Two days had passed since Kyle woke up. During that time, Azrael sparred with Kyle and Jarred, honing his skills. Kyle also guided Azrael through the first steps of the awakening path.

It was noon, and the three of them sat together on the castle’s second floor, sharing a meal. They were debating who would spar next when the sound of the castle door creaking open interrupted them. All three froze, their attention fixed on the entrance below.

As the door slowly opened, a familiar sight greeted them—a carriage. Carl and Mika had returned from their trip to Aoyu Village.

“They’re here!” Azrael exclaimed, grinning as he stood to leave, but Kyle held him back with a mischievous look.

“Wait. I’ve got an idea.”

Azrael and Jarred exchanged curious glances but stayed silent.

Downstairs, the castle door opened fully, and Carl stepped inside.

“Hello? Anyone here?” Carl called out, his voice echoing through the hall.

Mika followed close behind, concern evident on her face. “Do you think something happened to them?” she asked softly.

As they scanned the room, they spotted Azrael descending the stairs. Relief washed over their faces, and Carl broke into a wide grin.

“Az! Thank goodness you’re okay. We were starting to worry something happened to you!” Carl said, his voice filled with joy.

Azrael smiled warmly. “Carl! Mika! Welcome back. I’m glad to see you both safe.”

“How have you been?” Mika asked, her eyes scanning him. “And where are Kyle and Jarred?”

Azrael’s expression shifted from joy to sorrow, his gaze falling to the floor. The change didn’t go unnoticed. Carl and Mika’s smiles faded, replaced with worry.

“Az?” Mika stepped closer, her tone anxious. “What happened? Tell me!”

Azrael hesitated, his hand gripping his arm. “It’s... it’s Kyle and Jarred...”

“What about them?!” Mika demanded, gripping his shoulders.

“They’re... gone.” Azrael’s voice cracked as he lowered his head.

Mika staggered, her legs giving out as she collapsed in front of him. Tears streamed down her face. “N-no... How?! Why?!”

Her cries filled the room until a strange sound broke through—laughter. It came from the staircase above.

“huh?” Mika muttered, her face still buried in her hands.

Carl’s eyes narrowed as he looked toward the stairs, annoyance flashing across his face. “Are you serious?” he muttered.

Kyle’s laughter grew louder as he descended, followed by Jarred, both grinning ear to ear.

“Got you!” Kyle announced triumphantly.

Mika looked up, confused. “What...?”

Kyle pointed at Mika, struggling to contain his laughter. “Jarred, did you see her face? I’ve never seen her cry like that!” He clutched his stomach, laughing harder.

Jarred glanced at Mika and froze. “Uh... Kyle?”

Unfazed, Kyle clapped a hand on Jarred’s shoulder. “Come on, wasn’t that hilarious? She really thought we were dead!”

“Kyle...” Jarred’s voice was low, his eyes fixed on Mika.

Mika, now strangely quiet, lowered her head. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

Kyle finally noticed the shift in her demeanor. “Uh... Mika?” He tried to smile but faltered under her intense glare. “It was just a joke, right, Jarred? Azrael?”

Azrael stood silently, arms crossed, clearly uninterested in bailing him out.

Kyle swallowed hard, his voice cracking. “M-Mika, come on. It was just a prank!”

Mika cracked her knuckles, each pop echoing ominously in the room as she slowly approached him.

“W-wait! Mika! Let’s talk about this!” Kyle stammered, backing away. “Mika!”

*

“It makes sense now why you’ve bulked up a little since the last time I saw you,” Mika remarked to Azrael. “Do you train every day?”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Pretty much,” Azrael replied with a chuckle. “Even I was surprised to see myself getting stronger not just mentally, but also physically. Oh, by the way, did you manage to get everything we need for the journey to Tancki Valley?”

Carl, already eating, nodded. “Yeah, most of what we brought is food, a few first-aid kits in case something happens, and, of course, some intel on routes where we won’t risk getting caught.”

Azrael raised an eyebrow. “Caught?”

“You know we’re wanted by the law, right?” Mika interjected. “We’ll need to avoid the knights in Tancki Valley.”

Carl added, “According to the intel we gathered, some of the Kent Family’s agents are in Tancki Valley too.”

Jarred looked up, puzzled. “Isn’t the Kent Family based in the Southeast Continent? What are they doing in the North?”

“Business,” Carl explained. “My sources say they’re running some kind of operation here.”

“What kind of operation?” Kyle asked, his face still marked with bruises because of what Mika did earlier. “Legal or illegal?”

“That part we don’t know yet,” Carl admitted. “But we’ve heard they’re recruiting. I thought maybe we could use that to get in.”

Azrael frowned. “Isn’t that risky?”

“It is,” Jarred agreed. “The Kent Family likely has connections with Tancki’s mayor. If we’re caught, we’re done for.”

Carl shrugged. “The thing is, they don’t know we’re criminals. They don’t even know what we look like, so we have a shot at infiltrating them.”

“It’s still dangerous,” Kyle pointed out. “If we rush into this without a solid plan, we’re just asking for trouble.”

“But this could be our chance to leave the North Continent,” Mika leaned forward, her tone more urgent. “We’ve learned that their operations involve travel. One of their routes leads to the South Continent. If we join them, we could get there faster.”

Azrael stood abruptly, his excitement evident. “That’s great news!”

“Calm down, Azrael,” Kyle said, gesturing for him to sit. “We don’t know all the details about their work yet.”

“Exactly,” Carl agreed. “Even if this sounds promising, we can’t jump in blind.”

Azrael shrugged. “I don’t see why you’re all hesitating. Whether it’s legal or illegal, I’m sure you’ll go for it anyway.”

Mika sighed deeply. “Az, we’re thinking about everyone’s safety here,” she said, crossing her arms. “You’re not wrong; we’ll likely take the job. But we don’t know how dangerous it’ll be. I’m not putting this group’s lives on the line without considering every angle.”

Carl muttered under his breath, “Like you didn’t almost get us killed crossing Caroline Mountain...”

Mika’s eye twitched as she snapped, “I know that! You don’t have to remind me!” She slammed her hands on the table. “That’s why I’m being extra careful this time. I don’t want us walking into another disaster.”

Jarred chimed in calmly, “We’ll make this a group decision. That way, if something goes wrong, no one can point fingers.”

“I’m with Jarred on this,” Azrael agreed.

“Fine,” Mika relented. “Raise your hand if you want to take the job with the Kent Family.”

One by one, hands went up—Carl, Kyle, Jarred, and Azrael. Mika remained still, her head dropping into her hands.

She looked up after a moment, exhaling sharply. “Alright. But remember, this is a group decision. Don’t blame me if things go south.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Carl, rubbing his chin, suddenly asked, “By the way, wouldn’t it be better if we had a leader? Someone to call the shots?”

“Is that really necessary?” Azrael asked, tilting his head.

“Not absolutely,” Kyle said thoughtfully. “But it’s a good idea, especially since we’re a bigger group now.”

Jarred added, “If we’re doing this, we need someone who’s good with money to manage our budget. Someone who can keep everyone in line.”

Azrael shrugged again. “I’m easy. Whoever it is, I’ll follow.”

The four men paused, their eyes slowly shifting toward Mika. She noticed their stares and scowled.

“Hey! Don’t even think about it!” she yelled, slamming the table. “I am not babysitting you idiots!”

The men exchanged awkward glances, trying and failing to suppress their grins. Mika’s glare intensified, disgust flashing across her face.

“Enough!” She stood, pointing at them. “I’m not leading this group. Period!”

“M-Mika!” Kyle stammered.

She clamped her hands over her ears and stomped off, shouting, “La-la-la! I can’t hear you! La-la-la!”

“Mika!” they all called after her in unison, laughing despite themselves.

*

"Alright! We’ve got ourselves a leader!" Carl shouted triumphantly, one foot on the table and the other on his chair.

"Yes!" the group echoed in unison.

Meanwhile, Mika sat in the corner, head in her hands, groaning.

“This isn’t happening. Why me? I don’t want to babysit these lunatics!” she cried, her voice covered with frustration. “I just got back from a long journey, and this is what I get? My head’s about to explode!”

Carl, unfazed by Mika’s protests, grinned and asked, “So, what do we call our group?”

“A name?” Azrael repeated, raising a brow.

At that, everyone began rubbing their chins, deep in thought.

“How about... Eternal Parade?” Carl suggested with a dramatic flourish.

“What the actual hell is that supposed to mean?!” Kyle blurted out, his face broke in disbelief.

“Got a better idea, genius?!” Carl snapped back.

Jarred tilted his head. “Why Eternal Parade?”

Carl straightened and held up a finger as if delivering a profound revelation. “Because it symbolizes a group that’s timeless, enduring, and always moving forward. It conveys strength, persistence, and longevity—like we’re an unstoppable force on a never-ending journey.”

The room fell silent as the others stared at him, their jaws practically hitting the floor.

“Well... that actually sounds pretty good,” Azrael admitted after a moment.

“I think so too,” Jarred agreed, nodding.

Kyle sighed, reluctantly putting his hand out. “Alright, fine. Eternal Parade it is.”

One by one, the others stacked their hands over Kyle’s, sealing the decision.

“To longer and happier journeys ahead!” Kyle shouted with a grin.

“Eternal Parade!” they all exclaimed together, their voices filled with determination and a hint of excitement.