"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight" – Sun Tzu, Art of War.
***
"How's Alma going, Rohan?" Raven asked.
"She's progressing steadily, I think you can send her on a small mission soon."
"Hmm, I think a few more hunting missions will be good. She can adapt faster that way," Raven mumbled.
"You can let her come with me for trading too, we have one this week," Rohan offered.
"That's a good option too."
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK! Suddenly someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," Raven answered.
A young woman with short bob dark hair entered the room. Her expression is stiff and serious.
"Leader, an emergency report," the woman said.
"What is it, Hara?"
"The Visa family suddenly sent an ultimatum. They demand that we return Alma to them or they will attack us with their full force."
"What?! What they demand?" Rohan hissed.
Hara looked at Rohan disapprovingly. "They demand us to give Alma back three days later. They will meet us in two kilometers from the southern border."
"Dream on! They nearly make her dead and now she's fully transformed they want her back?" Rohan snarled.
"Be quiet, Rohan!" Raven snapped. "Hara, I want you to call Alma and the council here," she continued.
"Leader, surely you don't plan to give Alma back to them, right? You know if they get her back, they will experiment with her and make more Kumaika like her," Rohan asked.
"I can't say anything right now. I need to meet with the council and ask their opinion on this. Go back to your post now," Raven ordered.
"But-" Rohan word trailed off when he sees Raven glared at him. "Yes, leader," he said before leaving the office.
"Are you okay?" Hara asked Raven.
"Do I look okay?" Raven pinched the bridge between her eyebrows.
"Go notify the Valkyrie to prepare," she added.
"Yes, leader."
"I hope everything will be alright," Raven whispered.
***
Once again Alma stands in front of the council. The difference is, this time Zach also sits on the council seat.
"What happens now?" Deen asked.
"The Visa family demands us to give Alma back. They said they will attack us with their full force if we don't do that," Raven explained.
Alma's body goes rigid directly, here it comes, the moment she's afraid of. She knows soon or later her family will know that she's still alive, and they will come to get her back. But when it happens, Alma still feels scared. The thought of going back to the research lab makes her blood run cold.
"Hah! They're still doing whatever they want. They make her dying and now they want her back?" Deen scoffed.
"When they demand us to give her?" Adie asked.
"They want us to give her three days later. The meeting point will be two kilometers from the border," Raven stated.
"We can't give her back to them. They will experiment with her again and maybe make others like her!" Deen ranted.
"Of course we can't, so I think maybe we can ambush them," Raven proposed.
"How about we meet them to negotiate? We can place some of our man in the parameter?" Zach suggested.
"Why do we still need to negotiate with them? They won't hear us!" Deen grumbled.
"Because we don't want to make an unnecessary sacrifice, I think the Visa family won't come empty-handed. If we can avoid the fight, that's better for us," he explained.
"It's settled then, I will order the Valkyrie to stand around the perimeter on that day. Zach and Deen, you both will be coming as well. Amy, I give you take care of the medic." Raven instructed.
Everyone in the room dispersed one by one, leaving Alma and Raven alone.
"Say it, I know you want to say something," Raven said.
Alma hesitates, she has a mixed feeling about the whole situation. She's afraid because of her family demand yet she's happy because the Noctacian decide not to give her back. At the same moment, she's also worried about the price of their choice.
"Why don't you let me go? My family won't let you guys go easily. They won't care to negotiate, they will snatch me forcefully. Rather than sacrificing your power, why don't you just let me go?" Alma asked.
"Shut up and just follow my order. You are one of us now, just prepare for three days later. You'll be coming with us."
"Yes, leader," Alma muttered.
***
"Hey Amaris, what do you think will happen?" Alma asked the copper-haired girl.
"Something fun," Amaris answered cheerfully, her golden eyes full of mischievous glint.
"You know that we will probably fight with my old family, right?" Alma pointed out.
"Yeah, so?"
"I'm just afraid there will be a victim in the Noctacian side. If that happens I feel that will be my fault."
"It's not. It's our choice to not give you back to them. Come on, it will be fun."
"Are you also coming?"
"Of course, don't you know I'm part of the Valkyrie?" Amaris tilted her head.
"What's Valkyrie? I heard it for the first time today."
"Valkyrie is the name of a group. It consists of a skilled Noctacian. The job of Valkyrie is to do the leader's bidding and to fight when it's necessary. There's also another unit, it's a deadly unit where all of them are trained to fight until they die. The name of that unit is Gehenna."
"Can I join the Valkyrie?"
"Yeah, if we passed this event" Amaris chuckled.
"Perfect, now I have something to look forward to," Alma said sarcastically.
***
"Have you prepared everything?" a grey-haired man asked his subordinate.
"Yes, Sir. We already prepare four containers," a man with black hair answered.
"Good, we have to bring a generous gift when visiting someone. I hope they will like our gift," the man smirked.
***
Three days later.
Alma looked at the Noctacian who already prepared. It's her first time seeing them gathering together, more than one hundred Noctacian are participating in the exchange. Alma could feel the tense atmosphere in the air. She sees some of them bringing rifles and most of them are empty-handed.
"Go!" Raven ordered.
With that, they marched towards their destination.