The Arrival of the First Company brought an end to the Siege. This was due to the fact that not only did they put the Festus Forces in a pincer movement but also many of the commanders were killed by the combined efforts of the Shinomori and the Dirus family as the former provided weapons and equipment as Archiman Branch of the Hashira Enterprise and the latter being the most experienced Company within the Stormtroopers.

As a result the Company Captains of the Festus, Fiero, and Stone were killed in battle while the Settlement Masters of the Festus was killed while the Settlement Masters of Fiero and Stone were captured and detained under the crime of attempting to assault.

Which is why the people held responsible were being arrested and trialed for that.

Mark let out a sigh as he stepped out of the car and pulled out his umbrella as the rain continued to pour down on him. It had been days since the Siege and Mark alongside his father agreed to testify before the Master of Archiman, which was his Great Aunt Yulia, that everything that they had done was an act of self defense.

At the steps of the Municipal Building of the Archimans within the Capital City of Ophel where waiting at the entrance was none other than Gray waiting for him with her arms crossed alongside Cecil who was leaning by the pillar. It was from that moment that without the shades, Cecil and Gray looked alike and it was possible that Cecil might be a girl. The only thing that allowed Mark to tell the difference between her and Cecil is the fact that Gray was still bruised up from the fight with Alice a while back meanwhile Cecil was not.

"I thought you were grounded." Mark said nodding at Cecil and then looking at Gray who pouted adorably from that comment.

"I'm allowed to leave the manor but not the City, and now Cecil has been working double time in keeping an eye on me." Gray said in a low voice as they entered the building all the while Joshua listened in on their conversation.

"They should have been a lot more strict." Mark commented causing Gray to elbow him in stomach.

"Uncle Joshua how's your injury?" Gray asked looking at her uncle with a concerned look on her face.

"Don't worry it's nothing serious," Joshua said pointing to the arm sling he was now sporting.

The four of them made their way through the main desk where they were gonna sign a handful of papers, Mark used the opportunity to sneak away and personally talk to the leaders as he had a plan. It was a somewhat simple plan but complicated in terms of execution. He would go and talk to each one of the leaders and convince them to let him be the one to defend them for the trial and once Mark successfully defends them in the trial now they owe then a favor.

The problem is finding them first as this was the first time to be in such a place so he decided to go door to door and see what he can find. But as luck would have it, the door he entered led to the holding cells where they were being held. And the first thing he saw was the sight of Clint chained to a table with a dejected look on his face, likely due to the fact that he had just found out that his father had died.

Mark took a deep breath and then entered the room with a smile on his face as though he wasn't about to get into an intense argument with him.

"Hey there Clint," Mark said with a calm smile on his face, this caused Clint to scowl at him indicating that he was very much not interested in a talk with him.

"Came here to gloat?" Clint hissed with a scowl on his face.

"On the contrary, I'm here to help you." Mark said as he took the seat in front of him and crossed his fingers.

"Why would I need your help?" Clint replied coldly.

"Cause from the looks of things the punishment that your House will be facing is dissolution meaning that your family will be impoverished." Mark explained to him, it was the truth. From what he had learned in the discussions between the adults after the siege, they were going to strip House Stone, Fiero and Festus of their titles and demote them as normal citizens.

It was a harsh punishment considering the three houses were among the oldest of Houses within Archiman but truth be told it's better to weaken them rather than have them be turned to Martyrs via execution or exile then and return to conquer Archiman with an army.

"I'd rather accept dissolution than accept your help." Clint said looking down.

"I appreciate the valor but what do you think would happen to your sister?" Mark replied relaxing a bit showing that he doesn't consider him a threat and trusts him enough to be in the same room.

"What do you mean?" Clint narrowed his eyes on him.

"I'm saying that if your family is dissolved the Masterdom would start cutting apart your land and take all your possessions leaving you and your sister," Mark replied as he tapped his finger on the table. "Sure you'll have a handful of money left to make sure you both will get back on your feet but the thing is, you've made a handful of enemies as well by forcing them into servitude via debt and now you're in the same boat as your slaves."

Mark remained silent as he let that sink into Clint, letting him realized that by dissolving House Festus they would be absolved of their debt and are now free from the death via bomb helmet that the House Festus Subject them to it.

And then Mark spoke.

"I hear it's a popular for people to target impoverished nobles." Mark said off handedly referring to the possibility that him and his sister.

"I'll give you two options, let us help you and we'll even put a hand in restoring your house. Otherwise, have fun." Mark said standing up with a smile and leaving the room leaving Clint there to think.

He found his Father still struggling to fill up the paper works all the while Gray and Cecil were discussing something. It looked as though nothing had changed when he disappeared, he smiled as he casually slip past them and started making his way to the other holding cells looking one particular person.

This time it was Alice Festus, who was just as bruised up as Gray was from their earlier scuffle. Her bruised face turned to a scowl as Mark entered the room with the same relaxed look as he had when he had entered.

"Came here to gloat?" She said with a scowl on her face.

Like brother, like sister. Mark thought to himself as he took a seat with a relaxed look on his face. “I’m not here to gloat or anything like that, if any I’m here to help you.”

“Pft, like hell I’ll be taking your help.” Alice said crossing her arms and gave him a smug look. “I know that my family is being dissolved and I am confident that under by brother’s helm we’ll come back and we’ll make you regret it.”

“That’s not what your brother told me just now.” Mark said with a relaxed look on his face causing Alice to give him a confused look.

“You see here’s the thing, your brother is scared. He’s scared of getting you into harms way and—” Mark replied but then Alice slammed her palms on the table and glared at him.

“Don’t Underestimate me Dirus, I’m resilient just like my brother. We worked hard to make it this far and we won’t hesitate to do the same thing as before.” She said with a look of fiery determination in her eyes. It almost impressed Mark as it was obvious that the odds are already stacked against her but she is determined to restore her House just like her brother.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I commend you for your resolve, I truly do but with the enemies you’ve made through the Slavery through Debt system that your family has been doing for years I don’t think it’ll be as easy as you think.” Mark explained to her slouching a little to show that he was relaxed. “Tell me, what do you think would happen to a beautiful young woman like you?”

“Doesn’t matter what happens to me, as long as I’m able to reach the top just as before I’ll do it.” Alice took a seat and crossed her arms.

Poor choice of words. Mark thought fighting the urge to smile as he now had her where he wanted.

“Even if it meant selling your body?” Mark asked innocently causing Alice to glare at him. “Don’t give me that look, it’s fairly common for impoverished nobles to sell their bodies for money if it meant ascending.”

“My brother—”

“Now he won’t, but what if your shared goal of restoration would take years. Will he still have the same sentiment?” Mark said crossing his fingers at her. “I have an offer, join my House as our Allies and we’ll personally make sure to restore your House.”

“What’s the alternative?”

“Selling your body, I give it some thought alright.” Mark smiled as he stood up and walked out of the room and leaving her to think about it as well.

The trial came and went, and the whole thing went well on Mark’s expectations. Namely how the two other houses chose execution to maintain their dignity while the Festus Siblings chose to plead to be wards of the winning house. It was honestly too easy for Mark as all he did was exploit their grief and care for one another.

Leading to this very somewhat sad situation.

Mark watched as Clint and Alice stepped out of the Municipal Building with Clint having a grim look on his face while Alice was on the verge of tears. This was because they would become wards of not only the Dirus Family and also the Shinomoris, according to the verdict Alice would be adopted by the Dirus as their ward while Clint would be given up to the Shinomoris as their ward.

“Take care of yourself Alice,” Clint said embracing his younger sister as he walked away to Settlement Master Setsuna who will be keeping an eye on him all the while Mark stood next to his Parents who was waiting for Alice to walk towards them.

“There has to be another way,” his mother said with a low voice. “A better alternative.”

This is the better alternative mother, Mark thought as he buried his hands to his pockets as Alice walked towards them and is quietly glaring at them in silence. His mother tried her best to give her a warm welcome but it was clear that Alice carried nothing but resentment towards them.

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[Rise of the Dark Hound]

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And this began the days of living within the Dirus Household for Alice. To put some perspective, Wards are often put in the same category as slaves with the key difference is that they carry some importance compared to the average slave. And so when she had learned that she'll become the ward of the Dirus family she expected to be treaty badly.

And she was mistaken, sure she still had to work and clean as per her duties as a Ward but for the most part they treated her with absolute kindness that it almost felt manipulative. Both Joshua and Mary treated her like their own daughter, Mirabel occasionally asked to play with her in her free timr, Mark was the only one who's different as he mostly indifferent but nice enough to teach her the goings on around the house.

It was Miriam who treated her the kindest.

"I don't get it," Alice whispered as she was busy cleaning the halls with Miriam who had free time to do as such.

"Well dad said that we need to be self reliant so cleaning the home is the first step." Miriam asked as they finished cleaning the halls. Then she giggled as she paused in cleaning. "It's a very intimidating task but it can't be helped."

"Not that, I mean this whole being nice thing." Alice said setting aside the broom and pulled out a mop and handing the spare one to Miriam. "Is this some kind if psychological warfare tactic you guys are doing to me? Killing me with kindness and all?"

Miriam just stood there pursing her lips together trying to find a proper way to respond while Alice got back to cleaning. But then what she said will forever take her by surprise.

"Did they tell you what happened to your father?" Miriam asked causing Alice to pause and look Miriam with angry eyes.

"I know for a fact that he was shot and killed after losing the fight." Alice replied, but Miriam took a deep breath and looked at Alice. For a moment she sensed a hint of guilt in her eyes as though she was directly involved with the incident.

"I was the one who shot him," Miriam said as she explained the situation from her perspective.

How Lucas Festus lost the duel against their father, but instead of surrendering to them he pulled out a gun forcing Miriam to intervene and gun him down in defense. Alice said nothing but instead dropped the mop and started running off causing Miriam to call out to her but it fell on deaf ears as tears began to pull into her eyes.

Her running off eventually led her to the edge of the City, namely at the side entrance where she had been captured and began to weep. Just weeks ago she had been one of the most powerful nobles within the Nation but now her people had been scattered, her lands divided, and most of her family are either divided or dead. She let out a loud cry as she fell to her knees and continued to cry.

But the sound of a branch snapping cause her to realize she wasn't alone causing her to look around and decided to use a rock as a weapon. To her surprise it was just Mark who was lugging a backpack while wearing a strange and bulky belt with a bored look on his face.

“What brings you here this part of Fenrir?” Mark asked her remembering that he was the sole reason why her family is in shambles in the first place.

“Do me a favor and just please…just leave me alone…” She sobbed as she fell to her knees.

“In that state?” He said kneeling before her but all Alice did was sob there on that spot, but she felt a warm hand wrap around hers causing her to look up and find Mark giving her a worried look on his face. “Come on, I know a way to cheer you up.”

“What?” She asked in confusion as she was slightly dragged off by Mark deep into the woods, her thoughts linger into something worse but instead she was greeted by the sight of a massive Motorcycle parked in the middle of a clearing. Mark said nothing as he handed her a helmet and gestured her to sit on the back. And with that the two rode out of the woods until finally they made their way into another clearing where at the center of it was a Motorhome with a campsite built alongside it.

“Where...are we?” Alice asked as she looked around and found a few tables which were filled with gadgets and prototypes that were being developed. She was about to ask Mark about it but her sights landed on a familiar face. It was her brother, and he was looking at her as well.

Alice cried once more and sprinted towards Clint who pulled her into a hug as the two began to sob together and trying to catch up with one another.

“That’s surprisingly sweet of you Mark,” Gaige said as Mark handed him the Proto-Augment Driver and began to modify it while Arnold went on the computer and began to update the Direfang DNA, whatever that means left Mark confused but he trusts them as they developed the system after all.

“I was only being nice to her, and I feel bad that she has to endure the humiliation that she’s going through.” Mark commented as he took a bite out of the apple that he was eating just now all the while watching the tearful reunion of the two Festus Siblings. Truth be told he was being nice but he decided to be nice to her so he can win her loyalty, it was two birds with one stone kind of matter.

“Well either way that was really nice of you, I’m a lot more strict on Clint to be honest.” Gaige replied to him as he finishing up the modifications on the Proto-Augment Driver.

From the corner Mark spotted a handful of other Augment Drivers but each one of them is designed differently, Gaige noticed Mark’s stare at him and smiled as he walked over to each one of them and placed each one of them on the table for Mark to see. First was the Mass Driver, it was the Mass production variant and is noted to have a shorter time period but it was a lot safer than the Proto-Augment Driver. Next was the Royal Driver, it was a gold plated variant of the Augment Driver and was the one Gray requested constantly.

“So the Mass production ones are the ones your Branch will be selling correct?” Mark asked him picking up the Royal Driver.

“That’s right also the Mass Driver has access to few forms other than the Direfang.” Gaige said handing him the Proto-Augment Driver and Mark put it on while Gaige put on his own Mass Driver with a smile causing Arnold to step away giving them a wide enough space.

“You sure you want to spar with me?” Mark asked with a small smile on his face as Arnold tossed him the Direfang Keycard.

“I can’t let you be the only one to hog the Augment System.” Gaige smirked as he pulled out another Keycard this time had the name of Aerowing Falcon written over it.

"What happens next is on you then." Mark replied as he and Gaige simultaneously put on the keycard into their respective Augment Drivers and upon cue a Wolf and a Falcon appeared, the two clashed for a moment as Mark and Gaige were enveloped in their respective Nanotech Suits until both Hardlight Animals transformed into respective Armors.

"Nice armor but can you handle it?" Mark asked him as he assumed a fighting stance.

"Time to find out." Gaige said as he did the same thing.

And the two sprinted towards one another.