Ten years, it had already been that long since the defeat of the God of Sin. Thanks to the guidance of the Pure and The Immaculate, the masses now lived in four floating islands, away from sin, away from the remnants of the last war—the desolate surface that served a painful reminder—away from it all to start anew.

Much have been accomplished within ten fleeting years. Together with the people, the Immaculate was able to re-establish order. They have chosen Gless, the largest of the floating islands to be their bastion. However, given the distance of the floating islands from each other, the Immaculate's influence could only reach as far as Lindela, the second floating island. Although they have not completely covered the entirety of Lindela, they at least succeeded in securing it under their guidance.

Even with the Immaculate's great desire to restore order, the lack in manpower and resources proved to be their greatest hurdle.

Mankind in nature was strong, resilient even. Still, at the same time it could be said that mankind was also weak, and fragile at heart. The world envisioned by the Pure—a world without Sin, all of it seemed like a far-fetched dream. The people who lived in the other islands slowly began to lose faith; the time it took for help to arrive from The Immaculate was simply too long. Their fear of Sin made them succumb to despair, to look for hope elsewhere, to be free in their own right. Tethel, the fourth floating island was the first to give in. The people who dwell on that island rejected the teachings, claimed to have been freed from it, freed from the control system.

Without guidance, the people of Tethel did as they saw fit. They indulged in their own desires, clung to a notion that they were no longer controlled but free. Thus, Sin once again reared its ugly head. Soon, Palaugrim, the third floating island fell into their clutches; more and more people sought to be freed. The Immaculate, even though stretched thin, refused to give up on the people. They sent Advocates to spread their teachings to both Palaugrim and Tethel, only to be taken aback when the Advocates sent to Tethel were killed, and those sent to Palaugrim struggled to stay alive. Crime began to spread like wildfire within the two islands, threatening to keep spreading if left unchecked. With their hand forced, The Immaculate called upon them once more, the heroes that brought them salvation from the time of the First war, the Pristine Knights.

Guilford and Lethe soon found themselves amidst the battlefield once more, going up against Sin; an opponent all too familiar...

Gless

Guilford along with several knights stood before the elevator shaft that led down to Lindela. Behind his squad was an instructor and a class of cadets who were well on their way into the final stage of their training; their first ever field mission. The objective was simple: subjugate sinners and absolve them from sin. While he normally does not take part in training cadets, Guilford and his squad were here for one reason only, backup in case things go awry. He could hear the loud voice of Octavia, the class instructor, giving final orders and precautionary measures to her cadets. It was always a nostalgic feeling for him to listen to an instructor; it felt like it was only yesterday when he was knighted. Guilford closed his eyes to relish the thought; long dark blue hair swayed gently with the mild breeze. He heard some of the cadets whisper behind him, a crystal clear indication that some of them were not quite ready.

"Oh man... I have no doubt Master Guilford is amazing sure, but I was kinda hoping that Master Lethe would be the one to accompany us..."
"Shh! Quiet! He might hear you!"
"Who cares? I mean, don't you want to see the most beautiful knight?"
"W-well... I do... but..."
"You understand right? Master Guilford and Master Lethe are hardly ever at the Grand Cathedral. Chances like these are rare since they're being deployed on missions almost all the time. I wish Master Lethe was here right now!"

Guilford could not help but smile after hearing that conversation. When the two of them managed to defeat the God of Sin, their status have been elevated to great proportions within the knighthood. It was inevitable that a lot of the rookies would come to admire the two of them. However, when it came to popularity, it was no contest that Lethe—his female counterpart—would win. Then again, there never was a contest to begin with. As Octavia's lecture came to a close, she stepped aside and gave the front to Guilford.

"Now, a word from Master Guilford. Listen well all of you to what he has to say and take it to heart!" Octavia eyed her cadets sternly, "For it may one day save you."

Guilford slowly opened his eyes and turned towards the cadets. He walked elegantly and stood before them with authority, looking at the eyes of each cadet before speaking. "A Pristine Knight must be able to depend on oneself before they could depend on others, yet the strength of oneself means nothing compared to the strength of many," he began, "Always remember that all of you are not alone, yet all of you must be able to hold your own." he said with conviction evident in his tone, "I need not say that the world outside the comfort of you training grounds is harsher than you actually think. Keep this in mind at all times, one's mistake can lead to the death of many." he paused, observing the reactions from his audience of twenty odd cadets.

The expressions on most of the their faces dropped after hearing his words. Guilford could only attribute their reaction to a certain lack of confidence. "Since this is your first field mission, it cannot be helped that some of you are shaken." he assured them that the emotion they had now was normal. "All I have to say is know that confidence is gained through rigorous training. Remember it well and stay true to your beliefs, always keep your faith. If you do, you should have no problems in conquering your fears. I also wish to see each and everyone of you knighted hence, I will do all that I can to protect all of you. That is all. May the divine light guide our paths." he ended his impromptu speech.

Guilford was just about ready to get back to his squad when he suddenly stopped and looked at two particular cadets that had the numbers seven and eight. "You two, I will make sure Lethe knows that you wish to see her badly." he said and watched the cadets' cheeks flush. Guilford chuckled and made his way back to his squad.

Fifteen minutes later, the cadets were deployed in Lindela, and their first field mission finally commenced.

_________________

A group of four Pristine Knights walked down the street silently. The apparent leader, a short female in all white, appeared contemplative while the other three followed her lead, forming a staggered V shape. One of the followers, an amber haired Knight, held a pad of paper in his hand, pen tip resting against the notebook as if ready to write.

“We’ve responded to all the messages. There were no new requests from the Advocates on Palaugrim?” She paused for a response and received a pained look and head shake in response.

“Nothing that we’re authorized to undertake.” Her second in command said tactfully, knowing it would prompt a frown from his Commander. (Indeed, a small frown did cross her face.) Lethe didn’t quite understand why, but most of her (and her squad’s) actions were limited to Lindela and small parts of Palaugrim. Guilford’s squad didn’t seem to be restrained like her group, but for all her arguments, the High Council seemed determined to keep her on a tight leash. Sorrow flickered through her eyes at the reminder. They probably knew how close she was to Sin and wanted to keep her close in case she fell. She turned to face forward, resuming her walking, and continued as if nothing was wrong. The group followed after her once more.

“Alright, please make sure Deimos restocks our inventory before we group next. I’m thinking we can take another foray into Palaugrim, maybe two to four weeks?” This time her head turned to the Knight on her right. Captain Kobayashi led one of the squads stationed near the transport site between Lindela and Palaugrim. Of the four present, he would know Palaugrim’s schedule the best. The older Knight nodded his head slowly, mentally going through the rotation of Knight squads on Palaugrim. Some Knights lived on the island, but most rotated onto and off the land.

“There will be a gap in three weeks time.” He looked at the white Knight and then hedged uncertainly, “But it’s only a week and a half and it’s the reinforcement squad we’ll be short on. It’s not of high importance.” He didn’t want to impose on the other squad, especially not Master Lethe’s.

The female Knight simply smiled back, apparently oblivious to his unease. “We will be there, Captain Kobayashi. Sin's grasp on the people's heart is too strong on Palaugrim, despite everyone's efforts there. I don’t want any other Knights injured if I can prevent it.”

“Very well.” The group lapped back into silence as they continued their trek back to their squads’ meeting point. As they came closer, chatter could be heard among the Knights gathered there.

“I’m really impressed by your squad’s coordination! We could never dream of taking down so many Sinners at once!”
“Oh, we’ve taken down larger groups before.” A familiar voice boasted with studied nonchalance. It was the newest member of her squad. “That was actually one of our slower take down times. We can usually beat such easy Sinners up faster. One time--”

Lethe gnawed on the corner of her lip uncertainly. While her squad had certainly worked better than usual and had reason to be happy with their accomplishments, pride was one of the first steps on the path towards Sin. Gloating was also a way to inspire jealousy and jealousy could easily lead to envy and thus Sin. She didn’t want to scold her squad for being skilled but she wasn’t certain she approved of them speaking so proudly about it. And yet at the same time, they had reason to be proud at how their hard work at paid off. But then—Her thoughts were cut off by the clearing of a throat behind her.

“I’ll speak with Leon about being more discreet.” Her second in command offered helpfully, only to be cut off by a shake of his captain’s head.

“Thank you Adair, but that’s not necessary.” The smile accompanying her words seemed a touch forced and she once again turned forwards, shoulders pulled back as she straightened her spine in anticipation of the unpleasant task of reprimanding her Knight. In doing so, she completely missed the other Knight’s wince. His poor captain; she didn’t realize how much worse their newbie would take the chastisement if she were to give it rather than him. After spending six years with her, he’d grown to learn most of her nuances and knew she was (still) rather oblivious to the effect her reputation had.

Catching sight of the group in front of her, Lethe raised her voice to carry across the distance, “Leon, we shouldn’t boast about failing to save a Sinner.” She rebuked mildly, “Every Sinner we ‘beat’ is another soul that will wander without salvation. " She paused and then added gracefully, "However, I’m glad that no one was hurt during our last battle.” Her gaze turned to catch the eyes of every Knight in the plaza as she continued, “Thank you all very much for your help. Every day that you take up the armor, you make this world a better place.”

A silence fell upon the assembled Knights before her second in command stepped up beside her. “Pack up! We’re headed back to the Grand Cathedral. Captain Kobayashi,” Adair turned to face the other Knight, “thank you and your squad for your help this past week.” With a nod of acknowledgement, the amber haired knight left to gather the other members of Lethe's squad.

“Yes, thank you.” Lethe echoed with a dip of her head, “Please inform me if you are ever short staffed or are in need of assistance. As I said earlier, if it’s in my power to help, I would be happy to do so.” With another nod of her head, Lethe waited for her fellow Captain’s similar dismissal and then turned towards her squad who were assembled in two lines, ready to march out. With a lift of her chin, the white haired ‘Seraph’ strode to take her spot at the front of the squad.

_________________

Twenty cadets, four groups. Guilford and seven of his knight squad assigned two knights to babysit one group. Each cadet group were deployed in different sectors of Lindela. Guilford and his men were to grade the cadets while keeping their presence well hidden. Under no circumstance were they to intervene with the cadets' actions, unless the situation called for it. Guilford along with his lieutenant decided to pick the group deployed in the market square.

As they trailed the cadets, Guilford's lieutenant matched his pace and talked in a hushed tone. "Captain, was it really alright for you to wind up numbers Seven and Eight like that?" he asked, a quizzical look evident in his eyes. Without breaking stride, Guilford slightly looked to his left and met his lieutenant's eyes, a smile played on his lips, "You are mistaken Alfrei, I will keep my word. In fact, I have already sent out my carrier pigeon with a note for Lethe." he said and returned his gaze back to the cadets. "Lethe is here in Lindela right now. I only asked her to write 'Sorry I couldn't meet you two but well done' and to put her seal on the note."

The quizzical look in Alfrei's eyes became that of confusion. "Is that some sort of reward for those two? Should they manage to do well?" Guilford nodded lightly in response. "But—! I fear that those two might lose focus on their task because they would be too worried about meeting Master Lethe." Alfrei said with a worried tone. Guilford stopped for a brief moment, chuckled, and then continued walking. "I believe the effect of my words on them would be the opposite. Lethe can be quite oblivious to the effects of our rank, especially her popularity, but I find it quite useful for things like this."

Alfrei's jaw nearly dropped after hearing his Captain's words. Of all the years he spent under Guilford's wing, never had the man shown any side of playfulness towards anyone else but Master Lethe. "You're being devious Captain." Alfrei mumbled. "No it doesn't count, I'm not doing this for personal gain. I would prefer you call me tactical." Guilford rebutted. "Numbers Seven and Eight will do their best so that when they actually get the chance to meet with Lethe, they can stand before her with confidence. In turn, the note I asked of her will serve the purpose of not having to force her out of her way just to meet those two, while avoiding crushing their hearts." he continued. "It's a win-win situation Alfrei. For both those two and Lethe." Guilford finished.

Despite needing to weave through the packed streets of Lindela, Alfrei still managed to sink his face into his right palm. He just clearly understood his Captain's true intentions and the worst part is, he actually thought it was a clever idea. The lieutenant could not help but feel a little scared that even when being playful, his Captain still has the capacity to think several steps ahead. However, his little moment got interrupted when he heard his Guilford's voice. "Have that prowess report ready and pick up the pace Alfrei. It seems our cadets found something." the man said and with just a single bound, leaped to the low rooftops of the bungalows lined up at the side of the streets. Alfrei did the same and began to move along the rooftops while keeping a close eye on their designated group.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"There he is! Don't let him get away!" yelled one of the cadets as he and four others from his team chased a man in tattered robes along the market streets.

Leaping over people, forcing their bodies in tight squeezes, burning their leg muscles in short sprints, the cadets chased the lone man with all their might. When all the innocent bystanders realized what was going on, they paved a clear path for the cadets giving chase. It went on for minutes then dragged on for even more. The cadets passed by a group of knights in some parts of Lindela's streets but received no help; it was because of the armband they wore that bore the cadet symbol.

"How can... that guy... be so fast?!" one of the cadets yelled beneath labored breaths.

They could already feel their lungs burning for air, leg muscles screaming in pain, but the distance between them and their quarry did not grow shorter. One of the cadets pulled out throwing knives and aimed for the man's legs. He threw the knives with all the arm strength he had in hope of immobilizing their quarry but to his surprise, the man evaded them with ease and took a sharp turn in another alley. With a cry of frustration, the cadets pursued and finally came to a stop. It would seem that the man took a wrong turn. Whether it was sheer luck or cunning, they managed to back the man into a corner with the high walls at the end of the alley. As they moved in to subjugate, the man turned around, eyes white and teeth bared at them.

The cadets froze. Something did not feel right. The air about the man brought immense pressure to the cadets, like they were knocking on death's door. It was only when two others came out of hiding and boxed them in that the cadets realized they were led into a trap. Guilford and his lieutenant caught up to the group and observed from afar. With just one look, the situation the cadets were facing became clear. Alfrei already had a hand on his sword and was getting ready to jump in when Guilford stopped him. "Stay your sword Alfrei." he said firmly with his left hand, gesturing his lieutenant to lower his weapon. "But Captain—! Three Sinners about to transform against five cadets!? Those kids are not ready to face a small pack of Sinners! I don't understand!" he yelled with great concern.

"Alfrei, should you jump in now, the only good it will do the cadets is to save them. They will not grow, they will not gain confidence, and they will lose their sense of purpose. Should you be the one in their shoes, would you have wanted a knight to jump in and save you?" he asked but received no response from Alfrei. "Look at their eyes Alfrei. I believe that they are on top of this. Stand down lieutenant, that's an order."

Alfrei gritted his teeth so hard. He had been so focused on protecting the cadets that he lost sight of the training's true purpose. In his mind, had he been with another knight in their squad, he would have no doubt ruined these cadets' hope, dreams, and beliefs. Soon the battle started within that cramped space and all he could do is grimace when some of the cadets got smacked around by the Sinners. The tide of battle turned many times, and every time it looked dire for the cadets, Alfrei would turn to his Captain only to see his unwavering eyes that reflected his belief in the cadets.

It was when number Seven, the group leader, rallied his companions for a basic strategy that Guilford smiled. It was simple, against sinners who have considerable speed, three cadets were to engage the three Sinners in physical combat to limit their movements. By doing that they could buy time for the remaining two to cast Penance. The goal is to immobilize two Sinners at once, absolve them from Sin simultaneously and converge on the remaining Sinner for the final blow. Guilford watched the cadets execute their strategy flawlessly and couldn't help himself but feel impressed. It was a hard fought first battle for them, but they managed to pull it off.

"Now I really need that note from Lethe..." Guilford trailed off and looked at Alfrei. "Finish this group's prowess report. I'll go check on them."

_________________

Lethe slowed as the echoes of an unwanted sound came to her ears. Her hand subconsciously raised, her group's signal to halt.

"Is that..?" Her inquiry was interrupted when Seraphim suddenly spoke up. "I hear fighting." By now, the squad was all looking to the right, except for Demos. As rear guard, it was his job to look left if everyone was looking right. (As Seraphim had quipped, it fit him perfectly to have a contrary job!) Leon spoke up from the back, his embarrassment outweighed by his duty in the squad: “I’m sensing three just-emerged Sinners about five blocks from here.”

His statement was enough to have the entire group pivoting in that direction, their previously leisurely pace picking up in speed. YunQiao glanced over at their newest member, noting the ‘rookie’ Knight looked uncertain. “Is something wrong?” Indecision still warred on Leon’s face before he haltingly admitted, “There are five other presences with the Sinners; they all have holy power but… they’re… not as strong.” He finally chose the least offensive phrasing possible. After the Captain’s rebuke, he didn’t want to be too proud but the holy presences confronting the Sinners seemed really weak.

“Captain! Five already engaging!” Valiar called forward, receiving a lifted hand from Seraphim in acknowledgement. Unlike the Captain or Vice Captain, her hand signals had no special meanings attached to them. One by one, the group took to the rooftops to avoid pedestrian traffic. The group followed the sounds of fighting, cutting diagonally across the rooftops to shorten the distance between them and the Sinners. Lethe abruptly changed directions, headed not to the fight but to a point behind it. The tapping of ten feet hitting rooftops heralded their arrival.

“"Now I really need that note from Lethe… Finish this group's prowess report. I'll go check on them."

“Guilford.” Lethe’s hand came up in both greeting and a signal for her squad to stop. Blue eyes scanned her fellow Seraph and the Knight beside him but found no signs of combat. He also seemed very collected given that a fight had just finished. “Is all well? We sensed three Sinners emerging.” Her hand moved to the side, dismissing her squad to look around. She walked up to the other Seraph and glanced at the scene before her. Five cadets were panting by three Penance-bound men. The glow of recently cast Absolves still hung in the air. “I didn’t know you took part in cadet training.” She commented idly, before remembering the statement that had welcomed her squad onto the rooftop. “And is there a reason you need a note from me? I don’t recall--” The flutter of wings and cooing of a carrier pigeon put her words to an end. The bird hovered in front of her, a message tied to its leg. “receiving any messages…” The white-haired Knight finished her statement drily, plucking both the bird and its message from the air. “Pardon me,” She excused herself to read the message, pausing when she saw Guilford’s crest on the wax stamp. A glance at the pigeon in her hand confirmed that it was his. “...Should I bother reading this?” She wondered aloud, eyeing the piece of paper in bemusement.

_________________

Just as he was about to move towards the cadets, Guilford felt several knight presences coming up from behind. Those presences and the one leading them felt all too familiar. He stood still, delaying his approach to the cadets and turned around. There she was, the White Seraph and her famous squad ready for action.

“Guilford. Is all well? We sensed three Sinners emerging.”

The blue-haired Seraph smiled. "As expected of you Lethe, nothing escapes your attention. I am impressed as always." Guilford greeted back with a light wave of his hand. "But please, no need to be so stiff and formal around your knights and mine. Call me like you always used to." he continued and gestured for Lethe to look behind him. He was happy to see her again in all honesty, but could not afford a lot of moments to show it. They both have been worked to the bone by the High Council lately and there hasn't been a lot of chances for them to catch up. The White Seraph walked towards him and looked at the tired cadets desperately trying to catch their breaths.

“I didn’t know you took part in cadet training. And is there a reason you need a note from me? I don’t recall--”

"This is temporary. I had just gotten back from the barrens but the other instructors have their hands tied with the amount of rookies signing up each week. They couldn't find extra manpower to babysit these cadets so the council decided to push the job to me, and that's without much rest too. Besides--" he stopped abruptly.

The sound of wings flapping caught Guilford's attention. At that moment, his carrier pigeon finally found the recipient of his earlier note. The man sighed and shook his head sideways lightly in disapproval. His carrier pigeon always did have a bad habit of slacking off on the job. Perhaps it was time he asked for a new pigeon. He watched Lethe take the note from his pigeon only to give a look of question.

“...Should I bother reading this?”

Guilford sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "You might as well do, you already have it in your hands after all..." he trailed and looked back to the rookies. "But I guess what I asked of you in that note won't be necessary now would it? Come, give your men a chance to rest and follow me. I was just about to check on those kids—they just did a splendid job in absolving those three Sinners." he finished and jumped off the roof to finally get on with checking up on the cadets.

_________________

“Well, if we must be overworked, at least it’s for a good reason.” A smile crossed her face at Gil’s words as she looked up from the mysterious note in her hand. “I’m glad to hear more people are taking up the armor.” Her gaze turned in the direction of Palaugrim, murmuring mostly to herself, “There is still so much more to be done.”

“Captain?” Adair asked, having heard enough to know she’d said something but not enough to decipher her words. With no conflict to be had, the squad has regrouped by their Captain now that she was no longer speaking with Master Guilford.

“Nothing, Adair. Pardon me.” Lethe shook her head, turning her attention to the group assembled around her. “I apologize for the delay, it looks like we’ll be detained once more.” She gnawed on the corner of her lip again, her unfortunate tell of mental conflict. They needed to check back into the Cathedral to report their progress, but she had hoped to dismiss them before night fell. After three months on rotation, her squad members deserved what few nights of their own bed that should could grant. If they waited for the cadet training to end, they probably wouldn’t be able to all get home tonight.

“On second thought, never mind. Please hand in your reports to me. I’ll drop them off at the Cathedral.” Or another option was she could finish up all the reporting for them. It looked as if she wouldn’t get the comforts of her own bed tonight. Despite her words, none of her squad were moving.

“Thank you, Lethe, but we can turn in our own reports.” Seraphim countered with an easy smile, slipping an arm around the smaller girl for a quick hug. After working together for six years, the pink haired woman figured she was allowed some liberties on their illustrious captain.

Said illustrious captain was scrunching her nose in disagreement. “No, thank you, everyone, but I insist. If the Cathedral is as short staffed as Guilford is implying, we’ll probably be sent out again sooner than I wanted. All of you, home.” She ordered, levelling a flat stare on her squad. Valiar threw his hands up in surrender, adding with a gruff laugh, “Well, if that’s what you want.” The last remaining member of her first squad knocked his elbow into Leon, pulled out his report, and handed it over with a thanks. One by one, the others also pulled out their reports and deposited them in her waiting arms.

“Here, let me help you put them away.” Seraphim laughed, carefully placing them in the bag Deimos had suddenly procured. When the last report was in, the pink-haired veteran moved to take the bag, only to find the other Knight had zipped it closed and swung the bag over his shoulder. “I still need to finish restocking” was the only curt answer given to them. Seraphim only laughed again in response and turned to punch Adair in the shoulder. “Come on, oh gallant one, let’s get you back to Grisia and figure out how he’s driven Lesus insane this time.” The vice captain was reluctantly dragged away, leaving only Lethe, Deimos, and Guilford’s lieutenant on the ceiling. The former was eyeing her subordinate, contemplating the merits of ordering him to hand over the bag. The pale blond Knight only smiled in response. “Shall we get going, Captain? I believe Master Guilford wanted you to check on the cadets.”

“Meh!” Lethe responded sulkily, knowing she wouldn’t be able to dismiss her Provisions Manager. Smoothing her face into placidity once more, she belatedly followed her fellow Seraph to the ground to greet the cadets.



The trainees shared a breathless laugh, the adrenaline pumping through their veins still making them shaky. Around them, the former Sinners were passed out from the strain of being Absolved, held up only by the Penance’s embraces.

“Oh.. Oh my light.” One of the trainees stuttered out, “I didn’t think we were going to make that.” He laughed again, hysterical in his relief.

“But-But we diiiid.” A fellow shaky voice drawled out, “And we were able to absolve them and we totally rocked.” She lifted a fist up to the other girl next to her, exchanging a victorious fist bump. “Good job, Seven.”

The impromptu leader was still heaving in exhaustion, though a flush was crawling its way over his face at the sounds of agreement the rest of his team was making. Before he could stutter out a response, the thump of boots hitting the ground drew all five cadets’ eyes to the newcomer.

“Ma-Master Guilford!” As one, the trainees scrambled to their feet (not all were successful), trying to get in a semblance of order.

_________________

"As you were." Guilford ordered the cadets and slowly walked towards them. They however, did not budge, in hopes to impress the Seraph before them with their discipline. With a raised brow, Gil knew what they were trying to portray. In their own right, the cadets were saying, we're ready. "Very well, line up." Guilford said, arms crossing before his chest.

The cadets scrambled once more and then lined up before Guiford, each of them stiff with anticipation yet, their eyes betrayed them for a show of exhaustion. They lined up in order of their numbers which made Guilford start from his left. He walked over to the brunette cadet and placed his left hand firmly on her shoulder. "Six, you were too slow but your magic is impeccable." Moments later, a glow of light from Guilford's hands slowly engulfed the cadet, her scratches, bruises and minor wounds healing in the process.

"M-Master Guilford! Y-you don't have--" she whelped but was silenced by a hand gesture from Guilford. "I cannot let Octavia see her cadets in bad shape now can I?" he said smiling and continued to heal number six. "Woah... this is amazing! I can never get my Healing to feel this good!"

The other cadets began to wonder how number six felt while being healed by Guilford. They anxiously waited their turn to experience the same thing number six did. Once done, Guilford moved on to the next cadet, skipping seven and eight intentionally. The two just had to swallow a gulp of air. "Nine, you lack precision but you're strong and tough." Guilford said and placed his left hand on the young man's shoulder to begin healing. The young gray-haired cadet's eyes slowly widened at the sensation. It felt entirely different from getting healed by the nurses back in training camp. "It feels like... I'm being caressed by gentle warmth... it's so relaxing!"

Guilford then moved to the last cadet in their group, the little blonde girl. He once again crossed his arms before his chest and looked at the cadet straight in the eyes. "Number ten, you were all over the place. However, you possess splendid coordination skills and played the support role perfectly. You and number six work remarkably well together." He commented and began healing the little girl. Her eyes instantly closed but she slowly began to relax after a few seconds in Guilford's Healing. A mild smile seen obvious in her lips.

Once he had completely healed the three, Guilford stepped back and looked at the two he intentionally skipped. "Seven and eight, step forward." he called out. Guilford could already see the frustration building in their eyes. The two were obviously trying to figure out what they did wrong or where they messed up. Guilford chuckled lightly after hearing a thump of boots from behind him. "Do not worry, I merely want to introduce you to someone." he said and moved to the side, revealing the white Knight that had just joined the scene.

The earlier emotions the two felt rapidly switched to awe and admiration as their eyes saw the one who landed behind Guilford.

"Oh... my..." seven trailed.
"...light..." eight finished.

"It's rude to stare, and stop drooling seven." Guilford said before glancing at Lethe and walking towards her.

Once he was close enough for private conversation, he looked at his fellow Seraph and figured that given her expression and having read his earlier note, she had an idea to what he was trying to achieve. Shaking his head sideways, Guilford spoke in a lowered tone. "I haven't had much rest lately Lethe. My holy power is dangerously low, I would be in your debt if you could finish healing those two for me." he said and tapped her shoulder twice then leaned down closer to her ear. "Once you're done, we have to talk. I found something." he whispered then straightened his back and went on with his usual expression. "Oh yeah, it would be really nice of you to give those two words of wisdom as well." he finished with a sly smile and winked at Lethe before walking back and standing beside Lethe's subordinate.

"Deimos, it's been a while." he greeted and took his spot beside the knight. "I've heard some rumors from other knights that your squad's movements are being limited. Is there any truth to this?" he asked curiously, his mind already processing possible cause and effect scenarios. Before Deimos could answer, Guilford recalled another important thing worth mentioning. "I don't suppose your squad encountered any Pure Sinners in Lindela have you?" he questioned again, not really expecting any answer of the sort. "Because we took care of one a couple weeks ago..." he trailed to silence, recalling the events on the said week, his eyes falling to a certain sharpness to their look.

It came as a puzzle to him with regards to how a Pure Sinner managed to cross their defense line between Palaugrim and Lindela. Then there was this sample of crystalized essence of sin he picked up and contained for analysis during his short time in the barrens. Guilford could not help but feel there is a connection of some sort. That is why he wanted to venture out further into Palaugrim along with Lethe's squad to investigate. Although this might not really be the best of times for either squad, Guilford could find no other option. Even after being overworked by the council, their respective squads are still the only viable choice for the investigation. He strongly believes that it would be highly dangerous for any other squad to do the investigation themselves.

_________________

Lethe touched the ground and scanned the situation in front of her. All five cadets were now on their feet and staring at Gil. No eyes flickered in her direction. Hmm. She had just turned to assess the scene--two redeemed Sinners near the dead end and one by the entrance--when awed whispers caught her attention. She looked back at the speakers; two cadets were standing in front of the other three and Gil was practically smirking at her. Her head tilted to one side in confusion. Was there something funny about her approach?

She nodded her head in acknowledgment at the other Seraph’s words. He didn’t have enough power to heal five cadets? That was troubling. And another example of the High Council favoring Gil’s squad over hers. Whatever he wanted to discuss, she hoped she’d be allowed to help with it. But she was glad she’d sent her team ahead of her; it sounded even more likely their break would be cut short.

Wait, why was he winking at her? Words of wisdom? She had arrived after they’d finished! What could she add? Before she could protest, Gil had already walked past her towards Deimos. With an uneasy smile, she walked towards the two cadets. Healing first, scramble to think of something worthwhile to say during that reprieve.

“Excuse me.” She requested, placing a hand on Cadet Seven. He stuttered something in response, but it didn’t sound like a negation. She gathered her magic and then let it flow into the other Pure. His eyes closed, his body relaxing as her magic washed over him. Cadet Eight was still staring at her with wide eyes as if a Pure Sinner was standing behind her. Somehow, most people seemed to have this reaction to her; it was a bit depressing. When she finished healing the first Cadet, the white-haired Knight turned her attention to the other. Although his eyes were still abnormally large, he had offered his palm to her. “Thank you.” She placed her hand in his and resumed the healing spell. Cadet Seven was now staring at her drowsily.


Deimos nodded in acknowledgement of the other Knight’s presence, face turned towards the blue-haired Seraph even as his eyes roamed the area. “There has been an unusual influx of Sinners near the borders.” He paused in contemplation but then added. “Captain Kobayashi’s squad has been taking heavy injuries; we spent half a month buffing up their ranks.” An amused smirk suddenly appeared on his face before it was smoothed away.


“First, thank you for your help in taking up the armor. It is brave souls like yours that illuminate the darkness and raise the fallen back into the Divine Light. However, bravery must be tempered by caution; rushing into a fight allows ambushes to occur” Lethe nodded at the man imprisoned by the entrance of the alley. “And unnecessary injuries. You should all strive to improve your situational awareness, not one of you noticed my entrance although neither Deimos nor I took pains to hide our arrival. Coordination is also key in becoming a successful Knight. Although each of you are strong, it is teamwork that will enable you to overcome previously insurmountable obstacles. From your injuries, I’m assuming you did not first designate roles for each member. Preparation and hard work are your keys to victory; remember, you are only as good as your last practice.” The white Knight paused in her lecture, seeing glassy eyes staring back at her. One of the girls sniffed with a heavy swallow; another Cadet’s lip trembled. ”However…” She drew out the word, trying to determine her next words. “remember that we criticize not to cut you down, but to build you up. We see weaknesses that could be taken advantage of and lead to--critical injuries.” She probably shouldn’t scare the Cadets off by mentioning death. In truth, she had the feeling that she should wrap this up before she crushed their dreams.

“You were all fortunate enough to have Master Guilford oversee your training. Master Guilford is the most skilled Knight I’ve had the pleasure of working with and leads the strongest Squad among the Pure; I would strongly recommend that you take to heart whatever advice he’s left for you. Also, I must congratulate you all; few cadets are able to take down three Sinners at once. My squad had moved to intercept but it appears we were superfluous.” She smiled brightly at the group before turning to address her squad member: “Deimos. Please assist the cadets in restraining the redeemed ones and prepare them for transport. They will need to recover at a Church and I would like to see if we can help them with whatever issue let Sin creep into their heart.” She bowed to the cadets and then turned to walk back to her fellow Seraph.

No longer facing the cadets, Lethe let a silent sigh fall from her lips. Even after all the speeches she had been forced to make over the years, she was still uncomfortable with the attention. She was just a Knight one step away from Sin; Guilford would be much more appropriate for such public displays. But then there would be no Knights to spread the Divine Light throughout Palaugrim, because she was too untrustworthy. A tap on her hand shook her from her circling thoughts. She looked up in time to catch a glimpse of yellow irises before Deimos passed her. She had the best squad members, ever.

“There was something you wanted to discuss, Gil?”

_________________

"Yes there is something I wish for your help with. Give me a moment..." he paused and looked up behind him.

"Alfrei! Is that prowess report done yet?" he called out. His lieutenant jumped down from the roof kicking up a bit of dust upon landing to join both Seraphs. He almost immediately reached out to hand Guilford the prowess report, "My apologies for taking so long, here it is." said the man. Eyes narrowing just a little bit, Guilford sighed. "I do not recall being these cadets' instructor. Alfrei, I want you to go with Deimos and escort the cadets back to Instructor Octavia; number seven passed out and eight is locked in a dreamy haze." he paused again, chuckling lightly. "I doubt they'd both make it back in one piece." Guilford said while taking a look at the cadets, amused by Lethe's effect on most male cadets, and even more amused that she remains oblivious to it.

"Aren't we supposed to head back to rendezvous with the rest of the squad after this training is over?" Alfrei inquired just before moving towards the cadets. Guilford looked at Lethe, then back to his lieutenant. "I have something I wish to discuss with Master Lethe." He responded, his tone dropping down a note. Alfrei's expression in turn changed, like he had his sword drawn and is standing on the battlefield. "Is it about... that?" he continued. Guilford simply nodded to answer.

"Tell Bryn to have the rest of the squad return to Gless, get some well-deserved rest all of you." Guilford said and turned to his fellow Seraph. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder lightly, urging her to walk with him along the streets of Lindela.


____________________________________________________________________________________


"I don't supposed you have been to the Barrens lately..." he trailed and scrambled for his Traunz pouch. He then walked over to one of the shops, bought two famous carbonated honeydew drinks and handed one bottle to his companion. "When we were down there, I found a lot of this growing in pockets everywhere." he continued, holding up a small glass contraption before Lethe's eyes. It contained a piece of crystal glowing an eerie purple and had a familiar feel of sin to it, although the one in his hands were greatly reduced. "This is the reason why my holy power is at at a dangerous low. It took nearly everything I had just to reduce its harmfulness to containable levels," he paused and tucked the crystal container away in the safety of his pouch. "I know what you're thinking. You're right, the Essence of Sin down there crystallized, but the real concern is that they are being mined."

Guilford continued walking the streets with Lethe, watching the people as they go about their daily lives. In his mind, those who seek chaos have finally set their eyes on Lindela. If they don't act soon, whatever little peace these people knew would become a nightmare. "Nearly a month ago, my squad went on an eradication mission in the depths of Palaugrim. We took out a nest of Pure Sinners along with several other squads while we were there however," he paused and took a gulp from his drink. "We were not able to investigate what they were doing in the nest, their aura of sin took a tremendous toll on most of the knights there that time. I think they were researching how to use this crystal." he added.

Several more minutes of walking, the two had reached a quarantined part of Lindela. The place was trashed, definitely signs of a fierce battle taking place. Much of the surrounding structures as well as the ground were severely damaged. Several knight squads were stationed there to prevent people from coming too close. These knights were on cleansing duty. "This is the place where we took down a Pure Sinner two weeks ago," he paused, acknowledging the greetings from the squad leaders. "Normally, it doesn't take a whole day to cleanse a Pure Sinner's aura of sin. These knights have been here for two weeks now trying to cleanse the taint." he continued. "I need your help Lethe." Guilford added.

_________________

Lethe followed the other Knight's lead without protest. Whatever it was, it must have been important for him to take her aside like this. The two wandered through the city, the otherwise pleasant afternoon soured by Gil's words. Her drink remained untouched in her hand. By the time the two reached Gil’s destination, a frown was visible on the woman's face.

"Two weeks?" She parroted in shock, disbelief requiring a confirmation she hadn't heard wrong initially. Her focus turned from the Knight beside her to the wreckage in front. The taint of Sin was faint from where she stood, undoubtedly a testament to the hard work of the Knights standing guard on the periphery. If the Sin was as strong as Gil implied, and Lethe had no reason to disbelieve him, an uncontained source in the midst of the city could easily undo much of the work the Pure had accomplished in Lindela.

She stepped forwards towards the closest squad leader.

"Squad leader Marion, may I enter?" The Knight nodded in agreement and she breached the premises. The essence of Sin was strong; again, she couldn't believe the wreckage had been purged of its fallen occupant two weeks ago. She had met Sinners with less taint than was palpable here. But if Gil's words were to be believed, perhaps she shouldn't be surprised.

A leap forward had her wings unfurling behind her as she took to the skies for a better look. It was a scene of devastation with trashed buildings sagging across the lot. However, her vantage from above revealed nothing new. If not for the steady thrum of vileness, she would have assumed it to be exactly what it appeared. Her boots touched down on a broken beam, the highest vantage she could find near the center of the battlefield. She brought her hands to her chest and closed her eyes; her keys slid in on themselves and then vanished. Their presence would hinder her search. One by one she turned off her senses. First to go was her sense of smell, then the bustle of the crowds faded from her ears to be overtaken by the sound of her heartbeat. That too receded until all she was aware of was the sensation of evil swirling around her. It caressed her skin, trying to tempt her one way then another but this too was blocked from her mind. For Sin to have lingered this long, there must be a source hidden here in the wreckage. The tugging of sin transformed into a pulse. It was so faint, she doubted that she would have felt its beat if she hadn't already presumed its presence. It was to her left, coming from below. A basement, perhaps?

Hazy blue eyes turned in that direction, sight focused not on the physical realm but a divine one where only sin and the light resided. The white haired Knight unconsciously jumped towards the pulsing darkness. She slipped effortlessly under the caved roof and brazenly walked towards the source of Sin, only to be stopped by the physical realm. A tangle of support beams had fallen and blockaded her path, another barrier to ending Sin. Blinking her eyes, Lethe tried to clear the divine realm from her sight. It would be no use in this endeavor. Placing her shoulder against the first beam, she leaned against it to try to move it out of the way.

_________________

"Master Guilford, would it be wise to let Master Lethe search alone?" Marion asked, watching the other Seraph find a vantage point.

If there still was a Pure Sinner lurking around, then it obviously isn't wise. However, since his squad has already taken care of it long before, Guilford reassured the squad leader with a simple hand gesture. He would have joined the search himself were it not for his weakened holy power; there was only so much he could do with such limited resource.

"How goes the cleansing Marion?" Guilford questioned, eyes scanning the other knights that have casted Repent.

The squad leader looked around as well, pointing out several squad members on break. He then faced Guilford with a dire look on his face. "As you can see Master Guilford, we have been taking shifts in cleansing, but the taint keeps coming back, like there's another source for it." he answered, worry evident in his eyes. Guilford looked down lightly, contemplating on what he already knew. His suspicion would seem spot on after he had procured a sample of that crystallized essence from the barrens. "We have also tried searching the perimeter but we couldn't find a Pure Sinner in hiding elsewhere." Marion added.

In his mind, Guilford knew that the effort these men are putting into cleansing the taint was no more than containing an outbreak rather than neutralizing it. Taking another look at the exhausted men, Guilford thought long and hard before he stepped forward without a word to Marion.

"Master Guilford?" the squad leader asked, head tilted lightly to one side. "It would seem Lethe found something. Have yours and the other squads surround the structure with Repent, I'm going to look as well." Guilford ordered, eyes focused on Lethe.

"Like I'm going to let you! Stay where you are Captain!" yelled a female voice from behind the two.

The Seraph stopped instantly at the command of the voice. Guilford then felt chills run down his spine in waves. He knew that voice all too well to know that if he turned around, he would see his second-in-command Brynhildr and her fierce eyes that were no doubt trained on him. Composing himself as fast as he was startled, Guilford turned his head right to glance at his subordinate. "I had Alfrei tell you to dismiss the squad. What are you doing here?" Guilford asked, only to be surprised upon seeing Alfrei and the rest of his squad right behind his second-in-command.

"Sorry Captain, I worried," Alfrei replied sheepishly followed by a halfhearted laugh. "and so did the others when I told them." he added.

His second-in-command rolled her eyes. "Honestly... what were you thinking? Going in that condition is reckless!" Brynhildr lectured, both hands firmly placed at the side of her hips. "Squad leader Marion, have you tried feeling Master Guilford's presence?" she snapped at the other man. The startled Marion took a few seconds to spiritually feel Guilford's presence, only to find out his current condition followed by disbelief forming on his face. "I-I had no idea! He seemed fine to me... I beg your forgiveness for not noticing sooner." the squad leader pleaded, fumbling some of his words.

"He seemed fine? That's how he always seems! Sheesh Captain! I can't even leave you alone for a second! I knew I should have gone with you instead of Alfrei..." Brynhildr went on, her words becoming mumbles to Guilford and the others as she continued to rant her heart out.

"Master Guilford, perhaps your vice captain is right. Your exhaustion is at its peak." Marion commented as he turned to the Seraph. "I know," Guilford acknowledged. "me and my squad have been deployed between missions without ample time to recuperate."

"...did you hear me Captain? Next time you're going to do something reckless, tell us so we can be there for you!" Brynhildr finally finished. Guilford sighed in defeat, smiling lightly at the sight of his squad all sharing the same determined look. "Yes Bryn, I heard you just fine. Very well then. Since you're all here, please assist Lethe over there," he said, pointing at the structure where the other Seraph was. "remember, you all know what to do should it be there."

His squad deployed after acknowledging his orders immediately making their way to the said structure. In there, they found Master Lethe trying to push apart a large fallen beam away from the floor. Georg and Joaquim were the first to step forward, taking hold of the beam from both ends, "Allow us to help Master Lethe." they both said and lifted the beam out of the way without much effort. Hyuga was the next to step forward, bowing politely before Lethe. "Master Lethe, the captain suspects that the taint here is being caused by a crystallized essence of sin. I'm sure he already showed it to you." he trailed and began to channel his holy power, as did the rest of Guilford's squad. "As you can see, that thing is quite hard to deal with but, with all of us here, I'm sure our combined Banish would suffice. However, for our own safety, I would like everyone to cast Prayer before we go down." Hyuga finished and knelt down, readying himself to open the basement doors.

After casting her Prayer, Brynhildr walked closer to the others, stopping just beside the white Seraph. "Master Lethe, the High Council has yet to learn about the existence of these crystals. We were just about to turn in the sample the captain has but got delayed by the cadets' field mission. Should we find some down there, please help us in containing it." she finished and nodded at Hyuga to open the doors.

As soon as the man did, a wave of negative energy escaped the confines of the basement, threatening to consume the minds of any normal person to be engulfed in it. Had Guilford not asked the knights to surround the structure with Repent, it would no doubt spread and infect those living nearby. The sheer amount of Sin's essence trying to break through Repent made Guilford's eyes turn fierce. It was enough evidence to believe that the Pure Sinners were already on the phase of experimenting with it.

"Lethe... guys... be safe."

_________________

Deimos handed the redeemed Sinners and the cadets off to their instructor, gaze wandering around him in curiosity. The Captain was still missing, as was Master Guilford. The other Seraph’s squad had huddled together and Brynhildr looked decided upset. She had probably just heard about her Captain walking off with his. Amusement bubbled up within him at the thought; it was obvious that the blue haired Knight had a preference for her Knight Captain. Master Guilford walking off with another female, especially the ‘famous White Seraph,’ another Knight who easily surpassed her, would no doubt leave her in a tizzy. He was about to dismiss the other squad form his consideration, for he had his own tasks his Captain had commanded he complete, when the mass movement of Guilford’s squad caught his attention. Their demeanor appeared too grim for them to be out relaxing and they were headed away from the elevator shaft that connected Gless and Lindela. To his knowledge, none of Squad Prissy lived on Lindela.

To follow them, to get the squad, or to turn in these reports? In the first and second options, he risked the Captain being upset at him for not following her orders. In the third, he risked Lethe being injured and having the entire squad berate him for allowing her to be injured. Really, there was no question. Waving goodbye to the five cadets he and Alfrei had accompanied, the yellow eyed Knight drifted towards the Golden Sun. He might be able to catch Seraphim before she left Adair’s home.



The groaning of stressed wood. A flurry of footsteps approaching. Too solid for Sinners. A Knight Squad? Blue eyes tracked the sounds even as she continued to push the beam out of the way. A blue-haired Knight in gray armor led a group of other Knights in, two bulky men stepping forward to help her with her task.

“Joaquim. Georg. Brynhildr.” Lethe greeted the three, bowing her head in acknowledgment of the former two’s words. Between Gil’s two Rear Guards, the mess that had been blocking her path was soon cleared. Meanwhile, another of Gil’s squad had stepped forward and started speaking. What was his name again? Soren? Hiashi? None sounded correct. Even as her mind wandered, she followed the other Knight’s instructions. The glow of Prayer shone around her and the other Knights present, a mantle of purity against whatever evil waited behind the basement door.

The door was opened and a miasma of Sin rushed for freedom. Lethe walked forward but stopped at the door. The glow of Prayer dimmed around her hand and she tentatively touched the door, sliding her finger along the grain of the wood. There. She followed the indent in a large curve until she reached the end of the wood. It appeared to go on off the door. Reaching as high as she could, the let all of her fingers graze the door, noting various strokes of depressed wood.

“Sketchpad and pen.” She ordered, her attention still trying to decipher whatever had been carved onto the door. When Deimos failed to appear at her side, Lethe turned her head at her squad only to remember it wasn’t her squad with her. She resisted the urge to sigh and instead fished out her own scroll of paper and pen. It was meant more for brief missives than drawing, but it would have to do. She sketched down the symbol she had felt and then looked at in confusion. It wasn’t a symbol she had seen before. However, Sin’s eye stared back at her.



Lethe turned her attention away from the puzzling symbol and peered into the basement. Her eyes could make out vague shapes, but nothing concrete.

“Could someone please form some illumination, non-holy based. If not, we’ll use torches. Defensive caster, Brynhildr, to me. Joaquim, you and another form Repents to minimize the spread of Sin’s essence from here. Vice Captain, please disperse your team as you see fit. Three will wait up here.”

She waited for the team to reassemble itself per her and Bryn’s orders. A young blond woman stepped forward and released balls of fire, shedding light on the underground room’s contents.

It appeared deceptively normal. There was a long table at the back of the room with various containers. A forge of some sort sat in one corner; from the rods stacked near it, Lethe would hazard a guess that it was for glass blowing. Some burned papers were scattered by the now cold forge. The ground was speckled with indents, perhaps from the Pure Sinner’s movements? The walls were scratched with characters and emblems, Sin’s eye predominant among them. It was… unsettling.

The white Knight rallied herself and strode into the room with apparent unconcern. Her temporary team followed. Now on the floor of the basement, she could see a stack of crystallized Sin sitting on the ground like discarded books. She turned to see how the others were faring and caught sight of the rest of the symbol extending beyond the doorframe.



She deliberately turned her attention back to the stack of crystallized Sin in front of her. She reached a hand out but drew back with a hiss. The essence of Sin was too strong for her to touch. Lethe cast another Prayer on herself and then a third concentrated in her hand. This time, she could pick up the crystal and place it on the worktable. Two of her keys emerged, this time in miniature form, and whirled around the stone. Everyone thought her Heaven’s Judgment swords were used purely for offensive but they were more than that to her. With her keys siphoning her magic and focusing it on suppressing the effect of that crystal, Lethe turned her attention back to the remaining stones and Gil’s squad.

“Shall we, then?” She asked with a nod to the group, letting Brynhildr take lead as her squad had experience with the crystals before.

_________________

"You like doodling do you not? Why didn't you hand Master Lethe your sketchpad and pen?" Joaquim asked Natalia while holding up his Repent before the basement doors. Startled at the question, Natalia immediately averted her eyes from Joaquim's gaze and blushed, her Repent flickering in response.

"Focus Natalia." Alfrei ordered.

Joaquim chuckled. "I can only assume you didn't want her seeing your drawings correct?" he mused, making the younger knight blush even more. "Y-yes.. I suppose you could say that." she answered meekly, catching the attention of Alfrei who was standing guard. Using cunning tactics, Alfrei gracefully swung his sheathed sword towards Natalia's back, snatching her pack in the process.

"H-hey!" Natalia protested, her Repent nearly breaking down when she did. "I told you to focus! Do you want sin's essence to continue burdening the tired men outside?" Alfrei retorted while rummaging through Natalia's pack. Joaquim simply chuckled. "B-but! Lieutenant!" Natalia hissed but stopped when her eyes met Alfrei's stern gaze. "Good. I see we understand each other. Now let's see," he mumbled, mostly to himself while flipping through pages of Natalia's sketchpad. "trees, trees, more trees, wait... is this the Captain? Huh? Him again? More of him..." Alfrei smirked. He placed the sketchpad back into Natalia's pack and looked at the blushing woman. "I didn't think you liked him that much." he teased.

"T-that's not for me! Somebody asked me to draw it!" she countered and sealed her lips with a pout.
"Fine, fine, let's focus on the task at hand. If we're lucky, that thing from before won't come out of it this time." Alfrei commented and resumed his post. "I wish it was that easy Lieutenant, but we have to be ready just in case." Joaquim added.

____________________________________________________________________________________

"As expected of Master Lethe. Knights of Seraph ranking are on a whole different level." Hyuga whispered to Vlad as they watched the white knight at work. Vlad simply nodded in agreement. The other knights that were looking around what seemed like a laboratory of sorts gathered around Lethe as she held the crystallized essence before them.

“Shall we, then?”

Brynhildr, Hyuga, Georg and Vlad had to gulp down a little air with the tension they were feeling. Last time they handled containing a sample of the same crystal ended up with their Captain being as he is now, greatly weakened. Hyuga being the most studious among the squad began speaking. "Master Lethe, just so you know, this crystal is fragile, especially when struck with holy power. Balancing our holy power will be the key to containing it." he reminded. The blue haired knight scoffed at Hyuga. "Of all the important things to remind Master Lethe, you miss out on that thing?" she asked, her right hand beginning to glow with holy power. The others assumed position and began channeling their power as well, aiming for the crystal locked in Lethe's holy swords, awaiting Bryn's command.

"Master Lethe, we'll try our absolute best not to shatter the crystal but you ought to know this before we start. Should the unfortunate happen and crystal breaks, a manifestation of Sin will come out of it, taking the form of the one who last touched it. It's extremely dangerous. Our squad battled with one down in the Barrens and had it not been for the Captain, some of us might not have made it back alive." She finished, eyes locked onto Lethe's blue ones.

"What are you worried for Bryn? Master Lethe is a Seraph. We should be fine right?" Hyuga asked. The others seemed like they wanted to sink their faces into their palms after hearing his words. Georg and Vlad looked at each other and then to Lethe. "In any case Master Lethe, please be ready. If we're unfortunate and it does break, we'll have no choice but to fight Sin's version of you." Vlad warned. "As we did with the Captain's." Georg added.

"Then let us begin..." Bryn trailed and began casting her Banish.

The others followed her lead, letting the light of Banish gently caress the crystal, as if coaxing it to let the light inside. Fumes of dark purple light resisted at first, pushing back the golden light from all angles. It took several minutes of gently assaulting the crystal with holy energy before the knights managed to wear down the purple light coming out of it. Beads of sweat already rolling down the side of their faces, the four knights together with Lethe poured their light into the crystal. For such a small piece of stone to be so much trouble, the knights could only wonder what horrors the Sinners could achieve when they master using the crystal.

"Nearly... there..." Bryn huffed, giving out gentle bursts of light in a continuous flow. The others shared the same fatigue. Their squad never really had any ample rest throughout the months they have been deployed. But for such a thing to exist and is out in the open, they could not let their fatigue get the best of them. All four shared the same ferocity and determination in their eyes, refusing to let Sin get the upper hand. All those years they have been under Guilford is not for nothing. If there's anything these knights have learned under his leadership, it was to give even when there's nothing left to give, and to continue fighting when no one is left with the will to carry on.

Finally, after more than half an hour of gently feeding the crystal with holy energy, the purple light became dormant within. Hyuga was the first to cease casting Banish. He plopped down to one knee, trying to catch his breath in huge heaves. "Oh for the light of... I never exerted so much holy power in my life!" he exclaimed, almost wanting to lie down on his back and sleep. The others ceased their magic as well and sighed in relief. The miasma of sin that previously lingered in the air is now nowhere to be felt. On shaky knees, Brynhildr pulled out the same container used by Guilford to house the mellowed down crystal. She walked forward to the Seraph, silence engulfing the basement.

"It's not over until it's contained..." Bryn said. However, just as she was about to pluck the crystal from Lethe's magic swords, the sound of cracking glass caught her ears.

Her eyes instantly widened in shock, hands stopping just a few inches away from the crystal. Her entire being froze on the spot, instantly recalling the last time a crystal like this broke on them, simultaneous with the chills she felt running down her spine.

"This... can't be... why?" she stuttered while staggering back.

Then the earth began to rumble. "Everyone! We have to get out of here now!" Georg yelled at the top of his lungs.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Ouside, Guilford and the other knights felt the rumble. Panic and confusion began to consume the others. At the same time, the calmness Guilford felt was instantly washed away by worry. The squad leader Marion turned to him for answers. "Master Guilford! What's going on?!"

He could only say what was obvious. "It can't be good. Marion, have all squads take formation and prepare for combat! Whatever comes out of there will be nothing like the ones you ever faced before! Hold steady everyone! We cannot let it run free!"

_________________

A roar of laughter burst out of the three story house, signaling its occupants were still present. The sign on the door was flipped to “Closed,” but it didn’t deter Deimos from ringing the bell. Another roar of laughter could be heard, followed by some grumbling and then the sound of footsteps.

“Excuse us, but we’re closed earl—Deimos! I didn’t realize you were coming” Roland’s apology turned into surprise, but the brunette nevertheless unlocked the door and let the Knight inside. Deimos merely nodded in greeting and walked up the stairs to the living quarters. Adair was smiling at whatever had just been said and Seraphim’s arm was wrapped around her stomach, a clear sign she either had cramps or had laughed too much.

“Roland! Lesus is being mean again!” Adair’s older brother pouted, turning teary blue eyes towards the newcomers. It was hard to believe that this childish man was the serious Vice Captain's older brother. The others had also turned at the sound of the opening door, only to be greeted by both Deimos and Roland. The mood immediately sunk into solemnity as Adair stood up and strode over.

“Deimos.” Adair greeted, green eyes roving his subordinate’s form and noting the bag of reports still hanging from the other Knight’s shoulder.

“Want to take a walk?” The pale blond man offered, yellow eyes already turning to look out the window. There was a thump of boots on wood as Seraphim rocked back onto her feet and stood up, signaling her intent to come along. Adair simply nodded in response and walked to the chair his armor was still stacked on to put the pieces back on. Grisia came over the help, worry evident in the older blond’s eyes.

“There was an attack in Lindela’s District 8 about two weeks ago. There are rumors down low that it was a Pure Sinner. No one’s quite sure though, since the place has been under guard ever since and no one’s been allowed close.” Lesus spoke up, hands deftly wrapping up three sandwiches for the Knights to take. He handed one out to each Knight and then the group walked to the door.

“May the Divine Light protect you.” Grisia blessed, the solemnity in his voice a reminder of why the blond had once been the Cathedral’s best Advocate.

Adair hugged his brother in response and then the three Knights were walking back out in search of their errant Captain.



“That area has had Knights 24/7 for the past two weeks! I can’t believe it!” The blond woman huffed in disbelief, poking whatever was in the pan with a spatula. Her frown indicated it wasn’t ready yet. She turned to face her husband only to sigh in exasperation.

“Okay! Okay! You’re allowed to go!” She permitted with an exasperated smile. Valiar hadn’t even said anything yet but the expression on his face was clear: he wanted to check out the quarantine. “Try to be back in time for dinner?” She asked, dropping a kiss on his cheek as she walked to the pantry to get the salt. Valiar nodded, a brief smile lighting his face as he pulled Marielle in for a proper kiss before he donned the armor he had just been shining. The two had been married for his entire Knight career and extra words were unneeded by now.

Stay safe. Come back.
I love you.


Leon scuffed his boot against the ground, looking over the market square forlornly. Everyone was either busy with their day or in groups of friends, seemingly having a good time. It reminded him of how alone he was. His previous teammates would all be busy on patrol in Gless and most of his childhood friends had drifted away as his Knight training took him in a direction away from them. He finally lived on his own, like he’d always wanted, but it was lonely to go back to an empty apartment. He wondered how Seraphim dealt with it.

With a sigh, he walked down the road aimlessly. Not even the awed whispering of the civilians he passed brought him any joy. Then again, there wasn’t much awed whispering. Knights were common in Lindela and he didn’t have the fame yet to command instant recognition like other members of his squad. His self pity party was ruined by a blow of negativity against his senses. He froze immediately, eyes darting around as he searched for the source. It had been faint, suggesting it was further away, but it had been very toxic. Running forward, he leaped onto the roofs and took off towards the faint pulsing of Sin.



The constant drain of containing the crystal was annoying but not terribly difficult. If anything, it was making her a bit sleepy, if she could find the nerve fall asleep in this cesspool of evil. She was relieved when Brynhildr indicated they had finished suppressing the crystal; if she stayed too long, it was likely she’d find that Deimos had finished all the reports.

Just as the blue-haired Knight was reaching out with a glass bottle, a cracking sound could be heard. All of Gil’s squad froze, a clear indication something was wrong. The earth rumbled in warning just as Georg shouted out.

Lethe immediately placed herself between the other Knights and the breaking crystal. The two swords she had been using to help suppress the aura immediately coming back to her. Her other four swords appeared in front of her, splayed outwards like a sun.

“Repent!” She shouted, directing the holy energy into her swords to form a shield over her and Gil’s squad. If Gil was any indication of his squad, they’d be much weaker than she’d normally expect, especially with four of them having just siphoning holy magic to suppress the crystal. A wave of Sin rushed past her, infinitely stronger than the one they’d first released upon coming into the basement. When the light finally died down, she lifted her head.

The first thing she noticed was the walls; the etches she had seen earlier were glowing red like veins of blood. The second was the figure in front of her. Pale white skin. Hair as black as night. The figure was clad in a familiar dress but in the mottle blue-grey that marked the skin of Sinners. Blood red lips curved into a hauntingly familiar smile.

“Hello~” It cheered with a happy wave of a hand. Glowing crimson eyes stared at the Knights assembled in front of them. “Hmmmm” It hummed thoughtfully, taking note of the faint light that surrounded each of them. “Oh no no no, that won’t do at all.” It tsked in disapproval. It lifted a hand, an orb of darkness gathering in its hand. Then, it brought her hand down with a roar: “Demi!”

Lethe was lucky her swords were still arrayed in front of her; she doubted she had the mental presence to have moved them in time otherwise. Instead, she channeled her magic through her swords once more to block the attack.

“Get out of here!” She echoed the order from earlier. They had to save this room if what Gil had said from earlier was true. For no one to have sensed Sin’s presence earlier, something about these runes had to be masking the taint. The moment the attack stopped, she was rushing up stairs and out of the room, leveling a Banish on the manifestation of Sin to ensure its attention.

_________________

Their worst fear came to pass. Bryn and the others trembled at the fierceness of the manifestation. It greeted them with a blast of negative energy, nearly leveling the entire room had Master Lethe not jumped in to block and disperse it. In most cases, Brynhildr can keep her calm, but getting hit wave after wave of that fearsome negativity made her skin crawl. It brought back with it memories she had thought she'd forgotten. The entity standing before them, though looking much like Master Lethe, reminded Bryn of the God of Sin. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, she was afraid...

“Get out of here!”

The words rang crisp and clear, an order to withdraw. She had to obey, she had to follow, but why wouldn't her body move?! Brynhildr stood there, behind Lethe who defended against the fury of their attacker. In her mind she was amazed at how the Seraph could withstand such an onslaught that normally would have wiped out a squad or two. Can she do it too? The answer was clear, she can't. It was then that she remembered Guilford's words to Vlad when they first met the man. "There are things one can and cannot do well. Find that which is yours and you shall find your strength." Her mind cleared, her fear washed away by courage. She can move again.

"Master Lethe! Let's go! It's impossible to fight it in this cramped room!" Bryn yelled and ran back with the other knights.

"Trying to escape? Tee hee! Like I will let you!"

The entity closed its crimson eyes, pulled her arms to her body hugging herself and began to harness more negative energy from within, it only took a few seconds. The moment she reopened her eyes, the negative energy burst out with fearsome strength. The walls crumbled, then exploded outwards, exposing the hidden room out in the open. Multiple screams resounded in the air as clouds of dust and chunks of debris flew outward. Among them were the bodies of seven knights struggling to regain their balance as they were tossed out like rag dolls.

What was left of the structure now revealed the two who stood face to face. Guilford who had positioned himself atop one of the nearby roofs was shocked to see the manifestation. A quick glance at his squad who landed safely, Guilford felt relief, at least they were safe and mostly unharmed. He then drew his sword and steeled himself to jump in at the most opportune time.

"Hmm? What's this? You're still here?" it asked Lethe, a slight hint of amusement in its eyes. "You're stronger than the others, it might be worthwhile to play with you." it said followed by a giggle. "Now then, shall we begin?"

____________________________________________________________________________________

"What power! That thing is exactly as strong as the Captain's manifestation!" Hyuga commented while picking himself up from the ground.

"Exactly! That is why Master Lethe would need all the help she can get especially since her squad isn't here!" Brynhildr roared, sword drawn on one hand. "I'm not going to let that thing lay a hand on her! On your feet! We're going in!"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Afrei said, weapons at the ready. "We may not be much help as we are now but we can't let the Captain keep shouldering our mishaps!" he continued, tossing a glance over to the rooftop where Guilford stood at the ready.

The others gathered themselves and channeled what remaining holy power they had for another round of Prayer. The knight squads that were stationed there, although confused, had also prepared for combat as per Guilford's orders. Now that they can see the target in sight, all of them drew their weapons and waited for the chance to attack.

When the entity moved in to attack Lethe, Guilford's reflexes kicked in. He may not have much holy power left but his physical prowess is not to be taken lightly. With a mighty kick to the rooftop, cracking it in the process, he vaulted himself over with great speed, just in time to strike at the entity with his sword before she reached Lethe. But a loud clang resounded, indicating that his attack was blocked. However, in that split second that it was, Guilford already spun around in mid-air to deliver a back fist with his gauntlet that hit the entity squarely in the jaw. It was sent skidding back by the force of Guilford's strike but no indication of damage whatsoever could be seen.

Landing neatly beside his fellow Seraph, Guilford took his battle stance beside her."I'm here Lethe. Let's do this!"

"Ho? You're quite skilled too, for someone almost on empty." it giggled.

_________________

The group of four headed towards District 8: Adair first, Seraphim next, Marcus following, and Deimos in the rear. They had come across the last veteran of Lethe’s team walking towards District 8. Apparently the brunette had heard about the quarantine from his wife and decided to investigate. Deimos’s troubling message about Team Prissy had Valiar picking up his speed.

“Leon’s on our left.” Deimos suddenly spoke up, pale eyes catching sight of their newbie Knight. The golden haired Knight was sprinting along the rooftops towards District 8, seemingly confident in where he was going.

“Leon!” Valiar shouted out, catching the other Knight’s attention. Adair signaled for Leon to keep moving and for his group to intercept. Their newest Knight had an uncanny sensing ability, one of the reasons Lethe had selected him as Yunie’s replacement. “What’s going on?” Adair demanded the moment they were in range, the squad immediately changing into a diamond formation to accommodate the newest member.

“I felt a release of Sin. It’s being muted by something, but it’s as toxic as a Pure Sinner. Keep moving left.” Leon panted out, directing the group in the proper direction. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Deimos saw Team Prissy go rushing off looking really worried. We’re hearing about a quarantine area in District 8 that’s had 24/7 Knight presence for over two weeks now.” Seraphim summarized, snapping her gloves into place.

“District 8… District 8’s western side then.” The Knights lapped into silence to save their breaths. Whatever was waiting ahead couldn’t be good and their Captain was most likely in the midst of it.


“Trying to escape? Tee hee! Like I’ll let you!” The words had Lethe spinning to face the entity of Sin once more, her bait clearly not enough to get it to follow. The house they were in exploded outwards; a hastily casted Prayer shielded her from the debris flying around. By the time the dust cleared, only she and the manifestation of Sin were still in the area. It appeared the others had been blown away.

The entity looked around it curiously before smiling at her. A swipe of her hand had her swords returning to her, forming two wings on each side of her body. She reached for the sword at her belt and unsheathed it, letting the case fall to the ground. The stare she leveled on the giggling entity was glacial.

The manifestation leapt towards her and she lifted her sword to block the attack when another Knight intercepted the attack. The Clang! of metal hitting metal rung through the air before there was an explosion from where the entity slammed into the wall from Gil’s punch. Lethe glanced at the other Seraph, a frown forming on her face.

“Gil.. you’re practically empty of magic. And what’s going to happen if you stop suppressing the crystal that’s in your pouch?” She questioned, displeasure making her harsher than she normally would be. She turned her gaze on the Knights arrayed around her and scowled.

“Maintain the perimeter!” No longer contained in the basement, waves of evil were rolling off the manifestation of Sin. Only the Repents surrounding the area kept the taint from infecting the surrounding homes. If Sin spread into the population of Lindela… Well, the phrase “to win the battle but lose the war” existed for a reason.

The dark version of herself was climbing to its feet, shaking dust out of its hair. Although Gil had just punted it through a wall, it appeared to have taken no damage. Instead, it just giggled: “Ho? You're quite skilled too, for someone almost on empty”

The outer two blades on Lethe’s wing detached and leveled themselves on the giggling entity. Without warning, the two each released a laser of light at the enemy that simply jumped out of the way of the attack. Lethe jumped up to meet it with a sword strike, the two exchanging a rapid succession of blows before she fell back to the ground. Without all of her blades, she couldn’t fly like she normally did. Her other keys were busy still shooting Banishes at the Sin manifestation when there was a chance. She rolled out of the way of another attack and then brought her sword up to block another strike; this time she was the one sent skidding along the ground, wings beating to try to stop her before she hit a wall.


“****. Arms X Armor X Vernier.” Valiar suddenly cursed and then buffed the entire squad, boosting their offensive power, defensive power, and speed. “Captain definitely needs our help.”

Up ahead, floating in the sky, was their captain and—their captain? The group of Knights continued rushing forward despite their confusion. It appeared that Lethe was fighting a badly colored version of herself. However, only one had the blades of Heavens Judgment instead and they knew no one else could touch her blades. Whoever was stupid enough to make a bad replica of Lethe was going to be taught that Team Blonde did not appreciate others mocking their Captain.

_________________

"Focus! Let me worry about the one I have!" Guilford replied to her, just before Lethe launched her own barrage.

Without much holy power, Guilford knew he couldn't attack recklessly. As he is right now, if he makes one mistake, it could prove to be the last. He watched Lethe exchange blows with the entity, somewhat entranced by Lethe's unique fighting style. No matter how many times he had seen it, he still couldn't help but admire it. Regardless, now was not the time to be lost in admiration. A grave threat was at the front, leaking out tremendous malice as it continued trading blows with the white knight.

The knight squads in the perimeter acknowledged Lethe's orders to maintain their perimeter. As much as they wanted to help out, the scale the battle took was way out of their league. Just a glance at how fast the two exchanged sword strikes was more than enough telling that they'd only get in the way. With their Repents put up, the leaking miasma of sin was contained within the small area of District 8. Marion's squad took the initiative to evacuate those close to the perimeter. In his mind, if the Master Lethe were to go all out, they would need a bigger field for combat.

With his eyes almost dancing around while following Lethe and the entity's movements, Guilford readied his sword arm, trying to find an opening where he could attack and stagger the entity. If only he could stop the movements of that entity somehow, it would give Lethe a window for a counter.

"Captain!" his squad called out in unison as they landed behind their leader. All of them were surrounded by Prayer, their eyes a telling sign that they would not back down. Quickly assessing both side's combat strength, Guilford already knew that even with all of them combined, they were still under Lethe given their current situation. "How much more spells can you guys do?" he asked calmly.

"Hmph! More than enough to bring that down!" Alfrei said, cracking his neck twice as he did. The others agreed to the statement. "False bravado can be fatal Lieutenant, nevertheless, I know it's too late to order you to stand down," Guilford paused and took his stance again, shifting his footing just enough for him to get a boost when he lunges forward. "We'll go with Formation 3, we have to stop it's movements somehow and give Lethe a chance to attack. Right now, only she has enough strength to put a dent on that thing."

"Roger that!" responded the squad and took their respective places in the formation. Vlad was up front, followed by Alfrei and Bryn. Georg, Joaquim and Guilford in the middle, with Hyuga and Natalia at the back row readying their spells. "On my signal..." Guilford trailed, still waiting for that chance to attack.

When Lethe blocked an attack that sent her skidding downwards, Guilford gave the signal. Just as the entity was about to swoop in for a follow up on Lethe, Vlad cut it off and blocked it's attack with his shield. In that moment, the entity tried to swipe at Vlad but the knight ducked, showing Bryn and Alfrei already charging in for a strike of their own. Another loud Clang! echoed as their blades locked with the entity's. The two fluidly swayed to the side of their opponent after the hit to block off any escape routes. Vlad then charged in again from the front only to stop and turn around, planting his shield on the ground with just enough angle to be used as a foot hold. This time, Joaquim and Georg took to the air for their trademark combination.

"Ggghaah!" the entity groaned.

Their holy-imbued strikes rained down relentlessly on the entity, however, even when being pressured, it was still capable of parrying and deflecting attacks with remarkable precision. Just as it was about to counter Joaquim and Georg, Bryn and Alfrei came at it from the sides, allowing the other two to slip past it and cover its rear, effectively boxing the entity in. When Bryn and Alfrei let up on their clash, Vlad fired a channeled Penance at it, momentarily stunning the entity.

"Hyuga! Natalia! Smite it now!!" Guilford roared.

The two casters then fired off their channeled spells aimed precisely within the boxed space the other knights established. Golden bolts of light rained down on the stunned entity. The other knights surrounding it jumped back just far enough in time before the first of many bolts hit. A cloud of dust was kicked up by the mini explosions dealt by sheer amount of holy bolts falling. When the rain of bolts stopped, Guilford then raised his sword, imbued it with Banish, then charged into the cloud of dust for the finisher.

However, a flickering sound similar to live electricity emanated from within the dust cloud. Moments later, the dust cloud was blown away to reveal that the entity had shrouded itself with negative energy to prevent it from sustaining much damage. Her facial expression looking mighty displeased. Guilford's sword could not penetrate the barrier, though it was clear that he is still trying to force his blade through.

"Futile!" the entity yelled in anger. "I will obliterate each and everyone of you!" it hissed and let the barrier expand then explode, sending Guilford and his squad flying back with debris.

_________________

Lethe weaved her way around the flying debris and bodies. She’d do them more injury if she were to try to halt their movements then let them get blown away. A wave of Sin rushed past her, eliciting a shudder of disgust. She hadn’t been prepared for that at all. A quick Prayer cleansed the creeping sensation from her skin, just in time for her to dash past the dark simulacrum, scoring a strike through the entity’s side. The wound fizzled with miasma and then started repairing itself. In fact, all of the damage that Gil’s squad was slowly repairing itself, even the half disconnected arm.

She couldn’t give it time to regenerate. The white haired Knight dashed forward to fight the Sin entity again, recalling her shooting swords to assist her. As expected, the manifestation blocked her overhead strike with its good arm/sword. However, Lethe had six other swords for a reason. They slid around her body and swung upwards in an arc, each blade striking the injured arm. By the time the last blade cut its way through, the arm had fully detached and fell to the ground. A succession of thuds, drowned out by the entity’s roar of rage, marked each sword impaling the limb and dispersing it into miasma.

“Pests!” It screamed, stumbling back. Its balance seemed off by its sudden loss of an arm. Good. Her blades rearranged themselves, now parallel to the ground, and shot forward. Simultaneously, she charged again to trap the entity between her and her swords. Instead of obliging, it dashed to the side and out of the way. Without her wings to redirect her motion, Lethe couldn’t pivot in time to follow and her swords all rushed past her. She grimaced at the sensation of one of her swords passing through her but was otherwise unharmed from the encounter. Instead, the blades returned to her back in their normal “wings” formation.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a gleam of black. The entity was mirroring her dash forward, an orb of dark light forming by the entity’s head, no doubt intended for her. She pushed off the ground, wings angling to direct her on a collision path with the manifestation. A pitch black sword met her Banish empowered strike, its wielder deflecting her attack with disgusting ease given how injured it should be. Her face stared back at her with hatred, malicious red eyes staring into her own blue ones. It was a horrifying mix of her mother and her own nightmares. The light of the sun was suddenly blocked by something, the hairs of her neck rising with apprehension. Lethe immediately kicked off her opponent to get out of the way. The orb of darkness she had seen earlier crashed down where she used to be. She turned her head to shelter her eyes from explosion and then something slammed into her stomach, punting her out of the dust cloud. Her keys clattered behind her, magic faltering in the wake of such a blow.

“Captain!” A blend of familiar voices shouted out as she was grabbed out of the air. Her savior slammed into the ground in a crouch, an armored knee digging into the wounds in her back. She coughed for air, the combination of blows having knocked her breath out of her. “Healing” a deep voice intoned above her, chasing away the bruises and cuts she’d accumulated throughout the fight.

“Valiar. Deimos.” Lethe gasped out, struggling out of Deimos’s embrace and to her feet. She turned to face the fight, only to see blue armor and pink hair flying about. “And Adair.. and Seraphim..” She deadpanned, asking curtly, “Am I going to turn around and find the others as well?”

“Only me, Captain.” A sheepish voice spoke up. Leon was rubbing a hand against the back of his head in embarrassment. She sighed in disbelief. She had ordered her team to go home and rest. Although truthfully, their presence here was beneficial as she wasn’t sure she could take on the Sin manifestation herself, especially not with the way it kept reminding her of— She firmly cut off that thought. Now wasn’t the time. Gil and his squad were out of the fight, their last barrage seemingly have taken up all their reserves.

“Deimos, you, I, Seraphim, and Adair will be rotating. I don’t want anyone too close to that taint. First though, bring Gil’s squad here for healing. Valiar, conserve your strength.” The Seraph leveled a hard stare on her oldest Knight. “All of Gil’s squad is weakened, as is Gil himself. You’re the only cleric I can rely on. Leon, keep Valiar safe. No matter what.”

Looking over the battle, she whistled sharply to let Adair and Seraphim know she was engaging. They immediately changed their attacks, trying to force their enemy to leave an opening for her to exploit. Deimos dropped out of sight, no doubt to fulfill his orders.

“Deus Corona. Deus Eques. Vernier” Valiar chanted, bestowing the augmented buffs on Lethe. They took a lot of power and couldn’t be used often, which is why only the Captain got the special treatment. Her glare told him she both appreciated the buffs and disliked him wasting his magic like that after what she’d just said. However, she pushed off to join the battle once more without comment.

Seraphim was relying on punches—hands glowing with the light of Prayer—to keep the entity distracted while Adair focused on deflecting the sword with his shield. Their bulky armor kept her smaller form from visibility and she streaked towards the fighting trio, gathering Banish in her sword. She had been working with Adair and Seraphim for so long, she fully trusted them to anticipate her movements. As expected, they drew apart in time for her to thrust forward. Like with Gil, her sword met the resistance of a barrier. Her Deus Corona powered strength let her penetrate the barrier but not enough to actually stab its caster. Her opponent had no such issues and brought its sword down on the Seraph’s exposed back. Adair was suddenly there once more to knock aside the blade, the strength of his blow sending it spinning out of the entity’s hand.

“Banish!” Lethe forced the strongest spell she could muster in such a short cast time through her sword, hoping the impenetrable barrier would become the entity’s own coffin. The holy light warred its way against the wall of Sin before the two spells exploded violently. Both Lethe and her Sinned version were sent flying back, but Adair snagged her form as it flew by, hiding the two of them behind his suddenly enlarged shield. His sword and shield weren’t the standard Pristine Knight fare; Roland had forged the weapons and Grisia had blessed them both. Lesus had enchanted the weapons to grow with the use of holy magic. By the time the dust had settled once more, everything had been pushed back to form a level playing field.

“Well, I’ll admit you’re amusing. But this ends here.” The entity spat, gathering magic around its pitch black sword. Apparently after almost being stabbed so many times by glowing swords, it had decided to try its hand at a glowing sword itself.

“Yeah, I’d have to say it does.” Despite her orders, Seraphim and Leon were both on the ground, each standing about fifteen feet away. Her squad had formed a triangle formation with the entity at its center. “We don’t take kindly to your impersonating our Captain.” The other female Knight in her squad spat, sword naked in her hand. Adair got to his feet beside her, hefting the now normal sized shield back on his arm. As for Lethe, her sword lay in a mangled mass of metal near the origin of the explosion. She flexed her hands instead, getting a sense of where her magical blades were and gathering magic. Leon stayed silent for once but had his sword blade leveled on the imposter.

All five combatants suddenly sprang into motion. The manifestation dashed towards Leon, seemingly recognizing he was the weakest, and almost earned itself a fully powered Banish to the face. It dodged out of the way only to be slammed by Seraphim’s double-handed strike. Despite her appearance, there was a very good reason why the woman was one of her team’s front liners and every bit of the reason hit the entity in that one strike. The entity was spent sprawling into an empty space but was then punted back by the sudden appearance of the last offensive member of Lethe’s squad. The image of Deimos, foot still raised from his kick, wavered and then vanished as its originator had already moved to another position. Chains of Penace erupted from the ground to restrain the entity as circles of white light appeared around it like a dome. The tip of a blade emerged and then shot forward to strike the imprisoned figure. It was a testament to the entity of Sin’s strength that it was able to totter out of the way even with Penance dragging it down. Another of Lethe’s blades emerged, this from a different circle, and then all of six of them were flying in a flurry of death as the Knight herself danced, eyes and hands glowing with magic in her signature Heaven’s Judgment move. An unearthly scream came from the dome before with a final explosion of miasma, the Sin crystal fell to the ground, broken and utterly spent.

_________________

By the time he came to, Guilford found himself and the rest of his squad already gathered to safety. He immediately recalled the last thing he remembered, the sheer force of that unexpected explosion knocked him out cold. A new but familiar face smiled at him politely, it was Valiar Marcus, Lethe's cleric that he had always mistaken to take up the role of a tank. When the other knight held both hands up front and started to channel his healing spells, Guilford suddenly reached out and grabbed Valiar's right wrist then shook his head to the side. He could feel a trickling sensation from his forehead down the left side of his face, but he did not need to think what it was. Guilford instead redirected his stare to his unconscious subordinates, then back to Valiar.

"Them first please..." he trailed off, the sight of his entire squad's condition weighing heavy on his conscience. He had pushed them too far even knowing that their combat capacity was less than half of what it used to be.

The other knight stopped, looked back right into Guilford's eyes, as if telling him that Seraphs should be healed first. While any standard cleric unit would often treat ranking officers first and foremost, Guilford does not take the priviledge too kindly. His unwavering stare was enough to convince the other knight to proceed otherwise, no words even need to be said. Somewhere in his heart, Guilford could tell that Valiar knew that had it been Lethe, she would no doubt request the same of the healer.

Groaning as he pushed himself back to his feet, with bits of rubble and dust falling off of him, Guilford scanned the perimeter. Several knights from Lethe's squad had also joined the fray, relentlessly attacking the manifestation of sin along with their captain. A pang of relief washed over him as he watched the fight from a safe distance. Lethe's movements were splendid, as is Team Blonde's coodination. It was testament to the rumors of them being a top notch squad. They pushed the entity to the brink, obviously having the upper hand against it. When Lethe struck the final blow, a victorious cheer from all the other squads maintaining the perimeter with Repent rocked the small quarantined space. It was not everyday that squads get to witness a Seraph's combat prowess, they just saw something incredible.

Amidst the triumphant cries, Guilford felt a hint of worry gnawing at him. These knights had no idea that this is just the beginning, that if they do not act soon, adversaries like the one Lethe just defeated would become a common foe. Guilford watched the entity revert back to a crystal and fall broken to the ruptured grounds. Pulling out another empty container from his pouch, Guilford staggered his way to it and picked it up. He tossed it inside the container and locked the lid in place, filling the contraption with what little holy power he had left to form a complex seal. When he finished, Guilford nodded at Lethe and the rest of her squad then looked up to the clear blue skies. He was unable to shake the feeling that something is about to happen, and they will be smack in the middle of it.


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Grand Cathedral - Three Days Later...

Inside Guilford's squad quarters, all members of his team were gathered. They all exhibited a slight hint of worry on their features while waiting for their Captain's return from the High Council meet. Brynhildr passed the time polishing her armor and weapons, Alfrei was looking out the window listening to the knights that were walking around the cathedral grounds, Natalia was doodling as usual, Joaquim, Georg and Vlad were gathered around a small table talking about new formations and battle strategies, and Hyuga was alone in the far corner of the room, studying the crystal from Master Lethe's last battle. Their squad was finally granted their long overdue reprieve from active duty to recuperate.

"You know..." Alfrei paused and turned to the rest of the group. "there's been talk going around among the knights. When word spread about District 8, they believe our squad just lost the number one spot." he spouted, not really looking for a debate but rather a light conversation. The others with him only looked at him with nonchalance. "Like they know anything..." Brynhildr responded, her polishing strokes becoming a little rougher as she did. "Who cares? We gave them a poor show." Natalia mindlessly mumbled while flipping to another page in her sketchpad. Vlad brooded, his right hand finding his chin to appear in deep thought. "I'm more concerned about us having to get knocked around before being granted a chance to rest." he muttered. Georg turned from his seat to face Alfrei and simply smiled. "I never pegged you to be the type who concerns himself with public image." he stated, with Joaquim seconding the notion. "He's a worrywart. I guess even trivial things get to him."

Alfrei sighed and rubbed his temples with his left hand. "It's not that guys. I'm worried that if they begin to think we've fallen out of shape, they'd lose confidence in the Captain as well." he continued. Upon hearing this, the others failed to come up with a comeback, knowing full well that what the lieutenant just said is not a distant possibility. "The more you deny it, the stronger their suspicion solidifies. It would be best for us to leave things as it is. Let those who truly knows the story take care of the situation." Hyuga inadvertently spouted from the corner of the room. Alfrei chuckled, there was undeniable wisdom from words that came from the man deep in study. "I wonder what's taking the Captain too long?"

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Inside the High Council Chambers, the two Seraphs have been called for an emergency meeting. The huge chamber is well lit, designed simply like any church yet had a profound air of tranquility. Red carpet covered the entire floor, six of the High Council Elders sat in their chairs behind a long table that spanned the length their chairs are positioned. Guilford, still with a bandage around his head knelt respectfully before the six with Lethe to his left. On the table was the container of the crystal sample Guilford procured from the Barrens, along with Lethe's sketch of the runic symbol she had found in the basement from District 8. The elders have finished examining the specimens and were now in debate regarding Guilford's request to sanction an investigation team to the depths of Palaugrim.

With the way Guilford phrased his concerns and request, he had made it clear that he has no intention of taking another squad other than Lethe's with him. The High Council debated it amongst themselves, weighing the pros and cons of having the only two of their Seraphs far away from Gless.

"Guilford tell me, why does it have to be Lethe's squad? Why can't you take Marion's? Or Kobayashi's or Siegfried's or any other squad for the matter?" asked one of the council elders, the only one who wears spectacles. Guilford bowed lightly. "Councilor Aurel, as I have mentioned, if the followers of Sin have already found a way to utilize the crystallized essence before you, taking another squad other than Lethe's would only serve to slow me down. Not only do I have to worry about the safety of my own squad, I will also have to protect them too."

"Then why not take several squads with you? Do you belittle the knights below you Guilford?" asked another, the one who has a long white beard. "On the contrary Councilor Liviu, I do not. I merely want to take as little as I can with me so I may rest assured that the defenses on Lindela and Gless would not have to suffer greatly. My reports include neutralizing a Pure Sinner in District 8. We haven't had a Pure Sinner reach Lindela in years, I'm afraid that if what I think is true, they have found a way to slip past the border defenses. Should that be the case, we'll need every able knight ready to deploy at a moment's notice." he answered calmly.

"Do you understand what you ask of us? Lethe and her squad is an indispensable part of The Immaculate, as is you and your squad. Yet you ask us to send you both away to Palaugrim on a dangerous mission? To what end? The Pristine Knights are no longer short-handed as they used to are they not?" asked the youngest council elder. Guilford took a deep breath. Now the rumors he heard and mentioned to Deimos finally started to make sense. It was clear that what the council was doing is to limit Lethe's squad movements. But for what reason? Guilford struggled for answers. "If I may be so blunt Councilor Mihai, I believe it is a Pristine Knight's duty to fight Sin. What I ask of you is in line with that duty I swore an oath to. Why do I feel like the High Council is trying to stop me from doing my duties effectively?"

Silence filled the chamber. Nobody, not one from the council expected to hear such words from Guilford of all the knights. Guilford was sure that even Lethe would be surprised. He was not the type to question the High Council but with this, he may have crossed the line. "My sincerest apologies councilors. I did not intend to sound rebelious, I merely wish to understand the High Council's reasons for being hesitant with my request."

This time the oldest, said to be the wisest, and the leader of the High Council spoke. "Guilford, we appreciate your dedication to our cause, more than you could imagine. Do not think for a second that what we are doing is hindering your duties. We have a responsibility to protect the welfare of the people who follow the Divine Light, just as you have your duty to fight Sin for the sake of the people. If you feel so strongly about having Lethe come with you, then we will consider it. However, both of you must return no later than a week. Do you understand?" he asked. Guilford bowed his head respectfully. "Yes Councilor Cornelius, I understand. Thank you." he responded timely. "Very well, both of you should rest for the journey. You are to depart in two days. Dismissed."

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Pale white skin. Hair as black as night. A familiar dress the color of Sin.
The reflection of herself smiled softly at her, blood red lips curving into the same smile she always saw as a child all those years ago.
A hand came up to cup her cheek just like her mother used to.
“Tee hee.” Her reflection giggled before drawing close as if to bestow a kiss on her forehead. “Trying to escape?” She could feel those ice cold lips on her forehead curve into another smile as it whispered against her skin a solemn promise: “Like I will let you.”

Blue eyes shot open. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as Lethe struggled between her fight or flight instinct and the clinging grasp of sleep. Where was--she was in her bed. In her apartment. In Gless. Not--not in Sin’s hands. Her heart started to slow down as she processed this information before she groaned and covered her eyes with a still shaking hand. Again. And there was no chance she’d fall back asleep. Again. She sagged into her bed longingly but knew sleep offered her no respite. Instead, she sat up and made her way out of bed, childishly dragging her blanket with her to her bay windows. Swaddled in her blanket, the ‘White Seraph’ stared out her window at the peaceful city below. Gless: bastion of the Light. The bell tower chimed: 4:15 and all was well. It’d be another hour and a half before sunrise and morning prayers. There was the meeting with the High Council today about the crystallized Sin. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the cool windowpane, only to jerk back.

“Tee hee. Trying to escape? Like I will let you.”

She pulled up a spare corner of her blanket and placed it between her head and the window, the fabric dulling the chill of the glass. A flash of light and her keys appeared in front of her. One, two, three, four, five, six. Six hadn’t been enough, not if she needed auxiliary support and to engage in battle. She needed more. Closing her eyes, she directed her magic towards them to start the arduous process of forming another pair of keyblades.

4:17 and all was well.


Lethe knelt on the ground, dully listening to the Council and Gil discuss the next steps. It was clear that Gil wanted her squad to accompany his on his proposed expedition, and it was equally clear that the High Council didn't want that. Normally, she would have joined in the debate to support Gil but she was just too tired. These past two days had been anything but restful. Liberal use of makeup was the only thing keeping her from looking frightful. Besides, she couldn't blame the Council for wanting to keep her close. They had just been smacked in the face with both an image of her falling into Sin and a display of her power. It wasn't hard to conjecture further what would happen if the two were to combine. Her memories of the dreams that plagued her were interrupted by a peevish voice beside her.

"What I ask of you is in line with that duty I swore an oath to. Why do I feel like the High Council is trying to stop me from doing my duties effectively?"

Lethe chanced a wide eyed look at her fellow Knight through the fringe of her hair. She rarely heard him take such a tone, especially not to the High Council. A pregnant silence descended on the group as everyone tried to think of an appropriate response before Gil finally broke it by apologizing. It seemed these encounters with Sin were wearing on him as well. She berated herself for not paying more attention to her fellow Knight, eyes finally noticing the bandage still wrapped around his head, but then forced herself to drag her attention back to the meeting. This was important.

She stood up as the two were dismissed and walked out of the room and with her fellow Knight. One week in the depths of Palaugrim: not nearly enough time to investigate properly and more than enough time to fall. When the door to the High Council Chamber finally closed, she halted and turned to face Gil. Besides the lingering injuries, he appeared fine.

"I'm surprised Brynhildr let you go in like that." She finally remarked, lifting a hand glowing with Healing to his head. "Or were you hoping to make a statement with that?" She let her magic seep into the other Knight and cure his wounds, lingering long enough to make sure she attended everything, and then let her hand drop away.

"I'll inform my squad that we will be heading out soon and see if I can get it extended to at least two weeks." Grisia or Deimos would help with that. Lethe turned to walk back down the corridor to where their teams waited, in two separate rooms, of course. (She didn’t quite trust her team to not have annoyed Gil’s squad into murderous thoughts.) "When do you want to convene to discuss the expedition? We should probably plan basic formations and duties ahead of time to avoid redundancies."

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