While Johan was away to repair the city, Sydonay and the rest of the council still had one more thing to discuss.
"The forces of Neo-Bal Masque were able to get close to the city undetected, at least until it was too late," the Thousand Changes began. "But what's really strange is that they attacked us just when our most powerful comrades left the city."
"Indeed, that is strange," said Wilhelmina.
"Coincidence unlikely," Tiamat said.
"There's only one logical explanation to how the timing of their attack was so perfect," Kantaro said.
Margery clenched her fist. "A spy," she said.
"But what can we do about it?" said Ogata. "Most of the Denizens and Flame Haze have already left the city. And if he was a spy, he might have even fled along with Neo-Bal Masque."
"No, it doesn't matter with whom they've gone with, they can't have gone too far," Eita said. "Remember, they're still injured, and had a lot of their Power of Existence drained from the battle."
"I say we hunt him down," Keisaku said.
"You don't even know who your target is," said Kazumi.
Keisaku looked back at her with cold eyes as he replied. "We managed to take some prisoners, didn't we? Let me just interrogate them."
SnSnSnSnS
As Jean and Lawin left Sereiden, a chill ran through the spine of the latter. He looked back at the flying palace.
"Is something wrong?" Jean asked him.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Lawin said as he tried to run faster. He suddenly staggered.
"Don't strain yourself," Jean said, concerned for her new partner.
Lawin forced his body to stay standing. Since he had used much of his energy in the battle, he barely had enough strength to stand, let alone run or fly.
"We have to hurry," he said as he pressed on.
Chapter 13: True Cause
In Sereiden's prisons, Keisaku conducted his "interrogations". Rather than going with the usual "good cop bad cop" routine, he just went for the latter and started pounding recovering Denizens in the face.
With the pommel of his sword, Keisaku smacked a Denizen that had the form of a three-armed ape in the head. Unfortunately for the latter, not only was he weakened from the battle, but also chained to the wall.
"Who's the spy?" Keisaku said coldly as he kicked the Denizen. "Tell me."
"I-I don't know," the Denizen replied. Keisaku hit him again.
Behind him, Margery leaned on a wall.
"Geez, how brutal can you get," she said.
"This from the most bloodthirsty of Flame Haze," Keisaku responded as he moved on to the next prisoner.
"I'm not like that anymore, and you shouldn't too," Margery said. "And just what would our other allies say if they saw you doing this? I can't believe they actually thought you were going to just talk to them."
"Can you think of a better way to extract information?" Keisaku said.
As he tried to beat information out of a Denizen, Margery spoke. "Something's troubling you, isn't there," she said. "You're more cold than usual. And you're probably doing this to keep your mind off it."
"Think whatever you want," Keisaku said. He hit the Denizen before him again after not giving him a good answer.
"Heheheh, pisssssssssssssssssed, aren't ya?" said a snake-like voice. "You really want to get your handssssssssssss around that sssssssssssssspy'sssssssssss throat."
Keisaku turned to a glass holding cell that contained a slimy, somewhat humanoid Denizen with a long neck and head like a gulper eel's.
"You know anything about him?" Keisaku asked.
"Believe me," Saccofa said as he noticed Keisaku's strong Killing Intent, "I want him dead assssssssssssss much assssssssssssss you do."
SnSnSnSnSnS
Yuji stared out of the window of the plane with his head rested on his arm.
"Yuji, you seem bothered," Shana said.
"I have this feeling that we might be too late to prevent a disaster from happening," said the Mystes. "Something really bad has happened."
"Well, we couldn't have been in two places at once," Hecate said. "No matter if we stayed in the city or left to help the couple behind us, we couldn't have avoided some kind of tragedy."
"I know," Yuji said. "But I'm worried about our comrades. If there was a disaster, how are they going to cope with it?"
Shana suddenly knocked Yuji on the head.
"Idiot, don't forget that half of them have experienced worse," she said.
"But back then, they had nothing to lose," Yuji said as he rubbed his head.
"You're worried about them disbanding, aren't you?" Hecate said. Yuji nodded.
"Don't worry Yuji," said Shana. "No matter what might have happened, I won't let our group fall apart."
"I won't let that happen either," said Hecate. "Our family will stay together no matter what."
Yuji smiled. "Thanks guys," he said.
SnSnSnSnSnSnS
The council watched as the city's repairs neared completion. Using the Haridan and her contacting bookmark, Kazumi helped Johan make sure that nothing went wrong.
As they finished, Keisaku entered the room with a grin.
"I know who we're after," he said, "a Denizen that's part-man, part-bird. His name's supposed to be Lawin, the Talon of the Cross Winds. It's kind of odd though, that he's got a Flame Haze for a partner."
"Are you sure about your information?" Sydonay said in disbelief.
"I don't care whether the last bit is true or not," Keisaku said with a shrug. "I'm bringing back his head."
"No," Kantaro said. "I believe there's more to his story than we think."
"You're right," said Chigusa. "If the spy was so willing to join forces with his mortal enemy, then he must have had good intentions."
"Aren't your speculations a bit absurd?" Keisaku argued.
"It is plausible, you must admit," Kazumi said. "After all, at least one of our many enemies had good intentions, though with wrong methods."
"I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt," Ogata suggested. "Let's hear their side of it."
"That's right, if we just kill them on the spot, it won't make us any better than our enemies," Eita said.
Even his own best friend was ganging up on Keisaku. "Fine, whatever," he sighed as he and Margery took their seats.
"I'll go and apprehend them," Wilhelmina said as she stood.
"Most suitable for objective," added Tiamat.
"Indeed, I'll need some guidance with the Haridan," she told her comrades as she left the room.
SnSnSnS
On a balcony overlooking one side of Sereiden, Johan looked down at the city. The damage was gone, and the Fuzetsu lifted. It seemed like it had been ages since the Mystes had seen the clear sky. It was nearing nightfall, and the sky was painted with a beautiful orange-violet.
Below the flying palace, the people of Misaki City went about their daily lives with absolutely no idea that a bloody battle had just occurred.
"Is this fighting really worth it?" the Mystes asked himself. "So many died to protect this city, and we'll never get so much as a thank you. Can we continue fighting like this?"
He watched as Wilhelmina Carmel flew out of the palace towards the city's outskirts.
"Where's she going? It probably doesn't matter."
SnSnSnSnS
"You're getting warmer Carmel-san, just keep heading straight," Eita's voice said through the bookmark in the Specialist of Everything's pocket. "They've stopped moving just a little bit outside the city. They're probably resting."
"Opportunity for surprise," Tiamat advised her Flame Haze.
It did not take too long for Wilhelmina to have a visual on her targets. A female Flame Haze and a humanoid Denizen with wings on his back sat under a tree some distance from a road. Both seemed to be exhausted, since they had little energy left to spare and had to run the whole way on foot.
They jumped to their feet as soon as they saw Wilhelmina. Lawin, however, lost his balance and staggered as soon as he stood. Jean prevented him from falling down again.
"Crap, they found us!" she said.
"You two are no match for me," Wilhelmina said. "Indeed, just surrender quietly and you will not be harmed."
Lawin got in front of Jean and unsheathed his claw and blade. "There's no way I'm letting you take us back to get killed," he said with a tone full of resolve, "at least, not without a fight."
Truly, he would be no match for such a powerful opponent, even if he was in full health, but if there was anything he had learned while he was in Misaki, it was that even the strongest of enemies could be defeated no matter what state their opponents were in.
He dashed at Wilhelmina with his claw and blade over his chest. The Specialist of Everything calmly responded by sending several ribbons straight his way.
"Jagged Storm!" Lawin yelled as he suddenly spread his arms and released his Unrestricted Method, a barrage of wind-blades that tore apart Wilhelmina's ribbons.
In a moment, he closed the gap between himself and his opponent. Just before he could get within striking range, ribbons suddenly sprang up from the ground below him and ensnared his every limb.
"Lawin!" Jean yelled as she rushed after him and took out Valac's kunai vessel and sent a barrage of dragonflies at Wilhelmina. The Specialist of Everything deflected the attack with a shield of ribbons, which she compressed into a ball and threw at her attacker. Jean jumped aside and prepared to attack again, but she was caught by a ribbon lasso in mid-dodge.
Wilhelmina drew the two captives toward herself and bound them to each of her hands with a sturdy ribbon.
"Now, unless you really want to get hurt, come with me," she said before taking them back to Sereiden.
SnSnSnSnS
Inside the council room, while Wilhelmina was away, they continued to confer.
"What are we going to do if this happens again?" Eita said. "Who knows, what if we'll be attacked by Flame Haze later on?"
"Aren't Flame Haze freelance?" Sydonay asked.
"No, he's right," Marcosias replied. "Times are changing. With Bal Masque gone, and a few new factions rising, Outlaw will start taking everything into their own hands. There are hundreds of Flame Haze out there that despise the very existence of Crimson Denizens, and would be all too happy to form an army if it meant wiping them out once and for all."
"And we'll probably be on their hit list," Kantaro said, "and they'll strike as soon as they learn that we have been weakened."
"Good thing Outlaw is slow in terms of delivering data," Margery said.
"If they'll attack us because we've been weakened, how about we strengthen our ranks?" Kazumi suggested.
"You have someone in mind?" Keisaku asked. "Who could we possibly recruit that isn't already on our side?"
"He's already on our side, but he's being limited," Kazumi said. "I propose we let Yuji-kun on the council."
The other present members on the council were surprised, although they had somehow seen it coming at the same time.
"After what he did to us? Why should we let him?" Keisaku said.
"His strategic ability rivals Johan-kun's, and his level of power is as high as Shana-chan and Hecate-chan's, so he's very valuable," said Kazumi. "Besides that, it was also his idea to start a group like this. How can we do as he said if we're not letting him join?"
"He impaled me with a big freaking sword!" Margery said. "And making this group was his idea, which for some bizarre reason we all agreed to on a whim, and look what happened!"
"Guys, I think we should wait for the others before we really discuss this," Chigusa said. "Besides, we're all tired after such a tough battle."
"But there's one more thing to discuss before we can adjourn, indeed," Wilhelmina said as she entered the room with Jean and Lawin behind her, still bound in ribbons. After releasing them in front of everyone, she took her seat.
Before anyone could get a chance to speak, Pheles, who had been silent all this time, suddenly jumped up.
"You're guilty!" she yelled before any trial even began. "Because of you, we were attacked! And now Johan isn't himself!"
She came forward with killing intent. The frightened Flame Haze and Denizen held onto each other as the furious Crimson Lord prepared to attack. Fortunately, Kantaro and Kazumi reacted quickly and managed to tackle her to the ground before anything serious happened.
"Get a grip on yourself Pheles-san," Kazumi said. "Would Johan-kun want you to do this?" At this, Pheles said nothing more.
"I think we should postpone this until tomorrow, when everyone's cooled off," Kantaro said as he got up.
As Wilhelmina escorted Jean and Lawin out of the room, Keisaku glared at them with burning eyes that said, "Tomorrow, I'll make sure you get the death sentence."
SnSnSnSnS
The next morning, Yuji, Khamsin and company arrived at Misaki City. As Shana stepped out of the bus and under the clear blue sky, she stretched her arms and smiled cheerfully.
"It feels so good to be home again," she said.
"We've only been gone for a couple of weeks, yet it feels like it's been years," Khamsin said. "No other place has ever made me feel this way before."
"That's how home's supposed to feel like," Leanan-sidhe said. "It's been too long since I've felt like this."
"We should get back to Sereiden," Hecate said. "The others will want to know about the Hand of Eden. And, I have a feeling they have something to tell us as well."
Inside the flying palace, they found the place in near-ruins. Clearly, a terrible battle had just happened. Although surprised by the scene, they still made their way to the council chamber.
"You were right," Shana told Hecate as they neared the room. She turned to Yuji.
"Knowing the other Flame Haze, they probably won't allow you to join the discussion," she said. "You don't mind if you wait outside, do you?"
"Not at all," Yuji replied. "I'll see if I can help out anyone around here."
As Shana, Hecate, Khamsin and Leanan-sidhe entered the room, Yuji split up from them and took a look around Sereiden. The damage was indeed, terrible. Here and there, heaps of rubble were piled and weapons were scattered. Somehow, he could also feel an essence of death throughout the entire palace.
He went out on a balcony that was relatively near the council room. There, he was a little surprised to see Johan, who leaned on the rails, still brooding.
SnSnSnS
Inside the council room, the two parties relayed the recent events that had happened to them to each other.
"So, Neo-Bal Masque, huh?" Alastor pondered. "It seems that my prediction was correct, though I never thought it would happen so soon."
"After the battle, we managed to capture the one responsible for the attack," Keisaku said. "We're going to have them confess everything."
"Provided that everyone's calmed down," Kantaro added.
"I'll go and get them," Sydonay said as he got up and left the room.
SnSnSnS
Meanwhile, Yuji leaned on the rail next to Johan.
"You're back, huh?" said the former in a monotone voice. "We could have really used your help here yesterday, but I guess it can't be helped. You can't be everywhere."
"I take it that it was really bad, huh?" Yuji said. "Especially if it was enough to make someone like you, who remained positive even while facing the Snake of the Festival, feel this way."
Johan touched his chest. "I've been alive for so long, I've nearly forgotten what death was," he said. "Yesterday, it surrounded me. So many of our allies died in vain. And after the battle, most of what remained left us."
The Eternal Lover bowed his head.
"'If only I was stronger,' that's what you're thinking, isn't it?" Yuji said. Johan looked up at him.
"I know that feeling all too well," Yuji said. "But power does not make one strong, it is his resolve to keep on going."
"But is this really worth continuing?" Johan said. "It was impossible from the beginning anyway."
"Do you, the Mystes who has done many impossible things, from fighting toe-to-toe with powerful Demon Mysteses to creating one of the most incredible Hougus in the world, really believe that?" Yuji said.
Johan didn't know how to reply.
"If there's one thing Shiro-san taught me, it's that as long as we persist to reach our goal, we can succeed," Yuji said. "Sure, not every plan is perfect, and there will always be disasters that can never be avoided, but it's those same things that make us stronger." He smiled at his Mystes predecessor. "You aren't going to let a small setback like this stop you from living a truly peaceful life with Pheles-san, are you?"
Johan thought about this. Living an everlasting, peaceful life with the one he loved was indeed what he desired more than anything, and nothing was going to stop that. He was willing to risk anything for the sake of her happiness.
The Mystes grinned back. "I guess not," he said.
He let go of the rail. "Well, I'd better get back to the council," he said. "Thanks for the talk, Yu-chan."
As the Eternal Lover left, Yuji waved at him. "It really feels weird when a guy calls me that," he mumbled. "I guess it means he's back to his old self."
SnSnSnS
Sydonay returned with Lawin and Jean before him. The latter two were not bound by anything, but they still knew that they had no chance of escape. Besides that, yesterday, as they were trapped in the same prison cell, they had decided to confess everything, since they knew that they could not prove themselves innocent, as well as to clear their conscience.
"These are the spies?" Shana said. "But…"
"They're a Crimson Denizen and Flame Haze," Hecate noted.
"So? What of it?" Keisaku said passively. "All that's important is that they spied on us, sabotaged our first defenses, and initiated the attack."
"But why would two mortal enemies be working together," Khamsin said.
"They have more to tell than we know," Leanan-sidhe said. "It's a good thing you decided to hear them out before judging them."
"Wait," said Kazumi. "Shouldn't we wait for Johan-kun? It might be better if we also heard his opinion of their story."
"He's not coming," Pheles said sadly. "He's still troubled by what happened yester--."
Suddenly, the door swung open and Johan came into the room with a smile on his face.
"Sorry I'm late guys," he said. "I was feeling a little down earlier, but I'm alright now."
He sat down next to an astonished and speechless Pheles. Just an hour ago, she had seen him in his troubled state, yet right now, it was as if it had never happened. What could have possibly returned his optimism in such a short time?
"Fill me in on the stuff I missed later, could you darling?" he whispered to Pheles. He looked at the Denizen and Flame Haze that stood before the council.
"Hey, you're the guys that I rescued during the retreat!" he said.
"You rescued them?!" Margery said in surprise. Everyone was also taken aback by this information.
"Are you an idiot? They were the guys who started the battle in the first place!" Keisaku growled.
"Calm down," Kantaro said. "Let's hear their story from the beginning."
And so, both the Crimson Denizen and the Flame Haze recounted their assigned missions, as well as their infiltration of the city and their meeting with each other, up to when they tried to escape the city.
"Do you expect us to believe that BS?" Keisaku said. "Why the hell would you be fighting your own group when you were supposed to help destroy us?"
"Come to think of it, I might recall treating these two just before the final counterattack," Chigusa said.
"But a question still remains indeed," said Wilhelmina. "Why are you still together even after your agreement to help each other out has expired?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Johan said. "They don't care whether they're Denizen or Flame Haze, they just want to stay together." He glanced at Khamsin and Leanan-sidhe. "Just like those two," he said as he pointed at them.
"I agree," Leanan-sidhe said. "If you two had such accepting hearts, then there must be a good reason for your actions."
"Why were you against us?" Pheles asked Jean and Lawin straightly.
The two defendants gave the same reply:
"For the sake of peace and order."
Johan could no longer contain himself, and suddenly burst out laughing.
"What the hell's so funny?" Margery said.
"I might know," said Shana. "You two spied against us because your leaders told you that it would help bring peace and order, right? But just look at yourselves: you've really become just like us without even realizing it!"
"Not only do we share the same goal, but you both accepted each other regardless of what you are, like we did," Hecate explained with a small smile.
"It's just like what I said when we met during the battle," Johan said after calming down. "How can you not be on our side?"
"Are you a freaking retard?!" Keisaku exclaimed. "So what if they're just like us?"
"He's right," Sydonay said. "It doesn't change the fact that they spied on us and signaled the attack."
"I think I know just what we should do to them," said Pheles. She glanced at Johan and winked. "From now on, your loyalties will lie only to us. You will have the same privileges as all the other Flame Haze and Denizens in the city, but you won't be allowed to leave us."
"What kind of a punishment is that?!" Keisaku exclaimed.
"I think she's got the right idea," Kantaro said. "That way, not only can we keep an eye on them, but they can also redeem themselves for what they've done."
"All in favor?" Chigusa said as she raised her hand.
Kantaro, Hecate, Shana, Khamsin, Leanan-sidhe, Kazumi, Eita, Ogata, Johan, Pheles and Wilhelmina raised their hands as well. Sydonay did so too, albeit a bit reluctantly.
"Since they were a part of our enemies groups, they might prove useful," he said. "We might as well do the same with the other prisoners."
"These guys here are practically already a part of our group," Ogata said. "But what about the prisoners who refuse to join us?"
"She has a point, we can't keep the Denizens locked up forever, neither can we execute them," Alastor said.
"I know, how about banishment into the Crimson Realm?" Hecate proposed.
"Just like with what we did with Sabrac, huh?" Kantaro said. "I agree."
Nearly all of the council did so as well.
"It is decided then," said Pheles, facing Jean and Lawin. "You two are now a part of our group, unless you want to take the alternative?"
"No, we are very grateful," Jean said as she bowed courteously.
Lawin did the same. "All this time, Mastan's been lying to me," he said. "He told us that you guys were cruel people that forced people to join them. I'm glad that he was wrong."
"Now that that's done, how about you two start helping with the repairs to Sereiden," Margery said, dismissing them from the room.
With one last grateful bow, the Flame Haze and Denizen couple left the room.
"Now, about that other thing we were talking about yesterday…" Margery began.
SnSnSnS
As Yuji inspected the damage done to the corridors, he chanced upon the medical bay. There, he saw that a few Flame Haze and Denizens were still recovering from the severe wounds they had suffered the day before.
The kindhearted Mystes wasted no time in speeding up their healing with his Flame of Purification.
SnSnSnS
"Do you think we should continue all this?" Margery continued. "Neo-Bal Masque is probably just one of many enemies that are gonna come after us."
"Yeah, most Flame Haze and Denizens would still be against the concept of coexisting with their mortal enemies," Marcosias said. "Don't forget why the Flame Haze were born in the first place."
"The Flame Haze were created to protect the balance," Alastor said. "But all things corrupt over time. I believe that it is about time we stop the cycle of killing, or else the balance will eventually degrade into chaos. Sure there is balance in the way things have always been, but it won't last unless we can establish peace."
"And one minor setback shouldn't stop us from doing what no one else can: building a new, brighter era of peace for everyone," Johan said. "Success can eventually be achieved if we worked hard, right?"
"That's right! We'll make that dream a reality," Shana said. "We can't stop midway."
"Someone has to look after the seed we planted," Hecate said metaphorically.
"Heh, I've got nothing else to do anyway," said Sydonay.
"What happened to you?" Keisaku suddenly asked the Eternal Lover. "Just a little while before we got in here, you were a brooding zombie."
Johan grinned at him cheerfully, making the young man feel a bit uneasy.
"Let's just say a good friend snapped me out of it," he said.
SnSnSnS
Thanks to Yuji's use of Synchronization along with his Flame of Purification, the healing barely even took ten minutes. The Flame Haze and Denizens still lay on their beds, asleep, but rested more peacefully.
"You've fought well against difficult odds," Yuji said as he left the room. "You all deserve the rest."
SnSnSnS
"About Yuji-kun, don't you think it's about time we let him on the council," Kazumi said.
"Right!" Shana instantly agreed. "We should."
"He's proven enough already, hasn't he?" said Hecate.
"You're being biased," Margery said passively. "He hasn't proved anything to me."
"But he defeated the Snake of the Festival, didn't he?" Kantaro said.
"And he's got pretty good judgment, except for that one time of course," Johan said.
"Still being biased," Margery said.
"I agree with them. I sympathize with Yuji Sakai," Khamsin said. "Back when Behemoth and I were drained of our powers during our mission, I felt so useless. I had someone I wanted to protect, no matter what, but I couldn't do anything. At that time, I finally understood why he does the things he does."
"However you look at it, that's one of his best qualities," Leanan-sidhe said. "It's because he's like that that so many lives have been saved, including ours. It does not matter if they were humans, Denizens or Flame Haze, they continued to exist thanks to him."
SnSnSnS
The Mystes of the Reiji Maigo continued along the halls of Sereiden. Shafts of sunlight shone through several holes in the walls and illuminated them.
Maybe this place really needed more windows, Yuji thought.
Eventually, he spotted Dantalion and several Dominoes working at repairing the walls.
SnSnSnS
"You say that's his best quality, but it's also what makes him dangerous," Wilhelmina countered. "Indeed, you just proved the reason he became the Snake of the Festival."
"No matter what you say, we can't fully agree on letting him join us yet," Margery said.
"Can't we vote on it?" Chigusa asked.
Sydonay shook his head. "If we're going to let him in here, we'll all have to be comfortable with it," he said. "As long as at least one of us does not agree, it's not happening."
"Just give him some time," Johan said. "I have a feeling that he'll climb up and win you all back sooner than you think."
"Psh, biased," Margery scoffed.
SnSnS
Yuji smiled as he worked alongside a couple of Domino Rinne at the top of a wall. Wiping sweat from his brow, he looked towards the horizon. The wind blew through his hair.
SnSnS
"Until we all agree to it, we're not letting him on the council," Sydonay decided.