Ivory stood before the club's entrance, her hand hesitating on the door handle. A sudden weight of nervousness pressed down on her as she began to rethink her decision to come here. Just how was it that she got into this group to begin with? Because she also wanted Fenris dead… No, there was more to that. It was because in the end, Akihiro wanted her to help.

Pushing her feelings aside, she gently swung the door open and was immediately greeted by a bright amount of colorful lights and people dancing as if it were their last day on earth. The music pulsed through the air, slightly louder than she was comfortable with, but her ears adapted the moment it began to bother her.

Everyone was having fun. Ignoring the amount of students crying in the shades rejected by their crushes, Ivory felt a sense of belonging. She looked over to Akihiro who seemed bothered with being here, so maybe it was alright to be here with him after all.

Walking inside behind both Ivory and Akihiro, Kronos kept his hands in his pockets already regretting to come along. Why did they even need him here? Not like it matters anyway, he's stuck here now with the rest of the group. The entire idea of a party like this just seemed stupid, there wasn't even anything happening except music sounding like a garbage disposal destroying his eardrums.

But his attention was stuck onto something else. It was Ivory.

Her hair, pale as her skin, was put into a chignon while the front half remained loose with natural curls hanging down her face, and a bang covering her scar from face to neck.

She was wearing a pale dress with maroon sleeves and golden outlines, and pink bows holding it together as it went downward her chest. Along with the adorned pure white-hooded robe she was wearing, and the skirt reaching down just below her knees from her dress.

Still not wearing any shoes, her socks now had designs of thin gold trails going upward, as if she was a royal. Her height was shifted to near Selene's as if to fit in the dress, which was her ability adapting to the size of the outfit she was wearing.

Kronos was in complete fucking awe looking her up and down repeatedly to make sure she was actually this short now. He was no longer the midget of the group.

"..Oh my God, she's literally me. You look amazing please never change back I dont care how you did it, everyone else looks bad now."

Helios makes his way to the bartender ordering a Sunrise Mocktail as he takes a seat sipping away waiting for the arrival of Arienne. He didn’t bother knowing much about her besides knowing that she was apart of Anarchy, Cameron's old group, before randomly disappearing into the shadows despite being ranked within the Top 15 students.

Eris takes a seat besides him, the pair don’t even look at each other but they’re slowly getting used to each others presence without setting the house on fire which is an improvement. Meanwhile, Zero witnesses all this as he was barely even able to process the club party going on as he sighs. Realizing that these are the people that he's going to be stuck with for awhile. He bit his tongue so he wouldn't say anything as he went over to the bar, sitting at least 1 seat away from Eris and Helios to prevent getting in their personal little bonding bubble as he looks at the drink selection.

Eris orders something from the snack menu which is unsurprising to anyone who knows how much of a sweet tooth the leader of Tarot has as she begins eating much to the annoyance of Helios.

"Can you do that somewhere else?"

"You're just going to keep crying aren't you?"

Helios glares at her, only to be interrupted by Selene who puts her arms around the pair.

“Hey…stop fighting you two, enjoy the party! Everyone is over there besides you emos!”

Kronos just sighs, already wishing someone shattered a bottle against his head. "If you guys could politely never use your voicebox again, we do have a reason to be here other than who can stay on each other's dick the longest. Still need to find Arienne, you know?"

[There's people looking for you] A voice in her head echoed to her. A shadow, no, a nightmare, a figment of her ability. Noroi.

"Mmm, there's always people looking for me since I came back." Arienne mumbled back.

A few days ago, she had gone to the abyss. A place deep into the earth that is the only source of the substance known as void. It is majorly believed it is the origin of abilities.

Her trip to the abyss was unfruitful and leaving her beyond empty. The sense of comfort, nostalgia, she felt there had left her uneasy ever since she was back. There wasn't a moment when she felt like she wasn't being watched, stalked, or haunted. A new feeling for the nightmare girl. The loud music, the bright lights, the black marble, all the discomfort left her body for just a while. Maybe it was the sense of being around people who didn't care or the drinks which were less than likely non-alcoholic like she'd requested.

Arienne was suddenly taken aback as an unfamiliar figure approached and confidently sat down at the other end of the table. Unlike others who had managed to overcome their fear in her presence but still showed signs of lingering unease, this was the first time a person had completely looked like there was nothing to be afraid of. This would mean the man in front of her is someone without an ability.

The man, with his unordinary choice of clothes, stood out from the rest of the club's inhabitants. His blond hair and unusual attire, predominantly black with a dark-purple star aesthetic accompanied by a cape, was one that certainly drew attention from the very small few that were nearby.

The bartender, still showing signs of nervousness around Arienne, confirmed to her that her ability's passive effect was still active. Not like it answered any of her questions.

"May I get you something, sir?" the bartender asked.

"Anything old fashioned, please," the man replied.

The bartender wrote down his order and quickly left the scene, leaving the two sat alone.

"Normally I'd say that's a boring ass drink, but it's so fitting for your... style." Arienne giggled a bit as she analyzed the man in front of her. Odd clothes, odd demeanor, odd feeling around him. "What do you wanna say to me?"

The man stared silently at her, taking a moment to let her appearance sink into his mind. She was dressed in a black dress that exposed her navel and abdomen, with blond hair that could easily be mistaken for gray.*

“To introduce myself, I go by Midir."

Midir leaned back into his chair, adopting a posture as if he was here for a serious conversation and not one for mere socializing.

"Hello, Arienne. I like the sound of your voice."

"Thank you. I like your voice too. What brings you to here? You're obviously not a student."

"I'd say I enjoy conversing with one of the bartenders, but you're the reason I'm here. What about you? Why are you out?"

“Heh, I was just thirsty.”

"No, I mean why were you out to start off with?

Such a direct question, Arienne thought to herself. At first had she hoped this conversation would be short, but as she spoke to this... thing, she found a strange comfort in listening to them. His voice held a neutral balance, not harsh yet not overly gentle, neither kind nor insulting. They seemed like someone who could easily adapt to any company. Talking to them felt natural, making words leave her mouth naturally. The bartender placed his drink to his right, taking ahold of it.

"I recently came back to America. I've been searching for a purpose ever since. Ever since, people have been trying to get along with me but I still feel empty. Don't know how to word it properly."

Midir listened, taking in the feelings of what she was trying to say. She was notorious for one thing, though.

"You went to the abyss, didn't you?"

"Mmm, I don't remember much. I remember a notebook with foreign words. And I remember a familiar feeling..." Her voice trailed towards the end. Her memories were blurred by the overarching sense of nostalgia that followed her every moment there and the emptiness she'd felt since. She was going to ask how he knew about that, but she really didn't care.

"I'm assuming you're here for more than just chit-chat, though--you're looking for something from me, aren't you?"

"I admit, my motives are primarily for my own personal goals. However, if I were to seek help, it would have to come from someone whose heart I can trust. Don’t get me wrong, I would label you as evil, as that is how you've used your ability for as long as you can remember. But I don't see something preventing you from wielding your ability for the opposite. Your ability isn't something specifically that I require, but it'd be nice to have."

Midir stared at Arienne's reflection in the drink in her cup.

"You’re just the right person I need by my side to achieve what I want. It's our first time meeting, but you're purposeless. And I want a companion for a goal I'm pursuing. Maybe you could find something you want if you were to join me. Though, there are other people looking for you aswell. I plan to converse with them."

"Evil's a strong word, morals are constantly being redefined person by person, time after time." The desolation reached her throat as her words passed through. Evil was the wrong way to define it. It was all that she'd known to use it for. She was not fortunate enough to not be used her entire life. She pulled out a cigarette and stared at the person who faced her. "I'll help with whatever, as long as I don't get the short end of the stick."

"Then, I'll swear on my life to make sure you're safe. Does that make you feel better?"

"Pfft, what a white knight," she taunted.

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Midir, huh? Akihiro thought, listening to the conversation from where he was seated, across the club.

Akihiro turned to Helios, nudging his head toward the direction before deciding to approach the two.

"Seems like you know about us already."

Akihiro lets out a small grin as he leaned down towards Midir, only for his grin to immediately fade. His five senses unable to catch up any residue of mana.

"You reek of… nothing."

Helios glances at Midir while taking a sip from his drink noticing nothing interesting about him besides his unusual outfit.

"Who's this magic mike?"

A hand comes out of nowhere to swat Helios' head for his unnecessary comment, he turns around expecting it to be Selene but it’s someone unexpected.

Eris takes a good look at Midir. seen his face somewhere before finally realizing where’s she seen him from: during her reconnaissance mission for the Daystar Raid she saw someone snooping around a nearby government building before the area ended up being destroyed.

"It's you."

She crosses her arm as she draws circle on the table as she stares at Midir ignoring the others, sneaking a glance at Akihiro noticing that he doesn't seem on edge so whoever this guy is really unremarkable…but what is he doing with a group of high rankers?

"What's your agenda?"

Ivory's glances at Akihiro, a man who he'd typically overlook was instead hogging his attention. Midir appears devoid of any mana or special ability, a life that Akihiro would typically dismiss as one not worth living.

Does he see something I don't??

Midir paid no mind to Helios' comment, his attention instead fixed on Eris. She bore striking red eyes and hair reminiscent of Arienne's if it weren't for the fact that she dyed it for the sake of hiding her identity.

"Ah, straight to business, I see," he commented with a small hint of amusement.

"Very well then. For introductions, my agenda is simple. I'm after who you all are after aswell. Fenrisúlfr."

As the mere mention of Fenris' name caused the group of Helios, Eris, Apollo and Selene to turn their attention towards Midir, she stares at him for a moment trying to dig more about the situation.

"What is a man like you looking for danger you can't even handle?"

As Eris questioned Midir in challenging one so above his league, his gaze swept across the gathering, letting out a disdainful scoff.

"And you believe any of you stand a chance?"

Silence filled the air in response, the only response being Akihiro's head turning, believing he could do it alone. Midir sighed, his attention landing on Helios, finally acknowledging his presence.

"What do you hope to achieve? There is a fine line between optimism and blind faith. You assume you know what cards he hides towards his face, but his hands hold much more."

His gaze then swept towards Ivory, the only one everyone believed to have pushed Fenris to the edge the most.

"...Not even you."

Casting a glance of disgust around, he knew he was saying this for the greater good as they were all too blind to perceive past their delusions and blind their views from reality.

"Fenris commands an entire organization, and you think his Guarddog is the only possession under his chain? None of you have even heard of Fortuna. Cerberus may be the most threatening, but more dangerous powers lurk under his control, I assure you. You have lost many of your strongest allies, and yet you remain oblivious. If you do not wish to work with me, leave. But if you understand that our situation is dire, I trust you'll accept our alliance."

Midir, sensing he had wasted enough time with those he deemed unworthy, redirected his gaze to someone more deserving, Arienne, dismissing the rest as mere mongrels who didn't even know what they were doing.

As Midir turns his focus away from the group, Helios scoffs loudly as he ties his hair back as he folds his arm turned around in his seat.

He looks at the others dropping his voice as Eris silently fumes in her seat hoping to prove to this weakling that he was wrong, he shakes his head annoyed as he looks at the group.

"...An abilityless man judging us is already annoying enough."

Zero puts down his cup as he's been watching this entire thing go down. Keeping his eyes on the new guy as he heard about Fenris. Zero keeps his attention on him, just in case, but he doesn't let it stop him from drinking his drink.

As Eris is walking away with Apollo after listening to Helios complaining about Midir, a forgotten memory comes to her mind once more as she recalls a nickname as she stops before spinning around and putting her hands on the table as she stares dead straight into Midir's eyes.

"The more I thought about it…I remembered something…. Does the title Lævateinn sound familiar to any of you?"

She looks around noticing Helios, Selene and Zero looking confused while not getting a clear read on Akihiro or Ivory. She turns back to Midir once more, he seems impressed that she even recalled something that'd she forgotten.

"That's you…isn't it? How did an abilityless man like you get a name like that…you're hiding something. And what even is Fortuna?"

Midir lets out a small smile at the mention of his nickname.

"Even when I'm aware of the fact, the name Lævateinn still being around catches me off guard," he commented with amusement in his voice.

Eris turned to Midir once more, her expression serious after her discovery.

"The story behind that name will stay close to my chest. But if you want information on Fortuna, our alliance will have to be sealed--"

"I'll do it," Ivory interrupted, cutting off Midir as she walked past Eris and sat beside Arienne. She cast a glance at Akihiro, sensing that he was one moment away from drawing his sword against Midir. However, Akihiro's unreadable expression left Ivory uncertain of what his actual intention was. Ever since Akihiro attempted to discern what Midir was hiding, he had maintained this expression that never ended well. Ivory pondered for a moment before a realization managed to dawn upon her.

Now that she thinks about it, Akihiro's strongest technique was named 'Ebon Anshoku' if she recalled correctly. They definitely have a connection, so she'll assume Akihiro is merely curious to know more instead of just being the usual battle hungry. But this isn't the place for a fight.

"I don't care about anyone else here," Ivory went on. "Whether they want to trust you or not is up to them, but if you're planning to take on Fenris by yourself, my help will come in handy. But you seem to already know that. If ditching the rest means to go with you, I don't care. Nothing else is more important to me than getting that liars blood smeared all over my hands."

Ivory then turned to Akihiro, a smirk of no good curling on her face, her pale eye shimmering with a persuasive glint.

Akihiro finally decides to glance at his mother, locking eyes with her for a moment before exhaling and turning his head away.

"I'll work with him under one condition. That he gives me an explanation in the near future through a fight."

Helios watches from nearby looking at Akihiro & Ivory for a moment before deciding to chime in himself.

"…Agreed."

He locks eyes with Akihiro for the first time in a long time, there's definitely some issues the two need to hash out but for now it seems that the Titan God of the Sun & The God of Absolute Thrill are on the same page since the death of their fellow member of the Empire State's Big Three.

"Alright, if you can stop stalling…I’d like to know more about Fortuna and how you even heard of them."

A question lingers in Helios throat as he is tempted to ask if his father, Indra, is apart of Fenris' little group of misfits but decides not to.

After the rest of the group fell silent in agreement, Midir waited for the one other to give his answer. Namely, Kronos. Zero had already pledged to aid Helios on his journey long ago, but Kronos' allegiance had been under Fenris' foot until now. He finally had his own decision to make.

Another decision, entirely up to him. Only this time far more important, leave everything behind and act like nothing happened to let everyone else go after the man he once trusted? Or to help and go after Fenris himself. Really there was only one choice, but that didn't make anything easier. He still did think of Fenris the same way as he used to deep down despite the fact that he was likely one of the worst human beings alive.

From ordering him after Cameron in the beginning of all people, to force feeding him the sister of his only real friend, and instantly switching up to try and murder Kronos the moment he showed any disloyalty, Fenris had it coming at this point. He'd probably not be able to do anything meaningful he knew that much, he was a fly in comparison to a monster. He didn't care though, he had every right to hate him at this point as hard it was. For once around this group he lost any expression showing a positive emotion, unadulterated hatred seeping through his eyes like tears.

"I'll help, then."

Midir didn’t bother scanning the environment to see if Fenris had planted a spy; he looked as though he was certain Fenris hadn't. Midir's journey had now led to the same path as Helios', and so the explanation began.

"Fortuna is a group, or rather, a syndicate which are all housed in the casino ran by the jester himself, Fenris. The members consist of: The Fool, the Prodigy, the Eclipse, the Warden, the Dawn, Wildcard, the Overseer, the Heroic, the Dread, and lastly, Icarus. Fenris is known as the Fool, and Cerberus is the Dread. The newest member might be one that catches your attention though. Icarus: Charlie Virtue."

Selene & Helios perk up when hearing the name Charlie Virtue. When Helios hears the name Charlie, he draws a blank thinking about it for a moment.

...Charlie?

As Helios and Selene reminisced about their childhood, they couldn't help but recall Charlie, who had grown up alongside them under the same roof. The eldest of Indra and Arya's five children, Chronos, Helios, Selene, Ánemos, and the youngest, Zeus. Charlie was not merely a friend; he was practically a sibling to them. Known as the Council's Arbiter later on, he had always been the one to stand against every villain that threatened their family, coming out victorious in every match he faced.

"..You aren't serious." Kronos stated bluntly not believing a word of it.

Charlie's whole thing was being against people like Fenris. What the hell could he be doing with this group? Last he remembered, Charlie was going against councils of corrupt officials purely because he believed it was better for the world to not have them. The same one who hard pressed Kronos about working with Fenris- even if Charlie disguised the wordscdecently enough for him to claim he really didn't know anything.

"You're lying or leaving something out of the picture. I know him, hes the opposite of someone who'd work with Fenris, or in this case Fortuna."

Arienne looked over everything that was suddenly happening around her. Some faces familiar with others being blurry. Not a lot of words were being processed as the people flooded in but something interesting stuck with her. Fenris, the hero who she'd remembered helped her after she fought Akihiro. He was evil? They all seemed to be planning against him. What exactly was happening? Were these really the people who'd been searching for her?

"Fortuna..." She whispered as Midir spoke on about the different members, till he reached the name Charlie. Arienne remembered him from her venture into the Abyss, but really nothing more. But was he really part of this Fortuna group? The questions began to run through her mind as she tried to listen in.

"I know him," Akihiro stated, causing the whole group to turn his direction as he finally decided to speak to Midir.

"I once fought a vigilante who caught my interest. Before I could finish her off, Charlie Virtue came to save her. I've never encountered such an excruciating ability like his."

Akihiro vividly remembered the night when it happened, the fight occurring in the impoverished outskirts where financial desperation reeked in the air.

"He was like an angel, his wings eclipsing the moon and a staff that felt like the most powerful sniper I've ever been struck by. Though he seemed weak at first glance, the poison that thrummed through my body was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. Fortunately, I won with him managing to slip away. Later, in my escape from you-know-where, our paths crossed again. This time, he was stronger, and I escaped victorious through sheer luck of a scenario that coincidentally managed to happen."

Akihiro turns to Eris, who was there when the fight happened. Just when Akihiro was on the brink of the end, she tossed him his Heirloom.

"When Eris arrived, she handed me my weapon. Through my half-brother's distraction, I did not hesitate to impale my blade through both of them. After all, even my brother was strong. I wanted to have a taste of his strength myself. I was unconscious for the rest. Obviously, my brother didn’t make it out. It appears Charlie did, though."

"But how did you escape?" Ivory questioned. "Was it Eris who got you out?"

Akihiro’s focus seemed to drown in his thoughts, unsure if whether he should answer who got him. Deciding it shouldn't matter, his mouth opened but Midir interjected.

"Charlie is known as the Arbiter, both in the school and the entire region. He's an anomaly, capable of being either the weakest person you've met or the strongest. The epitome of Judgement.”

Right when everyone grew silent, a sound of boots stepping on the ground headed towards the gathering. A voice then intruded the conversation catching everyone off-guard.

"Well, one wouldn't expect you of all people to understand anyone's emotions,” the figure said sarcastically towards Helios as he approached the table. His appearance was one easy to recognize.

After all, those who were there at the fight against Cameron Sin knew this was the same man who confronted him right after his victory against Helios. The man's azure gaze was an illumination that drew everyone's attention.

He was adorned in a navy blue double-breasted princess coat, contrasting beautifully against the surrounding colors of the club while wearing black gloves. The coat featured glinting gold buttons, adding a touch of regality to his appearance with a touch of purple accents. Beneath the coat, he wore long black pants that reached his ankles.

Lorin V. Daystar.

"Mind if I join in?