"Sah-nee! Sah-nee!"
Sunny groaned.
"Huh? What do you want?!"
Crow Crow jumped a couple of times.
"Sah-nee! Small!"
'Not another one!' Sunny cried mentally.
"I'm going to cook you in a soup if you keep calling me small!" He threatened the Echo without a gram of shame in his voice.
Crow Crow shook his wings rapidly and took off in flight to avoid Sunny's grasp.
Fortunately, he was alone, since he was sitting on the roof of the Rhino, using his shadows to explore the nearby areas and cover the rear of the convoy.
Since Arthur's cohort had joined them, there had been a change in roles.
Right now, the other cohort was leading the convoy and clearing the hordes of Nightmare Creatures that were unfortunate or foolish enough to cross their path.
Meanwhile, Sunny's cohort was in charge of covering the rear so that no creature could follow them.
The plan was proving to be an overwhelming success.
'It feels strange…'
In fact, after so many months of the campaign, the cohort's current moment was the calmest they had been since the beginning.
In the week they had been traveling, they had only had to fight two or three times a day, which was an extremely low number compared to what they were used to.
Something that had amused him greatly since this week began was the fact that every few kilometers, they could observe the corpses of the creatures Arthur's cohort killed at the front, strewn along the routes.
'So many credits lost…' Sunny grimaced at the number of Shards that ended up being wasted in those cases.
Another positive thing was that a few days ago, they had also found Naeve.
The Master of the House of Night who had been in charge of guarding the ship with which Sunny and his cohort had arrived in Antarctica was navigating the cold waters on a completely destroyed ship.
The moment they made visual contact, the Nightwalkers' ship began emitting rescue signals, and Arthur, with his cohort, took care of providing the necessary help.
Sunny didn't know why, but he managed to notice Naeve slightly tense when he saw who had saved him. His guess was that it was related to the imminent war, and he never expected to run into two Song princesses and someone like Arthur in the middle of Antarctica.
Still, due to the exhaustion the Master of the third-largest clan had in his bones and the fact that he was a Legacy by birth, these facts didn't affect his performance.
So, from that moment on, one more Master joined the convoy, and the Nightwalkers took charge of protecting the civilians alongside the rest of the soldiers.
Another advantage of Arthur's cohort having taken leadership of the convoy were the two Awakened in his ranks.
Awakened Hale was a Pathfinder in the Dark City, and he was currently directing a convoy over a kilometer long on his own, guiding which routes the vehicles could pass through and which they couldn't.
'It's a shame he doesn't work for the government…'
Sunny would have loved to choose him for his cohort. If he had him, they wouldn't have gotten lost and entered an infinite tunnel, only to then encounter the Heart of Darkness!
Then there was Awakened Emily.
'She's crazy…'
Sunny trembled slightly upon remembering the look the Awakened had given him the moment she met him.
He had met many people in his life—and different people, too—which meant he had a good eye for knowing if someone was crazy or not. And she definitely was!
Still, he had to admit that they had been able to travel so long without stopping because Emily had repaired most of the trucks on her own and left them in very good condition. She received help from Luster to regenerate essence more quickly and leave everything in proper condition for use.
'Would Arthur accept trading Emily for Luster?'
Sunny seriously considered this…
He knew she was crazy, but Sunny wasn't the sanest person in the world either, so between crazies, they could understand each other!
Either way, the journey had become much simpler for them right now…
---
A few days earlier, somewhere in the Antarctic Center.
Jesse received the order from the command center that the evacuation process had advanced a phase, and her new mission was to reach Falcon Scott within the next two weeks.
She frowned at such an order, because she was currently transporting around six thousand civilians, and it wasn't going to be easy.
Still, as one of the Masters of the First Irregular Company, it was her duty to at least try.
Her Rhino moved through the frozen mountain peaks with the precision and speed for which they were designed. One of the Awakened under her command drove it as if he had developed it himself.
The APC's shock absorbers adapted to any type of condition they faced, but currently, they couldn't use that capability of the vehicle.
The convoy with nearly six thousand civilians behind her was a constant reminder to the entire cohort that there were a lot of lives at stake. That was why the Awakened only took routes that allowed them to move fast enough to reach Falcon Scott in less than two weeks.
Along the way, Jesse had to intercept a lot of Nightmare Creatures that roamed the area or emerged from nearby Gates. Still, with her experience and the teamwork of the Awakened and soldiers under her command, they had managed to resolve these crises.
Her sparkling blue eyes reflected the possibility of arriving in a matter of a couple of days.
It was a day like any of the previous ones. Jesse opened her blue eyes after having meditated for half an hour and moved a strand of her blonde hair from her face.
Suppressing a yawn to maintain her image, she headed to the front of the Rhino, where she found Jale, one of the Awakened under her command.
She asked in a relaxed tone, "How much longer until we arrive?"
Jale, without taking her gray eyes off the route, replied while taking a curve and entering a tunnel.
"I'd say three days, Captain."
"Good," she said in the same tone, then her tone became slightly sharper and she added, "Try to avoid all possible bridges and tunnels. Stay on routes visible by satellite so they can see us in advance from Falcon Scott."
"Yes, Captain!"
At that moment, Jesse left the cabin and went to the living area where the rest of the cohort was, but before arriving, she noticed the Rhino come to a dead stop, making the sound of tires screeching against the asphalt…
'What's happening?' she questioned internally while maintaining her balance.
She had ordered her not to stop for anything!
The feeling of warmth her face radiated disappeared at that moment, and she returned to the cabin in a matter of moments.
Jesse opened the door with words on her lips, ready to reprimand Jale and force her to explain herself. Yet the moment she saw the driver's area, she noticed there was no one there…
Jesse blinked, and using her experience, she didn't panic. She extended her senses to see what had happened. She had clearly spoken with Jale seconds ago!
At that moment, she felt nothing strange, but from one second to the next, her thoughts became slow… It was as if developing one took her several seconds.
Now, intense panic began to flow inside her, drowning her in a feeling of terror, and a premonition of death tried to be born within her—but the government Master never got to do so.
The next moment, her tall, slender body—which seemed to brim with energy and barely suppressed strength—collapsed to the ground, as if a puppet's strings had been cut.
Yet instantly, Jesse's corpse stood back up as if nothing had happened. But a great difference was in her movements—they weren't natural, but rather seemed as if someone were controlling her.
Jesse left the Rhino into the cold of the Antarctic mountains and began walking without any apparent destination, but she didn't cover much distance.
In a matter of meters, an enormous figure appeared in the skies, bringing an eclipse capable of drowning entire cities with its body.
It resembled the form of a beautiful butterfly.
Its body was so dark that it seemed to be the very concept of darkness. Along its back were small silver details from which four beautiful wings of the same color spread.
The interior of each wing possessed a silver color resembling a mirror that had the ability to reflect one's own soul.
Its six legs were so large that they seemed to be pillars supporting enormous bridges or the entrance of a moral tunnel.
The creature's two silver antennae were reflected in the sparkling blue eyes belonging to Jesse's corpse as it advanced unnaturally toward the enormous legs.
In front of these lay Jale on the ground while the creature used the receptors on its legs to judge whether she was worth eating.
Receiving confirmation, the beautiful butterfly used its long tube-shaped mouth and suctioned Jale's body like a vacuum does to dirt on the floor.
The next in line was Jesse, and behind her, the rest of the six thousand civilians and soldiers lined up to be consumed by the beautiful butterfly…
---
A few days later.
Master Oliver navigated the cold waters of the Antarctic Center on the Ghalantic.
The ship was completely dominated under the Nightwalker's hands, rising and falling over the waves before him as if they didn't exist.
Oliver and his crew were one of the few who still dared to navigate such waters with all the threats present at such heights of the operation.
Such daring didn't stem from his confidence, either. It was a product of knowing that if they didn't do their part of the job, thousands or perhaps millions of people would lose their lives with everything that meant.
Oliver, like the rest of his crew, was mostly a family man. It was one of the traditions within the House of Night Clan.
Being the third clan, they couldn't offer the same amount of resources as Valor or Song. Therefore, what the clan offered was marriages and integration into the clan in a different way.
That was what most separated House of Night from the other two clans—they were a family.
With that in his subconscious and knowing the future of these people if they didn't do their tasks, Oliver and the crew of the Ghalantic couldn't stand idly by.
They had already traveled this route several times—some carrying civilians, others transporting machinery. Today, doing a little of both.
On the blue ship was machinery needed in East Antarctica for the next phase of the campaign and a group of high-ranking engineers.
The Ghalantic had already left Falcon Scott a few days ago and was already less than halfway to its destination.
The cold waters at such part of the river had a darker color than normal, though in certain parts, it seemed to have a violet tone.
The waves, as Oliver and his crew continued advancing, began to become a little more violent—sometimes even covering a large part of the ship with their magnificent height. Still, the Ghalantic remained firm.
The Awakened on guard had to defend the ship against countless attacks these days, but none had demanded the attention of the only Master on board.
Oliver, standing at the bow with his hands behind his back, faced the turbulent cold waters of the Antarctic Center with a stoic expression on his handsome face.
His thick, dark, almost blue hair moved with the strong gusts of wind, but even these couldn't distract his indigo eyes in the slightest.
The Nightwalker's routine continued without any problem—
—Until his danger perception suddenly activated.
Oliver reacted immediately according to protocol.
Using his Aspect, he manipulated a current of wind, and it impacted a barrier that circled a golden bell.
The bell produced a fine sound, drawing the attention of all the Awakened present on the Ghalantic.
The Nightwalkers went on alert and ran to their positions. The engineers hid in their rooms, and adrenaline began circulating through everyone's bodies.
Still, Oliver couldn't identify what had triggered his danger perception…
He frowned, causing wrinkles to form on his forehead.
The moment he felt something strange, he had started summoning some Memories, and they appeared around him in a shower of silver sparks.
One was a simple clock with which he could "see" the waters around the Ghalantic.
Another was a necklace that allowed him to enhance his senses to a level similar to a Saint's.
Finishing with a simple golden rapier tied at his waist.
A current of wind swirled beneath his feet and lifted him off the ship's deck. He ascended rapidly, leaving the deck behind as he tried to observe the entire perimeter of the Ghalantic.
Reaching a height of twenty meters above it, he noticed that the enormous blue ship was inside a kind of depression in the ocean.
The waters around the Ghalantic had risen, forming a gigantic circular wall. Constant waves crashed against each other, completely surrounding the ship and closing off any possible escape route.
Oliver, frightened, barely saw this and wanted to descend again to evacuate the ship somehow. He knew what was going to happen next!
Even with all his speed, he was too slow.
The curtain of water fell apart, abandoning all form—but in its place, a figure of white and green scales appeared.
Its body completely surrounded the ship, extending for almost sixty meters, while its thickness was comparable to that of several houses together.
The creature contracted its muscular body and began exerting force against the Ghalantic.
The sound of twisting metal resonated throughout the river as the enormous ship began to deform under the pressure of the colossal creature.
The walls bent, while the decks split apart. Soon, the entire ship's structure was compressed as if it were made of paper.
Oliver watched the scene with his eyes completely open, unable to look away.
Before his eyes…
…the enormous Ghalantic became a ball of metal.
"Wha…"
The word died in his throat upon noticing that the creature proceeded to sink into the depths of the sea the next moment.
'Did it leave?'
The cold waters beneath Oliver began to change color, taking on a red tone. But even under this change, he didn't fail to notice that the creature was still moving beneath him.
The Nightwalker wanted to flee, but the waters below him opened, and the colossal figure of the creature rose toward the skies like a comet.
The only thing Oliver could notice were the metal remains in the multiple rows of fangs in its mouth, which ended up transforming his world into complete darkness.
Bringing an end to the Nightwalker, his crew, and the engineers who sailed on the Ghalantic…
---
Saint Cormac's breath came out ragged, generating a gray mist in front of his mouth.
The armor that had resisted adventures in the Hollow Mountains was suffering against the sepulchral cold brought by the Winter Beast.
What angered Cormac endlessly was the fact that the Corrupted Titan wasn't even trying. The creature surely saw him as a wasp it found unnecessary to kill.
Still, Cormac had tried to be more than just a wasp. Using his Wyvern transformation and his abilities, he had been containing the Titan responsible for the strange blizzard raging across the Antarctic Center.
For his pride, he would love to boast of such a feat, but in fact, the situation was so humiliating that he preferred to remain silent.
He hadn't been alone in such a task, and as if that weren't enough, he had to work with a Saint from Song.
Saint of Sorrows took his place when he wasn't fit to continue containing the Winter Beast.
And just at this moment, he found himself in that situation.
Cormac could stay on the battlefield a while longer, but it would mean risking his life—and that was something he, as a Saint of the Valor Clan, wasn't willing to do.
He had orders from the Sovereign.
Using the essence he had left, he maintained his transformation and abandoned the strange blizzard, moving toward the site where his tether was located in Falcon Scott.
In the meantime, he took care of transmitting the signal that he was leaving and that the Song Saint should take over the situation.
Before the operation began, under orders from the Sovereign, Cormac changed the location of his tether and anchored himself in Bastion instead of his Citadel.
The Night Temple was currently under the command of the White Feather Clan, but if he did a good job in Antarctica, he would recover it, and everything would return to normal.
Though there would be a big difference: Mordret would no longer be trapped in the Citadel.
'Who helped him escape?' he asked himself.
Even after so long, no one in Valor knew who Mordret's helpers were—the ones who gave him the possibility of escaping.
When Cormac returned from a trip to the Hollow Mountains, the Night Temple was found with its doors open and the floors full of corpses. There wasn't a single piece of evidence of who the participants might have been.
Two Masters and a bunch of Lost died, and the authors of such a feat left nothing behind.
Unconsciously, Cormac's jaw clenched.
'It doesn't matter.'
They would find Mordret at some point, and when they did, they would make sure he didn't survive.
'Maybe I can even kill him myself,' he thought with a wicked smile.
Time passed, and eventually, Cormac arrived at Falcon Scott, having already abandoned his transformation. After verifying the state of his tether, he didn't hesitate to use it, appearing in one of the castle rooms in Bastion.
Leaving the room with perfect posture, he headed toward the King's chambers.
Along the way, he crossed paths with several clan employees, but he didn't lower his gaze to look at them and continued in his direction.
The castle's hallways were decorated with red banners bearing the clan's symbol in the center, along with multiple pieces of art.
Still, it wasn't something he cared about, so he continued through the decorated hallways while more clan personnel crossed paths with him.
Eventually, he arrived at the King's chambers and knocked softly on the door.
"Come in," the voice said politely.
Cormac pushed the door open and entered the room with his gaze lowered.
Closing the door first, he looked to his left.
There was a dignified middle-aged man in a well-tailored livery standing on his left. His gray hair was neatly combed, and his expression was perfectly stoic.
It was the clan's Butler, Sebastian.
Then he allowed himself to turn his gaze toward the desk and see the Sovereign of the Valor Clan seated with his gray eyes focused on him.
Immediately, Cormac went down on one knee.
What followed was absolute silence, which lasted several long seconds.
"There will be a change of plans," said the great Sovereign in a voice capable of sharpening the hardest metal.
Cormac didn't move from his place.
"Your new task is to hold position and assist in the evacuation however you can."
The Saint nodded at the new orders while remaining silent, waiting for the Sovereign to continue. However, he didn't.
"That's all, Saint Cormac," said Sebastian to his left.
'What?'
He maintained his stoic expression, but inside, he was questioning what had happened. The last time he came to Bastion, the plan was that he would transport Lady Morgan to Falcon Scott with him, along with five more Masters.
But that plan had changed in a week, and now they were going to do something different?
Still, knowing his place, he didn't try to understand it and simply accepted the orders.
Standing up again, he bowed and left the King's chambers.
Cormac could have returned to Antarctica at that moment, but he decided to spend time in Bastion, admiring the views and resting before returning to his mission.
On his way to the exit, he passed in front of Lady Morgan's room, and outside it were two Awakened standing guard.
One of them had a serious expression, while the other had a slight smile on his lips.
It was a polite smile.
---
Inside the chamber of the Sovereign of Valor.
Anvil watched Saint Cormac's figure leave his chamber and turned his gaze toward the Butler, Sebastian.
"Remind Madoc that he cannot be noticed by anyone."
Sebastian nodded.
"I will convey the message without complications." Then he raised a question. "Are you sure it's the right decision?"
"The Queen of Worms thought I wouldn't notice such a low-quality trap," Anvil said without changing his expression. "She undoubtedly did it on purpose."
Sebastian nodded.
"One could say she greatly trusts Paragon of Purity."
At the mention of the True Name, Anvil's gray eyes gained a different edge, as if a single glance could cut someone.
"Notify Nephis to return to the castle imminently, and to bring Song of the Fallen with her."
Sebastian nodded and left to carry out his orders.
In his chair, Anvil remained thinking about several things. Among those topics was why that witch trusted so much in someone who had just entered her clan, in Paragon of Purity's strength, and in the need to gather more information about him.
'The cohort sent to investigate him in Antarctica was eliminated by Goliath, a mere Fallen Titan…'
He snorted in disapproval.
'…It's up to Madoc now.'