The Hive Queen fell without my having to lift a finger. The Breakthrough was sealed. But something about our surroundings felt off. Not as it usually is.

Typically, after the end of a Breakthrough, we would be prompted to return to the locations from which the Break had transported us to counter the threat. But this time, there was no such prompt. Nearly fifty Break Knights stood frozen where they had been when the Breakthrough ended.

"Something's not right," Halley voiced the general consensus.

I had to agree, it was strange. Yet, the Breakthrough had undoubtedly concluded. I could effortlessly step into reality, despite the personal restrictions imposed on me, which indicated that it was indeed closed.

"Do you think it's some kind of glitch?" Rex wondered. He then crossed into reality, only to immediately return to the Break. "No... Everything seems to be in order. Nothing's hindering me."

Guided by what seemed like intuition, the raigs began to cluster into a single group. None of us sheathed our weapons. Even the free Knights and the Masks' members were reluctant to leave this particular stretch of the avenue.

"Don't panic!" Leonidas interjected. "The Breakthrough is closed - there's no danger!" He raised his blade to reinforce his point. "My sword confirms it," he added in a softer tone, "as useless as its ability may be."

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the ranks of raigs.

"But something's still off!" Maya argued. "I can sense tension in the Break. It feels like the Breakthrough is closed, yet there's something amiss, something we've never faced before."

"The threat of a new Breakthrough is nonexistent at the moment, I can confirm," a raig named Punisher, one of the Masks of Novilter, stepped forward to say.

The heavy lamellar armor of a steppe warrior, accompanied by a saber at his side and high leather boots with chainmail inserts, fully embodied the appearance of this raig. He was somewhat of a second-in-command to Mersk - at least as much as you could say that about the almost anarchic structure of the Masks. The dual confirmation, first from Leonidas and then from Punisher, put everyone at ease.

"I'll inform the authorities," Leonidas sprang into action and exited the Break, immediately dialing a number on his mobile.

Less than a minute after his call, the first emergency service vehicles arrived on the avenue. Civil defense sirens wailed, signaling the end of the alarm.

"Maybe it's just a glitch?" Halley shrugged. "So what if the 'reverse transportation' system just failed or broke down? Something similar happened during the Breakthrough in the ocean."

"There, we just strayed outside our jurisdiction," Maya corrected him.

I shot her a stern look, as Halley was trying to soothe everyone, and she was only adding fuel to the fire.

"I think we can disperse now," Halley spoke again, addressing everyone. "We'll leave a strike team here to keep watch and raise the alarm if anything goes wrong."

These words were a balm to the gathered crowd's nerves. People released their held breaths and began to look around without fear.

I surveyed the five members of the Masks of Novilter. It was clear to me that this issue needed resolution. It needed to be resolved here and now.

"Listen up!" I called out, drawing all eyes to me. "All free raigs, kindly vacate the avenue! This doesn't concern the Masks or BKDW! I have an important announcement to make."

It's fortunate when your authority is unquestioned. Every individual I instructed obliged, except for the Masks who defiantly assembled at a distance around Punisher. Once the last of the free raigs had disappeared from my view, I clambered atop a nearby minivan.

"Has everyone noticed that both the head of BKDW, Crixus, and the head of Masks of Novilter, Mersk, were absent during the Breakthrough reflection?"

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Perhaps some of you wondered... Where are they?"

Again, I observed nods and whispers of agreement.

"You don't know, do you?"

Of course, they didn't.

"I do. But before I reveal... " I tossed my sword into the air. "The name of this blade is 'Word', and it forbids me to lie! Should a lie pass my lips, rust will form on this sword! Max Kraas confirmed this trait of my sword, in front of witnesses." I paused to let that sink in.

"I confirm." Maya voiced.

"I confirm." Halley agreed.

"I confirm." Rex echoed them.

"So, Crixus and Mersk are at the cargo port." My words were met with a confused buzz. "Curious why they didn't attend the reflection of the Breakthrough?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"We're curious!"

Voices clamored for an answer.

"Because..." I raised my voice to quell the crowd. "They couldn't. The dead aren't summoned to repel Breakthroughs!"

My declaration was met with a chilling silence.

"Yes, you heard correctly. Crixus and Mersk are dead! Silence! No need for speculation! I witnessed their demise... Today, at around fifteen minutes past midnight, while Mersk shook my hand, Crixus stabbed me in the back! Mersk then attacked me too. Why? Because they wished to usurp the authority of the shapeshifters, replacing them with us, the Break Knights. I... I thwarted their plans. As a result of a grueling duel... They are dead, and I stand before you." With a sweeping gesture, I displayed the blade of "Word," void of any rust. "Silence!" My voice rang out, and the crowd fell quiet. "So! Those who agree with Crixus and Mersk's path, who are willing to backstab and murder their comrades to overthrow the shapeshifters!" My gaze scanned the raigs. "Those for whom politics takes precedence over the duty to protect people..." I raised my voice to its limit.

Dobrynya silently takes his place behind me, adjusting his grip on his axe. A moment later, the protective cover of Maya's blade is at my back. Behind her, Rex and Halley join ranks... Within a minute, the majority of the raigs have gathered behind me, battle-ready. Facing us are five Masks and seven fresh recruits of the BKDW, apparently those who have recently been "turned" by Crixus.

"Lackeys!" Punisher hisses with contempt. "Traitors of the human race! I despise you almost as much as those wretched shapeshifters! Spineless cowards!" His anger fuels him. "I challenge any one of you to a duel! A fight to the death!"

"I accept!" Rex calls out, before I can utter a word.

Instantly, the remaining raigs form a wide circle, with the two challengers at its center.

"Will the oath not hinder him?" I ask Halley.

"I personally wrote the part of the oath which specifies that the 'comrades' to be protected are members of the organization," he explains. "But, if one of our new recruits also steps in... That's when we'll face issues."

Neither party needed a second invitation, nor any formalities. As soon as the circle was clear, Punisher charged forward with an incoherent roar, unsheathing his saber.

A mistake...

It was their mistake - that none of the Masks have consistently attended our training sessions. This was no duel, no fair fight. While Punisher tried to land powerful blows with his saber, Rex only responded with two thrusts. Two precise, sharp attacks, each one slicing across the anarchist's throat, causing him to fall out of the Break.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The entire duel lasted no more than three seconds.

I hurried forward to prevent Rex from delivering the final blow. Regardless of Punisher's proclamation of a fight to the death, his challenge was not the Auto-da-fe of Crixus, and the raig devoid of prana after a defeat simply fell back into reality. To kill Punisher, Rex would have to strike a defenseless and senseless opponent, a notion that violated my moral principles.

To my relief, I made it in time. However, Rex himself seemed to hesitate.

But it appears that there are indeed higher powers at work in the world. Someone, somewhere, is ensuring that we pay for our words. There's no other way to explain the following events.

Punisher returned to reality at the exact moment a police car sped down the avenue, sirens blaring. The driver yanked the steering wheel in a futile attempt to swerve, but it was too late. The bumper struck the raig, and his lifeless body, broken in at least a dozen places, fell onto the sidewalk. His days as the Break Knight known as Punisher were over.

The scene, to put it mildly, was chilling to the bone.

Though I understood that my behavior might be viewed as somewhat unfair, I still found myself turning away from the lifeless body and speaking through gritted teeth to the doubters:

"Is there anyone else who wants to fight?"

I took a step forward.

"I will repeat!" My voice echoed like steel. "Those of you who let political preferences..." I deliberately chose this softer phrase to create a contrast with the harsh words that would follow. "...take precedence over the life of a comrade-at-arms, leave! Find another playground for your political games! We, the Break Knights, can't allow ourselves, in the midst of a Breakthrough, to wonder whether this one or that one from the Masks..." My finger swept in the direction of the raigs, frozen like statues. "...will cover my back or stab me in the back given the chance?! I don't care about your political views! It doesn't matter if you lean right or left, if you're liberals or conservatives, or if you think shapeshifters are worthy rulers or dream of humans ruling. In battle, in the Break, none of this should affect a raig! If anyone disagrees with what I've said, just leave the city. Don't force us to make difficult decisions..."

The first to surrender was a raig in a gray cuirass over chainmail armor, if I'm not mistaken, Tyurin, the chief programmer and administrator of the Masks website.

"I never understood Mersk and Punisher's fanaticism!" he declared. "I'm all for free information! Not for coups! And the thought of attacking our own, the Break Knights, never even crossed my mind!"

"Me neither!" chimed in another member of the Masks of Novilter.

"If you want to maintain the Masks of Novilter as a platform for the free exchange of information, you can. But, no revolutionary games!"

After that, things got easier as the doubters fell in line. In the end, the Masks of Novilter remained, but as an anarchist platform, not an anti-government organization. And most of the newcomers to the BKDW were simply swayed by Crixus's charisma and were oblivious to his global plans.

Only three refused. One from the Masks and two newcomers who had recently joined the BKDW, but now left the organization. No one pursued them. We just made them promise not to appear in Wilflaes while in the Break. In the physical world, they were free to do as they liked, but not in the Break!

As soon as this issue was resolved, Kael confronted me:

"Maestro! You have a lot to clarify..."

It would have been more convenient for me to tell everything calmly in a smaller group, but I had brought this public spectacle upon myself. Now I had to explain everything to the crowd, rather than in private, one-on-one discussions. Still, I managed. I had to omit the part about the Heir's agreement with Mersk, but that only worked in my favor. In truth, the story was brief. I began with my attempts almost a month ago to contact the Masks of Novilter and persuade them to join our training. Then I mentioned how Crixus had informed me that he had reached an agreement with the Masks, and only my personal presence was needed to seal the deal. Next, I described the fight, providing only an overview. But I made sure to relay Crixus's last words in exact detail. That he had understood and acknowledged his mistake, but due to the activated ability of Auto-da-fe, he had two choices: kill me or kill himself using me. He chose the latter, smashing his sword against my blades.

When I finished speaking, there was an absolute silence in the Break. Halley wordlessly twirled the hilt of his sword. Dobrynya looked straight into my eyes, offering an unwavering support. Maya stood ashen-faced. Rex, maintaining a stoic facade, fiddled with his armor, his fingers trembling. The twins hugged each other silently, their tears flowing freely.

In the Break... They wept...

Maya was the first to recover from the shock of my story.

"We need to inform our allies," she said.

"Yeah, the death of Crixus can't be swept under the rug," Halley agreed.

"I concur. I'll handle it," I said. The last thing I wanted was to bear this burden, yet I knew it was my responsibility - this call had to be made by me and no one else.

With almost all BKDW members present, barring a few who missed the reflection of this Breakthrough for some reason, we conducted an impromptu election for the head of the organization. This time, there were no secret ballots - everything was transparent. Maya stepped away from the running, which resulted in Halley's predictable win. I was appointed as the military leader, or, as Rex put it, a "warboss![1]" This sparked an uncontrollable, mildly hysterical laughter from me, which I couldn't explain to the others.

Once we finished discussing the changes and formalities, everyone started to disperse - a wise move since we couldn't linger in the Break all night. We agreed to patrol the avenue and after assigning shifts, I hopped out of the minivan to survey those who remained.

"I'll head to the port; make the call there and look after the bodies," I announced.

"I'm with you," Rex stepped forward.

"Count me in," Halley chimed in.

"And I..." began Maya, her voice uncertain.

"No," I cut her off. "You can't. You're on the first shift here." I had deliberately arranged the shifts to prevent her from accompanying me.

Maya crossed her arms over her chest, feigning offense, but nodded and stepped back. I could tell she didn't really want to go with me. Her offer was merely a token gesture, something she deemed as the "right thing to do."

Our trio reached the port quickly. With their projections' helmets on, I couldn't gauge their reactions upon seeing the two lifeless bodies sprawled on the pavement.

"I always saw Crixus as overly impulsive," Rex broke the silence. "But for him to fall under Mersk's influence enough to backstab his own..."

"No one influenced him," Halley disagreed. "I believe they bonded over their mutual hatred for shapeshifters. Still, it's shocking that this hatred ran so deep."

"Mersk admitted he's killed raigs before," I recalled.

"What?" Halley recoiled.

"So maybe he killed Ungor?!" Rex roared. After leaving the Break, he had tried to vent his anger by kicking the body of the former head of the Masks of Novilter.

Halley and I had barely had time to intercept him.

"You shouldn't hit the dead," I said as calmly as possible, my hand resting on the shoulder of the enraged man.

"Fine," Rex shook his head, "I'll retreat to the Break to calm down."

"I'm with him," Halley dipped his head in acknowledgment.

I nodded in response and found myself alone in the physical world, standing next to two corpses. Reaching into a concealed pocket on Metatron's hip, I took out the mobile phone that BKDW had issued to me long ago and powered it on.

I should have been preparing for the upcoming conversation, but my eyes were glued to the dead bodies, my thoughts wandering far away. I dialed the emergency number, which I then recalled was Rock's number, but before I could end the call, someone on the other end picked up.

"This is Maestro," I said slowly.

"I'm glad to hear you're safe, Maestro," a voice responded from the other end.

"Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" I asked, although I recognized the voice. However, Maestro had never heard this voice before.

"Allow me to introduce myself - Gabriel Mustiel, the Count of Runar, the new curator of BKDW, and I am authorized to speak on behalf of the official Heir of Novilter."

I suspected something like this when the count mentioned at our last lecture that he had a new job. His appointment made sense. The Heir's curators are all exceptional individuals, displaying unwavering loyalty to him. Such people cannot be found through job postings; they are "nurtured," groomed for the positions they will hold for years to come. So, it did not surprise me that finding a quick replacement for Rock was not only challenging but nearly impossible - unless you sought one within the family. And that's precisely what the Heir did, appointing his younger brother as the curator of the Break Knights from the House on the Hill.

Less than twenty minutes after my call, a nondescript black government helicopter had touched down next to me. Shortly after, the police had arrived, followed by forensics and Ohrin, accompanied by employees from Novilter's internal security service.

What surprised and somewhat pleased me was seeing Tedd alongside his father. The young man did not push to the front, but he was wearing a uniform with an intern's badge, diligently following the chief forensic scientist and constantly jotting down notes. Wow, I had thought this pair would never reconcile, but it appeared family bonds had ultimately prevailed. Seeing Ohrin and Tedd together was somewhat heartening, perhaps because they found each other due to my meddling. Though, I had nearly ruined everything by leaving them in a serious argument, fostering resentment towards each other. The fact that they had reconciled and found the strength to be a family...

I found myself pondering how this scene must appear to an outsider: Maestro standing over two bodies, grinning. It's a good thing I have the helmet of the First Angel on, concealing this out-of-place and slightly foolish smile.

The initial encounter and subsequent dialog with Gabriel were no walk in the park. The count clearly had a tricky time figuring out how to interact with raigs. On numerous occasions, I had to bluntly put him in his place when he attempted to boss around me or Halley, who had materialized in the real world. Maybe I'm not as virtuous as I perceive myself to be, given I took pleasure in seeing Gabriel's disoriented expression each time he received my firm rejection of his authoritative tone. He was still an upper-class aristocrat, and, for all his liberalism, it was difficult for him to wrap his head around the idea that a non-shapeshifter could regard him as an equal. And it wasn't just a theoretical possibility, but I was actively asserting our equal standing according to the agreement made with the Heir. Or perhaps I was merely exacting revenge for that oppressive grip he had on me back at the university hospital? Moreover, I wasn't concerned about Gabriel identifying me by scent, like Rock could, because Metatron concealed my body odor. The armor itself, on the other hand, had a distinctive smell, which, as I guessed, was purposely designed to confuse the noses of shapeshifters.

Maybe that was the case...

The formalities, reports, and clarifications dragged on until nearly four in the morning. After that, Halley and I departed from the port area, leaving Gabriel and his crew behind. Rex, meanwhile, headed off to the avenue as it was time for his shift.

[1] TLN: apparently, Warhammer doesn't exist in this universe for anyone to understand the joke.