A few weeks earlier.
Ada was moving through the forest, sneaking from one bush to another, staying sharply aware of all the creatures that might be lurking in the shadows. It was the early days of autumn, and usually, the gods granted them about one or two weeks of freedom during that period. Ada awaited those weeks of rest like nothing else in the world, finding it the perfect way to reward them for the work they carried out.
Like a perfectly organized mechanism, her teammates moved behind her. Havel covered the right side, so no one could attack them from that flank and he would be ready to strike if Ada suddenly encountered a hostile creature. Elaine was on the opposite side, considered the weakest point of the diamond formation, due to the Blendbreed's poor melee skills.
The daughter of Rutia crouched for a moment and looked back.
Hidden in the shadows was still Darryl Fyreborn, the oldest Blendbreed from Lilies Park. He was closing the formation, providing immediate protection for Elaine and making sure the group wouldn't fall victim to an ambush from behind. Ada had complete trust in the son of Corgi, even more than she placed in Havel, their actual leader.
She, on the other hand, was placed at the tip of the system. Her role was rather simple: given her ability, she would be the one to spot creatures on the horizon. With her characteristic agility, she was also the safest option to avoid unnecessary risks.
The dark-haired Blendbreed kept moving through the forest until a strange howl forced her to stop. After silently crouching down, she made a gesture with a closed fist to signal her companions to hold their position.
The howls continued, making Ada reflect on their possible source.
Werewolf pack? she asked herself before shaking off the idea. Impossible, the full moon was just a few days ago. Even if it were, they wouldn't be capable of making those sounds.
She shook her head, then realized. Those weren't howls she was hearing, but screeches.
"Striges," she murmured with disgust.
Striges were mythological creatures with unsettling and mysterious features. They were usually described as winged beings with humanoid shapes but animal traits, such as sharp claws and glowing eyes that shone in the darkness. Their skin could be pale or grayish, while their wings, similar to those of a bat or an owl, were membranous and sometimes adorned with dark stripes or spots. Their presence was often associated with children or infants, due to their perverse nature. First described in texts dating back to the golden age of Rome, striges were characterized by a long, sharp beak, similar to that of hummingbirds, but coated in a golden sheen.
And with that, they feed on the blood of the youngest… Ada concluded, satisfied to have remembered the relevant information.
They had to move quickly. The presence of the striges could only mean they were close to their target. However, the same statement could also be made in the opposite sense.
He might be in danger, she realized. We need to get moving.
At her second signal, the group resumed their march.
Ada thought back to when they had been summoned to the Lyceum D'Agostini office. They were usually required to provide a report after each of their missions in the Mortal World. Often, the rector of the park would help them compile a paper version to keep track of their achievements. Even more often, it ended in an argument with Darryl, who would simply suggest programming a computer that could work in the Mortal World and storing the data on a USB stick.
The last time they entered, however, even the goddess of love had attended their debriefing. Everything went smoothly during their reports, but when it was time to grant them the much-anticipated vacation, Aena spoke up.
"The next mission will start tomorrow morning; there's a Blendbreed you absolutely must bring here."
Elaine frowned. "Just one?"
The goddess nodded. "It's a boy we cannot send to the Daffodils Academy. They must not find him before we do."
"I think we deserve a break," Havel grumbled.
Aena shot him a withering look before responding. "After this mission," she continued immediately, "bring the boy here and you will have an entire month of vacation."
The idea would surely have motivated Havel, but the worried look on Darryl's face was not a good sign for Ada.
"Excuse me, my lady, but why is it imperative to retrieve the boy before those at the Daffodils Academy? Do you not intend to allow his magical evaluation?"
The daughter of Rutia fell silent, but the thought continued in her mind. If the Blendbreed in question were so weak, he would have been brought to Lilies Park after the entrance test. Emion usually followed that protocol to ensure only potential candidates for the divine army; it would have been simple routine.
The only possible alternative was that the goddess of love wanted to steal a future gem from her husband's collection. It made no sense; however, it seemed the only plausible option.
Aena inhaled before replying. "The boy comes from there. Emion has canceled all explorations and recalled the groups on mission."
"But Fate is treacherous."
Darryl tapped his fingertips against the wall; he seemed to have understood something that still eluded the daughter of Rutia.
Ada was slightly irritated by that side of the Blendbreed. There were moments when his gaze drifted into the void, and he seemed to recall some past event. Despite all the time spent together, those secrets had never surfaced. On the contrary, Darryl seemed to be distancing himself from them more and more.
Havel stood up. "Stop your babbling. We are the Equinox Flowers, the elite of Lilies Park. We accept the mission," the other members of the group didn't have time to stop him, "and we will complete it in no time."
Ada rolled her eyes. If the son of Sidal had decided, she just had to accept it.
"Excellent. Now…" Lyceum D'Agostini paused to search for something in one of the drawers of his desk. After a few seconds, he pulled out a map and began to spread it out.
The group approached the table, curious to discover their next destination.
"You will have to go… exactly…"
The daughter of Rutia watched Lyceum's index finger slide across the yellowed paper until it reached the depiction of a lake located in Campania.
"Here."
Elaine squinted. "Lake Avernus?"
She had pronounced it with the wrong accent, but no one corrected her. Ada kept staring at the name for a few seconds, wondering why it seemed so familiar.
Aena spoke. "For now, think about resting. You will depart tomorrow morning; that way you should be able to coordinate with his arrival."
The Blendbreeds remained silent, and Ada was relieved to know that her confusion was shared.
This whole story feels strange.
Finally, Lyceum closed the map and was about to hand it to the Blendbreeds, but Darryl stopped him.
The son of Corgi pulled out his phone and simply said,
"There's no need to give it to us. Since we'll be in the Mortal World, I'll use Ammir Maps."
"Oh! Of course… on Ammir Maps. Use it… well!"
Darryl chuckled and placed a hand on the rector's shoulder. "Lyceum, you'll have to catch up with the times sooner or later," he said, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "We better go now; I want to rest before tonight's bonfire and I need to stop by to say goodbye to Marina."
The group began to rise, but before Darryl could cross the room, Aena called him, "I need to speak with you in private."
The son of Corgi swallowed before smiling. "Alright," then he turned to his companions. "You go ahead; I'll catch up with you shortly."
Skriiek! Skrieek!
The strix pulled Ada back to reality.
They had just reached the edge of the forest, and before them opened the full expanse of Lake Avernus. The starlight illuminated the shore of the lake, tinting the sky in bluish hues as the group approached cautiously. The calm waters of the lake faintly reflected the moonlight, at times veiled by clouds, creating an atmosphere that was seemingly serene but deeply soaked in mystery. The shoreline was dotted with blades of grass, their shadows stretching menacingly over the damp earth.
On the horizon, the swarm of striges, with their typical membranous wings and golden eyes, circled around a very specific area. Their flight was ambiguous, almost choreographed, as they hovered in the air with cyclical movements. Their call echoed in the stillness of the early evening, adding a layer of tension to the scene.
The point around which they circled seemed to be saturated with a massive amount of mana, palpable even from a distance. An aura of malediction wrapped that place, making the daughter of Rutia shudder unconsciously.
However, there, at the center of that circle of infernal creatures, the Blendbreed caught sight of something indefinable — a shadow moving stealthily through the darkness.
The four members of the Equinox Flowers lined up until Havel took a step forward, his two axes already drawn. "Ada, you're with me. Darryl, stay back and use your flames to protect Elaine."
The son of Corgi smiled. "You repeat it as if we didn't always follow the same plan."
Havel turned and, after a brief look of understanding with Ada, he launched himself toward the swarm of striges. The daughter of Rutia immediately grabbed her two short blades and rushed after him toward the shore.
She quickly impaled one of the monsters and lowered her center of gravity, her gaze vigilant. The winged creatures fluttered everywhere, but they seemed fixated on a specific center, inside which the young boy they had to rescue must be.
Havel crashed forcefully into the swirling striges, taking down five at once. Ada noticed a faint crimson smoke spreading through the air around him, and immediately linked it to Sidal's powers.
He's already chosen to use Bloodthirst…
A strix tried to drive its beak into the Blendbreed's arm, but she sliced it in half mid-air. They continued fighting for a few minutes before the daughter of Rutia called out to the leader.
The screeching of the creatures was deafening, making communication between the group difficult.
"Havel! Havel!" she repeated.
The son of Sidal continued until a strix embedded itself in his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. Ada rushed toward him and pulled him away despite his struggling.
"Let me go, Ada! What the hell are you doing! Let me go!"
"Some of them are poisonous," that seemed to set off a warning in the boy's heart. "We can't risk it. Let's get to Elaine."
Havel kept resisting, exposing them both to more attacks from the striges. The girl sighed, sheathed one of her blades, and moved her free hand downward. Following her movement, the shadow on the ground danced until it condensed into a dynamic, mobile shield, which the Blendbreed used to protect herself and her companion.
"I can't drag you, so move!"
The son of Sidal hurled one of his axes at the nearest creature and began to retreat alongside the Blendbreed.
The pair rejoined the remaining members of the group as the swarm continued to infest the area, making it impossible for them to see what was hidden within the eye of the cyclone.
Elaine placed her right hand on the leader's shoulder.
"It's just a scratch," said Havel casually.
The blonde shook her head. "Ada did the right thing; there's poison."
"You're welcome," added the daughter of Rutia, flashing a smile at her companion.
Havel gritted his teeth. The striges seemed to have sensed the danger and were now shifting their attention toward them. Taking a deep breath, Elaine gently placed her hand on Havel's shoulder. A warm and luminous aura spread from the contact, enveloping the boy's wound in a reassuring light. Her eyes closed as the magic penetrated the Blendbreed's injuries, stitching together the tissue pierced by the strix's beak. Threads of mana infused Elaine's healing touch until the wound was completely mended.
Ada only glanced at the scene briefly, too busy channeling the formless darkness she had created to keep the creatures at bay. Elaine was often considered the weakest among the Blendbreeds, but people too often ignored just how important she truly was.
Like many of Mardi's children, the blonde had been born with a special gift: the ability to cast spells fueled by mana to aid others. Blendbreeds with such powers were common, but an affinity as great as hers was so rare that it easily earned her a place among the Equinox Flowers.
After a few minutes, Havel opened his eyes with gratitude, his breathing steady and his wound completely healed. Ada, on the other hand, was beginning to feel the first signs of fatigue.
"What do we do now?" she asked her leader.
Havel scratched his head. "You fall back. Darryl… burn everything."
Elaine threw herself in front of him. "And if the boy is still in there?"
"He's already dead in all that chaos."
Ada wasn't entirely sure about it, but she couldn't go against the leader's orders.
She backed away, leaving room for her older companion.
Darryl stepped forward resolutely, raising his hands toward the threatening swarm of striges. An aura of apparent warmth enveloped him as he focused his inner energy, ready to be unleashed in a powerful manifestation of power. Luminous mana particles flowed to the tips of his fingers, shifting from blue to orange. With a decisive gesture, Darryl unleashed flames from his hands, a fiery vortex that leapt toward the enemies with relentless force.
The flames danced in the night air, engulfing every strix in a consuming embrace of fire.
Ada, watching the scene with admiration, also felt terror in the face of such a raw display of the son of Corgi's power.
The flames moved like a raging sea, casting a burning light into the darkness that reflected in the boy's eyes.
The fire licked the shores of Lake Avernus, consuming everything in its path with insatiable hunger.
The heat of the flames wrapped around Ada, making her feel the sheer might emanating from the Blendbreed's hands.
Darryl's eyes shone with an intense, almost mad light, revealing the power of the flames he had summoned, the same flames he continued to direct against the agonizing creatures.
Only when all the creatures had crashed to the ground did Darryl stop channeling mana into his body and simply lower his hands.
"I still don't understand what we're even here for," Elaine commented with admiration.
But Ada's gaze had been caught by something else.
A boy was kneeling in the middle of the storm just reduced to ashes. His right arm rested on his leg to support himself, while the other was stretched out, clutching the hilt of a dark green blade.
The group rushed toward him as Ada silently thanked her mother.
Fortunately, their target had survived.
Darryl knelt beside him just as the mysterious weapon vanished into thin air. "Are you alright?"
The Blendbreed didn't respond. His eyes, of an ambiguous hue, were wide open staring into nothingness, and he gasped for air.
Elaine caught up to them and slid a hand beneath the black hair falling over the boy's face.
"He doesn't have a fever, but something's wrong."
Havel shifted his gaze around the area. "We can't stay here; we're too exposed to risks," he said seriously. "We have to leave."
"Hey, hey!" Darryl shook the boy to keep him conscious. "We're taking you with us."
"Don't worry, we don't want to hurt you," Elaine immediately added.
"My name is Darryl, Darryl Fyreborn. Can you tell me yours?"
The young Blendbreed lifted his head and stared at the son of Corgi. "Shirei, just Shirei."