitering near the large horse head emblem of tile at the imperial station.

A muffled laugh echoed from her throat as she, too, noticed them. 'Well, isn't this a warm reception party you've got going on.'

Cocking my head, I quietly pleaded, 'Give me back my orbment!'

Sister Carnelia said nothing.

Members of the crew bid us farewell as we stepped through the exit to disembark the train onto the lead-colored platform below. Angrily, I thought to myself, 'Dammit! What's wrong with these fools? Can't they see what's going on?'

I shut my eyes halfway to protect them from the drizzle whipping against my face, and I unhurriedly descended the wet set of stairs, a half pace at a time. Sister Carnelia moved along behind me at precisely the same length of stride. Below, the group of thugs waited expectantly at the bottom of the stairs. Waited for me, no doubt.

Contemplating the rate at which I was going, I ultimately believed it was only a matter of time before I would be handed over to the enigmatic group. I caught sight of their soured faces as the distance between us grew smaller and felt the heat of my left hand tightly gripping my bag grow in intensity until my palm began to sweat profusely. Hitting the midway point on the stairs, Sister Carnelia suddenly whispered in my ear, 'Keep your eyes on the ground, Toby.'

I did as I was told and cast my gaze down upon the tips of my boots, stained to a darker shade by the rainwater. Then, right at the moment I let out my breath, I felt a deep sense of pressure just below my shoulder blades as I was forcefully shoved forward.

Droplets flew from my saturated fingers and my world turned upside-down as I tumbled down the stairs and slammed back first into the group of hoodlums. With a muffled crunch, I felt the painful sensation of my ribs crumple under the weight of my body and then return to normal from their severely compressed state. Two of the seemingly military men who were hit as I toppled down the stairs (like an avalanche unleashed on a a pair of young saplings) absorbed the transfer of force and were thrown into a large puddle collecting on the ground nearby. Shrieks erupted from startled passengers nearby, more shrill than the high-pitched sound of the railway brakes from a decelerating locomotive.

As my world spun wildly about me, I lay there, the chill of the tiles seeping into my back. With a concerted effort I rolled my eyes to the left where my arm remained in an outstretched state.

By some act of the Goddess I had managed to keep my tight five-finger grip on the bag I had been carrying. In an effort to get up, I slid into a prostrate position, keeping my chin in contact with the ground. Making a low visual sweep of the vicinity as if my life depended on it, I noticed the military-like physiques of the men had vanished from view. The only figure I saw standing above me now on the platform, was that of Sister Carnelia. And on her shoulder, as if she were merely hefting a sack of grain, was one of the men.

Turning in the direction where the train sat in its motionless state, she lobbed the unfortunate man down onto a set of empty rail tracks below. By this time, I had risen to one knee while keeping the other planted firmly on the ground in a half-standing position. The world in front of me was still swaying, undulating in my wavering eyesight. My head slowly rocked back and forth with it as the double vision of Sister Carnelia's boots approached me. Then, with a strong grip, she tugged on my hand. For some strange reason or another, when she did this, I failed to notice the unpleasant feeling that her hand wrapped tightly around mine brought.

'Let's go, Toby,' she instructed in an authoritative voice. Nearly dragging me, she pulled me to my feet and before long, we were hightailing it out of there.

The onlookers made quite a commotion as they moved hastily out of the way in a determined attempt not to be caught up in the middle of our flight path. The bag in my left hand swung helplessly, knocking against my thigh. After clearing the ticket gate, Sister Carnelia finally let go of my hand, but a sickening slippery sensation came with it. Looking over at her, I realized that the stomach-churning, slimy feeling on my hand had come from the bright red blood which stained both of hers.

I peered back over my shoulder in the direction of the platform as I continued to run, but the figures of those three men who had been waiting for me at the station were nowhere to be found.

Chapter 5 - Emissary of the Sabbath

I sat staring at a partially-melted lump of butter on a stack of cold pancakes. Picking up a fork, I poked at them, and after turning the top one over, I daubed the milky yellow substance between the rubbery layers. In doing so, my interest in what sat atop my plate faded to nil.

A hanging lamp dangled overhead, making a sporadic buzzing sound as its honey-colored light flickered, creating jittery shadows and distorting my vision within the inn. The pouring rain outside didn't appear as if it would let up anytime soon, either.

Bringing my face closer to the window, I peered through the film of water flowing down the outside of the glass as I tried make out the dimly lit avenue. Although the station house sat right at the end of the road from where we were lodged, all that was visible was the side of the structure obscured by a shadow which prevented me from being able to see the platform.

'There's nothing to be worried about,' said Sister Carnelia as she returned, wiping her hands with a handkerchief as white as newly driven snow.

Stretching the square strip of cloth out, she sat down and placed it neatly on her lap like a napkin. Then, in a reassuring tone, she added, 'We've seen the last of them for a while.'

Watching the tips of her fingers move as she smoothed out the wrinkles in the piece of fabric resting on her legs, I was hit with a sudden flashback, reviving the awful sight and coppery scent of the sticky blood which had covered those hands not more than a few hours before.

'How can you be so certain?' I asked, still having more than a few reservations.

'Because that's how these types of crime syndicates work,' she replied, clearly seeming to know all the answers.

The waiter came and set a plate in front of Sister Carnelia with a soft clink as the base of the glassy dish tapped lightly against the hard surface of the table. After scooting the meat-laden porcelain plate closer to her, she licked off the sauce now covering the tips of her fingers in an almost sensual way. Sickened by the bloody image already in my mind and now the sauce, I tossed my fork aside and leaned heavily back in my chair.

The city outside began to fade into shades of gray and by the time Sister Carnelia was finished tucking away her steak, it had completely sunk into the darkness of night.

I questioned her again, 'How can you be so certain that no one will come after us?'

Using a piece of black-crusted bread to wipe up the last drops of sauce, she answered, 'Because that's how they function. One unit consists of three people.'

Then, as if remembering something else important, she added, 'That group that was after you. They're a jaeger corps.'

Upon hearing this, I recalled seeing some of those men at the landing port some time ago. Only the most renowned and skilled of mercenary groups have the honor of calling themselves a jaeger corps. Or at least, that's what Micht had told me about them. They were soldiers of fortune who were said to relentlessly follow the flow of mira wherever that happened to lead, and they would stop at nothing to get at it, even if it meant spilling blood.

'War hawks, mercenaries without borders, and a group never to get involved with,' is what Micht often had a habit of saying about them.

Instinctively, I slid my foot forward and checked the location of my bag with the tip of it.

'It's quite simple, really,' Sister Carnelia explained as she reached for her dessert. 'You, Toby, are carrying something that's apparently got a lot of people on edge. And someone's hired a jaeger corps to take you out.'

'But it's not me they're after. It's what I'm carrying.'

'It's all the same,' she retorted as she gulped down her cup of tea in a single breath.

'They're going to kill the courier before they even think about searching the contents of his bag. A butcher kills a cow before someone grills the steak, not the other way around.'

Lecturing me all the while, Sister Carnelia took a glossy tallow-handled knife in hand and sliced into her apple pie. The powdered sugar sprinkled on the flaky crust danced under the golden light.

I felt a stabbing pain of guilt race through me, just above my gut. Unexpectedly, I began to think about what Micht could be doing at the moment, but my short period of rumination was cut short when I saw Sister Carnelia's hand stop cold.

Glaring into the darkness, eyes focused and intent like a hunting dog's, she tossed something shiny onto the table and eventually rose to her feet.

There it was, my orbment.

'Where are you going?'

Without pausing to answer my question, Sister Carnelia expeditiously fastened the buckle of her coat.

'You've got good taste, Toby.'

One at a time she set her heels on the chair and tightened her boot laces.

'Using the full capabilities of that orbment is no small feat. I think even most bracers would be in for a real surprise if push came to shove with you in the ring.'

Growing ever more impatient, I asked again, 'So where is it exactly that you're going?'

'That's none of your concern,' came the answer. 'Suffice it to say, I will be seeing you again on the morrow.' And with that, Sister Carnelia disappeared through the door of the women's restroom.

As if exchanging places, two other men entered the restaurant. They walked directly to the table at which I sat and stood before me.

Flashing the emblem on his chest and without making any sort of eye contact, one of the men said, 'We're with the Bracer Guild. I apologize for disturbing you in the middle of your evening meal, but you'll need to come with us.'

Chapter 6 - Ascertaining the Inner Workings

My orbment, emptied bag and package wrapped in old magazine paper were laid out neatly on the table in front of me. The bracer sitting opposite me gazed alternately at my face and the items on the table as if trying to gauge my reaction to them. Constantly rubbing his chin between his fingers, it appeared to me as though he were making an effort to display his right hand, snugly fit within a leather gauntlet.

I had been led to the second floor of the lodge by the two men, and then, after they had painstakingly checked the layout of the floor, I was taken to the farthest room from the stairs. It occurred to me that the reason for the use of the makeshift space was due to there being no guild branch nearby.

The first man to sit in front of me was the lanky one. He told me his name, but I soon forgot which one was Clayton and which one was Pavel. About the time I had finished being frisked, the bracer wearing the gauntlets, Clayton or Pavel, whoever it was, returned and whispered something in his partner's ear. It seemed as though they were trying to locate Sister Carnelia, but having no luck.

After much probing on the subject of her and the jaeger corps, and after relating everything I had heard from her on the train, I turned the conversation around and, playing the role of the victim, inquired into her past history. (Though strictly speaking, I guess I was, in fact, a victim.)

'Her name is Selnate. Ein Selnate,' read aloud the lanky bracer from a pocket book he held just below eye level. 'Originally a constituent member of a jaeger corps, her present affiliation and activities are unknown.'

'In short,' added his partner pompously, 'she's not the type of person any upstanding citizen should be getting involved with.'

He reached out his gauntlet-clad hand and picked up the object bundled in scrap paper. Checking my reaction all the while, he unwrapped the paper, laying it out flat in the center of the table. Its contents turned out to be a lump of metal ingrained with a sort of clay-like substance.

I blurted out, 'I was on my way to a research institute with the item when everything happened,' and then threw in the address of some non-existent client for good measure.

The bracers took notes, making sure not to leave out any of the details of our conversation. Then, to dispel any lingering suspicions, I agreed to stay with them under their watchful eyes for the night.

The next day, I also found myself inclined to go along with them to the nearest guild branch in order to file a report about the events that happened back at the station, but I had no qualms over the matter. My greatest concern at the moment, after all, was not running into any more trouble.

I awoke as the sun came up over the horizon and day broke. With the advent of a peaceful morning, I sat up in bed and breathed a sigh of relief. The bracers who had stood guard the previous night were no longer present in the room, but the sound of their voices could be heard echoing out in the hallway beyond the closed door.

Slipping my arms through the sleeves of my jacket, I felt a sharp pain in my right elbow which brought back vivid memories of the woman from the day before.

Suddenly, a feeling of uneasiness came over me and still half-undressed, I began adjusting my orbment. After opening its back cover, I used a thin piece of tanned doeskin and started plucking out the quartz installed in each slot. It didn't take but five minutes to insert them each into different slots and rearrange their configuration with a set of light magic as my base. One by one, I replaced each screw until finally the metallic panel was back in place, and as a feeling of calmness set in, I rolled back over in bed.

It was at that time that a tall woman appearing to be a maid opened the door carrying a basin of hot water for the sink, with which guests could shave and wash their faces. After placing the small steaming tub on the table, the woman went quietly about her daily task of removing the bed linen.

Finding myself shooed from my own bed, I reluctantly headed toward the basin when just beyond the open door, I caught sight of two shadows cutting across the hallway in succession.

'They're here,' I heard myself mutter as the low tone of my suppressed voice reached my ears.

With only a bar of soap in hand, I remained unbelievably calm as I quickly shut and bolted the door. Then, pondering my next move, I stood still with my back pressed up against the wall.

On the other side of the hardened clay wall, the brief clamor of fighting ensued. Fumbling with the chain attached to my hip pocket I grabbed hold of the orbment I had adjusted just barely moments before.

It was two bracers versus the two others I had seen moments ago. Throwing myself into the mix with the two men from the guild would definitely put us at an advantage from a numbers standpoint. However, when I turned again to face the door, the voice of self-doubt came percolating through my closed lips in the form of a distant mutter.

'There were only two of them?' I murmured to myself.

If Sister Carnelia's words were to be believed, then one unit consisted of three people, not two. Again, I questioned myself inwardly, 'Then where's the third?'

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I realized my plight.

Something swung down over the top of my head, catching me around the neck, and the next instant I was flung to the ground. From the corner of my blurred and spotty vision came the inexplicable view of a woman with demonic bloodshot eyes standing over me, trying to wrench the very life out of me with every twist of the sheet she had wrapped tightly around my throat.

Clutching my orbment in hand, I activated it and fired off a burst of magic while lying half-asphyxiated on the wooden planks of the room floor. The destructive vortex of compressed air sliced deeply into my hip, but at the same time, caused the woman to double over before forcefully blowing her to another part of the room. Shreds of whirling linen flecked and sprayed with fresh blood blasted out through a gaping hole in the wall where a closed window once stood, leaving nothing behind but shards of broken glass and a frame rent beyond all repair.

Chapter 7 - The Death of a Friend

Wheezing, I breathed in, the sound high and whistling as the air fought to make it through my constricted windpipe. Still clutching tightly to my orbment, I unwound the sheets from my throat. Utterly exhausted, I tilted my head on its side and watched with reddened eyes as a small stream of saliva dribbled down over the edge of my mouth and pooled onto the floor. When fresh air finally made its way into my lungs it initially choked me nearly as badly as the sheet had.

A thump from somewhere behind startled me from my fit. The Jaeger demoness, like a spring-loaded doll, leaped up from the floor of the room. The single shot of magic I had previously landed in her gut should have done the trick, but the fluid way she moved about made it appear as if she were unfazed by the blast.

Within arm's reach of where I had subconsciously curled myself came the splintering sound of unseasoned wood being hewn down by a giant woodcutter's axe. In the following instant, Sister Carnelia came flying through a newly opened hole in the timber door, her entry punctuated by a cloud of splinters. Her arms as pliant as whips, she passed by the female Jaeger in a lightning quick motion, and with a turning assault, clocked her opponent full tilt in the face. The woman spun with the force of the blow and fell with a tumultuous thud, her head cracking hard against the floor. Like a prima ballerina, Sister Carnelia raised her knee high until she had it tucked securely up against her sternum. She stared down at the outstretched figure on the floor. Muscles flexed and without an ounce of mercy, Sister Carnelia let her judgment fall with the heel of her boot stomping down and crushing the wretched woman's throat.

As I witnessed the grotesque and unsightly scene, Sister Carnelia gave a quick glance in my direction, and beckoned me on. Then, with a nimble hop into the unknown before her, she cleared the broken window frame and lighted to the ground below. Quickly scraping my belongings together, I made after her in the same manner as she had left: out the window with a two-story drop to the cobblestone side road below. Waiting close-by and helping to break my less than elegant fall, Sister Carnelia led me on as we took flight along the avenue, brightly lit by the morning sun.

A deafening blare from an orbal engine's whistle indicated that the first train was about to depart. Sister Carnelia immediately pulled a ticket from out of her coat pocket and held it out to me from the side. Reaching for the fluttering strip of paper between her fingers, I realized that I was still carrying the bar of soap from before so I chucked it, not caring where it landed or who it might hit.

Aboard the train, the smoggy haze from the incessant smoking of the nattering gentlemen had permeated into every nook and cranny of the passenger car. There was also the smell of newly printed publications and the occasional sound of someone clearing their throat. It felt rather awkward to have boarded a train bound for the Imperial city with my bag still in hand.

'Do you know what your problem is, Toby?' Sister Carnelia remarked. 'You're just like that orbment of yours.'

Using her white handkerchief, she stanched the flow of blood from my leg which had been lacerated by the spinning aeroblades of the magic.

'Once you get yourself into trouble, you keep digging yourself in deeper until someone comes along with a billy club and whacks some good sense into you.'

Placing a folded magazine on my lap, she tapped on it with the nail tip of her index finger, indicating that I should read what was inside. It was a copy of the Imperial Chronicle which had been published just that morning. A several-lined article, buried pages behind more titillating news, told of the suspicious death of one orbal factory owner somewhere within the capital. This was the first time I had ever become aware of Micht's real age.

Sister Carnelia continued her lecture as she mercilessly upbraided me for my reckless behavior.

'You missed being caught up in all of this by a hair's breadth,' she informed me coolly.

At a loss for words over the shock of Micht's death, I put the magazine away in my trench coat pocket.

'Another five minutes in that shop and you would have gone to meet your maker, too.'

I shook my head and with trembling lips, let my thoughts fumble out of my mouth. 'I just don't get it. Why did Micht have to die?' Images of Micht's cold body behind the counter alternated in my mind with that of the lump of metal wrapped in scrap paper.

'Just what the hell had I been carrying all this time, and why did anyone have to die over it?' I pondered at length.

Sister Carnelia met my eyes and held them. 'Because it's an artifact,' she said simply.

'An artifact?' I scoffed as I blew off her answer. 'It's not like I haven't carried a bunch of them before.'

Artifacts, in short, were the remaining legacy of an ancient civilization and the generic term for any unidentifiable mechanism which resembled that of an orbment.

I had spent my days as a courier smuggling any number of those items under the false pretense that the goods I was carrying were nothing more than rare antiques, and readily placed them in the hands of those aristocrats, amongst whom they were especially in vogue. And for the most part, my current possession appeared as though it belonged in the same group as the others. Personally, I could find no other value in the collecting of these artifacts besides the indulgence of oneself in a decadent hobby.

Chiding me as if I were a clueless child, Sister Carnelia rebuked, 'You're wrong, Toby. This one's much different than the others.' After a moment's pause, she added, 'It's alive.'

Unable to grasp what she had meant, I looked at her with a questioning expression on my face.

Sister Carnelia tried again. 'What I'm trying to tell you, is that it still works. Although, I'm not really sure what kind of power it actually has. It was unearthed during an excavation within the Empire's territory about thirty years ago...'

Sister Carnelia's subsequent story about the peculiar lump of metal told of the dark history surrounding a group of aristocrats who relentlessly sought after it. The artifact itself had transitioned from hand to hand by those in power, as one after another, they were murdered while slumbering in their bedchambers. Then, at the end of the Hundred Days War, its whereabouts were said to have been lost.

'And strangely enough, it finally turned up in the capital after all this time,' she said, finishing up the account.

An announcement chimed in the passenger car notifying those riding of the scheduled time of arrival. Sister Carnelia uncrossed and recrossed her long legs.

'The one who is after that artifact hired that jaeger corps to bring it to them, whatever the cost. So as a result, I was dispatched by the church in order to protect both you and it from falling into their hands.'

I sat staring down at the bag resting next to my feet as we approached our destination, and the moving train quietly began to lose speed.

Chapter 8 - In the Bowels of the Imperial City

Moving purposefully through the crowd, we made our way between the rows of seats. Each time the swinging bag in hand struck the side of my knee, I became keenly aware of its presence. It was an unnerving feeling, quite like I had unintentionally brushed up against someone in an offensive way. Furthermore, it was nearly inconceivable to my mind that the ancient relic the jaeger corps were pursuing with such a frenzy was sitting right here inside the stitched cloth of this cheap hand bag.

What a fool Micht had been. Hadn't he known the burden this object would bring would be one far more weighty than the both of us could have ever hoped to bear?

I squeezed my eyes shut against the thoughts flying around my mind and addressed Sister Carnelia, who followed closely behind me. 'Will we be making a break for the cathedral once we get off?'

'Yes, that was the plan,' she answered, scanning the scene outside the window of the passenger car. 'I think that's the only option we've got if you want to make it through this day alive.'

The station where the train was set to arrive was unremittingly crowded with countless droves of passengers. And as usual, the sky was slightly overcast. Everyone outside on the platform stood shivering in silence with their collars drawn up to their ears, huddling close to one another for warmth, like a flock of waterfowl out on the tidelands in mid-winter.

'Don't worry, I won't be tossing you down a flight of stairs this time, Toby,' jested Sister Carnelia. 'Although, if there were two more of you at my disposal, I might have decided otherwise,' she added.

Evidently, the numbers in our welcome party this time had seen a rather dramatic increase.

'The odds don't appear to be in our favor,' she said in a low voice, her warm breath tickling the lobe of my ear. 'We won't be able to leave through the ticket gate.'

As soon as we stepped off the train, we stealthily moved to the opposite end of the platform, and after sneaking out a large door for only authorized station personnel, we jumped down onto the path of railroad ties and steel rails below. The biting cold wind of the capital swept freely across the unobstructed railroad tracks, causing me to shudder as it ruffled our coats with its chilly touch. Slipping between the couplers of a pair of freight cars, we moved cautiously along their edge, sticking close to the shadows. Over on the cargo platform, workers were busy unloading containers.

For someone who had his mind set on becoming a dealer of pilfered goods, gaining illicit entry into the station house would be one of the first of all basics. Showing my ticket I spoke politely to one of the workers. Then, with a scenario picked out in my head, I sold it to him as I played the part of a manager here on business with a celebrity of notable repute. Midway through our conversation, I introduced Sister Carnelia, who did her best to show the man a glamorous smile and feminine pose. I had possibly gone a bit overboard when I stated that she was an opera singer, because the way that she carried herself made her look more akin to a low-wage sell-song in a bar of drunkards. Yet, in spite of it all, the worker graciously let us through.

'You're so good at that it's almost scary, Toby,' Sister Carnelia said as we raced through the station's warehouse sector. 'You should seriously consider doing another job,' she went on.

'I bet you're going to tell me to join the Bracer Guild, right? Come on, those guys would turn me down in a heartbeat,' I said as I laughed off the thought. Then, throwing the idea back in her court I asked, 'So how about yourself? Why don't you join the Bracer Guild?'

Reaching the end of the warehouse sector, we came to a stop in front of a large chain-link fence. Sister Carnelia crouched down, and while sliding a drainage cover to the side, laughed at my previous question as if it were insane.

'Are you kidding?' she asked. 'They'd gun me down the second I set foot into one of their branches.'

The winding, narrow stone tunnels like the one we were in ran everywhere beneath the capital. We crawled along as the light shining down through the drainage grates on the side of the large road above us illuminated the way like a trail of flickering orbal lampposts. The feet of those walking along the avenue passed right by where we were, but not a single person noticed us scraping our way along below them. And for some strange reason or another, the world just beyond the thin flagstone-paved road appeared so dazzling in my eyes. Yet, the Jaeger Corps, loss of the artifact in hand, and a senseless, sudden death; all of which had never crossed my mind before; lay in wait for me dared I to venture into the open world above.

As we pressed on, I began to think that the small round tunnel which we were crawling through would run on forever, when finally it merged with a high-ceilinged sewer surrounded by walls of countless blocks of chiseled stone.

'We'll go through here and make our way over to where the cathedral is located,' Sister Carnelia insisted. Raising one brow, she pointed her finger upward. 'It's a lot safer down here than it is up there.'

'That's fine and all, but what are we going to do if it gets attacked?'

Sister Carnelia grabbed my hand, and with that, stepped into the muddy darkness beyond. 'Don't worry, Toby,' she reassured me. 'Faith isn't the only thing supporting the church.'

Chapter 9 - Carnelia

The flicker of dying orbal lamps mounted at equidistant lengths along the sewer walls sent thin streaks of light across the surface of the rippling flow of filthy sewage. Passing in front of these one by one, Sister Carnelia sped down the stone sidewalk as the sound of her body cutting through the racing tunnel winds trailed out behind her. Panting and out of breath, I continued to move my feet toward the darkness which lay before me as I chased after Sister Carnelia's flickering shadow.

Wayworn, yet without a moment of repose, we headed unrelentingly with our sights set on the cathedral of the Septian Church. We moved swiftly across the moss-covered stone pavement, the clacking of our heels echoing in the dimly lit underground.

Above ground, the walking distance on the city roads from the railway station to the cathedral was about three blocks. If we made our way up through the drainage ditch just beyond the sluice gate, we would find ourselves in the public square outside the massive sanctuary.

Up ahead, the light of another orbal lamp came into view. Turning her head in my direction and without a word, Sister Carnelia extended her right hand outward in a wide motion indicating that we would be turning that way at the next corner. Then, as if preparing for something she rolled both shoulders in a grinding motion and relieved the last of her tension with a pop of the neck. It seemed to me as though she knew all too well what was lurking within the tenebrous conduit ahead.

Under the unsteady and sporadic coruscation of light, the body of Sister Carnelia surged around the corner and disappeared from view. One, two, three went the walloping echoes, followed by the sound of something being rolled into the channel of filthy sludge. As I turned the corner, the first things which leapt into my sight were the contorted figures of two men on the ground whom I barely missed treading on. Sister Carnelia, who was by this time several steps ahead, continued to run at her usual pace as if nothing had happened during the preceding seconds.

'It's Carnelia!' came an angry (but noticeably wavering) voice from behind.

I glanced to my rear to locate its source, and there I found a man who had dragged himself from the fecal-filled liquid, now lying next to his dead comrades, yelling with his dying breath as blood leaked out of his open mouth.

'Carnelia, she's down here!' he managed to croak before falling silent and still. Sister Carnelia paid no attention nor made any effort to look back. I turned my face forward and followed her example.

The walls of the conduit leading directly to the sluice gate squared out into an ominous mouth of darkness, seemingly waiting for its next unsuspecting meal. Sister Carnelia gradually slowed her pace to match mine as I had by this time become completely exhausted and out of breath.

'It looks like these guys are dead serious about getting their hands on that item this time,' she said as she focused her eyes on the darkness before us.

'So were those men old friends of yours or something?' I inquired.

Sister Carnelia turned to face me with her darkened scarlet eyes. 'Is that what you heard from those bracers the other day?' she asked. I nodded my head and questioned her no further. With head slightly turned down I forced myself onward, eyes fixed on tips of my boots.

Unexpectedly, Sister Carnelia opened her mouth and said, 'Do you remember that woman you had a run-in with back at the inn?' I nodded slightly.

'The whole reason I gave up my life as a mercenary is because I didn't want to meet a tragic end like that,' she continued. 'A life of no meaning. Forgotten by all...'

I looked up at Sister Carnelia, and seeing a slight show of emotion in the side of her face, heard her repeat the same line of words a few times more before finishing her thought.

'If I'm going to cash in my life's chips, then I think it's best that I fight for something worth fighting for. At least that way, I'd be able to leave a legacy of my existence behind.'

Taking in her words, I ran steadily beside her as I felt a sense of nondescript apprehension slowly begin to creep over me. During the short intervals between breaths, it suddenly seemed as if I were hearing the faint sound of sloshing water from behind which caused me to prick up my ears and turn my head in its direction.

'So you noticed it too, huh, Toby?' Sister Carnelia slowed her step until finally coming to a complete stop. 'They've blockaded us from behind, so there's no turning back now,' she said, the direness of our situation heavy in her voice.

We had arrived at an intersection where the conduit we were in and another crossed paths and just beyond the wide, fetid flow of sewage water before us, I could see the dimly lit sluice gate. I placed my back against the damp bricks of the nearest wall and for a moment, tried to catch my breath.

'They're probably lying in wait for us,' Sister Carnelia assessed stolidly after glaring across the flowing sewage of the merged channels and then turning her head to the rear and narrowing her eyes again. 'And, unfortunately this time, we won't be able to circumvent them.'

With a sound of composure revealing her utmost resolve, Sister Carnelia took in a few deep breaths. I laid hand on my orbment, gripping it in the palm of my sweaty hand, and then wrapped the strap of my bag securely around my opposite wrist. And as always, Sister Carnelia checked her boots before standing upright. Then, taking a few steps back and holding my breath, I raced forward and darted into the stygian flow of waste.

Chapter 10 - The Last Stand

Sister Carnelia made such haste as she aimed for the path on the opposite side of the sludge-filled channel that I could have sworn she was actually running on the liquid's surface, based on my observation of the minuscule spatters her feet produced. And of course, she passed me by in the blink of an eye, the space growing wider and wider between us as I continued to trudge my way through the filthy muck.

Flashes of magic erupted from the darkness by the sluice gate and ripped through the air in rapid succession, but none of them could overtake the speed at which Sister Carnelia moved. In an unyielding offensive by the shadowed aggressors, the settled feculence in the depths of the channel was thrown up in the form of a powerful tsunami, and in the instant before clearing myself from its destructive path, I feared that the terrible wall of sedimented filth would crush me under its weight and bring me to an unsightly end.

With a mid-air spin to avoid the last of the oncoming magic, Sister Carnelia flew to the opposite side of the channel with incredible speed. Hurdling the wall of piled-up sandbags behind which the attackers took cover, she whirled her arms in a ferocious onslaught. One by one, like a row of pins being struck by a weighted object, the line of standing Jaegers crumbled to the ground.

Sister Carnelia's attacks were like a whirlwind of death, blurry with the speed at which they struck. They came in advancing at inconceivable angles, puncturing throats, slashing open arteries, and then they were gone. So it was that when I finally reached the cobbled path beyond the stagnant channel, not a soul was left standing besides Sister Carnelia and myself.

'The cathedral is at the end of a ladder just beyond this gate,' she indicated as she flicked dripping blood from her fingers like a child who forgot a handkerchief to dry her wet hands. Her eyes shone with the afterglow of battle. 'The Jaegers can't be far behind, so we'd better hurry,' she warned. And as if to punctuate her warning, the damp sound of numerous feet kicking up water as they advanced toward our present location had now become clearly audible to my ears.

Stepping over the handful of Jaeger corpses lying scattered about behind the wall of sandbags, we made our way for the dry-bed channel which lay ahead of us. I placed my hands on the slightly damp stone floor of the empty channel and crawled through the half-open door of the sluice gate. A falling water droplet struck the nape of my neck as I passed through the cramped opening, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. In the moment that followed I recognized the sound of an orbment overhead on the verge of discharging a burst of magic.

'Toby!' came the ostensible voice of Sister Carnelia as my vision was instantly flooded with a wave of exceeding brightness. Then, in the midst of this world of blinding light, came the hand of a savior which grabbed me firmly by the shoulder. The powerful feeling of being dragged and the explosion produced by magic rupturing stone were almost simultaneous.

As the booming roar swept across the whole of my body, I was thrown backwards toward the ground. Despite my clouded vision, I managed to somersault before landing in the prone position.

Choking on the filthy puddle I had fallen face down in, I lifted my head in time to see a cloud of blackened dust being heaved from the mouth of the halfway-raised sluice gate door. And as if my worst nightmare had now become reality, I watched as one after another, the blockading Jaegers emerged from the smoky cloud, each bearing a glinting blade.

I floundered about on the slippery mud and watched as their ranks sprang into action and closed in, their rugged facial features now visible to my eyes. Instantly rolling to the side, I unsheathed my hidden blade as I attempted to deflect a wide-arching slash of another with my bag. The cloth of the bag, over which the sharp edge ran, split open without a sound, and the paper-wrapped orbment fell onto the cobbled floor.

Frantically, I searched for the orbment at my side, but I was unable to get a grip on it because of my clumsy, panic-stricken state. One of the mercenary men, his eyes intent on my throat, drew back his long sword to end my life. But before he could make his move, a dark silhouette appeared from behind him.

It was Sister Carnelia.

Her hands, moving with such finesse, disarmed the man in an instant, and left only his sword behind before he was launched from view into the hanging shadows veiling the dank conduit. As the sound of the falling sword struck the ground with a high-pitched clink, Sister Carnelia dropped to her knees. Her soft, whispered words were full of regret.

'I'm sorry, Toby.'

With her head bowed forward, I watched in disbelief as several streaks of blood began to run down the side of her face.

'It looks like the Goddess may be calling you home, too,' she said gently.

Once again, Sister Carnelia rose to her feet, her coat hanging in tatters. Eyeing her outer garment's ragged state, I knew for certain that it had been caused by the previous blast of magic. In order to protect me from harm, Sister Carnelia had willingly used her body as a shield to absorb the brunt of the force. And now, a stain of effervescing crimson blood had begun to seep through the cloth covering her breast.

I swiped up the artifact which had tumbled to the ground from the hole in my severed bag and tore away the wet paper which covered its surface. Then, with the cold lump of metal in hand, I placed it atop my orbment as I gripped them both tightly together.

The sound of footfall from the jaeger corps had by now subsided. They stood in a cluster with their swords drawn, effectively blocking any possible escape through the sluice gate. Sister Carnelia let out a shrill cry and I, as if taking the sound to be a command to attack, unleashed the energy pent up within my orbment.

The device roared, and at the instant the magic was discharged, I felt an intense wave of searing heat graze over my cheeks as my entire body was immediately blown backwards by its powerful force. Stunned, I collapsed onto the floor.

When I finally forced open my eyes, I could see Sister Carnelia standing above me with her back turned to face me. Her right arm had lost all strength to function and hung limply at her side. Dazedly, she slid to her knees and slumped onto the ground before me.

I pulled Sister Carnelia close to myself and hugging her tightly, blasted the pack of assailing mercenaries with an instantaneous wave of magic. But then it was all over, my last stand ending as soon as it had begun.

Countless razor-sharp sword tips stared down at us from all sides. Convinced that I had finally reached my life's terminus, I raised my right hand and while placing a false hope in my orbment that it could somehow protect us, I activated it, the last of its energy being consumed as it was drained to empty. Whirling aeroblades spun around us as I closed my eyes and accepted my fate. And behind my darkened eyelids, an endless realm of whiteness began to spread out before me.

Finale - A Legacy Never to be Forgotten

I was swallowed by the light only to be spewed moments later onto a patch of hardened ground. The air was filled with the scent of sun-baked earth. Yet, for being the floor of some grandiose, heavenly estate inherited by those in the afterlife, it felt quite like the flagstones I had grown accustomed to in my past life.

Upon feeling around in my immediate surroundings, my searching hand found soft locks of disheveled hair. It seemed as though Sister Carnelia had come as well as I to meet our creator firsthand.

Gradually, as I lay there, I felt something warm swell within the pit of my stomach. Weary and spent I just let the feeling spread over me. It was at about this time that the sound of murmurous voices started to fill the air around us. Warm breath tickled across my nose and brow, letting me know that I was being stared at directly in the face.

As my eyes adjusted to the intensity of the light, I realized that I was looking into the face of a young girl who beamed back at me brightly with the widest of smiles. However, she seemed a bit young to hold the esteemed position of the Goddess.

The knell of a bell overhead rang out loud and clear. Strangely, it had sounded exactly like the cathedral's distinctive toll. Taking in this series of events to be rather odd, I picked myself up, and at last, awakened from the dream which had temporarily invaded my senses.

There it was, the familiar cityscape, the sounds, and even the scent of the breeze. I knew the place by heart. It was the public square of the Imperial city which unfolded before the great cathedral of the Septian Church.

I opened the fingers of my right hand and stared down at the metallic lump in its palm, entrusted to me by Micht. Golden filaments of light swirled across the surface of the artifact. I instantly recalled Sister Carnelia's words. 'It's alive,' she had said. And as I watched the ancient light gradually fade away before closing my hand around its surface once more, I believed it.

Supporting each other by wrapping our arms around one another's shoulders, Sister Carnelia and I hobbled and limped our way toward the magnificent cathedral as the awe-inspiring figure of the Goddess, Aidios, stood silently with unfurled wings, watching over us from the deep-hued stained-glass window above. And as for the events which followed, they were all settled in an orderly fashion.

The metallic lump which Sister Carnelia had so daringly risked her life for was turned over to His Eminence, the cardinal, who presided over the cathedral. He disappeared with it through the thick open door of a sacred vault.

The level of corruption which had spread like a plague among members of the Imperial court, influential aristocrats and even commissioned officers in the Imperial Army astonished even those mediators acting on behalf of the Bracer Guild.

I stayed close by Sister Carnelia as she was laid out on a pew within the chapel of the cathedral. The real sisters of the church delicately pulled off her coat and cut open her vest, now stuck to her body with dried blood. Upon doing so, they found an ornate shirt of chain mail just beneath the layer of her clothing, which for some strange reason seemed to bewilder them all.

The next day a certain aristocrat, who had hired the jaeger corps to carry out his selfish bidding, agreed to relinquish the artifacts in his possession in return for keeping his estate. Hence, his collection of forbidden antiques were brought under the safekeeping of the Septian Church.

Sworn to secrecy, I made immediate arrangements to take leave for the Calvard Republic. My destination: a high-class resort, which turned out to be an excellent way to recover physically and mentally, as well as forget about the series of events which had occurred over the past few days. Naturally, the bracers assigned to provide my escort were none other than Clayton and Pavel, who before we left, guided me without a word to where Sister Carnelia was resting.

I talked with Sister Carnelia, who had awoken for a short interval, but as I got up to leave she reached out her dainty hand and said to me, 'Before you go, I want to tell you my real name. It's Ein. Ein Selnate.' I took her unblemished hand in mine and gripped it firmly as I expressed my appreciation for what she had done.

And today, now three years later -- I stood staring at her name once again, but this time, printed on a page of the Imperial Chronicle.

'Ein Selnate.'

Below those printed characters ran the few lines of an unembellished article.

'Yesterday, a corpse was discovered in an urban area of the capital just before dawn. The body was found to be covered with multiple stab wounds. -- The departed, in life, had been involved in charitable work and brought salvation to many afflicted souls in various regions throughout the land.'

As I read the last line, I envisioned the deceased figure of Sister Carnelia lying motionless upon a darkened street. Yet, despite the blood-stained face I envisioned in my mind, I saw her as she rested in peace, a gentle smile crossing her face, and vindicated of any transgressions in life.

As I rolled up the copy of the magazine in hand, I brushed my hand lightly across the shining bracer emblem pinned on my chest. Almost two years had passed since I converted to my new line of work, which Sister Carnelia had so graciously recommended to me. And finally, I had even become used to using my real name.

'Toby,' came the whisper of Sister Carnelia as it resurrected in my ears.

Now only known as Toby, I pressed my forehead up against the cold, clouded window of the passenger car, the refulgent eyes of Sister Carnelia shining brightly like a carnelian stone, forever ingrained in my memory. In my mind's eye I watched as her coat sleeves trailed out behind her and she dashed away into the darkness of my memories.

Opening my eyes, I gazed out through the window glass. And there, I saw the bleeding rouge-colored illumination of the Imperial City, as it faded away beneath the heavy white fog.

(THE END)

Chapter 1 - The Puppeteer's Apprentice

Long, long ago, in a certain little village there lived a young boy. He was some thirteen years old. His name was Pedro.

Pedro was a small boy and not very strong, but his fingers were dexterous enough to astonish anyone. When he moved his whittling knife, wooden blocks would turn into birds and wonderful creatures as if by magic.

The boy spent his days with these crafts as his life.

One day, strange travelers came by the village. An old man with sharp eyes and a large man in black garb casually strolled into the general store whereupon their eyes were drawn to a wooden bird so cunningly carved that one could almost hear its wings beat the air. It was Pedro's latest creation.

After inquiring with the owner of the general store, the old man and his escort came upon the little house where Pedro lived. And the first words they had for him were...

'Prepare your things. We're leaving for the city!'

Pedro's eyes widened in shock at the order.

'What is this?' he cried. 'Who are you people, any...'

His eyes fell on the large man in black. Pedro's words caught in his throat.

The old man chuckled. 'Hm. So you DID notice. I thought you would.'

From the old man's fingers stretched transparent threads. He gestured and the black-garbed man bowed gracefully.

The immense man was a clockwork puppet.

'He is the 'Black Priest,' the old man said. 'My finest work.' His wrinkled face creased further as he smiled slyly.

He was the famous master Capri Oratoria, a puppeteer known throughout Weltluna.

Oratoria fixed Pedro with a beady eye. 'You could craft something even greater than this. Doesn't the mere thought excite you?'

No more words were needed. Tossing his carving knife into a sack, Pedro fixed his cap on his head and greeted his new master by saying farewell to his old home.

Chapter 2 - The Blue Knight

The years passed swiftly for Pedro at Oratoria's workshop on the outskirts of the capital. Under the tutelage of 'Puppeteer Capri,' he learned the techniques to build clockwork puppets and the skills to make them dance and perform.

After three years of training he completed his own masterpiece; a doll of noble bearing dressed in armor with a gleaming blue helm.

If Capri's masterwork, the Black Priest, was a martial arts-type focused on maneuverability, then Pedro's blue puppet was a well-balanced swordsman. Its counterattacks as it turned aside the Black Priest's punches and kicks were the very image of a graceful knight.

'What will you call it?' Capri asked.

Pedro had no answer. He had been so focused in its creation that he hadn't actually thought of one. Ultimately, it would come to be called the 'Blue Knight' before he could name it.

It was some time after Pedro constructed the Blue Knight that the king who ruled from the city would pass on from their world.

The king had long been ill, so there was little shock, and the mourning period passed smoothly. And so, in accordance with the law, the king's only daughter, Princess Tia, would ascend to the throne as queen.

Chapter 3 - On the Road Home

Pedro visited the city accompanied by the Blue Knight. With the crowning ceremony approaching, the streets were abuzz with excitement. As he strolled the city center, people passing by cast strange looks his way.

'What a noble knight he must be.'

'I'm sure he must be quite the famous hero.'

'Do you suppose he's attending the crowning ceremony?'

Trailing quietly behind the Blue Knight, Pedro could hardly keep himself from doing a little dance. It felt like a step towards Capri, who could control the Black Priest as if it was human itself. Of course, at the same time he found it annoying that others thought him the servant of his own creation.

It was on his way back to the workshop outside of town that Pedro's humming was interrupted by a scream.

'No... Please, stop!' cried a voice from the woods.

'Heh heh, no one's gonna save you!' a man growled. 'Give up and give in!'

From the looks of things, some thuggish men had a girl cornered.

Dainty and clad in a white dress, the girl's searching eyes sought desperately for a way to flee from the danger.

Pedro squared his shoulders, and lowering his cap to shadow his eyes, he set his fingers in motion. The Blue Knight charged forward.

Chapter 4 - A Righteous Display

Upon seeing the Blue Knight appear like a shadow from the heart of the forest, the men harassing the girl could only gape in amazement.

'Leave the girl, and leave this place,' the Blue Knight declared from the depths of its helmet.

This was the ventriloquism that the old master had drilled into his head as a secret of puppeteering.

'Who the... Who the hell're you? Get outta here before ya get hurt!'

'Fools...'

With a jab from its clockwork fist, the Blue Knight knocked back the man holding the woman and pivoted swiftly to kick both men away.

'Are you hurt, young lady?'

'N-No, I am well.'

'Good. 'Twould be best if you stood back.'

At last, the Blue Knight drew its sword.

Swathed in black, a third man who seemed like the leader approached.

'Not bad for a wanderer...'

Pedro eyed the new arrival. The black-garbed man's stance suggested he knew something of proper swordsmanship.

'Enough playing, though. Hand over the girl and I'll see you rewarded.'

'To ignore one's duties is to be without courage. I fear I cannot do that,' said the Blue Knight.

'Well, then...DIE!' screamed the black-garbed man and attacked.

Chapter 5 - The Girl With Sky Blue Eyes

The man in black attacked.

From the upper-right, he feinted as if to strike the shoulder, but twisted his wrist and changed to a slash across the body.

Pedro, having read the feint, pulled at his strings.

The Blue Knight stepped back a half step, dodging the horizontal slash, then smacked the outstretched blade, knocking it from his foe's hands.

'I-Impossible...'

The black-garbed man rubbed his numb hand and paled as the Blue Knight shifted slightly.

As if it was a sign, the thugs turned and scattered like baby spiders.

The girl gave a sigh of relief and curtsied.

'Thank you very much...'

She was still a bit shaky, but her manner was that of a noble woman.

'It is the duty of every knight to protect. Pay it no mind.'

'Ah, are you from foreign lands, perhaps?'

Suddenly Pedro was struck with a moment of whimsy.

'I am the touring knight, Pedro. The boy there is my servant,' he made the puppet reply.

'Huh...?'

The girl finally seemed to notice him. She faced him with an expression of bewilderment.

However...

Pedro was no less surprised. Indeed, his shock was many, many times greater than hers.

Cool, turquoise-blue eyes.

That familiar, achingly lovely form.

It was the same girl he had seen at ceremonies and from the balcony of the palace.

'Y-Your Highness?' he blurted.

The girl wrapped in pure white was the very girl who had just lost her father and was to be crowned in the capital.

It was Princess Tia.

Chapter 6 - The Melancholy of the Princess

'Would you be willing to guard me for these two weeks until the crowning ceremony?'

In the royal throne room Princess Tia asked this question with a serious expression. Of course, she asked it not of Pedro, but of the Blue Knight.

'Have you not a royal guard? Surely you would be far better off with them as your protectors.'

Unable to say that the Blue Knight was a puppet, Pedro followed as far as the throne room. He shivered, sensing even more trouble about to come.

'The royal guard that protect the capital are... They obey the words of my uncle, Duke Gaston. Even before, they abandoned me and fled,' Princess Tia said softly.

Duke Gaston was a man surrounded by bad rumors. It was an open secret that he took advantage of the previous king's illness to line his own purse.

'The man in black you confronted, Sir Pedro, I am sure that was my uncle's second-in-command. All of it was planned...'

Princess Tia's sky-blue eyes clouded.

At this point, the kindly Pedro could hardly refuse the role of escort.

'Understood. I shall accept your request,' he had the Blue Knight reply.

Princess Tia's smile was like the sun breaking through the clouds. 'Thank you, sir knight... Thank you so very much.'

She turned towards Pedro as well.

'And you too, good servant. May I ask for your name?'

'I...'

Pedro hid his eyes once more in the shadow of his cap.

'I'm no one worthy of naming myself.'

Chapter 7 - Turbulent Days

Protecting the princess proved harder than predicted. After all, almost every day there were new ne'er-do-wells sent after her.

Eventually, partially due to their closeness in age, Princess Tia and Pedro, still playing the servant, came to speak very openly to each other.

While glad for the princess' trust, he didn't know what he would do if the truth of the Blue Knight came out.

Pedro was beside himself with worry.

On the other side of the city, a letter was delivered to a certain puppet workshop.

'What is that boy doing...'

Guessing the circumstances from the very vague statements in Pedro's letter, Capri sighed and gave a bitter smile.

'However, perhaps this is a good chance,' he mused.

Pedro was ever bright, and straight as an arrow, yet his thoughts were always of puppets. Partially due to living outside the city, he had no friends he could call close, and yet it hardly seemed as if he felt lonely for it.

While the role of escort to the princess was perhaps beyond his station, if it proved a chance to awaken more human feelings in his apprentice, Capri could only wish him the best with a parent's heart.

Chapter 8 - What Makes the Darkness Shake

'That girl has the devil's own luck!'

In a dim room lit by flickering candle flames Duke Gaston cursed hatefully. He felt not a moment of sympathy or care for his niece.

'At this rate she shall see the crowning ceremony!' he snarled. 'This knight, Pedro, can't we handle him?'

'He's the first man so skilled that we've encountered. We fear that even if the royal guard attacked at once it might be difficult...'

Recalling the shame of having his sword knocked from his hands, Duke Gaston's second-in-command bit his lip.

'Still, we have nothing to fear,' he said. 'While a bit of an odd character, we have hired a skilled assassin to handle this, my lord.'

'Odd? What sort of person is he?'

'...Ahaha, did you call?'

The flames danced bewitchingly, then went out as one. As if something tremendously heavy had collapsed down onto it, the carpeted floor shook with a thud.

'Wh-Who is it?'

Duke Gaston took a step back.

The shadow illuminated by the moon was tremendous...and inhuman.

'My lord, fear not. This is our assassin, Harlequin. He will remove all that is in your way with his puppet.'

The assassin sketched a mocking bow.

'Ahaha, I do love hunting. I don't take jobs unless the prey's lively.'

A sickening laugh shook the darkness, bringing a nasty smile to the duke's face as well.

'Worry not. I am sure your hunt will be MOST enjoyable.'

And so did the night bathed in red by a crimson moon fade to dawn, melting like ice.

Chapter 9 - Afternoon in the Lesser Palace

Afternoon in the palace began with a tea party in the gardens. The princess, as always, filled three cups with black tea from the pot.

'Please, enjoy your tea.'

'My thanks,' the Blue Knight intoned.

'Thank you very much,' Pedro said.

Pedro moved the Blue Knight with his left hand as he sipped the tea made by the princess. It was the happiest moment in their otherwise busy days.

'Good servant, you really seem to enjoy your tea. It makes it very worth the effort for the one who made it.'

'Haha... You are too kind.'

Smiling bitterly, Pedro pulled his strings.

The Blue Knight, in one go, emptied the tea in the cup into the leather sack in his neck.

At this, Princess Tia could only sigh.

'Whereas Sir Pedro here seems to hardly find it delicious at all. It makes it difficult to be motivated...'

'Pardon me. I fear I am an impolite man.'

In his heart, Pedro felt a nervous edge, but the Blue Knight answered with an ever calm face.

There had been countless moments where it seemed as if everything would be revealed, but Princess Tia showed no signs of doubting the truth of the Blue Knight.

The princess smiled faintly, but her expression quickly turned somber.

'I suppose it doesn't matter. These fun afternoons will end tomorrow. After the crowning ceremony the following day, you shall both leave the city, after all...'

Chapter 10 - A Faint Pain

At the princess' lonely words, Pedro's heart beat fast as a drum.

'I fear I am a man on the path of the warrior, so...my apologies,' the Blue Knight said.

'No, I should apologize. I shall hardly make much of a queen like this.'

The princess shook herself and smiled brightly.

Forgetting to control the puppet, Pedro ducked his head to hide the longing on his face. He would have loved to stay as her guard.

Though she might have been of noble birth, Princess Tia was a lonely girl who had lost her father.

However, she had been speaking not of the servant-like Pedro but of the Blue Knight. To the princess, Pedro was simply part of the package.

Thinking that made his chest hurt somehow. It was a pain such as he'd never felt when he was handling his puppets.

Ultimately, Pedro had chosen.

Even if it meant saddening the princess, to flee from this unbearable pain in his chest...

'Ah, would you like a second cup?'

As if to clear the heavy atmosphere, the princess offered the pot with a smile.

'Oooh, that DOES sound good, mind giving me a cup?'

With an unnerving laugh, a shadow leapt in.

'Ah...'

'What?!'

A sudden gust tore through the garden, sending the tea set flying off the table. Crimson wings beat the air as an immense puppet in the form of a devil fell to the earth.

'Sorry for interrupting your lovely tea party,' tittered a voice. 'Would you mind playing with me for a bit?'

On the devil's left arm was a human figure. It was the masked puppeteer, Harlequin.

'I'll make sure it's plenty of fun,' he giggled.

Chapter 11 - The Devil's Attack

'Lady Tia, stand back!'

Pedro, shielding the princess behind him, sent the Blue Knight forward towards the crimson devil's right arm. It was a blind spot for the masked puppeteer.

With a rapid turn, the knight let loose a heavy strike. The tip of the sword was swallowed up in the base of the creature's wing. The demon's right arm flashed up. Blade and claw scraped, sending sparks into the air.

Losing its balance, the Blue Knight took an unsteady step back. The demon gave a shiver, and a barbed tail thick as a log screamed through the air, striking forward.

Astonished by the technique, Pedro snapped the Blue Knight back, dodging the tail swipe.

'Oh, you ARE good. I didn't think you were in the same business.'

The masked puppeteer spoke not to the Blue Knight but to Pedro.

The Blue Knight, as if to interrupt these words, pointed its sword at the puppeteer.

'What nonsense are you speaking! If you shall not come, than shall I strike first?'

Even now, Pedro tried to hide it.

Princess Tia, with a confused expression, gazed upon the proceeding events.

'I seeeee. So that's how it is...'

The masked puppeteer, as if suddenly realizing the situation, laughed softly.

'My, my. Well, let no one call me rude. If you'd rather not share, I'll stay quiet. But you know...'

The puppeteer's voice dipped low and was tinged with a roiling darkness.

'If you don't even have that much guts, then even thinking you can win against my Calamity is NAIVEEEEEEEEE!!!'

Chapter 12 - The Crimson Demon

The demon doll 'Calamity' kicked the ground and launched itself into the air, closing the gap in an instant.

Pedro reacted just a moment too slow, so intent was he on not wanting the princess to notice. It was the tiniest of openings, but it was one that would prove fatal.

First, the sword was knocked from clockwork hands. Then, the claws continued to dig in, cutting through the blue armor like butter.

'Oh, my, what's wroooong?'

The tail whipped in, encircling the Blue Knight. With a twitch of the puppeteer's fingers the tail tightened, crushing both the knight's arms.

'Khehe, caught youuuuuu.'

The claws grabbed the Blue Knight by its feathered helm and lifted it up off its feet.

'S-Stop!'

The first puppet he'd made, that he'd put so much effort into, was being torn to pieces...

Pedro lost himself for a moment and ran forward.

'You are so impatient. No need to worry, I was going to give him back.'

The crimson demon held the Blue Knight high and threw it down towards Pedro.

'Ghh...!'

The Blue Knight crashed into Pedro and bowled him over. He lay in a crumpled heap upon the lawn under the body of the puppet.

'Please, stop!'

The princess stepped between the fallen pair and the masked puppeteer, her arms spread wide.

'I offer myself to you. In return, I command you to cease this senseless violence!'

Chapter 13 - Saying Goodbye

'I offer myself to you. In return, I command you to cease this senseless violence!'

At Princess Tia's bold words the puppeteer licked his lips loudly.

'You'd offer yourself in place of your guard? Heh heh heh, why, you bring tears to my eyes, Princess.'

'Y-You mustn't, Lady Tia...'

Barely conscious, Pedro desperately tried to put words together. He had not the energy to use ventriloquism.

'My master... Pedro is fine. Leave it to him... Hurry, run...'

'Sir Pedro. Silence.'

At the princess' angry words, Pedro managed to open his eyes fully, for those words were addressed most surely to he, still garbed and acting the servant.

'You... You knew...?'

'I'm sorry. I pretended not to notice.'

The princess smiled in a sad, lonely way then turned to the puppeteer again with a dignified expression.

'Now, take me to my uncle.'

'My, oh, my, what a princess you are. I bet you would have made quite the queen, too.'

The demon slowly stretched out its right arm. When the princess stepped on, it began to beat its crimson wings.

'Sir Pedro, thank you so much. This last week was very fun...'

These words of goodbye sunk into his brain.

As he watched the scarlet shadow be swallowed into the blue sky, Pedro's consciousness slowly faded into darkness.

Chapter 14 - The Cost of Deceit

The next morning when Pedro opened his eyes, he found himself in his room at the doll workshop.

Safe on his familiar, firm bed, he felt a rush of relief. It had all been a dream.

Capri called out from the workshop.

'Ohhh, how are you feeling?'

Pedro craned his neck.

On the workbench in the back he glimpsed disassembled blue parts spread out across the wood.

He leaped up, panicked.

'It...wasn't a dream...'

It seemed Capri had used the Black Priest to bring Pedro and the broken form of the Blue Knight back from the castle.

'It's my fault...'

Pedro's eyes trailed over his former masterpiece, now reduced to junk.

His memory then trailed back over cool, turquoise-blue eyes, a warm smile like a ray of sunlight, and fine fingers pouring black tea.

Pedro ground his lip between his teeth.

'The Blue Knight wasn't good enough. If I had any talent as a puppeteer, I would've been able to protect Princess Tia...!'

'It seems you still don't understand,' Capri muttered.

His face took on a rare expression of severity.

'What you lack is here!'

In a forceful motion, he jabbed his finger against Pedro's chest. Pedro could only blink in shock.

Chapter 15 - A Little Decision

'Her Highness knew the truth of the Blue Knight. And yet, she chose to pretend not to. Do you really not understand why?'

'B-Because...'

Unexpectedly, in the depths of his mind, he had a flash of insight.

'Sir Pedro. Silence,' she had said. And then, 'I pretended not to notice.'

He recalled the sad, lonely smile she gave him when she revealed it.

Something hot boiled up inside his chest.

Pedro raised his head and fixed Capri with an intense gaze.

'Master, I beg of you! Help me repair the Blue Knight!'

The old man studied his face.

'The masked puppeteer you fought is a man feared like a demon in our trade. A half-baked man can't hope to match him. Do you understand?'

'Even so, I will... For the person who believed in me!'

When he said this, Capri smiled broadly, as if something grand had just fallen in his lap.

It was the day before the crowning ceremony. At the palace, the princess' absence had been noticed and the royal keep fell into uproar from top to bottom.

Chapter 16 - The Duke's Private Manor

On the outskirts of the capital in Duke Gaston's manor, Princess Tia sat in a lush room carpeted in deep crimson.

'It's perfect for you, Princess.'

With a satisfied expression, Duke Gaston glared at his bound prisoner.

'What do you intend to do about the crowning ceremony today?' Princess Tia asked in a quiet voice.

The duke shrunk a bit under her icy gaze.

'I am afraid you will be absent. And so the throne and staff will be offered to me, the second in line.'

'Do you believe the people will accept you?'

'To change the subject, Tia, I have found someone willing to accept you as a bride.'

Seeing the sky-colored eyes waver for a moment, the duke smiled with renewed confidence.

'He is the second Imperial son and QUITE the connection.'

The duke's smile widened.

'While you learn the joys of womanhood in a new land you can leave the rest to me.'

It was a cowardly plan.

Certainly, it wasn't a scenario that would be accepted for the duke to take the throne in place of the first heir. However, it was different if the princess were to marry. If that were to pass, anyone could see that Duke Gaston's ascent to the throne was all but a done deal.

'My lord, it is about time.'

At his second-in-command's comment, the duke stood.

'I am sure you are quite tired from the daily attacks. Take the chance to rest and recover.'

The duke gave a chuckle at his own shamelessness and left the room.

At that moment...

'That won't be happening!'

There was a tremendous crash, and a glass window exploded into glittering powder.

Chapter 17 - And So the Boy Becomes a Man

Like a graceful leopard, a tall knight clad in blue armor leapt through the window. Following behind him was a small boy wearing a cap.

'Princess Tia, I'm sorry. I know I'm a bit late,' he said.

'Sir Pedro...'

'So you did come, after all.'

A tremulous smile floated onto the princess' face.

Somewhat embarrassed, the boy returned the smile. Their eyes locked and words unsaid passed between them.

'Hey! There is a time and place for things!'

The duke, having been completely ignored, was sputtering in anger.

As the duke seethed, his second-in-command was stealthily sneaking up on the still bound princess. He reached out his hand for the princess' shoulder.

The Blue Knight leapt forward like a bolt from a crossbow.

'Blargh?!'

The pitiable second-in-command, having taken a direct punch from the Blue Knight, collapsed against the wall, unconscious.

'Th-That's a bit much...'

Duke Gaston, now white as a sheet, fled the room in a stumbling lurch.

'Princess Tia, let us hurry! Your crowning ceremony begins soon!' Pedro said.

'Yes!'

Escaping the manse, the two were pursued by the duke and his guard.

However, as if to obstruct their path, a scarlet shadow fell down, shaking the ground.

'Sorry, but I'm gonna have to get in your way. I'm afraid thoroughness is the number one part of being a puppeteer, after all. Hehehe.'

The way he spoke made it hard to believe it was just a job.

It was the masked puppeteer, Harlequin, and the crimson demon doll, Calamity.

Chapter 18 - The Duel Between Red and Blue

White blade met deadly claw. Blue and red twisted about in blinding fashion. The cover to the fight had been cleaved off.

'Ohhhh, you're moving better,' Harlequin exclaimed.

Surprisingly, the Blue Knight's movements were just a little bit faster than that of the crimson devil puppet, Calamity.

'I broke it aaall to pieces, too, but to fix it back up in just one day... Looks like the old man found himself a good apprentice.'

'You know my master?'

Harlequin twirled his fingers and Calamity fluttered its wings and slowly lifted into the sky.

'We have a bit of a history, yes.' He giggled. 'But forget about that. What'll you do about THIS?!'

As he howled these words, the red puppet swooped down. Pedro pulled his strings back and the Blue Knight narrowly avoided the grasping claws.

'Or this?'

Smooth as flowing water, Calamity sent out its log-like tail to swipe at the knight.

Pedro's threads flowed down and to the right. Dropping its center of gravity, the Blue Knight shifted its sword to a slant and redirected the force of the tail upwards.

'OR THIS?!'

Calamity swung its horned head around and charged straight for the Blue Knight's torso.

Pedro snapped his threads upwards and to his left this time. The Blue Knight, who had let itself fall slightly back, now slashed its sword down in a blur of light.

With a small, pleasant cracking sound, the crimson wing on the right side of the puppet was hewn straight off.

Chapter 19 - Red Hot Roar

Slightly panicked, the masked puppeteer wrenched back on the strings and put space between himself and the Blue Knight.

'Hey, how about we call it a draw here?'

Knowing it was hopeless, Pedro still offered.

As he expected, a happy voice called back.

'Now, don't make bad jokes like that. It's been too long since I've had this much fun, after all!'

Seemingly drunk on warped joy, Harlequin twisted his hands about in a complex motion. It looked almost as if he were drawing magic circles in the air.

'I didn't think I'd end up using this...' he giggled.

Calamity crossed both arms across its body, as if holding itself.

Slowly, a burning scent filled the air. A cold chill ran down Pedro's spine. He set to moving the Blue Knight, but realized the princess was behind it.

'You can regret it in your next liiifffeee!' Harlequin screamed.

The crimson demon took an imposing stance. Its massive jaw creaked. There was a rushing of air, and then a ball of brilliant flame spewed forth.

The area was engulfed in a violent pillar of swirling fire. The Blue Knight, Pedro, and the princess were all swallowed by the inferno.

'Tch, so that's it, is it... Guess it was kind of a pity to end it there, huh?'

Gazing at the roaring flames, Harlequin muttered regretfully. However, his eyes soon narrowed, puzzled. No scent of meat roasting or metal melting reached his nose.

'WHAT?!'

The crimson maelstrom began to swirl faster, and the center suddenly parted as if blown apart from the inside. From the middle rose a blue twister.

Chapter 20 - The Whereabouts of the Deathmatch

From within the flame, the Blue Knight arose. Across its shoulders, Pedro and Princess Tia could be seen clinging, hale and hearty.

What had blown away the raging flames was its tremendous two-handed sword. Spinning the enormous blade like a whirlwind, a butterfly made of flame danced above the Blue Knight's head. It was a fantastical scene.

'Kh... You think that'll work?!'

Harlequin began gesturing again. It seemed he intended to launch another fireball.

'I won't let you!' Pedro cried.

Splitting through the wall of flames, the Blue Knight forced its way forward. In the next moment, Calamity's horned head was cleaved perfectly in two.

'Ahaha... Absolutely...wonderful...'

The fireball, moments from release, puffed up within the crimson puppet and caused a small explosion.

Flung by the shockwave, the Blue Knight was tossed into the air. Pedro braced both legs and managed to catch it.

'Sir Pedro, are you all right?!'

'I'm fine, yeah... But, I don't think there's any saving him.'

Though Harlequin may have been a foe, his was still a life that had been taken. Pedro felt the guilt of such a deed strike him. Princess Tia, seeing Pedro so troubled, enveloped him in her arms.

'...I'd appreciate it if ya wouldn't kill me off so easily,' said a whispering voice from inside the pillar of flames. The voice seemed somehow satisfied.

'I applaud your efforts, young man. I'll back down nicely this time. Looking forward to when we next meet. Ahaha...'

The ground shook and a red and black shadow launched skyward and disappeared from sight.

Pedro and the princess looked at one another and burst into relieved laughter.

Chapter 21 - The Dollmaster's Purpose

The boy, the girl, and one puppet left for the capital on light feet while the masked puppeteer fled into the deep forest riding his scorched creation.

Stopping suddenly, the masked puppeteer spoke to the shadows in the trees.

'You're there, aren't you, old man?'

'Hmph. Noticed me, did you...'

Pedro's master, Capri, stepped out from the cover of the trees. As always, the Black Priest was with him, but it was a curious sight, for the puppet had no arms.

'As I thought, you fixed the blue puppet's arms with parts from the Black Priest. No wonder it moved so well.'

'Well, the gap between you and Pedro was a bit too much, after all. I took it upon myself to give him a helping 'hand'.'

Harlequin's shoulders sunk in response to the words of the old puppet master.

'Well, I don't mind, since I had fun. But... If and when the Thirteen Factories finds out about this, I don't think Pedro will have it too easy either, do you?'

The Thirteen Factories.

The moment he heard those disturbing words, Capri's expression darkened.

'Ahaha. Well, then...see you soon.'

Leaving behind a suppressed laugh, the masked puppeteer disappeared into the deep forest.

'It is a road all puppeteers must pass...' the old puppet master muttered in a quiet voice, almost as if he was telling it to himself.

Final Chapter - A Moment's Rest

Afternoon in the palace began with a tea party in the gardens. The princess, as always, filled three cups with black tea from the pot.

'Please, enjoy your tea.'

'Thank you very much,' Pedro said.

Behind the boy sipping tea stood a knight armored in blue. However, he had not a word to say.

'What happened to the duke in the end?'

On the night of the crowning ceremony, Duke Gaston had disappeared with his vassals. After all, his plan had been foiled and the queen successfully crowned before countless countrymen.

The royal guard, whose allegiance had been questionable before the coronation, fell to their knees in contrition and swore their loyalty to the new queen. The duke, before he could be held for the crime of abducting the princess, understandably chose to flee the country.

'My uncle has chosen to entrust himself to the Empire. Apparently he's sought protection from the Imperial prince that he had arranged as a husband for me.'

The queen smiled slightly.

'However...it seems as if they consider him something of a pest. I feel a bit sorry for him.'

Pedro was amazed.

'They do not deserve your sympathy!'

In truth, Pedro did not think Duke Gaston would back down easily. And what of the machinations of that foul masked puppeteer, Harlequin? Capri, Pedro's teacher, seemed to know the jester, but simply dodged any questions about him with frustrating vagueness. Regardless, Pedro knew another battle would come...and soon. He would have to upgrade the Blue Knight if he hoped to emerge victorious.

'Oh, Pedro...'

A slightly irritated, yet comforting, voice snapped Pedro from his reverie.

'Do you wish for your tea to grow cold?'

The clear blue eyes which met his own carried their own message: 'It will be all right.'

Pedro, a little embarrassed, took his tea and drank deeply. It was enough to simply have this moment...with her.

The End

Varenne Lighthouse - Simplified Orbment Manual

Configuration of the Control Device

• The layout of the lighthouse orbment control:

1. 1. Activation Switch: Set to ON to initiate beacon
   2. Orbal Amplitude Control: Adjust orbal levels
   3. Stabilizer: Stabilization mechanism
   4. Connection Quartz: Set to ON to activate beacon

How to Activate Lighthouse Beacon

• Set Activation Switch to ON, then set Connection Quartz to ON. The beacon should illuminate.

If you think, 'Is it broken?'...

• Please consult troubleshooting section below.

*Read before contacting the central factory!

Troubleshooting

1. The activation switch isn't flipping!
   • Is the orbal amplitude set to LOW? It will not activate at a setting higher than LOW.
2. It's telling me 'Output is zero'!
   • If the stabilizer is set to higher than the orbal amplitude value, the resulting output will be zero and the orbment will stop.
   • The output keeps dropping without any error!
3. While there are multiple possible problems, the most likely cause is the stabilizer setting. As the gap between stabilizer setting and orbal amplitude grows, output becomes unstable and may drop randomly.
4. I can't connect the quartz!
   • Is the orbal amplitude set to HIGH? Connection will be refused at any setting besides HIGH.

*Warning - The contents of this manual may be changed at any time without notice. We thank you for your understanding.

Bloom's Recipe

Pepper and Herb Puchero with Bone-In Meat

Aged Miso x 1    Vintage Wine x 1
Maple Sugar x 2    Kibbled Salt x 5
Fresh Herb x 5    Dragon Beans x 2
Black Pepper x 4    Juicy Bone x 2

After giving the bone-in meat a salt rub, shred and add herbs. Prepare as you would a typical puchero. Add a touch of fish coulis as a finishing touch, if available. Keep an eye on the thickness when heating.

[Concerning the Seal Mechanism 1/4]

My name is Celeste D. Auslese. I am the designer of the Seal Mechanism, and the woman ultimately responsible for the sealing of the Aureole. I have decided to leave behind a series of records for the world to come in case the second seal is activated and the Aureole, which we sealed in another dimension, should threaten to return.

If you who read this message seek to prevent the Aureole's return, I pray this information will aid you. However, if you seek to restore the Aureole, I beg you, reconsider. The Aureole's power is too great for we Children of Man to wield. When we used it, it connected us to the darkest Gehenna.

[Concerning the Seal Mechanism 2/4]

The purpose of the seals is to prevent any contact between the Aureole and humanity, thus ensuring humanity's survival. I feel the need to clarify: the Aureole, itself, does not wish to control or harm humanity. The disaster that visited us was our fault alone.

Do not doubt the mercy of our great Goddess in giving this gift to us. It is we who are unequal to such a gift.

[Concerning the Seal Mechanism 3/4]

In truth, the construction and implementation of the seal goes directly against the will of the people and our democratic ideals. Even among our group, some believed we should try to find a way to use the Aureole's power effectively.

However, once it obtained autonomy, the Aureole began to change our society and our lives drastically. It did not just concern itself with our physical well-being; it considered our mental well-being to be a top priority as well.

[Concerning the Seal Mechanism 4/4]

To provide an example: the Aureole facilitated the creation of virtual realities intended to induce euphoria in participants. It even altered brain chemistry to achieve this. It was no different than taking a powerful euphoric stimulant and hallucinogen at the same time. Worse still, there were no side effects. No physical ones, at least.

Such 'boons' have brought humanity's very continued existence into question. The effects already begin to tell upon our citizenry, and we have precious little time left to us. As a result, we few have overcome our differences to undertake the sealing, all too aware of the many difficulties we are likely to face in the process.

[Lakeside Underground Facility 1/4]

In order to make the Seal Mechanism into a reality, we needed both enormous amounts of energy and massive facilities. We, to source the energy, first thought of using the Aureole itself.

The Aureole responds to people's wishes and gives its boon--in other words, by 'wishing' we thought that perhaps we could pull the needed amount of energy from the Aureole.

... However, that did not come to pass. Shortly after the Aureole gained autonomy, it turned to simply one-sidedly bestowing its gifts regardless of the wishes of the people.

[Lakeside Underground Facility 2/4]

We could not use the power of the Aureole. Casting our eyes beyond the city, we began to consider using the energy sleeping in the septium veins that rest deep beneath the earth, and eventually resolved to build atop those. However, we were already under the watch of the Aureole.

It seems the Aureole had come to the conclusion that its first priority was the continuation of the city, and therefore the elimination of all potential obstacles to that. So, to deceive the Aureole, we proceeded with the construction of these buildings under the guise of monitoring the septium veins.

[Lakeside Underground Facility 3/4]

The facility was built roughly 500 arge beneath the earth on the eastern side of Valleria Lake. According to our investigations, this was the location where the septium veins gathered most efficiently. The land beneath the city was a sprawling primal forest. As it was untouched by human activity, building on top of it proved remarkably easy.

We, while avoiding the attention of the Aureole, collected all the technology we had, and hurried to complete the underground facility.

[Lakeside Underground Facility 4/4]

While the construction of the underground facility was underway, we built additional structures on the fringes of the surface. The Ahnenburg, whose inner wall points ever towards the Aureole, and the four device towers that surround the Aureole.

Each system of structures possessed a critical role in the plan and were as vital to the Seal Mechanism as the underground facility.

[About the Aureole's Seal 1/4]

When we were closing in on completing the underground facility, unbeknownst to us, our seal plan was discovered by the Aureole. One of our comrades fell victim to the sweet seduction of the Aureole's euphoric simulations, and he was lost to us.

However, the silver lining in this disaster was that this comrade was not aware of the full scale of the plan. With the information it gleaned from his mind, the Aureole focused entirely on the underground facility by the lakeside, and it paid no attention to the Ahnenburg or the device towers.

[About the Aureole's Seal 2/4]

The Aureole, having learned of our plan, took to force. The Aureole manifested Reveries as its defenders, and set them upon us in the facility.

However, we were saved by our decision to build the facility underground. Just one single channel connected the facility to the surface. The Reveries' attacks could not reach down 500 arge beneath the surface.

The attacks by the Reveries went on and on, day and night without pause. Eventually our defensive line began to reach its limits.

[About the Aureole's Seal 3/4]

While under attack by the Reveries we were able to finish the facility, but it took time to secure the necessary energy. During the process, it seems we got careless, and a single Reverie broke into the facility proper.

Once inside, stopping it was difficult. The Reverie reached the deepest sections in an instant. We were just a hair's breadth from total disaster when the full power for the sealing operation was finally gathered. Just as the Reverie set upon us, we activated the first barrier.

[About the Aureole's Seal (4/4)]

The light fired from the facility, reflected off the inner wall of the Ahnenburg, caught the Aureole floating in the sky. In that moment, the Aureole disappeared from us, and the Reveries stopped entirely. Through this, we knew that the first barrier was successful.

The Aureole is, of the Sept-Terrions, the treasure governing the power of space. What was needed to nullify the Aureole, which held absolute dominion over space itself, was to utterly sever its connections to space, and indeed even to time itself. The Seal Mechanism, born of our hard work, had sent the Aureole, along with the entire city, into another dimension, and successfully temporally froze it.

[About the Device Towers 1/4]

The first barrier had activated successfully, and we had succeeded in performing a temporal freeze upon the Aureole in another dimension. However, that was not the only barrier within the plan to seal the Aureole.

The plan's final defense line, the second barrier. --The key to that lies within the four device towers.

[About the Device Towers 2/4]

This mechanism is built to activate should the first barrier fall and time once again tick in the space of the Aureole. The second barrier's other name is the Gravity Barrier, and it can manifest gravity inside the other dimension.

Should the Aureole resume activity, by tying this other dimension down with lynchpins of gravity, the goal was to prevent its return to reality.

[About the Device Towers 3/4]

If the second barrier activates, it signals that the Aureole is once again active. As a result, with its Gospels, anyone will be free to draw out its power.

The Gospels remaining on Liber Ark were sealed with the Aureole. However, should something that could serve in place of the Gospels be born in the world to come, the Aureole will be free to wield its power in reality again.

[About the Device Towers 4/4]

We succeeded in sealing the Aureole, but its power has not been destroyed. We will root ourselves to this land and watch over the Aureole. I pray that we will be successful in our vigil and that these records are never seen by any eyes.

However, while we are steadfast in our duty, we predict that such will not be our future. When the Aureole once again returns to reality, how will our descendents choose to respond? Believing that we will not make the same mistake again, and the time will come when we are truly free of the Aureole, I leave these records for the future.