Chapter 30

I do not own Claymore

That evening, there was a meeting in the cathedral where Miria announced the impending arrival of the newly created abyssal being who could possibly destroy the Holy City of Rabona.

When she was finished speaking, silence hung over the assemblage like a heavy cloak as each soldier there took in her words.

Sid scratched his head and muttered, "I was happy to see some old faces, but this is bad news."

"I'm sorry. We will do everything we can, but it's unlikely this will go well." Replied Miria.

Clearing her throat she continued, "Luckily, we have some time. I want the soldiers to follow the residents and leave the city."

There was a moment of silence, then Sid replied, "Sorry, but we discussed that five days ago with Sister Latea and we decided to stay."

Sighing he continued, "The situation may change, but our determination won't."

Miria looked down and said quietly, "Understood. I'm sorry I brought it up again."

Clarice hesitated a moment then raised her hand, "Um...What about Miata and me?"

Miria blinked a couple of times then said, "Oh, right. We will take over helping Galatea here, you should both join the residents."

Clarice blinked and said, "Huh? Oh." Then after a moment's thought, asked "B, But if possible, may I stay here as well?"

Miria looked surprised while Helen gritted her teeth before she cried, "What?! This is a matter of life and death...How could you and your fancy hair possibly help?!"

Taken aback and on the verge of tears, Clarice cried, "B, But the people here have been so kind to me...I love this place. So if I could lend even a little strength to defending this city, I want to."

Miata, sensing Clarice's anguish, held on to her sleeve and pleaded, "Mama, don't cry mama."

Miria seeing the young warrior's sincerity said, "I see...Fine. Sorry, just like us you are a warrior."

Clearing her throat once more Miria declared, "Clarice, Miata and the soldiers will defend the Holy City. But don't overdo it. A city without survivors, isn't a city."

Clarice beamed at Miria's decision and she cried, "Okay! We'll do our best!"

In the brief moment of silence following her outburst Deneve was heard muttering to Helen, "You, should apologize later."

Sid grinned and said, "Until the monster arrives, use Rabona however you want. You can eat and drink for free!"

He placed his hand on the table and said, "And, when the captain asked me before, I went alone so I couldn't bring back much, but this time, a bunch of us went to the village and returned with all we could find."

He gestured at the pile of equipment they had brought back with them to the astonishment of the warriors there.

He grinned, "Use it or don't, as you like. It's a little gift from us!"

After a night of renewing old acquaintances, the morning sun rose on the seven ghosts as they once more put on the uniform and armor that marked them as warriors from the organization.

They spent a few minutes reacquainting themselves with the feel of wearing their old uniforms once more, until finally Helen could contain herself no more and she fell down laughing as she cried, "What the hell? This brings back so many memories, it's scary!"

Sid grinned and said, "It was in Pieta, up north, seeing how glad you are makes hauling it back here worth it!"

Cynthia smiled and remarked, "Come to think of it, all our gear was up there in preparation for the big war."

Sid smiled and replied, "Yeah, there was enough for all those warriors. We didn't know whose was whose so we brought it all."

He grinned, "There's a lot more in the Holy City's storage, you won't lack for gear now!"

He glanced over at Teresa and Sheila who were still wearing their old clothing and asked, "Why haven't you guys changed?"

Teresa smiled slightly and replied, "We weren't a part of that ill fated expedition up north, so none of this gear would fit us properly."

She gestured at Sheila's towering form and said cheerfully, "Besides, none of this stuff would fit her anyway!"

Sheila rolled her silvery gray eyes and muttered, "Thanks, I really needed that!"

There was a pregnant moment of silence, then Miria said, "All ready? We'll head out soon."

Captain Galk spoke up in surprise, "That's sudden, I thought we had plenty of time left."

Galatea cleared her throat and said, "The approaching abyssal one has increased her speed, I expect her to arrive two or three days earlier."

She continued, "It will probably further accelerate, the closer it gets. It could arrive even today or tomorrow."

Sid looked thoughtful and said, "I see..."

He turned to Raki and pressed her fist against Raki's muscular flank then said, "Go to her, help her. You already saved this city once, so we'll forgive you even if it's destroyed this time."

A short time later, the group of warriors were standing before the misshapen mass still struggling to contain the winged, one horned form striving to break free.

Gazing up at that which rose before them, they could hear the faint creaking and groaning emanating from the tortured mass before them.

Raki looked at it in awe and was heard to mutter, "P, Priscilla?"

Miria and Deneve glanced at him, then Helen muttered, "What the hell? Do you know this monster?"

He stammered, "N,no I don't, but I feel like she resembles someone I know."

Helen growled, "Gimme a break, You're confusing!"

Teresa looked at Galatea and said, "So now what? Do we surround it and chant her name?"

Galatea replied quietly, "I hate to dump cold water on your idea, but as far as I can tell, Clare's yoma energy has already dispersed. In this state, it may be impossible to call her back."

Raki suddenly stepped towards the mass and Galatea cried out, "Wait! That mass is like an awakened being! If a human goes near..."

Deneve suddenly said, "Let him go, he came all the way from the organization for this."

She paused, "No, he has been searching for Clare for the last seven years!"

Raki stepped up to the writhing mass and placed his hands on it.

After a moment he said softly, "Damn, I'm so pitiful...Can you see Clare? My hands are trembling, I finally find you and this is the state I'm in."

Choking back his emotions, he said thickly, "It's been seven years since we parted on the mountain and swore we'd meet again."

He smiled, "I've grown up, I'm almost as tall as Galk now. I was taller than you a long time ago."

Suddenly tendrils emerged from the mass and penetrated his muscular torso causing him to groan in pain.

Helen cried, "What the...!"

Galatea cried out, "Stay back! It reacts to humans, Miria! Deneve! Help me!"

Deneve gritted her teeth, "Damn it!"

Then Raki cried out, "I'm fine! Leave me be!"

Through gritted teeth, he endured as the tendrils probed his body and he said grimly, "They missed my vitals, they're just investigating my body."

Helen looked dumbfounded and muttered, "Investigating? You sure about that?"

Raki gasped, "It's true, Clare is in here."

Galatea muttered, "Impossible, how could a human..."

They watched silently as the tendrils withdrew from his body and he said, "Clare is battling as hard as she can to stop the others from breaking free."

With his hands still pressed against the towering mass, Raki began speaking clearly for all to hear, "Clare, when you were suffering in the cathedral all I could do was cling to you. I was pitiful, so I vowed to get stronger and help you next time."

Lowering his voice he continued, "I've grown stronger, not as strong as you, but probably much stronger than you think."

He sighed, "But here I am doing the same thing as all those years ago, funny isn't it? I haven't really changed at all. Even all grown up, I'm still a little boy around you, so I'll say the same thing I did back then."

With tears streaming from his eyes he loudly declared, "I'm glad for our time traveling together. I don't want anyone else, I only want to be by your side forever!"

Riful was heard to mutter, "If that isn't a declaration of love, I don't know what one is!"

The mass began quivering and shaking and suddenly it started flaking away and rapidly deteriorating.

There was a collective gasp from most of the warriors there and Helen gasped, "What the?!" as Clare's naked form emerged from the mass and into Raki's astonished grasp.

He gasped, "Cla...Clare..." as his tears freely flowed.

Helen cried out, "I knew it! She's untreated!"

Before his eyes a thin red line appeared on her front, it ran from her groin clear up to her throat and as it commenced to bleeding.

They laid her on the ground and Deneve cried out, "That's good, hold her down. Cynthia, bring the tools!"

Working at a feverish pace, Deneve stitched closed the long red line while directing Yuma to hold her lower half down while she stitched rapidly.

While she stitched, Deneve explained grimly, "Even as children, our bodies are split in half like this, then yoma flesh and blood is implanted in all our body parts, so we become a half yoma warrior."

Catching her breath, Deneve continued, "The completed warrior has greater strength and speed than a yoma, the results were better than the organization had hoped."

Stitching rapidly she said, "But the final half yoma warriors had one problem that the organization couldn't solve."

Through gritted teeth she cried, "Our bodies remain spit open. They researched and tested but to no avail. Once a body was complete, they couldn't change it!"

"After becoming a warrior, wounds heal. Severed limbs can be reattached and defensive types can even regenerate legs. But they couldn't close this gaping wound, right out in front."

"So the organization hit on a simple, if not slipshod measure."

Deneve looked up at Raki as she finished stitching, "Every single one of us undergoes this treatment in order to simply survive."

Clare was sitting up now in a kneeling position and as her eyes fluttered open.

She looked over at her compatriots and said, "Guys...Why am I..."

Then she glanced over and saw Raki's hulking form weeping like a child as he said, "C, Clare..."

Her silver eyes began filling with her own tears as he reached out for her and took her into his mighty arms while he said thickly,"I've wanted, so long, so very long, to see you again, Clare!"

Clare smiled slightly as he held her and said softly, "You've grown, Raki."

The rest of the group stood about with smiles on their faces at the joyful reunion between Clare and Raki.

Then leaving the young couple to their happiness, they faced the quivering mass with drawn swords in hand, what could they expect next?

Would the monster beyond an abyssal emerge to do battle?

Teresa gripped her sword tightly and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Riful poised to awaken immediately, should the need for her power arise.

With an eye to protecting her clothing, the small abyssal had removed her clothing and was standing with her fists clenched and a grim look on her pretty face.

The mass quivered and groaned from the sudden shock of Clare's departure, the tension was almost palpable.

Would they survive this battle?

The mass seemed to blur, then it seemingly exploded in all directions, leaving the astonished warriors wondering what had just happened?

The winged, one horned monster had ignored them completely!

Helen exclaimed, "What the fuck?! It ignored us?"

Feeling an outpouring of yoma energy behind them they turned around and saw that a battle was going on among the gathered awakened beings they'd seen earlier.

The winged, one horned monster had gone for the awakened beings instead of them.

From their vantage point they saw it attacking them without provocation and in no particular order.

The awakened beings' response was swift, sure and frightening to behold as they quickly shed their human forms for their true forms.

Galatea said quietly, "What...What is happening, it's all so confusing over there?"

Deneve remarked, "I think, it's a battle for flesh and blood."

Looking thoughtful, she continued, "One is an absolute monster surpassing an abyssal one, and the other is an unconscious organism seeking to eat all life in this land."

She glanced at Galatea, "The stronger one will take that body as it's own."

Yuma gasped and said, "Wh, which one would we prefer to win?"

Continuing to gaze upon the battle before them, Deneve replied, "Whichever wins, only hell awaits."

She paused, "Right now the unconscious life form absorbing power from around it, has the advantage. But if the approaching abyssal one synchronizes with the monster, that will swiftly settle the matter."

Hearing the metallic clicking of armor being fastened together, they turned to see Clare wearing her warrior's armor once more while Raki stood slightly behind her with a smile on his face.

Clare, the organization's former No. 47 was back!

Helen smiled as she chuckled and said, "Seeing you like that again, reminds me of when you were a total loser."

She grinned, "I can't believe you've known about that monster all this time and came all this way with a desire for revenge buried inside."

Clare looked at everyone and said, "Her name is Priscilla. She's the former number one who beheaded Teresa."

Clare said quietly, "I owe Teresa my life, when I was a child and a yoma dragged me around and tormented me, she saved my body and soul."

Clare glanced at Teresa and said, "You left the organization for me and they pursued you. Then you faced Priscilla who awakened as she decapitated you."

Clare said quietly, "I fully expected to die that day, but to Priscilla I may as well have been an insect, far beneath her notice and not worth killing."

Looking at everyone again, she continued, "I took Teresa's head and showed up at the gates of the organization demanding to be made into a warrior using her flesh. In my despair I saw no other way forward. And so, buried inside me is Teresa's flesh. I am not half yoma, I am only one quarter yoma."

She gave a rare smile and said, "I became a warrior to get revenge for Teresa and killing Priscilla was my only reason for living. I swore that no matter how strong she was and even if giving my own life was not enough, it was an unchangeable fact."

Clare looked at Teresa and said, "I had not counted on your miraculous revival, none of us did."

She looked at Riful, "Nor did I count on you becoming an ally and a friend, Riful of the West."

Clare turned towards the raging battle and said, "My objective now is to protect Teresa, not to get revenge."

Teresa smiled and remarked, "I hardly need protecting daughter mine and I don't want you getting yourself killed trying to defend me. I've gained even more experience since I was revived by being Lord Dae's cleaning lady, Priscilla won't get another chance to get the drop on me."

Miria reached behind her back and withdrew a claymore from the holder on her back.

Tossing the blade to Clare she said, "After the black mass disappeared, that sword was stuck in the ground. It appears to be the same one that was swallowed along with Deneve's right arm in the west. Fate has returned it to your hands."

Miria looked at Clare and said, "To one degree or another, whether they like it or not. People change their paths in life through encounters with others."

She sighed, "Are you telling me that encountering us, and our time together mean nothing in the face of your revenge? Perhaps at one time it was, but now your path is not solely one of revenge, our presence here as well as the feeling of others are proof of that."

Miria smiled at Clare's expression of confusion and replied, "Sorry, but this battle is no longer yours alone. Before we came here, we pledged our lives to fighting that monster."

Miria drew her own blade and held it out before her.

Yuma said quietly, "Right. It's a fateful bond from the fighting up north all those years ago."And drew her own blade.

Cynthia smiled at Yuma's remark and said cheerfully, "Yuma, that's exactly what Tabitha said before we came here."

Yuma gaped briefly and stammered, "Huh? Oh...It is?"

Tabitha drew her own blade and said, "Well, it's true."

Helen chuckled and the rest of the ghosts drew their swords and placed them together in solidarity while Galatea, Raki, Teresa, Sheila and Riful looked on.

Clare stoutly declared, "Of course it means something, you are all essential to me as comrades and friends! So, together let's live through this and smile again!"

The seven ghosts grinned at each other and Miria declared, "All right, let's go! As warriors of the organization, this is our last unfinished task!"

The group returned to the Holy City in time for Yuma and Cynthia to catch Clarice in mid air after she was swatted away from the awakened being she was attacking.

In a vain attempt at assisting the city guard troops who had elected to remain in defense of the Holy City, Clarice had leapt into the air and slashed at the awakened being's massive form.

Her reward was to get swatted away as if she was an annoying insect.

She gasped, "Yuma! Cynthia?!" as the two older warriors plucked her out of the air and landed gently with her in their grasp.

Standing between them and the giant awakened being was Helen and Deneve.

Sid chuckled and remarked, "Things are heating up. Does that mean he awakened the sleeping princess?"

Helen grumbled, "Yeah, pretty easily. Nothing we did worked, but one peep from that brat and out she comes. Irritating, huh?"

Sid chuckled, "Don't be jealous. In some ways Clare is his protector, she bears a strong sense of responsibility for his life."

He grinned, "Be careful, with nothing left to regret, she may take her life lightly."

A moment later, Deneve seized him by his collar and leapt backwards as the giant awakened being attacked without mercy.

Once they were in the clear he said, "Thanks, I owe you one."

Deneve, without taking her eyes off the raging awakened being replied, "You know, despite your appearance, you're a good man."

Sid muttered, "Despite my appearance? That hurts."

Deneve continued, "We already discussed that, but I'm not sure how much Clare understood."

Then she declared, "In any case, we won't let her do anything reckless like before."

Not far away, Miria and Clare were sizing up their own awakened opponent form.

In appearance she resembled Bloody Agatha's awakened form with her great mass of tendrils wriggling and thrusting outward in search of prey.

In this case she had dozens of false heads and busts jutting up from the wriggling mass and all of them were grinning and chuckling in her arrogance.

Tabitha said quietly, "It's much like Bloody Agatha's awakened form. One of the human forms is the main body containing organs like the brain, the rest are dummies."

She paused then continued, "Unlike Agatha, however, she has skillfully distributed her yoma energy to each one. It is incredibly difficult to determine which is real."

As if taunting them, the numerous heads smirked and chortled gleefully at their hesitancy.

Miria said quietly, "That's no big deal, it's enough to know that we can defeat her, by cutting off that one head."

Tightening her grip on her massive claymore, she said, "She may be an upper ranked awakened being, but if she's so weak that Priscilla could steal her strength and throw her all the way here, then, we just lop off ALL her heads!"

Miria and Clare leapt to the attack and in a deadly display of coordination, cooperation and matchless skill.

They began cutting off each and every one of the heads.

Many of them fought back by opening their own mouths and sending forth their own defensive tendrils in a vain attempt at protecting itself before it too, was severed from the wriggling mass of tendrils.

With appalling speed they seemed to flit about, their massive blades flashing with each stroke or thrust.

Blood spattering and heads flying with each swing, they soon had reduced the number of heads down to the last one.

In a final and vain display of defiance, the awakened being screamed, "You weaklings!" as her last and final head was cloven in twain by the criss crossing blades of Miria and Clare.

Helen cursed and spat as the awakened being she and Deneve were facing continued to deny them a victory, "Damn! They've already taken down theirs, and we've got six warriors! We're pitiful!"

Deneve muttered, "It's structure is simple, so I thought this would be easy, but it's tougher than I thought. Most difficult is its regeneration."

At that moment, Miata hit it with a powerful attack that took away a large portion of its body, only to have it regenerate itself with appalling speed.

Deneve grumbled, "We need a single slashing attack strong enough to destroy a massive body."

She glanced over to see that Helen had twisted her sword arm to its maximum of fifty five revolutions and with veins bulging in her forehead she was looking for an opening.

The soldiers continued their harassment of the awakened being by hurling spears and shooting arrows at its gigantic form.

With contemptuous ease he deflected the spears and arrows as if they were merely gnats to be ignored.

Helen began her attack and the being said dismissively, "Your attacks are so obvious!

"You'll never hit me that... URK!"

He froze suddenly and Galatea declared from her vantage point on a nearby roof top.

"I won't let you destroy the city any further, so I'm stopping you for a second."

The being screeched, "Why you!"

An instant later Helen's claymore had penetrated his tough outer casing and she released her drill sword.

She tore through the massive body of her opponent as her spinning sword simply blew his body apart in a gruesome display of the power of her drill sword.

This battle was over.

Not far away, Raki was standing on the city wall gazing at the landscape and lost in thought.

He was pondering the recent developments he had witnessed.

Why, he wondered, why would Priscilla be seeking Clare?

Clare's desire for revenge he could fathom, it was Priscilla's interest in Clare that he didn't understand.

The faint sound of a boot scraping on the stone walkway caught his attention and he glanced over to see Lars and Chronos standing there.

He said quietly, "The object of your interest is over there, so why are you over here?"

Chronos smiled slightly and said, "We need to talk to you."

"You want to talk?" replied Raki.

Chronos smiled again and said, "You have an interesting build. You're just a human without any yoma flesh and blood, so maybe you developed those muscles by carrying that big sword and fighting like us."

"That style of swordplay isn't for fighting humans, who taught you?"

After a few moments, Raki said, "Back in the days of male warriors, I heard that such men did exist for a very short time, which reminds me."

He looked Chronos in the eye and said, "The name of my sword master was Isley, I lived with him until a few years ago"

Lars started and said, "What? Did you say, Isley?"

Raki continued, "He found me up north. At first I thought he was human, but after a few years, I became aware that he wasn't."

Raki paused, "Then, after a while he drove me away and one other. So while I owe him my life, I know nothing about him."

Chronos chuckled then said, "Isley huh? I didn't expect to hear THAT name."

He grinned, "Isley was number one in the first generation of warriors, he was the strongest man of his time."

Raki muttered, "The first generation number one?"

Chronos grinned, "He was strong, all those warriors you're involved with couldn't beat him. Even the number two back then was far below him in skill.

"For that reason, no one in the age of warriors saw his true strength, his strength was bottomless."

Chronos said quietly, "He was the last of the single digits to awaken. I guess there was no need."

Raki murmured, "Awaken..."

Chronos continued, "We do it when we must for some reason, but he CHOSE to do it. I suppose he intended to subdue us when we awakened, despite his appearance, he was a responsible man.

Chronos looked Raki in the eye and said in a low voice, "But awakening changes you to the core, your human consciousness disappears and then you think like US."

"After awakening, Isley should have gone the same way as us, but in retrospect, perhaps he disposed of so many awakened being in the conflict up north due to vestiges of his former self."

Chronos shrugged, "But that destroyed the towns up north, so the residents were hardly pleased. Recently, Isley fell to the organization's weapons, now we're the only two male warriors from that time."

Chronos studied Raki's face for a few moments, "You aren't surprised, did you already know?"

Raki said quietly, "No, but when we parted, he looked cornered. I thought perhaps he had sensed his death. Maybe he drove us away so he wouldn't involve us in something."

Chronos smirked and replied, "Heh, I doubt he could think that way after awakening. He was just playing at having a family. Much like Lars and I are, he is with a human widow named Amahl and I am with Octavia, we are just trying to survive in a world gone mad."

The sudden arrival of several warriors interrupted any further discourse and Chronos said, "Oops, out of time. And we didn't get to ask anything."

He said, "I'll cut to the chase, you know that monster who surpasses an abyssal one?"

"While our strength was necessary when it returned, it had the strength to annihilate everyone there, but came for us instead. I just can't understand that. Does that mean it recognized your presence as neither warrior or woman?"

After a moment he asked, "Can I take your silence as an answer?"

Before Raki could reply, Miria spoke up, "You two were able to exit the battle without a scratch. Why did you come here?"

Tightening her grip on her sword she continued in a low voice, "Give the wrong answer and we'll attack with all our might."

Chronos merely smiled then replied, "I think you already know but nine of us, less than half our number were able to dodge the attacks of the monster greater than an abyssal one and remain unharmed.

"They have moved to a distance to observe, so they're hungry."

He turned away and said, "We intend to leave without interfering, I merely came to tell you to be careful."

After a moment, Miria said, "After you leave, will you escape the eyes of the monster surpassing an abyssal one and hold your breath as you live in secrecy?"

"It would be a pitiful life to feed on the scraps of flesh scattered by one far more powerful than you."

Lars' temper flared briefly and he growled, "Shut your mouth, you brats!"

Chronos merely shrugged and said cooly, "Don't bother Lars, she's just provoking you."

He looked at Miria and said, "How would our lives be any different than they are now? For decades we have lived in hiding, hiding not only from you claymores but hiding from the abyssal ones as well."

He bowed slightly towards Riful of the west to acknowledge her and said, "So, what are you traitorous ladies trying to say?"

Miria declared, "We have decided for ourselves that we intend to fight the being who surpasses an abyssal one. That may look and sound reckless to you but if defeating it is a possibility, you would want to, right?"

Chronos replied, "All right. For reference, tell me about this 'possibility'. If it's worthless, I'll perform last rites for you myself, right here and now."

For emphasis he allowed his massive yoma energy to wash over the group of warriors, the only ones not affected by his show of power was Teresa of the Faint Smile and Riful of the west.

Miria calmly waited until he was finished then continued, "First we have to arouse the approaching abyssal one, it is currently being controlled by Priscilla, the being more powerful than an abyssal one. It's probably coming here to be absorbed."

She paused a moment for effect, "If so, the battle between those two will be over in an instant. Her overwhelming power would surely outstrip the unconscious life form's by far.

"Then there would be nothing for us to do because a monster beyond our reach would reach even greater power."

She smiled slightly, "So first, we want to prevent that. If all goes well, the awakened abyssal one will clash with Priscilla and then our strength combined with another great strength would improve our chances of defeating her."

Miria looked him right in the eye and said, "I don't think that's of no worth to you."

Chronos chuckled then remarked, "You're right. It isn't worthless but it's ridiculous. Do you really think it will go well?"

"I merely said it was 'possible'. If all goes well, the possibility of defeating her isn't zero. And that possibility can only be achieved now, and by us."

Chronos and Lars looked at each other briefly, then Chronos remarked, "You're persuasive, I can see how you've united so many warriors and an abyssal one to defeat the organization."

He smiled, "Well then, I'll present your idea to the others. You must make the first move anyway. After that, whether we get in the mood, depends on your success."

Having finished his remarks, he stepped past Raki, clapped him on his muscular shoulder and said, "Bye now, I guess you share their fate." Then he said cryptically, "With the right timing, you could become the strongest blade here!"

Then he and Lars seemingly vanished, they left so quickly.

Raki was pondering his last remark when Clare came forward and cried, "Raki! Are you all right?!"

"Are you hurt? What were you talking about?"

Raki calmly replied, "They thought it was strange for a man like me to be with warriors, and asked who I was."

Looking greatly relieved, Clare said quietly, "Oh good. Don't worry me like that."

The young lovers smiled slightly at each other, oblivious to the glances exchanged by the others.

Would their feelings become a problem in the up coming fight?

Time would tell.

"Tabitha" said Miria, "What of the abyssal one?"

Seemingly lost in thought, Tabitha said quietly, "It sped up once and now maintains that pace. The internal conflict in the one surpassing an abyssal one continues, with neither withdrawing."

"Then nothing's changed." muttered Miria.

Deneve asked, "Do you think the awakened beings will help?"

Miria shrugged and replied, "I don't know but I've indicated one path to take. As long as they are even slightly aware of the possibility of fighting alongside of us.

"They aren't likely to consider eating the people of this city."

Deneve muttered, "I hope you're right, but..."

Her further remarks were cut off by Miria's hanging her sword across her back and declaring.

"Let's put our plan into action. Assume your battle stations. Our target is the abyssal one approaching from the east. I believe it is a former number one known as Cassandra the dust eater, she's the final abyssal one resurrected by the organization."