Going into the mission, Erret was sure to temper his expectations for the rebellion. Despite Xander's seeming enthusiasm and the fact that they were the sole magical power in their war theatre, Erret was aware of their other flaws. Beyond their magic, the rebels were ultimately peasant levies. They likely had no true training, and their commanders were likely inexperienced in war matters. Given how easily Noxian Legionnaires swept them aside in conquests and how consistently Demacia's knights matched them... to say he expected that Noxus would do all the heavy lifting was to admit an overly pessimistic opinion, but Erret had half a mind to commit. After all, if Sylas' yapping was any indication they barely even had a chain of command.

But, Erret recalled, rebels were good at some things. Born either from a resentful population aware of their foes' flaws or an ambitions traitor aware of their strengths, rebels often at the start of their rebellion could counter their old masters. By necessity, they were also excellent at hiding, striking from the shadows. There was a reason why Rell's rebellion was feared, and it wasn't just because Rell herself was perhaps the strongest mage that side of the continent. One didn't stumble upon them; they found you.

Unfortunately, like with Rell Xander changed that trend. The Left Hand of Noxus halted in his tracks, raising a hand and stopping the rest of the party in its tracks. Despite knowing better, Erret let instinct take over and ever so slightly unsheathed his blades.

"Where?" The swordsman asked.

"Your left, probably on the approach now that I caught them... they've probably been watching us for four, five minutes?" Xander shook his head, "If only they caught on to our leads. I'll pick em up. Permission to engage, just don't be too rough."

Erret rolled his eyes, "Hurry back here, and I won't have to be."

As his peer disappeared through the shrubbery, Erret turned to address the rest of the party. With Sylas and Larissa scouting ahead and Xander going after them, the saboteur knew he was left with the runts of the party. The two mage kids wouldn't be of help, still shy and she'll-shocked from their encounter with Vayne; he wasn't a leader, but even Erret knew better than to send them out to battle. Happ was, according to both Sylas and Aislynn, a decent fighter, but considering that all he knew about the mage was that he got captured, the saboteur decided to doubt the mage leader's words. The only ones he trusted to be vicious in a fight were Sylas' drüvask, even with it hauling all their cargo, and the ex-soldier Cyrus... and even with his experience the latter couldn't deal with that mage hunter, so back at square one.

Well, it's not like we're fighting an army. I'll be fine, he didn't chuckle to himself like Xander, but as he pondered Erret couldn't deny a wry grin from forming on his face, Hell, I shouldn't even need to lay a finger.

Aislynn stepped forward then, a questioning look on her face. Realising his men hadn't taken kindly to the would-be pacifist's leave, Sylas decided to break her return slowly to her men. That same reason was why Xander and Erret remained with them, not going ahead to herald the revolutionary's return. As such, she hadn't caught on; the slightest glint of worry was visible in her eyes.

"What's going on?" She asked, "We're not under attack are we?"

"Not by a major threat, no," Erret stated matter-of-factly, "A patrol of the mage camp's been watching us for a while, according to Xander. They probably were looping back from a route, hence why they didn't catch onto our guides when they passed by. Xander's getting them now."

Aislynn nodded slowly before glancing to her left; she apparently found something in the shrubs, "... hello? Who's there?"

With another role of his eyes, Erret braced for an answer. Aislynn stepped forward and asked again before it came.

"Hello? It's me, Aislynn... I'm back..."

"And what a bold choice you made coming back."

Seemingly from air, a man appeared before Aislynn with spear pointed at her throat. Behind him a small squad of four other armed men - presumably mages - appeared. Aislynn instinctively backed away a step at the threat, but Erret paid the sudden appearance little care. He only blinked before turning onwards, noticing a curious feeling behind his forehead and eyes. The Noxian fought the urge to audibly scoff.

Gods, how many times have I been caught in an illusion? Just in this operation? Just by Xander, in this operation? That conniving son of a...

The mage dispute continued despite Erret's inner thoughts, so he shifted focus in case anything being brought up was important.

"You shouldn't be here," the spearman warned, "Damn near everyone thinks you and yours are traitors, and I can't help but agree."

"Just because I don't want to kill everyone who's not helping us doesn't mean I'm against you," Aislynn repeated, as tired as she was desperate to convince her old friend, "You can trust me."

The spearman frowned, seemingly thinking it over. His team did as well, but they glanced around, seemingly cautious for other threats. The leader's tense shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, but he ultimately didn't lower his spear. Aislynn sighed.

So did Erret, Why did I bother? Of course they'd just repeat-

"Maybe if was just you, or you and another familiar face," the spearman noted, "But him? How can you speak of peace but bring this... swordsman here?"

"What's it to you, spearman?" Erret replied, his gaze frigid, "Should I doubt your loyalty for using a weapon in lieu for magic?"

"You've seen my magic. Perhaps I'll trust you if I see yours?"

"Shame, then. I've never needed it," Erret sighed, knowing where the conversation would likely turn, "But surely one doesn't need to be a mage to be a rebel, does he?"

The spearman simply changed his spearpoint to face Erret, and his men followed suit. One mage sparked a blazing fist, another ignited his sword. A vine from a tree curved like a worm or snake, and the lastmage simply uncapped his water bottle. Quite a mixed array of mages, yet nothing had changed as far as Erret was concerned.

The Noxian swordsman only froze his glare further, "I've said I don't need magic. I'd rather not prove it to you, but if you escalate..."

"Erret, stop," Aislynn interjected with more will than the Noxian expected as she stepped forward, "Pelin, we're not looking for a fight. And I'm not a traitor. I'd never stoop so low; surely you know that!"

The spearman, Pelin, again hesitated. But, before he could decide on a course of action, a cloud of smoke separated him and Erret. Erret flinched at the sudden burst of magic, unsheathing his blade halfway as he glanced at the smoke's source. His sword returned fully to its sheath again; there was no need for it.

"If you won't trust them, trust me," Happ stepped forward, retracting his magic quickly, "I can vouch for them. At the very least, they're still helping mages. There's no need to fight."

Pelin blinked in surprise, "Targon's peak, you're alive? You've been gone for months..."

"I had issues up north. Loyalists sent the Dauntless up there for some reason, and I got caught," Happ admitted, "I wouldn't be here without their help. Maybe they're not trustworthy anymore, but that counts for something, right?"

Pelin relaxed, "... Alright. I'll trust you that far, I suppose, but... so what then? Are you coming back, Aislynn?"

"That's... still in discussion," Aislynn decided, "But, we'll be in touch, at least. My people, who're based in Meltridge... this swordsman's group, who're posted nearby, and the rebels."

"Swordsman's group... and which group would that be?"

"My boss can explain better," Erret replied, "Though I wouldn't be too worried. Your boss is already basically in agreement with mine."

Pelin squinted, "My boss?"

A gasp from one of the other mages might've answered the question, but was too preoccupied with shock and awe, "No way..."

Pelin glanced to his man, then to where he looked, then widened his eyes, "S-Sylas?"

The spearman dropped his tool, and his knees soon followed. He bowed before Sylas as though the Unshackled was a king, which, to be fair, he might as well have been; he was defying one, and he was the founder of the rebellion movement. Pelin's men, seemingly as weak in will, followed suit and knelt on single knees.

So much for a prideful rebellion, Erret couldn't help himself and snorted, What was that phrase Xander mentioned, cult of personality?"

Sylas seemed as disgusted as Erret was amused, gazing down at Pelin with disappointment.

"... clearly some work still needs to be done with you," Sylas commented, and Pelin flinched, expecting punishment.

It didn't come: Sylas pulled him to his feet with a cordial chuckle, "We're not in your swine father's house anymore, Pelin. There's no need for bowing or kneeling or calling me lord... we're all brothers and sisters in this revolution."

"O-of course my l- Sylas," Pelin chuckled, "Sorry, just... I guess I reverted to bad habits. It's been rough around here."

"So we have heard."

Even behind his smile, the drop in Sylas' mood was visible. The Unshackled all but restrained a sigh as he turned to face Xander, who dropped in from a tree branch. From the smirk on his face, Erret suspected the Left Hand's thoughts mirrored his own. Contrary to Erret's expectations, however, Xander didn't address the issue as stood by Sylas.

"Couldn't help but notice you threatening my buddy, mister Pelin was it?" Xander mused, "Don't worry about it, it's pretty understandable."

"You're his boss?" Pelin's joy at reuniting with his leader seemed to fade instantly as he addressed Xander, "Are you a mage?"

Xander's eyes glowed momentarily with power, but Sylas was the one who spoke, "He is a mage... and much more. He's promised us aid, but it's a bit more complicated than that."

"Complicated how?" Pelin's eyes narrowed, suspicious.

The Left Hand answered unhelpfully, "You'll see," before turning and rising back up the trees, a red mist and an unnaturally dark shadow following him.

Happ, to his credit, mumbled, "He's the one who saved me. Well, him and Sylas... it's a long story."

"Which I'll be happy to recount with the rest of the men," Sylas shrugged, seemingly looking for a distraction, "Larissa showed us vaguely where to go, but since you've been here whilst she's been gone, well..."

"We'll show you the way, si- Sylas," Pelin laughed at his barely caught diction quirk, "Gods, its been too long. Its good you're back."

"Good to be back," Sylas smirked, "Now, let's bring on the good news."

As the mages continued onwards, Erret couldn't help but frown at Sylas' words. As he followed, Erret couldn't help but muse that they were entering the lion's den. And unlike when Yin went with Xander to the Meltridge mage encampment, they didn't have a pacifist ideal to protect them. But...

Sylas won't pull the plug on us. If he does, at the very least Nocturne'll escape, and with Yin at Falconclaw along with a shield of Demacia's best, apparently, well, it'd be too much of a risk. And that's only the worst case scenario... yet knowing Xander...

Erret shook his head to free it of doubt, We'll make it out alive. We always do.

And yet, Erret couldn't help but be comforted by his scabbard's ever present weight.

And he says he isn't their leader... well, good luck convincing them of that.

Xander couldn't help but snort at the digression their party had been lead through. The original plan was for Sylas to make a straight line for the nearest elevated area and hype up Xander. But, from every corner of the hideout came old friends and the grateful saved; Sylas had tried, but eventually he couldn't ignore the mob. From then on, the situation devolved, and ten minutes after arrival, Sylas had been pulled along practically every square inch of the cave except the grandfire pit at the camp's center.

Naturally the rest of the party followed. Happ was also welcomed as a hero, with some assuming he had found Sylas. Though Happ corrected those claims, the celebrations continued and Xander was left ignored again. Not ignored were the two mage kids, Cyrus, and Aislynn, who were all shy, though for different reasons. The kids were still reluctant to open up, Aislynn was too guilt-ridden to defend the little negative attention she got, Cyrus was holding himself back from defending Aislynn too hard...

And poor Erret grew more tense with each passing minute.

Yeah, when we get back to Sharpstem, Gerris and I will have to take a short vacation to Sharpstem. Bedroom's gonna be a quarantine zone, but honestly, Erret's deserving of it. Gods know I've put him through the ringer. Heh, as if what Yin's going to do won't be considered a ringer in and of itself.

Having noted the plight of his peer, Xander had descended from the canopies and into the camp proper. With Sylas' attention on everyone else and everyone else's attention on Sylas, the Left Hand figured he could've tripped and fallen onto a whoopsie cushion the size of a car and nobody would've noticed. That was to Xander's mischievous side's liking; why wait outside the crowd like a normal person when you could sneak in and give the man a reminding slap, like he deserved?

Well, again, doesn't deserve it, he just got pulled for the ride. But anyway, my turn to pull.

It wasn't too hard to set it up. Step one was find a part of the road which was elevated enough for Xander to address the crowd, or close enough where they could simply redirect to the camp center as planned. From there, a voice and some illusory magic was needed. The Left Hand ended up using the voice of a kid; one sat on the shoulders of a man standing next to him. Though the effects weren't immediate, what with the rest of the crowd still shouting in the revolutionary's ear, Sylas eventually did move to where he heard the voice. He shook the hand of the father and ruffled the boy's hair with a cordial smile, and moved on-

Face first into Xander.

"Oh, sorry about th-" Sylas blinked as he realised who was in front of him, "Xander? W- what are you doing here? I was going to call you-"

"Were you? Cause it's been more than ten minutes. We're probably reaching twenty, actually."

Indignation was masked by Sylas' previous cordiality, adding up to what looked to be genuine embarrassment on the Unshackled's part, "... I was-"

"Being a leader for your people, I understand," Xander relished the spark of being caught in Sylas' eyes before moving on, "Anyway, should we get started here, or move on to camp center?"

Sylas didn't have an immediate answer, allowing an awkward silence to settle in. Or rather, quieting; some noise still came from rebels asking the questions of who, from where, and how. The silence lasted a slight bit longer than Xander would've liked, but eventually Sylas broke it.

"Well, I suppose you're all wondering who this is," Sylas centred himself with his statement of the obvious before continuing, "For one, he is the one who found me across the border."

The Unshackled's natural charisma didn't have a long charge-up time; he quickly took on the posture of a preacher as he spoke, "He and his companion braved the winds of the Freljord, found me amidst a blizzard and helped me in my return. I suspect some of you have heard of the fall of Aron's Defiance to a tribe of Iceborn. That was his victory; it was he who with guile and wit convinced those raiders to turn their wrath on the Mageseekers and their swine protectors!"

Though approving hums and smiles appeared in the crowd, Xander couldn't help but note the jab Sylas made.

So now I'm to blame for the Iceborn raids? Dickhead... but I suppose in the grand scheme it'd be for the best...

"Indeed a triumph over the Dauntless Vanguard is a great achievement of this would-be new blood to the cause, but there is more to him than that," Sylas continued, his tone dropping low and suspicious, "He is indeed a mage; by our blood and shared oppressors he is a brother to us. But as you know, he did not join me when I first rose up, nor did he join you in your time of need... He's been late to the party, and, I fear, acting selfishly."

Was that last part necessary? Well, I suppose you have to balance out the ass-kissing you did earlier...

"More than the fall of Aron's Defiance, you all may know of him from a less recent incident. Save for our brave spies deep in the swine pit, we have not made action against the King in his city. But this man, him and his partners, have. They shamed our oppressors, spitting in their faces where they thought to be invincible! I may hold suspicion for only spitting when slitting the throats of those tyrants could've been done, but I cannot deny his boldness and ability for doing so."

Again, weigh me down and raise me up with the same breath, Xander glanced around, and found many understanding gazes falling on him. He rolled his eyes and thought to his shadow, You have the go ahead.

Not yet, came the reply, Sylas can do better.

You think so? He's not doing bad so far, but sure.

Sylas noticed the sounds of comprehension from his audience and continued, "Yes. That famed scoundrel who our king now fears: he stands before us now!"

Well, I'll be. Guess that's your queue.

With a snap of Xander's fingers, smoke emanated from the Left Hand's body. A pale white glow overlaid his eyes and dark steel materialised around his shoulders and arms. The smoke whirled over Xander and solidified into seemingly solid muscle.

As Nocturne materialised, Sylas finished his introduction, "He is... a complicated figure: his presence has filled me with many questions, and he is privy to many secrets, one in particular being quite a black sin. Yet, for his service, I have lent my ear to him, and I know implore you do the same. I introduce: Xander, the Demon Host!"

As the cheers of the other rebels filled the cavern, the Unshackled quickly glanced to Xander, "This better be worth it."

"I'm sure I can get something for the taste," Xander mused, "But I did say you didn't need to embellish. Why bother?"

"Well, if I'm right about the Freljordians, then you have nothing to worry about."

"And if I'm right?"

Sylas smirked, "You're up."

"You're an ass, you know that?"

With that complaint, Xander stepped past Sylas to face his audience. All the blood staining his hands, faces he'd met, and politics he'd braved didn't quite prepare him for the expecting eyes pointed his way. At least in Meltridge the eyes were dismissive or hostile, like those of an opposing army. These were eyes of wondering, expecting great teachings or a simple guide. Whilst Xander had played guide to many Noxians before, it was never over the number of twenty five - five squads of Noxians. This was a small army, about a whole war-host; more the specialty of the Right Hand of Noxus.

"Well... greetings!" Xander cleared his throat bashfully before continuing, "You all now know my name; Sylas did a good job introducing me... so, before I dump all my secrets out and expose myself, anyone have any specific burning questions?"

After a brief pause, a hesitant question was raised from a child in the crowd, "Are you a monster?"

"Well, I'm human. People have called me monster before, and whilst they may be right, then for some of them a word doesn't exist to describe their terribleness," Xander smiled when his short jest prompted some chuckles, "I just have a demon as a friend; one who sometimes possesses me to make us more powerful. Now, is my demon friend a monster? Perhaps in the past, it's true. He was and is a demon, and that species of spirit is naturally inclined to what we call evil. But nowadays? He won't bite. At least, unless I need him to."

"What does he eat?" another child asked, somehow sounding more naive than the last.

Xander glanced up to his demon, and Nocturne answered, "I can feed on your joys, or your sorrows... your hates, your fears, or joys and memories..."

"Demons eat emotions," Xander simplified, "Fear is easy to create and particularly potent, hence why many demons become evil; scaring and killing make for efficient feeding. But, I've been putting Nocturne on a diet, and as it turns out the good emotions that don't need threats or bloodshed to produce are in abundance."

As hums of understanding echoed, Nocturne added, "Those negative emotions have also lost their taste for me."

That comment brought louder laughs from the audience, and Xander couldn't help but feel jealous. Said envy died quickly, along with the laughter. Nocturne explained again.

"Thank you for the meal."

The next barrage of laughter lasted longer, though Xander did notice some concerned faces in the audience. When silence reigned again, he continued the interview, "Anything other questions?"

Unfortunately, the next question was the one that Xander didnt want to answer, "What's this black sin that has the boss worried?"

Xander hesitated, trailing off and taking a seat on a stone outcrop, "... Eheh, well... I'd hope to have a few more questions before answering that one..."

Silence only reigned for so long before it sunk it on Xander that there was no avoiding the issue.

"Well, in short..." Xander sighed before finally admitting, "For the past four years or so... I've been a Noxian."

The Left Hand braced for the deluge of outrage surely to come his way... except it wasn't surely at all. No cries of anger came - at least, not yet. Only gasps of confusion and shock echoed through the cave. Some vocal members of the audience questioned themselves aloud, but otherwise no signs of escalation occured. Before paranoia could set in, the Left Hand of Noxus continued.

"I'll repeat again, just in case you didn't hear: I've been a Noxian for the past four years. I wasn't always one; I was born in Demacia as a mage, like most of you. Only, I didn't have a leader like Sylas to turn to. I was... quite fortunate, admittedly; I was born in the city, with all the nobles. Was friends with the current king for a time... but living there meant sharing air with Lord Eldred, master of the Mageseekers. Needless to say, I didn't last long, but I got enough out of the aristocracy to learn how to fight."

"And so, you went to Noxus?" Someone interjected, confused at what would've been a jump of conclusions.

The Left Hand corrected him quickly, "Not immediately. I wandered the country doing odd jobs here and there for quite some time, and ended up getting drafted for the Argent Campaign. After being caught by the Noxians, well... to say I had a choice would be a lie. Live and serve a different empire that, at least, would value me for what I was rather than scorn me, or die; either to Noxus or to the Mageseekers. I made my choice... and now I'm back here."

"Are you here to recruit us for your empire?" A man with a rough accent asked, derision in his voice, "We didn't turn on one tyrant to turn for another."

And yet, all those authoritarians who think you lot as sheep would have a field day with your Sylas worshipping...

"Thankfully, you won't have to," Xander replied, "As it is currently, the Empire's focusing on more pressing threats. Some internal politics, threats to the south and east... they don't want to conquer Demacia, as that would take away resources from where they're needed. But, between the anti-monarchical sentiments of many within the Empire, the potential avenues of manipulation this rebellion brings up, and the simple fact that this chance to claim the moral high ground on their would-be rivals may never rise again... they had to send someone, no?"

Nods of understanding made the audience appear like a whack-a-mole machine. Some doubt lingered in the air, but it was far from the hostile response Xander feared, so he would take it.

"Demon host!" The man from before broke through the mumbling and pointed out, "You still haven't answered my question! What are you doing here?"

"Ah, my bad, I do often digress," Xander rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, hoping it painted the picture of an honest mistake. He then continued, "Anyway, to answer that question, I'm just here to offer my assistance how I see fit. Now, Noxus doesn't much care whether the king restores his order to the kingdom or if Demacia disintegrate to warring factions. As long as they aren't bothered by roving bandits, they don't care. But, I do care about how this rebellion turns out. Despite my current allegiances, I am still a Demacian-born mage. I want to change this country for the better, and that means making sure we mages get our just desserts without burning everything down."

An even cruder-sounding man of the crowd noted another issue, "So, if you don't want to burn everything down, do you want to kill the king or nah?"

Xander froze up, sighed, then answered honestly, "... Ideally? Yeah, I'd rather he lived."

That brought some disgusted noises and even some boos from the crowd, but Xander continued.

"Now, I'll admit, I've got some bias here. I was raised with the man, after all. That's lead me to believe he's a good guy at heart-"

More boos, but the Left Hand had survived death-stares from Swain. He continued, unperturbed.

"But just because I once called him friend doesn't mean I won't let him off the hook," Xander let out a mental sigh as the boos faded, "As a prince he's failed us mages by letting the nobles fatten themselves at their people's expense, and by failing to stop the Mageseekers. As a king, he's only gotten worse, giving more power to both of those groups in exchange for a false peace of mind. He believes doing this will solve his rebel problem, but he's failed to understand that you all have chosen to fight because of what he continues to do. This rebellion seeks to attack this kingdom's problems at their corrupt sources, and regardless of what you think of me, I will make sure it succeeds. I promise you all that."

Though few in number, some men gave ayes of approval. Others nodded, whilst most remained silent and content. That was until the next question: one more to Xander's liking.

"What will you and your Noxian friends do to that end?"

"Other than what we've already done? Well, for one, we can bolster your spy network greatly," Xander smiled, "First, I'll let you in on a little secret: a noble house key to the distribution of petricite has been a Noxian plant all along. With that influence, we've got direct access to basic troop movement, which you lot can use either for evasion or ambushing. If any major characters like nobles and generals are on the move, you'll know. My associates' spy network can also get you new recruits; I imagine some mages have been hiding, not wanting to risk the seekers' wrath and not having anyone to help them. We can change that."

"Along with this intel, naturally with the power of a noble house we can get you guys more essentials and better gear... not that you'll need us for the former..."

With that point, Xander glanced to Aislynn. Though the rebel dream mage looked like a deer in headlights upon making eye contact with Xander, the Left Hand continued, "Speaking of my dream magic, I'm sure at least some of you have noticed some old friends returning. Whilst negotiations are still being made between them and your boss, my understanding of dream magic - in particular, dream linking - means we can organise our forces far more efficiently than the loyalists. Dream linking also means dear Lynn and her people can teach you how to use your magic more efficiently. Having seen where they've settled since leaving you lot, I can assure you all: they know how to be self sufficient. You won't need to go stealing markets ever again!"

That brought more optimistic hums out of the audience. Whilst some sent venomous glares to Aislynn, still salty at her sort-of betrayal, most seemed impressed at the claim Xander made. He continued to his last point.

"Finally, as can be expected from us Noxians, we can also lend a hand with some muscle. Now, let me preface: we won't be supplying you guys with a legion's worth of veteran Noxian warriors. But, given my notoriety just this far in, I'm sure you can all tell I can do some major damage just on my own. And not just me and my demon. I'm sure you've noticed my buddy with the two swords over there? Say hi, Erret!"

Erret's glare was cold enough to freeze molten lava as he did as requested, "Hello, all."

"He's a little rough around the edges, but that's kind of the point," Xander chuckled, "Dare I say it, he's among the best swordsmen on the continent. And he's quite the saboteur as well. Along with him I brought two others from Noxus. Our old mentor, a man named Gerris, can offer his teaching skills to you if you wish: he won't be able to make you lot the martial equal of the Dauntless, but once he's done those shiny bastards will be the only force you need to worry about. And he's mean with damn near any weapon, so there's that too. And lastly... well, not my place to say that, but the Lady Yin Noradi, a key ally of ours in Noxian politics, has joined us. She's a prodigal blood mage, and she can share that art with you if you request it. Sylas can attest to my abilities with blood magic: with it I can strengthen myself to match a bull's charge or regenerate from fatal wounds. And that's just me; I'm relatively average when it comes to blood magic. Perhaps some of you will be better than I... if you seek that knowledge."

"These assets are what I have to offer you," Xander concluded, "And might I repeat, I will be fighting for the rebellion no matter what. I wish to see a better Demacia; one where the ideals I was raised on actually ring true. You may not trust me, or may even despise me for who I had to ally with to survive, but ultimately, I assure you we all want the same thing. I will fight on against the Mageseekers and loyalists, and so will you, no doubt. So, why not fight together? Let me join your cause, and I will bring you victory."

To Xander's dismay, no final cheer of approval came. The opposite didn't come either, thankfully, leaving the cavern filled with nodding heads, hums of consideration and shrugs. Some smiles littered the crowd, as well as frowns of disdain.

The man who asked what Xander was going to do summed up the sentiment, "Sounds good... guess if the boss is fine with it?"

The man's aloud pondering caught some steam, and the statement was repeated with different diction by an array of other voices. Xander felt his body relax with relief, then glanced to Sylas. It was all on the Unshackled, and there wasn't much reason to doubt; he had given him the stage in the first place.

"Well, if you all don't mind, then you're in, Xander!" Sylas' gaze turned disdainful and cold as he turned his attention to the Left Hand, "...If you don't talk about it."

What? So I'm in... if I don't talk about... what?

... oh. Heh, Xander covered his smirk with a hand and turned away before his disposition could deteriorate further, Hehehahah! He caught it before I did. That's just too funny...

Hm. Well, obviously I won't bring up the boss conundrum, at least not right now. But there surely is another wayto be a little troll.

Xander turned to face Sylas again, a wide smile on his face as he addressed the revolutionary.

"So I'm in? Thank you, you honour me greatly. I will serve this rebellion with all my being; it is what's expected of me..." Xander bowed, then sent a mirthful smirk to Sylas, "As your new brother..."

Sylas' eyes widened more than Xander had ever seen previously, and more alarming, the Unshackled was sent into a coughing fit. Covering his mouth with his oversized shackles, Sylas approached and put his unoccupied arm over the Left Hand's shoulder. When the coughs stopped, disbelieving laughter roared out of Sylas' throat. The audience naturally joined their leader, giving the Unshackled time to address Xander secretly one final time.

"I swear, I'm going to kill you," Though Xander took note of the threat, he also did note the genuine smile of amusement on Sylas' face.

With that statement, the Unshackled turned to his audience again, "To our new brother-in-arms, Xander the Demon-Host!"

When Yin was invited for lunch by Kahina, she thought little of it. After a morning preoccupied with teaching Kahina's men the intricacies of using petricite (of which there were many, Yin had learned), the hemomancer hadn't had the chance to discuss the details of Kahina's personal mission with her. A private meal would suffice to meet that end.

Were that it did, and that the meal was private. Lunch wasn't just with Kahina; as their appetisers had come in, so had Quinn. The ranger's abrupt entrance had made Yin jump in her seat; given that Quinn and her bird partner had gone off at daybreak to search for Quinn, Yin had no reason to believe they'd be back so soon. That she'd returned so early, combined with the disappointed frown that graced her face, told Yin the results of that search. But again, that was to be expected. Rarely were things ever that easy.

But all too often, Yin figured, things could get harder in a hurry.

Before downing small buttered bun of bread, Kahina asked Quinn, "You were in the capital when that demon attacked it, right?"

Unaware of Yin freezing up next to her, Quinn answered, "I was... what about that asshole?"

"Messages from High Silvermere came just after you left. One for me, one for you. Both from Captain Crownguard," Kahina swallowed her snack then took out a scroll, "I suspect yours is similar, but mine mentioned that Captain Crownguard thinks the demon was present during the attack at Aron's Defiance."

"He was? Shit..." Quinn unfurled her letter, gave a quick read, then put the paper aside, "The damn thing just has a thing for the Crownguards. Once this is done, you'll have to escort Sona back home yourself; Garen wants me scouting the area just in case."

"I'll get it done," Kahina frowned, "But can you? I mean, you and the whole royal garrison got in this thing's way and he still escaped. Surely the Captain can assign you some men? Maybe I can spare some men?

"It's just a recon mission," Quinn's frown was tight with discomfort even as she waved off the help, "If I see him, I'm just to report back to the captain ASAP. And I'll still be in the country; sneaking into Noxian territory's a lot more dangerous, I think. I'll be fine."

"If you say so..." Kahina didn't seem convinced, "I'll pray for your success. A monster trying to assassinate the king in such a tumultuous time doesn't bode well; better get it out of the way quickly."

"Well, the demon wasn't after the king, and it wasn't really an assassination," Quinn corrected," More of a kidnapping... or blackmail? Well, I wouldn't know what the blackmail's for..."

"I heard some gossip in court that Luxanna knew Sylas before he escaped," Yin took her moment to contribute to the conversation; better speak of her own accord than be dragged in abruptly. When the two knights glanced to her, the hemomancer continued telling her half-lie, "I was actually in the capital during the attack. Lady Elia and I had some business with army logistics that day, and our schedule got screwed over by the investigations the next day... I naturally had to ask around about the attack the next time I went to the capital, and Lux was brought up quite a bit."

"She was involved. In fact, she may have been the main target, but with that demon escaping we can't say for certain," Quinn explained, "The demon and his human body snuck into the royal apartments and got to Lady Crownguard, then tried to escape with her."

Kahina raised an amused eyebrow, "I assume the Grand Marshall wasn't present for this?"

Quinn chuckled, "If she was, I'd probably have had to save the demon. Anyway, I got in the way of the demon's escape; broke through the window with Valor, then chased..."

The ranger grimaced, "Then that bastard caved Val's ribcage in..."

Kahina's eyes widened with concerned, "What? But he looked fine to me..."

"Well... The healers at the capital did an excellent job," Quinn looked off, troubled.

Well, it wasn't your healers, Yin took a sip of her drink to hide her own frown, My magic was in those petricitebottle caps, so it would be more accurate to thank me. But alas...

As Yin mused internally, Kahina caught Quinn's troubled expression and countered, "Our healers - non-magical healers - healed a shattered ribcage and had Valor flying again in a week?"

"Well, I exaggerated, it wasn't Val's whole ribcage..." Quinn's poor facade finally fell at Kahina's probing gaze, prompting a sigh from the ranger, "But yeah, it wasn't just our healers. He helped as well."

"He?"

"The demon," Quinn's face contorted in a confused snarl, "I still don't get it. He snuck into the castle, harassed Lady Luxanna, and fought through damn near the whole garrison. But he didn't kill anyone, and he kept dropping little vials of some red healing mist... it probably helped him fight, but some of the men in his way got their limbs cut off. They'd still be off if not for the potions he lobbed their way."

"And so would Valor's chest be compressed?"

"Yup. It's a mess, and honestly if someone else could deal with that guy, I'll buy them the fanciest drink I can afford."

"From what I heard? I think I'll chip in," Kahina remained silent after that statement, washing down the last of her meal before abruptly chuckling, "I'll have extra cash, after all."

"Your shield are betting on the demon?" Yin questioned "That seems... inappropriate?"

"We knights only look noble and proper for briefings or balls," Kahina joked, "Though I suppose us Illuminators are shinier than the rest. But, we're still human; we need our fun as much as anyone else, and it's not like we're out to bankrupt each other."

Quinn nodded, a more genuine smile on her face, "What're the odds looking like?"

"Well, most of my men think he's a Noxian of some kind," Kahina noted, "But, well, from what you've said, and from my experience, it doesn't seem so likely. No Noxian would be so merciful. So, our odds are looking good."

It took all of Yin's self control to not laugh at the confidence Kahina made her incorrect claim.

Nope, they aren't. Not even close.

Kahina continued, oblivious, "Damian and his squire think they're just a Demacian-borne mage, helping the rebellion. Kanan and Sid think the demon-host bit's a lie; that the demon possessed some poor guy's body to blend with society, and plotted the rebellion from the start. Not bad ideas, admittedly, but I have my own theory I'm betting on."

"What's that?" Both Yin and Quinn asked.

"That demon you fought was actually Sylas."

This time, Yin couldn't contain her her laughter. At least, not fully; rather than her usual stream of giggles, a short chortle came out. Thankfully, Quinn laughed too, and the hemomancer's cover wasn't blown.

"No, hear me out," Kahina said, pride unblemished in the face of their chuckles, "A powerful mage versed in stealth with great interest in the Crownguards? That description fits only one person in the world."

"Right, and we've never seen the two of them in the same room," Quinn mused sarcastically, "Honestly, I could name three issues with Sylas being the demon off the top of my head."

"Really? Hit me."

As the de-facto sisters argued over Kahina's claim, Yin watched silently and reflected.

Well, at the very least, Quinn's noticed Xander's focus on the Crownguards. It shouldn't be too concerning to his plans if they don't know about Lux's power, but if they start investigating Lux and find the mage among them... Well, they shouldn't: Tianna Crownguard's likely putting a lot of effort into keeping that secret.

As for Xander himself... nobody still knows who he is, but it seems the Noxian theory's the most popular. Because of course it is. Always gotta be difficult... but then again, Xander did say he wants to paint the loyalists of being so terrible that Noxus is preferable. If everyone knows from the start, then...

Well, it's still gonna be hard. Quinn naturally hates his guts, but everyone else's convinced it was an assassination attempt of some kind. Never mind that nobody got killed... surely the military would brag about that victory? No losses in putting down a demon? Well, no, they didn't put him down, but...

Whatever. By tomorrow morning I'm sure Xander'll have a plan. He'll have a whole dream-night for it, so-

"What about you, Yin?"

Yin snapped out of her reflection and replied, "Sorry, Quinn?"

"What's your bet?" Quinn asked, "I'm joining the Demacian-mage theory. You?"

Yin paused, feigning thought. She knew the answer, of course, but whether to act on it...

Well, there's no risk. I probably won't be around them when the truth's revealed, and if I present the specific answer in the right way...

But I probably shouldn't commit...

The hemomancer hummed before deciding, "Sorry, I have to be boring. I'm going with the Noxian theory."

Kahina's smile curled a tinge with a teasing mood, "Not much of a payday you're looking at, then."

"Lady Elia's support's all I need. I'm easily content," the hemomancer lied through her smile, "And I do think it's the most likely answer."

Quinn rolled her eyes, "Boooring..."

"Well, let me change your opinion; here's my special theory," Yin smirked, "What if: it's both. What if it's both a Noxian and a Demacian? A traitor bad enough to seek a demon's help, but still Demacian enough to not want to kill his fellow countrymen. How about that?"

Quinn's eyes refocused to Yin before the ranger shrugged, "Still boring if you won't commit for the bet. But, it is better than Kahina's theory."

The Illuminator-knight feigned a look of betrayal, "It's not that bad!"

The Ranger-knight pounced on her friend's poor diction, "Oh, but it is bad?"

"No, it's a perfectly sound, possible theory!"

As the two friends squabbled again, Yin couldn't help but smile. It was clear how close they were - basically sisters - and it only made sense. Quinn had been sponsored by the Buvelle family in her youth, and given her presence she was either already privy to Sona's secret or was a close enough friend that she joined in regardless. The close sibling relationship brought a genuine warmth to Yin's heart, not to mention memories of her childhood to her mind.

They maybe more ignorant of the plight of their subjects, and they be too concerned with stupid shit like tradition and the sort compared to home... but they're good people. Friends, family, just doing what they think is right. Shame they're wrong, at least in the big picture. But surely they see that, right? Surely some part of them thinks the mageseekers are in the wrong, and need to be shut down?

Well, I suppose that's why Xander dragged us along, Yin sighed, but a smirk surfaced on her lips, They can't solve their own issues, so we do it for them. And in doing so, show Noxian supremacy by showing up our would-be rivals. Or something.

But that's on Xander's plan working, and there are quite a few hurdles on the way... so let's see what happens. Honestly? I'd hate to have to kill these guys, so here's hoping they go through...

Xander's buddy Erret summed up Aislynn's thoughts more naturallly than she ever could've.

"... I mean, holy fuck, you did it."

"Never a doubt in my head," came Xander's reply.

"Bullshit, I saw the gears in your head when you had to fess up about us," The swordsman smirked - a strange look for Aislynn, who'd gotten used to Erret's normal stoic look, "But, I can't really judge. I'd already plotted the deaths of a warband's worth by the time you got to that part."

"Whole warband? Sheesh. Well, good thing nobody else around here knows how much that'd be."

"Well, it's probably a lot, so shut up about it," Cyrus butted in, "Not like you have a demon to rely on right now."

"Nocturne's gone?" Erret raised an eyebrow then sent an impressed glance Cyrus' way, "Nice catch. When was this?"

"Just before dinner," Cyrus and Xander answered simultaneously, but the latter naturally gave more context, "Since we're relatively safe here, I sent Nocturne to update Yin on our situation. And I mean, how else was she going to join us for the dream meet?"

"Right," Erret nodded and remained silent, a smile slowly forming on his lips.

"This meeting will purely be business," Xander smirked his trademark shit-eating smirk, "You can have fun when we get back to Sharpstem."

"Right, right," Erret seemed unperturbed by that order, "We'll keep it professional."

Cyrus squinted, then shook his head, "You know what? Sylas can keep us waiting longer-"

"Apologies for that, Cyrus."

Well, speak of the devil and all...

Sylas strolled into their war tent with a proud gait and a wide smile, yet it was less ego than would be expected of someone given the messiah treatment. Flanking him was Larissa and an array of other familiar faces. Clyde glanced Aislynn's way and gave a cordial smile, almost making up for the death glares Aeson and Heron sent her way. The two hydromancers and pyromancer took their seats opposite Aislynn, whilst Larissa sat at Sylas' direct left. Xander sat at Sylas' right, and on his right was Erret, Cyrus, and finally, her.

"I was just picking this up," Sylas continued, raising a tied-up scroll and handing it to Xander, "Apparently, Aeson here managed to steal this from a patrol he intercepted. Should be troop movements for the next week."

Xander gave the map an extremely brief look before rolling it back up, "We'll cover it in the dream. Now... who wants to go first?"

"First?" Aeson raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean first?"

"We just take a nap in the same room, right?" Clyde assumed, "That's at least how we did it with Aislynn before, and she's here now. Two of you working together with Sylas should make it easier."

"Well... sleeping in the same room, or hell, even the same building would suffice. But, I've got a spy in Falconclaw right now: they've been in contact with the Illuminator Knight shield that arrived last knight. My demon's gonna be calling in from town, and they won't be able to join us if we just sleep around," Xander explained, "For a shared dream of that distance between more than just a pair... I need to draw some runes. They won't be temporary, and can be put on an arm, leg, whatever. So, who will it be?"

Sylas simply stretched his arm, and Xander got to work. Aislynn watched attentively, memorising each line and angle as best as she could. Thankfully, it was a simple shape, and Xander moved on quickly to Erret. As Xander traced the rune on his friend, the mages who followed Sylas also watched. Aislynn looked to their reactions. Clyde and Aeson watched with vague interest, but Heron glared.

Xander noticed as soon as he was done and raised the question, "Don't trust me, mister...?"

"Heron," the pyromancer frowned, "My sister and I served in the Argent Campaigns."

"And neither my buddy here or I were Noxian soldiers serving then," Xander shrugged, "I... probably shouldn't say I'm sorry for your loss?"

"She's not dead... at least, not yet," Heron muttered, "She got captured by the Mageseekers. But just because you and yours didn't kill us doesn't mean I trust you."

"Then just use me as a pawn to get what you want, which I assume is what Sylas wants," Xander walked over to him, "So... you first, or last?"

"Just do it," Heron rolled his eyes, "Let's not waste more time."

Xander paused, then smirked, "I'll get your trust eventually, you'll see."

Aislynn frowned. I doubt that very much.

Heron remained silent as Xander applied his rune, and his glare didn't fade as Xander finished his applications. The Noxian dream mage offered a hand to Sylas, who shook it, taking the power it promised gladly. As Sylas flexed his limbs, which glowed a light indigo, Xander took his seat again with a sigh. With a salute, he fell limp to the floor.

A feeling of vertigo followed, and Aislynn soon found herself in a familiar dark void.

The smoke cleared up quickly, giving way to a sterile white wall. Aislynn blinked, turning to find a small lobby of an architecture Aislynn hadn't seen in years. Concrete, cheap black carpet, and frames of glass painted a nearly monotone scene, with only a few plants at the corners providing color. Leaning against a wall at the end of the lobby was Xander, clad not in any wear she'd seen in Demacia or Noxus. Instead, a comfy black hoody and blue pants covered the man's form.

"Not Ashley this time?" Xander asked.

"Before those nights at Meltridge I hadn't dreamt of myself as Ashley since... nine, ten years old?" Aislynn sighed, "My Demacian body's too familiar, I guess."

"Hmm," Xander shrugged, "Dunno what I was expecting. You had started the meeting yesterday, and if you were back to being Ashley Sylas probably would have had more questions."

"Was that why you separated me?" Aislynn tilted her head, amused, "Just in case I showed up in my Earthly form?"

"Aren't I so considerate?" Xander chuckled, "Anyway, let's go."

Thankfully for Aislynn, as the dream mages continued through the dream, the architecture gave way to more familiar materials. Concrete gave way to stone brick, and carpet gave way to wooden planks. No longer was the dream's interior that of a 21st century office building. Instead, the architecture closely mirrored the average Demacian inn, only cleaner and shinier, as if washed and wiped free of all dirt and dust.

Through ornate doors the two dream mages entered an office, at which the mages were already seated. Sylas stood at the head of a large table overlaid with not a paper map of the region, but a relief carving built into the table. Glowing over the map were blue lines, likely meant to represent the troop movements Sylas had sourced prior. At the table's rims were mugs of fine drink, though as Aeson drank from his he glanced to Xander with both amusement and disgust.

"I'm assuming those girls you sent our way were old lovers or something?" he asked, before glancing to Aislynn, "I knew this guy was a killer, but a pervert too? I'm not sure I want to be associated with a guy like this, so why were you fine with it?"

Aislynn gaped at what she was told, and she couldn't help but send a disdainful look Xander's way. The Noxian shrugged, uncaring.

"One, she found me. Two, what with the high expectations? I'm Noxian now, remember? Three, do you actually have proof that I'm doing anything disgusting within my dreams? For all you know, those girls I sent were for your pleasure, not mine," Xander chuckled, "Don't look into it too much. I'm already trusting you into my head for this dream; I dare say going further than what I've got counts for invasion of privacy."

Sylas sent a tired, slightly ticked off gaze the Noxian's way, "Noted. So can we start now?"

Before Xander could answer, the doors opposite where he and Aislynn arrived through burst open. Though the two faces that came through were familiar to Aislynn, a shade of white hair and crimson lipstick caught her off guard. Erret and, if Aislynn recalled her name correctly, Yin, entered the room with smiles wider than Aislynn ever recalled them ever having. They moved to join their Noxian comrade, but were stopped in their tracks when Xander sent them a disarming gaze. Aislynn could understand why, even if she judged Xander silently for hypocrisy.

Still, the slight glow of reflecting sweat on Yin and Erret's face and the latter's lips having their corners smudged red was quite a shameful sight.

Are all Noxians like this?

"Tsk, tsk... Well, at least you still have your clothes on," Xander shrugged, "Erret, wash up your face. Yin, let's begin. Any new things to report on?"

Yin cleared her throat as Erret vacated the office, then continued as though nothing had happened.

"Quinn searched the southern rivers, roads, nearby forests this morning, didn't find Sona. Based on the Mageseeker reports Lady Kahina had me steal, she hasn't been caught-"

"Hold on, hold on, who are you, who's Kahina, and what's the situation here?" Aeson interrupted. When Yin and Xander sent glares his way, he raised his hands in surrender, "I didn't get briefed on the op at Falconclaw. What's going on?"

Larissa frowned, glancing to the white-haired woman, "My bad there. You want to take this, miss...?"

"Yin Noradi, though if you see me out there I'm Yin Sha, and will be using brown hair dye. It's my cover... and I'll go over it," Yin sighed, settled into her seat, and started from the beginning, "Few weeks ago, I was called over to Falconclaw by Lady Kahina Buvelle. Illuminator Knight, heir to the Buvelle line, sister to recently disappeared famous musician Sona Buvelle. According to all official sources Sona dissapeared when mages attacked her recent performance at Argentine Town. Truth is, she's a mage, and Lady Kahina and her friend Ranger-Knight Quinn are here to make sure she's somewhere safe. You got all that?"

The mages nodded without complaint. Well, those who weren't in the know: Sylas and Larissa remained still, eyes watching the map as if applying the new information to it mentally.

"Excellent. Now, onto the new stuff," Yin stretched before continuing, "Firstly, the reason I was trusted by the two knights was because they figured they could trust a mage refugee from Arbormark. But, because their trust and the trust of other nobles will be useful going ahead, I won't be helping you during the actual skirmish. Can't break my cover."

"Should we directly attack you to give you an alibi?" Aeson joked.

It was poorly timed: Erret returned with a smile that promised suffering, "Maybe we can all leave with scars after this; memento for the fight... I can make yours deep, if yo'd like."

Xander chuckled, "No need to worry, Erret. Ideally, the only ones suffering casualties will be the Mageseekers."

"But there aren't any Mageseekers in play?" Yin pointed out, "Though, Sona isn't here yet, so that could change..."

"I think they should, but first, continue, Yin."

"Right. So, secondly. As I mentioned earlier, Quinn spent the morning searching the lands south of Falconclaw. Given where Sona came from, traveling by river could've been an option for her, if a bit riskier. Clearly, Sona thought this and must be going through the north-eastern roads... Quite a quick ride for only a few days, but she'd have the cash to find a good enough steed."

Clyde hummed, "That sounds right, but... should we be so quick to count out the rivers?"

"Sona's arguably the greatest musician of the age, and that can largely be attributed to her instrument; her Ionian etwahl," Xander noted, "To say she'd be very recognisable puts it likely, and she's wanting to keep a low profile. Asking for a ride at a port would raise alarms, what with heightened mageseeker awareness."

"Then there's the disembarking process. If nobody asked questions when she got on the boat, when she got off someone would. And for all their respect for the Buvelles, that likely will be end of the road," Yin added, "Also, from what I hear, she's one of the more popular bachelorettes in the court. Even if she hides her identity, a pretty face will garner attention."

Clyde remained silent, so Yin continued, "So, the rivers aren't a likely route. That leaves the roads, and of those, it's hard to say which road she'd be going down. King's Road, even with its popularity, is a potential option, but she'd have had to have left early, what with the taskforce from the Capital coming up here. Perhaps..."

Yin's ponderings went silent as Sylas' head snapped up in attention. The Unshackled walked over to a corner of the map, estimated, and soon from the floor came a new stone growth that added a new location to the relief map. It was a small hamlet surrounded by dense forest, seemingly only accessible by river. Sylas then looked to Clyde and asked a question Aislynn herself now wondered..

"Is Edelfelt's Grove still operating?" Sylas asked.

"Three recruits from there since you left," Clyde answered, "It's a potential avenue."

"Hold on, what's this about?" Yin asked.

"Edelfelt's Grove. Founded by an ex-Illuminator thirty odd years ago," Sylas explained, "Their specialty was getting people in and out of the kingdom. Needless to say, mages before the rebellion would've wanted in... and my old master knew about it."

"From when you were working for the seekers?" Xander assumed.

"Yes... he never shut down the operation cos as far as he was concerned, mages leaving was fine. Only got pissy when the mages were coming in," Sylas recalled, "We only ever visited because often it was the criminals who had to leave, and obviously the old seeker didn't want that."

"So it's a secret port... Sona could've gone there, but how would she know about it?"

"That's the one issue with this possibility," Sylas admitted, "But there is still a chance. After all, Lady Sona's adoptive parents were quite the personalities. Lady Lestara was of the Illuminators herself; she could've known old Edelfelt. And I have to imagine these escape plans were made not just by Sona but by her sister and parents, and possibly Knight Quinn too."

"We can't know for certain with guess work," Xander stated, "We need to send someone up there. Or perhaps, a pair. One of the dreamers and someone who knows about the place. Perhaps you and I, Sylas?"

"That could work. A scout to who knows, and a dreamer to keep us updated. But, if Sona's to be coming in soon, we need to get there quickly. And if she won't be there, we need someone who can regroup quickly..." Sylas glanced again to Clyde, "Clyde, think you could make it there in a day?"

"Less, if the river's calm enough," Clyde nodded, "So, me and the Noxian?"

"Could do well, but..." Sylas grimaced, then glanced to Aislynn, "Lynn... could you go with Clyde?"

Aislynn frowned, Still not trusting of Xander, are you? So I have to step in his place...

Sylas sighed, "I know you don't want to fight, but-"

Aislynn waved him off, "I can do it. We're just watching and reporting, anyway. I can do it... though I have to point out: if Sona's showing up there, the Mageseekers might be on her tail. If they do, I'll be damn near useless."

"Cyrus can tag along, then," Clyde shrugged, "One extra or two, I can make it."

"Then its decided. Clyde, you, Cyrus and Aislynn will head to this Edelfelt's Grove to scout it out," Sylas declared, "Now, moving on... What're the rest of us going to do when Sona shows up..."

"I think it's obvious," Heron snickered, "Sona's going to be here, and her swine sisters are going to pick her up. We rain on those nobles' parades. Yin, was it? What's the number of the force at Falconclaw?"

"A single elite shield for directly serving Buvelle, then the normal garrison has five shields," Yin answered, "Add to that heightened recon and quick response capabilities with Quinn in the area... What's your plan? We can't just storm the castle."

"That's just not true," Heron smirked, "We've got a man on the inside, you, and Falconclaw's rivers mean Clyde can do a lot of damage. Not to mention Larissa, two Noxian soldiers, a demon, and-"

"It's a terrible idea, and for the record I don't intend to participate in this mission," Xander muttered, "We could paint Falconclaw red with blood, but that's just a bad look for the rebellion. It's the start of the rebellion all over again."

"And what's wrong with that?" Heron questioned, "You're here, Sylas is back... we need to remind the loyalists that their days are numbered with a decisive victory. Surely you'd want a part in that, Noxian. Unless you were lying during that speech of yours?"

"A victory? Yes. Numbered days? No," Xander pinched the bridge of his nose then explained, "If we massacre a town, the commonfolk will fear us. From there, the loyalists get stronger, because they'll claim to be able to defend the people better if only they get help in return."

"And telling the Mageseekers our plan won't do the same?" Sylas noted, "Why do you want them present?"

Xander smirked, "Well, how else can we get Sona on our side?"

Sylas squinted, "I don't follow."

Neither do I, Sylas, neither do I.

"If Sona gets to her sister, they head back home. We get nothing, they get some petricite, we waste time and effort," Xander explained, "Now, obviously, we can change that. We could attack, but from there people die and we give support to the loyalists. Not to mention Sona might get killed in the crossfire and we lose a potential ally."

"And adding the mageseekers to the mix changes that?" Aislynn asked.

Xander smiled, "Why yes, it just might. See, what Kahina and the rest are ignoring is that even if Sona gets back to the Buvelle manor, the Mageseekers only need a warrant to search it for a mage suspect. Sona isn't really safe, and even if she is, I doubt she'd want to live under house arrest for the rest of her life. Bring in the mageseekers, and they'll be forced to face the truth: nowhere is safe for mages in Demacia anymore."

"Then we get to be the heroes," Erret continued, "From there, if we're a step ahead, we can counter the mageseekers' attack. We kill them all, overwhelming force. Then, when it's just us surrounding the Buvelles, we offer a new option: Sona can join us in fighting against the system turning her home against her and so many other innocents. Or we can just escort her out of country; she's not a fighter, after all."

"Either way, another thing is since we have Mageseekers present, the targets we kill won't be missed," Xander noted, "The Illuminators are still respected, and as the heir of perhaps the most beloved Demacian noble in recent memory, Kahina Buvelle's a respected figure. Fighting them's also a bad look for us. Meanwhile, the only way the Mageseekers look like good guys is having mages appear to be a problem. As it is, with them tearing down doors for no good reason and harassing people, they're the monsters. And with them on the field, we get to be monster hunters."

Xander then looked to Sylas with his shit-eating smirk, "So, are you convinced?"

"... your plan is sound," Sylas admitted, "But, why don't you want to fight? Don't you want to be the hero?"

"I could've sworn I told you this already... if I, the great demon, am associated with you lot, that public image won't be as pristine. Monster hunters letting the big one get away, and all, " Xander explained, "But don't worry. I'll be helping my own way."

"How's that?"

"Having you lot when attacking Falconclaw would help, I don't need it," the Noxian smirked, "I am the demon, after all. And that petricite Yin brought... looking useful, no? If not for you and I, Sylas, then at least for asset denial."

"So that's it?" Aeson wondered, "Clyde and the pacifists recon Edelfelt's Grove, you go sneak into Falconclaw on your own and steal the petricite, and we somehow get the mageseekers to investigate the Buvelle party?"

"Well, no. I think you guys should make like Quinn and scout the roads. Rotate around, make it either to Falconclaw, here, or Edelfelt for midday and midnight for reports," Xander shrugged, "Sylas, any complaints?

The Unshackled snickered, "This how it's done in Noxus?"

Xander surprisingly shrunk up, seemingly embarrassed, "Well, mostly? Guess being in my own head's getting to me."

Erret snickered, "You're still plenty imposing outside."

"Well, whatever your norm is, I can't complain thus far," Sylas said, "Your plan's looking promising... but we still haven't won yet. You sure it will work?"

"When it comes to persuasion as a Demacian, I suck shit. Pleading to morals, honour, that stuff? Can't do it," Xander shrugged, "This, though? Manipulation of events, and, of course, kicking ass? Dare I say it? Leave it to the professionals."

"Humph," Sylas crossed his arms, "We'll see. Now, brothers and sisters, are we all in agreement?"

Yin and Erret rolled their eyes. The latter mumbled, "Not your brother..."

"Well, you aren't a mage," Yin snickered, "As the Noxian sister here, I'll say I agree."

Clyde shrugged, "Same. Should be fun."

Aeson snickered, "Could be funner. But, fine, sure, I can do recon."

Heron silently nodded.

Sylas glanced to Yin, "Well?"

"It's a better plan than killing everyone, as per usual..." Aislynn smiled, "Fine then. Just like old times. I concur."

"Just like old times," Sylas smiled, "I suppose, with that, this meeting is adjourned. Tomorrow we get started. It's time to get back to work."

Author's Note: Barely made it, but I'm hitting my quota. Hope you enjoyed, and see you in two weeks!

...Hopefully: I suspect Arcane might mess with my schedule.