On the entrance of Ylisstol Castle two guards stared at nothing, boredom eating at both of them.

"Today's going to be yet another boring guard duty, right Logan?" one of the guards asked his partner who looked as bored as he did.

"I would rather be bored than being out there, you heard and saw what's happening on the countryside, Naga knows you and I have no chance, so if it means just standing guard here bored out of my mind to not fight those monsters, welp I won't complain about it" Logan answered his partner.

"Still though I wish something interesting would happen, not necessarily a fight just something that catches my attention" as if on cue they both saw a man walking towards them, or more accurately stumbling.

The man looked ragged, his clothes were tattered and torn, his eyes seemed lost and some blood could be seen on him, all in all he looked as if he was barely functioning, yet even with all that damage to him he seemed to be holding somebody.

He stopped in front of the guards smiled and promptly collapsed, seeing this both guards ran towards him, kneeling beside him Logan saw what he was carrying and gasped, on the man's left a boy and on his back a girl, his children most likely, however his attention was snapped to his partner who had his eyes on the man.

"Logan fetch a medic now!" Now that confused him, sure he had kids on him but there were plenty of medics on the halidom, not only on the castle so he finally centered his gaze on the man and when he saw his head he understood why it was so important, so he got up and ran towards the medical ward.

The guard for his part looked over the three with fear, for this was yet another Shepherd and yet he seemed more dead than alive, if this was the state of their elite forces, what hope to survive did a lowly soldier like him have?.

While the soldier was focused on having a crisis, a shadow watched from the trees, it readied its bow letting a name be seen on its arm "Fünf '' and started to aim at the downed man, wanting to finish what its companion started.

*Caw* *Caw* *Caw*.

Turning to the side the shadow saw a crow looking straight at it, deciding that It wasn't worth it the shadow looked back to his target but instead of the pothead on the floor, a white haired man was aiming his tome at him with a wicked smile.

*ELFIRE* he said with a smile and the tree bursted into flames the Sniper abandoning its position and falling to the ground thanks to the surprise attack, looking up it saw more guards coming out thanks to the commotion, and the Dark Mage readying another spell, realizing that this was a lost battle It became miasma and disappeared just in time for the second spell to miss.

"Aww, he left" Henry pouted while he saw the soon to be corpse leave, "Oh well there always a second chance right fellas?" his smile returned as he looked to the guards before sitting on the ground beside Donnel, "Don't worry i'll make sure to ward off anything coming from here until a medic arrives", the guards realizing who he was left not wanting to be associated with the monster in front of them.

Henry for his part just petted one of the many crows that followed him wherever he went, "Who's a good crow? You are that's who, just for that good work you get a snack, don't choke on it" he said as he fed the crow a snack, before his smile left and looked to the unconscious trio, his gaze focusing entirely on the Taguel, "If you are here, and Donnel is the one that brought you, that means that Panne and Kellam aren't among us anymore" he paused remembering the Taguel that he befriended in an attempt to keep the war going and the man that no matter what, they always seemed to forget.

"This sucks" was all he said as he looked over them, his crows circulating the area making sure that nobody slipped through while their friend pondered about recent events and what the future held for him or his family, "Is this our fate, to leave behind our children to fix what we couldn't or maybe none of us is meant to survive, maybe this is supposed to be the gruesome end, but i don't want it to end, because that would meant the flowers would die and Mari would be sad" he muttered to himself.

Hearing footsteps he looked up and saw the medic's arriving and carrying the trio inside, so he got up and followed them, a single thought running through his mind the crows suddenly started to surround him, circulating around their friend while cawking to their heart's content, he smiled opening his eyes a glint that promises pain shining in them.

"I'll just have to deliver lots of death".

From far off, a shadow looked on, watching the man and his crows enter the castle, adjusting it's cloak, a name could be seen on it's left cheek, "Zwölf", seeing the man act so carefree, as if he wasn't in danger made him angry, but he knew that he would die sooner or later, after all, the will of master Grima is absolute, and his will was to cause grief and dead for this world.

And hope was what hurts the most when it's ripped away, so for now he would follow his orders and finish his mission, and for that he needed to leave with no traces, letting Fünf take the lead was a good choice it seemed, because now he knows to avoid those crows as well, with those thoughts sorted he dove from the tree he was on, decided to use the same route as last time he started running through the forest until he reached the castle walls.

Pulling two daggers out he started climbing, stopping when he heard the sound of footsteps atop the wall, the archers were doing their rounds around here it seemed, waiting for a few seconds the footsteps disappeared and Zwölf jumped landing on the walk-wall and started looked at his surrounding, seeing guards patrolling most of the garden, "Let's see, the target was on the left side, on the barracks if his master was right, so the most safe path would be through the windows over there".

And so he jumped from his vantage point landing on a bush, he ran behind a tree line, letting some guards pass beside him, he got on a crouching position and used the tree line as cover until he reached the wall, then opening the window he climbed in, not a single footstep being heard he walked hugging the walls, reaching a corner he saw a group of guards standing outside of the barracks, so he pulled out his bow and an arrow and shot at the torch at his side.

Seeing the light of the torch suddenly snuffed out both guards ran towards it, "Is somebody here?" one of them questioned while the other raised his sword looking for any kind of danger, looking beside him he saw his companion doing the same, "You have until 3 to show yourself, if you don't we will be forced to attack you" they inched closer to the edge of hallway.

"1, 2…" looking at each other they nodded and jumped in, "3" only to be greeted by nothing, "Huh, maybe some wind made It stop?" the first guard looked at his companion who just shrugged, above them Zwölf moved on the walls, using them as support to stay above the soldier looking for him, landing gracefully he entered the barracks no one wiser to his actions.

Walking along the halls he stopped one door at the time, the first one was a man and a little girl sleeping together, not his target, so he closed the door, he walked to the next one and opening it he saw two beds, a woman sleeping on one, and two kids on the other, target localized.

He walked towards the kids and pulled something out of his pocket, a tome, that he proceeded to leave beside the girl, "Thoron", it read, the shadow then turned around and walked towards the door leaving the room and closing it.

He walked towards the window at the end of the hallway, opening it he looked up and his face became one of shock, in front of him a single crow looked straight at him, he heard a footstep and turned around seeing the white haired man from before a smile on his face as he pulled out a tome and started chanting.

Seeing this Zwölf rushed him, a sword out he tried to stab the man on the throat and leave, his sword connected but not with flesh, another sword stopped his, before him a golden sword with seven edges stopped him from his target, the stoic man wielding it looked none too pleased.

*Ruin* he heard the man finish so he jumped out of the way, the spell hitting the wall behind him and blowing up the wall, alerting the whole castle that he was here, seeing this he started to turn around and try to escape but before he could the swordsman from before slashed at him forcing him to pull out his own sword and block it.

The man held him down as the two guards from earlier joined the commotion each having their blade drawn and seeing the danger before them they charged at him, so Zwölf swallowed his pride and started to turn into miasma, pushing the man back he began to ran and jumped out of the hole, becoming miasma just before a second spell impacted him.

"Well that's a bummer, that's the second one that escapes from me today" said the pouting Henry as he walked towards the hole, turning to the swordsman he began talking again, "So what are you doing here instead of sleeping, it's pretty late ya know" he asked with some mock on his voice.

"Of course i do, i was asleep but i noticed somebody closing my door, i grabbed my sword and went to investigate and i see you about to be killed" the swordsman answered as he began to walk to the room beside his, before stopping and turning to the guards, "Well done you two, that thing was dangerous so i don't blame you for not seeing him, however i will need you yo return to your posts" he commanded to the soldiers, "Yes sir" they both saluted and returned to the entrance of the hallway.

Henry for his part turned around and began walking towards his own room, "Well see ya later swordie, i need to explain to Mari why a hole is now there" he said with a grimace, knowing that his wife would be angry, the swordsman could only sympathize knowing how the noble's attitude, "Good luck" he wished to his fellow Shepherd as both walked towards different directions.

Opening the door that lead towards Olivia's room, Lon'qu was received with a sword almost stabbing him, keyword being almost, because Olivia stopped just a second before tragedy, widening her eyes she dropped the sword and covered her face, "I'msorryiheardtheexplosionandthoughtsomebod-" she started to rant, stammering over her words due to her embarrassment the swordsman for his part looked uncomfortable to his nephew and niece hoping for some aid, only to see both of them still asleep.

Sighing he looked towards his friend and patted her head, "Olivia you did good, so please stop" he commanded to the dancer who stopped, "Thank you, and i came to check on you but it seems everything is fine so, until tomorrow" and as quick as he entered he left, not wanting to be in that awkward situation anymore he walked to his room and laid down beside his daughter, who just hugged him as they both fell asleep yet again.

"My life is weird", were his last thoughts before falling asleep.

—-

On the middle of throne room 4 Risen stood lined at the throne 2 on the left which were a General and a Paladin, 2 on the right, one using the uniform of a Hero, the second one was Zwölf, all of them completely still, in front of the throne 2 more Risen kneeled in front of their master, one was Neun, while the other was Fünf, said master looked with disgust at the shadows, "So i gave you an order, don't kill anyone and do not let them detect you and not only you try to kill one of them against my orders and then fail, you let them know about you, the only reason i will not dispose of you is the lack of better materials, do not believe that being my generals make you special" he said in calma voice, but anyone on the room could tell of his anger.

To this Fünf raised his head, "But master, Zwölf also failed his task, he was disco-" he was silenced by a thunder striking the ground before him, the Fell Dragon looking at him with nothing but contempt, "Zwölf was seen yes, but i expected that, unlike you two who were meant to supervise the Manakete and report of her location and danger she could possess, he was tasked with infiltrating a rat's nest and deliver something, the mere fact he was almost able to pull it off twice is astounding, even to me" the Tactician said praising his twelf general who bowed due to the praise.

Grabbing his head the Fell Dragon groaned and sat down, "Dismissed, i do not want to see any of you for the rest of the night" hearing that the Deadlords started to disappear, not wanting to draw the barely hidden anger of their master.

Seeing nobody around anymore Robin pulled his hood off, he looked at his hands with disgust before putting his face on them, silence followed until tears began to spill.

"I'm sorry, i'm so sorry, i failed them, i failed them all, because i- because i- because they were weak they died like the pests they are!" The Fell Dragon laughed knowing that yet again he tore out another one of the plague's friends. It was bothersome to share a body with him, but watching him break down, knowing that no matter how hard he plans his friends will perish, that made it worth it.

"It was a shame that this idiot used Zwölf to deliver the Falchion but It doesn't matter, even with only half of my generals i can burn down that pesky halidom to ashes, and then Naga herself will perish!" he screamed in a maniacal fashion before grabbing his head again, the pathetic human clinging to being a nuisance, no matter, he would disappear as well sooner or later and Grima could not wait until then.

"While killing that Exalt's line sounds fantastic, the main course goes last, so before that, i'll deal with those barbarians that call themselves warriors" with a smile he walked to the map on the room and put his hand on it, making it burst into flames, with a smile Grima proclaimed to the heavens, "Ferox shall die first and before than anyone!".