Lailah decided to poke her head up. Yes, she stood at Amelia's side, watching a young woman stand before her father in defiance. Experience was in his eyes, but there was something harsh in there. The young malak noted a blizzard brewing behind steel-green eyes.

Compared to his daughter, a shimmering clear sprout ready to burst. Standing tall against one another, opposing ideals.

This was something that no amount of malak artes or force could break.

She knew it. All of the malakhim in the reformed Abbey knew it.

Alexandra Fenris Breuse was not Melchior Mayvin. That man was so devoted to his craft, a zealous devotion that broke the boundaries of fanaticism, he would never bear malevolence. For all things, she never understood why Melchior chose her to be in his corps of Exorcists.

Lailah discussed this with her formerly bonded malak, Bise the Gale Enforcer. Theories upon theories sprouted, but none of them coming to a conclusive answer. Whatever knowledge they could get hinged on Alex, but she was never one to talk about such things openly.

"How many times has it been?" He spoke, voice like gravel. "You, running off into this little adventure?"

"And rather have the fight come to us?"

"We are defenders of the realm."

"We are supposed to fight for the people!"

"I've seen the fire in your eyes. Passions laid so dormant."

"And what's so wrong about that?!"

Her parent lifted his hand.

"Father?"

Eyes glancing coldly to the side, seeing young Ceres standing with her mother. The crowds inside the theater dying down. He slowly turned back to them; his head turned to Alex. "We shall speak about this affair later."

Amelia walked over to Alex's side. Instead of her usual candor, she rested a hand on her shoulder. "You wanna talk about this?"

She groaned, purple wisps floating about her. "Yeah. Can we grab an ale too?"

The purifying blaze malak giggled. "So, a mercenary, a knight, and a malak walk into a bar…"

-.-.-

Eleanor pulled Velvet again as the former therion attempted to grasp at the lingering corpse of the Fifth. For a split second, her golden eyes glared back at her, claw ripping through the bandages. Violet musk venting from her body before her eyes widened. Aoife apparated at Eleanor's side, crimson blade held out. Fires cooked upon its steel body before Velvet realized what happened.

Her claw retracted as she looked at the floor. "I…"

"Velvet, please. This isn't like it was seven years ago." Eleanor pleaded. The Firebrand wasn't so trusting, keeping her charge back with the flat side of her sword.

"No, it's not. And it's pissing me off too." She growled, flexing her fingers. "You became the Shepherd, leading the Abbey. The daemons are still running about, these Wing people, and now those wonderful Empyreans thinking me coming back was a mistake."

Velvet snarled, sliding her hands down her face. "Did we actually solve anything?"

Maotelus opened his mouth, holding for a moment before closing. He approached Velvet, a hand in hers. "It wasn't a mistake, Velvet. Something happened between you and Innominat. I don't feel any different than I before you came back. Besides the power change."

The former therion remained silent.

"What about you?"

For a moment, the malevolence sputtered. The fumes of a pyre puffing and puffing until it vanished. Dark eyes looked over to him before she took a seat. A small young woman against the body of a massive dragon, a dreaming god of the world. The split in the road before her: A rampaging daemon lord who sundered the world and its chosen hero, the young woman whose family was torn from her without her consent.

Both were equally Velvet Crowe. But neither could completely capture the picture. Mulling over, she crossed her arms.

"I don't even know if I feel the same way."

"You're doubting yourself, therion." Aoife hummed. "You've been pondering this question yourself for quite some time."

With a click of her tongue, her attention turned to Innominat. "… I need to go back in there."

Eleanor stepped forward, the redheaded malak pulling her blade back. "You think Innominat may have the answer why you're back?"

"For the moment I was in there, I saw myself and Laphi in a dream. Then I heard him and Innominat talk. There was something going on in there, but I don't know what. I remember a lot of our early dreams but the closer ones I remember, they get spotty."

"Spotty? Explain." Aoife frowned.

"Like there are holes in memories. Standing in a field of corn or harvest, then it's immediately winter in Taliesin."

"Like events are skipping?"

"Exactly."

Maotelus decided to interject. "Going back to Innominat and Laphi, what were they talking about?"

"Something about a thirteenth cycle. Choice…" She growled, pounding her fist into the ground. It felt like a pile of stones rested on her head. A memory and words Laphi told her before she breathed back in Aball. So close it, yet so far without the words to make sense of it. "Urgh, it feels like a gel stuck in my throat."

The three of them took a seat besides her, just gazing at the colossus before them. Aoife stood at the vigil, eyeing the dreaming Empyrean before them. The soft crackle of the fires that illuminated the room bounced around, casting shadows as they waited.

Maotelus then spoke up. "When you touched the body, runes surrounded around you. We thought you were getting dragged back into its body."

"Was I?"

"Couldn't tell. You were screaming and we pulled you back."

Unconvinced, but resolute, Velvet decided. "Alright. Maybe we can do it again. But this time, you two hold on to me while I do it?"

"Velvet, just before we do this, give me some time to study Innominat. I think I can find something that'll prevent anything like that happening again."

An amused brow lifted for her. "If you say so Phi."

"I, uh, haha." He chuckled. "All that power Innominat gave to me once Velvet was ejected. If can just link it back for a moment. Please, you two can go and rest. I'll be quick with this."

As he stood back up, the young women did the same. The Empyrean of Light walked to the one of the heads of the fallen Fifth, hands held up. Glimmering white runes manifested around his hands, forming cuffs. Ghostly gauntlets shimmered as he palmed them into its body.

Silver light illuminated the chamber. Velvet stood besides Eleanor with a small smile on her face. Aoife stood back, watching the two.

"He's grown a lot more since the cosmic earthpulse."

"He's been a handful. Being the newest Empyrean means a lot of responsibility for him."

Velvet finally cracked a smile. For all the changes, there were a few she recognized. "How was it? Being the Shepherd?"

"A hassle. So many lords to appease, management of the various people and equipment. Talking with so many malak that just wanted to be left alone. I'm surprised a few wanted to join us."

"But you guys weren't the same strength as the old Abbey."

"No, and with the changes I made, we were spread thin." Eleanor sighed. "The diaspora order was meant to protect what remaining Exorcists we had left. And our fleet folded back into the Imperial navy."

Velvet took another breathe, scratching her head. Eleanor stepped right besides her. No casual roll of shoulder. No brief push away. Just the two standing besides one another.

"So much has changed…" she whispered.

"And it's strange isn't it?"

"Yeah." She blankly looked to the ceiling. "Whatever I can remember, those dreams only lasted so where we were when I sealed myself with Innominat. A few parts beyond that I can remember but… Then it becomes a blank. It feels superficial."

"That what's happening out here doesn't follow what your dreams were."

"You know me too well." Velvet slumped her shoulders. "Everybody's changed, but I'm not. Did I even change? Or…"

A soft lock fixed her hands. Eleanor's fingers intertwined with hers. Such a simple motion but she knew. That crying on the boat to hear.

"Velvet, it's just like before, you were called and labelled yourself 'The Lord of Calamity'. But that is not who you are, despite whatever you may say."

"Says the 'Shepherd'."

"And you know more than that, it's just a 'title'. A word. That's not who I am. Just as much as you aren't just a therion."

Golden eyes gave in. Lids falling over as Velvet held her hand firmly and nodded. "So then, I guess the question is who am I now?"

Moments passed before Maotelus pumped his hand into the air. "I got it!"

"What is it, Phi?" Velvet looked over. Eleanor followed behind.

"I've figured it out! Innominat's still dormant, but those dreams you had been still in there. There's no risk of you being pulled back in but…"

"But?"

"I'm not sure what you'll find in there." He bowed his head. "While you were dreaming, I hopped in every so often, to check on the both of you."

"That would explain the feeling that I was being watched."

"Hey! I was curious! And I wanted to check-up on you…" He rebuked. "But anyways, I didn't notice anything wrong when I went in, but it's not like I could watch everything that happened. When you go in there, I'm not sure what you'll find."

Velvet held her hands at her sides, taking a deep breath. A touch on her shoulders. Another bit of familiar warmth. Eleanor with a confident nod.

"Thank you." She turned back to Maotelus and the sleeping god. "Alright. I'm ready."

Her daemon claw burst from its wrapping and she reached out once more.

Another flash of light echoed. Velvet blinked, her eyes finally adjusting. A strange room with tubes of crystallized light reaching to the ceiling. The faint glimmering array of purples, reds, and browns in disorganized patterns. Panels shifted, displaying pictures and icons of unknown origin, cycling between different pictures and squig lines. The former therion reached out, trying to interact with one before her hand phased through it and through the light tube.

"Where am I?" She whispered to herself.

A door nearby slid open. A hooded woman glided herself inside. There was an odd sense of warmth coming from her, like the cool air breeze from the cliffs. Yet, there was something in her voice that spoke another tone. Exotic words of a different language, but the tone felt different. Dark clouds bringing thunder and winds.

Velvet moved, eyes following what she was looking at. One of the pillars had a strange ball. No, not a ball. An undulating mess of squirming worms roped in mysterious artes. She gazed closer. These worms had jagged features, like miniature knifes at each end.

Whatever it was, it didn't seem to have a beginning either.

The woman finally spoke in a language she recognized. "Just a few more modifications and you'll be all set, my creation~"

-.-.-

Alex and Amelia weren't interested in hanging around the usual estate of the Bloodwing Butterflies. They were sure that they already knew all of the Breuse family problems but didn't feel like exposing themselves to their ears. Amelia's idea.

With two tall ales and a stout, the Legates of the Abbey lodged a single room for the both of them. Lailah pinching down her drink with gusto and listened in to the two young ladies and their family problems.

"Father wanted a son to teach his techniques. Another heir for the Breuse family. Instead he got me." The blonde took another swig of her beer. "Used to be pretty ill. Always getting colds or flus. Kinda just grew out of it the more he trained me."

"You don't forgive him, do you?"

"Hell no. All that shit he gave me, doesn't get rid of scars, the asshat! No moral consistency! Flippy-itty floppity-do!"

Amelia took a sip, "You're never this angry. Or loose."

"Oooh, fuck you and your height, you harpy."

Their malak friend needed a moment. There was a notable size difference between the two. While Alex stood at average height, but Amelia had an impressive 186 centimeters. One of the tallest in the new corps, she just surpassed the height of former Legate Shigure Rangetsu.

As Alex laid her head against the table, the brunette reached to tug at the odd strand of hair that protruded from her head. The crack of her wrist pulled back, the blonde pulling herself back up in her hair.

"No touch!"

"Aww, but I really want to chop it off."

"It's my charm point!"

Chuckle and burp aside, the dual-wielding legate scratched her chin. "Your mom has the same thing. Even your sister has that hair dangle."

Alex groaned, leaning back in her chair. "It's a family trait. And that's why it's a charm point!"

"And here I thought your charm point was your fabulous bust."

"YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!" With another chug, her mug was empty. She titled it upside down, only foam coming out. "Another!"

"Yeeaaah, maybe later." Amelia yanked the mug out of her hand. Her fellow Legate mystified by her own fingers, flexing in and out.

"Urgh… That was good. Wheaty…"

The brunette gently patted her head, taking another swig of her stout. The foam was disappearing, but the sounds of people downstairs hadn't gone away.

"Family…" Alex grunted.

"You'd do anything for your sister, huh?"

"Anything."

"Don't you feel a little jealous that your dad went easy on her?"

"Not a single bit." She answered honestly. "I wouldn't do nothing to hurt her from anything."

Cocked brow raised; Amelia set her drink to the side. "You said the whole singing thing was your sister's idea."

"She wanted out of the family bullshit, like me." Amelia curtly nodded to Lailah, handing her Alex's mug. The malak scooped her cup and headed back downstairs.

"I thought your dad wanted to pass on those swordsmanship and spear whatever."

"He can go fuck himself." Alex winced, resting her head on the table. "We're not like the Dragonia, the Capalus, or Diphda. Londinium is all we have."

"Aren't you guys like… really close to the Diphda?"

The only response Amelia got back was some incoherent mumbling of political marriages and standings.

"Crazy bunch of know-it-alls with the knifes and cheeses and…" As the blonde babbled on, Amelia returned to patting her on the head and back. There was a certain refreshed air seeing her like this. Poised and controlled, the ideal knight as she hoped.

But her job, before and during her time as an Exorcist, were nothing like the stories she was told.

Lailah returned with Alex's mug full, passing it on the table. To her immediate elation, Alex snagged the beer, hollowing at her drink before taking a tall chug.

"You know, family's hard and all. Sometimes it can break a few things." The blonde looked over, resting her cup down.

"Like what?"

"Oh, you know, splitting a family apart, knifes to each other's throats. Things like that."

Alex blinked. "You never talk about your family. And here the Exorcist Corp thought that you were born from some cave in the earth."

She looked shocked. "W-where did you get that idea from?!"

"Lailah."

The leader of Ala Rubra glared over to her malakhim partner who simply waved back. "How could you?"

"Aww, but it was a funny rumor. You dug yourself up from a small name mercenary to leader of the Red Wing."

Amelia mashed her head against the table before continuing. "ANYWAYS! Yeah, I had a family. Not like a normal family. Just a bunch of like-minded people, doing work here and there. We got along."

"No ma or pa?"

"Didn't know them long enough to care. Then we started arguing. Starting with our leader, slowing going against what we sent out to do."

"What was your mercenary company's name?"

"Eh, we didn't really have a name. We were small. You've probably never heard of us."

"I guess so." Alex sniffled, picking herself back up and drinking a bit more. A few tears in her eyes. Her cheeks turned a light rose color as her head titled forward. "You've never told anybody about this… But me. You never really tell anybody anything about yourself."

"Only because you asked."

"You mean, you would've said something if we asked?"

"Maaaybe?"

"Cock-tease." Alex lightly shoved her chest, leaning back into her chair. Her eyes and body felt heavier by the second. Careful not to spill her ale, she rested it on the table.

Amelia smiled, waving her hand in front of her face. Out so quickly.

Lailah raised her mug in victory, taking a chug herself.

Author's Notes:

Alone in darkness, with barely a flame, a person can wander through even with One Headlight

watch?v=yjbzUEJONNU

For the record, Alex would look like a mix between Milla Maxwell and Okita Souji from Fate/Grand Order.

Amelia would look like a mix between Lara Mel Marta, Zeta from Granblue Fantasy and Hoshiguma from Arknights.

Aoife on the other hand, would look like Selesia Upitiria from Re:Creators.