A New Member

The Guild Ranking Ceremony waged on between The Golden Chariot, Lunastray, Specialty Maid, And Kin of Bestia.

Yet it would now be without Azure Ursine or Draconum Familia.

"In shocking turn of events, it appears both Draconum Familia and Azure Ursine have withdrawn from the ceremony even with their impressive demonstrations of power." Cion spoke to his audience who groaned in discontent. "Sorry folks, only the number one guild is required to participate so we can't do anything about this."

Back in the guild master's box was Kiris, along with elven maid of Specialty Maid and the feline guild master.

 "I'm kinda surprised you guys could still take part in the ceremony. I'm pretty sure protecting Mr. Jiroki from the shadows isn't easy." Kiris said as he watched the Lunastray members in the audience with an eagle eye.

 "Specialty Maid has a decent supply of members so I just assigned some that I left at home. They were happy to serve." Cena said instinctively bowing before halting herself at once as she remembered who she was talking to.

 "Kin of Bestia may not have that many members, but we're good at what we mew. I sent Noir Panthera to watch over him from the shadows while Cena's Maids escort him. Nothing is slipping past her gaze; I promise mew that." Meline spoke in her typical cutesy voice hoping to irritate as always. Except she forgot how Kiris actually enjoyed it.

Her fangs ground against each other as Kiris looked back at her with a devilish grin.

"What's the matter with mew? Cat got your tongue?" He teased as he straightened her crooked top hat. "In all seriousness though it's a good thing you guys stayed. The Smilers likely know that The Golden Chariot, Draconum Familia and Azure Ursine were aware of their presence, but they don't yet know of you guys. If you withdrew it'd be pretty sus, they'd figure it out and we'd lose the element of surprise."

The girls both widened their eyes in shock.

Not only was that the first time they recalled hearing him speak without saying something flirtatious or pervy.

But it was almost smart sounding.

Meline quickly pulled Cena to the as the engaged in a hushed conversation with their heads turned from Kiris as they leaned into each other.

"What do you think? Personally, I'm going with Niko, I think he stole that explanation from him." Meline whispered.

"Niko would never say 'sus' though. He could be legit, what if he's actually not as dumb as we thought?" Cena offered her thoughts in a concerned voice.

 Kiris wanted to protest, but he feared it would mess up the sight the girls had lined up for him.

 "Hehe. I'm a genius." He thought, his 'eagle eye' now trained on something else entirely.

********

I laid in the dark seclusion of my room, buried within the comforts of my bed and blanket.

"I can't believe I just froze. I couldn't do anything but watch. Okami and Robius had to fight for my family while I just collapsed in self-pity. Cloris was able to fight, Arach was able to fight, Ibu too. Yet I am so weak that I couldn't do anything but watch!" I growled in fury as my eyes filled with tears.

"What good am I If I freeze up every time something goes bad. What if it happens again. What if I can save someone but instead, I just freeze again?"

 "They die."

 The voice answering me belonged to none other then Cloris, Ibu's younger sister.

A gentle breeze blew open the curtains of my window allowing the morning sun to reflect off her long ebony hair and deep violet eyes.

Atop her head was her miniature wooden mask carved by Ibu, but it had gained a large crack down it during the fight.

 "So don't freeze." She added with an ice-cold voice full of resentment. "You should know that we're not gonna be allowed here much longer, the suites are reserved for participants in the ceremony. So, hurry up and get over yourself princess, you're not the only one who lost something."

 With that she left my room leaving the door ajar.

 "She's right. This isn't over."

I donned my Draconum Familia jacket and went for my door.

********

The sofa room was populated by everyone Draconum Familia brought to Drasil along with Cloris and the black-haired man who saved us who's name I recently figured out.

"You good?" He asked as he sat upon the sofa like a starfish. "Sorry to say the bastard got away. No worries though I'll kill him later." He added as though it was as simple as brushing his teeth.

 Jex suddenly stepped forward taking the stage. "I think I owe everyone an apology." He said in a shockingly serious tone throwing everyone off guard save for Cloris, Shade, and Master Frost.

And Robius who was occupied with his thoughts.

 "What happened to Azure Ursine is actually my fault."

My heartbeat accelerated as I filled with rage. But then I realized how possible it was that he was just feeling guilty for not being there and I heard him out.

 "I actually came from Merkia, Master Frost already explained that place. I was a common farmer in a household of four. Myself, my mother, my father, and my older sister. For all my life I was told that the Immortal Queen was omnipotent, she was a goddess capable of doing anything with her royal reserve of Mana. Yet I figured out firsthand how much of a lie that was." He explained.

 "What's this have to do with Azure Ursine?" Aceil questioned validly.

 "This is why I became a Smiler." Jex answered sending me nearly into shock, but still. I had to hear him out.

 "One day my family caught a rare disease which could only be cured by Mana. I was the only one spared. I begged the Queen for weeks, yet she couldn't be bothered to help. Her infinite supply of Mana was running low or something."

 "She could only access a certain amount every day. I've told you this before Jex, she had already reached her limit when you sent your request." Master Frost intercepted.

 "And the rest of the six months it took for my family to wither away before my eyes?" Jex replied, and Master Frost seemed to be without an answer.

"The Smilers found me, took me in and trained me, manipulated my hatred for our 'beloved' queen. They turned me into an assassin capable of killing anything without feeling a second of remorse, and I did for a while. But then I realized that by doing so I was tarnishing my family's name, of course I only realized such after my former Master strangled the Queen in front of me." Jex went on with his explanation.

"Did I miss something? You're no longer a Smiler, so why is this relevant?" Nosora asked, Lilac agreed with a nod.

"Because I thought that I knew how they operated. I thought that I could beat them at their own game, I was hunting down their scouts and killing them. I thought that without intelligence they wouldn't act, perhaps I could buy you guys some time. Instead, they must've thought I was Azure Ursine, and they retaliated." Jex finished as his eyes flashed with flames representing his anger.

My rune blade immediately found itself at Jex's throat.

At least it would've had Cloris not deflected it with Ninjató.

"It clearly wasn't his fault. I thought you were supposed to be smart." She spoke. "Azure Ursine fell because The Smilers had enough of us holding them back from killing Mr. Jiroki, they aren't the type to care about a few of their ranks dying." 

"Do you need to sit this out?" Shade asked as he lurked in a corner. "I've seen human emotions do some awful things before; you guys seem to just let them walk all over you. If you can't keep a level head, you're only gonna holding us back."

"He's right. If you aren't up to this, you should stay with Cloris at our hall." Okami added siding with Shade to nobody's surprise.

"Wait what? I am not staying at your hall." Cloris snapped in a fit of disbelief.

"Afraid you are, even if I have to hold you down myself, I promised Ibu I'd protect you. I can't go breaking that." Okami said with a serious look in her eyes like I'd never seen before.

"We are all returning to the hall actually. We've just been evicted." Master Frost said deadpan as he held a piece of paper reading just what he said.

********

The ride back to Kume was an awkward one.

Kiris paid for a Dart to take us back meaning that at least the awkwardness wasn't lasting.

But still, sitting beside a perfectly silent Robius and Kukiri was nerve racking, they just stared out the window absorbed by their thoughts which honestly surprised me.

Though I suppose it shouldn't have, I did say some pretty awful stuff, but surely even he knew that I didn't mean it.

********

Bastion welcomed us back with charming smile and gentlemanly bow.

"Did Toan get you kicked out of the ceremony again? And the girl, a new member perhaps?" He spoke in a formal voice as always.

Master Frost spared no time explaining the situation leaving Jex to explain his history with the Smilers.

Bastion placed his head into the palm of his hand. "How very tragic, I cannot imagine what you girls went through. I will get to work on your crest immediately." he said.

"Wait, I didn't say I was joining." Cloris said in shock of her new alliance.

"Now now young lady, I know that look in your eyes, you want vengeance, so do we. Kenki is family and the Smilers hurt her. We should become allies." Bastion explained as he pulled a Draconum Familia pin from his handkerchief like a magician.

"Come on, I still need to protect you, and this'll make it a lot easier." Okami added attempting to persuade her.

"They're right, let's make them pay." Robius spoke as he slammed his fist into his palm.

"You should know, accepting this will make you a member of our family. And we would do anything for one another, no matter who shuns us or what rules need breaking." Toan said in a dead serious voice. "Nothing prioritizes over family."

As Toan spoke I began to notice the similarities between him and Robius, it was like they were siblings or something outside of appearance and intelligence they were nearly identical.

"But if you do join, you'll get to see an adorable talking fox every day." Kukiri said in a tempting voice.

"I guess I don't really have a choice." Cloris said coming to the realization I did when I was in her place.

"Welcome to Draconum Familia, Cloris." Master Frost said.