I used this last week to determine how to proceed where MC currently is.
I had two options I was thinking of but it's been decided so enjoy the coming chapters :)
Giliath demands your power stones!
*
Deep into the night with a crescent moon hanging high above in the starry sky with a silky white cloud placed here and there...
With the activities over and done today, Angelica, Kloe and I found ourselves relaxing while Tamamo was already dozing off into her dreamland. Expecting to wrap up the night, we suddenly heard a knock coming from outside our veranda, not expecting any more guests.
Angelica and Kloe had a look of interest but I took it upon ourselves and got up, only to stand up and close the veranda door to not disturb them. The moment I shut the door, I heard an ever so familiar voice which caused me to come to a sudden halt.
"This day is just full of surprises, isn't it, Your Highness?", A familiar voice said, reaching out to me. "I didn't think I'd get to see the Azure Abyss today either.", The voice continued to say, only to reveal a green haired figure who hadn't seem to age a day since we last communicated. A tattoo-like marking could be seen under one of his eyes.
"C-Campanella?", I said, having to rub my eyes to make sure it was him who I was seeing correctly.
"That is me, yes. It pains me to see you almost forget who I was, Your Highness.", Campanella said, revealing a playful smile. Seeing Campanella here though, probably isn't something good, or that he has something to talk about. Curiosity couldn't help but reach my eyes. I could only sigh at the same time, seeing Campanella arrive on our veranda.
"Hah...", I replied, letting out a sigh. "You're never one to beat around the bush though, so it's pretty obvious you've come here with something in mind. Especially for you to come all the way here. I'm more surprised you didn't try to contact me through one of your phantoms, or through my orbal monitors. It must be pretty serious.", I said, scratching my cheek a bit seeing Campanella hidden from sight as he hung around the edge of the veranda, calmly observing the crystal blue lake beyond us.
"Haha, I could have, yes. I wouldn't call it serious, per se, but this matter does require your attention. Your Highness.", Campanella began to answer. "As you must know, members of Ouroboros are required to partake in missions after a given amount of time, no matter what Enforcer rank you are. While you did help us with that matter a few years ago, it is now time to partake in your mission, Your Highness.", Campanella continued to say.
"So it's come to that, hasn't it?", I replied back with a look of interest appearing in my eyes.
"Indeed. Enforcers still have the freedom to do whatever they want though. While they are given missions, you can decline them. You will not get reprimanded, hell you could even go missing for all we care. It is ultimately up to you should you decide to partake in this mission.", Campanella answered me.
"It goes without warrant that it's enough to grab my attention then, over other Enforcers.", I suggested as I waved my hand a bit.
"Pretty much.", Campanella said, only to let his fingers snap for a brief moment. As he did, he reached out his hand, and a holo panel illusion of sorts appeared over his palm. It was an emblem. I blinked at this emblem, as I felt pretty familiar looking at it.
"It seems you already know what this insignia is, Your Highness.", Campanella said, revealing a grin. He then twisted his hand a bit, only to cause the emblem to split off. It was made of four sections, and the symbol of a sword began to split off from the other three symbols.
"This is...", I couldn't help but utter, only for my eyes to turn wide in surprise a bit.
"As you may have already been aware of seeing your reaction like this, The Oathbreaker created his own organization of sorts not too long ago, shortly after we recruited him into Ouroboros.", Campanella responded. "He calls it the Garden, but surprisingly, it is rather autonomous in what they do. But essentially, they're a league of assassins that operate mostly out of central and eastern Zemuria. The Oathbreaker himself does not govern much in how they do things.", Campanella continued to explain.
"So this matter really does pertain to The Oathbreaker...", I uttered, seeing Campanella begin his explanation of the mission I was going to receive. "And for you to section off the sword symbol, that's the Garden of Swords, isn't it? That Garden of Swords?", I questioned with interest.
"Hahaha, so you really do know, Your Highness.", Campanella responded with a playful smile.
"That's exactly right.", Campanella continued to say, only to snap his finger yet again. Two more illusions began to pop out over his palm, which caused me to blink for a moment at his hand. A figure of a woman and a figure of a man appeared. The woman sported short and curly lavender hair, while the man seemed to be in his late teens, sporting messy brown hair. His style of hair was almost messy as Crow's was.
"Ace Rayne.", Campanella began to say, which drew my attention back to him after being momentarily stunned by the woman appearing over his palm. "He has been recently promoted to the First of Swords, the highest rank among the fourteen positions in the Garden of Swords. As of late the Garden of Swords placed a hit on one of our fellow Enforcers, who is currently on leave, Kreuger. The Garden of Swords keep pestering Kreuger to join their ranks as she used to belong to the Order of the Moonlight Horse, as did they. But each time, Kreuger refused. They are now going to attempt to send the One of Swords to take her life.", Campanella said, as a serious look appeared in my eyes.
'They'd go so far as to try to kill Sharon despite her repeated attempts in refusal...', I thought to myself. Seeing me turn quiet briefly, Campanella revealed a smile.
"You can probably guess what your mission pertaining to this will be. Kill Ace before they kill Kreuger. That is your sole mission.", Campanella said, only to twist his hand again, causing the illusion of Sharon's face and Ace's face to vanish from sight.
"A kill or be killed mission...", I uttered. "Got it. But did you really take the lengths to request help? Can't Kreuger handle this on her own? Moreover I could've sworn I've heard the name Rayne before...", I continued to utter.
"Maybe a little memory jog will get you rolling, Your Highness.", Campanella retorted with a smile. "That One of Swords is really a pitiable fellow. His father sold him off to the Garden, and his daughter is likely to follow suit. In fact It has not been long ago since his daughter preemptively joined its factory.", Campanella said, only to snap his fingers once again.
This time, a little girl sporting vibrant pink hair, currently appeared as a new illusion over Campanella's palm. I blinked the moment I saw this girl. She looks almost equivalent to Sherryl, except she had a dead look in her eyes. But I was immediately able to recognize her.
"Now I remember...That's Nadia Rayne. Ace's younger sister...", I uttered. "Are you telling me Nadia already started her training in the Garden of Swords?", I decided to ask. Hearing that, Campanella shook his head.
"Not exactly. I heard The Oathbreaker mentioned that the Garden of Swords recently received a fresh batch of kids to train to become their next assassins, and yet Nadia actively sought them out to join. Right now, she's still quite young, so she's on probation. If I were to take a guess, it was probably due to that brother of hers.", Campanella suggested, shaking his head a bit.
"Hmm...", I began to wonder after hearing Campanella say that.
The mission is kill or be killed, but that can't be all there is to it, can it? If it was to go based on the games, Nadia would seek her brother out, only to come to learn at the time, Swin would have already killed Ace to escape the Garden. But right now, it is still a couple years until that happens. Ace is still alive, and if I remember, he too was looking for a way to escape together with Swin, right?
I doubt Swin and Nadia have met yet but this could be a chance to help lead to their rescue down the line, and to keep Ace alive...
If Campanella was one to compliment his strength, as the One of Swords, his strength may even be comparable to an A Rank Bracer, or to someone of Loewe's caliber.
Seeing me turn silent again as I began to wonder, Campanella smiled once more.
"I see you are already starting to plan out how to attack this, so I assume that you're going to partake in this mission, Your Highness?", Campanella asked with an interested look. Hearing that
"Yes, but it will have to be covert. Grandmother isn't expecting me to go out for a while, but I can always say there's been a change of plans. I just have one question though.", I asked Campanella.
"What will that be, Your Highness?", Campanella asked as a glint of light streaked across his eyes.
"Ace just needs to be pronounced dead, right? In name only?", I asked, revealing a grin of my own.
"Hahaha, take this mission as you will, Your Highness. I will say nothing more of the matter.", Campanella responded, letting out a laugh. "Still, I do have one final remark.", Campanella continued to say, only for me to see his body turn around. He then yelled out, only to call out to someone, despite it just being the empty sky around us.
"You can come out now.", Campanella said, calling out into the air. Before I could do anything, from up above, a swift shadow quickly swooped downward, coming out of thin air. It was hard to see, but as the figure dropped down, further up, a reflection quickly spread across a rather decent sized figure. I was wondering how Campanella got here, but I guess he arrived in a cloaked airship after all. Once this cloaked figure arrived beside Campanella, I heard another familiar voice call out to me.
"Oh my, is it time already?", The figure began to say, only to quickly reach in front of me. Before I could do anything, I saw the figure quickly reach out their arms, only to reach around my back. Before I realized it, I found my head being pressed against two rather soft and large mounds as the figure began to unveil their hood. Or should I say, her hood.
"Teehee, you've grown up quite splendidly, Young Master. It brings me joy seeing you grow up like this. It really has been a while.", The figure said, only to reveal a woman around my age, perhaps a couple years older, sporting long and wavy indigo hair. I couldn't help but blink my eyes seeing this woman appear before me.
"Ennea...Is that really you?", I asked, looking back at the indigo haired woman, only to reveal a gentle smile as she continued to press my head against those two soft mounds of hers.
*
It's still a couple years before Nadia and Swin meet, but as far as I can tell, Ace is already a member of the assassins.
[Insert picture of Ennea here]
[Insert picture of Nadia Rayne here]
[Insert picture of Ace Rayne here]
[Insert picture of Swin Abel here]