With the Wandering Guillotine forced back after Ryder's last-minute intervention, the Legends find themselves with far more questions than answers. Amidst the many, one reigns supreme above the rest: how could she not have been involved with the Demon?

While overthinking had always been a fierce habit of Kyoya's, no amount of contemplation could possibly amount to too much in this case. With the possibility of yet another beast of the Void's depths appearing the following day, devising some form of plan would be essential in surviving whatever would come…

…And now, effectively cornered, the shattered Defiant would be forced to make do, whether they wanted it or not.

A firm knock on the door made them both shoot a glance in its direction. Lyric quickly found herself making a rushed attempt to get off his bed.

Familiar steel-hued hair poked through the cracked-open door. Solitaire revealed as the culprit behind Lyric's scrambling. The Adventurer-Princess eyed them both, with a particularly questioning look at the Seraph.

"Was I interrupting something?" She narrowed her stare until he could practically feel Lyric's skin crawl. His partner eventually relented a sigh. With something of a dismissive nudge, she made sure Brynn wasn't visible from the door before speaking.

"Not especially. I've never known you guys to come check on me; should I assume you need something?"

Solitaire offered a light nod and opened the door fully, after which she tailed Lyric's remark.

"My father would like to see the two of you with the purpose of discussing a plan of action for tomorrow."

The Legends exchanged worried glances.

"We've been wondering about that, ourselves," Kyoya noted, "so I'm glad we've got a chance to talk it over."

"Likewise. We've all gathered at the pinnacle—I'll inform them that you'll be arriving shortly."

Without so much as another breath, Solitaire turned and left. The the pair quickly set to collecting themselves.

Lyric was the first to finish preparing. She offered her pillow to the groggy Brynn, who lazily padded a circle on it and got back to rest. Kyoya wasn't far behind her, putting on his boots, and being sure his hair hadn't sheltered any remnants of water from the bath.

"All set?" asked the Miscreant.

"'Bout as set as I can be."

Kyoya affirmed that with a simple nod, taking to the door. His partner was sure to ease it shut behind her, and having remembered that the Pinnacle was mere minutes from their room, he couldn't help but chuckle at the Seraph's quest for 'convenience.'

It was a silent walk to their meeting place, but airborne tension did plenty to make up for the lack of sound.

Lyric stepped in front of him and knocked on the door.

A worry-ridden youngest daughter welcomed them in. Alexandria's greaves continued tapping the floor even as she greeted the pair.

"I'm so sorry to have sent for you, but if we don't plan for something—"

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Kyoya waved off her apology, instead returning with a mostly confident smile.

"It's nothing," assured the boy, who continued into the Pinnacle at Lyric's side. "What've we got so far?"

A new, much larger table than the one at which they'd previously discussed matters was positioned in the Pinnacle's center. Its darkened wood suggested serious business, sporting Altaire's trademark silver, gold, and ivory highlights. He immediately took notice of Ryder, Rory, Solitaire, Levvy, and Altar seated at each of the eight silver-plated cushion chairs, with 3 left open for those standing.

Kyoya started by returning the greetings that followed. Most notable of the bunch was Rory's excited introduction to the one who'd performed such a feat as matching Lyric in battle. The pair found their seats as Altar placed his hands firmly before them all.

"As it stands," began the King, "our options are to act on a called bluff, or to cancel the ceremony entirely. Unless any alternatives come to mind, I'd like the eight of us to determine which of the two will be our decision."

Silence rang out louder than any of them could speak, until Levvy chose to spearhead the discussion.

"It's obvious enough that if a Demon showed its ugly mug, and it came after rumors of exactly that happening, there's no chance that's all they'll throw at us. Whether or not we do something here, it leaves us open to whatever's a direct counter to our choice."

There it was.

The same thought he'd picked apart hours before had already reared its head.

Solitaire followed her deduction.

"While that stands, I'm also inclined to believe that their Demon being defeated so easily may have discouraged further action on the side of the enemy." She gave a sigh, adding, "If not for the Remembrance ceremony, then for what do we even hold the Festival?"

Yet another needle of silence pierced their conversation and threaded silk-woven tension. Two strong arguments had already been posed for either end, but he gained no room to interject quite yet. Kyoya opted to dissect whatever points would be proposed, then decide if his earlier conclusion had any chance of holding up.

"The Festival is held for the people, Azalea."

Altar's attitude had become synchronous with that of the room's atmosphere—so much so that it even appeared to make Lyric shudder.

Those in his audience patiently awaited elaboration. "If the safety of Altaire's citizens is thrust into jeopardy by very same the hand that vows to preserve it, then we'd ultimately be failing in the task we've been so blessed to carry out for the past near-millennia. As much as it harrows me to admit, following through with the ceremony could very well be a dire mistake."

The group took their time in making sense of his end. It wasn't long before Alexandria offered her take.

"I agree with my father. We've no way to know for certain that the summoner won't simply call upon more Demons once the ceremony is underway, and that alone is more than enough to deter—"

A slam on the table from heavy metal forced all present to look toward Solitaire. The Adventurer-Princess stood with her face painted a furious red as she clenched iron fists.

"Have you all no pride in our ability as Reclaimers!? In the event that a Demon appears, we can just defeat it! It isn't difficult—!"

Rory placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was then that she recognized the error in her outburst, and soon receded into her chair.

"She's on the right track," Rory clarified, "but I think she means it more as concentrating the threat. If everyone's all grouped together in the courtyard, that'd be a gnarly means of being sure that we'd be able to all focus on a single target…"

He took a long, tense pause. "…but that would also imply using people as bait."

One word escaped the King.

"Unacceptable."

"Of course you'd say that—" mouthed Solitaire.

"Yes, of course I would! A King, whose sole duty is to protect those under him! Have your years spent meandering about the Frontier dulled your sense of purpose!?"

"It isn't about purpose, father! It's about the greater good! If lives are lost to save the many, then is it really a loss? We're faced with extinction if we choose wrong, so what sense does it make to risk the threat being so wide-spread that it becomes something beyond even our control?"

Ryder raised a brow at this.

A clenched fist was all the King could offer before being overcome by the inability to counter such a strike. It seemed that neither he, nor Alexandria, or even Levvy had any rebuttal to bring forth.

Having made her case, Solitaire composed herself, then cast an expectant glare to Kyoya and Lyric.