If she didn't say anything, she feared that she might lose her life. "A-alright. But this information isn't free." A bead of sweat ran down her face at the black eyed man's unchanging expression.
"How about the information in exchange for your life?" Nox pressed the edge of his sword against her throat. "Is that acceptable?"
The woman gulped nervously, feeling the sharp blade press into her skin at the motion. Thankfully she was already on the ground, or her boneless legs would've caused her to collapse ungracefully. "That's- that's fair."
The man in front of her raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue.
She took in a light breath. "You wanted to know how to become a Serpent. Could it be that you want to join?"
When he didn't respond, she released a silent sigh. Sure enough, this man was after the same thing as everyone else.
Feeling bolstered by his silence, she explained, "It's like this. The title of a Serpent belongs to anyone that has received a stigma from one of our leaders." She paused. "Only people who are personally marked are allowed to meet with them and receive higher level stigmas. The rest of us only get low level stigmas."
Nox asked, "Can you take out your stigma?"
The woman blinked in surprise. "I-it's bound to us."
Nox lightly applied pressure to his blade as a reminder. "Does it show on your skin? I heard you talking about Li Daiyu before. Tell me what her mark symbolizes."
"..." The woman silently gritted her teeth, a sense of regret falling over her. That bitch seemed bent on screwing her over even when she wasn't here in person. "Li Daiyu has a high level stigma. That mark on her skin belongs to one of our leaders."
"Are your leaders Calamities?"
The woman started, staring at him in astonishment. "You- are you one of us?" But she should be able to tell if he was.
"No."
There was a thread of unease on her face. "No one outside of the organization should know that term."
Nox watched as her expression went through a number of changes. "... Don't think too much." He only knew because Verita had introduced herself back then.
The woman offered some extra information, "I heard through rumors that Li Daiyu was marked by the Calamity of Destruction." She shifted slightly, feeling her legs start to numb. "I don't have enough authority to know the details, but I heard he has blood red eyes and a bad temper."
Nox had guessed on much from her previous conversation. He glanced at the open status window in front of him. The second part... "How are stigmas granted to you?" If stigmas could be applied like skills, then it was really a cheat system.
"Each new Serpent will be granted a stigma as a badge of their loyalty," she said. "Our stigmas appear in the status window as soon as we sign the contract."
Nox withdrew his sword, motioning for Kuna to remove the binds. "You can go."
The woman stared blankly for a second before scrambling up. "You're letting me go?" Just like that? She watched him with distrust.
Nox held his elbow out for Kuna to jump up. "There's nothing else you can tell me." If he wanted to know more, he would have to track down someone in a higher position.
Delighted, the woman decidedly headed in the other direction, relief flooding her body. As long as she got out alive, she wouldn't even mind fighting another dozen people-
'Ah?'
The world tilted.
She watched as a pair of heavy black boots appeared in her vision, their cloaked owner bending down.
This face seemed slightly familiar. Come to think of it, why was she on the ground? She was clearing standing...
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar body crumpled on the ground.
'... That's my body.'
But why could she see the bloody stump of her neck-?
The cloaked figure kicked aside the decapitated head, letting out a low tsk. They quickly blended in with the surrounding commotion and vanished from sight.
Nox ran across the base, heading towards the location they had agreed to meet at. The air slowly filled with the scent of blood, making the fox on his shoulder become restless. "Be patient," he told Kuna as he deflected a blow from a crazed opponent. He shoved them away forcefully and slashed through their torso.
Kuna swift pounced on his meal, only to recoil from the taste and return to Nox's shoulder.
"Chii!"
Kuna's large ears twisted in irritation. All the prey his master killed for him tasted rotten!
Nox continued onward, accepting all of Kuna's emotions through the bond. He felt puzzled too-his little familiar wasn't usually picky about the source of his food, but every option offered today had been severely rejected by the little fox.
After running across the main building of the base, he found a familiar face. "Soomin."
Bak Soomin glanced at him as her needle ruthlessly drove into the throat of the woman opposite her. "Nox. Did you get any new injuries?"
Not fooled by her question, Nox sheathed his blade while responding, "All clear." Kuna raised a paw in affirmation. "Chii!"
"Good," she smiled, satisfied with his answer. As the cold body thumped onto the ground, she dusted off her hands. "Do you know where Liam is?"
"With Roscoe and Lei," Nox joined her, glancing around.
Shhrwa!
As if Lei had read his mind, purple lightning exploded in the distance, followed by shrill screams of pain.
"Heeek!"
"Awuwu!"
Nox and Bak Soomin headed in the direction of the commotion, pushing aside paralyzed bodies until they found the culprit leaning against the brick building.
There were faint sparks scattered around Lei, rejecting anyone who tried to approach her.
Roscoe had been an unfortunate victim of Lei's sudden explosion, his fur puffed to the extreme. The fat raccoon now resembled a two-story pom pom.
"Uncle, better stay away. I can't control it right now." As if to emphasize her point, another rebellious spark shocked a body at Lei's feet, causing the unconscious man to shudder uncontrollably.
"Nox!" Li Zemin's familiar face popped out from Roscoe's fur, waving down at him. Besides his perm looking curlier, the young man was otherwise unharmed. "How was the trial?"
Liam's small face popped up a second later, his fluffy blond hair sticking out uncontrollably. "Hi Mister."
Bak Soomin pressed her lips together when she saw their appearances, swallowing down her laughter. "We can worry about that later. I lost track of Claude."
"I'm here."
Said person walked towards them leisurely, lugging something over his shoulder. With a grunt, he dropped it on the ground.
Nox stared at the familiar face, then at Claude. "Why did you bring her back?"
Claude was fiddling with his status window and raised his head at Nox's question. "You know her?"
Lei's electric discharge finally settled down and she came over, accidentally brushing against her brother. Claude frowned at the slight shock when Lei nudged Nox in bafflement. "Hey, isn't this Li Daiyu? Brother, why did you bring her here?"
Bak Soomin observed the unconscious woman for injuries, attention pinned on her exposed arms.
The young woman had lost her jacket since the last time Nox saw her, revealing the dominating mark for everyone to see. There were traces of dirt on her arms and dried blood near her temple.
Claude pointed to the mark on Li Daiyu's arm. "I brought her because she has that."
Li Zemin carefully slid down from Roscoe's back, catching Liam at the bottom and went over to join them. "What's so special about that? It looks pretty vicious."
The surrounding spikes arrogantly occupied an entire portion of the young woman's arm, the dark red to black color contrasting against Li Daiyu's fair skin. Even if someone didn't know what it symbolized, it looked dangerous enough for them to be wary of it.
"It's a personal mark." Claude didn't explain the source of the mark. "This woman's identity isn't simple if she has this."
Bak Soomin frowned, "How are you so sure?" She watched Liam carefully as the young boy stepped closer to look at the mark.
"The mark symbolizes her standing in the organization," Nox cut in. "She's close to one of their leaders."
Li Zemin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "This is like, Dark Age stuff to brand people."
Lei snorted at Li Zemin's words, the movement causing her to hiccup. A small bolt of lightning followed the quiet sound.
"What does Arcadia's problem have to do with us?" Bak Soomin crossed her arms. "It was just a coincidence that we were here while the Serpents attacked."
Claude staring at the twitching body on the ground in contemplation. He turned to Bak Soomin, "Do you know what they say?"
Her lips twitched. "This sort of thing still needs a motto?"
Claude quoted, "May the blessings of his Malevolent Majesty shine down upon you."
'... Malevolent.... Majesty...'
Nox pressed his palm against his temple, groaning at the sudden pain. Maybe Kuna really did eat something bad? He had an urge to throw up.
"You... you!"
Everyone turned simultaneously.
Li Daiyu woke up feeling disoriented, remembering the blunt force striking her from behind and then waking up here...
She gritted her teeth as she stared at the two familiar faces.
What did they want now!