The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

by CloudFry

The world Velvet Crowe once knew has changed. Now, the only way the former Lord of Calamity can achieve her goals is to play along with the rest of the sheep. Cloaked in self-hatred as a monster borne of irredeemable sin, Velvet is determined to twist the young Shepherd into a tool to suit her needs through whatever means available.

23. C22 - Judgement

Chapter 22 – Judgement.

Lightning flashed through the pitch-black night and briefly outlined the city outside, followed by a fierce boom of thunder that rattled the stone floor of the room. The storm raged on beyond the darkened windows lining the walls, the patterned stained glass rattling noisily with the deluge of raindrops assaulting it. The repetitive sounds echoed endlessly amidst the empty atmosphere of the deserted library within.

Shadowed bookshelves stood solemnly amidst the vast, empty room, arrayed in rows down the length of the rectangular space, accompanied by hanging ladders and tucked-in stepstools that allowed for better access to the vast troves of knowledge cradled within. Carpets of luxurious red rested on cold stone underfoot, trailing between the bookshelves towards deserted reading spaces and empty reception desks standing vigil amidst the pattering rain. Darkness gripped the silent library in a bitter chokehold, subjecting the space to the company of nobody save the chaos of the brewing storm outside.

"BIEN! Why haven't you done anything?!"

The squealing shout bounced off the vaulted ceiling, rivaling the thunder outside in its intensity. His eyes wide in shock and horror, the hat-wearing normin called Bienfu hopped forward on the table while raising his paws incredulously into the air.

"If what you've said is true," he cried, "then Velvet, who's just recently returned, is going to go head-to-head with a full-powered Shepherd all by herself! That's pure craziness, even for her!" Outside, another rumble of thunder resounded across the night sky, shaking the foundations of the castle itself while punctuating the normin's statement.

The shirtless seraph he had addressed leaned back against the stone wall behind him, crossing his arms. "You haven't been following her like I've been, Bienfu." Zaveid replied, giving the normin a serious look. "Trust me, that Shepherd means more to her than just some ordinary tool for her to use in saving Maotelus. The same can be said for what the Shepherd thinks of her as a supposed Lord of Calamity."

"So it's fine if they duke it out?" Bienfu shot back incredulously. "No way! If there's anything I remember about Velvet, it's that she doesn't take half measures. Letting her settle things with a Shepherd is just asking for trouble!"

Zaveid's expression darkened. "I know."

He glanced away, staring past the table Bienfu was standing upon. Another flash of lightning occurred outside, briefly illuminating the vibrant colors of the books arrayed upon the shelves and of the red carpet layering the floors beyond.

"This is just something that those two need to sort out by themselves." The wind seraph's words were simple and blunt. "...If one of them dies, then they die."

Bienfu stared incredulously at him. "Wh-what?! You're so cold, Zaveid!" he yelled. "I thought you had more heart than this – don't you care for people you once knew?!"

Before Zaveid could respond, a different, feminine voice rang out above the pattering of rain on windows, drawing their attention.

"Clearly, he does."

The two seraphim turned to find another normin calmly pattering on the plush rug towards them, a hefty-looking tome almost the size of herself in her grasp. Grimoirh perfunctorily adjusted her glasses with her free paw as she came to a halt on the floor before the two of them.

"Grimoirh!" Bienfu greeted in surprise, tilting his head down at the newcomer. "I thought you said you were gonna look into Leo's research?"

The other normin let out a long-suffering sigh, giving the two a sharp look. "Well, the two of you were making such a detestable racket," she grumbled, "there was simply no way for me to reasonably pursue my studies."

She sighed again, shaking her head as she nodded her head towards Zaveid. "Well, never mind that. As it stands, you ought to know how much thought Zaveid gives to his former acquaintances." The lenses of her small reading glasses reflected the light of the single burning candle up on the reading table as she adjusted them again. "His attitude and actions regarding Eizen should speak clearly enough in that respect."

The wind seraph in question let out an amused hum, waving his hand in the air towards her. "Hey now, don't start getting any funny ideas, lady." he drawled. "That sorta talk defeats this whole aura of manliness that I've got going on, you know?"

"...Oh?" Grimoirh's expression was cast in metal. "Then perhaps you should act more like a properman and show a lady such as myself proper respect." she replied smoothly, each syllable dripping with clear contempt. "You'll regret it otherwise."

Zaveid gulped. "G-geez." He hunched his shoulder slightly as he averted his gaze away from the piercing eyes of the much smaller seraph. "Nice to see you too."

Meanwhile, Bienfu hung his head and sighed as he sat down on the table with a dejected plop. "Then that means we just have to sit around twiddling our thumbs, hoping things work out?" he mumbled helplessly. "I don't like this... it gives me bad feelings all over."

Grimoirh's gaze turned to him. "That woman, as I recall, was one with obstinacy and stubbornness beyond what I could have possibly imagined." she recalled succinctly, shifting her grip on the oversized book in her paws. "Simply put, if she has remained who I remember her as, then Zaveid may well be correct in saying that this is the only chance that she has left."

Bienfu tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Only chance?" he parroted.

She nodded in confirmation, her wrinkled hat bobbing with the movement. "A thousand years may have passed, yet it would seem that Velvet Crowe has yet to conquer her greatest weakness." The female normin glanced off to the side, humming in thought amidst the constant pattering of rain.

"...Some things in life just can't be helped, Bienfu." Grimoirh eventually said, glancing at her fellow normin. The fickle flame of the candle simmered gently in the reflection of her glasses. "You should know that better than most." she reminded quietly.

A flash of sorrow surfaced in Bienfu's gaze.

"Bien." he mumbled, closing his eyes in defeat as he let his head hang. Outside, another clap of thunder boomed, the sound rocking the surrounding stones of the library and echoing off the vaulted ceiling above.

After a pause, he shook his head dully with a dejected sigh. "...You're right as always, Grimoirh." the normin agreed dejectedly.

She let out a huff of amusement. "Of course I am." With that, she turned away from the two seraphim with her book in hand while letting out another lengthy sigh. "Oh, how things never change..." Dismissing the thought, she shook her head and set off into the darkened abyss of the library, leaving the two behind in the corner.

In the wake of her departure, Bienfu shook his head tiredly, absently tapping his two paws together in front of him. "Miss Magilou..." he whispered softly, the infinitely familiar words old and stale on his lips.

He sighed quietly amidst the renewed silence, slumping further in his seat on the table. "I really have to wonder what Velvet is thinking..." he pondered aloud, listening to the sound of the storm outside. "It must be hard for her, coming back to a world where everything she remembered is gone."

Still leaning against the cold stone wall, Zaveid raised his head and pointed his gaze in the direction of the darkened windows of the library, watching the droplets of water stream down the red and white panes of stained glass. A flash of lightning lit up his expression, staring out into the darkened distance as if he could see beyond the pall of night.

"...Reckoning, huh?" he mumbled to himself. After a pause, a humorless smile broke out on his face as he shook his head, dismissing the thought.

With that, he pushed himself daintily off the wall, raising his bare arms up into the air while letting out a loud and obnoxious groan. "Ah... Hey." The wind seraph gave the normin a cheeky grin. "I've got a mind to pay Leo a visit for some cards. Wanna join?"

Bienfu gave him a sour look. "Is now really the time for that?" he grumbled.

"Awe, don't be such a killjoy, Bienfu." Zaveid grinned, giving the hatted normin a playful nudge that sent him stumbling forward in panic. "It's dark and scary out there." he complained. "What could possibly be a better time to curl up next to the fire and play a little strip poker with just us men?"

Having caught his footing, the normin's eyes widened as much as they could as he whirled around in astonishment. "S-strip poker, bien?!" he yelped. "B-but I'm normin, and you're hardly wearing anything!"

The shirtless seraph's leer was predatory as he leant forward. "That just makes things more interesting." he purred. "Besides," he added, raising his index finger to tease the lip of Bienfu's hat up a few inches. "You're wearing a hat. That counts, doesn't it?"

Bienfu slammed both paws upon his top hat in horror. "No, no, NO! Absolutely NOT, BIEN!" he squealed, leaping off the table in a panicked retreat.

The wind seraph chuckled indulgently, shrugging in the wake of the normin's departure. "Fine, fine." he drawled as he followed, casually extinguishing the lone burning candle behind him with a wisp of wind.

The pouring rain beyond the now-darkened windows of the library intensified, accompanied by a screeching wind that assaulted the banners of the Rolance Royal Army hanging off the castle walls outside. Thrums of thunder coursed through the land as the storm raged on, wreaking havoc upon the sprawling city of Pendrago amidst the all-encompassing darkness.

---

A cold breeze slipped between branches and leaves overhead, causing spots of washed-out moonlight to dance in fickle patterns upon the overgrown soil below. Insects dwelling amidst the foliage on the forest floor chirped repetitively among themselves, carrying out foreign conversations amidst the cover of night. An owl hooted repetitively into the cold air, its calls echoing off the trunks of the trees and resounding hauntingly throughout the stagnant forest.

It was quiet.

The footfalls of the intruders rang out as they approached, stepping over roots and ducking under branches as they followed the overgrown path between the shadowed trees. In the distance, past the cluttered foliage, the shimmering lights of the capital city could be seen; a floating beacon amidst a void of dark waters. High up above, the full moon blinked at them from its perch amidst the starry sky, watching the Shepherd's group through sporadic gaps in the canopy as they traversed the winding trail in silence. Somewhere in the distance, a lone wolf began to howl.

She awaited them in the clearing that once cradled a meadow of white-petaled flowers.

Uncovered raven hair spilled plainly down from her shoulders alongside her tattered black jacket, shrouding her as a menacing silhouette standing at the center of the barren clearing amidst the azure moonlight. The polished metal of her gauntlet blade housing on her right wrist glinted as she crossed her arms, her amber eyes hard and cold as she watched them emerge from the forest.

Sorey held her gaze as he came to a halt upon the barren ground of the clearing, his right hand resting firmly upon the pommel of the brown ceremonial sword hanging off the side of his belt. Behind him, the cloak woven with the regal marks of the Shepherd rippled slowly as it trailed his movements, complementing his boyish appearance with heroic patterns of white and blue.

Their breath misted in the cold air before them, being wafted away by the chilly breeze disturbing the leaves of the oak trees towering over the clearing as they faced each other amidst the silence. High up above, the full moon continued to shine – a lone, silent spectator to a fated encounter.

Dirt crunched loudly as Mikleo took a firm step forward, his expression hard and determined as he faced the hellion down. "The game's up, Velvet." he declared solemnly, his voice resounding throughout the clearing. "You've been manipulating Sorey ever since we first met, feeding us lies and half-truths from here all the way to Rolance." His eyes narrowed. "You betrayed him, without a thought to how much you would hurt him – without a care in the world as to how much he trusted you as an ally! A friend!"

Mikleo's staff appeared in a flash of water mana as he grasped it in his two hands, readying his stance for battle, a fierce expression on his face. "Enough is enough!" he yelled. "Sorey isn't a tool! I'm tired of watching my friend suffer at the whims of a manipulative hellion such as yourself!" His grip on his staff tightened in pure frustration as he glared at the emotionless monster standing across the clearing. "This has to end, right here, right now!"

The Shepherd himself glanced to the side towards his childhood friend in the wake of his outburst. "Mikleo..." he breathed.

On the other side of the barren clearing, Velvet's arms fell to her side as she uncrossed them. "I agree." she said matter-of-factly. "It's time." She tugged at the straps of her gauntlet blade housing on her right wrist. "Time to decide whether this Shepherd of yours lives or dies." Her gaze was unyielding and cold.

Rose narrowed her eyes, resting a hand on her hip, the green ornaments dangling off her outfit waving amidst the soft breeze circling the clearing. "Felice fessed up about everything between the two of you." She frowned, studying the hellion with furrowed brows. "And from what she told me, it's clear that you're not a saint, but you're not exactly evil either. I've known Felice for a long time; I trust her judgement."

Metal squealed on metal as the assassin's daggers flashed into the night, held at a low ready as Rose fell into a fighting stance, a determined fire in her eyes. "Regardless, this guy's the best thing this world has got going for it at the moment. Besides, he's a pal of mine." She jerked her head towards Sorey with a casual smirk on her face. "So when it comes down to it, if you're threatening Sorey, then that's more than enough reason for me to take you down." She flashed Velvet a confident, businesslike grin. "That's a promise from a member of the Scattered Bones!"

At her side, Alisha held her hands together, distraught. "...I still can hardly believe it." she admitted softly, sadly examining Velvet's callous demeanor. "Even after everything that everyone's told me – even after hearing the words for your own mouth... I fail to believe that the Velvet that I had come to known alongside Sorey last month was a complete falsity."

Ruined soil crunched underfoot as she transitioned into a combat stance, drawing her lance as she held the foreign hellion's gaze. "...But if you are so determined to threaten Sorey's life, then I have no choice but to take up arms against you." she finished grimly, tightening her gauntleted two-handed grip upon her weapon. "Such is my duty, as Squire, and as a Princess of the people, and a friend of Sorey."

"Velvet, please!" Lailah called, stepping forward urgently. "Whatever your intentions, I ask that you please reconsider this course of action!" The prime lord shook her head, conviction in her eyes as she faced the strange hellion. "I now see why he spoke of you the way he did, all that time ago. You've opened my eyes to even more truths of the world, even after all the time that I've spent alive." A flame burned in her imploring gaze. "There must be another way for us to avoid this conflict and to reach an agreement! Our end goals are similar, after all!"

A strong wind picked up in the aftermath of the seraph's words, throwing the surrounding trees into disarray and filling the silence that followed with rustling foliage and groaning branches. Velvet's cascading hair waved to the side amidst the winds behind her as she shook her head slowly, refusing Lailah's words. "No. This has to be done." she returned resolutely.

Her hardened gaze flitted over all of the people standing before her. She crossed her arms, pursing her lips.

"Heldalf is holding Maotelus captive." she announced plainly.

A shocked silence followed in the wake of her statement, broken only by the sounds of the breeze slowly losing strength amidst the cold of night. Lailah looked away, closing her eyes quietly.

Sorey's eyebrows had furrowed in deep thought as he ruminated over the hellion's words and their implications. "Heldalf and Maotelus are connected?" he mumbled quietly. He narrowed his eyes in confusion at Velvet. "But... how can a hellion control the strongest of the Five Lords?"

His eyes abruptly widened. "...Wait! You don't mean...?!"

Velvet shifted her body weight to the side as she evenly returned his disbelieving gaze. "Why do you think I went through all this trouble?" she scoffed. "If I had been able to, I would have torn out the throat of Heldalf the first chance I got." She lowered her eyes, holding her bandaged arm out in front of her and clenched her fingers together in a tight fist.

Shadows encompassed her expression, obscuring the cold fury in her eyes. "...But nothing less than a Shepherd of the upmost strength and power could have a chance at severing the link between Heldalf and a corrupted Maotelus. A chance at purifying an Empyrean overrun with malevolence. And that is what I need." Her lips were drawn in a thin, determined line. "To that end, I'm not afraid of doing what needs to be done. I will do what I judge best to achieve my goal. No matter the cost."

Standing by Rose's side, Dezel's lips were drawn into a frown as he stood as still as a statue, silently listening to the woman's words. "...No matter the cost, huh?" he muttered.

Velvet's expression lost its edge for a brief moment as she glanced to the side, finding the earth seraph standing quietly at the edge of the group. "...Edna." she addressed softly. "Don't hold back." She tilted her head to the side, a sardonic, self-deprecating smile flitting on her expression. "No regrets, right?"

Edna's lips pursed in utter frustration in the face of Velvet's stubborn determination. She let out a sigh of resignation, lowering her opened umbrella to hide her face from view as she too fell into a fighting stance. "...Idiot." she muttered.

Finally, the former Lord of Calamity's gaze fell upon Sorey himself. "...Shepherd." she addressed directly, her breath misting into the cold air. "Prove to me that you are strong enough to take down the Lord of Calamity, and to save Maotelus." She drew her right foot back, smoothly falling into a fighting stance while holding Sorey's eyes. Her amber eyes were hard with indomitable will. "This time, I won't be holding anything back."

Sorey nodded slowly, himself wrapping his fingers around the pommel of his sword. "I understand." he replied. The metal of his decorated blade screeched as he deliberately drew it from its sheath, holding the weapon at a low ready by his side. "I won't either." he promised solemnly.

"All of you." Velvet's voice addressed the rest of the group. "The same things goes. Fight me with everything you have." An unnatural, dark pall began to overtake the moonlight clearing, sending shivers down their spines. A sudden gust of wind whistled as it picked up speed, whirling around the area at volatile, shuddering speeds that sent the nearby foliage into a rattling frenzy. Malevolence began to seep out from the very earth itself, rising like a putrid mist into the air to be caught by the vortex of winds swirling around the lone hellion. "If you fail..."

She jerked her head up, her blood-red eyes pulsing with fury as she wrenched her left arm high into the air. "I'll devour you and doom this world to centuries more of darkness!"

Her enormous, grotesque claw erupted out from her left arm as she released the full extent of her domain without a hint of restraint. An enormous shockwave of wind exploded outward from her being as if spurred on by a hurricane, accompanied but an overwhelming wave of purple miasma that engulfed the world in a suffocating embrace of sin. Bolts of violet-red lightning surged through the unnatural storm, accenting the chaos with blinding flashes that drew stark shadows upon the trembling earth below.

His jaw stiffening amidst the chaos of his former friend's unrestrained domain, Sorey set his jaw and stepped forward, steeled determination in his stance. "Let's go, guys!" he yelled out into the storm, driving his friends and allies into action. Together, the Shepherd's group charged headfirst into the malevolent chaos, rising to the challenge as one.

CLANG!

The wickedly sharp steel of her gauntlet blade slammed against the metal of his ceremonial blade, sending brief sparks flying into the darkened hell surrounding them. Almost instantly, the hellion then slammed her right hand on the dirt and swung her left leg up into the air, deflecting the princess's lance with her hidden boot blade. The sound of squealing metal was followed by an unhinged battle cry as the monster twisted her body around, engulfing the world before her with her enormous claw. Trailing energy drew bright-red claw marks in the malevolent air as the unstoppable appendage forced Rose to leap backwards to avoid being devoured.

The screaming wind continued in the background as Velvet abruptly jerked her body into a backflip, a few strands of raven hair being cut off by Sorey's blade as he slashed in the air where she'd been standing. Still falling in midair, the hellion twisted around and lashed out towards the Shepherd with a vicious kick. Metal sparks flew once more as her steel boot smashed against his hasty guard, briefly illuminating the world before it plunged once more into darkness.

The howling wind roared amidst the surroundings as Velvet touched back down onto the ground, only to fall into a leap to dodge Rose's singing blades. Her blood-red eyes pulsed visibly as she abruptly lashed out with her hellionized arm into the open air.

The arte that Dezel had shot towards her slammed into the palm of her moving claw and was completely redirected as she spun around, releasing the seraph's arte towards his allies. The projectile of wind mana was propelled towards Rose, accompanied by a fierce whistle.

The assassin leapt away from the explosion of wind mana with a graceful backflip, slipping through the blades of wind as if it were second nature. The moment she landed however; she was confronted by an enormous claw of blood red.

CRASH!

Velvet was forced to abandon her charge and leap to the side as a fierce explosion of fire mana erupted between her and her quarry, the shockwave rattling the earth below with power. Preserving her momentum, she kicked off the ground and lashed her sword arm to the side, extending her blade to collide against Sorey's. Her expression was one of pure fury and determination as she whirled around in the aftermath of the exchange, slashing at Sorey with her left arm.

Her claw deflected off the Shepherd's quickly erected mana guard just as the earth beneath her feet cracked violently with surging amber mana. The hellion rode the momentum of the deflection and cartwheeled to the side right as Edna's arte fully materialized, causing the chunk of earth she'd been standing on to violently jut up into the whirling air. A myriad of dirt and debris from the nearby arte showered down upon her as she kicked forward, slamming her blade into Alisha's lance and driving her stumbling backwards.

Velvet's eyes narrowed harshly as she forced herself inside the princess's spear reach, only to sheathe her gauntlet blade and grab Alisha's collar with a deathly firm grip, wrenching the wide-eyed young woman towards her.

"Is that it?!" she snarled derisively, the howling winds engulfing their surroundings and cutting them off from the others. "Is this all the 'princess of the people' is willing to do to save her subjects? Don't make me laugh!" With that, she jerked her arm and sent the princess flying with inhuman strength, just in time to whirl around and redirect Mikleo's arte with her claw, causing it to slam into the ground beside her.

BOOM!

Harmless droplets of water from the nearby detonation rained down upon Velvet as the furious woman turned to glare down at Alisha, lying stunned on the ground. "If you can't stomach what needs to be done, then leave." she growled harshly. "You're nothing but a nuisance otherwise."

Having said that, the hellion whirled around and lashed outward, driving her sword through the air to intercept Sorey's charge. Metal grated on metal; this time accompanied by a roar of surging mana as the Shepherd brought his free hand back in preparation for an arte. She jerked her hellion claw moments before the explosion occurred, at the same time bringing her other arm up to meet Rose's blades as the assassin attempted to capitalize upon Sorey's distraction.

The Shepherd's arte detonated harmlessly against the pulsating surface of the claw while her gauntlet blade expertly met the two blades of the assassin. Without a moment's hesitation, Velvet then abruptly disengaged on both fronts and leapt into the stormy air, avoiding an enormous beam of water mana surging through the air through which she'd just been.

Alisha, her body wreathed in the angelic colors of armatization, drew her arm back once more with a set jaw as she angled her bow up towards the speck of black and red that was her quarry. She gritted her teeth, narrowing her glowing yellow eyes in ferocious determination as she released a barrage of projectiles high in the air.

Winds screamed in Velvet's ears as she arced through the corrupted night sky, her raven hair and dark black jacket whipping uncontrollably behind her in the hellish gales amidst the unnatural storm of her own domain. Her scarlet-hued, inhuman eyes zeroed in on the princess in the clearing below; a beacon amidst the chaos in a flowing dress of white and blue unleashing blades of water to hurtle towards her. Her lips formed into a brief, satisfied smirk at the sight before she corkscrewed around, bringing her claw around to bear.

Amidst the flashes of bloody lightning, the hellion crashed down from the heavens while slashing her claw, deflecting choice beams of water amidst the barrage during her descent. As she angled her body towards Alisha and the seraphim standing beside her, her pupils dilated violently moments before impact.

"BREAK BOOST!" she screamed, tearing her claw over her shoulder and down onto the soil below.

CRASH!

Mana surging through her body and into the ground as she slammed her claw into the earth, instantly creating spiderwebbing, glowing cracks in the earth that spread out underneath the feet of the seraphim and Alisha. Alarm formed in their eyes a split second before enormous plumes of flames exploded outward from the cracks, accompanied by a wild, violent tremor that rattled the forest for miles around. Blinding orange light from the detonation washed over the clearing, putting Velvet's jacketed form in stark, villainous lighting as she stood back up from her kneeling position, a grim expression on her face.

"BINDING VORTEX!"

A vibrant bolt of azure mana suddenly cleared the flames of the fading arte and shot towards Velvet, forcing the woman to jerk her claw up and deflect it off to the side. The water pierced the soil where it landed, digging an enormous rut into the earth in its wake with a powerful thrum of power.

In its wake, Velvet watched, her stance steeled and ready, as Alisha stepped forward through the smoldering dirt, her eyes burning with resolution and the power of the armatus. Around her, the shield of water mana faded fully from existence, dripping loose droplets of water upon the charred dirt underfoot as she drew her bow once more.

Velvet glanced to the side, her jaw stiffening as she found Rose clad in the clothes of the fire armatus stepping towards her as well from behind, an enormous longsword in hand. In the corner of her eye, she spotted a speck of holy white soaring through the blackened sky; an angel of the judgement with wings of neon green.

"That's better." The lone hellion growled, her enormous claw curling into a fist by her side as she returned her gaze to Alisha's determined expression. "Now, come at me with everything you've got!" she demanded, her claw turning into a gaping maw as she tore forward.

BANG!

An enormous explosion resounded across the forest as a bolt of neon green crashed down to earth, cast by the airborne Shepherd circling the area in defense of his Squire. In the wake of his arte, Alisha narrowed her eyes coldly as she watched a blur of red and black vanishing between the limbs of the trees and into the chaos of her domain.

"Rose, Lailah!" she called, lowering her bow and breaking into a run. "She's on the move!"

"Acknowledged!" "Got it!" the two voices replied simultaneously as Rose charged forward and after the hellion, fueled by the power of the fire armatus. Flames trailed after her steps as her enormous longsword skidded the length of the dirt behind her.

High up above, Sorey's gaze was sharp and attentive as he circled the area like a bird of prey, wind mana readily at his fingertips. All around him, bolts of brilliant red lightning coursed through the storm of malevolence, engulfing him in volatile miasma as he searched for a speck of red amidst the sea of leaves below with glowing yellow eyes.

The world beneath the canopy was a surging hellscape of violently shuddering trees and foliage, utterly devoid of any sources of light save the flashes of red lightning blinking through the patches in the leaves above. Alisha and Rose charged in between the darkened tree trunks, leaping over roots and clearing low-hanging branches in their pursuit of Velvet. Darkness engulfed everything, rendering all else but their quarry to be of importance.

Suddenly, the two armatized squires came skidding to a halt at the water's edge.

Crickets chirped calmly amidst the soft sloshing of calm waters, accompanied by a gentle breeze that rustled the calming leaves of the trees behind them. The full moon shone clearly in the clear skies above, its celestial body reflecting off the tranquil waters of the lake before them amidst the starry night. Beyond the waters, the city of Ladylake sat in the distance, vibrantly lit with streetlights and bustling with activity, even in the darkest hour of the night.

Rose and Alisha cast about wildly, finding no sign of the hellion that they'd been chasing along the gentle shoreline of the lake. Up above, green wings left trails in the clear night sky as Sorey banked around, circling the area around the two squires in search for the hellion.

Suddenly, Rose's eyes widened. "The lake!" she yelled, spinning around in alarm.

SPLASH!

Like a monster suddenly appearing from the depths, Velvet shot out from the blackened waters of the lake and into the sky, rising up to block the full moon with her stark silhouette. Purple mana tinged with burning fire cackled as she drew her claw back in a wordless cry of fury, her dilated inhuman eyes pulsing with power. A brilliant red flare flashed outward into the night as flames surged in the hellion's palm, cackling with increasing intensity and coalescing into an orb of concentrated power.

Dirt crunched underfoot as Edna skidded to a halt beside the armatized Squires, urgently slamming her umbrella shut as she took in the sight of Velvet high up above. "Don't just stand there – run, idiots!" she yelled while herself vanishing back into her vessel in a flash of green.

Heeding the seraph's advice, both Alisha and Rose turned and sprinted for cover beneath the shelter of the leaves. High up above, Sorey forced himself into a dive for cover as the flaming orb in the airborne hellion's palm formed fully with a brilliant, foreboding shine.

Without a hint of restraint, Velvet tore through the air with her claw, leveraging her entire body in midair to slash downward upon the damned with a horrendous scream.

"CALAMITY FLARE!"

A flash of light as bright as the sun itself flashed momentarily throughout the land as a vicious beam of flame shot out from the orb in her palm, tearing through the night sky in the blink of an eye before crashing the forest below, instantly incinerating a large swathe of foliage and landscape in a deafening boom.

Her face contorted in fury and anger and her blood-red eyes surging with overwhelming power, the former Lord of Calamity spun around in the air, tearing her claw around towards where Sorey and his Squires had been. Following the movements of its caster, the column of flame caused by the arte tore from side to side, drawing an erratic trail of merciless destruction amidst the hapless trees and plants of the forest. Animals and insects awoke to hell incarnate as flames swept over the trees above, engulfing their world in flaming debris.

Silhouetted by the light of the moon, Velvet clenched her claw and cut off her arte moments before she landed upon the shoreline with a knee to the ground, subjecting the world to the grasp of a dreadful silence. Her coat and hair jerked to a halt alongside her body upon impact, wreathing her figure in a blanket of darkness as she slowly stood up, her pulsing claw hanging readily by her side.

A subtle but ominous orange halo hung in the night sky above, accompanied by the quiet cackling of flames as the desecrated patch of woods continued to burn in the wake of the chaos. Charred twigs snapped gratuitously underneath her steel boots as she stepped through the smoldering ruins, her alert, demonic eyes reflecting the flames still consuming the patches of untouched foliage before her. Burning embers danced amidst the air above, raining like snow towards the blackened soil below.

All else was deathly silent amidst the smoldering hellscape.

Suddenly, a flurry of activity from the side drew her sharp attention. She was met with the sight of the Shepherd emerging from the shredded tree trunks and lunging towards her, clad in garb of flowing blue and angelic white. His golden eyes were narrowed with pure focus as he reared back with the enormous bow in his right hand – one nocked with a viciously serrated spear.

"AQUA LIMIT!" Sorey and Mikleo roared simultaneously, catapulting themselves forward with a blast of mana. A high-pitched screech resounded outward as the blade on the bow sliced through the air, thrust forward by the armatized Shepherd as he neared his target.

Soot and dirt crackled under Velvet's steel boots as she reacted instantly, bending her knees and redirecting her center of gravity in order to impale the jagged fingers of her claw deep into the ground. Violet energy crackled loudly as she took a step forward, drawing mana through her arm to tear her claw out of the soil.

"HEAVEN'S CLAW!" she replied, tearing her claw up and into the air to intercept the Shepherd's mystic arte.

Claw and blade smashed against each other in a blinding explosion of red and blue.

BOOM!

Two figures were cast bodily away from the center of the detonation in opposite directions, tumbling over themselves before managing to arrest their momentum upon the crackling foliage underneath.

Still clad in the azure clothes of the armatus, Sorey grunted as he pushed himself up on a knee, green light shimmering subtly in his opposite hand as he healed the wound in his abdomen. At the same time, Velvet callously swiped a trickle of blood from her brow as she stood back up, preparing to lunge towards the healing Shepherd.

"Not so fast!" Alisha's defiant voice rang through the air.

A network of glowing amber cracks suddenly spiderwebbed out directly underneath the hellion's boots, forcing her to abandon her charge. Rocks and chunks of charred grass were tossed high into the smoldering night sky as an enormous chunk of earth thrust powerfully into the air where she'd been standing, barely managing to graze her jacket as she propelled herself out of harm's reach with the help of her claw.

The world continued to whirl around her as she twisted again through the air, this time tucking in her legs before kicking off the trunk of a burnt tree to avoid the rapidly boiling patch of land below. The darkness of night was interrupted by a blinding flare as the subsequent pillar of flame erupted outwards from the land, casting Velvet's shadow in front of her as she dodged the flames incinerating the tree behind her.

The hellion touched down upon the ground, instantly zeroing in on the two Squires emerging from the tree line upon the wooded hill overlooking the area, now wielding the earth and fire armatuses. Before they could continue bombarding her with artes, she allowed mana to course through her body and exploded into motion, lunging up the sloped grass at a terrifying velocity towards their vantage point.

Both Rose and Alisha were hard-pressed to leap out of the way as her grotesque claw tore through the air in which they'd been standing, trailing brilliant blood-red streaks in its wake. Before they could retaliate, the hellion followed through with her previous momentum and spun around, bringing the appendage up and over her shoulder with a feral scream.

"DISCORD!"

Enormous claw marks were gouged into the soil as the hellion rampaged, tearing at the Squires with utter abandon in an attempt to rend their flesh with her corrupted arm. The sloped earth shuddered violently with each crashing impact; trees fell down the hill with thunderous booms as the fangs of the destructive monster's claw tore through their trunks like paper. Amidst the chaos, both squires were forced to give ground, sprinting for cover up the forested slope.

Amidst the cover of the trees, Rose abruptly spun around and leapt to the side, dodging another rolling claw mark by a hair as she wrenched her enormous longsword above her head. "Eat this!" she yelled fiercely, her angelic blood-white clothing flapping amidst the swirling mana gathering at her command.

"PURGATORY OF FLAME!"

An enormous wave of boiling flame erupted out from the grass before the assassin, billowing out into the cold air towards the hellion in retaliation. Reacting instantly to the threat, Velvet used the claw already embedded in the dirt beneath her to catapult herself into the air, heat that would have been overwhelming had she been human washing over her in the process. Her gauntlet blade sang as she extended it in midair, jerking it towards the woman standing amidst the trees with a burst of mana.

The shot of heated flames forced Rose to pivot her arms, using her longsword to deflect the attack off to the side. At that same moment, Velvet slammed into the ground and swept her right foot in a single fluid motion, aiming her steel boot towards her opponent's legs standing upon the grass.

Reflexive instincts kicked in and forced the assassin to dive away in a dodge that inadvertently sent her out of the tree line and out into the open air. Surprised, Rose regained her footing and glanced over her shoulder with wide eyes, finding naught but a stretch of barren earth followed by a steep fall into the night.

The darkened expanse of the Lakehaven Heights laid sprawled out beyond the edge of the cliff, dimly lit by the full moon hovering just above the distant horizon beyond the darkened waters. The forest still smoldered down at the edge of the lake, patches of orange flame sending varied columns of black smoke up into the air to be captured by the winds. The glistening lights of the Hyland capital perched atop the lake were the only other sources of light amidst the endless expanse of wilderness beyond.

A flicker of movement drew her attention upward, towards the sight of a lone star of green arcing towards her amidst the darkness of the starry sky. Dirt crunched loudly at Sorey joined her atop the cliff, the wings of the wind armatus wreathing his form and halting his momentum as he slid to a stop beside her.

The two shared a wordless, determined nod before they faced the tree line as one, readying their armatized bodies for combat amidst the cold, bitter breeze. A dull boom drew their attention as more artes imploded nearby, rattling the ground underfoot and dislodging plumes of dirt from the side of the cliff face below. A flash of green resounded as Mikleo appeared at their side, gripping his staff in a ready stance with the light of the full moon at his back. He glanced at the two humans and nodded.

"I let Alisha know about the plan." he explained quickly. "She should be driving her here now."

Rose readjusted her grip on the longsword in her hands, catching her breath. "Y'know," she exhaled, wiping the sweat from off her brow, "that lady has got some serious issues."

"To think," Lailah's disembodied voice pondered soberly, "that we had been travelling alongside such a being all this time... I had known of the strength of Velvet's domain, yet even so, I could not have possibly fathomed her to possess such immense power."

"It looks like she wasn't called a Lord of Calamity for nothing." Sorey observed grimly as he was engulfed in a plume of white light, dispelling the wind armatus from his body. "It'll take all of our might to take her down." His now green eyes were hardened with determination. He glanced off to the side. "...Dezel." he addressed the seraph that had appeared beside him. "Are you tired at all?"

"Speak for yourself." came the irritated retort as the hatted seraph crossed his arms. "Taking on an opponent this strong is a once in a lifetime opportunity." A pause followed. "...You'd better not let her win, Shepherd." he growled lowly. "Not when I'm so close to my vengeance."

"Don't worry." Sorey replied, returning his gaze to the darkened forest before them. "I don't intend to."

CRASH!

Her heels grinding into the dirt underfoot, Alisha burst out from beyond the trees and into the open air, the white and amber dress of the earth armatus flitting behind her as she came skidding to a halt before them. Sweat marred with dirt and debris dripped down her skin as she stepped forward, rolling her shoulders and by proxy the stones of the armatus hovering at her sides.

"She's approaching." she announced, falling into line alongside them. "Ready yourselves!"

Together, the reunited group faced down the darkened forest before them atop the empty land of the cliff. At their backs, the distorted full moon hovered just above the distant horizon, silhouetting their features and casting soft shadows atop the cracked dirt before them amidst the cold of night.

The clanking of steel boots cut through the silence with foreboding clarity.

Slowly, their eyes deciphered an approaching figure through the shadows of the forest before them; A humanoid figure with red eyes and an enormous claw hanging limply at its side. Blood marring her skin stood out starkly amidst the moonlight as she strolled out from underneath the darkness, utterly unconcerned by the handful of wounds dotting her body.

At an unspoken signal, the Shepherd's group burst into action, initiating their ambush against the approaching hellion. Rose and Alisha, still armatized with the powers of Lailah and Edna, lunged forward, raising their respective weapons high in the air. Dezel and Mikleo took a synchronized step back and fell into casting stances, their hair and clothes rippling amidst the vast quantities of mana gathering at their fingertips. Sorey himself ripped his sword once more out of its sheath as he charged forward, gathering an orb of ice mana in his offhand in preparation for a follow-up arte.

An enormous gout of flame exploded out from Rose's blade as she performed overhead swing, propelling a crescent of fire mana towards the stationary hellion with a determined yell. A rapid succession of jagged stalagmites burst out violently at Alisha's will, instantly surging towards the woman with earth-shaking intensity. Behind them all, Mikleo and Dezel stepped forward as one as they finalized their artes, calling forth a torrent of wind and water to tear from the heavens down towards their target.

"If you think this is hell..."

Sorey skidded to a stop, his eyes widening in alarm as he felt the power surge in the air.

Velvet's head snapped up, her eyes dilating violently. "I'm just getting started!"

BOOM!

With a frightening burst of power, the woman shot forward at inhuman speeds, lunging across the plateau the blink of an eye with all the restraint of a wounded beast. Wind, fire, earth, and water detonated behind her in an almighty explosion that rippled through the air and rattled the ground underfoot, emitting a flare of light that blotted out the moon entirely. Paying the artes no mind, Velvet tore her claw towards Rose who barely had enough time to raise her longsword.

"I'll drag you down..." Blood-red energy tainted with violet malevolence flashed in jagged trails through the air as Velvet's gauntlet blade and claw unleashed an animalistic flurry of blows that ripped into the Squire's guard, causing ear-piercing shrieks of tearing metal to resound into the air. The fourth strike ripped the sword clean from Rose's hands, giving her barely enough time to blink in shock before her armatized body was tossed clean to the side by the next swipe of the monster's claw.

"...and grind you into earth!" Spinning around without a moment's hesitation, Velvet kicked out a foot and shot upwards into the air, her coat flaring ominously as she reached the apex high above the Shepherd's group. An orb of violet energy formed in the palm of her enormous claw with a dull thrum of energy as she spun around, raising it over her shoulder with an animalistic snarl.

"IMPLUSE DESIRE!"

CRASH!

Blinding neon energy exploded out from enormous cracks in the with a deafening screech of power, sending an enormous shockwave rattling through the foundations of the hill underfoot. Nearby trees were uprooted entirely and sent toppling over while massive boulders became dislodged from the cliff underneath to topple down towards the forest below with thunderous booms. The entire cliffside became engulfed as additional cracks spiderwebbed outward from the point of impact, unleashing surges of green and blue energy that completely enveloped the Shepherd's group and tossed them into the air like dolls.

Slowly, the power surging through the earth began to fade, allowing the tremors rocking the cliff to subside, the blinding unnatural light of power to dissipate, and for the world to return to a semblance of normality. In the silence that followed, the heavy, labored breathing of a woman became evident.

Velvet wiped the blood seeping from her brow once more as she stood back up, swaying briefly on her feet before hardening her stance with the aid of her claw. Despite her efforts, the open wound in her scalp continued to seep out blood, irritating her eye while dripping down to her chin as she surveyed the results of her handiwork. The smelled of charred earth lingered in the air, propelled by the soft breeze blowing over the ruined landscape atop the cliff overlooking the darkened land. The forms of the seraphim and humans were scattered vaguely about the area, all lying motionlessly upon the ground in the darkness.

There was one, however, still standing amidst the ruins.

Sorey grunted tiredly as he pushed himself to his feet, pulling his sword from the dirt as the nearly transparent shield of mana surrounding his body faded with a weak warble of energy. Sweat dripped down his brow in liberal amounts, accompanied by a myriad of scratches and bruises that also covered the rest of his body.

Despite it all, he met Velvet's gaze with defiance in his eyes, readjusting the grip on his sword and falling into a combat stance as he faced the powerful hellion alone before the edge of the cliff. Behind him, the cloak of the Shepherd, its decorated holy white surface marred with dirt and grime, rippled amidst the gentle wind.

A grim, satisfied smirk flashed briefly on Velvet's face.

The world around them slowly began to brighten as hints of a new dawn arose in the surrounding skies. Crickets halted their songs while owls returned to their slumber as the world began its transition from darkness to light, leaving behind nothing but a deathly silence in the interim. Desecrated earth crunched deafeningly amidst the quiet as the hellion stepped slowly towards her quarry, the chains on her outfit clinking softly in the breeze. Sorey responded in kind, moving his aching limbs forward as he held his sword at a low ready at his side, his cloak trailing behind him.

A moment of silence passed.

And then the two opposing entities sprang into motion like clockwork, charging at each other underneath the curtain of fading stars.

His blade met hers in a brief flash of sparks for a split second before they disengaged, simultaneously whirling around to deliver matching blows on the opposite side. He hopped into the air moments before her leg swept underneath, simultaneously sweeping his blade forward only to meet hers as she blocked with her own.

She twisted her wrist to force his blade away, allowing her to lash out with her foot towards his chest, only to run into resistance as the hidden blade in her boot slid off his blade held at a precise angle. Her claw wrenched around, tearing through the air which he'd just been as he rolled down and to the side, where he recovered just in time to deflect her follow-up stab to the side.

A flash of blue mana threw his features in stark lighting as he spun around, bringing his free hand in to detonate an arte at point-blank range, but to no avail as she brought her claw up to guard the small explosion. In retaliation, she pulled her claw back and tore it over her shoulder, crashing it down upon the ground which he'd been standing on. Having dodged to the side, Sorey kicked off the dirt while still in midair and stabbed forward towards the vulnerable hellion, only to be met with no resistance as she leveraged her weight against her claw and propelled herself up into the air, away from the Shepherd.

With some space between the two, the fighters then paused briefly for breath, exhaustion clear in both of their stances. Watching over the battle, the full moon slowly faded as waves of light gently encroached upon the eastern horizon, eating away at the darkness of night. The vast world beyond the edge of the cliff was slowly revealed underneath the brightening skies with the forms of sprawling forests, rolling hills, and flowing rivers gratuitously taking shape.

Her bloodied features illuminated by the slowly brightening world, the Lord of Calamity put a lone hand on her hip, facing down the Shepherd atop the cliff's edge.

"...To think a pathetic idiot like you could hold so much power."

She tilted her head mockingly to the side, casually waving her human hand in the air. "But then again," she supposed conversationally, her features twisting into a derisive smirk, "I suppose if you picked just about anyone and handed them all they needed on a silver platter, they'd do just fine."

She leered openly at him, her grin callous and hateful. "So, what do you know about how the world really works, 'Shepherd Sorey?' Or does the savior of the world need to read some more books to find out first?" she asked mockingly. "Does he need to dig into some dusty ruins to try and find an answer as humanity wastes away outside? Or does he need his friends to tell him all he wants to know before he starts thinking for himself?"

The hellion shook her head in wry amusement, her cascading hair swaying from side to side. "How laughably stupid you were when I first met you. To think you wouldn't notice all the obvious signs, instead content to be a blind fool as a monster led you by the nose every step of the way, molding you like clay." she drawled. "Some 'savior of the world,' huh? Makes sense for some idiot who was raised far away from the society he's apparently supposed to protect."

"Velvet..." Sorey muttered lowly through gritted teeth, his iron grip tightening fiercely around the pommel of his sword. "Stop."

Her indulgent smirk grew deeper. "I devour innocent fools like you for breakfast." she sneered. "You ought to just lay down your sword and let me take that burden off your shoulders." Her claw clenched with a loud crunch as she squeezed it into a fist. "It'll be just a moment of pain and then nothing." she said reasonably. "A fitting end for a weakling like yourself – dying at the hands of a monster like me." She smiled darkly. "I'll also eat your precious friends that you rely on so much, if you'd like – it'll depend on if I'm still hungry afterwards."

"Sorey!" Lailah's piercing call rang out as the tired fire seraph slowly pushed herself up by her arms, her eyes wide and alarmed. "She's trying to corrupt you!" she cried. "You mustn't allow-!"

The prime lord was interrupted as a fierce wave of energy suddenly thrummed through the ground, surging through the land to gather at the Shepherd's feet in a dull green glow. High up above, an unnatural vortex of howling winds converged from out of nowhere, joining into a swirling mass of charged energy hovering above his form. Energy crackled loudly and ominously amidst the brightening night, surging and writhing intangibly in the air with hair-raising intensity.

Slowly, Sorey's gaze rose and locked onto Velvet's derisive expression, fury in his eyes. With deliberate movements, the Shepherd stood straight and raised his free hand up and towards the swirling heavens above, the ornaments hanging off the white glove shuddering madly amidst the sweeping gales of the winds.

CRASH!

Innumerable brilliant golden rays of light crashed down from the storm simultaneously and collided against Sorey's open hand, gathering in his palm in the form of a writhing ball of pure energy. The blinding flares of light erupting from the storm in his hand cast eerie shadows upon his face as he lowered it, holding it before himself as he glared at the hellion before him.

Velvet returned his gaze with a nonchalant raised eyebrow. "Heard enough, have you?" she supposed dryly, shifting her body once more into a fighting stance. "Fine by me." she said, beckoning the Shepherd with her human hand. "Let's end this now."

Watching the exchange with horror, Lailah wavered on her hands. "No... Sorey...!" she whispered weakly.

All around her, the seraphim and humans of the group were rousing, awaking from their bout of unconsciousness only to find their leader standing before the hellion with uncharacteristic fury in his eyes and energy thrumming through his body.

"The... hell?" Rose mumbled, blinking rapidly as she pushed herself onto her elbows.

Alisha's gauntlets dug into the dirt as she tried weakly to find her strength. "Sorey...?"

Sorey's jaw was set as he pulled his free arm back. "With all my strength..." The captured storm in his hand shuddered violently in its confinement, emitting pulses of pure golden green energy as he forced it towards the sword in his hand. The storm collided with the metal of his blade, streaking up and down the length of the sword and filling it with a flurry of cackling power. "I shall smite evil...!" Enormous shockwaves burst out from the Shepherd's body, shuddering through the land underfoot with an almighty boom.

Her jacket and hair waving wildly amidst the chaotic gales surging forth, Velvet brought her claw back before her and urged her own power forward, forming a clear ball of energy in the palm of the demonic appendage as she stood defiantly against the might of the full-fledged Shepherd alone. Her smirk deepened as she brought the claw back over her shoulder, breaking into a mad headfirst charge towards the Shepherd.

Edna's eyes widened in horror as she jerked upright as best she could, extending a hand in alarm. "Both of you, STOP IT!" she cried.

Sorey tore forward with an enormous explosion of power accompanied by a deafening crack, his cloak flapping frantically behind him as he shot across the side of the cliff like an arrow of light. He gripped his charged weapon with both hands, his eyes flashing golden with power as he twisted his entire body around in midair, bellowing with the strength of a lion.

"DIVINE WRATH!" he roared, fury in his eyes.

The ceremonial sword tore through the air with the force of the entire storm behind its blade and rammed into the arte in Velvet's claw head-on.

BANG!

An almighty explosion erupted violently atop the cliff as the wrath of the Shepherd was unleashed upon the world. Bolts of brilliant green energy smashed against nearby surfaces, eliciting ear-shattering cracks of thunder that resounded throughout the land upon impact. A violent shockwave superseded it all, rattling the world for miles around with fierce tremors which proved to be the last straw for the desecrated cliff face atop which they stood.

Suddenly, the world was engulfed in a thick plume of flying dirt and debris as the cliff collapsed, sending two lone figures tumbling down alongside an enormous landslide of dislocated earth toppling into the forest far down below.

The roaring of crashing rocks and cascading dirt surrounded Sorey as he reached out blindly amidst the cloud of dust in his free fall, wreathing his form in the white and green glow of Dezel's armatus just in time to arrest a fraction of his momentum before he slammed into the accumulating pile of debris at the bottom, tumbling uncontrollably over himself.

The world continued to spin dizzyingly even after he came to a halt, coughing coarsely with the taste of dirt in his mouth. His stomach lurching horribly, the Shepherd forced the nausea back as he pushed himself up onto his feet, wiping the blood off his forehead as he scanned his surroundings.

Trunks and branches of buried trees poked out all around him, having stood no chance against the might of the enormous landslide. Up above, dirt and boulders still fell sporadically upon the pile of collapsed earth from the remains of the cliff face up above, continually disturbing the enormous cloud of dust hanging in the air and obscuring his surroundings.

Suddenly, Dezel's disembodied voice rang out in the air. "Behind you!" he roared.

The Shepherd twisted around and thrust out a hand just in time to force the bloodied, enraged form of Velvet back with a powerful gust of wind, casting the hellion bodily backwards through the disturbed dust. The hellion reacted sharply, twisting around in midair and kicking off a partially buried tree trunk to redirect her velocity forward once more, pushing off the debris with her claw to tear down at him from above.

Without a second thought, Sorey spun around and drew his arms, Mikleo's armatus conforming to his pose as he instantly fired the nocked bow in his hands, sending a barrage of water arrows up and into the dirt-filled air towards the descending hellion.

Metal screeched against metal as Velvet extended her gauntlet blade while corkscrewing through the air, cutting the closest arrows in half as she continued her descent, bringing her monstrous claw up with a mad, unhinged scream.

"SHEPHERD!"

Sorey's breath was crushed out of his lungs as the hellion's claw slammed into him, its serrated razor-sharp fingers curling tightly against his body and pinning his arms to the side. The entire arm itself then began to pulse, siphoning the power of the Armatus away from him like a leech. His flickering eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he registered what was happening.

With a fierce tug, the monster jerked its arm out of Sorey. With it came Mikleo's body in its grasp, forcibly disconnected from the Armatus.

The world instantly darkened as it was submerged into a deep, festering storm of malevolence that erupted from the hellion holding his friend hostage. Claps of thunder boomed deafeningly as flashes of unnatural lightning crashed amidst the utterly darkened void surrounding them, accompanying the screaming of the winds as they whirled around at the apex of the storm's power.

Mikleo squirmed and screamed in the monster's grasp, the putrid malevolence of the surrounding domain eagerly and visibly seeping into his body like water into a dry sponge. He cried out again as the pulsating claw clutching his waist tightened, tears falling from his eyes clenched shut against the overwhelming pressure of malevolence tearing into his heart. This time, Sorey didn't hesitate.

SHINK!

Velvet's body seized up as cold steel sank deep into her.

She let out a small, choked gasp and stumbled backwards, her demonic grip going slack and releasing Mikleo onto the floor. All around, the raging storm of her domain suddenly lost its strength, weakly relinquishing its hold on the world as its owner toppled over backwards onto the rough debris, her hair and jacket splaying messily about her body like the feathers of a downed bird.

Her shaking hands reached down to the source of the pulsing agony, returning caked in blood from the wound of the sword that had gone clean through her abdomen. The viscous liquid poured out from her steadily and gratuitously, staining her jacket and hair red as it dripped down onto the ground below.

This time, Laphicet wasn't around to save her.

With the withering of her domain, the light of the rising sun was finally able to cut through the gloom, basking the world in a brilliant, gorgeous golden glow as it rose valiantly above the distant horizon.

Haloed by the amber light of the emerging sunrise, the Shepherd stepped quietly towards her, his boots crunching amidst the sound of birds chirping merrily amidst the new dawn. His sword hung loosely in his grip, dripping drops of blood upon the stones below. Behind him, the forms of his seraphim stood in a semi-circle around the scene, their faces obscured by the bright light of the sun beaming down upon her broken body.

She opened her mouth, weakly swallowing the blood and bile at the back of her throat. "This... This was a long time coming." she mumbled, staring down at the blood on her hands. She swallowed again, forcing herself to look up at the figure of the Shepherd as he came to a halt before her. Her eyes glazed over, eyelids growing heavy amidst the whirling storm of agony coursing through her body.

"'Why is it that birds fly?'"

Slowly, the acute waves of pain began to fade, leaving only an empty numbness behind. A dull ringing resounded in both her ears, growing in intensity until it blocked out any meaningful sound from the world around her. "Behold my answer, Velvet."

As the figure before her raised their sword, she let her eyes slide close fully, her mouth forming her final words as the last dregs of consciousness faded from her. "I ask no forgiveness. The sin is mine to bear."

"...Laphicet." she whispered tenderly.

A soft, gentle smile graced the therion's face as she let the darkness take her, eagerly welcoming its cold embrace.

---

...

She first became aware of the strange noises echoing in her ears. The crashing of waves, the flapping of canvas, and the crying of seagulls.

Somewhere, a bell pierced the air as it was rung repeatedly, its chime mixing with the sounds of groaning lumber and of stretching rope. Men called indistinctly to each other as they ran around her, their boots thumping heavily upon hollow wood. Her nose wrinkled as the acidic smell of salt assaulted her senses, accompanied by an undefinable collection of oily scents that could be defined as wholly unpleasant. She laid asleep there in the middle of it all, curled up against some hot surface with the intense heat of the sun beating down upon her.

All of it, for whatever reason, seemed infinitely familiar.

Finally giving into her befuddlement, Velvet cracked her eyes open only to be instantly blinded by the midday sun shining directly into her eyes. She groaned in irritation, shifting her curled body to shield her gaze with her open hand. Impatiently waiting for her vision to adjust to the dramatic shift in lighting, the woman squinted blearily at her blurry surroundings.

The world welcomed her with vibrant, generous brushstrokes of brown and blue, accented with gentle streaks of silver and maroon. A crisp, salty breeze kicked up, intensifying the sound of rattling canvas and of stretching rope while gently sliding over her hot skin with a soft touch. Her senses awakening and drinking it all in, Velvet slowly registered the smooth rolling motion of the wood surface underneath her.

And just like that, her eyes widened, heedless of the brightness of the sun, as she realized exactly where she was.

"The Van Eltia...?!" The therion gasped, wildly casting about her surroundings in shock.

The vibrant sun hung contently amidst a brilliant, cloudless blue sky, shining down between the slanted rigging and canvas of the infinitely familiar vessel. Gulls flapped their bright white wings as they soared alongside the ship's sails, occasionally diving down in an attempt to score some fish from the vast blue ocean sprawling out as far as the eye could see. In the distance, past the bow of the ship, Port Zekson could be seen bustling with trading activity befitting that of the capital's closest maritime facility.

Her raven hair flitting in front of her face in the wind, Velvet glanced around uncomprehendingly from her seat on the sun-bleached deck, her back leaning against the starboard railing of the Van Eltia. "What...?" she breathed helplessly, shaking her head and holding a palm to her temple. "How is..."

A casual sigh rang out over the clamor of the ship's crew, drawing her attention to the side.

"'How is this possible,' right?" the newcomer guessed as she strolled up to the seated therion; her signature smirk playing on her lips. "What a predictable reaction."

"Magilou?!" Velvet shot to her feet in alarm, her steel boots digging into the wooden planks of the deck as she took in the appearance of the familiar witch, clad same as always in her garish pink and purple outfit before her plain as day. "How...?!" she breathed, lost for words in the face of the irritating witch quite openly relishing her befuddlement in front of her.

Her ears twitched as the sound of a nearby conversation drew her attention.

"That was nuts." the familiar voice of Benwick said as the man shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe Velvet would go so far as to do something like this." Perched in the nest amidst the sailor's worn hat, a group of baby sylphjays chirped heatedly in agreement.

A low rumble acknowledged his words, resonating from the headless suit of armor standing by his side atop the second deck of the ship. "While that might be, one can't deny the style in which it was done." The daemon blacksmith Kurogane pumped his fists with a marked enthusiasm that belied his lack of a facial expression. "Now that was some fine swordplay."

His words caused the jaw of the lizard daemon standing beside him to go slack. "The hell?!" Dyle exclaimed, turning to confront the other daemon. "Did you lose your heart along with your head, you cold old bastard?!"

Suddenly, Velvet grunted in surprise as something small yet fierce suddenly crashed against her body and wrapped two arms extraordinarily tightly around her waist with a loud, ear-piercing wail.

"Velveeeeeeeet!" Kamoana wailed her name with tears streaming down her corrupted cheeks, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she nuzzled her head against the therion's stomach. "D-don't do that! Don't scare me like that!" she cried, squeezing the woman in her grip even tighter as she sobbed. "You have to promise me you won't anymore! You have to! Velvet!"

"K-Kamoana...?" Velvet's expression was utterly helpless as she stumbled backward in the grip of the terrifying little daemon's embrace. After a moment, her loud crying forced the woman to ignore her surprise and hesitantly pat the sobbing girl on the back of the head in a vaguely comforting manner.

"Now now, Kamoana."

Velvet looked up to find a familiar daemon lady with snake eyes calmly stepping forward, her clawed hands gently reaching out to guide the green-haired child's clinging arms away from the other therion. "Velvet's confused right now." Medissa reasoned tenderly, giving the crying girl a reassuring smile. "You'll have to give her some time if you want her to promise you for real. You remember our lessons about patience, right?"

Kamoana stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment with tears still in her eyes before she blinked in surprise. "O-oh! Of course I remember, Medissa!" Abruptly forcing herself to wipe away the tears from her eyes, the little therion stood up straight, visibly steeling herself before her caretaker. "Alright! Then I'll just wait a bit for Velvet to understand. After that, she'll have to promise to me!" She twisted her head and grinned a fanged smile up at the woman in question. "That's how it works, Velvet!" the little devil chirped happily. "And don't you forget it!"

With that, the suddenly bright and happy child took off running, drawing the attention of the two corrupted dogs basking in the sun on the other side of the ship. "Orthie! Russ!" the child greeted enthusiastically. "Time for some more tricks! Are you guys ready?!"

The two dogs wagged their tails in response, pushing themselves up off the wood and following the skipping child down the length of the ship. Medissa gave Velvet an exasperated, well-meaning smile before she followed the trio at a much more sedated pace.

Still standing in the posture that Kamoana's embrace had left her, Velvet slowly turned back to face the witch standing before her with dangerous, deep-seated irritating seeping into her expression. "...Magilou." she growled in a tone that indicated that she had no patience for games. "Spill it. What the hell's going on here?"

The witch's smile was dry. "Come on, it can't be that hard to piece it together." she drawled, gesturing melodramatically at her surroundings. "Think! Use that cunning head of yours. What's the last thing you remember?"

High up in the sky beyond the sails of the Van Eltia, the hawk lovingly nicknamed Grawky let out a piercing cry as he swooped down, briefly blocking out the sun before he perched on the arm of the beaming Prince Percival standing up on the top deck.

"I was... fighting Sorey." Velvet blinked slowly. "This... this isn't real, is it?" she mumbled.

"Bingo!" The witch grinned, waving a hand. "All this is nothing more than a figment of your delirious imagination."

She put a hand to her chin, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "Normally, the thought of me being part of just some lady's fever dream would leave me feeling a bit miffed, but considering how loony you've been acting, I'm actually a kinda honored." She flashed the therion breadwinning smile. "It's not every day that I get to chat with someone almost as messed up in the head as I am." She stuck an index finger to her temple as she added wryly, "Almost, but not quite."

Velvet naturally reacted to the witch's words with a deadpan expression. "...Thanks?" she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation. "I'm not sure having you explain things in my head is going to help."

"I have to agree."

The sound of boots landing on wood drew their attention as a redhaired exorcist stepped up towards them, her hands held cordially together before her dress. "Magilou, perhaps I should be the one to tell Velvet this." Eleanor proposed evenly. "Having you be the one might make things... somewhat unclear." she explained helplessly.

"Poo." Magilou pouted, turning around while laying her hands against the back of her neck. "Fine then, lecture her to your heart's content. It's not like I actually care about any of this."

Eleanor let out a small sigh of exasperation at the witch's words before she met the therion's gaze, perfunctorily crossing her legs as she began her explanation. "Velvet." she began gently. "I understand that things have been... rather difficult for you lately."

Her eyes narrowing, the therion crossed her arms in response, impatiently tapping her index finger on her bicep as she retorted, "If you're going to take all day, then I'm going to have to ask Magilou to tell me instead."

"Hah!" came the witch's snort from behind.

"As you wish." Eleanor responded evenly, holding an impassioned fist to her chest. High up above, the canvas of the sails continued to flap amidst the winds, accompanied by a gentle spray of sea water as the Van Eltia slid over a particularly high patch of water.

"...Velvet." the exorcist's voice was soft yet firm. "You don't deserve to die."

The therion's gaze hardened. "...Of course you would say that." she muttered derisively, pivoting on her heel to face away from her and out towards the sea. "Always the innocent crybaby, huh?"

"That has nothing to do with this!"

Eleanor's yell was surprisingly firm as she took an urgent step forward, her curled fists accompanying the undercurrent of emotion in her voice. "You were planning for that Shepherd Sorey to kill you the moment you challenged him to a fight, weren't you?" she demanded, cutting a hand through the air in fury. "Don't lie! I am inside your head, after all."

Velvet's fists curled.

"What of it?!" she yelled back irritably, whirling around to confront the emotional exorcist once more. "You of all people should know all of the things I've done – the sort of person I am!"

She tossed her bandaged hand to the side, fierce emotion contorting her expression as she curled the hand into a tight fist. "Sorey's strong enough to save Laphicet. That's all that matters!" she growled, holding the exorcist's gaze with fury in her eyes. "Like I said, this was a long time coming. I never forgot my sins, nor the depravity of my soul. I acted with clear acknowledgement of my depravity, and this here is my reckoning. There was never going to be a happy ending for me, Eleanor! There shouldn't, not for a selfish monster like me! Don't you get it?!"

The roaring of the waves behind her filled the silence that followed her outburst, punctuated by the crying of seagulls and the rippling of canvas overhead. In the distance, the port of Loegres continued to grow in size as the pirate ship approached at a high speed, aided by the expert hands of the most skilled sailors in Desolation.

"...You're wrong."

Velvet's murderous glare turned to Magilou as she stepped up, a strange, uncharacteristically sober look on her face. "You're just wrong." the witch repeated, shrugging helplessly.

"I agree." Eleanor nodded slowly, her gaze sharp and quiet. She cast a hand to the side, holding her shoulders high in the solid stance befitting that of an exorcist praetor. "Regardless of what a person has done, regardless of that person's past, there is always an opportunity to change." Her eyes held Velvet's with steeled conviction. "All that matters is whether that individual has the will to grasp that opportunity when it arises." she finished strongly, holding the therion's eyes meaningfully.

Velvet glared back at the infuriating exorcist, drawing her lips back into a thin line. "...You're talking about Sorey." she muttered. "Don't make me laugh."

"Surprisingly enough, that funny little Shepherd been able to bring out quite a bit of kindness out of that twisted little heart of yours lately." Magilou observed, crossing her arms with a sly grin. "And who knows? Maybe he'll even consider forgiving you for all those hateful things you said."

The therion stared at her incredulously. "And why in the world would he do that?" she tossed her bandaged hand in the air. "If anything, he'll probably finish the job if he finds out I'm not dead already." she dismissed with a scoff.

Eleanor's smile was soft. "Ask him yourself." she urged gently. "You might just be surprised."

Before Velvet could respond, Magilou abruptly glanced up towards seemingly nothing. "Ah. Looks like time's up." She yawned, reaching up and stretching her arms casually. "Y'know, as fun as this was, try not to get yourself nearly killed again." The witch gave her a wry smirk. "Makes for a very boring tale to tell."

Velvet opened her mouth to respond but blinked when no sound came out.

Both Eleanor and Magilou graced her with their own unique smiles before they turned away, headed off to tend to their other duties aboard the ship. In the wake of their departure, Velvet turned her head and glanced around her surroundings, finding the ship on its final approach to enter the mouth of Port Zekson.

The clanging of the bell of the ship started up once more, ringing in her ears with an unrealistic, warbling sound and causing the entirety of her surroundings to shine unnaturally brightly amidst the calm sunny day. She watched as it all began to fade slowly all around her – the fever dream collapsing with the return of her real-life consciousness.

Despite it all; the conflict raging in her mind and the self-hatred nipping at her heels; there was a small, content smile on her face for just a moment as she savored the last vestiges of her warm dream.

Just like that, the illusion disappeared, plunging her back into reality.

---

Slowly, she began to resurface from the depths of her slumber. She stayed still as she did so, matching the pace of her breathing to the pulse of her steady heartbeat.

Clean cotton fabric rested upon her washed skin underneath a warm layer of smooth sheets. She laid upon a bed at an angle, elevated by a collection of soft, plushy pillows with her arms lying neatly above the sheets in the pleasantly cozy air of the room. Her long hair, smooth and washed clean, laid the length of the bed beside her recuperating body.

No jolts of pain assaulted her from the series of fresh bandages wrapping around her abdomen. No drops of blood leaked down through the clean cut and onto the sheets below. There was not a speck of grime anywhere on her body at all. It was the cleanest she had felt in months.

A fire crackled softly in a nearby hearth, letting out occasional pops that punctuated the muffled sounds of strangers moving about the adjacent rooms bleeding through the walls of the small room. Loud, enthusiastic chatter came from people walking on the stones outside, their indistinct conversations accompanied by the rattling of carriages and the clopping of horse hooves. Somewhere beyond the general dim of the locals, water flowed freely, driving large, groaning waterwheels while providing an ever-constant, soothing undercurrent to the sounds of civilization.

The audible flipping of a page abruptly drew her attention, indicating that she was not alone. After a moment's hesitation, Velvet slowly slid her eyes open, allowing the bright glow of her surroundings to flood her previously darkened vision.

The fire crackled calmly away in the hearth on one side of her bed, its brilliant dancing figure reflecting off the window in the opposite wall. Streetlights lined the thoroughfare outside, illuminating the way for the groups of citizens moving amidst the bustling nightlife of the city. She turned her gaze away from the window, instead observing her own body lying on the soft bed before her.

A short-sleeve cotton shirt covered her torso, meshing happily with the smooth bedsheets wrapping around her figure. The bandages on her left arm resting above the sheets appeared to have been washed and tightened to a professional degree, while her right wrist was bereft of her ever-present gauntlet blade, leaving only an innocently bare human arm lying by her side.

The turning of another page finally drew her attention to the young man clad in blue sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, quietly reading a green book in the light of a small burning candle. Without taking his eyes off the text before him, Sorey opened his mouth and interrupted the calm ambiance of the cozy room.

"You almost died."

His eyes moved slowly as he continued to read. "Lailah's healing artes weren't enough to stem the bleeding once you had fallen unconscious. It was only because Alisha had sent for medical aid from Ladylake the day before that you were saved." He paused, furrowing his brow as he stared at some figure on the next page. "Even so, it was close." he said soberly. "It's been three days now. The doctors say you'll be able to make a full recovery given about a week of proper rest..."

The Shepherd abruptly stopped reading and met her eyes for the first time since her awakening; a dead serious expression on his face. "You really wanted me to kill you that night."

It was a statement of fact, not a question.

The fire crackled steadily in the muted silence that followed his words, accompanied by the muffled laughter of a couple running through the hallway beyond the oak door of the room. Outside amidst the night, a group of tired travelers stumbled nosily into the lobby of the inn, finally arriving at a place to stay.

"...You should have."

Velvet's words were cold as she looked away from him, her lips drawing into a thin line of distaste. "I told you, didn't I? Your job is to kill me, before I commit even more sins." Her bandaged hand curled, scrunching a handful of the neatly laid blankets inside her fist.

The glow of the contained blaze reflected in the woman's amber eyes as she glared at the fire, dull hatred seeping into her expression. "I've done terrible things without concern for anybody else on my path to vengeance." She shook her head slightly, letting out a self-deprecating scoff. "Even when I joined you, all I could think of was how you were going to be my tool."

She let out a tired sigh, letting her head fall back into the cushioning pillows behind her. "...Dying at the hands of a Shepherd is only proper for someone as twisted as me." she finished grimly, sliding her eyes shut.

Sorey's expression was unreadable as he sat there in the silence, studying the twisted expression of the hellion lying atop the washed bed, her cascading raven hair contrasting sharply with the clean white sheets enveloping her. At his side, the folded cloak of the Shepherd sat innocuously atop the table, its fabled patterns seeming to take on a life of their own amidst the flickering light of the candle.

Suddenly, the green book in his hands snapped shut as he tossed it to the side, instead meeting her reopened eyes with a pointed expression.

"Did I pass your test?" he asked bluntly.

Velvet blinked in surprise, staring at him uncomprehendingly.

A resigned understanding eventually seeped into her expression. The bed creaked underneath her as she laid her head back to rest once more upon the elevated pillows behind her, letting her gaze drift up towards the cracked ceiling above. "You did." she sighed, the tension draining from her muscles. "...I suppose I passed yours as well."

The indistinct chattering of the passing humans continued incessantly outside. Somewhere, a dog began to bark, setting off a chain reaction as other animals joined in, forming a spontaneous chorus of howls that rang out throughout the city amidst the night.

Well-laid fabric rustled in protest as Velvet abruptly pushed herself up in bed, her raven hair trailing her movements as she did so. With a swift tug, the hellion irately jerked the tucked-in sheets from underneath the mattress, allowing her stiff legs, clad in a set of simple cotton pants, to snake out from underneath the covers into the open air.

Sorey's eyes went wide in alarm as he realized what she was doing. "W-wait, Velvet!" he stammered. "H-hold on a sec!"

Ignoring the irrelevant noises coming from the Shepherd's mouth, Velvet stood up from her bed and stepped towards the door, furrowing her brow as she took in the status of her gear lying on the wardrobe before her. After a brief moment, she slipped her feet into the polished steel boots on the floor and grabbed her tattered black jacket off its hook, pulling it on over her cotton shirt. Then, without a glance towards the young man watching her with wide eyes, she grasped the door latch and swept out of the room.

It took a good long moment for Sorey to fully register that he was now sitting in Velvet's room alone with an opened door hanging ajar at his side. When he had finally done so, he panicked, scrambling off his chair and out into the hallway in pursuit of the insane woman.

"Velvet!" His eyes were wide and anxious as he caught up to her swift stride down the length of the hallway. "The doctors said that you have to rest to fully heal!" he said urgently, trying in vain to gain the hellion's attention as he dogged her steps. "If you don't, your wounds might reopen with excess movement!"

The therion continued her steps forward heedless of his words, her steel boots clanking repetitively upon the wood planks underfoot as she navigated the halls of the inn. Chattering of travelers ranging from weary adults to giggling children could be heard through the closed doors that they passed. The walls themselves were decorated with brilliant, vibrant pictures of the world, giving visitors a sense of calm as they traversed the warmly lit pathway to their places of temporary residence.

Having received no response from the therion, Sorey shook his head and changed tactics, instead speaking with an impassioned tone. "Velvet," he began again, "whatever you're planning, please change your mind."

The clanking of her steel boots filled the gap between his words as she continued to walk. "You don't deserve this." he breathed, curling his fists in conviction. "I just don't believe you do. That's all there is to it." He shook his head furiously, narrowing his eyes as he took a final urgent step forward. "So Velvet, please don't-!"

Suddenly, the woman came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the empty lobby, her black coat sweeping around her body as she whirled around to face him with an expression that could only be described as annoyance. "You can save your breath." she said in exasperation. "I won't try anything stupid like what you're thinking."

Her expression darkened as she took an intimidating step forward, coming almost nose-to-nose with the wide-eyed Shepherd. "But if you're going to insist on keeping me caged in that stuffy room for a whole damn week, you'll have to kill me, properly this time, before I eat you alive." For effect, the therion flexed her bandaged fist, causing him to pale slightly as he realized just how much of a disadvantage he would be at in the case of a fight.

Thoroughly cowed, Sorey nodded meekly in the face of the woman's terrifying wrath.

The door to the inn opened into the night with a charming jangle of bells as she then proceeded to leave the building with a satisfied huff, leaving the Shepherd behind in the empty lobby. His panicked heart racing in his chest, he glanced over his shoulder to send a helpless look towards the wide-eyed innkeeper who had been watching the whole scene before he broke into a run, jogging out the door in pursuit.

The brightly lit capital city of Ladylake thrived in blatant disregard to the encroaching night, bustling with vibrant activity as all manner of people travelled the stone bridges and pathways built around its vast waterway network. Streetlamps engraved with the symbol of the Hyland Royal Family stood vigilant against the darkness in evenly spaced out formations, lighting the way for the chattering city folk eagerly traversing the well-worn cobblestone thoroughfares to their choice places of revelry.

Velvet strolled through the cool night among the crowds, her dark jacket and hair trailing behind her amidst the tinted lights of the restaurants and bars near full to bursting with activity. Her amber eyes wandered as she walked, watching the humans busily going about their lives amidst the light of the waning moon above. Somewhere, a street musician took up their instrument, strumming unassuming chords that meshed harmoniously with the general noise of civilization filling the air.

As she was walking along the secluded side of a commercial street beside a parallel waterway, she abruptly asked aloud, "Are the others alright?" Her words were soft as she spoke into the night.

Following behind her at a respectful distance, Sorey nodded his head seriously, shifting his gaze away from the crowds towards her. "Yeah." he answered. "Everyone's okay."

The two came to a halt as she turned around to face him fully amidst the partial shadows of the walkway. "...Mikleo as well?" she asked quietly, looking at him expectantly with a strange mix of emotion in her eyes.

Sorey crossed his arms and turned to the side, facing out towards the line of businesses across the street. The bright multicolored lights reflected vibrantly in his eyes as he stared distantly out towards the crowds. "Mikleo... was definitely more than a little rattled from what you did." he recounted soberly, watching the indistinct silhouettes of people walking in front of the distant lights. "I think it was when Edna began to cry that he stopped telling me that you weren't worth saving."

He gave Velvet a sad smile. "She might've been the most shaken out of all of us, I think. Kept calling you an idiot and a moron for going so far. I'd be careful if I were you – I think she promised to hit you a few dozen times while we were in the doctor's carriage."

The Shepherd shifted on his feet and went on. "Rose and Alisha were all bruised pretty bad at the end of all of it, but artes were enough to help them get to the city. They're both mostly recovered now – funnily enough, they didn't want to sit still, same as you." Sorey gave her a helpless look. "Rose is off reconvening the Scattered Bones somewhere in the city. Alisha went back at her villa, working with what she has to gather more information on Maltran's history."

He uncrossed his arms, habitually allowing his right hand to fall to the pommel of his sword hanging from his hip. "Lailah wanted to go check up on the status of the Lord of the Land, I think." he continued. "Alisha showed Mikleo how to get into the Royal Family's archives, so he's probably in there right now. Dezel should be with Rose, and Edna is probably somewhere quiet, away from all the noise." he finished softly.

"They've all come by the inn quite often to check in on you – even Mikleo." he added markedly, turning to face her with a reassuring smile on his face. "You really had us worried, Velvet."

Her lips silently drew into a thin line in response to his words.

With the grinding of steel boots on cobblestone, the hellion turned back around and resumed her walk without another word, continuing to follow the path down the length of the darkened waterway. Sorey followed calmly in her footsteps, taking the chance to enjoy the cool night air himself.

Crickets chirped amidst the gentle lapping of lake water against stone, filling the air of the waterside park with a sense of tranquility, isolated by a perimeter tall walls that separated the green space from the bustling nightlife of the city. Moths circled insistently around the glass lanterns hanging from lampposts dotting the stone pathways, casting long shadows that frequently interrupted the constant light illuminating the steps leading up to the platform overlooking the vast lake beyond the stone foundations underfoot.

A cold breeze fluttered in from the surface of the lake beyond the reach of the lanterns, causing Sorey to shiver slightly as he stepped up the stairs to the overlook platform, finding the figure of the jacketed hellion standing by herself before the railing looking out in the abyss. He shuddered as the cold air seeped in through the cracks of his clothing, finding himself wishing that he hadn't left his Shepherd's cloak behind in the inn.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked worriedly, breaking the silence of the park as he stepped up to her side. "If you get sick now..."

Velvet shook her head absently, leaning forward and resting her forearms atop the railing as she felt the touch of the clean breeze upon her skin. "The cold and the heat don't bother me." she said with closed eyes. "I can't taste anything either." she added quietly. "That's why I could eat Lailah's cooking back then. I can't recall the flavor of anything... save for the taste of blood."

She slid her eyes open and turned her head towards his surprised expression under the gentle lighting of the lantern above. "...I'm a hellion." she muttered softly. "A corrupted being of malevolence meant to be your enemy. Just what about that don't you understand?"

His boots scratched on the stones as he too turned to face out towards the darkened waters, his expression strangely thoughtful as he properly considered her words. His brown hair waved in the chilly breeze as he stood there, feeling her incredulous, disbelieving gaze on him as she waited for his response. Behind him, the trees of the park rustled amidst the tranquility, accompanied by the soft song of a wind chime ringing somewhere amidst the branches.

"'Why is it you think that birds fly?'" he quoted.

Sorey gave her a soft, sheepish grin, scratching the back of his head. "I have to admit I haven't actually figured out an answer to that question of yours." he chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Sorry."

His expression grew serious. "...But I know that answer won't be found by blindly following what I've been told. Nor will it be found by constantly attempting to bring back the past through the relics of old." He curled his gloved hand into a fist, holding it before his breast. On the back of his hand, the symbol of the Shepherd seemed to glow in the light of the lantern. "I know that now for a fact." he promised.

"Sorey..." Velvet took a deep breath as she began, "About what I said-"

He held up a hand, shaking head. "No, what you said about me was right." he agreed soberly, a self-deprecating smile on his face.

"...In a way, you showed me everything that I had already known deep inside of my heart. That the way I was approaching everything was flawed." He chuckled wryly, shaking his head. "I was born far away from this world, after all. The realities of human civilization were as surprising to me as they were to Mikleo."

He looked out into the darkness, towards the same view that he'd once looked out towards as Lailah told him all about the true duty of the Shepherd a long, long time ago. His jaw was set as he thought back to all that had transpired ever since that day he had pulled the sword on his hip from the pedestal. To all that he had learned ever since he had declared what his dream had been.

He turned to face her fully, resolute determination in his stance. "I've decided that I'm done trying to copy the relics of the past." he declared, shaking his head. "Instead, I intend to use my knowledge of the past to help pave my own unique path forward. To build a new world that learns from the mistakes of those who have come before us."

He held her gaze evenly with strength and vigor in his stance and a soft, welcoming smile on his face. "A world in which all beings willing to coexist can thrive together." he announced proudly.

"There must be a way to make a better world for everyone."

The words of an old acquaintance rang softly in her ears as she stood there in the face of the Shepherd's true conviction, his dream laid bare. A pang of true loss passed inexplicably through her at that very moment, followed by a strange sense of endearment to the one who had somehow come to succeed the exorcist's ideals.

"Humans, daemons, and malakhim. And I intend to find it."

His boots scuffed on the stones below as he stepped forward, straightening his back as he met her gaze with a firm yet welcoming expression. One befitting that of a Shepherd dearly devoted to the prosperity of his flock, no matter the odds. The one who would pave his own path.

"I'd like to ask you to come along with me on that journey, Velvet." he proposed gently, his smile soft and encouraging.

The symbol of the Shepherd emblazoned upon the back of his glove glistened in the light of the lantern as he extended into the air between them; an open invitation extended without malice nor deceit. "Come and help me bring about such a world, starting by saving Maotelus from Heldalf. Together." he said, holding his extended hand up to the hellion who had betrayed him. "How about it?" he grinned.

Velvet stared at the open gloved hand before her, unmoving. Behind her, the wind chime continued to sing its lullaby into the night, rounding off the harsh chaos of the rippling leaves. Her hair and coat waved softly amidst the damp breeze as she stood there, studying the young man for the longest while.

Eventually, she let out a soft, resigned sigh.

"...That's a bold thing to ask of a Lord of Calamity." she remarked, tossing her bandaged hand into the air. "Not afraid I'll kill you in your sleep? Devour you and your friends?"

The Shepherd shrugged in response. "I'll take my chances." he replied easily.

She shook her head in dry disbelief. "...You really are a moron." she sighed; a strangely fond expression on her face.

"Once I've made my mind up, nothing can stop me."

Her bandaged left hand rose and grasped the Shepherd's under the soft lighting of the secluded park.

---

Eventually, the cold breeze combined with his lingering exhaustion proved to be too much for Sorey, causing him to head back to the inn only after reminding Velvet once more not to overexert herself with the wound in her abdomen. Now alone in silence of the park, the hellion went back to leaning against the railing of the platform, resting her forearms on the cold stone surface and idly examining her hands. Her coat and hair waved in the cool breeze blowing in from the darkness beyond as she listened to the gentle ringing of the lone wind chime.

"So. You've gained the Shepherd's trust."

The monotone, inflectionless voice rang out from behind as a small figure stepped out from among the trees, stepping up the stairs of the platform towards her. "What now?" Symonne tilted her head to the side, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Velvet didn't turn to face her, choosing to instead turn her gaze up towards the black abyss beyond the railing, a deeply thoughtful expression on her face. "...It's strange." she ruminated, bringing her hands together before her. "I've always been used to living for a single purpose, ignoring all other things that didn't matter. Now... it's not so clear."

She pushed herself off the railing and faced the seraph, resting a hand on her hip as she met the girl's emotionless eyes evenly. She held her bandaged hand out to the side, briefly touching upon the floodgates holding her domain back to allow a few small trails of purple miasma to seep out into the open air.

"...None of this changes who I truly am, nor what I've done." the therion said quietly, holding her malevolent arm in front of her as proof of her words. "My sins will stay forever with me. I know I won't ever find a happy ending, and I won't bother to search for one." she maintained solemnly, acceptance clear in her voice.

The clinging of the wind chime continued in the silence that followed, mixing harmoniously with the gentle lapping of water and gratuitous rustling of leaves of their surroundings. Somewhere amidst the park, a giggling couple stole away in the shadows, hiding from the bustle of the city in their own slice of heaven. Elsewhere, an elderly woman stepped over the worn cobblestones of the path, her cane clicking steadily alongside her meandering pace.

Upon the platform, Velvet shook her head, sealing her domain once more and letting her innocent-seeming bandaged arm fall back to her side. "Still... to think someone like him could exist." She smirked in disbelief, turning her gaze up to the brightened expanse of the city rising up beyond the walls of the park. "Someone who would bother to save someone as screwed up as me." Her eyes were distant as she let her gaze fall, a soft, incredulous smile on her face.

"...That fact that he did so in of itself is worth my gratitude. That's all." she said quietly.

Symonne was silent in the wake of the hellion's words, the fabric of her loose-fitting shirt rippling softly amidst the breeze.

Velvet lowered her gaze, her expression hardening as she studied the seraph. She crossed her arms as she recalled the words that she had uttered the last time they had met. "...About what you said." she added quietly.

"The sorrow of life that disgusts you so much and drives you to Heldalf's side – that sorrow is a key, irreplaceable part of life." she stated. "In this world, people naturally live to struggle. What would be unnatural would be to suppress their ability to do so." Hanging by her side, her bandaged left hand curled into a powerful fist.

"...For that struggle, that constant battle... is what it means to be alive." she breathed with quiet conviction.

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving the servant of the Lord of Calamity standing there alone atop the platform.

Elsewhere amidst the vibrant nightlife of the Hyland capital city, a street performer began to play, weaving together soft, gentle tunes that resounded warmly through the clean, untainted air. Laughter rung over the clinking of glasses and the scraping of dishes as people savored a moment of calm amidst a world in turmoil, enjoying each other's simple company under the cover of darkness.

And so, the first night came to a close.

End of Part 5 – Human.