The author's notes:

2022-01-04: Hey, a small update for the story. So far, it is only a preview. However, I should be able to finish it soon. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release.

2022-01-08: Hey, a small update from my side. It is not the finished version, but we are getting closer and closer to it. It should be done by the end of the weekend.

2022-01-10: Hey, the chapter was finished. Somehow, I have managed to keep my promise and finish it before the weekend's end. So, about that, I'm pretty positive. Please, let me know what do you think :)

Don't forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.

Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2022-01-04]: A preview was released.
[2022-01-08]: The chapter was updated. I have managed to add around 1k words.
[2022-01-10]: The chapter was updated. Its final version was released.

Info: Overall, the current plan is for me to write 'My home is where my heart lies' and 'Family tree' alternatively. Between the updates of these stories, I will try to upload other texts. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to finish some of the short stories. However, I truly doubt that. It seems that most if not all of the stories will be extended both in terms of the time and the number of chapters.

Info: I will try to rewrite some of the older chapters between releasing new ones. I expect to start working on that goal in the middle of January. So, please be informed that the new chapters might take a bit longer to be finished and published.

Bonuses' section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even 2 stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)

References:
- Judas Priest - The Sentinel

*bonuses will be worked on when I don't feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D

End of the author's notes section.

As the last droplets of the rain slowly died out, the chill-cold wind hurled through the streets. In many nearby puddles, the reflections of the light of the lamps tried to blind the poor souls walking down the streets. Even though it was mere minutes away from the sunrise, the world seemed to be wrapped in unpenetrable darkness. A cold day was going to start soon.

Surprisingly enough, not much was happening around the RDT office. Sure, some of the noises of the wakening city could have been heard coming from the distance. However, the enormous complex seemed abandoned, hollowed, empty. No light was coming from any of the numerous windows. Though it was an unexpected turn of events. After all, the work here never ends. The crime never slept. Many officers could have been found here, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Right in front of the HQ's entrance, a hooded man stood. His heavy trench coat of an ashen colour seemed soaked due to the heavy rain. Nevertheless, he stood there, overseeing the complex.

After a couple of minutes, the man finally moved, giving an impression of a sentient being. Then, as the first rays of the early morning shined through the gaps in the tight city constructions, he rose his right wrist. The coat's sleeve was marginally moved back, revealing a watch. Even though its face was marked severely by the passing of time, it still worked perfectly. Then, a short-lived grimace could have been spotted. However, at a moment's notice, it was discarded. It seemed that the hooded man decided to take some action.

The hood, as black as a raven down, was pulled down slowly, revealing the man's face. Medium-long hair of a snowy colour was swept back. His stoic eyes carefully inspected the nearby surrounding as he strode toward the entrance. Physically, he looked to be in his forties. The slightly darker facial hair was neatly trimmed.

The man rose his write once again, taking a moment to look at his watch. It was an unnecessary endeavour, yet one of his bad habits. After a few seconds, the man lowered the arm, focusing on his stride. Each of his steps caused a little splash that irritated him.

"Aria, please do proceed," Miss Tepes spoke in a relieved tone.

"But, of course, Miss Tepes," the artificial construct sounded. "I have managed to find 2 matches. Though it is worth mentioning that these are the same company. The difference lies in the registration area. One was registered in the USA, whilst the other one in Japan," the AI proceeded. "The company's name is ` Fushigina Kimera Knives`."

"Hmmm…," the vampire hummed. "I would want you to contact them and make an appointment as soon as possible," Akali requested. "And by as soon as possible, I mean the latest option is tomorrow," she clarified her request.

"Requested approach toward decline?" Aria asked.

"Unacceptable," the white-haired woman uttered softly. "If they try to decline, please, connect me with them. And… before I forget, you are free to attach my certificate. They should know whom they are dealing with."

"The order will be fulfilled," the synthetic voice sounded. "Do you have any other orders for me, Miss Tepes?" she asked politely.

"No," a short response was provided. "You have done a splendid job, Adria. In case of further requests for your assistance, I will call you."

"Understood," the AI uttered.

Miss Tepes considered the conversation finished. So, she started pacing around the room with her right hand cupping her jaw. The white-haired woman seemed puzzled, conflicted. In another setting, it could have been an amusing sight to behold, yet the current was not it. After all, Miss Tepes was one of the most, if not the most, influential people worldwide. There were hardly any positive outcomes of such an incident if something puzzled her.

"I hate to break the silence…," Shauna started in a whisper-like manner.

"So, do not, Miss Vayne," Akali interrupted the officer. "Fine…I sense you have more questions," she added a moment later, sighing and giving up. "Just shoot them; I need to focus. So, the silence would have been preferable."

"It might be a silly question," Vayne resumed. "But, it's something mildly bothering me. So, you've referred to the other vampires as guardians. Then… you've titled Rick Rauscher as guardian as well. Was he a vampire or just yet another member of your spec ops?"

"I title both vampires and spec ops as guardians," Miss Tepes replied. "To me, their origin is irrelevant."

"Oh… so it's just like I've been speculating," the raven-haired officer responded. "Hmmm… so, another question. Who's Loghain? I remember you mentioning the name to that dickhead Lucious," she allowed herself to ask another question.

"You are a better listener than I thought, are you not?" Akali chuckled a little. "Though you are correct regarding Lucious, he will step out of line soon. It is a shame that he will most likely forsake his ancestors' heritage and accomplishments. And… he will do so out of impatience. Truly a waste of talent."

"That doesn't answer my question," Shauna commented.

"I did not promise to answer all of your questions, did I?" the white-haired vampire countered instantly.

"Care to explain why you're not going to answer that question, at least directly? What's the point of keeping the secrecy?"

"Is it not obvious, Miss Vayne?" the council's leader spoke. "Some of the pieces of information you are demanding to obtain are classified. You are not required to know everything. As our cooperation goes on, you will learn more. But, for now, it should be enough for you to know that Loghain is someone who works for me but does not obey the council's orders."

"You like to keep your cards covered, don't you?" Vayne allowed herself to speak up. "But… I guess you're in a position of power. Let's change the topic, shall we? As I presume, we'll be waiting for Adria's report? So, the question arises, what do we do in the meantime?"

"Considering the question, you have something on your mind, do you not? Feel free to speak up then," Akali's response was emotionless.

"How about getting RDT's help?" the raven-haired woman simply asked.

"What would be the benefits of doing so?" the white-haired vampire countered the question.

"It'd be far more comfortable cooperation for me, for example," the officer stated. "Working with humans is different from working with your kind."

"Oh, so it is the case," Miss Tepes hummed. "Alright, you can return to the RDT's HQ, but under one condition."

"You want someone to keep an eye on me?" Shauna mocked openly.

"Exactly, Miss Vayne."

"Who? Aria?" the RDT officer asked, somehow intrigued.

"No, I will assign Martin Eckstein to you," the council's leader stated. "He is more than capable of defending you if it comes to that."

"Fine," Vayne replied. "I don't think I have other options. Or rather, I don't think that the decision is mine to take."

"Just for the record, you do not," Akali commented. "Take some rest, then. I will have you both redeployed into RDT's HQ in the morning."

"You are awfully quiet, Miss Vayne," Martin tried to start the conversation whilst driving. "Something happened?" he continued on with yet another question.

"I don't think I was the talkative type the last time we've met," the raven-haired woman commented boldly. "Well… it's not your fault. Sorry," she added a moment longer.

"Shall I safely assume that my presence is a part of the problem?"

"No," a simple response was provided by the officer. "The past two days feel surreal. It's like a nightmare that you desperately want to wake up from. But, in the end, it's not that easy," Vayne added.

"I was only marginally briefed regarding the case," Eckstein spoke. "Nevertheless, I have a tingling feeling that it will only get worse and worse with time."

"We can talk once we reach the office," Shauna offered. "I've already started missing my small box," she added, allowing herself to giggle a little.

"Well," the man started. "You will not return to your exact office as per se. Miss Tepes demanded that the people you find irreplaceable and us will have an entire floor for ourselves," he explained.

"Has she attached someone yet?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, yes," Martin replied. "I was informed about two RDT officers, Lucian Brown and Tylor Akinson. As you most likely know already, the first one is the chief officer of the RDT unnatural department."

"Yeah," the raven-haired woman spoke. "I know both of them. They'll be a great asset to this case."

"We have a meeting planned for 8 am flat," the German informed the officer. "Do not worry, Miss Vayne, we will be in the office in a few minutes. So, you will have around 30 to 40 minutes to prepare."

"Thank you, Martin," Shauna mumbled the response. However, she was no longer focused on the driver. Instead, her sleepy eyes were glued to the vehicle's window. Behind it, the world was passing by quickly.

Vayne took a look at her mobile's display. The bright piece of technology show 7:23 am. It seemed that the German was right regarding the time of their arrival. As the elevator beeped, announcing the end of its journey, the raven-haired woman was brought back to reality.

As she had been informed earlier, the entirety of the floor had been prepared for them. Someone – most likely Miss Tepes – had decided to completely rearrange the space. With that realisation in mind, the RDT officer started to walk around. Frankly, it appeared pretty quickly that all of the walls that previously separated the spacious area into boxes were removed. In their places, the glass-like, transparent panels were placed. One could have seen the entire floor from where one stood with a bit of luck.

In the very centre of the storey, a more-or-less round table was located. On the panels around it, many displays could have been spotted. Even though they were currently switched off, there was no doubt that these had been installed with a particular vision in mind. From there, the glass-like walls divided the area into 8 offices. As of now, all of these were only initially furnished. That basic package contained a solid wooden desk, an armchair, two additional less fancy chairs for the guests, and two bookshelves. Overall, a good entry point, though not sufficient. The area was lit by the light coming from the ceiling. The warm beams that tried to resemble natural light were pouring through the glass-like gaps.

"Can we ask for small upgrades to this place?" the RDT officer asked Martin.

"I would presume the changes regarding the furnishing?" the guardian asked for clarification.

"Yes."

"Cortana, please come in and introduce yourself," the German uttered.

"But, of course, Sergeant Eckstein," a feminine voice replied. "Please, do forgive me for my lack of manners, Miss Vayne," she added immediately after. "I am C-47652, the Arbiter-level class AI, in short, Cortana. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Miss Tepes assigned me to help you with the case."

"How do you fare compared to Adria?" the officer asked a stupid and ill-mannered question. "Sorry, you don't need to answer that. I shouldn't have asked in the very first place," the woman apologised after a moment of reflection.

"It is a perfectly valid question, Miss Vayne," the AI replied. In comparison to Adria, Cortana's voice was natural; it could not have been differentiated from a living woman. Moreover, her voice tone was casual, even though she spoke formally. "As per Miss Tepes's words, I am the next step in the AI evolution. I was based on Adria; however, Miss Tepes has decided to tweak a few things," she explained.

"Why would she let go of her most advanced AI?" Shauna asked.

"Miss Tepes would describe it as a sign of good intentions," Cortana responded lightly. "Miss Tepes strongly believes in cooperation, thus the decision of my assignment."

"I presume you're as capable as Adria, if not more?"

"Your assumptions are correct, Miss Vayne," the AI stated. "Before you have called me, you were discussing the matter of furnishing. Miss Tepes's orders in that matter are clear. If you need something, feel free to request them through me."

"Quite a convenient solution, I must say," the raven-haired woman spoke up. "Can I have one personal request?"

"Of course, Miss Vayne."

"Please, call me by my name. I feel old when someone's trying to title me."

"As you wish, Shauna," Cortana responded.

It was exactly 8 am when Tylor and Lucian left the elevator. It might have been an exaggeration, but Vayne needed to see some familiar faces. Frankly, throughout the entirety of her stay in the council's quarters, she had been surrounded by complete strangers. It was a refreshing experience to be around the people she knew, at least a little.

As expected, the Hispanic man chose to wear comfortable and casual clothes instead of something elegant. Though his boss walking next to him was the direct opposite. Lucian's clothing consisted of light, formal pants, a matching shirt, and a topcoat in a darker colour.

"Morning," the raven-haired woman greeted them. "Make yourself comfortable, then we can start. Coffee, tea, and water can be found on the table to your right," she added, flashing a small smile.

"Well… it's a surprising welcome, isn't it, Lucian?" Tylor spoke, returning a gesture. "Who's the lad beside you?" he asked.

"Manners!" the older man thundered at the Hispanic. "How many times do I need to remind you about manners?" he uttered a question. However, it was evident that Lucian had already given up. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Vayne," he added.

"Likewise, Sir," the black-haired woman responded. "And… to answer Tylor's question…."

"Maybe I will answer that question," Martin uttered, interrupting the RDT officer. "So, I am Sergeant Martin Eckstein, the guarding serving Miss Tepes and the council. It is a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen; I have heeded some good words regarding you," the German introduced himself.

"Is it safe to presume that we have been gathered here because of your last assignment?" Lucian asked a moment later.

"Unfortunately," Shauna replied. "Please, grab some beverage and sit down, then I'll try my best to explain the current situation."

"I'd want to say that I can't wait for you to spill the bean," Tylor murmured. "However, I don't."

"Well, if the pictures of that slaughter unsettled you, it only gets darker," Vayne informed the Hispanic.

"I've figured that much myself, thanks, Vayne."

"Shall we start, then?" the raven-haired woman uttered a question.

In the end, she could have not even asked. After all, they were not in a place to disregard the council's direct order. Of course, they could have postponed it, but frankly, it would have not won them a thing.

"So," the RDT's chief officer hummed a couple of minutes after Vayne finished the introduction. "It looks like we are dealing with someone brave or stupid enough to challenge the council?"

"It certainly looks that way, Commander," the raven-haired woman sounded. "As of now… our only lead is quite literally tricky to defend. Still… as horribly as it might sound, I'd prefer this whole situation to be a one-time show-up than the beginning of the political war."

"I can see the reasoning behind that, Miss Vayne," Lucian responded, playing with his fingers. "Do we have any update regarding that lead?"

"Nothing groundbreaking, sadly, Commander," the AI sounded out of the sudden. "I was only informed that Miss Tepes left the council's hold in the city for the meeting. I expect to receive further intel as soon as it concludes," she informed the gathered people.

"Thank you for the briefing, Cortana," Shauna spoke up. "As you see, Commander, we'll need more people to work with. The designated level we're currently occupying was divided into 8 smaller rooms, of course excluding this one. If there's anyone you could recommend, I'm all ears."

"Hmmm…," Lucian hummed loudly. "Strangely enough, I was informed earlier regarding the officer transferred from Europe. He is German just like you, Martin, and I can say that I was impressed with his duty record. If you are comfortable with such a candidate, I think he should still be wandering around the office?"

"I think we're in no position to be picky," Vayne uttered. "After all, beggars can't be choosers. Can we invite him here?"

"Give me a couple of minutes," Tylor spoke up for the very first time since the introduction had begun.

"There is no need for you leaving the room," Cortana commented. "After all, I can interact with the HQ systems. Let me find that candidate for you," she added. "Ervin Richter was informed regarding his new assignment," the AI informed a moment later. "He is on his way here."

To say that Ervin Richter was surprised would have been a laughable excuse of a joke. After hours spent on the plane, he did not expect to be summoned nearly immediately. He had managed to catch up only a few moments of shut-eye throughout the flight, which certainly was not helpful currently. As he walked down the hall toward the elevator, he allowed himself to complain silently. It might have been a really long day for him.

A beeping sound was annoying. To Ervin's utter dissatisfaction, the lift stopped on nearly every floor, constantly beeping to announce its departure or arrival. It was a truly horrible experience, to say the least. Still, the German opted to say nothing. All he did was clench his teeth. Finally, after some torture, he arrived at the desired level.

As soon as the doors began opening, the man left, seemingly in a hurry. A silent sigh was allowed to happen. Then, the man smoothed an invisible crease on his trench coat before proceeding forward. Richter found it intriguing to be surrounded by glass-like, transparent panels. In his eyes, there were certain benefits related to such a solution.

In no time, the central room was reached. Inside, the German spotted 4 other people already sitting there. Two of these people he had already had a chance to meet. So, thinking logically, it was natural to skip the inspection of these. He slowed down a little, buying some additional moments to finish the scanning.

"That woman seemed stressed," it was Richter's first thought regarding the raven-haired woman. "Her gestures are uneasy, clumsy. Something might be bothering her greatly," the train of thoughts was allowed to continue.

Overall, the man did not find her fascinating. She must have been struggling to keep her cool under stress. However, the same could not have been said regarding the last man. Ervin liked to describe the people with the concept of auras. And… in the case of that soldier, it was a very grimdark construct. Amongst the gathered people, he was the only one clothed as if ready to be deployed within moments. His broad chest was entirely covered by a kevlar-like vest. Underneath it, the turtleneck of an ashen colour was seen. In some areas, it seems to be overly-fitted; potentially, the second skin could have been used by him. The red flag had risen as soon as Ervin spotted the half-gloves. Additionally, a modern handgun was attached to his belt.

"There is no way he is one of RDT's officers," Richter thought to himself.

The silvery-haired man allowed himself to linger a few seconds longer before finally reaching the table. He was aware of the gazes glued to his every move. However, apparently, no one was willing to speak up before he would find his seating.

"Mister Ervin Richter, I presume?" the raven-haired woman spoke a moment later.

"Yes," the man replied, nodding slightly. "I wonder why I have been summoned?"

"Make yourself comfortable, then," the woman responded immediately. "It might take some time to explain the situation. So, please feel free to put your coat on the racks and take some beverages," she informed him.

"Thank you, and your name is?" Richter asked whilst slowly taking off his trench coat.

"My name is Vayne, Shauna Vayne, to be precise," the raven-haired RDT officer introduced herself.

"And… who is that fellow?" the silver-haired man asked, pointing out on the soldier.

"I am Martin Eckstein. I am a guardian in the council's service," the man uttered simply. "Considering your service records, you might be a great asset in the upcoming missions," he added, extending his right hand.

"You are not part of RDT, are you not?" Ervin asked another question whilst shaking Eckstein's hand. "You look like an ex-soldier or even ex-commando?"

"Good guess, Mister Richter," Martin commented, flashing a half-smile. "Does `black legion` ring a bell for you, Mister Richter?" he proceeded with a question in German.

"Naturally," Richter responded in German. "I have thought that the project had been shut down ages ago," he added, swallowing a heavy gulp forming in his throat.

"Let's discuss that matter privately, shall we?" the dark-haired man offered.

The newcomer did not reply, or at least not verbally. Instead, Ervin nodded slightly with his head. His eyes were wide open, focused on the council's servant.

"It was creepy," Tylor spoke up. "It might be only me, but German is a fucking scary language sometimes."

"Apologies," the guardian uttered. "It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable. Let's just call it a friendly exchange between fellow Germans, shall we? And… Cortana, please do not translate what we have spoken," he added toward the AI. "Miss Tepes informed me that you try to leverage the lingual bridge by default."

"Point taken," Cortana replied back instantly. "Should I display all the pieces of evidence we have gathered so far?"

"Please, proceed with that, Cortana," the German guardian spoke.

Soon enough, the images, audio logs, and other pieces of data started to be streamed toward the tablets lying on the table.

"Thank you for your time, Mister Shimamoto Shigekazu," Miss Tepes uttered the greeting in a somehow neutral tone. "Have you been briefed regarding the urgency of this meeting?" she asked before the man could have said a word.

"No," the ` Fushigina Kimera Knives` CEO replied simply and coldly. "I do know who you're, but it doesn't make a difference for me," he added confidently. "I'm a busy man, and it's unthinkable for you to force your way into my schedule, Tepes!"

"I can certainly understand that much, Mister Shigekazu; I can assure you about that," the council's leader responded, lowering her voice. "I am here merely to obtain some pieces of information that you might possess. So, I need you to tell me who has bought two of your limited edition knives. That all, after that, I will be gone."

"My customers' identities are only known to my officers and me," the man replied harshly. "I'm being paid to keep these pieces of information secret. We value our customers' privacy."

"I need you to make an exception, then," the vampire uttered in a whisper-like manner, taking a step forward.

"Do you have a court warrant?" Shigekazu asked whilst playing with his plumb fingers. "If not, I'm so deeply sorry, but I can't reveal these, Miss Tepes," he allowed himself to use irony.

"I can have it in a moment," the white-haired woman spoke, taking another step forward.

"I'd urge you to stay where you're standing!" the CEO mumbled, taking a step back. "Take one more step, and my guards will be forced to act!" he threatened.

"Did you really make a threat toward me?" the vampire asked, switching her irises into the crimson-red shade. "These two are remnants of Yakuza, are they not?"

"Does it matter?" Shigekazu asked, backing off.

"It would be in your best interest to speak up," Akali informed the overweight man.

"You should've been smarter! Guards, kill her!" the man yelled, running away.

Within a second, the setting changed drastically. The narrow corridor the exchange took place in did not allow the council's leader to disregard the guards. She simply could not have skipped them, focusing on catching the fat fish known as Shimamoto Shigekazu. The vampire sighed heavily; it seemed that the bloodshed was inevitable. In front of her, two relatively young men stood. Each of them wore a white suit with a black-as-night tie. Their katanas were already drawn, ready to strike. However, they must have known whom they were dealing with, and thus, they did not attack. Still, it was evident that they would want her to back out and leave. Sadly, she could not have allowed the greedy little man to escape.

The short, curved dagger was pulled out of her sleeve in a blink of an eye. The men reacted instantly, moving forward, forward to their demise. However, strangely enough, before the vampire killed them, the air went cold in the corridor.

"Ahh," Miss Tepes hummed, flashing a smirk. "You have come at last," she thought.

Within the next moment, two massive figures appeared behind the Yakuza members. With little to no effort, these newcomers disarmed the guards, knocking them out a moment later.

"Quite an entrance, I must give you that," Akali uttered in a whisper-like manner. "I wondered when you will finally show up, Loghain."

"Apologies," a slightly hoarse voice sounded from behind. "We have arrived as soon as our wakening ritual finished."