The other Familiars in the west were in a tent that was meant for them inside the military base that was set up. The 13th Lord of Thorns's Familiars were now present

Lugasa was just checking on his gauntlets, humming to himself. Wagging his own tail because he was going to head out for a fight. Seeing Vizel polish some blood off his pauldrons, tapping his right foot with much effort. Anxious or excited? Alec and Mitchell were just loading the bullets to their guns. Ferno was checking on his spear this time.

Krieg was polishing his boots. Then looking at his helmet and gas mask. Going over to check his lever action rifle, the revolvers and the double barrel shotgun. Everything needed to be in order. Alec and Mitchell just wore their fur coats with hoodies this time around.

"Vizel. You might tap your legs off, you nervous?" Lugasa spoke, his voice rumbling to the the 7th White Rose Knight who stopped tapping his foot.

"Sorry. I... I just feel nervous for some reason. Like... There's something tough coming to fight us." Vizel's voice was a little tremulous than other times. Clenching and unclenching his fists repeatedly, Lugasa had his reservations at Vizel's current state of mind but he'll have to trust Vizel on this. Lugasa checked on Krieg, hearing the rumbling with that hoarse voice was something that at least Lugasa was used to.

"Krieg?"

"What's up? I'm almost ready. Just need to give my helmet a cleaning on the inside." Krieg whistled as he continued cleaning his helmet.

"Do you know why Vizel's so nervous? Kid's normally the quiet type but he was tapping his feet earlier and his breathing's accelerated. Like he's hyper ventilating." Krieg paused, then looked at Lugasa with raised eyebrows, a deadpan face.

"You're overthinking it, dad." Krieg said, a gentle jab to Lugasa's shoulder.

"You think? I've never seen the kid be this antsy."

"As long as he fights well. Shouldn't be an issue, Lugasa." Krieg said as he put on his gear, leaving the tent first. Mitchell and Alec were cycling the slide of their pistols carefully, glancing over at Lugasa's wrinkled face. To be technical, Lugasa was the First Familiar that the Lord of Thorns had won over.

"What you think, Mitch?" Alec tapped Mitchell's elbow to get his partner's attention, accompanied by a guttural voice that caused Mitchell to squint at his partner.

"Did you eat something until your throat became so... Gutty?"

"Nevermind the guttural voice, what's your take on it?" Alec tried to change the topic but Mitchell leered towards his partner, clearly Alec was hiding something but the main pressing matters had to be Lugasa's wrinkled face of worry. The two of them didn't say much as they holstered the pistols. Looking at Vizel who was clasping his hands together, placing his head on it. Akin to a prayer of sorts, but what was it for? The two Vampires paced themselves outside where they could see Lugasa who was clenching his fists.

Ferno the Indomitable waddled out of the tent, strolling through to Lugasa. Lugasa put on his usual stern expression, seeing Ferno waddling over to him. Getting head pats from the werewolf, mostly because Ferno liked Lugasa's paw touching his head.

"Sheesh, Birdie. Why do you like headpats so much?!"

"It's a show of affection!" Ferno raised his voice, then hopping over to Alec and Mitchell. Both of them had to do it. Hearing Ferno chirping away happily at it. Lugasa could not help but chuckle, grinning with his fangs to be seen. Scaring some of the Lunarian and Venerators that was nearby.

Vizel was still sitting in the tent. Tapping his feet, rubbing his hands together. His breathing was calming down, taking deep breaths. Alternating between 5, 7 and 9 seconds each. The tapping of his feet slowed down until it was complete stillness. The sounds of the military compound was slowly fading. Closing his eyes as he found himself standing upon a field of roses. Silver hair flowing in front of him, a hand reached out to touch his cheek.

Vizel pushed the hand away and jumped back, drawing his blade. Finally noticing it was a woman wearing a beautiful white gown.

"Where... Where am I?" Vizel demanded answers with his blade pointed at her. Her lips curled a smile and she held a parasol. She opened her parasol then continued to look at Vizel.

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"Vizel the White Rose Knight. The 7th." There was quite a distance between them, but Vizel could hear those words as if she had been whispering directly to his ears. Vizel sheathed his blade, then he knelt before her. Was it by voluntariness or out of knowing how dangerous this figure was? The answer could always be the latter, not the former.

"Do you know who I am, now?" Vizel kept his gaze downwards, the woman spoke gently. Her thumb held Vizel's chin, raising him to look at her.

"The Rose of Guilty's Progenitor. Audrey of the Wind." Curls to her cheeks, smiling as she looked at Vizel's eyes.

"You've got a handsome face, and you did kill the 6th who betrayed our creed. For the battle that you head into later. It will be one where you will meet a mortal enemy of the Rose Knights lineage. Particularly for the White Rose Knights." Audrey's voice lost its earlier sense of flirtation. As she clenched her fist, the parasol turned into a saber. As her petals blanketed her to unveil her armor. Indigo mantle over her shoulders, left arm wielding a circular shield. Her helmet was a much more gentler motif, compared with Vizel's blade shaped helmet with the white fur by the collar.

"I believe that you should not be using a shield, Vizel. With your experience, the shield has been merely used as a means of a weapon rather than it's more... Intended use." Audrey said as weapons began to emerge from the ground at his side.

"You are the 7th Rose of Guilty. The nodachi that you wield, you already have the techniques for the 2nd White Rose Knight's powers with you. For she was the Maiden of Blades." Vizel was trembling as he felt his mind be drilled with the sword techniques of the 2nd White Rose Knight's swordsmanship. Now he had many more options for weapons to choose from, in particular Vizel picked up a pair of tachis. Digitizing to his hip, where it glowed radiant azure. The handguard faded away, its design was going through a transfiguration. Where the pair of tachis developed a white highlight over it, the lack of handguard was replaced with a curved grip. The blade's main body was white but the blade portion began to glow azure.

Vizel sheathed the blade, looking at Audrey whose face was riddled with uncertainty. Glancing over to the newly equipped Vizel, her descendant. Vizel understood that there must be a reason to his summoning to this place. For what would he be doing here unless it is about the new threat.

"Be sure to be careful, my descendant. For when you see your foe. You will enter into a state of Guilty. How you overcome this state will be important to ensure that you are worthy to remain at your Lord of Thorns's side." Audrey gestured to her lips, blowing the petals away. Where Vizel got up to leave the tent. This time putting on his helmet, and the pair of tachis that have found their place by the back of his hips. As they lacked a sheathe to do so, it will digitize its blade when needed.

Lugasa was getting ready to lead the charge, discussing things over with the Venerators. Where Krieg could see that they had demons in their ranks, he was itching to kick them back to where ever they came from. Alec and Mitchell were just trading cigarettes with one another while Ferno was just flying above with his wings. Lugas noticed Vizel moseying his way to them.

"Lugasa."

"What's up, Kid?" Vizel took a deep breath, perhaps trying to figure out how to break it to Lugasa about what he was told earlier by his Progenitor.

"Did you ever have a mortal enemy? Or a mortal clan you hated?" An odd question, but Lugasa chuckled to it nonetheless before giving his answer to the dumbfounded Vizel.

"Yeah. Mine were the Minotaurs. I see them, I just lose control and want to rip them apart. Why?" The winds were blowing at them, a cool air that helped to

"In this battle, I may have a mortal enemy. I will apparently be in a state known as Guilty. I don't know what it makes me do... So." A tank round zipped past them. Where the explosion caused Vizel to turn to the enemy. His breathing was accelerating, his heart rate was beating faster than anything else. Vizel was gasping for air as he clenched his fists. Then seeing a figure in white, wearing a dress. An andorgynous figure who sneered at Vizel, showing off the pearly white teeth.

Vizel's only thought? He wanted to rip the grin off that damn figure. Just crush it, rip the arms off. Crush the skull, make sure that whatever that is part of the Merlia person will be turned into nothing but dust and even obliterated. A hatred of a higher decree as Vizel was growling rather than speaking.

"So... The White Rose Knight exists... Which means that we can continue our feud. For I am Merlia, The Fool of Zero!" Vizel charged straight at Merlia who raised their hand, creating a barrier to stop Vizel's blades. Only to watch Vizel pound the barrier with his fists, growling and snarling. In a state of rage that even Lugasa was unaware off.

"Oh... So you've succumbed to your guilty state already? A bit pathetic don't you think you cute little d-" Vizel dropped the tachis, now pummeling the barrier with his fists. Growling as he broke it. Then punching Merlia to the side.

"How dare you attack me, you pest!" Merlia pulled out a wand to cast lightning bolts at Vizel. The lightning bolts chased after Vizel that was dodging them by the narrow margins.

"Then let me turn the intensity!" The lightning bolts came spiraling all over Vizel, they struck him. Yet the White Rose Knight grabbed Merlia by the arm, ripping the arm off and hitting Merlia's head.

"Argh... No w-" Vizel smashed Merlia's head until there was nothing left, but his anger was not quenched.

"Come out! You're not dead! I know you're not dead!" Vizel howled where he watched as Merlia appeared in front of him. Chuckling at Vizel.

"I thought that was interesting. You're in a state of Guilty but you don't seem to be holding anything back. Well, Allow me to see if you can face me properly." Merlia affirmed as they readied to face another. A magic user against a White Rose Knight. This may spell disaster if it was not approached properly, Lugasa had to leave this to Vizel, whereas the others will focus on handling the Drusken Empire's soldiers.

"Good luck Kid." Lugasa howled to Vizel, where Vizel howled back. It was a signal to show that Vizel has received the buffs from Lugasa, hopefully Vizel can make it through this fight.