Author's note: I am sorry for the delay. I had major struggles finishing this chapter and getting myself to write in general, and wondered- should I focus on Lukedonia and Union, leaving the events of the werewolf island, murder investigation and Ignes' quest for truth and all, for another work, or is that something that should be kept as originally planned? It's a genuine question, I write this for you all, and would welcome opinions and preferences.

M-21 V – Werewolf Island, 31th November, 10:15

M-21 had killed before. When he was ordered to, and obedience was the only way to keep on living. He had killed in order to defend himself and his friends. This, however... The warrior did not even have an opportunity to fight back. He had not transformed or attacked or anything, M-21 had not received a single scratch. This felt... wrong. Even though he knew that this matter was too delicate to leave any witnesses, he could not help but feel like … a bad person.

No one enjoyed killing people, even if those people would not hesitate to do the same.

He followed Ignes who marched forward, almost as if she wanted to just run. Was she not used to killing people all the time? Then this should not upset her. And besides...
"Why did you not just mind-control him?!" Nobles could do that after all! They could just force an individual to forget everything, after all, plant false memories, just – do anything that was not a cowardly murder.
Ignes did not answer for a few moments, then - "Are you really going to criticise me now?!"
"YOU are the one who will have to cover up a murder now!"
"As if I did not know that!" Her voice was high-pitched. M-21 knew that he was just being petty now, but... it felt good. She had hurt him and some of his friends enough to deserve this.
"Then why do you act like that, huh? And here I thought you're a killer."
"But I am not a... just shut up. Shut up, okay?!"
"Why did you not just-"
"Because I cannot!" Her voice cracked and, with an angry sniff, she wiped the back of her hand over her face. Her steps turned into angry stomps as she picked up the pace. M-21 took a couple of moments to register what he just heard. Ah, vulnerable spot found – the kind of weak point you did not poke just to annoy someone. He would not apologize, but he would not talk more about it, either.

She was afraid. It was a sentiment he could understand. He'd heard her screams when the Lord had attacked her down in the laboratories. The Union really was all the same on all levels. "You should run too," he said once she started slowing down. She would not be the first former enemy he was willing to reach out to.

Ignes shook her head. "I cannot." With a shaky breath, she pushed her hair out of her face.
"There is nothing here for you."
"Raskreia is here."
"And you cannot help her."
"No. No. Maduke is... he is too proud. Once he sinks his teeth into something, he's not letting go. His anger is dangerous for everyone."
"... and.. you actually care about that?"
"Believe it or not, even people like me want to have a place they can call home." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Something about these words hit. Everyone wanted to have a home. Even the villains. "As long as he is the Lord, I won't be safe. No one will be."

She might be a bitch, but these were sentiments M-21 could understand. Who could tell who Maduke would let his anger out on? Since Ignes seemed to be that old dog's squeaky toy now... Grim as that thought might be, better her than Raskreia or Lunark. For a moment, M-21 considered placing his hand on her shoulder, then he decided against it. Or else she might lash out at him too, upset as she was.

"This is as close to the coast as I can safely accompany you. Just keep going the direction we have been going, and you will reach the shore. Keep going straight from there, cross the ocean, and you will reach Asia."
"Always follow the tip of my nose. Got it. Don't worry. I will do everything I can to somehow get this plan of yours to work."
"Good. Remember. In two month's time. I should be able to keep him distracted."

M-21 nodded and checked whether he still had the zip bag with the orders and the stick. He did. Desperate times demanded desperate measures and could bring about the strangest allies. Awkwardly, he held out his hand and Ignes looked at it as though she was not sure what to do with it. Then, after a few moments, she took it.

"Keep your head up, Ignes. I assume Raskreia counts on you."
"And I count on you."

Raskreia VI – Werewolf Island, 31th November, 12:00

Father often said that there was no such thing as lesser evil – evil was evil ,yet when she thought of Ignes and the werewolf Lord, Raskreia wondered whether he might be wrong about that one. Pride is only a poison if you cannot swallow it. She could only hope that this decision would not come back to cause her grief later down the road.

The sound of steps leading down to the prison cells pulled Raskreia from her somber thoughts. Ignes looked even more drained than usual, and her nervousness was so intense she could feel it without even trying to reach into her tightly-sealed mind.

"Raskreia. I fucked up." Ignes ran a hand through her short hair and sighed shakily. "What do I do?!"
"What did you do?" This was... alarming, and Raskreia found herself tensing as well. She would even let it slide that Ignes had addressed her by name. If they were in trouble...
"... I almost got caught so... I killed him. And now there is this body and I don't know how to make him disappear! You don't make a warrior just disappear like that!" People would look for him. "... Should I go back? Dump him in the sea? Incinerate? What do I do?"

Raskreia knew absolutely nothing about covering up crimes. What was Ignes' plan, anyway? What did she get caught doing? Too many questions. But for now... She needed to calm her down, or else Ignes would end up arousing suspicion either way.

"Ignes. Breathe." She waited for Ignes to take a couple of deep breaths before continuing. "Tell me what happened. Take your time."
"One of the Noblesse's companions was captured a while ago. Some modified human. I've seen him in action, he.. can hold his own well enough. I was helping him get away so he'd find a way to make Lukedonia and the Union work together."
Raskreia was well mindful of making sure her face did not reveal her disappointment. This … was underwhelming. Ignes, who was always known as bright and ingenious... and this was all she could come up with? Letting someone escape and hoping he would turn the Union into an ally of Lukedonia? But... Ignes looked hopeful. There was so much childish hope in her eyes, Raskreia did not want to ruin it. It was easier to see her hopeful.

"... maybe.. the remaining clan leaders... and what is left of the Union... you know... It's the warriors that are the problem."
"And the Lord?"
A sinister grin appeared on Ignes' face. She must be longing for vengeance. "I was the one who modified him."
And that was all Raskreia needed to know – she did not want to hear the details. There must be some backdoor and that was all she needed to hear, though still, all of this sounded... risky and questionable. But it was better than nothing.

"... Uzhir ran into us. We killed him. I am under surveillance. I cannot afford anyone putting suspicion on me."
"Do not return to the crime scene," Raskreia said and she hoped that this was the right choice. Maybe the body has been found already, or maybe she would run into someone else while getting rid of the one she already had to deal with – it seemed safest to hope that nothing would be traced back to her. However, she still doubted that this could possibly be the best course of action – it should have been no problem to control the mind of someone who was not directly hostile to them. Especially not for a clan leader like Ignes, who, if she was not mistaken, had significant enough powers to shield herself from all attempts at reading her own mind.

Ignes nodded nervously, wringing her hands. "I don't want to go back." Her voice sounded small and she leaned against the bars of the cell opposite to Raskreia's cell. Slowly, the younger noble sank down, sitting up against the cell door. "I want this nightmare to be over."
Raskreia shifted awkwardly as she watched Ignes drop her forehead against her knees. There was nothing she could do, no comfort she could offer. Instead, she remained quiet, and allowed Ignes to gather her wits.

After hours of sitting there motionless, Ignes finally stood up. "There's no use hiding," she mumbled.
"What are you going to do while you wait?" It was an honest question – Raskreia doubted that Ignes was going to sit still and just do nothing.
"... Recently... Maduke said something … hurtful. Something no one is supposed to know. I must find out what else he knows. He might have the answers to the only question that matters to me."

Raskreia watched her and, for a few moment, emotion flared up in Ignes' eyes – anger, above all others. "And what is that question?"
"Why?"

Frankenstein V – Werewolf Island, 2nd December, 09:00

The more strength Frankenstein recovered, the more restless he grew. It was an unbearable thing, to be stuck carrying buckets of water and chopping wood when he did not know what was going on, out there. Not that he would deny this old woman the gratitude she was due – she did save him from certain death out there, after all. He needed to leave this place and find out what happened. He might be safe here, but he never had cared about his safety. Frankenstein knew he had to leave this place.

Finally, he arrived back at the hut and set down the bucket of water he'd brought from the creek a couple of minutes downhill. It was good workout for his body. He needed to get used to effort again, and he felt as though he might be able to make the journey to Lukedonia. He would not have to cross as much water, then, which was the hardest part of any journey.

"Wise woman," he started, entering the hut. He did not know how to repay the debt he had towards her, and thus, it was good that she insisted there was none to begin with. The old woman sat by the small fire, hands stretched out to warm her palms. "I am going to leave and return to Lukedonia."

Her blind eyes stayed fixated on the flames before her. "May the Moonmother guard your way, in that case," she said.
Frankenstein crouched down next to her. Before he left... "You have some personal issues with the Lord, don't you?" That much he could tell from what little he could glimpse of her. A couple of seconds passed.
"I lost both of my sons to him. The Lord destroyed the one, and killed the other, and so I was left with nothing. I am just one of countless people he broke."

Frankenstein nodded and thought of Tesamu. He thought of M-21. Even if he did not share a single drop of blood with them, they were still children to him. He had wanted to see them grow, spread their wings and soar into the skies. He would never see them again, and he understood how this old woman must feel.

"Thank you for your help." He stood up. "I will make sure to avenge your sons when the time comes."