Ayani-Miryūshi Ogunkoya
Miryūshi Estate, Mirini, Miryudōra, Ryudō-ShanGriLa; 9 Terridarth 151R7X
The past seventy-one years at Avalon Academy proved to be rather valuable; I never would've thought that the experience would be so life changing. Since meeting the Princess, I was appointed as an Imperial Guardsman, became an officer of Avalon Academy's Disciplinary Committee, joined the Miryūshi clan as a branch family head, but none of that could compare to the family I was able to make with Tohka.
Shortly after our wedding, she went into labor and gave me a beautiful baby girl, we named her Ayani-Miryūshi Ewa Bao, it means Snow Dragon Queen's guardian gem; she was my guardian gem. Watching her as she grew, I never would have imagined myself being a doting father, but alas, the joy this little one brings me is unmatched.
In between classes and during breaks, I try my hardest to make time to see my family. Since marrying Tohka, the Princess requested that my wife retire her position as Assistant Head Dragon Maid to focus on her family. It was honestly a hassle trying to convince her to take the severance pay, but when face to face with the Princess, it was almost impossible to say no.
"Papa, Papa!" Ewa Bao cried out, "Mama, Papa is back home from school too!" Her Majesty pulled some strings for us and got Ewa Bao enrolled at the Caliburn Institute with no cost to us. Every day I find myself further in debt to the Princess, but I don't mind it though; without her, I wouldn't have such a wonderful family to call my own.
"Snow Queen's Ewa Bao, shines so bright," I started to sing with my daughter, "Ade, Ewa Bao, crown-jewel's light; Ayo, Ewa Bao's smile so bright!" I hugged my child tightly, and she looked up at me; much like her mother, Ewa Bao had pastel green eyes; however, she'd inherited my platinum-blond hair, and her skin neither resembled my own nor her mother's, instead, her complexion sat in between our shades. Simply put, I was in love with the family that I had, I wanted nothing more than to cherish them and to protect them.
"Koya, dear, welcome home," Tohka kissed me and held me tightly, "I can't wait until you graduate; the home feels so vacant without you." We made our way inside the house to prepare for dinner; I made it a habit to see my family at least twice a month to make sure they had everything they needed, and so Ewa Bao wouldn't forget what I look like.
"Papa!" Ewa Bao sang with glee, "Mama made you your favorite for dinner; Kraken Etouffee!!" I could already smell the umami upon entering our home, "and BaoBao helped cook it too!"
"Is that so, BaoBao?" I smiled as her mother and I readied ourselves for dinner, "well, if that's the case, I'll be sure to eat it all up!" BaoBao wrapped her little arms around me, much to my delight; all of this wouldn't be possible had it not been for Her Majesty's advice, I thought. Once we were done setting up for our meal, we made sure to give thanks to Our Dear Mother, "bless this table, this food, and the hands that prepared it; for we are grateful to take part in this bounty. By the Grace of Our Dear Mother, We hoard as one; Éyamé."
"Éyamé," both Tohka and BaoBao repeated as we all clapped our hands and began to dig in. I fell further in love with Tohka after she cooked for me for the first time; in fact, the very dish she made me was this same Kraken Etouffee, so, sharing this meal with the ones I love and cherish is my paradise.
"BaoBao, how is your time at school?" I asked, "are your studies coming along fine?" BaoBao's eyes widened as she excused herself to grab her notes; she's a very studious girl, very eager to learn all the knowledge this realm has to offer.
"Papa, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you!" BaoBao made it back to the table with her textbooks, she'd just recently started her second decade of classes and was always eager to share the new knowledge she's learned. "Professor Abijah taught us about the different Aspect families and used me as an example; he said I was unique because I have elements of both yours and Mama's signatures," BaoBao exclaimed. It was true, my sweet child had in fact inherited not only my signature, but aspects of her mother's as well.
I possessed a signature that allows me to control the freezing temperature of the mana within a fifteen-meter radius, and Tohka's signature was related to plant manipulation; thus, creating BaoBao's Tundra Signature. Even Her Majesty and the Deputy Commander were impressed by the ability, saying that the only other mages that they knew that had a similar power were Myrlin and Renata.
"That's wonderful news BaoBao!" I cheered, "Tell me, have you been keeping up with your training and mana conservation?"
"Oh Papa!" BaoBao gave me a cocky smirk, "do you even have to ask—here, watch this!" She escorted the two of us outside and used her dowel to scribe her name in the air, "Tundra Signature: Frozen Scylla!" The mana beneath my child intensified as frozen mana morphed into tentacle-like vines, propping her up on a pedestal. BaoBao stood on top the frozen vines with a proud expression, and I couldn't blame her either, not even I could pull off a feat like that.
"BaoBao, this is incredible!" Tohka gasped, "is this a new spell?"
BaoBao smiled while wiping her nose, "it actually is Mama; I developed my Ice Vines with the help of Professor Abijah." Once she deactivated her spell, we all made our way back inside to continue our bonding session; I didn't have much time to spend with them, considering I had to go back to Avalon. However, the time I did get to spend with them was very precious and dear to me.
"Just like your father, BaoBao," Tohka smiled.
"Oh, Tohka, I almost forgot," I directed my attention to my beloved, "since this is my last decade at Avalon, I wanted to ask if you'd like to attend my Graduation Jubilee?"
Tohka furrowed her brow, "do you even have to ask? I'm your wife, Koya, I expected to attend the ceremony with you, even without an invite; you gotta start paying closer attention."
I shrugged my shoulders and gently smiled, "perhaps you're right, my love." I held Tohka in my arms and kissed her forehead as we sat in our living room, "I figured I'd ask you; it is rather chivalrous of me, is it not?"
She shook her head, "you're so silly, Koya," her smile could light up my darkest days. "I'll speak with Bolajiyo to see if she can make me a gown; nine years can zip by in a blink!"
Better now than the month before the event, I thought; "Her Majesty said that the theme for our block is a masquerade; so, I'll pick out our masks; Neko or tanuki?"
Without hesitation she replied, "obviously Tanuki, they're so cute with their little masks; it'll be like our masks have masks!" I was more than thrilled knowing that I'd have my beloved with me during the celebration, and even more excited that she was equally as enthused as I was. I wanted nothing more than to have her always be by my side.
Iniko Wyllt
Bull King's Saloon, Coastal Federation of Avalon's Slum District; 10 Yindowr 156R7X
"This the place?" I turned to Rodinia as we approached the entrance of the saloon, "as many times as I'd been in the Slums, I've never seen this place."
Rodinia removed his hood before opening the door, "new spot, Your Majesty. Best for – oh, you're already here; M'Lord, allow me to introduce you to Ōbatanaka Sabitō, former Estate Manager of the Wyllt Manor."
A middle-aged Rǔdulàni-basilisk, wearing a cloak, approached us; he removed his hood and judging by the looks of him, the man must have had a pretty rough time after leaving the Imperial family. "Praise be, Lord Adetulo," Sabitō bowed, "it is true, my name is Ōbatanaka Sabitō, and I once served the Golden Dragon Emperor and his family while they were living in obscurity. Please, come inside, there's much I need to share with you."
As we entered the establishment, all the patrons rose to their feet and immediately bowed before us, "praise be, Lord Adetulo." I raised a hand to dismiss my followers; although it's been nearly a century since I've accepted my destiny, I find myself embracing it as the days go by. Our company led us to a booth at the back of the saloon where we could converse privately.
"So, you used to work with my adoptive parents," I got straight to the point, I wasn't interested in exchanging pleasantries, "how can I trust your word?"
Sabitō gently closed his eyes and gave me a smile, "I am eager to express my loyalty for you, M'Lord; will this be a sufficient offering?" The man grabbed two of his facial horns and brutally ripped them out; the agony that painted his face touched my soul and gave me the confidence to trust and believe every word this man spoke. "Please, M'Lord, forgive me for the gruesome display," Sabitō whimpered, "I wish I could present these to you with more elegance–."
"Your loyalty to me is apparent," I interjected, "I thank thee; Ōbatanaka Sabitō, I shall make use of these horns in my Species Evolution research." I accepted the offering by wrapping them in a handkerchief and placing it in my bag; I looked my follower in the eye before placing my hand over the area of his head that he'd just mutilated, "Chaos Signature: Angra Mainyu: Reform Structure;" a bright red light emitted from my hand as his skull and flesh melded back together, "now, tell me more about your time in the Wyllt Manor."
Sabitō reached for his head, and to his surprise, the wound was completely healed; moreover, I rewrote the severity of the injury, giving him a fresh set of horns. I wasn't able to restore them completely though, but I did manage to kick start the process and I could tell that he was more than grateful.
"M'Lord, I am forever in your debt," Sabitō cried.
"Please, Sabitō, tell me what you know," I grasped his hands, "tell me what you know about my mother."
Sabitō took a deep breath in, "Princess Oshubana was the youngest daughter of former emperor, Platinum Dragon Emperor Samael. She was a very sheltered child growing up, mainly due to her Mana Psychosis. I was one of the Princess's caretakers before I served the current emperor," he took a moment before continuing, "some time ago, the former emperor sent an envoy to Jigoku to investigate a Slime Viper attack, and the Princess was in attendance."
"So, something like that isn't too out of the norm," Rodinia chimed in, "unless—."
"—She had another motive for going all together," I interrupted, "tell me more about this illness, Mana Psychosis, I've never heard of this."
Sabitō went into depth regarding what had been troubling my mother; essentially, her cache had been corrupted at birth, due to an incompatible Aspect affinity. From my understanding, the aspect known as Chaos, the seventh Aspect of Reality, hadn't yet found its vessel and every mage that had the potential to wield the power, fell victim to insanity.
"However, after the envoy to Jigoku," Sabitō continued, "Princess Oshubana never returned, which was cause for concern to the rest of her servants. We were all so lost without our Young Mistress, that was until she came to us, decades later, with a message." His eyes widened, and I could swear I saw his memories within them, "she graced us with her presence and told us that she and our Dear Mother have become one, and that she will give birth to the one that will reshape this realm."
I was fully invested in Sabitō's tale, giving me more context for the circumstance of my birth, "do you know who this man is?" I retrieved the group photo with my mother and the gargoyle holding her, "I've searched far and wide, and it seems no one has ever seen him."
Sabitō looked over the picture, and once again, his eyes widened, "I believe this man was with the Young Mistress the day she visited us. If I'm not mistaken, she said they were destined to find each other and with their union, they'll give birth to a vessel suitable for the aspect of Chaos; that vessel, is you M'Lord."
"But who was he?" I was growing a bit impatient, "I understand he is my father, but that doesn't answer the question of who he is, not just his relation to me."
"D'Reaux Otama," Sabitō quickly answered, "the Young Mistress stated that he was a former High Mambo with The Steadfast, and with him all the conditions for your birth were met. That was the last time I saw her; until…"
The booth grew quiet, "until what?" Rodinia leaned in with anticipation.
"About a hundred forty years ago, the Young Mistress returned to us," Sabitō continued, "I wasn't sure exactly how she found the estate, but I knew I had an obligation to first and foremost abide by her wishes and commands. So, I allowed her entry into the manor that day, and I have grown to regret that very decision."
"Explain," I remarked, "why do you harbor regret in your heart?"
Sabitō looked down with grief in his eyes, "that was the night that her life was taken from her, by Golden Dragon Emperor Chronos." The former servant clenched his fists with a rage that I could relate to, "had I not let her in, then maybe, just maybe her life could've been spared!" The atmosphere was thick with tension and despair, "the night still haunts me till this day; the Cloistered Emperor and his hack of a brother conspired to murder the Young Mistress in cold-blood and made us servants swear to secrecy."
My blood began to boil at the mention of this murder plot, "you served her well, Sabitō," I grasped his hands once again; he was trembling, it was apparent to me that he was not only guilty, but nervous as well. "And you're certain the emperor and Imperial Regent committed the deed?" I asked with bated breath.
My mother's former subordinate held his head low, "I was there; it happened in the manor's central courtyard. Both the emperor and Imperial Regent acted as a unit and activated a spell that trapped the three of them inside a pyramid, and when it was over, the Golden Dragon Emperor was holding a fatally injured Young Mistress. It was all my fault, M'Lord; if only I were more competent and used better discernment to prevent this outcome—." Sabitō paused before breaking down into tears, "M'Lord, I have failed not only the Young Mistress, but I fear I failed you as well; I'm not even worthy to address you as M'Lord. Please, show no mercy, for I truly deserve the worse—."
"Hold your head up, Sabitō," I interjected, "you have proven to me, not only your unwavering loyalty, but also the humility and guilt you feel for this mistake. I shall extend mercy onto you; continue to serve me and I can assure you; my mother will forgive you from The Beyond." It was a lot to take in, especially the part about how my adoptive father and uncle killed my mother. "Rodinia, prepare a message to The Order and let them know I have no reservations, we will continue with the invasion as scheduled, on the 26th of Sylphsara, in year 160R7X."
"Are you certain?" Rodinia raised a brow, "once I give the command, there is no turning back."
I furrowed my brow before closing my eyes, containing my rage, "The only thing that was keeping me from completely going through with it was not knowing what really happened to her. I have to take a stand, for her sake." I infused my resolve with steel, and I knew exactly how I was going to plan out my revenge. Up until I met Kyori, everyone in this world lied to me; hid the truth from me. Now—; now I can do something about it; I will do something about it, and there is not a force in this realm or any that can sway me.
Minami-Miryūshi Ayosaki
Avalon Academy, Coastal Federation of Avalon; 11 Yindowr 156R7X
"Lady Ayosaki!" I heard a familiar voice call my name; it was Prince Meliodas, "how do you fair? I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."
"Not at all," I replied, "I have a few moments before I need to start my patrol: just waiting on Kyemi. What would you like to talk about?"
His face was painted with despair and sorrow, "I would've gone to my elder brother about this, but I didn't want to trouble him with something like this."
My curiosity peaked, "I don't think a request from you would be trivial; what's bothering you?"
He'd sat me down and there was a thick silence in the air, "one of my friends has gone missing." He held his head low; I could tell that he was holding back his tears, "his name is Trident Goldkoi, he's a Fishmen from the Kelpie Isles. He'd transferred in during our first decade at the academy and up until about six months ago, he and I had basically been inseparable. He was the spearman in our Dungeon Crawling Party and during one of our last dives, he'd gotten sprayed by some mysterious fungus—."
"—And you didn't think to tell this to your brother?!" I scolded, "honestly, Third Prince Meliodas, you mustn't be so timid, especially not with your own brother."
The young prince shrugged his shoulders, "I just know he probably has other things on his plate, especially after being named the strongest Zero Seat." He gave a nervous laugh, "anyways, Trident hadn't been the same since he was sprayed by that fungus, acting bizarre and absent-minded. And a few months ago; six to be exact, Trident left without saying a word to anyone."
I took a moment before addressing his concerns, "regardless if you think it's a trifling matter, he's your brother and I know that he wouldn't hesitate to come to your aid."
My words reassured the young prince and he further elaborated on his missing friend. It was honestly my first time ever hearing about this elusive and humble fishman that Meliodas befriended. "He's the tank of our group, and we were taking an expedition job in a dungeon near EMZ: South for a socialite in Avalon. I was honestly hesitant to accept the request, considering I'd never heard of the nobleman."
An unknown socialite, I pondered; it would stand to reason that he would be weary accepting a job from someone he wasn't familiar with. Much like his elder siblings, Third Prince Meliodas, made it habit to learn the names of nearly everyone that he's encountered, and it's even more impressive that, unlike those same siblings, he isn't limited to the borders of his home country. "What was the name of the socialite?" I took a calculated sigh.
"Adetulwari Akinyori," the prince's voice was shaky, like he was afraid to say the name aloud. "She was a basilisk, and I can't really explain it, but there was this sense of malice and deceit oozing from her; but, Trident, the fool; he accepted the request before Speed and I could even chime in." He let his hands catch his face, "it all happened so fast, and before I knew it, we were on the expedition trail."
The details of the situation were vague, but not too vague, "where did you meet with this Adetulwari Akinyori," I figured if I were to try to track her down, I'd have an easier time understanding what happened. "Give me any information about this and I'll be sure to check it out," I gave the prince a comforting smile before the two of us parted ways.
After meeting with Meliodas, I decided to rendezvous with Eleventh Seat, Ariyuki so she could assist me with this side quest, "Committee Representative, Ayosaki, reporting for duty, ma'am!" She stood at attention, which I found to be rather odd.
"Ariyuki, you and I are basically the same rank," I raised a brow and gave a slight, "you gotta be one helluva mage to keep up with the Deputy Commander."
It was clear that my comment flattered her; her bronze-brown skin glowed as she blushed, "I wouldn't say I'm all that impressive; just the unit's humble healer." Ariyuki was a originally from Garyudōra and was a former Caliburn classmate of Her Majesty and the Deputy Commander. My initial impression of her was that she seemed to be a bit oblivious; ditzy would be a better term to describe her. However, it wasn't until Kyemi and I were attacked and were in recovery that I realized that it was a façade; Ariyuki displayed a level of signature mastery that I'd only every seen Her Majesty and her brother pull off.
"You're selling yourself shorty, Ariyuki," I smirked, "besides, the only other known formidable officer is our resident healer! You should see the other officers' faces whenever they have to deliver unwelcomed news."
My fellow officer's face grew even more red as she retreated behind the bangs of her afro, "although I don't mind a bit of flirting, I find it prudent that we begin our investigation." She was right; it was like I was unintentionally stalling, which wasn't like me at all. Could I still be effected by that first attack, I started to spiral; however, I easily came to my senses once I felt Ariyuki's embrace. "I know you've been through a lot, Ayosaki, and that's okay. His Majesty and his younger sister, although furious about the situation, neither of them can bring themselves to blame you for what happened; he told me himself," hearing her say that, caused me to feel a whirlwind of emotions.
"It's been over a hundred-fifty years since then," I started to weep, "and all I do is direct my attention to something else instead of confronting it head on. I'm a pathetic excuse of a DC Officer and a Right-Hand."
Ariyuki held me tighter and began to trace her name along my back, "Medic Signature: Therapeutic Touch," I felt the warmth of her ability engulf me in its calming light. It was what I needed, not like the comfort that I get when I'm with Her Majesty, but something more foreign, but I welcomed it.
"A temporary relief that should help ease the tension and regain your focus," she placed my head on her chest, "ya'know, it wouldn't kill you to rely on someone from time to time. It's natural to depend on others, that's the basis of my signature." I honestly never felt this before, it was like, m insides were fluttering and I could feel every pound of my heartbeat's drum. "But, let's try to do what we set out to," Ariyuki released her grasp, "do you have any idea where we need to start looking?"
After taking a moment to collect myself, I went over my findings with my colleague, "Meliodas said that he took the request from a socialite by the name of Adetulwari Akinyori. The odd thing about this is that no one in the city has ever heard of a person—." It was at that moment that I had an epiphany, "and they were exploring a dungeon near the EMZ: South; Ari, there's a stench of foul play."
Lupinia Village, Bestahlagro, Besteria; 8 Illisary 157 R7X
We ended up making plans to search the area where Trident was sprayed by the fungus by foot, which took us two months to complete. According to the residents of Lupinia Village, the town stationed near the dungeon, three A-Rank adventurers came into town looking for an herb called Hypsteria, a type of wisteria that has sleep inducing properties.
The locals never heard of the plant and were pretty skeptical about the job request, considering it came from no one in the village. We did ask around to see if anyone had heard of Nagahita, the elusive socialite; however, we continued to run into dead ends. That was until we met a farmer that said he'd seen the group talking to a hermit that lived on the outskirts of town.
"This is getting us nowhere," I groaned, "we have one more house to check before I call this whole thing off. I can't believe there were no leads here."
Ariyuki leaned on my shoulder as we continued walking toward our destination, "patience, Ayoki; I have a feeling we'll be finding what we're looking for at our next stop." She crept her fingers along the inside of my hand before locking our fingers together, "as long as I'm here with you, I have nothing to worry about."
My heart began to race, but it was controlled, I had to mind my emotions, considering I have an admirer in my presence, "that's kind of you Ari; look, we're here." We approached the house furthest from town; it was a dilapidated, run-down old place, with an intensely wild front yard and tattered shutters on the windows, and I could vaguely make out the shadow of a person sitting.
The two of us stepped through the front gate and the person opened the front door, and it was a man wearing a dirty old robe, "hail, and well met, you may call me Cu, I'm eager to assist you in any way I can." The man had a youthful, almost cherub-like face with curly light brown hair and pale green eyes. In his right hand, he held a staff with a crescent top that was wrapped in a dark blue cloth and there was a sense for foreboding emanating from him.
"My name is Officer Minami and this is Officer Takunwá with Avalon Academy's Disciplinary Committee," I stood attention, "we have a few questions regarding an adventuring party that had a member went missing not too long ago."
Cu invited us into his home and it looked even worse on the inside, "please, take a seat and make yourself comfortable." Our host made his way into the kitchen for a brief moment and later returned with two cups of, what looked to be water, "please, you must be parched, have some water to quench your thirst."
Eagerly, Ari reached for one of the glasses, to which I promptly and gently grabbed her wrist, "thank you, but I'm afraid we won't be staying long, as this mission is rather urgent." I didn't want to take my chances, and I knew, deep within my Cache, if we would have drank whatever it was that he prepared for us, we weren't going to see the light of day; however, I couldn't say the same for Ari.
"Understandable, but it seems your colleague might want a drink," Cu shrugged his shoulders and handed Ari the glass, "I won't keep you then; please, ask me anything you'd like."
I wanted to keep the interaction at a minimum, primarily because I wanted to set out into the forest before it got too dark, "the group came to you for information about the Hypsteria herb, can you point us in the direction of the plant?"
The man leaned back and squinted his eyes, "I can do that right, actually; the plant is in its blooming stage, so, it'll be easier to find."
We were then escorted to the forest bordering the village and the neighboring dungeon where the alleged Hypsteria was blooming. "The herb is just further ahead," Cu called out as we trailed behind him, "and when the sun starts to set, the petals will begin to glow, vibrantly."
The foliage was thick and unkind for this excursion, but that wasn't the only variable that presented itself. We found ourselves in a large clearing that looked like some sort of summoning ritual had taken place. There was a magic circle painted on the ground and several candles that looked like that had just been blown out. But that wasn't all, suddenly, Ariyuki collapsed; I checked her pulse, which was still there, but she was out cold, he drugged her, I was furious. "Explain yourself!" I turned my head and screamed, but he wasn't there.
"All you needed to do was to be a good girl and drink the fucking water," a woman's voice permeated the clearing's atmosphere, a woman's voice I knew all too well, "oh Ayosaki, did you miss me?" Deep from within the dense forest, emerged her, the same hooded woman from The Slums.
"It's you!" I stood up and unsheathed my katana, "Am I to assume you're the one I'm looking for, Nagahita Akinyori?!" I channeled all my mana to flow continuously through my body, "you lured the second and third princes' adventuring party out here and kidnapped their tank, didn't you?!?"
The woman laughed wildly, "you have it all figured out, don't you, Ayosaki; you're partially right, my name is Akinyori." She removed her hood to reveal a face that I wasn't expecting to see, it was former Deputy Commander, Sable Novara; however, the usual markings on her face were replaced by a plethora of horns, "surprise, surprise!"
I was dumbfounded, "it was you, this whole time?!?!" I didn't think about my actions next; I just attacked on instinct. "Hunger Boost and Imperial Link; with bout, I will atone for my disgrace as a Right-Hand!"
My opponent gave me a wicked smile, "come at me, bitch—!"
"—Shadow Glide," I calmly whispered, I'd been preparing myself for this very encounter. Since joining Her Majesty's clan, I was blessed with the ability to borrow a facit of her power; considering she and I have similar aspect affinities, I was granted with a new Sub-Signature, Shadow Glide; the power to retreat and glide from shadow to shadow. I wanted to have an ability that would let me move faster than her paralysis can activate, and my constant wishing and training, paid off because I landed fatal blow from behind, "unlike you, Sable, I'm not afraid to finish off my target."
She reached for the protruding blade and pulled it further in, "wasn't expecting that, looks like you got the jump on me. Too bad, there was still so much I wanted to do for my master; but, alas, I served my purpose, and now, you have to deal with his tantrum!" Those were her last words before she finally stopped breathing, and to be frank, I didn't like them one bit.
I immediately checked in on Ariyuki, who was coming to her sense, "Ayoki, what happened?"
I didn't know how to tell her, so I lied, "you got affected by the Hypsteria plant shortly after we made it here; you must be more careful, Ari." I know it wasn't the right thing to do, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her that the water she drank was spiked and that I came face to face with a former deputy commander.
"Whoopsie!" Ari laughed, "looks like I gotta start paying closer attention! Oh, hey, what is this place, there's a bunch of candles, like a summoning was taking place."
I helped her to her feet and we examined the area, and I could deduce that there was some sort of summoning that took place in the very spot we found ourselves in. "Ari, look over here," I pointed at a group of footprints near the center of the circle, "looks like there were five people summoned here."
There a was an intense silence before Ari spoke up, "but from where, though?" The question was simple, but at the same time, was layered in complexity, "from my understand, the only realm non-necromancer mages can summon from is the Spirit Realm, and these footprints look too lively to come from the Realm of the Dead. Could they be from…?"
The two of us gazed at each other as our eyes widened in clarity, "we need to report this to the Deputy Commander, immediately. There's a chance that something big is going to happen, and he'll want to be prepared."
After leaving Besteria and returning back to Avalon, Ari and I gave our report to the Deputy Commander, "Officer Takunwá and I have reason to believe that The Dragon Steadfast is summoning forces from the Human Realm, as we found a summoning circle in a forest near Lupinia Village. There were footprints in the center of the circle that were clearly from a fully formed humanoid; also, there's one other thing."
The Deputy Commander raised a brow, "oh, there is?"
I took a deep breath in and gave Ari a worried expression, "I was informed that your brother, Third Prince Meliodas was given a job request from an elusive socialite by the name of Nagahita Akinyori for an unknown, or rather made up herb called a 'Hypsteria'—."
"Wait, you did?!" Ari peeped, "when did this happen?"
I took another deep breath and laid it all out for the two of them; I explained how our host, Cu, drugged the water that he'd offered us and lured the two of us into a trap, "and when I'd realized that he'd drugged your drink, I noticed he was gone and that's when I heard her voice."
I didn't have to say much else for Myrlin to catch on, "I want you to say her name; I need you to confirm my suspicions," the Deputy Commander directed.
"Sable Novara and Nagahita Akinyori are the same person; she is a basilisk," I almost choked on the words, "the facial markings on her face is a glamour that she uses to cover them. The two of us engaged in battle; however, the former Zero Seat stood no match for me. Moreover, we were unable to find any other leads on Trident Goldkoi's whereabouts, which leaves a sour taste in my mouth."
Ariyuki's jaw was on the floor, I didn't blame her, I'd lied to her and told her that she was affected by that imaginary plant, "so, that's what you were doing." She looked down, and I couldn't tell what was going on in her head, but it doesn't escape the fact that I robbed her from that knowledge.
"Deputy Commander," I stood at attention, "I have suspicions that Trident Goldkoi and former Deputy Commander, Sable Novara were in league with each other and together are working towards infiltrating Avalon Academy." This was more than just a baseless hunch; everything from meeting the hermit named Cu, the encounter with Sable, and absence of any pertinent information on Trident Goldkoi.
"Ayo, Ari," the Deputy Commander announced, "you two did great, exceptional even. I'll be sure to report this to the Supreme Commander, as well as my father so that The Six could be made aware of this. Thank you for being safe, you two are dismissed."
After the briefing, I wanted to meet with Ariyuki to apologize for my manipulating her, "hey, Ari—."
—smack!
It was the softest, most loving slap I'd ever experienced, "don't ever do that to me again, I don't want to have to get rough with you!" She smiled at me, and that smile made me forget that I'd even lied to her.
"Right, Ari," I smiled as tears of joy streaked my face, "I won't!"
Meliodas Tristen Wyllt-Garyūshi
Tudor Manor; Avalon Academy, Coastal Federation of Avalon; 23 Illisary 157R7X
Receiving the news about Trident was troubling, "so, I'm just supposed to accept that my best friend is just missing without a trace?" I wasn't sure how I was supposed to react in a situation like this; especially because throwing tantrums was way out of my element.
"Woah, calm down Mel," Monspeed pat my shoulder, "Ayo is just the messenger; she did all she could to help us." Monspeed's ability to coax those he cares about is something that I grateful for, it didn't take much for him to be able to cheer any of our siblings up.
"That's not all," Ayosaki took a deep inhale before speaking, "I've only shared this information with your brother; however, I have reason to believe that Trident may be working with The Steadfast as a spy."
I was devastated, "what do you mean?! What are you implying? You think I'd willingly befriend someone that is associated with the people that hurt you?!" I couldn't control my outbursts, but in this moment, I didn't care. I didn't want to believe that what she was telling me, could potentially be the truth.
"Officer Takunwá and I followed up on a lead we got in the city," Ayosaki explained, "it took us to Lupinia Village, where you last saw him, and we spoke to the hermit, Cu; however, he'd lead us into a trap. And even after all that, there was still no trace of your friend."
The air in the room was still before Monspeed probed for more information, "so, how did you draw the conclusion that Trident is working The Steadfast?"
She looked down, furrowing her brow, "before I answer that, tell me, Second and Third Prince, were either of you offered a glass of water when you initially spoke to Cu?"
I thought about the question, and after a few seconds of pondering, Monspeed and I looked up at each other as if we had came to the same realization. The hermit did in fact offer the three of us something to drink, and only Monspeed and I accepted the offer. I didn't think much of it at the time, even when the two of us woke up thinking we were affected by the Hypsteria plant.
"That hermit also offered me and Officer Takunwá a glass of water, upon our arrival," Ayosaki informed, "I refused; however, my partner acted against my hesitation and as a result, she passed out. If I had to assume, the same thing happened to the two of you when you met with him, and when he made sure you were incapacitated, he, Trident, and the Mad Priestess fled the scene."
The information was heavy, and when I thought about it, I couldn't help be to see all the connections that flew under my nose, "but how do you explain what Speed and I saw? We both saw Trident get sprayed by that fungus—!"
"—What was the name of that fungus?" Ayosaki snapped, "can you tell me what the fungus looked like?"
Alas, I was stumped, I had no way of answering her questions because in truth, when Speed and I woke up, our memories were fuzzy. I barely remember waking up and making it back to Avalon, and deep down, I knew something was off about it, especially the months right before he disappeared.
"Shit," Monspeed slumped in his chair, "we really got played, Mel."
I didn't know what to say; I was confused, I was hurt, I was a mix of emotions, but I did know one thing, I wanted answers. I wanted to know why I was made to be someone's play-thing, and I knew acting as if I were a child wasn't going to get me those answers.
"Third Prince," Ayosaki's voice was like a beacon of light, guiding me back to reality, "let it be known that your brother is making it to where if anyone in the city recognizes or sees Trident, a member of the Academy Police will be there to detain him for questioning." I was both relieved and frustrated, I was completely in the dark when it came down to what Trident was really up to, and if what Ayosaki was telling me was in fact true, then I would have no choice but to confront him, face-to-face.