As the group was ushered out of the grand chamber, the Empress sat back in her ornate throne, her gaze sharp and calculating. Her fingers gently caressed the golden fan, the faintest of smirks curling her lips as she looked down on them.
"Goodbye, for now, then," she called out, her voice steady yet laced with authority. "Do not forget the importance of your place here, Chiaki. There are more ways than one to make a decision... one you'll come to understand eventually."
Before anyone could respond, she gestured subtly to the soldiers standing in the back. Two more soldiers stepped forward, moving to flank the female soldier who had spoken up earlier. Their eyes cold, their movements precise, they joined her, ready to escort the group to their next destination.
As the soldiers led them down the towering halls, the dim light from the torches flickered in the shadows of the stone walls. Their footsteps echoed through the empty corridor, the air heavy with the tension of uncertainty.
As the female soldier led the group down the alley, her steps were quick but calculated. She glanced over her shoulder every so often, making sure they weren't being followed too closely. Her movements were sharp, alert, almost as if she were anticipating something.
"Keep moving," she said softly, but there was an urgency in her voice that made Razor twitch with excitement. They turned a corner, but just as they did, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the alley.
Two soldiers appeared at the entrance, blocking their path. They exchanged glances, clearly surprised to see the group moving without their supervision.
"Where are you taking them?" one of the soldiers barked, stepping forward to block their way. "You're supposed to be escorting them back to their holding cells."
The female soldier's eyes flashed, her fingers twitching near her weapon, but she didn't immediately answer. Instead, she spoke with a cool, casual tone, though there was a sharp edge to it. "I'm handling this. You don't need to worry about it."
"Not so fast," the second soldier growled. "We're not leaving until we get an explanation. We can't let you just—"
Before the soldier could finish, the female soldier's hand moved faster than anyone could react. With one swift motion, she disarmed the first soldier, knocking his sword from his hand. In a fluid motion, she grabbed the weapon and swung it, hitting him across the face with the hilt, sending him crashing into the wall.
The second soldier didn't even have time to reach for his blade before she spun, kicking his legs out from under him and sending him sprawling onto the ground. Without hesitation, she crouched down and knocked him unconscious with a sharp blow to the neck.
The whole encounter took mere seconds, leaving both soldiers unconscious and sprawled out on the ground. The female soldier wiped her hands on her tunic, looking over her shoulder at the stunned group.
"Problem solved," she said, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "You're free to go."
Temoshí blinked, confused, while Razor, unusually quiet, looked uncomfortable. They watched as the female soldier picked up a key from one of the knocked-out soldiers and unlocked their cuffs.
"Wait... What?" Fioren asked, her arms now free, still puzzled. No one seemed to understand. They all just stared at the woman soldier, standing calmly before them. "Who are you?" Temoshí questioned, his eyes locked on the woman's helmet. She chuckled softly, then grabbed it, slowly pulling it off her head.
"I knew I'd have to step in sooner or later. You're still as reckless and foolish as ever, Temoshí. But at least you've gotten quieter... and smarter," the woman said, removing the helmet, and then, silence fell.
As the helmet dropped to the ground, a cascade of snow-white hair tumbled down her back, gleaming like freshly fallen snow in the moonlight. It was long and smooth, flowing effortlessly to her waist with no hint of color other than its pure, ethereal whiteness.
Her eyes were an icy blue, like frozen lakes under a winter sky, sharp and penetrating, holding a quiet intensity that seemed to look right through anyone she fixed her gaze upon. Despite the chill in her eyes, her smile was wide and inviting, with a warmth that contradicted the coldness of her appearance. It was a smile that could be both reassuring and unsettling, an enigmatic expression of both kindness and mystery.
Temoshí froze in shock, his voice trembling with disbelief, "No way... Ayuka?"
"Yep, that's me! Looks like you haven't completely forgotten about little ol' me," she said with a grin, her tone light but teasing. "But since it's been a while, feel free to just call me Yuka now. Most people started calling me that anyway, so no need to be all formal with the 'Ayuka' stuff."
Temoshí's eyes lit up with sudden excitement, his whole body practically vibrating with energy. "No way! Yuka?! I can't believe it!" Without warning, he surged forward, throwing his arms around her in a tight, full-body hug, squeezing her like he hadn't seen her in a hundred years.
Yuka gasped for air, her face turning slightly blue as she struggled to breathe under his bear hug. "A-hey! Calm down, you're crushing me!" she managed to wheeze, her voice barely escaping.
Temoshí didn't seem to notice. "I'm so glad you're back! You have no idea how much I missed you!" His words were muffled, but his grin was wider than ever, oblivious to the fact that Yuka was now gasping for oxygen.
"I think... I think I might pass out...!" she squeaked, her face turning a shade of red that wasn't from excitement.
After releasing Yuka from the bear hug, Temoshí stepped back, looking a bit sheepish, but Yuka was already turning her attention to Chiaki. Her sharp gaze flicked over to her, taking in the subtle changes. "Whoa, you've really changed! Can't say I got a good look before, what with that helmet on." Yuka said, her voice full of surprise as she took in Chiaki's appearance.
Chiaki, now able to relax a bit after the whirlwind of emotions, couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Seeing Yuka again, after so long, felt like a breath of fresh air.
"Wait a second, Yuka. Now that you're here, does this mean you finally finished that mission at the Holy Arches?" Chiaki asked, her curiosity piqued, a smile creeping onto her face as she stood a bit straighter.
Yuka gave a small, almost casual shrug, though her eyes held a knowing glint. "Yep, mission complete. Took a bit more out of me than I expected, though. Had to sacrifice some of my powers to get it done." She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the horizon. "But hey, at least I still have some tricks up my sleeve."
Temoshí raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you... lost some of your powers?" His voice was laced with concern. "Isn't that risky?"
Yuka chuckled softly, brushing a few strands of her snow-white hair behind her ear. "I'm not completely powerless. But yeah, it wasn't easy. The Holy Arches have a way of draining you dry if you're not careful. Still, I made it out with enough to get by." She winked at them both. "And besides, there's no mission I can't handle. You know me."
Chiaki exhaled, a little smile tugging at her lips. "Good to know. I'm just glad you're okay."
The tension seemed to ease for a moment, as old friends reunited. Despite the stakes of their situation, there was something comforting about seeing someone from their past, someone they could rely on.
"Does that mean you're actually coming back?" Temoshí asked, placing a hand on his hip, his excitement barely contained. "I think everyone missed you. Even Nathaniel made his return while you were gone."
"Huh? Nathaniel? He's back?" Yuka responded, her surprise evident. "That's incredible. I honestly thought he was gone for good. But I'm glad he's back with you all. As for me... well, now that we're all together again, I might consider it. But right now, we really need to focus on what's been happening at Lyvoria Crest."
Fioren raised an eyebrow, looking between Yuka and the rest of the group. "Wait a minute," she started, her voice curious. "Who is this, and why do you both look like you've seen a ghost or something? I mean, she's... uh, kinda got that whole mysterious vibe, doesn't she?"
Razor, always on the lookout for something to latch onto, grinned wildly. "Oh-ho! I gotta say, she's got the whole 'I'm-a-lone-wolf-but-would-totally-rip-your-heart-out' thing goin' on. Welcome to the team, Snowflake!" she said, not holding back her usual chaotic energy.
Temoshí, trying to steer things back to some semblance of normalcy, gestured toward Yuka. "This is Ayuka. She was a crewmate of mine before, but had to go off on a mission at the Holy Arches. It was important. Not really sure what she did there, but it was something big."
Fioren gave a knowing smirk. "The Holy Arches, huh? Sounds... mysterious. But if she's part of the crew, then she's one of us. Right, Razor?"
Razor nodded enthusiastically, "Hell yeah! If she's as crazy as you all, she's definitely part of the family. Can't have a boring mission without the best of the best, right?" She grinned widely, practically vibrating with her usual chaotic excitement. "Hope she can handle the ride!"
"Yuka, no offense, but... we're grateful you came to our rescue, but why are you here at Lyvoria Crest?" Chiaki asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite the tension building in her.
Yuka looked at them with a knowing gaze. "I'm undercover," she explained. "The Holy Arches sent me here to investigate an enemy who's developed a new soul technique—Soul Severance. It's a deadly ability that can sever the souls of people like you, Chiaki. It's more dangerous than anything we've faced before, and it's the reason I had to leave the mission unfinished."
Temoshí, who had been listening quietly, stepped in. "Yuka was a part of the crew before. She went on a mission with the Holy Arches, but it looks like they sent her back because things got serious."
Razor, with her usual wild energy, tilted her head. "So you're saying there's someone out there slicing souls like they're some kind of meat? Man, I thought I was the crazy one around here. But hey, we can take them, right? We'll cut 'em up and give 'em a taste of their own medicine, wa-hahaha!"
Yuka cracked a smile, appreciating Razor's enthusiasm, though it was clear the situation was far from lighthearted. "It's not going to be that easy. Soul Severance isn't just a tool—it's a technique designed to target the very essence of a person's being. If they're after Chiaki, then it could be more dangerous than we think."
Chiaki, still processing everything, tightened her fists. "So what now? What do we do about it?"
Yuka's expression grew more serious. "We stop them before they learn how to use it fully. Otherwise, people like you—people with Soul Links—are at risk of being cut off from everything. From life itself."
"Is that the reason I got that letter back at Cascade Cradle?" she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and suspicion. She couldn't help but wonder if the letter was more than just a random message, if it was somehow connected to everything Yuka had just revealed.
"A letter...?"
To be continued...