The Council.

A name spoken with reverence by many, and with fear by others. They are the rulers of this entire world, self-appointed stewards of humanity. Chosen not by divine will, but by mortal hands, they cling to their thrones, holding onto power as if it were their birthright.

They claim to protect, to guide, to decide what is best for all who dwell beneath the sky. After the brawl between the students, the Council found themselves unable to explain the source of destruction to the public. To maintain control and avoid chaos, they chose to conceal the existence of Cerberus from the public eye. And Cameron, a figure well-known by the public, was reported dead from a disease.

Selene notices Helios exit his room for the first time since graduation, she pouts as he doesn't even acknowledge her presence as he slips outside for a breather.

She looks back at the brownies she's making for the guests that are coming, especially since the new alliance was made after the untimely passing of Yin.

What is their new goal? To take down Fenris once and for all and make him pay for the deaths of their family & loved ones?

Selene begins to decorate the brownies with a little star thinking it’s cute because of the Daystar name hoping that the brownies will help ease the nerves & tension that will definitely arise with Helios & Eris.

Selene sends a quick text to Akihiro, Amber, and the Bazin twins letting them know they can arrive for the alliance meeting as her mother staying in her room. Zero had arrived first, laying on the couch already. It's the first time in a while that they've met under casual pretenses, if this even counted.

A knock is heard on the Daystar residence. Selene rushes towards the door opening it to see Apollo standing there with Amber standing beside him Eris in the back facing away from the door.

Selene & Apollo look at each other uneasy making the atmosphere already awkward without the other guests arriving to meet up before going out to a club. Apollo breaks the tension with a small cough and a slight smile.

"...Hey, can we come in?"

Selene nods as she steps aside allowing them to enter, Apollo looks around noticing how the wealthy lives as he doesn't know where to sit. Selene notices this thankfully guiding the trio towards the kitchen where the brownies are laid out on plates and chairs already set up, Apollo leans against the counter looking at the brownies amazed that a rich spoiled kid like Selene can actually cook.

"Wow, I'm impressed. These are for us?" Selene nods before slapping Apollo's hand as he attempts to grab one.

"Don't touch Atlas, I know how much of a glutton you are. You'd eat them before the others arrive!”

Apollo stares at Selene for a moment before breaking out into a laugh slowly removing the awkwardness that was there as the two begin to catch up about what's been happening to the other while Eris sits down unsatisfied that the others haven’t arrived yet.

The Daystar family, obviously weren't the only ones affected with the passing of their allies. Although their minds acknowledged their status as Empire State students, their souls said otherwise. The people who had made

Empire State High feel like Empire State High are now gone, with their essence vanished.

Now, as they're uniting against a mutual adversary, tension will inevitably brew. Perhaps this was the enemies' plan all along? Nevertheless, fate remains impartial, favors to no one. As for Akihiro, a monk once told him that true peace is achieved when the mind and body work in perfect harmony. For him, a battlefield became one of the most peaceful places he could be. He let his blade wander through the chaos of war, using the violence to drown out thoughts of Yin's death. Akihiro tested the weapon from Yin for the past 7 days, seemingly to relieve himself from his best friend's death. He stayed in the battlefields like a child reluctant to leave a dimly lit corner of a dark room.

Despite experiencing loss, Akihiro has gone through situations like this his entire life, and he had longed learned to go forward. The death of his best friend was no exception. It shouldn't be. Although his goal is unchanged, the motivation to follow it had only grown stronger. And what better feeling than steel against steel?

Coming to the conclusion that his humanity denied him solitude, his hand had already reached to the handle after just passing by Zero and then swung the door open without knocking. A childish grin crept up his face. So many strong individuals in one place, which could only mean that the road lies a stronger group of adversaries for him to fight.

"Today feels like it's going to be productive. What y'all up to?"

As Ivory leaned under the doorframe to enter behind Akihiro, her attire still reflected her usual aesthetic... without any bloodstains this time. Although she still reeked of blood, it was nice to notice that she put the attention to arrive as neatly as possible.

"Consider knocking the next time you're invited over to your friend's house. Though I suppose no one likes you enough to invite you over that often."

"Wow thanks." Akihiro responded.

Following behind him was Kronos with his hands in his pockets. He didn't know why he was here, he just knew it was away from Fenris. Akihiro was the only one he really got to know, and Ivory recently getting along with him. "The least you could do is not wear fucking thigh highs knowing I can basically only see your legs."

"Oh—I- I didn't even see you there. I'm sorry." It was very noticeable to tell her lack of experience in socializing. She stammered and appeared to take more than usual to say the right words.

Eris stands abruptly as she runs a hand through her hair looking at the crew they’ve assembled: The Gladiator of All Trials, Akihiro. The Lost Child, Kronos. The Dead Princess, Selene. The White Swan, Apollo. The Crimson Monkey, Amber. The Fire Prince, Zero. And of course, The Titan God of the Sun, Helios, who entered inside. Of course he wanted to get revenge on Fenris for killing his sister, but working with Eris and Apollo who stabbed his sister was picking him off. This group is stronger than Tarot at its peak, Eris doesn't even smile but their hopes of defeating someone like Fenris will take way more people than they have now.

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"...Now that everyone important is here. Let's get this shit on the road, our main priority is defeating that frozen clown."

Eris locks eyes with Akihiro in the crowd as she points her finger at him.

"You're the only who faced him besides the tall woman over there. Did you notice any glaring weaknesses? I sensed his rank being weaker than the last team I've met him."

Akihiro throws himself onto the couch and rests his feet on the table. It was definitely clear he didn’t care much about the "planning" aspect of the meeting.

“I’m surprised you of all people haven't been able to tell yet. Just like Cerberus, their abilities are definitely the most destructive thing I’ve seen in terms of raw power. But that power comes with a cost: their own ability is powerful enough to harm themselves, even if it's their own mana. While Cerberus' body is weaker to fire, Fenris' body is actually resistant for his ability, so the drawbacks he receives compared to Cerberus are less... but they’re there nonetheless. I'm assuming that attack that killed my father weakened him for a bit, causing his ice overall to lose some of its power."

Akihiro glances to his mother, causing his grin to disappear as he finally begun to think of something ahead of everyone else in the room for once.

lThe greatest advantage we have to Fenris specifically... is her. You can adapt to his ice, can't you?"

Ivory seems hesitant at first before responding. "Well yes, I can... But he's smart enough to take me out in one go before I'm able to adapt to it. In our previous fights, he's always made sure to not use his ability as often to limit my experiences. And when I finally drove him into a corner, Cerberus managed to permanently scar me. Kronos told me Fenris has conversion technology, too."

Her hand hovers over her right side of her face. Although through adaptation she can restore her body completely, Cerberus' flames aren't something she can heal from. Adapting to an ability that destructive is a tight rope between life and death.

Akihiro responds. "So not only does Fenris have an entire affiliation of his own, but we can't even go to Indra now. Oh well, better for us. We can actually go in and not give two shits on what the council cares about. Government of the entire world my ass."

"...You're going to get us all killed one day."

Helios leans back in his chair listening to Akihiro and his mother speak. He'd rather have someone scrape chalk down a blackboard to cause his ears to bleed than think about Fenris and his goons. He snaps back to reality after hearing them mention Daystar technology with “conversion” as he sighs.

"...Conversion technology, huh?"

Helios leans forward as he rubs his forehead from stress, He looks at Eris who seems to understand what he's about to ask.

"So, he's like *her* now of all people. Tarot also had that, right?"

Helios points to Eris as Selene nods with Apollo & Amber murmuring in agreement, he finally stands up from his chair as he walks towards the rest of the group instead of hiding.

"For those unaware, her ability is Mimicry. Father mentioned someone breaking into Daystar Industries with an ability that's able to mimic your own. Basically a mirror match but with someone having a stronger version of your ability."

Helios looks at Eris, the two once again having a silent heated debate before turning to Ivory.

"Our disgraced uncle discovered conversion technology but it was banned from by our father due to the dangers it possesses. How did the Clown Prince of Crime get his filthy paws on it?"

eris coughs getting Helios’s attention and the others as she leans against the counter taking two brownies from the platter and stuffing her face.

"Probably because my team infiltrated Hado Technologies, one of your dad's many subsidiaries and discovered it there…who can’t say Fenris did the same. We also know Indra is with Fenris in some way. We can't assume whether Indra is aware."

Eris sighs before continuing. "Forget about that right now. What I’m wondering is even with all of us here, most of us are bound to die if we charged against him right now. Especially with university starting in two months, we need to keep tabs on him. He's well liked by the public, who knows what else that freak has planned for us."

Zero's ears perked up as he heard something about Conversion technology and possibly buffing your own ability/getting a second one as he looked at Eris and Helios.

"I can have my friend Lynx's team help us out. She usually keeps surveillance on everyone, so maybe she has some on Fenris."

Ivory listens to what Zero had to say, nodding in disagreement.

“I agree with Eris. We can’t confront him directly, and he can't confront us directly. He wouldn't risk his public fame just to kill us, and he probably doesn’t see us as threats… and he's right. We both can't do anything.”

Ivory turns to Zero, sighing as she had already tried that before. Cameras, stalking, spying, Fenris turned against each one. The crimes he has committed may aswell not exist. The only thing off is that Ivory could think of multiple methods where he could get the jump on them, like with Cerberus, who has no public identity. Why not send him to get us? It's as if Fenris is preventing to keep someone in the group from dying... but who?

"...Do we really have no other option?"

"Yes we do."

Akihiro gains a grin wild enough to make everyone worry on what he could possibly be thinking of.

"Cameron was right. Anarchy was filled with those brimming with talent. One Fenris was seen sharing genuine emotion with."

Akihiro turns to Eris, as she finally caught on to who he was talking about.

"Arienne. It's obvious she doesn't know who Fenris is under his mask. If we can get her on our side, who knows what options we'll have up our sleeve? Even if she doesn't share a bond with him... her ability gets me fired up thinking about it."

Ivory's eyes light up a bit. Her social anxiety magically disappeared at the thought of making Fenris bite the curb. "That’s surprisingly well thought of you. Any idea on where to find her?"

We could break into her house. Her nightmare ability won't do shit."

"Better idea, uhm. Let’s not do that--"

"Nah, I agree with Akihiro. Full Scorched Earth, let's break in." Zero joins in.

"No wonder you all keep losing."

"Nah, we'd win."

"Are you all dense?" Kronos intervened. "Everyone's graduating or something, some party I don't get to go to because I was kidnapped. Not that I'd go anyway, but she's probably there anyway with everyone else. Is it so complicated to just walk somewhere?"

“…Your sister didn’t die like my brother, but you’re right. You guys go ahead, I’ll stay behind…parties aren’t my scene.”

Amber looks at Eris & Helios who are about to declare themselves not going before she interrupts.

"You two should go. I'd rather have someone strong there to keep an eye on that thingover there before he turns a night full of fun into a night full of casualties."

She pointedly looks at Akihiro while Eris & Helios finally relent.

Looks like it was decided then. To the graduation party they go.

Arienne possesses the unique ability to materialize the nightmares of those she targets. If abilities came as gift from the divine, why did the Gods curse her with a power she loathed so much? Her mana passively instills fear to those that also possess mana, which had left her in solitude her entire life. Despite that passive, there was a student in the high school who managed to build a relationship, his love overcoming his fear. However, Akihiro's interest that person's strength, to put it short… ultimately left Arienne isolated once more.

Life, however, is full of trials. Currently, I'm facing one myself. I'm contemplating whether it's acceptable for me to seek help for my own duty to be fulfilled. I think—no, I'm certain that these individuals are the ones I've been waiting for all these hundred of years. I always thought my task was to bear this burden alone, but now I see no other way. Fenris is a threat to the very planet that I have to sworn my life to protect. I have no other duty, but this is a duty I can't bear alone.

I suppose I should start a conversation. After all, every journey has a first step. I'll be be under your eyes next time.