(During Issue 10: agents interrogated WITCH)

"Raymondus, sir!"

Jehan salutes as he recognizes one of the incoming rebels who enter the 'Sanctuary' grounds. The trainees soon stand up as well and salute to Ray as he approaches his resting men.

After a long walk from the dark and seemingly endless tunnel, Ray, Vathek, Alborn and Miriadel finally arrived at the main headquarters of the Rebellion Army at Meridian. Ray then leaves them for a while as he founded the 'Pasture Heights' rebels as they rested and sat around among themselves, on front of a nearby house.

"At ease." Ray replies at them. They then sit and rest back down again on the bricked floor. "How was the operation?" Ray asks Jehan and Rius as they go through the reposing rebels.

"Well to start off, the operation seems like a success, we delivered the most of the prisoners out to the underground as planned, but there was a certain mix-up when all of the prisoners were suddenly free, and they exit out of the front dungeon gates instead." Rius reports.

"Most of us, such as myself, were driven out with the crowd, so we decided to meet here at second rendezvous point." Jehan continues. "It is likely that our missing men were still with the free prisoners or lost to get here."

"You don't suppose they also vanished with the dungeon?" Ray asks with concerned. "We're going to blame Princess Elyon if she does…" he jokes.

"I don't think so. We were at back most part of the crowd and I don't any see anyone left at the prison due to the crowd's excitement." Jehan replies.

"That's good to hear." Ray then asks. "And how about our casualties?"

"No confirmed losses but we've got five missing and only ten wounded, including Atlas. The wounded are already taken care of by that settlement over there." Rius then points to the house on front of the rebels as he leads him to the infirmary.

"Atlas wounded? I expected that to happen." He unsurprisingly replies as he surveys the condition of his men.

"You do?" Jehan asks as he crosses his brow.

"He would always put his life in the line as usual for others." Ray says as he goes into the infirmary where the unconscious wounded and sleeping rebels rested on their beds. As he then closes the door behind him, he then sees Eric at the corner as he sits on a chair and wraps his bruised arms with long bandages inside the small quiet room.

"You look different Eric..." Ray sarcastically rubs his finger across his chin as he meets up with the topless Eric, with a towel over hide head to cover up his face. Ray approaches him as he removes his hood to breathe.

"You think?" Eric annoyingly replies as he removes his towel and continues to medicate himself. "If you were on my place, you could've shown him again your Ninth Technique!"

"Cedric? You fought with him?" Ray asks suddenly. "It seems you once again have the taste of his punches again back in Sheffield's. Was he even planned in our operation?"

"He was coincidentally there to eliminate and execute Alborn and Miriadel, Elyon's parents, he said it to me." Eric replies. "I hope they're alright."

"Coincidentally too, I was with them all the way with Vathek when we made it here to the 'Sanctuary'." Ray replies, and then teasingly grins. "And if you were in my place Eric, you could have also seen Elyon's bright and hopeful attitude! She also thanked me, Eric. You jealous?" he snickers.

"And so I have heard what she did to the dungeon…" Eric smiles as he stands up and wears his inner white garment. "Jealous? I don't think so. I think what relieves me the most is that she thanked you of what we did for her." He smiles.

"Atlas! And—Raymondus." Suddenly, a lizard creature covered with bandages, legionate uniform with a hood on, barges through the infirmary door.

"Grantaire? What is it?" Eric asks as he wears his small vest.

"You've been called by Jolras, Raymondus can come along if he wants to." Grantaire replies as he quickly walks away and closes the door behind him.

"Looks like the industrious Grantaire though battered and previously jailed, is still an active informant." Ray comments as he wears his hood back again as he takes an envy gaze on the resting rebels as they lied down on each of the series of beds. "I wish I could have that same stamina as he is because really I really miss my bed—!"

"You should better lower your voice down." Eric hushes him off as he exits out the door. "Our trainees are sleeping." He sarcastically says.

"You even cared the trainees more than yourself Eric…" Ray hesitantly says as he too walks out the door.

The two Vanguards then walk to the other side of the arced settlements, where the largest house of the 'Sanctuary' is located. It is also where they first met Caleb and were officially recruited as the new rebels.

They once again approached the wooden door under the shadowing canopy. Eric knocks on the door and hears footsteps thump on the wooden floor planks as the creaking noise approaches them. The door opens as a good-looking escanor opens the door. "Atlas…" he greets with a nod.

"Lieutenant Caleb, what a surprise to see you here!" Eric exclaims.

"Will you please hold on and wait outside, I'll just announce your arrival." He instructs.

"Oh alright…" Eric replies as he closes the door and the Vanguards walk at the other side of the porch.

"What déjà vu this turn out to be!" Ray comments as he recalls the first time they met Caleb in the same gesture as he did today.

"I know right?" Eric chuckles. "And we might even meet another teacher of ours you know? The unseen 'Jolras' maybe?" he jokes.

"That's too much of a coincidence. I know Vathek and Sir Marcus were the only Merdianite teachers we had at the academe, so I bet he ain't!" Ray explains and changes topic. "Heck! Everyone keeps on saying Jolras' ever since this rebellion started, yet we never seem him yet."

"Beat's me." Eric repliesas he shrugs his shoulders. "All we know is that he is the head of this 'Sanctuary' and the head of the Rebellion Army here at Meridian. He was not even here when we arrived at his headquarters right?"

"If this was a story, I bet the readers are still wondering on who the heck is this 'Jolras' thing…The chapters keeps on ringing with the word Jolras with no clue or indication of who he really is." Ray breaks the fourth wall. "And if I were a reader, I would really want to find out who this guy really is soon."

The door creaks open as Caleb pops his head out. "Atlas, you can come in now…"then leaves the door open for them.

"If this was a story, I bet there's a plot twist coming out…" Eric comments as he goes in the room as Ray follows him from behind and they remove their hoods.

Like déjà vu, they enter the small conference room with a few chairs and with a battle map on the large table and inside are the key individuals and leaders of the rebellion such as the recognizable Caleb, Miriadel, Grantaire, Vathek and Alborn. On the edge of the table, where the lone principal position of the table is located, is a stout, gruff and stern pale-skinned white escanor with the red hair, thick sideburns, beard and a mustache. He wears in his distinguishable long cloaked-dark blue Imperial legionate uniform.

"Atlas—there is Jolras, the head of his own corps and—" Caleb stops to introduction as he sees fear in the Vanguard's eyes, as their bodies become to tremble in fright. He then senses an aura of nervousness as they slowly lower their heads. "Is everything alright, Atlas?"

"Y-You were wrong, Eric." Ray whispers in fear. "Jolras ain't a teacher! He's Sir Kandor in the flesh!"

"Y-You don't have to remind me! I-I know well who Mr. Prefect of Discipline himself is!"