The screeching bell rang as people rushed through the halls, mostly young students in a hurry to get to their scheduled subjects. Anyone too slow would be swept away in the sea of students, taken far from their destination. Some books and pens were lost in the chaos as well.

Nathan would've assumed that there would be a single casualty at least.

He and his friends gathered by the entrance, safe from the raging tide.

Though there was something out of place with the picture, a tall cloaked figure stood by them, a single red glow from the shade of their hood glared at the students before them.

Wicked, against their will, had followed them in her "disguise" which was simply some cloak she found back at Hound's apartment.

Once the halls were cleared of any life other than them, Nathan and his friends walked freely without any obstacles. They did encounter an unlucky teen who was unconscious on the floor. None paid them any mind as they were too focused on the task at hand.

"Mister Farburrow?" An old woman gasped with disbelief. "Is it really you?"

This reaction wasn't uncommon anymore, it made a lot of sense that Hound had a lot of connections despite having limited time on the planet.

Just like before, Nathan cleared out any confusion about him and this Lucas persona. The old woman, who was a teacher, couldn't help but feel distraught about Lucas' situation. The way she talked about him was just strange. As if Hound was a Saint and not some sadistic monster that liked to play with his food.

It wasn't long before the teacher guided them over to someone who she knew could help, or in any way possible.

The principal, one quick knock and they were already in the office.

A feeling of unease shot through Nathan as he laid eyes on the school principal. She was demonic in appearance, to say the least. Three eyes and a single large curved horn on the left side of her head. One thin line at the center of her face started from the roots of her hairline and ended at the tip of her chin.

With the ghostly white skin, Nathan could've sworn that she was but a corpse behind that desk. The last thing everyone noticed was that wide and vicious smile on her.

"Well!" Somehow, her smile got bigger. It was disturbing and reminded Nathan of a certain tyrant. "This is certainly a surprise! I would say it is nice to see you again, but I doubt that you're Lucas."

Impressively perceptive.

"I am Principal Park, it is truly a pleasure to meet you!"

Common decency dictates that you should introduce yourself.

So that was what they did. Though Wicked simply kept quiet, the introduction started with Jonah and ended with Nathan.

"I'm Nathan W- Farburrow, and we are looking for my brother, Lucas."

Park's smile barely moved. "Oh dear, we haven't seen him for three years now, not after the Midway High incident. He was such a nice man, it pains me that we lost someone like him."

"The Midway High incident?" Jonah curiously said.

"A tragic affair that happened years ago," Wicked answered before Park could. "I read about it when it hit the news feed on all frequencies. A fight broke out during prom night, the cause of it is unknown and the authorities couldn't interrogate those who played a part as they were described as mentally unwell. The casualty was devastatingly high, and one person went missing who many believe was the culprit behind the chaos. Bella Smith, a student from this school."

"Hold on, only Bella? What about Lucas?" Jonah pointed out the contradiction in the story.

"Lucas," Park paused. "We do not know why he wasn't mentioned. He was there the night it happened and everyone was distraught when he went missing. Lucas was a kind man, the students would always come to him for advice and he'd help them with anything they needed. The faculty was saddened by his disappearance, but the students were so devastated. Really left an impression on all of us."

"That is indeed strange, knowing that everyone during that time was so close to him. Is it possible that whoever caused the incident, also prevented anyone from mentioning him?" Wicked speculated.

"Are you saying that there's something bigger at play?" If Park had a brow, she'd raise it. But of course, Wicked's theory was reasonable to Nathan and the others.

"That's why we're looking for my brother," Nathan stepped forward. "Whatever trouble he got himself into, I know we can get him out. If you know anything, please tell us."

Park took a moment. "Well, I have nothing else to add, if I'm being honest. But, some of our faculty members are close friends of his, and the senior students knew him better than me. Feel free to ask around if you'd like."

Nathan raised his hand to her. "Thanks again, Principal Park."

"Yeah, thanks, weird lady!" Gluttony said.

The group was taken aback when Park took Nathan's hand in hers. The arm was disproportionately long, a slim limb that ended with a large hand and sharp fingers. She saw the look in Nathan's eyes and the smile on her face simply grew.

"Quite the handshake you got there," Nathan flinched as she held his hand in a painful grip.

"Thanks," She said. "Now, best be on your way if you'd want to make any progress. And if you need me, I'll be here!"

The group continued their little investigation out in the hallway. The first visit was to the faculty room where some teachers were. Of course, their reaction upon seeing Nathan wasn't surprising.

They learned a lot about Hound's influence in this school.

He was a history teacher, and at the time, the youngest among his peers. Everyone had nothing to say but good things. Hound was helpful, caring, and approachable. He was just a ray of sunshine.

It honestly left a disgusting taste in Nathan's mouth. All of these people, deceived and most likely seen as nothing but characters in a cover story by Hound. None of the teachers told them anything new. But they did mention a couple of students who talked to him a lot of times.

Speaking of students.

The older ones kept glancing at Nathan, they whispered amongst each other as he walked by. Treated like a ghost, the teens dared not to approach. Those they wanted to talk to even tried to avoid him.

"Next kid on the list is… Abaal Sun? Huh, sounds foreign." Jonah said.

"Hope this kid has something to say," Ivory voiced her disappointment with their findings.

"Query: Why do you two bother with this?" Wicked finally asked them after an hour of silence. Of course, their attention was on her. "You two are surprisingly eager to follow Nathan around."

That was indeed peculiar.

Jonah chuckled. "I mean, we're friends, why shouldn't we be?"

"Insufficient. Your relation should not direct you to such lengths, especially after all this trouble."

"Spoken like someone who doesn't have friends." Jonah teased the machine.

"I do have friends!" Surprisingly, Wicked reacted reasonably.

"Sure you do, I mean, why wouldn't you hang out with them instead of following us around?"

"This is merely work-related,"

Ivory chuckled as she joined Jonah in his teasing. "Guess you're as human as everyone. A loser one too."

Gluttony couldn't keep herself from snickering.

"I will bisect you three." Wicked transformed her arm into a chainsaw and threatened them with it.

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"Getting pretty defensive there." Ivory pointed out, undeterred by the roaring engine.

"Don't make a scene," Nathan warned them as students looked their way. "Bad enough these kids are scared of us, and we don't want things to get worse."

"Fine." Wicked scoffed.

"And Wicked? If you want a friend, I can be yours."

The eye flickered pink for a moment. It seemed that she expressed emotions through the colors of her eye, and they assumed that Wicked was embarrassed. "We cannot be friends, you are my prey and nothing else."

"Alright, if you ever change your mind, just ask."

Suddenly, Ivory's phone rang. "Well, this is a number I haven't seen for a very long time now. Can't believe he's still in my contacts."

"Who? Is it your ex?"

She scoffed in disgust at Jonah's conclusion. "Hell no, I'm not that kind of Sentinel. Lord Vanzyr, he's an old boss of mine from… Well, let's just say he should honestly be dead by now. I'll have to take this."

Ivory wandered off looking for some privacy.

"So, what race is this Abaal kid?" Nathan asked.

Jonah paled in comparison with Nathan. "A Mau, she's a Mau." He said after swallowing a lump in his throat.

Nathan stuttered in his step.

Their encounter with Lily Sunflower caused them to be fearful of the small feline race. Especially after Ivory explained what Lily was capable of.

So it was no surprise if the two were wary of the Mau species as they developed a great distrust of them.

"Your heart rate is rapid." Wicked noticed. "The mention of Mau triggered something. Is that fear?"

"We had a run-in with a certain Sentinel called Lily Sunflower." Nathan explained, he hoped that it would answer any further questions from the machine.

"Yes, the Faceless Chimera, I worked with her before. So your encounter with her in Vristan traumatized you?"

"Wait, you were there?!" Jonah exclaimed.

Wicked tilted her head to the side. "You're welcome,"

"You, you're the one who saved me!" Nathan finally realized it. The reason they escaped Crow's deadly grasp was because of divine intervention. The holy Champion of Umbra had shot Crow off the truck with one decisive bullet.

"As I've mentioned before; you are my prey, Nathan White. I will not let anyone take the bounty. And they can surely try and oppose me."

"If you're desperate for a friend, how about try and talk to people?"

"Bloodfield, you will make true to your surname as I leave your carcass for the scavengers."

It wasn't long before the students and teachers ignored them. Only a few ever gave the strange group a curious glance. Word went around the school about their little investigation into a missing teacher. And some of the older students who knew Hound were glad that someone was looking for him after years of silence.

"You Abaal Sun?" Nathan asked the only Mau in sight who was among her peers.

The small gal took a second look at Nathan. She heard that Hound's twin was asking around, but still, Abaal looked as if she saw a ghost.

As said before, she was short, just like the rest of her kind. But strangely, Nathan noticed that she was the tallest one he'd seen.

"He's really gone, isn't he?"

"That's why I'm here." He wasn't gone completely, only the mind was missing. "What can you tell us about him?"

Abaal looked distraught. "Sir Farburrow was a kind man, I'm pretty sure everyone told you that already."

"The guy is nice and sweet, it is giving me diabetes." Jonah received a quick jab for that comment.

"Did he tell you anything else?" Nathan hoped for a good lead.

"Well…" Abaal pressed a finger against her chin. "He is strangely addicted to Lemon Blast soda. Every time I've seen him he always has a freshly opened bottle on his desk."

"We know about that," Nathan tried not to groan at that statement. Hound being addicted to some soda brand wasn't new, but still, it was tiring to hear. And if anything, Nathan should avoid it.

"Oh, wait, I remember something!"

She waited until all attention was on her.

"Igneous, he was really interested in the planet. Something about… a museum?"

Igneous, the last place Hound visited before… supposedly dying. Nathan mentally slapped himself. Everything would always end there. Still, he needed a link to Hound's past.

"Yeah, he was looking for some old weapons, and I got a look at some sketches in his notebook." Abaal then rummaged through her bag for something. "Actually, I snapped a few pics of them because they looked cool."

"Yeah, teach was honestly good with a pen." Abaal's classmate commented.

"I hope this could help, and if you'd like, I can send it to you."

"Unnecessary." Wicked declared.

Nathan's phone buzzed in his pocket. The pictures of Hound's sketches were sent into his device straight from Abaal's. He said nothing as he faced the young Mau.

"Well, I think that's enough. Thanks again for helping us out, kid."

"I hope that you'll find him soon. I'm sure you've heard this all before, but he is an amazing man that many of us aspire to be as a person. Kind, caring, and fair."

"I'm sure he's closer than we all think." With that, the group said their goodbyes and moved on. One final implication. Nathan didn't know why he said that, it wasn't even meant to be a hint of hope.

Despite Hound's history, Nathan couldn't fault these people anymore. They saw him differently than most. But that's just a mask.

Ivory was the one to inspect their clues.

They were all well drawn. Talented in art, and talented in violence.

"These are statues," Ivory claimed. "I've seen these before on the television. This one was the first champion, General Proudfang. Also known as the Stalwart Falcon."

"Is this important?" Wicked questioned. "You've been told that White was a history teacher before his amnesia."

"I agree with the toaster, for all we know, he was probably planning to go on a school trip." Said Jonah.

To which Nathan disagreed. "I would've thought the same, but he's just… oddly fascinated with war."

"A history teacher. Of course, Hound was interested in war, so he probably covered Callisto's Crusade."

"It does make sense," Ivory agreed with the idea.

"Yeah, and if anything, we can ask that Redeemer lady, she was his boss."

"You mean the principal? Park is not a demon, she's a Drenz." Wicked corrected. "Also known as the Soldiers of Callisto."

"Is that what Crow is? A Drenz?" Nathan asked out of curiosity.

"Ugh, Crow." It honestly surprised them with how much emotion she expressed. Pure disgust.

Jonah chuckled. "Not a fan? So are we."

"Guess we have a lot in common after all!" Gluttony teased.

"Continue at your own discretion."

They ignored Wicked's obvious threat and went back to Gerald's Resto. It was still awkward to be around some of Hound's forgotten connections, but Gerald's family had gotten used to Nathan being around. Luckily, Gerald's daughter was out of the city or else things would've been weirder.

Lunch wasn't eventful, the four just got some food to fill their bellies, yet Wicked stuck around. All she did as they enjoyed their meals was watch. She didn't even show any interest in the television nearby which broadcast the local news. The little skirmish with Jackie and Zero was being reported, luckily, there was no mention of Nathan and the rest.

"You know, not eating is kinda bugging me out." Jonah said. "How about you go sit somewhere else?"

"You have no place to order me around."

"Sure I do!" Casually, Jonah poked Nathan in the neck with a fork. "I mean, anyone can just claim the bounty, right? If I wanted to, Nathan would make me rich beyond my wildest dreams."

"Don't even joke about that." Gluttony hissed defensively.

"Nate, bro, tell your guard dog to settle down- Hey, that's mine!"

"Should've finished your food instead of joking around!"

"Nate, I will turn Gluttony into a tiny casket!"

Wicked watched as the Gluttonous Maw argued with Jonah. The two nearly came to blows, but Ivory scolded them.

Her attention switched to Nathan as she felt something against her armor. He held a strange bottle to her. Cog brand of coolant.

"I was saving this for later, but you can have it if you'd like."

Wicked stared at him for a second. She was surprised to see him having that around.

Silently and reluctantly, she took it from him.

The others stopped the moment she reached out to Nathan and eyed her curiously.

Nathan watched with a small smile as Wicked began to use the coolant.

Once the cloak was lifted, her chest opened to reveal the chassis beneath. The gang watched her as she worked. A small panel popped out and there they saw a yellow cap. It was fascinating to them with how she was built. It's not every day you'd find such an interesting machine. There was another layer that protected the vital parts. Wires were neatly placed in single lines which gave plenty of room for weapons.

If she was human, then both sides of her lower ribs were replaced with miniature rocket pods. Around the collarbone, there laid a row of cameras. Now that they looked at them, they noticed a few more eyes around her. It was clear that the red eye on her head probably wasn't for vision. And of course, at the center of her chest was the Void Shift, her signature weapon to use in the field of battle.

"Tell me," Wicked looked into Nathan's eyes. "What do you hope to achieve in this mission of yours?"

Nathan chuckled. "What's there to question about? For a long time now, I've been just some nameless ghost until recently. White, my last name. That alone made me extremely happy. I finally got a clue of who I am."

He was smiling, but then that went away.

"The only thing bad about all this was the trouble that came along with it. Evie is practically breathing down my neck, and I have a bounty on my head."

His eyes flashed with determination.

"That won't stop me. I'll keep going, even if I had to walk through hell for it. And if needed, I'd kill just for one measly clue."

The table went silent. His friends wore unreadable looks as they pondered his words.

Satisfied with his answer and little speech, Wicked continued with her coolant. With the cap open, she poured the coolant into her system. Some tubes were visible, so Nathan and the others had the chance to watch as they filled up with the colorful liquid.

"That capsule you carry, am I to assume it is a person in there?"

"Oh, you mean Phantom! Well, Evie gave him to me as a reward for a test. Apparently, he was a friend of mine before the memory loss."

"He is conscious. And dangerous." Wicked said.

"Yeah, and you know, I thought he was an Awakened like you. But nope, just a brain in a jar."

"He doesn't meet the requirements to be an Awakened. Did you not think that the daughter of Kalasraast had given you Phantom as a way to track your movements?"

Ivory sighed. "She has eyes and ears everywhere, wouldn't surprise us."

"You know, Ivy, the way you eat is kinda weird." Nathan believed.

The Sentinel locked eyes with him, if she had eyes. Either way, as Nathan stared at the blank canvas that was her face, Ivory pressed a pineapple slice against the spot where her mouth would be, and the food sank into her.

"How so?" A funny little joke.

Nathan decided not to pursue it and continued with his lunch.

"This just in!" All eyes snapped toward the television, and Nathan nearly choked on his food as well. "Massive wave of unknown entities have been spotted in Hollow Street. Authorities have ordered an emergency evacuation and warned all civilians to not approach the danger zone. On the scene is Jessica Ludwig. Jessica?"

They couldn't believe it, a familiar army of skeletons flooded the streets. Chaos and destruction followed their wake.

The scene swapped to a bird's eye view of the whole mess. "Samson, it appears to be an army of the undead has risen in the streets. And we received word that these aren't ordinary skeletons, they do in fact belong to one of the deities of the Great Pantheon."

Suddenly, a couple of silhouettes burst out of the ocean of charred bones.

"Wait! It appears that within the chaos is…" The camera zoomed in. "The Great Devourer and the Goddess of Violence! It seems that the Great Pantheon had already sent someone to deal with the problem! But… who is that!?"

Another familiar face emerged. Armed with a heavy machine gun, Crow sprayed both gods down with a wall of lead.

"A mysterious person has just entered the scene! Could they be the culprit behind this army of skeletons!?"

"I think we should go home," Nathan believed it was an amazing idea. To which his friends agreed.

They encountered Kalasraast already, the chances of being caught in their fight with Crow were definitely higher than they thought. None expected the rogue champion to even appear on this planet.

Fearing for their safety, they gave Gerald one last goodbye before rushing to the nearest Gate station with Wicked at their tail.

From where they were, the battle was visible despite the distance. Rockets, explosions, and some lights could be seen over the city. If they had stuck around and kept watching the news they would've been told that Kam joined the fight as well.

It was an uneventful lunch until Crow showed up. Why he was there would be a mystery. All they knew was that they needed to get as far away as possible.

Nathan was just happy that he was done with the investigation. Now they could move on. Hopefully, everyone could rest before anything big happens.

"Hey, Wicked?"

Wicked was stopped by Ivory as the rest ran.

For a moment, Wicked expected Ivory to express some opinions. Instead, the Sentinel laid her hand on Wicked's shoulder.

"I don't know why you didn't attack Nathan after I left, so thanks."

Wicked merely scoffed as she shrugged off Ivory's hand and walked past them.

Though she was as expressionless as the Sentinel, Ivory could tell deep down that there was a smile on the machine's face.

Strangely human of her.