The Earthquake of the Century.
That's what the press had dubbed the recent seismic event. The Solaris House in Solfea only experienced a slight aftershock, and no lasting damage to their territory existed. However, those at the epicentre of the earthquake weren't that lucky.
Broken into a landscape of haunting silence, the wails of children and emergency sirens replaced the usual hustle and bustle of populated towns. Buildings that once stood for centuries had been reduced to crumbled heaps of concrete and shattered glass, exposing what little was left of their once sturdy foundations.
Chaos was the law of the land, and landslides were routine as the natural disaster weakened soil and rock. Thousands of lives were lost upon the first impact, and the economic damage was incalculable. But as waves of disaster struck, it quickly became apparent that this earthquake would be the biggest event of this century.
Calls by Zephys, the Capital of the Hyades Republic, to send aid were received with great buzz, as every significant organisation worth its salt was eager to help. The Solaris House was no exception. They were enough economic aid to rebuild at least five towns—knights to assist in rescue missions and even free lodgings to refugees who sought help.
As for Amon…
"You want to join a rescue squad?"
Amon stood with his arms behind his back, facing the Grand Commander of the Black Dragon Order. Lifting his chin, he confidently stared straight at his superior as if he wouldn't take no for an answer.
"Yes."
"Hoh? Did my reformation punishment change your heart for the better? If I recall correctly, this is the first time you've requested to do charity."
"..."
The young Knight didn't feel a need to answer his superior's teasing tone. Instead, he stood silently while waiting for a response to his request. Realising that Amon was serious, Carmen groaned with a reply:
"Unfortunately, the Black Dragon Order wasn't dispatched for any relief response. The Green, Grey and Brown Orders are sufficient enough."
Like any other country's military, the Solaris Knight Orders were segregated based on their specialisations. For disaster relief, the manpower of the Green Order, the aerial support of the Grey Order and the scouting abilities of the Brown Order were more than enough.
The Black Dragon Order specialised in threat eradication and underground work, so providing aid was outside its scope of work. Alas, Amon wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"I've heard that in times of distress, individual Knights can take time off their duties to volunteer their time and support. If dispatch is impossible, please grant my leave."
"Hoh… You've done your research…"
Carmen was frozen, her eyes wide and lips parted in a gasp. This was the first time she'd seen Amon so passionate about work. If it were any other subordinate, she would have been touched and would immediately stamp the approval for their administrative leave. Unfortunately, this was Amon Solaris, the Black Order's resident troublemaker.
"You're hiding something from me, aren't you? Does this concern your secretive rendezvous with the Elune girl?"
"..."
"Don't be so surprised. I'm the Grand Commander of the Black Order. Information gathering is my bread and butter. Your frequency of eloping was suspicious, so I had your activities investigated." Carmen casually revealed the fact that she'd placed a subordinate under investigation.
"I know that your escapades aren't all fun and games. You've been doing some Demon hunting and intelligence gathering of your own. And to that end, I must commend you. Echelon, was it? We got nothing, no matter how much we tried to pierce through that veil."
Bit by bit, Carmen was unravelling the secrets that Amon and Yue sought so desperately to hide. Cold sweat broke out from Amon's back as fear enveloped his mind. As expected of the Solaris House's head black ops director, hardly anyone on the planet could match her intelligence-gathering abilities.
"Hoh… So you can show that kind of emotion too, huh?"
Carmen narrowed her eyes into slits as she observed Amon's reaction. Stunned beyond words, he was frozen in place like a deer caught in headlights.
"It doesn't matter. Your confinement period is over anyway, so giving you some fresh air would be good. I will indulge in your stubbornness this time, but I hope to hear a DETAILED report when you return, okay?"
"... understood."
Knowing there was no point in arguing, Amon sighed heavily before pivoting his heels backwards in retreat. However, before he could get one foot out the door, Carmen's authoritative voice beckoned:
"Ah, are you thinking of bringing that Ascalon brat?"
"Yes, that is my intention," Amon glanced back with wariness. Leon's participation in the Blood Demon hunt was pivotal in his growth. Furthermore, Amon wasn't sure if he could defeat the Blood Demon without the Holy Blade at this juncture. Hence, Leon must follow him no matter what.
"What's the matter?"
"I see… I wish you good luck then."
Fortunately, Carmen wasn't interested in giving the young man a lecture. She simply reached for her favourite wine gourd and chugged a mouthful without concern. Seeing that her business with him was done, Amon gave the Grand Commander a fearful bow before retreating.
Only when Amon had entirely disappeared from her tower did Carmen let out a derisive snort.
"What an adorable brat. He doesn't even know the position he's in…"
Carmen laughed to herself and pulled out a sealed letter with the Patriarch's signature from her drawer. Although she'd already known its contents, Carmen still cut it open and gave it a cursory read.
"That old monster is considering attaching a Pillar Knight as his protector? How useless!"
A ball of fire appeared in Carmen's hand, igniting the letter into ashes. She scoffed as she recalled her last training session with the boy and the heights he'd ascended to with his newly summoned weapon.
"Though, I am curious to see what he's planning…"
A sly smile appeared on the Grand Commander's lips as she thought of a new way to mess with her precious, playful subordinate.
❖❖❖
"Amon! I missed you!!!"
With Amon's confinement to Twilight Keep finally over, he was allowed to return home. And the first person that greeted him wasn't his overly concerned mother or his lovable younger sister. But the pesky girl who called herself his fiancée.
With her striking white hair cascading around her shoulders like a shimmering veil, Yue sprung into Amon's embrace like a lost puppy. Her vivid ruby-like eyes were gleaming with a yearning that could only be present from a grieving widow that could be misconstrued as unsettling.
Licking her lips, Yue buried her face into Amon's arms and rubbed against his broad, burly chest. Amon's heavy musk enveloped her fragrance as her fingers lingered upon the young man's shoulders. Even though she was a magician, her grip would give most Knights a run for their money.
"Hey, get off me."
Annoyed by her desperate fervour, Amon attempted to peel the young lass off him. Unfortunately, her embrace was tighter than an elephant's hug, making it impossible for Amon to remove Yue without hurting her. Hence, he accepted his fate and blurted out his thoughts: "Didn't you return to Eshon? Why are you still here?"
"I was counting down the days, of course!" Yue declared proudly. Rumours of Amon's punishment had spread far and wide, so it didn't take an expert to figure out when he would be released.
"That old hag… I didn't expect her to ground you for a full month. She will be a problem in the future when we elope again."
"... we shouldn't elope in the first place."
Amon briefly scolded the beauty in his arms, though he didn't go overboard. Sighing briefly, he continued: "It seems like they are on to us. The Grand Commander even mentioned Echelon."
"T-That's… surprising… But, I guess we did well to hide it from them till now."
It was only a matter of time before all of Amon and Yue's underground activities would come to light. Still, Carmen's ability to figure it out this early did come as a shock to the duo.
"Fortunately, it seems that Bane is doing his job. She only knows of its name, not our activities."
"That's a relief," Yue asserted. Carmen Solaris would rank amongst the top of all the people she was wary of in the world. Her instinct, superhuman abilities and intelligence were one to be feared. It was fortunate that she was on the side of humans. Otherwise, the Black Order's Grand Commander would be a formidable enemy to defeat.
And… Yue was wary of her for another reason.
"It seems like she's aiming for you… Do you think she likes younger men?"
"... Stop fooling around."
"I'm not! Don't you think she's showing you too much favour? From personally training you to making you report directly to her. She'd even confined you for a month!!!"
"Hah… Stop your bullshit."
As Yue's mind became preoccupied with suspicion of an old hen taking a shot at her future husband, her grip weakened, allowing Amon to pry the young woman off him. Walking away to drop his luggage, Amon gradually removed his jacket and vest, changing into something more comfortable. While settling down, he asked Yue what he was most curious about.
"How's the situation in Mistwood? Have you found traces of the Blood Demon?"
"No," Yue shook her head sadly. "As you know, the Blood Demon needs a trigger to awaken. The earthquake has destroyed its seal, but it still needs a host to awaken fully. It may not even appear in this timeline if no one discovers its resting place."
The duo had long anticipated the Blood Demon's appearance. They'd sent a select few trusted operatives to scout the area as well as guide innocent civilians away from the crime scene. Alas, Mistwood was huge, and they had no idea where the Blood Demon's resting spot was. There was only so much they could do covertly with their limited resources.
"..."
Amon remained quiet, but his mind was throbbing with an unknown anticipation. On the one hand, if the Blood Demon didn't appear, it was a good thing. It meant that thousands, if not tens of thousands of lives would have been saved. But, if that monster appeared…
He could end it once and for all.
"Let's hope for the best then."