Tokiyo sat in her ramshackle office and did her best not to hate every second of it. Where once stood a resplendent castle her family earned over years of effort was now merely a crater – a grim reminder of how far her family fell due to King Lambros and his parasitic allies.

This looks like some pirate’s junk shed. Mother would not have stood for this!

The sound of ocean waves seemed to mock her as the rusted armors and weapons adorning the wooden walls rustled and clinked with the reverberations. Her two attendants stood at either side of her, poised as always. If they were unhappy, they didn’t show it. Tokiyo did her best not to ache for them. They were the most supportive people in her life. They deserved to guard a real Queen in a real castle.

“We will take back what the Valkyries took from us. I promise.” Tokiyo said. She didn’t look at them, but she didn’t need to turn to them to know they saluted to her back.

The attendant to her right spoke first. “It takes a true Queen to choose to live in such humble conditions. All of the Black Wing Continent appreciates your charity.”

The attendant to her left spoke next. “This is a temporary circumstance, Tokiyo. You have the same determination as Meiji herself.”

Out of anyone else, the lack of a proper honorific would be punishable by… reprimand. In truth, Tokiyo could care less. These two attendants were old enough to have watched over her mother’s birth. They practically raised Tokiyo, especially after her mother was killed. If anyone could get away with calling Tokiyo by her name, it was–

“Knock, knock!” a familiar, grating voice sounded from behind the door. Due to the various gaps between the wood panels, she could very well see the outline of the elvish woman she’d been expecting.

“Come in,” Tokiyo sighed.

Not a second later did Alexandra Drakos stroll into their office. She wore hideously clunky silver armor from the White Wing Continent. It was a miracle the girl could even move.

As much as she hated the mercenary, she was the only way Tokiyo would have eyes inside of Haven while they went through their antiquated ‘Valkyrie Exam’. Tokiyo questioned why they even did it. Why go through all that effort just to raise one Valkyrie when they could just nurture a bunch? The Black Wing Trials were far more effective, though she understood the method behind their madness. In order to succeed, you needed to conquer your opponents – thus earning you the White Wings of Conquest. It was–

“I’ll cut to the chase,” Alexandra interrupted. “You’re really gonna like what I learned.”

Tokiyo raised an eyebrow.

“But pay me first! Mama's gotta eat!"

“That’s not what we agreed upon. You tell me what you learned, and I’ll pay you what–”

“The winner of the exam ended up turning into a Blue Winged Valkyrie. It was the first time that ever happened, apparently.” Alexandra said, putting on an uninterested face. “And you wouldn’t believe who her Servant is!”

Tokiyo shared looks with her attendants. She hated being stingy, but she couldn’t afford to lose money. The news of a new Blue Wing was huge, though. Did they pose a threat? Could they be made an ally? Every order of Valkyrie worked to destroy the Black Wing Continent, but the Blue Wings were the only ones to regret it. Perhaps this new Blue Wing was what they needed? Tokiyo relented, revealing a bag with about 10,000 kouka in it. Alexandra began to smile, but it faded slowly as her attendants blocked the exit.

“Do you really not trust me?”

Tokiyo said nothing. Alexandra was a mercenary she’d just paid to be her spy. She didn’t trust her, yet she had to.

“Dumb question,” Alexandra shrugged. She dug into her inventory and revealed an envelope. “That’s her. Cora Lambros. Pay attention to the person with her.” She turned to the attendants. “You guys might wanna look too. I won’t leave. Promise! I had too much fun in Haven to keep it to myself.”

The attendants turned to Tokiyo, who gave them an uneasy nod and moved to her side once again. Upon opening the envelope, various pictures and notes fell out. Tokiyo decided to start with Alexandra’s summary of Cora.

[Cora Lambros, the granddaughter of King Lambros, has almost nothing in common with her grandfather. She is empathetic, doing her best to see the good in others. It occurred to me upon gauging her early in the Exam that the White Wings of Conquest would not suit her as she simply is not a conqueror in any sense of the word. I, however, do not believe that she is fit to be a Blue Winged Valkyrie. During her time in the Exam, it was clear to me that Cora possesses a small amount of Dominion. Without it, I believe she would have lost to Selene Andris of Lower Haven. When the Exam began, she unintentionally wielded Dominion in strange ways under odd circumstances. As the Exam progressed, however, she began to wield her Dominion like a Black Wing Valkyrie – using it as armor rather than a weapon. It is my belief that her Servant, Seiji Otsuki, may have influenced her in that regard.]

Tokiyo looked up at Alexandra, who looked back at them with a childish smile.

“Seiji Otsuki? Seiji?”

“I have pictures of–”

“Where?!”

“In the envelope!”

Tokiyo dumped the contents of the letter onto the table. If this was a joke, she’d kill Alexandra Drakos where she stood. If not…

She and her attendants rummaged through the many pictures and notes Alexandra left for them. The Black Wings could easily make a map of Haven with just the pictures alone. The sight of Endora and Lord Akio so close to Cora would’ve been concerning on any other day, but that wasn’t what was important now. Her brother. Her Seiji. He was alive?

Yes, he was. Hidden behind a picture of a training hall was a picture of a young man no older than Alexandra herself. He had white hair just like Tokiyo’s with red eyes to match. He had their mother’s face which Tokiyo hadn’t seen in so long. He even dressed like their father, like he was ready to go on the battlefield at that moment. Tokiyo couldn't stop her eyes from misting. Her attendants, her blessed attendants, did their absolute best to keep their composure even though Tokyo knew they were just as emotional.

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“Did you… leave any notes?” Tokiyo managed to say.

Alexandra nodded with a sympathetic smile. “I did, but I wanted to hand it to you personally.” She reached into nothing and produced another folder full of notes on Seiji Otsuki. On her brother. She read every single one of them. This hardly made up for fifteen years of absence, but just knowing he was alive. Knowing he was happy, healthy, safe, and thriving filled her with so much relief that she couldn’t help but sob. Her attendants joined her, and Alexandra stood silent all the while.

According to Alexandra's notes, Seiji had grown up in The Ardor. That place was an isolated island guarded by an aura-suppression field on the outskirts of the Black Wing Continent. It was reserved for the scummiest amongst the scum of the earth. He’d been an assassin to the Hidden Hand, one of King Lambros’ black ops teams. They’d killed him, only for him to be saved by the White Wing Continent at the last minute. Her pure hatred for King Lambros was dampened both by her longing to see her brother and her reluctant gratitude for the very continent that called for their mother’s assassination. If King Lambros knew Seiji Otsuki, Meiji Otsuki’s son was alive, he’d have Seiji’s head immediately.

As if I’d allow him to do that.

“Tell me, Alexandra,” Tokiyo said, composing herself. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up in business. Her brother was far more important. “How was he?”

“Well, he was pretty intense in the beginning, but being around Cora really mellowed him out.” Alexandra shrugged. “I guess she really is a Blue Wing. Anyway, by the end he was pretty cool! He trained with Endora and Akio–”

“Lord Akio,” Tokiyo corrected.

“Yeah. Lord Akio. They trained Cora and Seiji and helped them perfect their Dominion, but the way they applied it was way too ‘Black Wing’. They turn into different people when they use it. Did you read my notes? I feel like I said this already. I put a lot of time into those.”

Tokiyo nodded. Alexandra did say that, and she clearly put a lot of effort into it, but she just wanted to hear it aloud. Her brother was alive! She could talk about him all day.

“How was his relationship with Cora Lambros?”

“Oh, them!” Alexandra gave a mischievous smile. “Those two were all over each other. They’re a thing now! If you’re patient, they might give you another Black Wing–”

“Mind your tongue!” Her attendant snapped. “You will speak of the young Lord with respect!”

Tokiyo was too proud to be upset at Alexandra. Her brother had managed to open his heart to someone, even after growing up somewhere like The Ardor. Without knowing the girl, Tokiyo knew that the Blue Wing was responsible for that change in him. She wished she could thank Cora Lambros, somehow. She did more for the Black Wing Valkyries than she could ever know.

“Sorry! It’s just a joke. But I don’t think it is.”

Tokiyo raised an eyebrow.

“Seiji ended up with the Veil Aspect. I’m no historian, but–”

“That was our mother’s Aspect!”

“Mhmm, and with all that ‘Fate Has Decided’ stuff he used to say I wouldn’t be surprised if his Living Aspect ended up being the same as hers also. He’s no Valkyrie, but if he ever… you know. Aspects can be genetic, that’s all I’m saying.”

Another Meiji Otsuki would be quite useful… No. This is Seiji’s life. I won’t control him. He’s free to love and copulate with whomever he pleases.

“This conversation is over,” Tokiyo decided. She really wanted to keep talking about her brother, but she couldn’t for now.

”That works out because I have a question.” Alexandra called. “What are your plans for Haven? I know you’re killing Valkyries, but I really like Haven, so…”

She’d been wondering the same thing upon learning they’d saved and cared for her baby brother. The White Winged Valkyries of old had decided alongside King Lambros to destroy the Black Wing Continent because of the threat they posed. The biggest opponent of power is power itself, and the Black Wings posed a threat to King Lambros. The only reason that plan had failed was because of her mother’s Living Aspect – Unreality. She unmade the structure of the world – purposefully reforging it as the fractured mess it currently was. No one, save for King Lambros and a few others, actually knew the world was as vast as it was. Of course, the Black Wing Continent was spared the memory wipe, but that didn’t stop King Lambros from killing as many Black Wing Valkyries as possible while crippling the Continent from the inside.

The only way to stop him was by destroying him. If there are no Valkyries to fight at his side, he’ll have nothing to fight with. Of course, if he had nothing to defend the same would be true, but Tokiyo would rather die than become a tyrant just like him. Her targets were the Valkyries who didn’t live up to their ideals. The corrupt that managed to gain their memory back and turn into worse versions of themselves. Her mother envisioned a world where the Orders of Valkyries worked together, yet the Valkyries preferred their own power – and King Lambros wanted the most of it. Thankfully, there were few Valkyries that still managed to uphold their ideals. As luck would have it, she was Cora and Seiji’s teacher. Was it a coincidence, then, that Cora became a Blue Winged Valkyrie or was it calculated?

“Forgive me, Alexandra. I’m sure you’ve made note of this but I need you to tell me anyway. How was your relationship with Endora? And Lord Akio, for that matter.”

“Strained,” Alexandra admitted. “Endora gave me weird looks. I have no idea why, though. Maybe because I look like I’m an elf from the Blue Wing Continent? I had to give her the runaround by putting on this whole performance during one of the Bond Events. It worked, and she really disliked me but didn’t give me any ‘I know you’re a spy’ looks after that.” She slumped a bit. “Lord Akio, though. He saw right through me. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell he knew I was a spy. I never asked him about it because–”

The ocean outside of the cabin stirred as the ground shook. Armors fell to the floor as wood creaked. Tokiyo did her best not to look embarrassed as she felt. Meeting with a mercenary in a shack was fine. But a Lord? That wouldn’t do. She’d rather meet Lord Akio on more even footing. Literally.

“Thank you, Alexandra Drakos.” Tokiyo began, standing from her seat and flexing her Black Wings. “The Black Wing Continent smiles upon you.”

Alexandra began to bow but was cut off by the ferocious bellow of the ancient serpent in the ocean. Tokiyo placed a hand on Alexandra’s shoulder when she yelped. It was a reasonable reaction. World Eaters were quite intimidating when you weren't used to them. These were ferocious creatures capable of destroying the world itself. And Lord Akio had just used one as a vehicle.

She opened the door to her cabin and saw the towering black serpent stare down at her with slitted eyes. The creature inclined its head. Tokiyo did the same. Finally, it opened its mouth wide as a man flew down from the gaping, serpentine maw.

”Lord Akio,” Tokiyo bowed alongside her attendants who’d caught up shortly after.

“Queen Otsuki,” Akio bowed in response.

The man was dressed in simple black plate and cloth to match Tokiyo and her attendants. He gave a quick glance behind Tokiyo to the red-haired elf that’d been hiding behind her. Alexandra gripped Tokiyo’s shoulders with trembling hands but said nothing.

“I suppose you told Queen Otsuki about Lord Seiji?”

“Mhmm!” Alexandra groaned.

“Good! That saves me the trouble.” He pointed at the World Eater. “Wait in there. I’ll be quick.”

“Got it!”

The World Eater lowered its head to the beach and opened its mouth, accepting a cringing Alexandra inside. Lord Akio patted it on the nose as soon as she was in. The World Eater bristled, nustling against his entire body.

“Good girl,” Lord Akio laughed. “Now, let’s get down to business.”