The Empire of Geb had originated where Albion currently stood, when a seraph had appeared and mated with the humans who were present, which in turn produced the seraphim race. Following the creation of the seraphim race, the empire had begun expanding and in time, four other holy cities were created. Each of these four cities were spaced an equal distance from Albion and to join them all together were golden roads that allowed telesma to flow from Albion into the surrounding holy cities so that they shared in Albion’s heavenly protection.

To the north was the city of Boreas, which sits upon the edge of the Sea Of Ice, a giant fresh water sea made from the melting ice of the northern continent Icefel. And due to this ocean of fresh water, the army that dwelled in Boreas turned into a navy/army hybrid, a hybrid force which continuously fights off pirates and other hostile entities.

To the south was Notos, known as the alchemist’s city due to all the alchemists that live there along with the alchemists’ main guild hall, the facility which trains and produces both alchemists and so many alchemic goods.

In the east was Eurus, the home of the eastern general and the current direction that the Empire of Geb was slowly expanding towards, and the final destination of the God Squad once Lillian agreed to join.

And in the west lay Zephyr, the current destination of the as yet unfinished God Squad and beyond that laid lands under the control of no one.

~~~

Staring at the three great maps that displayed the assorted information about the Empire of Geb, Edward Maw couldn’t help but admire what was before him and all the history and knowledge that the three different maps provided.

Yet, of the three maps before Edward Maw, his vision was drawn to the third map that depicted the Empire of Geb through the filter of the Elemental Guards and the mana based magic they employed. Each of the different maps showcased different aspects of the empire with the centremost and largest of the three showing all of the more mundane cities, towns and the various ways that they intersected. A static map that had been made from paper and alchemic glass, a map made for those humans that possessed almost no magic in their lives.

The second map showed off the Empire of Geb through the medium of telesma and as the golden mass showed the land of Geb, it also showed, dotted upon the map, a hundred, different, eight pointed stars, stars which were the churches and other holy cities that interconnected with the Arthurian Church System. Each church was represented by the holy symbol of Heaven, an eight pointed star inside a circle, a symbol that represented when the eight Archangels had ruled and created Heaven in unity. And should the map show a star of light go dark, it would then mean that the church it represented had also fallen from the Arthurian Church System, either to destruction or corruption.

The third map was different from the last two. It was a map made from mirrors and glass, all powered by mana. It was a map that changed and shifted and any mana infused entity that touched the image could alter the map to see close up images of a specific area or even shift what the mirror showed. And what the mirror map offered was the ability to see lands that the Elemental Guards had explored, lands that were not even being considered for conquest, at least not yet.

Edward was fascinated by the last map, because he had grown up with telesma infused into everything around him and he had seen enough of the more mundane constructs that alchemists created. What Edward had never really interacted with was mana and those objects that wielded or were powered by mana, and so with curiosity burning in his purple eyes Edward watched the mirror map with a longing.

Yet Edward didn’t move as he and his brother, who was trying his best to ignore Edward’s curiosity, stood within the ticket hall of the Western Train Station waiting for the other members of the God Squad to arrive. Unlike everything else in Albion which looked like it originated from some piece of magic, the train station was something undeniably modern and constantly changing and evolving to match with the latest changes to the science and alchemy that John Smith and his alchemist guild created, or rediscovered.

Edward had read that the station had been renewed and he could see it. The entire ticket hall still had that clean, new aesthetic which gave the place a feeling that they had stepped into a new building, not one that had existed for longer than Edward had been alive. The ticket hall had had its old light sources removed and the illuminating sugar, which Aleister had told Edward about, was placed behind glass panels. Each of these lights had been built directly into the walls, and had been placed in as many different locations as possible with the only limit being whether they were compromising the building’s integrity. And this new light source gave the entire room the feeling that the brothers had walked into some strange and alien place as the room was so illuminated that even shadows were hard to come by.

“They’re here,” said Aleister suddenly as he spotted the other two members enter the ticket hall, his voice containing something that most people would find unidentifiable. Yet Edward had known and loved his brother his entire life and he could see that the strain of the unknown was getting to Aleister. Yet before he could mentally enquire into what was plaguing his brother, Edward saw the other two members of his team approach.

Jane Burnout had arrived riding a flaming staff before dropping down into the crowd that had parted to allow the Queen of Burning to land. Yet despite her fiery entrance, the crowd paid her no mind. Because in truth the entirety of the population of Albion had grown immune and blasé to the wonders of magic and those that used the various, different types that existed throughout the Empire of Geb, which in the end meant that Jane’s arrival left as much of an impression as a slight discolouration on a wall.

Grey Silverman on the other hand had simply walked over, his imposing bulk and gray armour marking him out from the mass of army personal and the civilians that mingled and moved throughout the train station. And despite paladins and their ridiculously oversized armour being a staple of Albion’s population, Grey’s presence was distinction enough that everyone near him diverged away from him as they innately sensed the madness within.

Spotting the brothers, the two different humans hailing from different fields of magic converged together until the four stood in a circle, each of them eyeing off the others present to see what was going to happen, and more importantly who would lead. Grimacing Aleister knew that the burden of leadership had fallen upon him, a fact that every other person in the squad knew just as well, as each of them were giving Aleister sidelong glances as if silently encouraging Aleister to take control. After all, Edward couldn’t talk without the aid of magic at least not without showing his demonic nature, and Grey Silverman was too unstable to lead, his history and random nature making him too much of a risk to place in charge of something so new and experimental.

Yet the one other candidate, Jane Burnout was perfect, except that the God Squad contained the grandson of Arthur Exaltia. Therefore any political force seeking to end the squad could simply point at the slight against their emperor and the squad would be unmade before it had even begun. Not to mention, many different nobles with their own unique traits would be willing to forcefully have members from their household replace and take control of the God Squad if Jane was placed in charge of the squad.

Reaching a unanimous yet unspoken agreement, the leader of the God Squad was decided, and with that decision Aleister closed his eyes in resignation at the fact that he would be the one upon whom the destiny of the empire would rest. Gathering himself, Aleister seemed to draw upon some sort of inner will and as he breathed out in a short but audible breath, Aleister opened his eyes and looked around at his fellow squad mates, his expression set into one of pure determination. Seeing Aleister’s eyes, Edward felt the muscles of his face constrict and knew that if his face resembled that of a human then he would be smiling.

“Alright since we’re all here, let’s get on the train and once aboard we can discuss what comes next,” said Aleister as he tried to take control of the situation.

“Alright let’s get this over with,” said Grey as he turned and walked towards the station leaving his three teammates mystified as only Aleister had been given the documents that said where and when they would be leaving.

Scurrying after the Mad Paladin, the group followed after him as he parted the crowd around him, his face set into a visage of dark determination that made others leap out of Grey’s way.

“So which train do we hop on?” asked Grey without turning around, all the while still continuing to walk towards the trains that were in the station waiting for their passengers.

“We’re going to be boarding the latest and newest designed master piece of alchemic construction,” said Aleister as he remembered verbatim the description he had read up for their train.

Hearing this, the two humans frowned not realising that Aleister was parroting the words of proud inventors, while Edward’s purple eyes sparked with joy as he realised what they would be riding in. Unlike most images conjured up by the word train, such as mechanical constructs powered by steam and in turn fuelled by gas, coal, and even wood that had been specially bred or altered genetically to burn hot enough, the trains of the Empire of Geb were different. These trains instead were fuelled by the limitless potential of alchemic energy and as such were very, very different in design and capabilities.

When Arthur had taken the throne he had altered the political landscape. The founding of standard armies, the rise of the Alchemist Guild, the refining of the Elemental Guard and so many other different things had been introduced. One of the changes that had been put into play was the alteration and reconstruction of roads between the cities, towns and the capital of the Empire.

These roads had been infused with mana, telesma or treated with alchemic alterations making every road in the Arthurian Empire all but impossible to damage, but the changes to the transport systems didn’t end there. Arthur had allowed these very same roads to become the foundations for the train network that encompassed his empire.

A fact that had caused no small amount of grief with the church who viewed the golden roads of telesma as holy, both those connecting the four sacred cities to Albion itself as well as the roads that linked the four cities together, which created the largest heavenly circular magic array the world had ever seen, and remembered.

Hearing all of these facts spill from his brother’s mind, Aleister sent a short rebuttal back at his brother’s mind to get him to focus on the tasks at hand, only for Edward to not flinch in the slightest. Not understanding why his brother was so excited, Aleister hurried past Grey in the direction leading to the train that would be their transport. Yet, when Aleister stepped onto the train platform, he knew. For what was floating in front of him was so different from the rest of the trains assembled that the name ‘train’ probably no longer applied to the mechanical alchemic construct before him.

The train itself was sleek and smooth, yet had a sort of weight and menace to it that suggested that anything that stood in its path would be turned to red mist. The train was comprised of nothing but black panels which gave it a look almost like a black sword. With the exception of the windows, the train was uniform to the point that regardless of which direction it appeared to be facing, Aleister was sure that it would be able to travel in both directions. But despite the fact it was designed to travel both forwards and backwards, what made every magical member of the God Squad stop and stare was the fact that the train was floating above the rails where the more normal square carriage trains should have been standing. Floating with a perfect stillness so that it didn’t bob up and down like a boat in water, the train waited for its passengers, the same passengers who simply crowded around it watching in bewilderment at the new feat of innovation (or madness) of the Alchemist Guild.

“It uses AEM to float like that and unlike other hover systems that rely on wind or gravity this uses alchemically enhanced magnets to suspend itself over the train tracks,” said Edward, his voice echoing in his brother’s head, completely unaware that his brother was too perplexed by the thing in front of him to really absorb his brother’s knowledge and wonder.

Having followed Aleister over to the train, Grey looked on at the floating behemoth of alchemic steel, which had been dyed black for some reason and instead of feeling conflicted like everyone else, he instead surveyed the surrounding trains before coming to a conclusion he voiced in disgust.

“Don’t tell me we’re only riding this hunk of junk, because it needs memorable passengers,” said Grey, his voice cutting through the hushed and awed silence of the crowd around him.

Hearing this, many of the military members present also seemed to cotton on to the idea and in turn began to grumble at the prospect that they were only here to be used as a security for the latest invention of the alchemists.

With the spectacle of the train broken, the crowd started to move forward cautiously at first before they started to walk about as if nothing had changed by the appearance of the floating train. Shaking his head, Grey moved directly towards the train, his massive paladin armour marking him out and as he walked forward he came to the middle of the closest carriage of the train. Standing in front of the train, Grey seemed to be puzzled by how to enter the train, despite the doors to either side of the train carriages. Although, Edward had to admit that the paladin in his armour would never fit through either door and it might be more prudent for Grey to enter the train through the cargo doors at the rear end of the train.

“Brother you should tell him to go to the cargo area. He’ll most likely be able to fit through there and be able to enter the passenger section,” said Edward to his brother through their mental link.

However before Aleister could reply or follow through with his brother’s suggestion, Grey started to tap on the side of the train. Stopping to watch, Grey started tapping on the side as if he was thinking of kicking a hole in the train to get inside. Edward’s eyes widened as Grey lifted one foot as if trying to decide if it was big enough to punch through the train wall or window.

Finally making a decision, Grey drew upon the telesma that resided within his armour and various heavenly items adorning his body, clothes and other items tucked away on his person. Feeling and seeing the golden glow of telesma, the alchemists who had been preening about as their creation was admired, started to run towards Grey in an attempt to stop him from damaging their creation when Grey’s shoulder plates, shoulder plates that could have doubled for small shields, glowed and the eight pointed stars that adorned them ignited into brilliant light. Disappearing into a burst of golden light as reality folded to accommodate the shifting of matter from one location to another, Grey reappeared inside the carriage.

Looking out at his companions who stared back with stunned disbelief, Grey smiled with a grin that belonged on the face of a child that had just gotten away with mischief. Chuckling, Grey found a seat next to a window and sat down looking out with a bored expression. All the while the alchemists, who had been monitoring the train, were shaking their fists in rage at Grey whose bored expression, in the eyes of the Maw Brothers, was just bland enough that they had to wonder if Grey really was as mad as he said he was or if he faked it to get away with actions and deeds that others couldn’t.

Laughing softly to herself, Jane smiled broadly.

“Come on boys, let’s get on the train before the paladin decides to hijack the thing and use it to run over demons.”

Surprised at the warmth in her voice, the Maw Brothers simply nodded in agreement before the God Squad turned and walked in tranquil silence towards the train platform where the newest train created by the Alchemist Guild floated waiting for passengers to board. Passing through the train doors which had been opened to allow some of the higher ranking alchemists to come aboard, the God Squad heard said alchemists lambast Grey Silverman for recklessly endangering their ‘creation’, their ‘baby’ and a nationally funded project.Walking towards the commotion, Jane simply tapped the alchemists on the shoulder and upon seeing who they were next to, the alchemists reluctantly departed, but not without throwing dark looks at Grey as if he were the scourge of their existence.

Seeing where Grey had chosen to sit, Jane found that the carriage was lined with booth-like sections that had four seats, one of which was already occupied by Grey Silverman who seemed to be pouting that his fun had been ruined by Jane’s intervention. Sitting down next to the massively armoured demon hunter, whose bulk just left enough room for Jane to sit, Jane watched as the two Maw Brothers sat next to each other across from the paladin and mage, with both Edward and Grey on the seats next to the window.

Seeing the four different warriors seated together, the other passengers all seemed to pause, some of whom had apparently heard about the newly christened God Squad, and all of them unsure whether they should get within arms’ reach of so many famous individuals. Yet as the train filled up, the civilians began to be outnumbered by the soldiers and other military personnel, all of whom couldn’t care a single iota about the squad that sat there draped in their infamy.

Turning her attention to her fellow teammate, Jane saw that the Maw Brothers despite their almost polar opposite external natures both had a gleam of excitement burning in their eyes. Edward’s excitement was there for the entire world to see, while Aleister’s was hidden away but still present as if subdued by other emotions that Jane couldn’t distinguish. The two of them were so different from each other both in physical natures and colouring that Jane knew she would never have believed that they were brothers if she hadn’t been told it was a fact by people she trusted.

Aleister was adorned with the same clothing that he had been wearing when she had fought Shadow of Decay, clothes that reminded Jane of gunslingers, certain seraphim that were said to wander outside of their empire and into the wide, vast and mad world. Yet unlike more traditional gunslingers, Aleister’s golden overcoat wasn’t unadorned, instead he had symbols embroidered into his coat and the clothes below that showed his loyalties to his king and grandfather but also to the heavenly being he was descendent from.

In comparison, Edward whose hooded robe was pitch black and lined with purple was something that reminded Jane of the clerics that filled the churches of the Arthurian Empire and any other place that worshiped Heaven. And as Jane surveyed his black cleric’s robe, Jane realised this was one of the reasons that Edward had been given the title of Demon Cleric.

Watching the brothers, Jane felt herself smile at their excitement. Yet Jane felt that brief moment of levity fade as she sensed something fill the air, something that made everyone of her battle instincts scream out a single word: run. For what filled the air was an ominous intensity that spoke of dark and vengeful things.

Turning Jane looked at the paladin sitting beside her, who was assessing the brothers with a mad glint in his eyes that seemed to radiate blood lust and a desire to turn them into artwork made of blood and bone. And while Jane could see that he was holding himself back, there was something truly heartbreaking about seeing such a mighty and powerful warrior breaking not from any outside force but from his own damaged soul. A soul that would forever remain cracked and ruined, forever beyond repair outside of the reach of anything but a god, and even then.

Returning her attention to the brothers whose very presence was a catalyst for Grey’s bloodlust, Jane could see she wasn’t the only one that was aware of Grey’s condition. A condition that both of the brothers were not only aware of, but one that they seemed to be readying themselves for, something Jane had to admit was both prudent and something she had also done. Yet Jane didn’t want to let the God Squad and its potential be destroyed, before it had even begun.

“There’s something that I need to know,” said Jane suddenly, speaking to Grey, who blinked away his madness in surprise as he turned to give Jane a curious look. “When we fought Shadow of Decay, you were able to overpower his esper ability in the battle, how?”

“What?” asked Grey, his expression transforming into one of utter surprise. An expression so comical that both of the brothers across from Grey felt the need to quickly duck their heads to stifle their laughter, both brothers making sure that Grey’s ire wasn’t drawn back to them.

“You do remember that battle don’t you?” asked Jane, concern in her voice for the madman that sat next to her and not her own safety.

“Of course I remember the battle,” said Grey, his voice twisting as memories of decay slipped through his mind, “but why are you talking about overpowering?”

“Because that’s what you did isn’t it?” replied Jane, her voice getting just as confused.

“No,” said Grey with a mixture of surprise and astonishment, his head shaking briefly left to right to give further emphasis, “I used the fact that my sword is made from both mana and telesma to overturn Shadow’s ability to decay one substance, the same goes for my armour.”

Hearing Grey’s claim, Aleister leaned forward his eyes intent as deeper thoughts seemed to swirl across his face while Edward blinked like a stunned owl that had been exposed to a bright light. Then the two brothers turned to each other and Jane could see the faint shifting of emotional response as the two brothers silently stared at each other.

“From what is known about them, it’s more complex than that. Espers are meant to be only able to alter that which is natural to this world. Espers find their ability to influence and alter the mystical diminished,” said Aleister, as he slipped into the conversation after his brother had given him a nudge. His voice filled with a confidence and certainty that wasn’t there before, a strength born from dealing with the known truths of the world. “That’s why espers have ranks; Delta for the weakest, those only able to alter that born of science and doomed to a normal lifespan, while Omegas, the strongest of them, can change anything that is covered by their power and are also blessed with endless longevity.”

Switching his attention to the brother garbed in black instead of the one adorned with white and gold, Grey seemed to assess what had been said before losing interest in the subject matter. And with a shrug of his shoulders, he looked out the window of the train at the people milling about and those that strode with confidence and purpose. Unperturbed by Grey’s disregard, Jane watched as the two brothers shared a look before Aleister kept talking. His courage in the face of the Mad Paladin’s nature and his desire to succeed, bringing a smile to the face of the Fire Mage, as she leant her staff so that it rested upon her left shoulder, the one next to the aisle of the train.

“Your armour’s titanium isn’t it?” asked Aleister as he looked at the Gray Knight before him.

Snapping his head around to look at Aleister who looked back with a clear and unwavering gaze, both Grey and Jane looked down towards his armour as if to confirm what Aleister had said. Seeing Jane’s eyes go wide as she realised that his armour had indeed been made from titanium and what that in turn meant, Grey chuckled as the tension that had coiled through his body leaked out as he relaxed so that his hands weren’t clenched to hide the shaking he had been experiencing.

“Good eye, not many are able to see that,” said Grey, his voice filling with admiration and respect, “question is which of you two saw through it.”

Sharing a look between them, the two brothers appeared to be stunned that the madman had seen through one of their more supposedly guarded secrets.

“It’s not that hard to pick up on,” said Jane as she absentmindedly commented on the Maw Brothers’ mental abilities, all the while she still kept studying Grey’s armour and the various different circles each of which represented magic drawn from Heaven or at least used telesma.

“It’s all custom made,” said Grey softly, a faint kindness entering him as he seemed to wind down having lost, at least for now, the desire to rip and tear the two brothers apart.

Scanning over the two brothers, Grey’s eyes seemed to catch on something before he spoke up, the surprise and respect that filled him, seeming to wash away the last traces of the Mad Paladin.

“You have a Book of Rho?” asked Grey as he gestured to the book hidden inside of Edward’s black and purple robe.

Eyes parted wide in surprise, Edward could only nod his head as he pulled the book from his robe and brought it out so that Grey could get a better look at it. The book was a leather bound volume, its size just the right amount in height, width and thickness that it comfortably fit in the hand of its owner. Leaning forward, Grey smiled as he reached out to take the book which Edward gave to him after the briefest of pauses.

Taking the book, Grey opened it and his face softened as a wave of nostalgia crept over him as he turned to the opening contents page and looked at all that was recorded inside the holy book of the Arthurian Church. The various different titles were self explanatory to anyone with even the smallest of understanding about the world that they inhabited. Unlike what most people had expected when Rho had released this book to his clerics, the book did not just narrate the rise and brilliance of Heaven. Instead, it detailed everything from the rise of Svar to the most current state of the many different worlds that exist, including all of the worlds of the dead.

Leafing through the book, Grey skimmed over the passages of the creation war, the many chapters describing Svar’s Sin and what it had created. He leafed over chapters detailing the worlds that had been born within the Abyss, the original realm of the dead where all human souls went. Worlds like Heaven, Purgatory, the Reaper’s Palace, the Chaos Citadel and Draconia were passed over before finally stopping on the chapter dedicated to the lowest of the worlds within the Abyss: Hell. Staring down at the passages that described the horrors of Hell, the kings that ruled each circle and how it had come into being, Grey’s eyes seemed to freeze over as memories of horror echoed through his mind.

Closing the book with a snap of his hands, Grey handed the book back to Edward who accepted it back without fear or dread at the madman that sat before him.

“Do you know which version it is?” asked Grey, his voice filled with a soft kindness that he had never shown in the presence of the two brothers, both of whom were stunned by what they were witnessing.

Shaking his head, Edward nudged his brother to try and get him to answer for him.

“You don’t have to hide your powers you know,” said Grey, the kindness still echoing through his voice. “Speak with magic if you need to. The magic you wield is unlike anything I have seen before and I guarantee you that it has nothing to do with my past.”

Widening his purple eyes to almost comical size, Jane watched as purple energy flowed down into the bandana that was wrapped around Edward’s maw, creating a pentagram that covered over the area where his mouth should have been. Jane had to also admit that Grey was telling the truth. After all if he really believed that either of the two brothers were the demon he sought, then nothing would get between them and his vengeance.

Looking at the purple energy that flowed through the geometric magic of Heaven, telesma and the seraphim, Jane felt a kinship with the magic that was born from the impossible being before her, a resonance that Jane only felt when she actively sensed for mana.

“How’s this?” asked Edward, his voice sounding unnatural to all those listening, enough that even his brother grimaced at the sound of it. Nevertheless, Grey didn’t flinch or chuckle at the hollow voice instead he smiled with a soft sadness born of one who had survived a terror beyond mortal imaginations.

“It could use some work. Alter the pitch and tone to match the look,” said Grey, merriment in his voice, “But do you know which version the book is?”

Blinking at the sudden change in direction in the conversation, Edward didn’t miss a beat and replied with enthusiasm etched upon the visible part of his face.

“Yes, it’s an original from the time of the first king,” said Edward, his magical voice sounding more like a human’s now than his first attempt. “I found it in the library tucked away where no one would notice it and the librarian let me keep it. It’s been with me ever since.”

Nodding his head as he crossed his arms, Grey had a smirk upon his face that seemed to say at least to Jane that he had already correctly guessed Edward’s answer.

“I thought so. The bits I read don’t seem to reflect Arthur’s current policies,” said Grey, his words causing Aleister to be drawn into the conversation.

“You’re saying that Arthur altered the Book of Rho for his own purposes,” said Aleister with ire in his voice for Grey daring to insinuate that the empire he served was flawed.

Instead of answering, Grey simply gave Aleister a sad look as if to say that if Aleister didn’t already know this fact then he was hopeless.

“So you like libraries?” asked Jane as she cut into the conversation before Aleister or Grey could accidentally provoke the other into destroying the train, something that Jane had to admit she really wouldn’t mind.

“Yes,” said Edward, his reply an instantaneous affirmation that was even reflected in his already improving, magical voice.

“Then have you ever seen the library of the Elemental Guard?” asked Jane, already knowing the answer.

“No. I have never had the pleasure,” said Edward as he seemed to deflate a bit, something that caused Aleister to pat his shoulder awkwardly as he conveyed the pain that he had failed to be the one to set Edward free from his golden cage.

“Then would you like to?” asked Jane with a smile like a cat that had gotten into the cream.

Sitting up straight his black hood almost falling off his head, Edward leaned forward with an eagerness that made everyone present huff a laugh.

“Really?” replied Edward to Jane’s question, his magic the only thing that had stopped his hood from falling off his head.

“Here,” said Jane as she handed Edward her portable magic mirror.

Taking the mirror with a reverence, Edward handled it with delicate care that spoke of how much he valued both the item itself and the image of the book contained within.

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“Here let me find the gloves,” said Jane as she reached for her bag only to stop still as stone as she watched the purple mystical energy of Edward Maw pour into the mirror and start to make it function like it was pure mana.

Shaken the three members of the God Squad stared at Edward Maw in surprise while the young man happily played with the mirror as he looked at the various books it had to offer, completely not caring that he had just done the impossible. For both telesma and mana were so uniquely different the combination of the two at best passively ignored each other while some of the worst cases caused the two magics to degrade each other when actively mixed. Yet Edward’s power allowed him to emulate both types of magic without any effort on his part, a feat so irregular and anathema to the God Squad that they sat in stunned silence all the while Edward rejoiced at the wonders of the mirror before him.

And as the God Squad watched Edward Maw alter everything that they knew about magic, they paid no attention to their surroundings, not the announcement of the imminent train departure or the silver raven perched atop the alchemic steel girders of the train station’s roof top.

~~~

Flapping its silver wings, Munin took to the sky speeding forth with a burst of celestial power.

Munin stretched its wings out and using the power it had been granted to it by its creator, it heeded the words of its master and gripped reality. Folding the flow of space, Munin created a twisted tunnel that allowed the bird to travel beyond any speed that mortals could achieve, a speed that was beyond that of light and sound.

Travelling faster than a thought, Munin took a route that led it beyond even the curvature of the world, and as Munin flew up amongst the clouds the bird arrived at its destination half a world away from where it had started.

Munin had found who it was looking for, a pagan god by the name of Ymir, the God of Heroes. Ymir sat atop a cloud that had been made as solid as stone and watched with ancient eyes, eyes that saw through the cloud beneath him, eyes that looked over the kingdoms hidden below the cloud, eyes that searched for something that the God of Heroes longed for.

The god’s appearance was striking with hair like crystal snow and eyes of sky blue. His face was handsome with a definition to it that made it immediately recognisable to all that saw it. The god’s clothes were just as memorable with them being a mix of several different hides that were made from the flesh and fur of the most legendary of monsters. But the most striking item that adorned the pagan god, one that made Munin take notice, was the black silk, a material that can heal and restore itself woven by a monster known as the Arachne, which covered his arms and hands. Beside the god were three items: two twin swords called Ying and Yang, and a shield called Aegis, each and every one of them a God Relic, constructs created from celestial power making these weapons more powerful than any mortal could dream of.

Feeling a burst of celestial power, Ymir turned his head to see the silver raven perched atop a nearby drifting cloud, a cloud that was about a human’s arm length away from the cloud Ymir sat atop. Standing Ymir focused upon the green eyed bird that watched with a sense of pride, its higher perch atop the nearby cloud making it look like the raven was looking down on Ymir.

Shifting his grip on the two swords that he held, Ymir tightened his grip making the two swords ignite into flowing ice and still flame.

“And what do you want to show me, Little Bird?” asked Ymir, his stance and the position of his swords radiating his wariness.

Cawing, the raven seemed to be offended at the notion that it had been sent here simply to show Ymir something, even if it was the truth.

“What memory do you want to show me? Or should I ask who’s watching me through your eyes?” asked Ymir, once more of the raven which replied with a stiff silence that made Ymir grimace in amusement.

Tilting its head in aggravation, the bird remained silent as Ymir watched back with unblinking eyes the two immortal beings locked in a staring match where neither side needed to blink.

“Fine,” said Ymir at last. “Show me what you want, then be gone. I am not the puppet to either of you. Odin. Loki,” said Ymir, his tone dripping with acid as each name seemed to burn off of his tongue.

Flexing his wrist, the two swords that Ymir held in his hands, one white and adorned with ice, the other black and wreathed in fire, each only possessing a single, curved edge vanished as if he had tucked them away somewhere beyond the boundaries of this dimension. Flying over to the god, the silver raven landed upon the left wrist of Ymir and as the two stood atop a cloud bathed in sunlight, Ymir saw everything that the raven had from the journey to the city of Albion to the current situation of the God Squad and their attempts at bonding with each other.

Seeing what the raven had seen, Ymir smiled as a single thought ran through the mind of the ancient god. ‘At last, new heroes arise’.

But even as the pagan god felt a swell of exhilaration at the deeds that could be done by the four warriors that had been bound together, Ymir was still suspicious at the timing of everything that was transpiring. For Ymir could feel what was happening in the town of Symir and the darkness that had gathered there was indeed a blight that he wanted to purge. The fact that the God Squad had also been sent there made Ymir realise that others’ powers were at play.

Knowing this was the work of tricksters and schemers was what made Ymir stare into the eyes of the raven resting upon his wrist with the same distrust that he had always felt around the bird. For while Odin had complete and utter control of the bird, it was a fact that the silver raven had been created from silver and the eyes of Loki, something that made it all the more easier for the trickster to see and peer through the raven’s eyes.

Turning towards Symir, Ymir let his power over the cloud below his feet twist it into an arrow head that held a throne upon its back, a place where Ymir could sit while the cloud sped forth across the sky. Racing through the sky, Ymir pondered to himself what he would do when he arrived at his destination and what it was that those that desire to trick him into action wanted and what their plans were.

And as the cloud sped across the sky, beings turned at its unnatural movement and those attuned to the celestial power that poured throughout the world felt the actions of a god once more moving upon the world. In response those hidden in the Reaper’s Palace smiled as they saw Ymir move in what they assumed was fear, every god there hoping that he would fail and that the binding that prevented them from returning would be broken. So that every one of the gods trapped in death could once again return to the world that they had been barred from.

~~~

After the train had departed from the station, the God Squad had finally settled down into something resembling normalcy at least for the four different warriors that they were. Even the commotion that Edward had created when he had showcased his power to interface with both mana and telesma had been quickly accepted as just another quirk he possessed.

Jane Burnout had to admit she had been shocked by the day’s revelation, but in the greater scheme of history, what had happened wasn’t even a wrinkle compared to the distortions to both magic and history some people and gods had created eons back. Sitting in her seat, Jane smiled as she watched the scenery of green fields flow by as if they were some bizarre picture that always scrolled from the left to the right, as she paid no mind to the story that Aleister was telling with the same serious tone one would use to report to their boss or superior.

Sighing Jane refocused her attention on those around her.

“Alright since we’re out of the station can you tell us what the plan for this grand adventure is?” asked Jane, both because she was genuinely curious and as a way to stifle the boredom that had set in a few minutes out of the train station.

Glancing over at Jane, the Maw Brothers shared a look, one that betrayed the hurt on Aleister’s face after Edward had to tell him his story had been as flat as a blank sheet of paper.

“You’re right,” said Aleister as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll tell you what the plan is and everything else that Ivan gave me information on.”

“So long as you don’t tell it like your reciting the history of taxes,” said Grey, a small smile appearing on his lips. “Even the voices sound better than you, and they don’t even make sense. Most of the time.”

Hearing Grey’s little speech, everyone near him seemed to want to edge back from him, especially when he had added the last few words, along with his smile turning more razor sharp than any he had borne before.

“You’re messing with us, right?” asked Edward, his magically synthesised voice still filled with an uncanny characteristic that made it disturbing to hear.

“Am I?” asked Grey back, his eyes dancing with a light that could easily have been madness or a very wicked sense of amusement.

“If we could get back on topic,” said Aleister, having reached a limit to his patience with Grey’s inconsistent behaviour. “The fact of the matter is that the plan itself is very simple. We’ll travel to Zephyr and once there, we’ll board another train to Xois.”

“Really,” said Edward interrupting his brother, his magical voice making it sound strange and even a little disturbing.

“Yes, really,” replied Aleister dryly, a little annoyed at being interrupted.

“It’s the largest trade centre west of Zephyr and was made back during the time of the Dark Empire of Osiris. They say that the ships docked there are even from the Ten Kingdoms of Wukong,” continued Edward, clearly not caring about his brother’s tone.

“Yes, so once we’re there we’ll gather information and depending on how things go we can head on foot to the Wormwood forest,” concluded Aleister, with a guarded look at his brother who had thrown the conversation off track.

“To do that we’ll have to cross the Nile,” said Grey who was unfazed by the antics of the two brothers. “Will the two of you be able to cross that amount of water, considering your heritage?”

Hearing Grey’s question, Jane could feel the air itself seem to stagnate as the mood dropped like a stone in gravity. And while Grey had asked with earnest concern for the brothers, the question was something that slapped them in the face with their unusual heritage.

“We’ve never had problems with water,” said Aleister sombrely as the two brothers seemed to retreat into silence.

Humming to himself in thought, Grey’s eyes narrowed as if he had reached some sort of definitive conclusion about the two boys and their nature, one that seemed to make Grey less hostile than he was before. Leaning his head back against the chair rest, Grey looked up at the ceiling his hand tapping away in thought as he considered what he had just learned.

Sharing a meaning look between the three of them, Jane tapped Grey on his armour, the small sparks of mana she had infused onto her finger making it sound like she had been hitting a bell. Snapping back to attention, Grey looked at Jane with a raised eyebrow.

“Is it okay for Aleister to continue or would you like to share what you’re thinking about?” asked Jane mildly, all the while the other passengers, particularly the military personal, who were aware of Grey’s identity, winced at the tone that Jane had managed to throw into that one sentence.

“It’s not important,” said Grey, as he bobbed his head at Aleister as if to say either he was sorry or for Aleister to continue.

Not sure which, Aleister instead shook himself before continuing.

“Once we get to the Wormwood forest, we will travel to Lillian Darkseed’s home and there we will recruit her,” said Aleister, putting emphasise on the words as if to reinforce that failure was not an option.

“What is the reason that we’re recruiting her?” asked Jane, “Or more importantly why do the generals think she will join us against Mirror?”

“From what was written in the notes, Lillian was betrayed by Mirror long ago,” said Aleister with no small amount of reluctance.

“Betrayed,” repeated both Jane and Grey in unison. While Jane had repeated the word more to get clarification and context, Grey had repeated the word with a focus that he had lacked before, a focus that set warning bells off in the head of all those with even the most basic of combat experience. A focus that filled the word itself with a simple emotion, one of satisfaction for having guessed correctly what Argon had implied back in the generals’ office.

Leaning forward, Grey looked at Aleister with an expression that conveyed his sudden and intense interest in the matter that was being discussed, the same zeal that he had presented back in the general’s office. A look that Aleister managed to endure much to Jane’s surprise and delight.

“Yes it did not say what or how she was betrayed, but it happened several centuries ago back when she was young,” said Aleister unflinching under Grey’s gaze.

Turning his attention away from Aleister, Grey seemed to once again get lost inside his own mind as he processed what had been said.

“Mirror of Reality betrayed a dragonspawn,” said Grey at last, speaking his thoughts aloud. “Either he really is much, much more stupid than we thought or he knew she wouldn’t care about what was done to her.”

“Which do you think it is?” asked Jane, although from what she had heard about dragons she could already guess.

“She didn’t care,” said Edward, who had been watching the exchange of information quietly to one side. “That’s what you were going to say isn’t it.”

“Yes,” said Grey with approval in his voice. “From the start, I had hoped to get more information especially regarding what type of dragonspawn she is, but that’s what I suspected.”

“According to Argon’s notes, she’s a wyvern born,” said Aleister who had already shared most of this information with his brother beforehand. “Does that hold some significance to you?”

“No, other than she would be weaker than normal. I’m not sure of the true significance of that aspect of her,” said Grey.

“From what I have read, the dragons possess a hierarchy of sorts. They have their dragon lords, those called the Eight Great Drakes, or the Eight Dragon Lords and so on. Then there are normal dragons which usually have at least one element attribute. And then there are wyverns which lack a breath attack and are generally considered to be the weakest of all dragons. No non-dragon knows why they exist,” said Edward as he reflected on the information he had read about in the library.

“We’ll find out then, won’t we,” said Jane undaunted by what lay ahead of them.

And as the Maw Brothers looked at her, they could see that her optimism wasn’t one born from ignorance or the ability to ignore dark facts about life. Instead, it was born from the strength to endure life’s dark events and come out the other side with her heart still intact.

“Let’s save pondering over Lillian until we actually meet her,” said Aleister suddenly, something in his voice clearly clueing in the others that he didn’t like talking about Lillian while she wasn’t there. A concern that Jane could see clearly stemmed from the way people treated his brother throughout his entire life.

Leaning back, Jane smiled and as she stretched out her arms, causing her ample chest to jut out much to the chagrin of Grey who quickly turned away. A thought suddenly popped into her head.

“Hey Grey, I’ve got a question,” said Jane with a serious smile, one that anyone with even a single, brain cell could see was hiding alternative motives. “What were you doing up on the side of the Elemental Guard towers before you fought Shadow?”

Hearing this simple question, Grey couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory of why he had been up there that day.

“What only you mages are allowed to appreciate the view from the top of your towers?” Grey asked back, much to the bemusement of those that were within ear shot of his own question.

Hearing Grey’s return question, Jane was left flabbergasted as she looked back at Grey with a dumbstruck expression only to hear a click. Turning to look at Edward, Jane could see that he had already learned enough about her magic mirror to take pictures with it and store the reflections on the surfaces of the mirror to be retrieved at a time when the user desired.

And while Edward seemed to radiate a form of glee at having taken the picture, he soon simmered down when he saw an unamused Jane stick her hand forwards to demand the mirror back all the while her face seemed to be stuck in an expression of teenage rebellion.

“I’m sorry,” said Edward quickly, his magically constructed voice warbling as he quickly pulled the mirror tight against his chest.

Changing her expression, Jane flexed her hand, her fingers curling in repetitively, a gesture that Edward understood and a determination that Edward wasn’t willing to fight. Slowly handing over the mirror, Jane quickly snatched the mirror from Edward’s hand and quickly erased the picture that was there.

“I didn’t get to see all the Rune lore that was recorded there,” mumbled Edward, a noticeable slump to his shoulders as he settled back into his chair, next to his brother who had endured that minor incident with a stiff faced expression that made it clear he was staying out of the groups’ antics.

“There are only 24 Runes,” said Jane with a slightly puzzled air as she looked down at her mirror in confusion. “How can you not remember 24 Runes?”

“Oh I got the gist of them. I was referring to the others,” said Edward, as he lifted his head with both pride and joy that he had found someone to talk to about his new discoveries.

Hearing these words, both Grey and Jane stiffened in shock. Thinking fast, Jane kicked Edward reflexively in the shin to quiet him down. Realising that his brother had just said something bad, Aleister scanned both the two humans before him and those that were seated around the carriage, his golden eyes seeming to glow as he observed the world in a way that was different from the more traditional sense of sight.

“It is not wise to delve into those runes,” said Jane, the bright air that had been around her seeming to grow dark as if caught by a tempest of fire and smoke.

“Agreed,” said Grey, his eyes showing a measure of sanity that made both of the Maw Brothers retreat from his gaze more than they had when under his mad scrutiny.

“Why?” asked Aleister, concern filling his voice.

Instead of answering, Jane turned to look at the scenery that rushed by the window and as the green rolled by she seemed to get lost in memories that filled her with rage, a rage that made the air around her crackle with heat.

“After Svar’s Sin, Jupitor Soulstorm was the first real mage to rise out of the age of monsters and in time he created so many different things. The 10 Elemental Rings, which went on to define the elements themselves. The understanding of mana that we have today was created from his studies and discoveries. And most importantly, the 24 Runes that all mages use, all come from Jupitor,” said Grey when Jane didn’t respond. “So far so standard to what most people know, however millennia later the pagan gods, Loki and Odin created nine more runes. The so called 9 God Runes to stand on even ground with the 24 Mana Runes.”

Sharing a look, the Maw Brothers stiffened and braced themselves as Aleister leant forwards and spoke.

“I didn’t know you knew this much about the pagan gods,” said Aleister, his tone leaving it open to whether it was a question or not.

“I have no love for the gods,” said Grey as he turned his head to look out the window and at a cloud that appeared to be staying still in the sky despite the rest moving around it, “but the Gods are whimsical on the best of days, and it is wise to learn as much about them as possible. After all, they stand beyond the concept of ‘Fate and Fortune, Destiny and Luck’. These concepts are nothing more than stats to them, something to freely alter as they see fit.”

Pausing, Grey continued to stare up at the clouds above, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, while the brothers were left wondering if he was simply paranoid about the clouds looking wrong or if there was something up there watching back.

“The runes aren’t as taboo as he’s making them out to be,” said Jane as she returned to the conversation, her eyes dulled by memories. “The runes are just more difficult to use than the normal ones, and the reason I don’t like to talk about them is because they bring up bad memories. Some of the worst memories I possess.”

“I’m sorry if this is going over a line,” said Aleister as he clenched his hands to stop some hidden emotion from taking control of him, “but I have heard the rumours of how you were born, so what could be worse than that?”

Hearing Aleister’s question, Jane looked up and Aleister seemed to flinch back at the pain in her eyes, a pain that drew Edward’s sympathy and made Grey stop eyeing the clouds with suspicion.

“A necromancer tried to use them to enhance their craft, first by blending in mana and then runes,” said Jane, a fire burning silently in her eyes.

“I hope you killed him,” said Grey as he looked forward, his hands flexing in rage as if imagining a neck within their grasp.

“Her. Sepet, and I left nothing, not even ash, behind,” said Jane with venom and pain in her voice, “no ash of the necromancer nor of the children that she had been using to experiment on.”

“Children”, said Edward, his voice echoing hollowly in a manner that could only be described as demonic both in its nature and the deep tone that it had. Except this time, the voice didn’t emanate from the magic of his bandana but from a flesh and blood throat. Hearing his brother speak, Aleister froze in fear as he turned to look in horror at his brother who had similar emotions mirrored in his purple eyes. Yet when the two shifted their attention to Grey, they found him preoccupied with something else. Not noticing or not paying attention to Edward’s real voice, Grey instead watched Jane with sorrow at the thought of what she had had to do.

“I hope you made sure she died,” said Grey, his voice soft and soothing, and most importantly filled with sincerity, yet the words he spoke made it abundantly clear that he was asking if Jane had really ensured the necromancer perished and that her soul still didn’t linger in this world.

“I made sure that everyone that day burned away till nothing, not even ash, remained,” said Jane as she looked down at her hands, where faint fire danced as if waiting to be unleased. “There was nothing left that could possibly have anchored her soul to this world.”

Sighing at the dark turn that the conversation had taken, Jane lifted her head as she dispelled her lingering memories of terrible horrors.

“How much longer till we can get off this train?” asked Grey, a soft kindness in his voice.

“At noon we’ll arrive at Symir. We’ll stop for about half an hour before leaving for Zephyr,” said Aleister as he remembered the schedule for the train he had looked at before boarding.

Glancing up at one of the clocks that hung above the doors to the carriage, the God Squad let out a collective groan at the hours that remained until they arrived at Symir.

“I think we’re done telling stories,” said Aleister as he regarded his fellow warriors. “Anyone know something mindless, we can do in the interim?”

Instead of answering his brother’s question, Edward drew out a deck of cards and held it up for the others to see. Looking at the cards lined with symbols that belonged on and in weapons and churches respectively, Grey let out an amused chuckle, having remembered and recognised the cards that had saved his life once before, before nodding at Edward. Dealing the cards out, Edward was grateful to see that Grey either had failed to register his real voice or was simply ignoring it. Yet even as he began to explain the rules to the card game he wanted to play, Edward couldn’t help but shake the feeling that he was being watched.

~~~

Rin Hono was currently in the very same skyscraper that Grey had been perched on when the battle with Shadow had taken place. The room around him was filled with various mages both male and female who all sat before mirrors shifting and changing the images that were displayed to see what was happening all throughout the Empire of Geb and the other lands the Elemental Guard had created outposts for. For long ago, mages had realised that the correct application of runes to the back of a mirror could turn the mirrors into cameras, devices that could capture not only moving pictures but sounds as well. These Mirror Wards had been created not only for communication but also for spying. And so the Elemental Guard with the permission of Arthur Exaltia himself had placed these mirrors everywhere they could to create a system that allowed them to survey and monitor all that dwelt within the Empire of Geb. And after much convincing, the alchemists had allowed for the same Mirror Wards to be placed covertly throughout their trains.

Looking at the mirror that floated before him, Rin watched through one such Mirror Ward, as the warriors of the God Squad started to play Go Fish, their previous discussion seemingly forgotten.

“What do you think?” asked Rin as he turned to the second in command of the Elemental Guard.

“About Jane?” asked Medea Magi, as she peered forwards to get a better look at the mirror that held the image of Jane and her comrades, the movement causing the vials of liquid gravity to sway.

Hearing this question, Rin turned and gave Medea a raised eyebrow, the woman who controlled the entirety of the Elemental Guard that focused on the creation of magical, mana based items. While officially, Medea was a Gravity Grail, a mage that used mana to shape and create products related to gravity, she was in truth known as a Universal Maker, a mage that excelled in every field that involved creating something.

“No, I mean about Grey’s story. Do you really think that he was on this building just by coincidence, or was he spying?” asked Rin, his eyes rolling as he returned to his vigil of the God Squad before him in the floating mirror.

“I wouldn’t dare to hazard a guess about what Grey Silverman thinks about the colour blue let alone if he was telling the truth,” said Medea as she shifted her medical coat so that it covered over the vials that hung from her work belt that was attached at the waist, her purple hair swaying from her shifting movement.

Hearing this, Rin seemed to turn inward, his face impassive, as his mind raced to understand the madness of the paladin who Jane was now forced to work beside.

“What about you two?” asked Rin as he turned on the two generals, who stood further back behind Medea, and who had also turned around to glare daggers at the two intruders encroaching upon the sanctuary of mages. “Tell me, what do you think about Grey’s story?”

Hearing the questions lobbied at them, the two generals remained, at least in the eyes of the other mages present, stoic and stone faced. Yet hearing this question made a slight curve appear on Argon’s lips, a smile that he seemed to be trying to reel in.

Ivan, who was keenly aware that Rin’s ire was directed at Argon, chose instead to answer as his fellow general seemed to be lost in his own mirth.

“Regardless of whether he was telling the truth or not, Grey is not the type to follow orders especially about something like this,” said Ivan in response to Rin’s question, “The truth of it is that if, and I mean if, he was spying then he was doing it for himself and not for anyone else’s benefit.”

“I didn’t ask you,” said Rin as he kept his gaze on Argon, whose bronze eyes stared back with an amused expression that filled his face with delight.

“Then what are you really asking?” asked Argon as stepped forward challengingly, yet the amusement never left Argon’s eyes, an amusement that made it clear that he felt that Rin wasn’t even a threat.

“How long have you been planning this war?” asked Rin, and as the room heard the question, it fell into a deafening silence, one that blanketed the entire observation room.

Looking up from their desk mirrors, the various different mages all had their attention fixed on Argon to see what his response would be. And as they watched both their leader and the General of the East gaze at each other, upon the central raised walkway, the mages also readied their mana either to attack the general or to defend their master. Yet instead of responding with anger or denial, Argon’s smirk turned into a true grin that reached his eyes, an expression that conveyed both his delight and admiration that Rin had not only dared to speak this question but also figured out something deeper about his actions.

“How did you know I was planning for a war?” asked Argon as he looked at Rin with respect, all the while Ivan had also shifted to a readied position so that he could interfere with whoever made the first move.

“Planning for a war,” repeated Rin as if tasting the very words themselves, all the while his mind raced to figure out what the deeper meaning of Argon’s words were.

Seeing that Rin wasn’t going to give a response, Argon flicked his bronze eyes away from Rin and settled his gaze upon Medea who winced away from the imposing general dominating the room.

“We have Mirror Maps and Mirror Wards set all throughout the Empire of Geb,” said Medea as she matched Argon’s gaze, “and while we don’t see everything, we see enough that one way or another even if just in hindsight we can see what you are planning and performing.”

“Then what am I planning?” asked Argon in a voice that seemed to challenge all present to even dare to guess what he was planning.

“Argon,” said Ivan in warning, his voice filled with more emotion than most people that had met him had ever heard from the stoic general.

Yet instead of even glancing at Ivan, Argon kept his stance and dared the room to answer.

“You plan to conquer the realms east of the empire and west of the Wolfskard,” said Rin at last, something in his voice betraying his disgust. “You plan to wage war and decimate them all from Fort Eildon, and you’ve been planning this for years.”

Argon instead of answering seemed to deflate, shifting to a much more casual stance, as he shook his head in disappointment, his hand pressed against his head.

“What?” snapped Medea in place of her leader, who looked liked he had tasted something foul.

“Don’t do that,” said Argon, disappointment filling his voice. “Don’t pretend that you see through me and then use it to fish for information, it’s annoying. If you want to know something just ask.”

“You were planning for a war?” asked Rin as the eyes of the room shifted to him, waiting to see what would be revealed.

“Yes, but not with the Mirror Kingdom or whatever they plan to call it,” said Argon, with a weight to his very being that made all present realise that whatever they thought about his constant amusement at the expense of others, Argon truly understood the weight of war.

“For years we had signs that there was something going on in the Wolfskard Mountains, something we now know to be the work of Mirror of Reality, but before that the only other force that could unify the wolves was the kingdom beyond the mountains, the Kingdom of Scathach or the Haldar Kingdom or the Great Kingdom. The point is whatever they’re currently calling themselves in this modern age, their kingdom was the only power that could invade and control the mountains to the point that the wolves would be forced to unite under their banner. That was who I was planning to fight,” said Argon as he walked forward to stand adjacent with Rin Hono.

“Then what about the city states that exist between the empire and the mountains?” asked Rin, his voice reflecting the confusion that filled his face.

“They are to be conquered. And before you say anything the process has already begun,” said Argon with relish as Ivan rolled his eyes skyward to show what he thought of Argon’s plans.

Frowning, Rin stared at Argon as if he was trying to understand the words that were coming out of the general’s mouth.

“Economic warfare, the lazy man’s warfare,” said Argon, his bronze eyes searching Rin’s face to see a sign that the mage leader understood.

“That’s what I could never understand. Why you would let our people trade with them and even help them create bigger and better cities if you only wanted to destroy them,” said Rin in enlightenment as he realised what Argon truly had planned.

“Oh, I would have slaughtered everyone within the city walls if needed and then used their facilities if they were stupid enough not to destroy them. But I am a conqueror, and while war is often synonymous with destruction, conquest on the other hand is often equated with indoctrination and consolidation. I would have built them up and once they had grown dependent on our technology and wealth, they would have either had to bend the knee or be the ones to start war, if they simply didn’t request to join into our empire before I could start to threaten them,” said Argon with a grin as he explained his scheme to Rin Hono who watched with wide eyed wonder and fear.

“It wouldn’t have gone that easy for you,” said Medea defiantly as she butted into the conversation.

“Wouldn’t it,” said Argon with a small chuckle. “How short sighted you are for a being capable of living millennia.”

Freezing, both Rin and Medea shared a look before scanning the room to check that those around them had either failed to understand Argon or simply misunderstood him.

“The creation of the Poseidon Pools has been lost since the fall of the Dark Empire,” said Rin tactfully as he tried to subtly tell Argon to stop talking about the subject.

“True the art of using mana to ignore age entirely has been lost but like everything that possesses mana, even those with the smallest amounts, are capable of living twice as long as their mana-less brethren,” said Argon as he poked Rin in the chest to emphasise what the mana within was capable of. “And with the right techniques someone like you could live to be eight thousand years old before age finally caught up to you, and for someone like Medea or Jane they could live even longer,” continued Argon as he gestured with his free hand at both Medea and Jane’s image in the mirror.

“Something your predecessor was well aware of,” said Ivan from the side as he watched, with cold, dead eyes, the two speaking before him.

“A pursuit that drove her a little mad,” said Rin with a thin veil of hatred in his voice, as well as a warning to the man before him, a warning to stop talking.

“Debatable,” replied Ivan, “She only wanted to understand the connection between life and mana. And you-”

“Point is,” said Argon, cutting off Ivan, “despite the fact that you have been alive for over half a century you still think like a normal human, one with a limited lifespan. You possess longevity that others would and have killed for to acquire, yet you don’t use it,” said Argon as he leaned in close enough that their noses were almost touching, with his hand on Rin’s chest, “and that is your greatest problem, and my greatest strength.”

Drawing back, Rin and those present blinked in surprise at Argon’s words while Ivan gave Argon a quick warning glance.

“Arthur even without Excalibur and its connection to the foundation stone of Heaven itself is immortal. The well of telesma he possesses within him is great enough to keep him alive forever, and that is why he will always win, for he possesses both time and the patience to use it. A patience that we both share,” said Argon, a small chuckle.

“You planned to subvert them over the course of decades-”

“If not centuries, all to create a bloodless war that would be completed without a single life lost to anything but time,” said Argon as he finished Rin’s sentence. “After all, the settlers that created many of those cities are from this empire only removed by a century or two.”

Hearing this, Rin looked a bit ruffled while many other mages sitting before their mirrors were uncomfortable at how cavalier Argon was about conquest, war and slaughter. The rest were troubled by the idea of using longevity to conquer over time to the point that the only ones able to see the encroaching threat would be those that possessed the same characteristics or a brilliance that would be very hard to find.

“Besides which I thought you mages would be all about this conquest,” said Ivan, into the deathly stillness. “After all, many of you possess elemental affinity which can make breeding nightmarish at the best of times.”

“What?” said Medea as she rounded on Ivan, only to stop when she realised what he had said in its entirety.

“Compared to some of the more disturbing horror stories, Jane’s background is a soothing tale of kindness,” said Ivan as his looked directly at a green haired man who cowered back from the cold, emotionless gaze.

Casting her head down and gripping her arm in frustration, Medea knew what he was implying about the horrors of what those aligned with elemental powers could do, yet even as Medea seemed to cave in upon herself she looked up at the general with clear unfazed eyes.

“I get what you’re saying, but there are limits,” said Medea as she stared Ivan down.

Instead of answering, Ivan had a thoughtful look upon his face as if he had been given an idea about what he needed to do. Turning to the sunken floor where the Mirror Technicians sat before their own personal magic mirrors, he started to talk and with it drew the attention of both Rin and Argon.

“How long until the train reaches Symir?” asked Ivan, as he glanced at the large floating mirror before the leaders of the forces of Geb, his hand tapping away thoughtfully as he seemed to consider something deep within his mind.

“They’re about half way there. Like they said, they will arrive at noon,” replied the technician, her cyan hair reflective of her icy disposition towards the general.

“Do you have any Mirror Wards in Symir?”

“Only in the train station, but those only show the general vicinity and the inside of the station itself.”

“That’s fine. Put it up on the main mirror please,” directed Ivan as he walked forward until he stood within touching distance of the mirror.

The moment the image appeared of a smiling man working at the counter for the train station, Ivan’s face twitched into one of disgust and he stepped back from the mirror slowly as if trying not to overreact.

“What is it?” asked Argon as he looked at the human seeing nothing but a normal flesh and blood being.

“Can you scan for life?” asked Ivan, a small hitch in his voice making it clear he was hoping that he was going to be wrong.

“Give me a moment,” the cyan haired woman said as she started to tap away at the mirror in front of her.

After a while she stopped and stared at the screen in front of her with confusion as if what she was seeing didn’t make sense. And as those around her glanced at the screen with equally puzzled expressions, Ivan had enough confirmation to realise that he was right. Closing his eyes, Ivan focused inward to allow himself the time needed to get his emotions under control before he turned on the bronze eyed man standing next to him.

“What. Is.In.That.Town?” orated Ivan as he punctuated each word to illustrate how emotional he was really feeling.

“What do you see?” asked Argon, still peering at the mirror before him, unable to identify what made Ivan so distraught.

“They’re soulless,” said Rin as he watched from behind the two generals’ backs, having recognised a similar sense about them, something that haunted his thoughts.

Hearing this, Argon first looked at Rin then in confirmation at Ivan before turning to the mirror and the image contained within.

“What.Is.In.That.Town?” repeated Ivan in the same strangled voice that he had used before.

“A Tear of Ymir,” said Argon back, to the shock of all present.

Hearing this, everyone turned to look at the image before them only to see that the once smooth movements of the station manager had deteriorated to those of a clunky and ponderous mecha. Moving with a shuddering motion, the man looked straight up at the mirror and grinned with a demon’s smile. One that Argon returned, even as the man spoke words that made the rest of the room eye him as if he was the strangest thing present.

However it was at this point, static ran through the image of the mirror display, but before anyone could even move to try and fix what was happening the transmission cut out entirely. Leaving a sense of dread, both at what was currently occurring in the town of Symir and for what would be waiting for the God Squad when they arrived.