The war room deep within Reunion's mobile headquarters carried atmosphere heavy with anticipation and residual tension from Talulah's extended recovery. She stood before the tactical display with posture that suggested restored vitality, the week and a half of healing having eliminated visible traces of the catastrophic engagement with Shiki. Only those who knew her intimately might detect the subtle caution in how she distributed her weight, unconscious compensation for injuries that had required extensive regeneration.
Patriot stood across from her like monument carved from living metal, the Wendigo's massive frame casting shadows that seemed to absorb ambient light. His presence dominated the space without requiring speech, authority manifest through simple existence. Behind him stood the Guerilla leaders and senior operatives, their expressions reflecting mixture of relief at Talulah's recovery and concern about what orders would follow.
"The time for defensive positioning has ended." Talulah's voice carried certainty that brooked no argument, each word carefully measured for maximum impact. "We have remained dispersed too long, allowing our enemies to consolidate while we waited for optimal circumstances that will never arrive through passivity."
She gestured at the tactical display, the holographic projection showing Chernobog's current position and projected trajectory. The mobile city had been drifting under minimal guidance since Reunion's initial conquest, automated systems maintaining basic functionality while actual control remained contested between various factions.
"Chernobog will serve as our staging ground. The city's mobility provides strategic flexibility that stationary positions cannot match, and its symbolic significance will rally support from Infected populations throughout Ursus. We take the city completely, purge remaining resistance, and establish it as Reunion's declared capital."
Patriot's rumbling voice emerged like distant avalanche, power contained but unmistakable in its potential.
"Chernobog's defenses remain substantial despite our previous incursions. Ursus military maintains garrison forces and the infrastructure supports defensive operations that will resist occupation. Taking the city requires commitment of significant resources and accepts casualties among our forces."
"Acceptable losses given strategic value. The Infected need symbol of our strength, tangible demonstration that Reunion can conquer and hold territory against national military opposition. Chernobog provides that symbol while serving practical purpose as mobile fortress."
Talulah manipulated the display to show troop deployments and attack vectors, her tactical planning evident in how she had already calculated optimal approach patterns and resource allocation.
"You will lead the primary assault. Your Shieldguards provide breakthrough capacity necessary to penetrate hardened positions, and your presence will inspire our forces to peak performance. I will coordinate secondary elements and manage logistics to ensure sustained operations once initial resistance is broken."
The Wendigo warrior considered this directive with deliberation that characterized his decision process. Patriot never responded immediately to orders regardless of their source, his nature requiring thorough evaluation of strategic merit before commitment. Finally he inclined his head fractionally, acceptance conveyed through minimal gesture.
"The Shieldguards will take Chernobog. Ursus garrison will fall or retreat. Either outcome serves Reunion's objectives."
Talulah's expression shifted to something approaching satisfaction, the closest she typically came to displaying positive emotion during tactical discussions. She turned her attention to where W lounged against the wall with calculated disaffection, the Sarkaz mercenary observing proceedings with expression that suggested mild boredom masking keen interest.
"W. You will deploy to Lungmen's periphery and establish observation position. Rhodes Island's presence there represents wild variable in our strategic calculations. I want continuous intelligence on their activities, personnel movements, and any indication they are preparing offensive operations."
W's grin carried edge that suggested she found the assignment entertaining rather than burdensome.
"Spy work. How delightfully mundane compared to blowing things up. Should I take samples of their tea preferences while I'm cataloging tactical dispositions?"
"Your approach is your concern provided results are delivered. I want detailed intelligence on Rhodes Island's capabilities, their alliance structure, and any evidence of coordination with Victorian forces or other external actors."
"Victorian cooperation seems unlikely given King Arthur's methodology involves conquest rather than partnership. But I'll watch for unexpected friendships forming among our various enemies."
W pushed off from the wall with lazy grace that concealed her actual readiness for deployment.
"When do you want me in position? Lungmen's security will have tightened considerably since Mephisto's operation drew attention."
"Immediately. The assault on Chernobog begins in five days, providing window for you to establish surveillance and gather preliminary intelligence before our attention becomes focused on city operations."
The Sarkaz offered mocking salute before departing, her characteristic irreverence somehow failing to generate irritation from Talulah despite circumstances where such disrespect might normally warrant rebuke. W's capabilities justified tolerance of her attitude, mercenary skills proving valuable enough to overlook personal characteristics that would be unacceptable in conventional subordinates.
The remaining Reunion leadership received their assignments with professional efficiency, each operative acknowledging orders before departing to coordinate their respective units. Within minutes, Talulah stood alone in the war room with only the tactical display's glow for company.
She studied Chernobog's projected position, calculating trajectories and timing with precision that came from extensive experience managing mobile city logistics. Five days until Patriot's assault commenced. Five days to finalize preparations and ensure every element aligned for successful conquest.
Her hand unconsciously moved to where Shiki's blade had nearly ended her existence, fingers finding unmarked skin that nonetheless carried phantom memory of near death. The recovery had been complete, Koshchei's authority over fire and regeneration ensuring no permanent damage remained. But the psychological impact persisted, awareness that she had encountered opponent capable of killing her despite all advantages black flame and draconic heritage provided.
Rhodes Island would need to be addressed eventually. The Doctor's tactical acumen combined with operators wielding Noble Phantasms created threat magnitude that exceeded simple pharmaceutical company regardless of their public presentation. But immediate focus had to remain on Reunion's objectives, establishing Chernobog as capital and demonstrating strength that would inspire Infected populations throughout Terra.
Talulah dismissed the tactical display and departed the war room, her stride carrying confidence that concealed ongoing calculations about threats both immediate and distant. The war was entering new phase, pieces moving across Terra's board with increasing momentum toward confrontations that would reshape the world's political landscape.
The training facility Rhodes Island had designated for combat exercises occupied converted cargo bay near the landship's stern, space limitations requiring creative use of vertical dimensions to provide adequate sparring area. Shiki stood at the chamber's center with Kanshou and Bakuya drawn, the married blades held in loose guard that suggested readiness without tension. Across from her, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle arrayed themselves in loose formation that indicated prior coordination.
"Ready when you are." Stelle's casual announcement belied the focus evident in her gray eyes, baseball bat held with comfortable familiarity that came from extensive combat experience.
Shiki nodded acknowledgment, her perception expanding to encompass all three opponents simultaneously. This was their seventh sparring session across the past week, enough repetition that she had begun understanding their individual patterns while they adapted to her capabilities. The mutual improvement benefited all parties, exposure to different fighting styles accelerating skill development beyond what isolated training could achieve.
March moved first, arrows of crystalline ice manifesting from her bow with speed that suggested the attacks required minimal preparation. Six projectiles launched in staggered sequence, each one angled to force Shiki into predicted evasion patterns. The coordination was improving, March's supporting role becoming more sophisticated as she learned to create opportunities for her companions rather than simply overwhelming targets with volume.
Shiki flowed sideways, body moving with economy that wasted no motion while avoiding the initial volley. Kanshou swept upward to deflect the fourth arrow when evasion became geometrically impossible, black blade intercepting pink ice with contact that produced brief flash of opposed energies. The remaining projectiles passed through space she had occupied milliseconds earlier, their trajectories calculated for where she should have been rather than where she actually moved.
Dan Heng exploited the opening March created, jade spear thrusting forward with technique that blended martial precision and supernatural enhancement. The attack came from angle designed to intersect Shiki's evasion path, prediction based on his growing understanding of her movement preferences. Cloud Piercer's reach extended his effective range, the spear's length allowing engagement from distance that should have provided safety margin.
Bakuya met the thrust with deflection rather than direct block, white blade guiding jade spear past Shiki's centerline through minimal force applied at optimal angle. The technique was classical Japanese sword work adapted for matched shortswords, centuries of refinement allowing her to redirect attacks that carried momentum exceeding what she could safely absorb. Dan Heng's spear scraped along Bakuya's edge before extending past her shoulder, the attack neutralized without requiring her to contest his superior physical strength.
Stelle capitalized on Dan Heng's engagement, charging forward with bat raised and preservation energy gathering around her weapon. The girl's fighting style embodied aggressive simplicity, overwhelming force applied through straightforward attacks that nonetheless demonstrated tactical awareness. She swung with full commitment, baseball bat descending toward Shiki's head with speed enhanced by power she had inherited from mysterious Stellaron connection.
Shiki dropped into crouch that took her below the bat's trajectory while simultaneously reversing her grip on Kanshou. The black blade swept upward as she rose, edge angled to force Stelle backward through threatened counter rather than actual cutting attempt. Sparring required careful control to avoid serious injury, her strikes deliberately pulling impact while maintaining technical precision.
Stelle twisted away from the counter, her movement displaying flexibility that seemed contradictory to her straightforward combat approach. The bat came around in horizontal arc that transitioned smoothly from failed overhead strike, adaptation demonstrating improving combat instincts. Preservation energy flared brighter as she committed to the follow up, golden light surrounding both weapon and wielder.
Knight of Owner activated in response to Shiki's mental command, black mist erupting from her hands to envelop both married blades. The enhancement transformed Kanshou and Bakuya from excellent weapons into armaments that matched their wielder's capabilities perfectly, every microscopic imperfection corrected and their fundamental nature elevated. She caught Stelle's bat between crossed shortswords, the preservation energy grinding against Knight of Owner's authority in contest of opposed concepts.
For suspended moment they strained against each other, Stelle's raw power contesting Shiki's technical superiority while magical energies created visible distortions in the air around their locked weapons. Then Shiki shifted her stance minutely, redirecting force vectors to throw Stelle off balance without requiring her to overcome the other girl's strength directly.
March had been preparing during this exchange, her next attack demonstrating tactical evolution from simple archery to coordinated support. Multiple ice arrows manifested simultaneously, each one targeted at Shiki's projected evasion paths rather than her current position. The girl had learned that Shiki's superior perception allowed her to dodge attacks she could see coming, so March was attempting to eliminate escape routes and force her into disadvantageous positions.
Shiki released Stelle and rolled forward beneath the arrow spread, her compact frame allowing maneuvers that would be impossible for larger fighters. Kanshou and Bakuya remained in constant motion during the roll, blades positioned to deflect any attacks that intersected her movement even while her body was technically vulnerable. She came up inside March's effective range, close enough that archery became impractical against opponent who could close remaining distance before shots could be prepared.
The pink haired girl didn't panic despite suddenly having sword wielding opponent in her face. Instead she kicked backward while manifesting ice shield between them, defensive technique that demonstrated she was developing close quarters contingencies beyond simple reliance on ranged superiority. The shield materialized with impressive speed, crystalline barrier thick enough to stop conventional weapons while buying time for her to reestablish optimal distance.
Shiki's perception identified the death lines running through March's ice construct, her Mystic Eyes revealing fundamental flaws in its structure that mundane sight would never detect. Bakuya traced along the most critical line with surgical precision, white blade severing conceptual integrity and causing the entire shield to shatter explosively. Fragments scattered like lethal projectiles, forcing both Shiki and March to defend against the dispersing shards.
Dan Heng had repositioned during this exchange, his tactical awareness directing him to flank position where his spear could threaten without friendly fire risk. He attacked with series of rapid thrusts, jade spear becoming blur as he executed technique that prioritized volume over individual strike power. Each thrust was precisely angled to force specific defensive responses, the sequence designed to create opening through accumulated pressure rather than single overwhelming attack.
Kanshou and Bakuya wove defensive pattern that intercepted each thrust through minimal necessary movement, black and white blades working in perfect coordination to create barrier that seemed impenetrable despite being constructed from continuous motion rather than static guard. Shiki's swordsmanship embodied principles that Ryougi family had refined across generations, technique elevated beyond simple martial skill into something approaching art form.
But even perfect defense eventually faced overwhelming offense. Dan Heng's combination was forcing her backward incrementally, each blocked thrust accompanied by footwork adjustment that ceded small amounts of space. He was herding her toward where Stelle had recovered and was preparing follow up attack, coordination between Express crew members improving with each sparring session.
Stelle's preservation energy had accumulated during the brief respite, golden aura surrounding her entire body rather than just her weapon. She charged forward with technique she called Blazing Lance, the baseball bat trailing fire that seemed fundamentally wrong for preservation path but nonetheless demonstrated her unique interpretation of inherited power. The attack carried momentum that suggested she intended to break through Shiki's defense through raw force rather than technical superiority.
Shiki read death lines running through Stelle's technique, her perception identifying the instant where commitment became inevitable and evasion shifted from possible to guaranteed. She waited until that precise moment before moving, body twisting sideways in motion that took her perpendicular to Stelle's charge while bringing Kanshou around in arc that would force the other girl to abort or accept being struck.
Stelle proved unwilling to abandon her attack, preservation energy flaring brighter as she tried to power through the counter. Her bat met Kanshou with impact that sent visible shockwave radiating outward, the clash between mystical sword and supernatural baseball bat producing sound like thunder contained in enclosed space. Both combatants staggered from the collision, the force exceeding what either could fully absorb despite their respective enhancements.
March exploited this mutual vulnerability with attack that demonstrated genuine tactical creativity. Her arrows materialized already in flight rather than being visibly drawn and released, the girl having learned to minimize telegraphing through practice. Six projectiles converged on Shiki from different angles simultaneously, pattern designed to be impossible to fully evade regardless of superior perception.
Shiki traced death lines through three arrows while moving to evade the others, Bakuya sweeping through precise points that caused the projectiles to shatter before reaching her. The remaining three forced her into controlled fall backward, body dropping below their trajectories while her swords remained positioned to defend against follow up attacks. She hit the training floor and immediately rolled, avoiding Dan Heng's spear thrust that would have caught her if she had remained stationary.
The exchange continued with escalating intensity, all four combatants pushing their capabilities while maintaining control necessary to prevent serious injury. Dan Heng's spear work demonstrated classical Chinese martial arts adapted for supernatural weapon, each technique flowing into the next with practiced grace. March's archery evolved from simple projectile attacks into creative applications of ice manipulation, barriers and terrain modification supplementing direct offense. Stelle's straightforward aggression proved deceptively effective, her willingness to tank hits in exchange for landing her own attacks forcing Shiki to respect threats that more cautious fighters might dismiss.
Thirty minutes of continuous combat began taking toll on all participants. Shiki's enhanced endurance allowed sustained peak performance beyond normal human limits, but the constant adaptation required to counter three coordinated opponents was mentally exhausting even when physical capacity remained available. She noticed her defense becoming incrementally less perfect, minor hesitations appearing as decision making processes accumulated fatigue.
March recognized the opening emerging from accumulated pressure, her tactical awareness having improved dramatically through their sparring sessions. She prepared attack that abandoned subtlety for overwhelming speed, ice arrow manifesting and launching in single fluid motion aimed directly at Shiki's head. The attack came during moment when both Kanshou and Bakuya were committed to blocking Dan Heng's thrust, timing calculated to exploit the microsecond vulnerability.
Shiki abandoned her block and stepped sideways, allowing Dan Heng's spear to pass dangerously close while evading March's arrow through movement that demonstrated absolute confidence in her perception. The evasion was perfect, her body flowing through the gap between attacks with millimeters to spare. But the movement committed her to trajectory that Stelle had been waiting for, the girl's improving tactical sense allowing her to predict where Shiki would move rather than where she currently stood.
Stelle's bat descended wreathed in preservation energy, the attack coming from angle that Shiki's sideways step had eliminated her ability to easily block. Kanshou swept up to intercept but the positioning was awkward, her blade catching Stelle's bat off center in deflection that bled more force than it redirected. The impact sent vibration through Shiki's arm, temporary numbness affecting her grip on the black shortsword.
Dan Heng capitalized immediately, his spear thrusting from her blindspot where peripheral vision couldn't track the attack without turning her head. The coordination was excellent, all three Express members converging on opening that had emerged from thirty minutes of accumulated pressure. Shiki brought Bakuya around to block but her footing was wrong, weight distributed poorly from the previous deflection.
The jade spear struck Bakuya with force that exceeded simple thrust, Dan Heng having committed fully to the attack. Without proper foothold Shiki couldn't absorb the impact, her body lifting from the floor and flying backward from momentum transfer. She twisted midair to control her landing, managing to hit the training mat in roll rather than uncontrolled crash.
The spar concluded with that exchange, all four combatants recognizing the decisive moment had passed. Shiki rose from her recovery roll with expression that might have been satisfaction beneath her characteristic emotional distance, the first genuine smile anyone had seen from her crossing her features briefly.
"Good. That combination was excellent. March's timing, Stelle's prediction, Dan Heng's commitment. You are improving rapidly."
She dismissed Knight of Owner, allowing Kanshou and Bakuya to return to normal state before sheathing them. The married blades slid into concealment with practiced motion, disappearing despite lack of visible sheaths in way that suggested spatial manipulation rather than mundane carrying methods.
March pumped her fist with unrestrained enthusiasm, her excitement at landing the decisive attack overriding any pretense of tactical composure.
"We got you! That was amazing, I didn't think the triple coordination would actually work but you moved exactly where Stelle predicted!"
Stelle offered hand to help Shiki up despite the other woman having already recovered, the gesture more symbolic than practical. Shiki accepted anyway, allowing herself to be pulled into standing position while acknowledging the camaraderie that their sparring sessions had developed.
"Your preservation energy is becoming more versatile. The way you used it to enhance your prediction capabilities alongside simple physical augmentation shows understanding beyond basic application."
Dan Heng collected his spear from where it had embedded slightly in the training mat, jade weapon extracting smoothly despite having struck with considerable force. His expression remained neutral but Shiki had learned to recognize the subtle satisfaction in his posture, the warrior's equivalent of March's open celebration.
"You adapted quickly to our coordination attempts. Most opponents would have been overwhelmed by the accumulated pressure much earlier. Your defensive technique is exceptional."
"Ryougi style emphasizes defense that transitions into offense, creating counterattack opportunities from blocked strikes. Fighting three coordinated opponents provides practice I cannot replicate through solo training or standard sparring partners."
The four of them departed the training facility together, easy conversation replacing tactical focus as adrenaline from combat gradually dissipated. This had become routine over the past week, morning sparring followed by communal lunch where they could socialize beyond simple martial exchange.
The cafeteria was moderately populated when they arrived, various Rhodes Island operators occupying tables while consuming meals between duty shifts. The Express crew had become familiar sight during their week of residence, initial curiosity about outsiders giving way to casual acceptance as they integrated into daily routines.
They claimed table near windows overlooking Lungmen's skyline, the view providing pleasant backdrop for their meal. Standard Rhodes Island fare was surprisingly good, the organization apparently maintaining quality food service despite military operational focus. Shiki collected simple rice dish with grilled fish, her preferences running toward traditional Japanese cuisine when available. The others selected more varied options, March in particular loading her tray with portions that seemed excessive for her frame.
"I still can't believe you eat that much and stay that small." Stelle's observation carried more amusement than judgment, gray eyes tracking March's food mountain with fascination.
"Fast metabolism! Plus all the running around we do fighting Stellaron disasters and exploring weird planets burns tons of calories."
March attacked her food with enthusiasm that matched her combat intensity, chopsticks moving with speed that suggested genuine hunger rather than simple appreciation for taste.
"Speaking of planets, you mentioned Jarilo VI during our last lunch but didn't finish explaining what happened with the Stellaron there. Something about eternal freeze and underground cities?"
Shiki's question prompted March to launch into animated explanation between bites, the pink haired girl's natural talkativeness emerging fully now that they had established comfortable rapport. Her narration style was chaotic but engaging, jumping between details with enthusiasm that made following the chronology challenging but conveyed genuine excitement about their adventures.
"So Jarilo VI was completely frozen over because the Stellaron created eternal winter, right? And the surface city Belobog was the last bastion of humanity while everyone thought the underworld had been destroyed. But actually there were people living underground who had been separated for like seven hundred years!"
She paused to consume several bites in rapid succession before continuing.
"We had to go down there and discovered this whole political situation where the underworld people were being oppressed and the Supreme Guardian was actually being controlled by Stellaron corruption. It was super complicated with resistance movements and ancient technology and this really sad story about how the last Guardian tried to save everyone but ended up making things worse."
Stelle supplemented March's energetic narration with more measured details, her perspective providing structure that March's enthusiasm sometimes neglected.
"The key problem was that closing the Stellaron required cooperation between surface and underground populations who had been enemies for centuries. We had to essentially broker peace treaty while simultaneously fighting Stellaron monsters and preventing complete societal collapse."
"How did you resolve it?" Shiki's genuine curiosity was evident despite her typically reserved demeanor, the story appealing to her tactical interests in problem solving under complex constraints.
"Mostly through Stelle punching things until people agreed to talk to each other." Dan Heng's dry observation drew laughter from March and embarrassed protest from Stelle.
"That's not fair! I only punched Cocolia and the Stellaron manifestation. The diplomacy was mostly March being friendly and you explaining things calmly."
"True, but the punching was memorable and did resolve several critical impasses."
Their banter continued throughout the meal, conversation flowing naturally between combat analysis and stories from their travels. March proved particularly skilled at drawing Shiki into participation, the girl's genuine interest and lack of judgment creating safe space for the normally reserved swordswoman to share observations and occasional personal details.
"What about Amphoreus? You mentioned that was your most recent destination before coming here." Shiki's question redirected conversation toward topic March seemed eager to discuss.
"Oh man, Amphoreus was incredible! Whole planet covered in ancient Greek and Roman aesthetic with these massive temples and philosophical academies. They had this whole society based on eternal recurrence philosophy where they believed everything that happened had happened before and would happen again."
March's eyes lit up with enthusiasm that suggested she had found the planet particularly fascinating.
"The Stellaron there was causing temporal distortions, making the eternal recurrence literal instead of philosophical. People were experiencing memories of past iterations and future possibilities simultaneously, creating identity crises on massive scale. We had to help them understand that linear time was actually preferable to eternal cycling even though it meant accepting mortality and impermanence."
"That sounds philosophically complex for what I understood were primarily action focused adventures." Shiki's observation carried hint of teasing, her developing comfort with the group allowing gentle mockery that would have been unthinkable during their first meetings.
"Hey, we can be deep! Sometimes. When the situation requires it." Stelle's defensive response lacked real heat, her grin suggesting she recognized the absurdity of their typical approach being applied to philosophical crises.
The conversation continued for another hour, meal extending well beyond simple nutritional requirement into genuine social bonding. By the time they finally departed the cafeteria, the easy camaraderie between them felt natural rather than forced, week of training and shared meals having created friendship that transcended their different backgrounds.
Shiki returned to her quarters with mind full of new perspectives and tactical insights gained from both sparring and conversation. Fighting the Express crew was improving her adaptability in ways that standard training could never replicate, exposing her to techniques and strategies completely foreign to Ryougi tradition or Fate universe combat styles.
Twenty nine days remained until Patriot's arrival and the true conflict began. Twenty nine days to continue improving, integrating lessons learned from sparring into her overall combat capabilities while preparing for battles against opponents who wielded legendary weapons and commanded armies.
She settled into meditation posture, beginning mental review of the morning's sparring to identify areas requiring improvement. The process was familiar and centering, deliberate analysis allowing her to extract maximum value from each training session.
Outside her window, Lungmen continued its daily operations, the city unaware of approaching storm that would test everyone's capabilities to their limits. But within Rhodes Island, preparation continued with methodical intensity, each operator working to ensure they would be ready when the inevitable conflict finally arrived.