[North Precinct, Amidst a Raging Siren and Monster Sighting. . .]
"Found you." It was female.
Emory stumbled back but did not turn to run. Simonis's house was only a few streets down, and he knew he could get there soon. "W–Who are you?"
The woman took a large step and instantly appeared in front of him. "Who am I? Nobody, really." She brought a blood-stained sword to her mouth and licked it, emitting a soft moan.
"I need to leave. Please move." Emory didn't want to deal with a psycho. He side-stepped and continued down the street.
"Why are you leaving so early? I don't really like that." The woman's voice was choppy. "Don't worry, little one. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help. I like helping people."
Emory observed her: a slender body, ruffled red hair, and tight clothing that made him want to look away. Worst of all, her stare was awfully ambiguous.
"Don't look at me like that!" She pretended to be embarrassed. "You shouldn't be alone, little boy. It's too dangerous out here. Stay with me. I'll protect you. I'll keep you secure in my grasp."
"I can't," he protested. "I need to save Simonis. She can't die."
"Don't worry, she'll be safe. We can go help her together. All you need to do is come closer. Can you do that for me? I really like helpful young boys."
Fortuitously, Emory felt safe. She had an allure that made him want to settle next to her, their bodies in familiar closeness.
"But. . ." he tried. "I. . . Simonis. . ."
"Shhh."
The woman watched him advance. "Good, come closer. I like it when people trust me. I really like it." In just a few seconds, Emory was in her hold.
The pair lay down and clutched one another. "Good boy." She ran a hand through his hair, then touched his neck, his chest, and his legs. "Stay close. I'll protect you. I promise I won't let anyone else get to you."
Emory's eyes lost their ability to remain open. He drifted off to sleep.
"Yes. You're so helpful. So really helpful." Her cheeks reddened.
. . . .
"What did you say it was?" someone asked while sprinting across the streets.
"All I know is that it's not an Iton or a Lane," their partner replied. "This is getting serious. Quicken your pace, Lieutenant.
"Understood."
Twelve soldiers rushed through the empty streets of North Precinct, weapons ready in their hands. They wore dark green gear synonymous with the Houtis Land Military and moved with urgency.
The one leading this pursuit, Lieutenant Claire Bersebus, held her blade tightly. She imbued dark blue magic out of her palm, using it as a sheath.
Behind her were ten soldiers and one other lieutenant. She was in command for this expedition. "Split up. Five go with Lieutenant Jose, five with me."
"Roger," they replied.
Claire led her group past George's Bakery and up a hill. Unable to succumb to fatigue, she moved quickly, knowing the monster was not weak.
This was her second mission regarding the Sky Crack phenomenon.
"Halt!" They stopped.
Claire's blue eyes fixed on the scene ahead. Horror. It was a woman and a child, wrapped in one another. However, they were not embracing lovingly, no.
"Hey!" Claire yelled, advancing cautiously. Neither figure on the ground responded, but only one of them was awake. The roused figure's mouth was wide open, revealing rows of jagged teeth, sticky saliva, and a forked tongue. The creature craned her neck toward the child, her gaze red, eyes filled with bloodlust.
"A Firio," one of Claire's soldiers noted—the third variant of the monsters that plagued Houtis.
"Hiss," the monster clinging to Emory whispered. Her mouth hovered over his sleepy head. "I'm so close. So, really close."
Shing!
Claire dashed, slicing off the Firio's hand with her sword. She then shifted her body and stabbed the Firio's neck. "Get away from him, you shapeshifter!"
"Go away!" the Firio rumbled, instantly regenerating its severed arm.
Gone was the slender body, the tight clothing, the red hair, and the lulling voice. Morphing into a hulking beast with multiple limbs and eyes, the Firio grabbed Emory with one arm. "I need to eat him! I need to! His blood is too addictive. Really addictive!"
The rest of Claire's squad advanced and attacked the Firio, coordinating their efforts like an experienced team. Unable to keep up, the Firio opted for an escape.
It seized a soldier in front and tore off his head mercilessly. Frightened by the abrupt killing, Claire's soldiers momentarily paused as they watched their teammate flail in its grasp. The blaring siren callously drowned out his screams. Savouring every last drop, the Firio crumpled the soldier and dove into his neck.
Slurp!
Claire seethed with rage. "Weighty Air!" she shouted. The beast paused and plummeted as a force crushed its back. Claire sped up and placed the tip of her blade to its neck.
"Despite its cruel killing of Thomas, this is an inexperienced Firio. They're usually much stronger." She sliced its neck using blue magic. "May you rest in tranquility, Thomas."
"May you rest in tranquility, Thomas."
Mumbling came from the Firio's decapitated head. Everyone froze.
". . .riv-ance. . . is. . . infinity. . . Con–trivance. . . is. . . infinity. . . Contriva–nce. . . is. . . i–nfinity. . ."
It perished, leaving the military squad dumbfounded. Most hadn't heard the term "Contrivance" before.
Claire's lips trembled. She remembered the last thing the captain on the Preole Grye mission had said before erupting in laughter: "Contrivance is infinity. . ."
The mission with her brother!
She couldn't focus on the Firio for long and immediately turned her attention to the young boy, whom she instantly recognized.
It was the son of the father she had saved years back! "Hello?" she called. "Can you hear me? Are you okay?" After repeatedly shaking him, the boy awoke.
He coughed—a lot. Blood splattered on the ground. Claire embraced the boy and let him finish.
"It's alright. You're safe."
. . . .
[Saint Precinct, Alvaron Saint's Division, Commander's Department. . .]
"Contrivance. . ." Alvaron repeated. There's been another Contrivance sighting? I'll let his Radiance and Constance know, he thought.
"That's the first time I've heard that term," Alanus said.
"Me as well,"chimed Lluvia, staring at the unusually quiet Jasmine Lour. Doesn't she have anything to add?
Claire finished giving the report and left the room. She reminded her commander in private about the Preole Grye mission.
Commander Alvaron, General Alanus, General Lluvia, General Jasmine, and Commander Omestilla were present, discussing their coming plans.
After a moment, Alvaron spoke. "Send a psychologist to the boy. There may be residual effects."
Lluvia nodded, "Will do, Commander."
Alanus raised in, "I'll go with General Lluvia, if that's okay."
Alvaron signaled that it was fine.
Commander Omestilla Ariadne muttered in her dominant voice, "There's nothing out of the ordinary besides the 'Contrivance' mention. Focusing too much on this will be a waste of time. We have larger matters at hand, Saint."
She placed a hand on Alvaron's bureau, revealing dozens of calluses and scars. "I'm not giving this precedence, and neither should you. War is brewing with Gliasia by the second. You should prepare for that instead." She sighed. "If this is all you've called me for, I'll take my leave."
General Jasmine Lour joined the conversation. "I agree with Commander Ariadne. If we spend all our time trying to pry into this mystery, other issues could go unchecked. Why don't we wait and see if another case like this pops up?"
Lluvia could never get used to Jasmine speaking so formally; it was just bizarre. She said, "If I may, I disagree. Even if the case is unique and unheard of, this is a world of unseen Entities. I suggest we deal with it quickly, before it snowballs into something we can't handle. Don't you think?"
Alanus was the first to agree. Alvaron stood up and faced Omestilla. "My division will deal with this. You can leave."
The other Commander left immediately.
"Jasmine Lour, you can leave as well, since you're opposed to this." Alvaron shooed her away with a hand gesture. Reluctantly, the General exited the room, looking back often.
"I'll leave this in your hands." Alvaron handed them Claire's written report. "Do well and report back."
"Commander, I have a speculation." Alanus raised his hand. "I think I know who this pertains to—the whole idea with 'Contrivance' and the Firio."
Alvaron motioned for him to continue, and Lluvia leaned in. "Almost a decade ago, General Lluvia and I fought the Iton in this precinct and killed it—"
You killed it successfully, General, Lluvia thought.
His tone lowered. "Before it died, however, it said something that stuck with me. It screamed that someone died for a good cause."
"Who?" Lluvia and Alvaron asked in unison.
"Bersebus," Alanus answered. "It said, 'Bersebus deserved his death' in the same manner as the Firio Claire killed said, 'Contrivance is Infinity.' I think that Contrivance and this Bersebus person are connected."
"Why would you think that? What is your reasoning?" Alvaron asked.
"The thing is, I have no reasoning. None. Especially considering that a lot of people in Houtis have the last name Bersebus. The Iton could be talking about any of them. But. . . I felt something when it said that: a calling. It was as if this Bersebus person was someone close to me, though I've never met them. When the Lieutenant said Contrivance, that same feeling returned."
"Entities," Lluvia asserted. "They could both be Entities. Contrivance and this Bersebus person."
"You have no reasoning either," Alvaron pointed out. "I'll look into this; the Minister's Office may know. You two focus on finding a psychologist and getting them to the boy. Now."
"Yes sir." Lluvia and Alanus saluted their Commander. "There won't be any need for additional soldiers or lieutenants, right?" Alanus asked.
Alvaron clicked his tongue. "No. Leave."
. . . .
Outside of Alvaron's office, hidden in plain sight, General Jasmine Lour stood near a wall. She didn't look eccentric, as was her normal habit. She was calm.
"I see. . ."