[Royal Capital Alavia, Most Divine Kingdom of Alterya]
(23rd, Black Sea Moon (VII), 644 ASY)
A man walks through a cobbled street of a city of stone and wood. His face is hidden beneath a blue and white cloak emblazoned with the symbol of the mercenary and adventuring group "White Dawn." He strides through the crowds of the street, squeezing and sliding through the masses of people without slowing down. He slowly increases speed until he is going at a speed that even a sprinter would be hard-pressed to keep up with. But for him, this speed is not much harder than walking. He stands straight, his breath not even beginning to labor. This speed, in addition to an abnormally heavy morning breeze, causes his hood to drop, revealing a young face with blue eyes and a head of platinum-white hair. This face is instantly recognizable to the residents of Alavia, for this face saved them from threats of all kind, from enraged drakons charging at the gates of the city to massive legions of undead that had only one objective: to kill. It is the face of the "Silver Flash" Tyson Bueomont. As he races through Alavia's streets, his pace ever-increasing, people smile and wave out to their hero. This is of no matter to Tyson, and this confuses the residents of Alavia. Usually, he will stop and smile back, or at the very least slow down his pace so he didn't seem rude. To most, this just seems like Tyson is just having a bad day, but to those who have talked to him in private, especially in times of crisis, knows the signs. They shudder and hope that it will be a false alarm, for if even Tyson is in a rush, then something serious must have happened.
Tyson quickly goes from the city center to the outskirts to then outside the walls of Alavia and finally stops at a small tavern at the furthest edges of Alavia's control. The tavern is slightly run down and doesn't see many customers. Pushing through the creaky doors into the tavern, he puts on his hood again. The tavern is small, having only 10 tables and a bar, and of the 30 seats here, only 10 are filled. The patrons don't so much as notice Tyson entire. They are all used to White Dawn members entering this tavern. They simply come here to get a drink, talk, and laugh. However, this time, the dwarven girl who is the bartender at the Grosia's Star simply nods at Tyson and raises 2, 5,3, and 2 fingers in quick succession. Tyson nods and heads back outside, much to the confusion of the patrons. He goes around to the back of the wooden building. Making sure that no one can see him, he pries a loose piece of wood off of the backside of the tavern. Underneath is a mechanism that is foreign to all but 3 people of this world. In a world that lives by magic light and fights with pikes and swords, electricity is not known, much less what a number pad is. But yet, on the side of a tavern at the edge of Alavia, is a small metal number pad. Tyson quickly pushes 2,5,3 and 2 on the number pad and a small magical circle appears, glowing with a strange magical energy, on top of the number pad. Almost immediately as it appears, Tyson slams his fist onto the glowing ring of energy. As his gloved hand touches the circle, Tyson's body disappears…
A large, dim, brick room with a single door greets Tyson as his body re-materializes. Finally, he takes off his cloak and folds it up in his hands. Tyson is wearing a set of finely made magical plate armor that faintly shines with hidden enchantments. The armor is made in a way to not make any sound and doesn't hinder Tyson's range of movement. It is a priceless suit of armor that was made by a person that Tyson now hated. Why did he have to be the one that could make equipment so impressive that it put even the best craftsmen of this world into shock? He just had to show off his impressiveness to everyone. When they were younger, Tyson could keep up with Daniel's pace of studying, but by college, Tyson fell so far behind that he no longer tried to keep up. Even then, when they were successful in different parts of their lives, people still believed Daniel to be better. Life is better now. While he did miss Daniel's mild annoyance, the massive ego he most definitely didn't miss. Though, it would be better if he came back from the dead. White Dawn, the organization that they founded together, was on the verge of collapse. While the Magio Cantoria was doing very well these past years, White Dawn was flooded with an influx of recruits seeking to join the prestigious White Dawn that had saved their lives in many disasters. Most people now were examining recruits than fighting or exploring. Usually, the Legico Logistvium would handle scanning recruits, but that branch has become more and more independent as of late. Nobody in the other 2 branches knows what the Legico Logistvium has been doing lately. They just randomly receive supplies signed "From the Legico Logistvium, do what you want." Tyson wouldn't even be surprised if Lucya, the de facto head of the Legico Logistvium, won't even show up today.
Tyson walks towards the door, opening it and stepping into a wide, open room made from brilliant marble. At the center of the room is a large round table with 3 chairs. The walls are decorated with paintings depicting their earlier struggles, and the ceiling is a mural of the symbol of the White Dawn, the Winged Diamond. Standing next to one of the chairs is a girl maybe in her early 20's with blond hair and silver eyes, and wearing a blue and white military dress uniform and grey boots. Her chest area is lacking. At the sight of her, Tyson snickers and sighs. This is the de facto leader of the Legico Logistvium, Lucya Gottenham. She was the 6th member of White Dawn, who joined when it was just a small group of adventurers working out of a tavern and receiving commissions from the guild, which White Dawn now all but replaced. She was also one of the only original members of White Dawn as an adventuring group that stayed. However, everyone knew that she had only stayed because Daniel had told her to look after the Legico Logistvium in his stead, instead of her loyalty to the group.
"Good morning, Lucya. I see you've come this time. Come on, take a seat," Tyson nods to Lucya as he sits in one of the chairs to the left of her.
"Greetings, Sir Bueomont. I am not one of the 3 heads, so I shall refrain from taking Sir Zao's seat,"
"Mmm, your loss,"
"It is a matter of respect, a quality that you seem to be lacking in,"
"Eh, that's not really what I'm going for. Anyhow, what's the Legico Logistvium been doing these past few months?"
"You have no right to interfere with the Legico Logistvium, just how we have no right to interfere with White Dawn,"
"That's fair…" Tyson sighs. "Still, we tell you what we're doing, can't you do the same?"
"The Legico Logistvium would not care if you stop supplying us with information. However, without adequate information, we would not be able to carry out our duties. White Dawn would have no trouble dealing with its duties without information from the Legico Logistvium."
"What are you hiding? You're definitely hiding something," Lucya stiffens and bites her lip.
"Nothing. It's just the Legico Logistvium's way of making sure that the other branches remember their wrongs,"
"Don't try to hi-"
"Why are we arguing here!" A different female voice pierces through the air, shutting down Tyson mid-sentence. Ashe stands outside another doorway leading into the large chamber. She's wearing a similar outfit to Lucya, only with a red cloak. "I did not bring you all here to argue. Also, Tyson, it took me 5 weeks to get Lucya to agree to meet up here. Try not to chase her off."
"Yeah yeah, I know. I don't want to get even fewer rations," Tyson sighs and points at Lucya. "But she's definitely hiding something. It may be in our best interests to investigate what they are doing."
"Not now. We cannot become even fracture than we are currently. We may be called into war at any moment," Ashe shakes her head, sitting down to the left of Tyson.
"The Dalycon Union, right?" Tyson asks.
"Yep, looks like one 5-year old skeleton is coming out of the closet," Ashe sighs.
"Uh, even though the Dalycon Union uses undead armies, it's not kind to call them a skeleton coming out of a closet…" Lucya says with an exasperated expression on her face.
"Lucya, we've been using phrases like 'Skeletons in the Closet' since we came here, why aren't you used to these phrases?" Tyson sighs.
"Wait what? What do you mean?"
"Lucya, 'Skeletons in the Closet' means a secret that you've been hiding. It usually used when that secret comes out. We would say: 'The skeletons have left the closet.' Also, Tyson, stop teasing Lucya about not knowing these things. If Daniel came in here and shouted some Chinese idioms, you'd also have no idea what he was talking about,"
"Y-Yeah, so stop bothering me Sir Bueomont. Listen to Madam Voltmare for once,"
"Ok, you got me there…" Tyson sighs. "So Ashe, what did you learn this time? The last time the three head were gathered together was during the migration of the Akai Clan of Drakons. Is the threat of the Dalycon Union that great?"
"Of course it is. At the very least, they are able to keep up an counter-espianogue campain so thourow that I can't even begin to extract information from any agents I dispatch there. They either cut contact or their dead bodies are mailed back to Magio Cantoria's headquarters. The second part is the most worrying. They know where the Black Spire is located," At this, both Tyson and Lucya stiffen immediately. Lucya's face is in disarray and Tyson's face is a mask of calm covering a swirling mix of emotions. He is equal parts shocked, angry, scared, and anguished. The Black Spire is a massive fortress hidden by magic that belonged to the late Demon Lord Azakui that White Dawn had vanquished when they were just a 6-man team. Lucya had been on that team, and thus knew how hard it was for them to track down the fortress. Just someone knowing the location of the Black Spire means that they not only have a back door into some of White Dawn's most secretive items but also means that they have practically bypassed most of their defensive systems as the Black Spire is the last line of defense for White Dawn. This is very worrying since the location has never been found. Now, a country that has not even existed for 10 years casually finds the Black Spire after not even Alterya could manage to do so.
"That's...concerning…" Tyson mutters, trying to stay calm.
"How…?" Lucya manages out after what feels like minutes of silence.
"My best guess is that one of their agents managed to stumble upon it, and guessed correctly that it was the Magio Cantoria's headquarters. That's the best explanation I can give," Ashe shakes her head.
"Oh yeah, this might not be the best time, but when I was cleaning up Ganblast's mess, I think I saw an airplane," Tyson smirks sadly.
"And you bring it up now? Are you sure?" Ashe replies, her eyes widening.
"Yeah. I think it was. It was too big to be a bird, too reflective to be a dragon, and too fast to be a drakon,"
"Could it have been a wyvern?" Ashe asks, trying to deny the possibility that it was an aircraft.
"I doubt it. Wyverns don't patrol just 5 kilometers behind the border of 2 countries, even out to the nautical border. In fact, I don't think that many people in the world even know what a nautical border is, so just from that they probably know a lot more that is usual in this world,"
"This is even more problematic. We need to investigate personally," Ashe sighs.
"Wait, all three of us? We're enacting protocol 19?" Lucya exclaims
"I think we have to. There's no other way to get the information that we want. I'll go inform squad 4 about our mission. Ashe and I will figure out the plan before our primary briefing. Hopefully,"
"If you two say so… I guess I'll start prep for the long journey ahead…" Lucya sighs. "Though I have a very busy schedule ahead, I'll be sure to postpone everything for however long this mission takes…"
"Can't you just get someone else to do it?" Tyson asks.
"Can you get someone else to do this mission? It's the same principle," Lucya retorts.
"So it's decided then. Lucya, get everyone in squad 4 ready for a briefing tomorrow. Tyson and I will start put together what we know and see if we can get a clearer picture of what's going on. Don't worry, I already have a plan, unlike what Tyson may think," Ashe smiles. Lucya sighs again.
"Right then. I shall take my leave," Lucya bows to the other two and walks towards the wall. Once she reaches there, she vanishes in a flash of white light. Just as she does, the dimmed room suddenly brightens, hidden lamps in the ceiling illuminating the marble chamber.
"Right… That's weird. Shouldn't the lights come on when we enter the room?" Ashe asks.
"So you didn't notice this whole time, huh?"
"Notice what? Everything is normal,"
"Cast {Detect Arcane}, Ashe. You'll see what I mean,"
"What you mean-OH," Ashe mutters as her eyes flash gold for a moment, and then immediately goes wide. "How… What… Why?"
"Come on out, man. You're not going to be able to hide any longer,"
"That's true. That was quite fun. Still don't know how you guys weren't able to see until now. I thought that you just didn't want to talk to me while Lucya was here," A voice calls out from the corner of the room. A man with dark black hair and pupilless eyes suddenly appears out of a corner of the room. He's wearing the same uniform as Lucya, but made for a male instead of a female, not that Lucya physique demanded anything different from him.
"How has the world treated you, Daniel Zao?" Tyson asks.