RAIDS

Sam and the Nightingales followed Markus to the Tower’s second level, where the Froghopper Quarter was situated. After stepping out of the Rift Gate, the group trotted down the Silver Corridor until it split into two. On the right was a frosted glass door; a golden tarantula hawk symbol was adhered to its surface.

“The Research Laboratory,” Lucy stated, her eyes slowly narrowing. “Huh, the door looks a bit different than I remember.”

“It is indeed different, Miss Nightingale,” Markus confirmed. “There was a…minor incident during your absence.”

“Markus, what exactly happened?” Sam asked.

“Well…” Markus hesitated. “Let’s just say there was a slight miscalculation in one of their experiments – one which caused an unprecedented exothermic reaction.”

“So, an explosion?”

“An explosion! Where!” Rupert cried out exuberantly.

“Quiet down!” Markus quickly reprimanded the elder Nightingale. “Now, it was quite a disaster, but thankfully, there were no casualties. Some of the personnel are still on edge, so just in case you meet any of them, I advise you not to bring up the incident.”

Markus then led the trio to the corridor on the left, towards an unassuming glass door. He pressed the palm of his hand firmly against the cold surface and pulled away, leaving behind a black handprint. In less than a second, the glass door slid open, unveiling a hectic circular room fitted with countless monitors and colourful buttons. People were running around, speaking through their headsets; their eyes constantly shifted between the monitors, which displayed various numbers and letters.

“As busy as always,” Markus sighed before grabbing a nearby man by the arm. “Sorry, but can you please fetch Maximillian for me?”

The personnel’s eyes popped wide open the moment he saw Markus’s face. After nodding his head vigorously, the man instantly disappeared into the crowd, leaving Markus slightly disgruntled.

“Way to make an entrance,” Sam remarked.

“I don’t get it. Why do they always look so terrified? Is it my face – or is it the beard?”

“It’s more about what you did,” Lucy retorted. “Your achievements are stuff of legends, you know? Plus, you are also the Lord of the Deathstalkers. So, it’s natural for some people to feel…intimidated by your presence.”

“Intimidated? That’s rubbish. I’m working with them, not against them.”

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Your reputation keeps them on their toes – make sure they don’t screw up their jobs.”

Before Markus could respond, a lean man in a grey coat came into his view. His wispy, brown hair bounced every time he took a step forward, and as he got closer, his garnet eyes gave out an eerie shine akin to a pool of blood.

“I wasn’t aware I’d be having visitors today – let alone by the Lord of the Deathstalkers himself,” said Max; his voice was gentle but firm.

“It was a last-minute decision, I’m afraid. I hope our unscheduled appearance will not trouble Lord of the Froghoppers in any way?”

“Pfft, of course not. As a matter of fact, it’s getting rather dreary in here.”

“Dreary?” said Rupert as he looked around the chaotic room.

“I know what you’re going to say. It’s so noisy in here, so how can it be so dreary? Well, when you spend 365 days, 7 days a week, and 23 hours a day in a place like this, the sounds slowly fade away until you hear nothing but your own thoughts. Sure, some might say it is a blessing, but trust me, it gets boring really fast.”

“You don’t have a field day?” Sam inquired.

“Rarely. A perk of being the boss – so I’ve heard,” Max answered, shrugging his shoulders indifferently. “Enough about yours truly. What can I do for you this morning?”

“We are wondering if you would allow us to watch the Dawn Raid here?” said Markus.

“Wonder no more. Come in; it’s about to begin.” Max guided the group to the middle of the room, towards a round, black pedestal. The Lord of the Froghoppers waved his hand over it and the holographic map of the world – of Discordania – manifested out of thin air.

Sam leaned against the stand, staring attentively at the four major Continents. The largest of the four – the Eastern Continent, the Birthplace of the Twin Monarchs, Sector Beta – was where the Opal Sun Kingdom resided. A bountiful land ruled by King Cyrus the Unifier - Jason’s father. The Wailing Forest was a part of the kingdom, and he could not help but feel bad for the crown prince – for being entrusted to sort out the messy aftermath.

On the western part of the map was Sector Gamma, formerly known as Stargazer’s High. This was where the Kingdom of the Sapphire Star or the Hanging City of the West used to be – before the entire city tragically fell from the sky fifty years ago. All that was left of the great civilization was a small town located near the crash site: the Star’s Remains.

Sam shifted his attention to the white landmass in the north resembling a wolf’s head, aptly named the Severed Skull. “Sector Delta,” he murmured unknowingly. He read about it during his time as a fledgling: a mountainous region blanketed in freezing snow; its peaks shaped like animal fangs. Tucked away in the Freezing Apex, the tallest mountain of the continent was the Glacier Sanctuary. Once the administration center of the Diamond Peaks Kingdom, the abandoned palace was now in a state of ruin after being hit by a blizzard nearly a century ago. Ultimately, the survivors and their descendants settled in the Wintry Vale, away from the storm-stricken mountains.

Finally, the fourth and last major Continent of Discordania lay in the south, designated Sector Epsilon. At a glance, it looked like a small island, unfit to be called a continent. In truth, however, most of the land was submerged under the sea – a perfect spot for the elusive Ruby Sea Dominion.

Four great Kingdoms – each had its own long and elaborate history. The only similarity between them was the massive crater smacked in the middle of the map. Sector Alpha – the remnant of the Cataclysm – if it were not for the giant meteor, the four civilizations would never have existed in the first place.

“Putih, what’s the current situation on the Raids?” Max asserted.

“The Raids in Sector Iota, Kappa, and Lambda have been successfully neutralized,” said a monotonous female voice.

“Off to a great start. Would you be so kind as to pull the live feed on Sector Beta?”

“Accessing…”

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[SECTOR Β]

A window popped out, displaying a vast, vibrant green hill underneath a blue, cloudless sky. At first, it looked like an ordinary nature footage – the grass swayed around, dancing to the tune of the morning breeze, while colourful birds flew across the field without a care in the world.

Then, it happened.

From the other side of the hill, a sea of blackness rushed down like a flood. Lacerators and Bulbheads marched forth, screaming and shrieking inhumanely, craving for human flesh. Their pale skins were painted with black sticky liquid which inadvertently coated the grass beneath their feet – leaving behind a dark, oily trail.

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Sam and the Nightingales shuddered, for it was the largest horde of Distorted they had ever witnessed. To think this was what Jason had to deal with on a daily basis – it was inconceivable to them.

Max made a horizontal gesture with his finger, changing the camera angle from the frenzied mob to a greying gatehouse with a glaring red portcullis.

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[SECTOR Β]

A few seconds later, the gate was raised, and a familiar figure in a black cloak walked out, followed by two similarly dressed individuals. Acting as the leader of the group, Jason gave the entire field a once-over before turning around to face the rest of the members. “Another day, another problem, folks,” the prince commented.

A radiant, young woman - she shared Jason’s good looks and tangerine eyes except for her pink cupid’s bow lips and waterfall-braided hair – giggled in response.

“Someone’s cheerful today,” said Jason. “Well, Aria? Mind sharing it with Theo and me here?”

“You’re one to talk, brother. You’ve been smiling non-stop ever since you heard about the rambunctious trio’s return.”

“Princess Ariadne is right,” Theo, the third and final member of the group, affirmed. The athletic man with the dark, wavy mullet hair adjusted his blue protective goggles - his warm olive skin blended well with the morning sun, giving out a faint golden glow. “Your footsteps sound lighter – happier.”

“Now you’re just making stuff up,” Jason countered.

“Is he?” said Aria before brushing her cloak away, revealing a white-handled sabre. She drew her sword, bathing it under the warm sunlight. A small engraving could be seen near the base of the blade – a crescent on top of a larger circle.

“Finally getting serious, huh?” said Jason. He pulled out a golden-guarded rapier from underneath his cloak; the blade emitted a weak orange hue when exposed to the sun. The prince’s eyes then settled on the approaching threats; his heartbeat accelerated but not out of fear.

Theo stood shoulder to shoulder with the prince, holding a sidesword with a blue crossguard; a silver eight-pointed star keychain dangled from its hilt. “So, divide and conquer?”

“Divide and conquer.” Jason nodded his head. “You take the group on the right; Aria on the left – I’ll deal with the rest.”

“You’re taking like…half of the horde. Are you sure about that?” Aria expressed her concern over her brother’s decision.

“That’s the idea,” the prince answered confidently. He held his rapier vertically with the tip pointing heavenward, and instantly, the slender blade was enveloped in bright white light. As he brought his sword down, a long white whip sprouted forth, splitting into two before crashing down into the swarm, effectively dividing the Distorted into three smaller clusters. “Aria, will you do the honors?”

The princess placed her left hand on her chest and uttered, “O God of the Heaven and the Earth, bless us with your light; aid us in our time of need. If we are destined to fall today, then let our death be a glorious one.”

“Thank you, my dear sister. Now, shall we begin?” Jason took out a white mask from his cloak and put it on – his action was swiftly copied by Aria and Theo. The trio advanced – heading toward the monsters who were still disoriented by the newly formed barrier.

Theo was the first to arrive and also the first to be noticed by the confounded Distorted. Without hesitation, a Lacerator charged after him; the latter quickly cut the former down with a single swing. The moment the creature dropped to the ground, Theo continued with his onslaught. Heads and limbs flew across the field; black ichor smeared the grass endlessly – the mutilated corpses of the Distorted gradually piled up until the ground was no longer visible.

The camera angle then changed to Aria; the long-haired princess wielded her sabre so gracefully, making it look like she was dancing. She dodged every attack, countering them with a swift but precise stroke. Then, one Bulbhead yanked one of its growths from its head and flung it at the princess. Noticing the incoming projectile, Aria jumped on top of a Lacerator’s arm, using it as a springboard to leap over the acid bomb. Although she did not see it, she could hear some of the monsters scream in agony as the corrosive liquid ate through their flesh.

Once more, Jason returned to the screen; already halfway through his horde and not showing any signs of slowing down. He sploshed through the pool of fetid blood and viscera; the sludge clung to his feet like tar.

Five minutes later, all of the Distorted were defeated except for one – a Lacerator with a severed left arm. Jason dashed forward and drove his rapier into the lone monster’s torso. Letting out a painED roar, the Lacerator retaliated by waving its claw at the prince – only for it to be promptly chopped off by Theo’s blade. Before the creature could react, Aria popped out from behind her brother and cleaved its head in half.

Silence filled the field once, and the trio – their morning duties accomplished – made their way back to the gate tower.

“That was quite refreshing, don’t you think?” Aria mouthed.

“You know the Tower is listening to you, right?” Jason reminded his sister.

“Oh, crap-I mean, nothing to report here, guys.” The princess let out an awkward laugh shortly before the video feed was cut off.

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“Exceptional as always – despite the constant prattling,” Markus remarked.

“With that, Sector Beta is clear,” Max announced before noticing something on the hologram. “Well, would you look at that? Only Lambda and Phi are left.”

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[SECTOR Λ]

A black desert appeared on the screen, along with a masked figure preoccupied with fighting a saurian creature. Scalding sand flew into the air as both of them scuffled against each other, but it did not take long until the monster was put down by a single punch.

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[SECTOR Φ]

A two-horned mountain; each peak in the shape of a monolith stood tall in the middle of a steppe grassland. Another masked figure in a black cloak came onto the screen, surrounded by a horde of fifty Lacerators.

“At the same time? I’m flattered,” the figure said jovially. They pointed their right hand to the sky, and in the blink of an eye, every Distorted was struck by blue lightning, turning them into charred remains.

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“All Sectors secure,” Putih declared.

“Wow, that was rather intense,” said Lucy, her heart pounding heavily against her chest.

“More like awesome!” Rupert added excitedly.

Max looked over to Sam, asking him, “He’s quite…impressionable, isn’t he?”

“Only by impossible odds and brushes with death,” Sam replied.

“Ah, a gambler – I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, huh?”

Sam quietly held his chin; his mind was still stuck on Sector Beta. There was something off about the way the Empyreans fight, but he could not figure out what it was.

“Alright, I believe you kids already had enough fun,” said Markus. “Come, there’s one more place left to visit.”

“And where’s that supposed to be?” Lucy asked.

“The Forge, of course. It is time for you to acquire your Creedal Blades.”