Location: North — Stocker City, Bifrost Industries
A city of spires, monoliths, and lightless towers stretched below him.
From the highest office in the tallest structure, Luceris stood in contemplative stillness.
The window before him was a single pane of transparent steel that rose from floor to ceiling.
With a soft exhale, he stepped forward.
Closer to the glass, then closer still, until it seemed he would collide with the pane.
But the moment he reached it, the glass did not resist, nor did he crash into it; instead, it rippled.
A silent shimmer spread outward like water disturbed by breath, and then, like a portal, he passed through.
A starry void.
There was no ground, no horizon; still, the space moved around him, rotating subtly in slow spirals in an arc motion.
Having gotten here,
"I'm here."
He spoke softly, to the one who'd sent the invitation.
At first, there was a pause, and then—
"My superior, you're here."
The voice was smooth, serene, and carried no warmth.
It resonated not from a single direction, but from across the space.
From across the void came a figure.
Pale lavender-gray hair, adorned with black feathers by the sides of her hair, framing her face.
She wore a flowing, dark-blue to deep-purple gown with celestial patterns, accented by ornate sleeves and a high collar.
She materialized in front of him, feet just above the invisible surface of this place.
"You called me."
Luceris began with folded arms.
"Yes. It's regarding Teslovik's new recruit."
Ziz's expression remained unchanged, though her voice was soft, emotionless even.
She had long since cast aside emotion, throwing her humanity and her memories away, layer by layer.
All sought to step into the ranks of the deities, to shape the world as she pleased.
However, she wasn't satisfied.
Luceris, who stood before her, was above a god; essentially, a god like no other.
Ziz's goal was to become like him—no, above him. Yet, despite her goal, she got along well with Luceris.
She saw no point in making enemies with him; befriending him was the better option.
"Don't tell me you want to choose her as your king?"
"Yes. She's like you, and unlike you. She's an Awakener, but she's not you. If you weren't God, I would have made you my king."
She had stood in front of him when she said it, but the moment the words left her mouth, she was behind him.
She didn't teleport.
She simply was.
Luceris sighed before outstretched his left arm to the side as a curtain that overlapped the place fell.
It showed images. Images of the outside world. Inside a particular laboratory.
"What about her?"
"...You who possess the body of the Heavenly Voice… and have unlocked its secret… what can we do…?"
The curtain showed an image of a girl encased in red crystal. Reyha's sister, Rayna.
"She's begun decompilation. But only in the early stages. For now, she is… stable, for now."
Ziz turned to the image and said that.
"I'm happy you are not reckless."
Though she said she was happy, it didn't quite show on her face. Which made Luceris cross his arms.
"I'm not as stupid as trying to purify that. I'm not trying to destroy the world."
"Good, good."
She said lightly, and, without permission, reached out to pat his head prompting him to flick her hand away.
"How much time do we have left?" he asked. "And what's Rasparta up to?"
Luceris said that, looking over her.
Ziz nodded, slowly stretching out her hand as a device slowly materialized.
"That depends entirely on you, my superior."
Luceris's eyes narrowed.
"I had assumed they'd keep eyes on me; that was also why I made that bogus rule in the first place."
Saying that, he didn't wait further, turning his back as he walked on air away from her.
"My superior, you're very difficult to deal with," Ziz muttered.
"You're not one to talk, Ziz."
She let out a sound, something that might've been a sigh, had she still believed in breath.
"I admit it was going too far on my part. However, even if you are my superior, others don't think the same."
Others, huh?
He knew exactly who those others meant and who Ziz was referring to, but he'd never been one to worry about those at a far reach.
Be it as it may.
"By the way, you evaded my question…"
Ziz blinked slowly, tilting her head in the most artificial pantomime of innocence possible.
Luceris stared.
"…Well, forget it. Doesn't matter anymore."
With that, he stepped beyond the boundary, the astral plane collapsing inward, erasing itself.
Meanwhile —
Location: North Vologda Border.
"Wait!"
An extremely feminine, thin voice resounded as two figures dashed across the empty, frozen streets.
"Seriously, I'm not delicious! Don't try to eat me!"
The figure in front was a petite-looking girl, about 155 cm tall, sporting medium-length, soft hair topped with cat-ear headbands.
Behind her was a girl of the same height.
Pale pink hair billowing in soft waves.
A pair of fluffy, fox-like ears twitched atop her head.
Heterochromatic eyes: one burning gold, the other a cold sapphire blue.
Her attire was absurdly gothic: a frilled dress combining black, crimson, and glinting gold trim.
Lace sleeves. Corset-tightened waist.
The entire ensemble screamed Victorian vampire-chic, except she moved like a predator.
In response to the first girl's shout, the second simply hissed, continuing to give pursuit.
"Hisssss!"
"Iyaaaaaahhh!!"
Parvati shrieked as the girl lunged, claws swiping where her neck had been half a second ago.
They skidded across a patch of frost.
Parvati nearly lost her footing, but momentum (and sheer terror) saved her.
"WHY!? WHY are you chasing me like I'm a midnight snack!?"
No response. Only another hiss, louder.
"Argh! Why am I even here in the first place!? It's all because of that damned frequency!"
Of all places to go, her employer had to choose the North.
No, really, in the first place…
It was supposed to be a simple job.
..Right…
A certain noble family from the empire that traded goods with a village on the northern border hired her.
Rather, they sent their daughter and hired her, a capable mercenary, to accompany her and act as her bodyguard.
As a seasoned mercenary, Parvati hadn't asked questions.
She'd been paid well, and the North, frozen, yes, but should be manageable, so she thought.
Until they arrived.
Until the village turned out to be full of maniacs.
Parvati hadn't expected much honestly, hoping they'd be done quickly.
Instead, they were greeted by villagers marching in circles, chanting slogans, eyes glazed over with cult-like obedience.
That should have been enough warning.
And then—that voice.
The speaker system crackled from every rooftop.
A message blaring from a twisted godmouth:
Something along the lines of:
"ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. REMOVE THE CORRUPTED HIGHER-UPS OF BIFROST…!"
And, sadly, that was all it took..
Like that, her employer's daughter had been swept away by the communications and was now chasing her.
"Make Bifrost great again!" she screamed as she lunged.
Parvati barely dodged the claws this time, the tips slicing the air inches from her cheek.
"Since when were you a revolutionary!? And since when were you a Northerner, too!?"
Parvati wailed, restraining herself.
After all, she couldn't harm her employers' daughter, could she?
Even if she did, and word got out she'd "severely injured a noble's daughter"—even under duress—she could say goodbye to her career.
At the same time, she couldn't blame Camelia. She had a weak constitution to brainwashing powers.
"I pledge to Bifrost and its land! With all my heart! With all my strength!"
"I SAID you're not from Bifrost!! You're from Sahntraine!! YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE THE SNOW—Waaaaaaa!!"
FWUSHH—!!
Something cleaved the air.
A massive scythe with crimson-edged, trailing with cursed light, came down like a guillotine from above.
Parvati raised her left arm just in time.
CLAAANG—!!
Her mechanical claws caught the blow.
The force behind it cracked the ground beneath her boots, sending deep spiderweb fractures through the asphalt.
Her knees nearly buckled.
"Kuh, I have no choice."
Parvati muttered, bracing her feet into the crater her own weight had driven.
"Is this all you've got?! No, you're holding back, aren't you?"
"...As a professional mercenary, I will not let my employers get hurt under any circumstances."
Parvati muttered under her breath.
True to her word, trying to minimize force, to disarm rather than maim, was exhausting, and terrifying.
Camelia was strong. Stronger than she had any right to be.
Parvati ducked as another swing came close, kicking a piece of debris into Camelia's leg, not to hurt her, just to trip her.
It barely worked.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!"
Camelia shouted with righteous fury.
"But I'm not holding back! Say goodbye to your head!"
Having blocked the first scythe, what was she going to do about the second one?
Sideways, from behind, the scythe twirled as it neared Parvati, whose eyes widened.
'Shit—'
"Enough. Stop right there!"
"That's enough don't you think?"
Two voices resounded, the other undoubtedly feminine, while the second one was masculine.
Regardless, it didn't change the fact that the incoming scythe was blocked by a longsword.
Nay, it was a weapon thinner than a normal longsword.
They were more of an estoc, rather a ceremonial-like blade, as thin as a hairpin, but with enough weight to suit its length.
Yet, despite its delicate appearance, it held back the force of the frenzied girl's strike with frightening ease.
"What–? Who are—"
CHING—!
The moment she opened her mouth to speak, golden ripples spread out from the back of her head.
Camelia staggered to her feet before buckling, falling face-first onto the snowy asphalt.
—except she didn't hit the ground. The male caught her with ease, one arm slipping behind her shoulders.
"Whoa there."
He smiled faintly, glancing toward the other two.
"You two aren't from the North, are you?"
"Oh, well, the three of us aren't. I, on the other hand, am currently wandering throughout the world. The name's Beam. What about you?"
Speaking up was the female who had interrupted the scythe with that ceremonial blade.
Long, flowing hair in shades of icy silver and pale blue; her outfit was a sleek bodysuit in white and gold accessories.
Additionally, a deep black, unbuttoned jacket hung loosely over her back.
"And you are?"
"The name's Lu. An information broker. I couldn't help but sense a ruckus here, but if I'd known miss Beam would interfere, I would have left it to you."
Introducing himself as Lu, he scooped the girl into his arms, as it was unsuitable to leave her lying on the ground.
"I've taken care of the effect. But she'll need distance. You should take her far from the speaker zones before it rebounds."
Saying that, he stepped toward the girl named Beam.
"Ah, thank you very much, Mr. Lu for taking care of my bratty little sister."
"...haha...Mister is a bit too formal...just Lu will do."
"Alright Lu then, oh, by the way, yours truly is a streamer here, if you want to talk more, here."
"No wonder you look familiar. I know of you, but I have never watched your streams."
"Eyyy! Then you should give it a try sometime."
Meanwhile, Parvati, left watching the two converse, slowly turned her head to Lu.
Something about him seemed familiar.
As a mercenary, she'd gotten her own fair share of information and bounty.
Not to mention, it's a no-brainer that every information broker is connected to the dark road.
Additionally,
'An information broker named Lu… is there anyone like that? …Will confirm later.'
Most people from the Dark Road are famous, rather infamous.
A network of smugglers, rogue agents, assassins, and war-market fixers; every major mercenary eventually bumped against its edge.
Parvati wasn't deep in that world, but she knew it.
"Anyways, I have other things to take care of, so if you'll excuse me."
Lu said that, after handing Camelia over, turning back, and walking off into the distance.
"Goodbye, Lu, don't forget to hit me up!"
"Don't worry, I won't."
Lu said that, giving a brief wave as he walked down the street till his figure vanished.
It wasn't until after they no longer saw his figure that Parvarti snapped back to.
"Ahhh, I forgot to tell him that place is swarming with angry mobs."