A/N: Got a bit of bad news. I'm deployed again, but there won't be a hiatus this time around. I bought a Pelican case so I can bring my laptop with me, so there'll just be slower updates until I come back.

Residential District, Arteria

"Damn it, Wazy! This stupid artifact is a pain in the ass!" Kevin grumbled to the green-haired young man sitting across from him. Although his colleague had invited to Kevin to his own apartment for some drinks and relaxation, the talk had inevitably turned to work. "We haven't found a single line about this thing in the Church's archives, and all my leads turned out to be nothing but dead ends!"

Wazy Hemisphere merely nodded and kept his cryptic smile. Although the younger man didn't say a word, his body language clearly invited Kevin to continue.

"You'd think that history buff Thomas could help, but nooo…" Kevin continued to grumble. "He's too busy playing teacher in Erebonia and chasing those stupid Black Records!"

"Come on now, Kevin," Wazy said. "Researching the Black Records is important work…"

"You think I don't know that? He could at least cut down on his drinking time and look into that artifact on the side…" A hiccup cut off Kevin's tirade. "Then there's the Boss' precious 'Toby'. He set up this trap with a few other Bracers and manage to corner Bleublanc of all people. Whoopee! Time for an interrogation…NOT! Turns out he was as shocked about Estelle and Joshua going missing as we are. Not only that, but their Grandmaster doesn't know anything about those ruins. Can you believe that? Something so mysterious that even the Society doesn't know about it!"

"I wouldn't trust the words of an Ouroboros Enforcer that much…" Wazy interjected.

"Hoo boy, then there's Colonel Richard. You'd think the head of one of Zemuria's largest intelligence networks would know a thing or two," Kevin rambled on. "Psych! He doesn't! All he managed to find out was that the senator who wanted the artifact got killed by Yin! Can you believe that? I vouched for Richard, but all I managed to accomplish is burning some of the church's budget just so that has-been can tell me about some fairy tale!"

"I'm sorry, but did you say 'Yin'?" Wazy interrupted.

"Yeah, what about it?" Kevin replied. To his confusion, Wazy simply sat and stared at him for a few moments, his lips pursed as he stifled a few giggles. A few moments later, Wazy finally burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Dude, what the hell?" Kevin was beyond irritated at his host's behavior. "You invited me over to drink and vent, and now you're laughing at my problems?"

"I…I'm terribly sorry, Kevin. I wasn't mocking your plight in the slightest," Wazy said after managing to calm down. "It's just that the Goddess has quite the strange sense of humor."

Wazy then leaned forward until he was right in front of Kevin's face, making Kevin wonder if he was about to pull off some sort of childish prank.

"You see, I know Yin," Wazy whispered, more for dramatic effect than anything else, as he pulled out his ENIGMA II Orbment. "In fact, I can call her right now."

"Y-you're kidding, right? And what do you mean by 'her'?" Kevin stammered, his mood stuck somewhere between shocked and disbelieving. "How did you end up…"

Wazy simply held a finger to shush Kevin up while he held the Orbment to his left ear. Moments later, a faint click could be heard from the other side.

"Rixia! It's Wazy. How have you been?" he said cheerfully. "Listen, I'm visiting Crossbell next week and was wondering if you have some time to catch up."

"Wait, did you just say Rixia? As in, Rixia Mao the famous dancer from Arc en Ciel?" Kevin's jaw dropped as Wazy continued to chat over the ENIGMA. "Don't tell me she's Yin?"

"Yes, I understand that you're a person of interest to the Imperials, but we can still have a good time regardless," Wazy ignored Kevin and continued to speak into his Orbment. "I have an idea…"

Crossbell Entertainment District, One Week Later

The Entertainment District's glitz and glamor had not waned even in the slightest since the last time Wazy had stepped foot in the city. The show still went on despite the chain of crises that had plagued the city, from the cult incident all the way to Crossbell's annexation. The Arc en Ciel troupe continued to enjoy a packed theatre with every show, while the Barca casino still throbbed with the sound of rowdy patrons looking to make some quick miras. Thanks to a few strings he and Rixia had pulled, Wazy found himself sipping on a high-class cocktail in one of the casino's VIP lounges, surrounded by Arc en Ciel's cast and crew.

Just like old times. Wazy mused as he watched some tipsy dancers gushing over how cute Zeit was while they brushed the wolf's fur. Said wolf simply napped in a corner of the lounge and paid no heed to his adoring new fans. Wazy was quite surprised by Zeit's return, considering how the wolf had left Crossbell shortly after the conclusion of the Azure Tree incident. Ultimately, Wazy decided to not dwell too much on the matter, but simply be grateful for seeing yet another old friend. Despite the casino's prohibition on pets, the staff had turned a blind eye to the wolf thanks to a mixture of Rixia's star power and an extra hefty "security deposit".

Wazy's musings were interrupted by the entrance of a stunning young woman with long silver hair and dressed in formal office attire. She was Elie MacDowell, one of Wazy's former teammates from the disbanded Special Support Section and its unofficial second-in-command. After the occupation began, she opted to resign from the police force instead of folding under the wings of the Imperial Army like the police department itself. Instead, she opted to work as a secretary for the Speaker of the Government and assist the underground independence movement from a political front.

"I'm terribly sorry for my tardiness, Wazy," Elie walked up to him and gave a slight bow, a sheepish look plastered on her face. "I had to stay behind at the office for a bit, but it's no excuse to be late to a party hosted by an old friend."

"That's quite all right, Elie. I imagine a lot of your time must be taken up by work…" Wazy winked at her. "Not to mention your hobbies on the side."

"Yes, in regards to that…I regret to say that I will be the only one from our friend circle to join tonight's festivities." Elie pulled Wazy aside and dropped to a whisper. "Things have been tense because of some incidents last week. Randy could not afford to blow his cover while Lloyd and the others are laying low. It might be a good idea to visit them later. Lloyd and Noel are still pretty shook up."

"That's quite understandable. I might take you up on your advice before I go back to Arteria. I got a few days to kill," Wazy said. "All things considered, I'm not too disappointed at the turnout, because it's you and Rixia that I need to talk to the most. Come, let's go find her."

The two of them found Rixia lounging on a sofa chair in the corner, decked out in an Eastern-style dress that perfectly complemented her flowing purple hair. As they pulled two chair of their own to join her, Wazy noticed that Rixia's position gave her an unobstructed view of the entire room plus the entrance, and that her eyes were glancing around like a hawk. Always keeping an eye out for threats and targets. I expected no less from Yin.

"This was a marvelous idea, Wazy," Rixia remarked, a demure smile adorning her face. "While Elie and I correspond on a regular basis because of our mutual interests, we have never had a chance to truly sit down and unwind. Not since before the occupation."

"This what tonight is for: sit down, unwind, and have a good time," Wazy leaned forward. "However, there is an order of business we must take care of first. Rixia, is the room bugged?"

"No, not anymore at least," Rixia replied. "I swept the room clean upon my arrival."

"Very well. Then I shall get straight to the point," Wazy said, his voice almost drowned out by the din from the rest of the lounge. "Some reliable sources have told me you may have been involved in the death of a Calvardian senator. Care to comment?"

"W-what are you talking about?" Rixia suddenly became a lot more defensive than her earlier relaxed self. "I was only in Calvard to visit family."

"Relax, I'm not here to arrest you on behalf of the Calvardian authorities. However, the senator's death did match up with the period you travelled through the same region." Wazy paused and sighed deeply before continuing. "Rixia, I don't want to say I'm disappointed but, but we all thought you had left the assassin life behind."

Rixia's eyes were downcast as she bit into her lower lip. She sat still, seemingly lost in thought as she ignored Elie and Wazy's attempts to get her attention. Her silence was soon broken by a low mumble.

"Rixia?" Elie said. "I'm really sorry, I don't think Wazy meant any offence…"

"…sixty-five ways I could kill you from my seat, not counting my bare hands. I wasn't even trying to focus on that, it just came to me." Rixia's voice rose to that of a low whisper. "I'm so sorry. As hard as I try to embrace my new path, fragments of my old life still cling to me."

"You do realize I'm a qualified clergyman, right?" Wazy said warmly. "If you need help with your old sins, you know who to call."

"I might not be able to help you on the religious side of things, but I'll be here if you need a shoulder to cry on," Elie picked up. "Not just me either. Lloyd, Randy, and Noel will be more than happy to meet up with you. I'm sure Tio will be more than thrilled to get a call from you too."

Another pause followed, but more fleeting than the first one. Rixia finally looked up, right in Wazy's eyes and spoke up.

"I still have connections to the Calvardian underworld. For all their crimes, they still proudly cling to ancient traditions and legends. The reason I was hired to kill that senator has to do with one of them," Rixia explained. "Even as a little girl, my father – the previous Yin – told me of a desert cursed by the Goddess. At the center of it lies a seal that must never be broken on pain of death."

"The seal at the center, was your father talking about a set of ancient ruins?" Wazy asked as he took out a notebook.

"He never told me. The legend is obscure, even in the darkest recesses of the Calvardian underworld. What he told me was the most common – no, the only version of the tale. Any details must have been lost in the mists of time," Rixia shook her head. "I do know this: that senator violated the sanctity of that seal by sending those Jaegers to their deaths, and I was summoned to punish him for his actions. Perhaps those two Bracers were caught up in whatever unholy retribution that followed."

Wazy knitted his brows as he jotted down Rixia's response, underlining the bits about Aidios' curse and a seal.

"Wazy, what do you intend on doing with those notes?" Rixia asked, concern in her voice.

"If you're wondering if I'll turn them over to Calvardian authorities, don't worry. I won't. I'll just bring them back to Arteria and let some experts sort it out. Hopefully this will be a good lead," Wazy said. "The Gralsritter and our friends at the Guild did a little digging and found out the late senator had some connections to both Ouroboros and our old friends at the D G cult. Rest assured, he won't be sorely missed."

Rixia said nothing and nodded gratefully at Wazy. A few surprised and happy yelps caught the attention of all three of them. It turns out Zeit had decided to wake up and began licking the hands of the dancers who were petting him, making them swoon in delight over the friendly wolf. He soon sauntered over towards Wazy and company, the dancers still trailing behind them.

"Rixia! Come on, let's go to the main floor! Bring your two friends too!" a tipsy dancer wearing a garish yellow cocktail dress said. "We're gonna win big tonight!"

"Ladies, we appreciate your invite and your company," Wazy flashed a smile at them. "But please give us some more time to catch up. I've travelled so far to Crossbell to visit these precious old friends, and I can't stay in the city for too long. It'll be a shame if I left here regretting not spending more time with him."

"Look! He's so charming…and mysterious too," Another dancer teased Wazy. "All right, we'll go on ahead. But promise you'll join us later!"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure." Wazy waved at the dancers as they sauntered out of the lounge before turning his attention back to Elie and Rixia who were both looking at him strangely. "Is something the matter?"

"Wazy, I think you really should visit Lloyd before you leave Crossbell," Elie said. "He has a few lessons to learn, especially on – how do I put this – becoming more aware of his effects on the fairer sex."

"I second that opinion," Rixia said. "While it's always an honor to fight alongside him, Lloyd is rather obtuse when it comes to interacting with women as more than just friends."

"Duly noted. In that case, I shall clear my calendar for him in the coming days," Wazy said before pulling out a piece of paper. He unfolded it to reveal the spiked arch symbol Kevin had shown him. "I do have one more order of business to take care of. Do either of you recognize this symbol? It occurs quite frequently along the walls of those ruins that the senator tried to raid. I hope Rixia's knowledge of Calvardian folklore and Elie's studies in Arteria will prove useful in solving the mystery behind it."

Any hope Wazy had about solving the mystery behind the spiked arch was dashed when both Elie and Rixia shook their heads, each apologising and saying they had no knowledge of the symbol.

"I see. Thank you both for your assistance regardless," Wazy said, trying his best to mask his disappointment while Zeit trudged closer to take a look at the paper. Suddenly, the wolf tensed his entire body, growling and barking viciously at the offending sheet. Catching Wazy off guard, Zeit snatched the paper from Wazy's hand before violently ripping it to shreds.

"It's all right! He's just hungry! Can someone bring a menu, please?" Elie said to the other guests before turning to Zeit and helping the others calm him down. "Zeit, what's wrong?"

"I apologize for my sudden outburst," Zeit whispered to the trio after he regained his composure. "That sigil brought back a torrent of horrific memories the moment I laid my eyes upon it."

"What do you mean?" Wazy asked.

"I'm sorry, Wazy, but I vowed long ago to Aidios that I must never speak of the events surrounding it," Zeit replied. "Not even to a mortal servant of Her will such as yourself."

Despite Zeit's refusal to answer any further questions, Wazy still jotted down as much in his notebook as he could. The fact that a Holy Beast of Aidios had reacted extremely aggressively towards the spiked arch was not lost to him. He was already thinking ahead towards his eventual return to Arteria, and where Kevin's investigation would lead to. Still, it would do the investigation no good if he returned to the Holy Seat prematurely. After all, there were a few more people he could speak to.

"Elie, can you give me a quick summary of what happened to Lloyd and Noel?" Wazy asked. "I would like to know ahead of my visit to their safehouse."

"Of course. It all started when he and Noel were scouting the Geofront's lower levels," Elie began. "All of a sudden, they were ambushed by…"

Orchis Tower, Governor-General's Office

"Walking. Corpses," Rufus Albarea, governor-general of the Erebonian Empire's newly created Crossbell Province, went over the two words slowly. "Major Arundel, those two words still perplex me no matter how many times I read this report."

"You and me both, Rufus," replied Lechter Arundel, an agent of the Imperial Army's Intelligence Division. "Those troops threw me for a loop when I interviewed them shortly after the attack."

"If it was not for the fact that you spearheaded the investigation and wrote the final report, I would have recommended the Chancellor investigate the agent for negligence and substance abuse," Rufus said. "Walking corpses marching up to a patrol near Armorica Village and attacking them with rusty Middle Ages weaponry? Absolutely preposterous. Still, I suppose it would do me no good to deny it further, considering what would happen if news of this event gets out."

"Let's see…shaken public confidence in Erebonian rule over Crossbell, religious leaders using it to claim the Goddess is against us…" Lechter held up one finger at a time, as if reciting off of a list. "Increased local support for the insurgency, fuelling further rumors about our glorious Empire being cursed…"

"Enough, I know full well the possible consequences," Rufus said, steepling his fingers on the desk. "What do you propose to contain this?"

"Way ahead of you there. The official reports will say the patrol was attacked by anti-Imperial rebels." Lechter snapped a finger as he leaned back in his chair. "All the witnesses have been offered 'incentives' to keep their mouths shut."

"Good man. I expected no less of one of the Intelligence Division's top agents," Rufus smiled. "If all goes well, this incident could very well erode the public's support for the insurgency instead of strengthening it."

"And Bannings plus his cronies will be in our hands in no time," Lechter said. "Anything else?"

"Indeed, there is. According to your report, every witness had reported seeing a tall figure with some sort of glowing headgear on the hills prior to the attack," Rufus said. "What do you make of that?"

"Probably some forward observer for the rebels, nothing else," Lechter shrugged. "The glowing thing was probably a headlamp used to signal the rest of his buddies."

"Very well, then. I suppose that settles the matter. The Ashen Chevalier won't have to go on a second field study to Crossbell, for the time being," Rufus smirked as he closed the folder. "Care for some tea? The city's Eastern District has some truly unique varieties found nowhere else in the Empire…"