I followed Miria through the snow white waste land and stopped a few yards from the town of Pieta. "Honestly, why did Isley have to pick such a dismal place as his territory?" I complained a loud.
Miria chuckled at my complaint, and looked over her shoulder at me. "Why don't you tell me? He is your father Casi."
I gave her an annoyed look. "You say that like it's a good thing."
Miria only laughed at me and continued walking. I followed silently behind her. Miria had asked me for my help in taking down awakened beings that had gathered in the North; most likely by Isley, the Abyssal One of the North and my father. You see, while the warriors of the organization were half yoma by having yoma blood put into their bodies, I was born half yoma. My mother had been human, and I think was the only one who really loved me.
Isley had eventually taken me away from her, so I don't exactly know what happened to her. But I had heard rumors.
As we walked through the town, the two of us got strange looks. I probably looked very strange to them, but also somewhat human. I had long, waist length, silver hair that I kept in a braid down my back, and a few chin length bangs, that framed my face. I wore a black, sleeveless corset, and tight black leather pants that tucked into knee high black leather boots. My outfit was definitely a stark contrast to Miria's entire white suit and silver armor. But two factors made me different than other humans. One, my eyes were the same eerie silver as Miria's, and two, the large claymore sword that was strapped to my back.
The sword had been my father's when he was a warrior, so it had his symbol of three red lines near the base.
We eventually came to the center of the town, and gathered there were twenty-four warriors of the organization. One of the warriors with chin length light blonde hair called out a greeting to Miria, and she smiled at them. "Long time no see, friends," she said. "Good to see you alive."
I stayed on the outside of the group, and crossed my arms over my chest. Many of the warriors eyed me with suspicious looks, but I didn't pay any attention to them. I watched as Miria went up to the front of the gathering.
"Thank you for coming from your various provinces," Miria began. "My name is Miria. I'm number 6. I'll be the leader of this mission.
"Some of you here may already know the details. But most of you were surprised to be told nothing except to come to this location for your next job, and then to find so many comrades here. Our job is to wipe out the awakened beings that have been gathering here in the northern land of Alfons. We need this many hands because of the number of awakened beings we face."
I smirked at how blunt Miria was being in telling the other warriors what was happening. 'She never changes.'
Many of the warriors did not believe Miria.
"No…" one said. "'Number' of awakened beings? But there's no way awakened ones bunch up together…"
"Still it is the truth," Miria said adamantly. "In fact, number 7, who was in charge of this area, along with several other comrades, have already lost their lives."
Many were shocked by this, and another warrior started to make trouble by telling them that they can run if they're scared. The warrior had long, straight pale blonde hair that fell to her waist and was tucked behind her ears. Her arms were crossed and her muscles bulged. On her back, she carried two swords.
'I thought that they weren't allowed to carry two swords.' I smirked. 'Interesting.' I heard the warrior who greeted Miria speak to another warrior with pale brown hair in a pixie cut.
"That one sure has an attitude. And she's carrying two broad swords."
"That's number 11, Undine," the one with the pixie cut told her comrade. "She says that her two sword style is the strongest of all warriors. But if you ask me, having all that muscle is useless except for fighting… I think she's just showing off. She must be really insecure."
Undine apparently had heard what she said and turned towards the warrior. "What did you say?" she demanded. "Who do you think you're talking to? Huh?"
"Sorry. I meant to say it so you couldn't hear me," the pixie cut warrior said. "I guess my natural voice is loud."
Undine didn't take to well to that. I was about to step in, but then I heard other warriors start to argue with each other. I met Miria's gaze and shrugged my shoulders while shaking my head. Miria sighed and was about to step forward, but another warrior beat her to it. The woman put her hand on her sword, and I barely even saw her draw it, cut around her, and resheath it. Suddenly, the snow around her disappeared.
This got all of the warriors to stop arguing and look at the warrior. She had the standard pale blonde hair, but it was lighter than the others. Her hair fell a little past her shoulders in slight waves.
"Shut up, you lot," she said in an unbelievably light voice. "We're not through talking. If anyone else feels like making trouble, I'd be happy to face her myself."
'Her voice may sound innocent enough,' I analyzed. 'But you can definitely tell that she's a single digit.'
The female that greeted Miria voiced my thoughts. "So, what does she think she's doing? All the snow around her completely blew away."
"She can swipe away the snow with a mere sweep of her sword," another warrior answered her. Her hair was short, but hung in her eyes. "Number 8 in the organization, Flora. Also known as Wind-Cutting Flora. She is an elite warrior, the fastest in the simple act of drawing her sword, cutting, and resheathing. It's so fast you can't even see it. It's said her speed is second to none."
"Jean," Flora called out to the warrior, to which Jean immediately apologized. "No. You are also a single digit, so please step forward."
Jean did as asked, and walked up to Flora and Miria.
"Also, number 11, Undine," Mira called out. "Number 13, Veronica. Come to the front. You'll both be unit leaders. Twenty-four warriors have gathered here. The five of us commanders will divide the group into five teams.
"Each team will have four or five members. Meaning each team will be like a regular awakened one hunting party."
Miria had explained to me what the organization usually did for an awakened being. It was simple, yet it was very effective for them.
"Now let's divide into teams," Miria went onto explain. "We're only dividing in order to make the teams equally strong. No objections will be permitted.
"Number 14, Cynthia. You're on number 13 Veronica's team. Number 15, Deneve—you're with Undine. Number 17, Eliza—on number 9 Jean's team. Number 18, Lily—on Team Flora. Number 20, Queeny—Team Miria. Number 22, Helen—Team Veronica.
"Number 24, Zelda—Team Undine. Number 27, Emelia—Team Jean. Number 30, Wendy—Team Flora. Number 31, Tabitha—Team Miria. Number 35, Pamela—Team Veronica. Number 36, Claudia—Team Undine. Number 37, Natalie—Team Jean. Number 39, -Team Flora.
"Number 40, Uma—Team Miria. Number 41, Matilda—Team Veronica. Number 43, Yuliana—Team Undine. Number 44, Deana—Team Jean. Number 47, Clare—Team Flora. That's all.
"My team has four. All others have five. Is there anyone who wasn't called?"
When no one answered, Miria nodded towards me. I nodded back to her and began to walk through the crowd of warriors to stand next to Miria. "This is Casiphia," Miria introduced me. "She will be the fifth member on my team. Everyone will treat her with respect. Although she does not have a number, her skills rival even my own."
Again, no one objected; even though some looked skeptical. "Good," Miria continued. "Then take today to remember your teammate's faces. There is no special strategy. One team goes after one awakened being. That's the basic plan, just like always.
"If there are two or more awakened beings, we'll either challenge them with two teams or else we won't fight… We'll pull back temporarily, and only fight when the opponent is alone. We'll start the operation tomorrow. Today, you're tired from your travels. Get some rest."
All of the warriors dispersed with their captains, and I followed Miria with the rest of her team to one of the houses that we were using. The girls then dispersed again in different directions. No one noticed Miria and I leaving the building.
*Daughter of the White Silver King*
On the way to Pieta, Miria had told me about the male awakened being that she had fought with three other trouble makers of the organization. I had been my cenacle self when I heard that the organization hadn't told them that it was a male. But Miria had just ignored that and told me about the three warriors that had been like her; number 15, Deneve, number 22, Helen, and number 47, Clare. Each one of them had almost awakened, but somehow reverted back.
We had walked to a cave outside of Pieta, and were waiting for Deneve, Helen, and Clare to arrive. Deneve and Helen arrived shortly after we did, and were surprised to see me there, but I ignored them. I was starting a fire in the middle of the cave with my back to the opening and Miria sat across from me without her armor. Helen and Deneve both took off their armor as well and sat across from each other, on either side of Miria. Once the fire was done, I moved to sit behind Miria and against the wall while we waited for Clare.
I could feel her yoma power approach the cave, as well as number 9, Jean, following a few feet behind her. I could tell that the three only sensed Clare approach, since they were only looking for her. When Clare entered, Helen was the one who spoke first.
"Hey, didn't think you'd make it," she teased.
Clare responded in a neutral voice. "We're a pretty anti-social group to begin with. So the others don't pay much attention when we wander off."
Helen then raised her sword. "Here's to our reunion." The other three raised their swords as well, and touched the tips together above the fire.
"So you all survived, Miria said. "Glad to see it."
After they put their swords away, they were about to start talking, when Helen sensed Jean. "Who's there?" she demanded. "Show yourself!" Jean walked into the light of the fire. "Clare!" Helen accused. "You've been followed!"
"No," Clare objected. "That's not it. Jean is in the same situation we are." A look of surprise passed over Miria, Helen, and Deneve's faces. I just smirked.
"I don't mean to intrude on a reunion of old friends," Jean spoke calmly. "But I'm not exactly unrelated to this."
Miria turned to look at me, and I gave a short nod to her silent question. Miria sighed. "All right, I understand. First, I want to hear what happened. Clare, please explain."
Clare nodded. "Okay."
When Clare was done with her explanation, there was silence; the only thing you could hear was the fire crackling.
"Your body was completely awakened, and yet you managed to come back?" Miria inquired. "Incredible."
"Well, that explains your smell," I commented, speaking for the first time in front of them. Helen, Deneve, Clare and Jean all looked shocked at me, but Miria looked back at me with one brow raised.
"Care to explain Casi?" Miria asked. The four other warriors looked to Miria, shocked by her familiarity with the nickname.
I closed my eyes and sighed. "I've spent enough time around awakened beings to know that they have a defining scent that distinguishes them from ordinary yoma." Opening my eyes, I looked at each of them as I spoke. "Each of you smells like a warrior, but with an underlining scent of an awakened being. However, you, Jean, smell exactly like an awakened being with an underlining smell of a warrior."
Everyone looked to Jean, except Clare, and Jean didn't change her neutral expression.
"In any case," Miria cut it. "It must be due to an extraordinary strength of spirit. It's probably not something any of us would be able to imitate."
"So, what's the story between you and Casiphia?" Clare questioned in a cold tone. "You two are obviously close, but she isn't with the organization."
"I am here you know," I snapped irritably.
"Casi," Miria warned. I looked at her, and her eyes told me to let it go. I just grunted, and crossed my arms over my chest. "Casiphia is an old friend from when I was a human child," Miria explained, and the others looked shocked. "She is not with the organization, yes, because she was born half yoma. Her father is an awakened being and a very powerful one too. I asked her to help us here because she knows the land, and will be a great help.
"That will be explained later though," Miria continued. "I noticed it before… That right arm is different Clare. Looks like the right arm of someone extremely strong. Whose is it?"
"Sorry," Clare told her. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. I simply lost my right arm in a fight. Someone lent this one to me for the time being."
Helen looked extremely confused, whereas Deneve and Jean looked neutral.
"I heard a story that till recently you'd dropped out of the organization," Miria said. "And with that arm… It sounds like your luck has been running a little thin.
"It's not only me," Clare cut in harshly. "I could say the same about the four of you… No, rather, all 24 of us gathered here." Everyone looked confused, but Miria and I. "This battle plan, what are its chances of success?"
Miria leaned forward on with her elbows on her knees. "For this plan, the chances of success are zero."
Helen looked shocked, while the others again looked neutral. 'I guess she's the most expressive of the group.'
"If there were only a few awakened ones, it could be taken care of," Miria went on. "With the numbers we have, our chances against them wouldn't be bad. But with the one who stands behind them all even with elaborate strategy and increased forces, everything we do will be useless."
"The silver king of the north, Isley—the creature of the abyss," Clare stated.
"So you know…" Miria said.
"Yes. I heard it from Riful of the west."
"Isley is the one causing the strange activity among the awakened ones," Miria elaborated. "We need at strategy to defeat both the awakened ones and Isley, the creature of the abyss that leads them—all at once."
"Beating all the awakened ones in the north…" Helen stammered. "…And the creature of the abyss, Isley… There's… There's no way we can do that! We can't! What the hell is the organization thinking?"
"I'm afraid the organization is merely trying to buy time," Miria told her neutrally. "And hold back the awakened ones from spreading further south. Keeping the top five warriors near the organization itself, then stationing the most obedient warriors in the regions, and sending the rest to the north. We're the most expendable. If we're gone, they can just create more. That's how the organization thinks. We're a wall against the north that will eventually crumble; just pawns in the game."
It was quiet, with only the fire crackling as sound, as everyone processed this information. All I did was stare at the fire; I was waiting for someone to ask the question I knew that they would eventually wonder about. It ended up being Clare who asked the question. "Is that why you have Casiphia to help?" she asked, once again in a monotone voice.
I lifted my eyes to meet the same silver eyes of Clare. I could see curiosity, suspicion, and a certain determination that was not geared towards the fight we were going to be in. Turning my head, I met Miria's gaze and nodded at her. She nodded back, and then turned towards the others.
"Casiphia is Isley's daughter," she said flat out, which shocked everyone including Clare. "Her knowledge of how he works is invaluable, and her fighting skills are on par with Isley himself. I thought that it was necessary that she be here to fight with us."
