The library felt emptier once Michi and the others departed, leaving behind only the echoes of their footsteps. The towering shelves stood like guardians of silence, but the air was charged, as though unseen eyes watched from the corners.
Sisiliya closed the massive tome before her with deliberate calm. Her gaze shifted to the shadows, and her voice was firm.
"You can come now… Dr. Midnight."
From the farthest corner, a tall figure emerged, cloaked in darkness, his steps soft but commanding. His eyes glowed faintly beneath the hood, reflecting the candlelight.
"I watched him closely," Dr. Midnight said, his tone analytical. "Michi has potential. Perhaps enough to succeed. But… there's something else. Fengxi is not here in the flesh. The resurrections we've seen—Drango, Rishdania—they reek of forbidden magic. And there is only one being I know capable of such arts."
He paused, his words hanging like a blade.
"Sister Death."
A chill ran through the room. Qui's hands curled into fists, her voice trembling with anger.
"If only we weren't powerless! We could have struck her down before she rooted herself here."
Yungdei leaned against the table, his expression grim.
"It matches what my spies reported. Within the Arklight Guild, a mysterious woman stays hidden. No one meets her but Sylvia herself. That secrecy reeks of Sister Death's hand."
Umkot's voice was steady, though his eyes burned with suppressed frustration.
"Then perhaps this is the key. If we can destroy Sister Death, if we can sever her foul magic… our power might return. The chains binding us could finally break."
Dr. Midnight folded his arms, a thin smile curving beneath his hood.
"It's possible. Dangerous, but possible. For now, we must place our faith in Michi and the path he walks. His destiny is tangled with this more deeply than he knows."
The chamber fell into contemplative silence. Even the flickering candles seemed subdued, their flames bowing before the weight of the revelation.
---
Far away, in the heart of darkness, the Arklight Guild's fortress pulsed with activity. Torches blazed against stone walls, and assassins gathered in rows, their murmurs swelling like a storm.
At the front, on a raised platform, Guild Master Sylvia stood, her presence commanding absolute silence. Her piercing gaze swept across her forces, and when she spoke, her words cracked like a whip.
"Listen well! Outsiders have come to Qanbarash. They think they can meddle in our affairs, aid those pathetic dragons. I say this ends now. You will hunt them down. You will crush them all!"
A roar of cheers erupted from the guild hall. The assassins slammed their weapons against the floor, their bloodlust filling the chamber.
But amid the frenzy, Drango stepped forward, his massive frame casting a long shadow. His eyes glinted with a mix of rage and obsession.
"Those outsiders… they are not ordinary. One among them is mine. My prey, my obsession, my enemy. Michi. None of you touch him. His life belongs to me, and me alone."
The room hushed, tension coiling like a serpent.
From the side, Rishdania spoke, her voice uncertain yet determined.
"Sylvia… if I follow your orders, if I serve you well, my brother—my Shiro—will remain safe, yes?"
Sylvia's lips curled into a knowing smile, but she did not answer immediately. Instead, a figure emerged from behind her — Pandora, draped in elegance and danger. She stepped into the light, her tone soothing but sharp.
"Of course, Rishdania. Your brother is precious. I, Pandora, will personally ensure his safety. That is my vow. Serve us, and no harm will come to him."
Rishdania's shoulders sagged in fragile relief.
"Then I will obey. Do not hurt him, I beg you. I will follow every order."
Sylvia's gaze swept past her and snapped toward another group.
"Rulius. Kripton. Luo. Escor. You will take the front lines if they dare attack us. Show these outsiders what it means to challenge the Arklight Guild."
The four assassins straightened instantly, each giving their vow.
Rulius smirked, twirling his blade with practiced arrogance.
"Heh, they won't even make it past the gate. I'll paint the ground red before they blink."
Kripton clenched his fists, his voice rough.
"Finally, some real prey. Let's see how long they scream before they break."
Luo adjusted his gauntlets with cold precision.
"If Sylvia commands it, they're already dead. Efficiency is all that matters."
Escor cracked his neck, his grin feral.
"Blood, fire, and silence — that's what I'll give them."
The hall thundered with their confidence, the walls themselves seeming to vibrate with their malice.
Later, in the quieter shadows of the fortress, Sylvia spoke privately with a figure cloaked in black and red armor. Her tone shifted to a quieter, almost conspiratorial murmur.
"Raksam… your master's needs are always to be prioritized. If there is anything required, anything at all, you come to me first. Understood?"
Raksam bowed his head respectfully.
"Yes, Sylvia. I will obey. My master's will and your command will not be opposed."
Satisfied, Sylvia left him and ascended the staircase to her private chambers. She closed the heavy doors behind her and exhaled, a smile twisting across her face.
"The Coil…" she whispered into the dim candlelight. "It was her demand that forced us to move our base here, to Qanbarash. She wants to test us, to see if we can hold against Michi. All for her amusement."
Her eyes shifted to the far corner of the room, where another woman sat languidly, her presence sharp as venom.
"Isn't that right… Thessa, dear?"
Thessa slowly turned her face toward Sylvia, her expression indifferent but her eyes blazing with authority. Her voice carried the weight of a command not her own.
"By our Queen's orders, I am here. Do not forget, Sylvia — your debts were forgiven only because you accepted this task. Fail, and not even death will spare you. Serve well, and remember your place."
Sylvia chuckled darkly, leaning back in her chair.
"We are what we've always been, Thessa. A guild of bounty hunters. Dark, cruel, efficient. If the Queen books us, we will complete the job. If the Queen desires Michi's fall, then at the very least… we will make it happen."
The candlelight flickered against her smile, stretching her shadow like a beast across the wall.