[Realm: Uhorus]

[Location: Verdantis]

[Capital City]

The conversation seemed heavier with every passing minute.

The room had not changed, of course. Alyssia’s chamber remained just as lavish as before; the chandelier above still glowed, the pastries on the table still released sweetness into the air, and outside the tall windows, snow still drifted down across the city.

"To continue," Victoria was the first to speak after a prolonged moment of silence, her fingers lightly tapping against the porcelain teacup now resting near her knee. "I am curious; would it also be correct to assume Dante is within this other realm as well?"

The question caused the atmosphere in Alyssia’s chamber to change once more.

The warmth from the fireplace remained steady, yet despite the comfort surrounding them, tension still sat heavily between every person present. Obviously it was not malicious, but it was apparent enough, making it difficult to ignore.

Lucinda still sat stiffly where she was, her red eyes lowering briefly in thought. Fiona remained beside her, posture straight despite the unease clear in the twitching of her ears. Victoria looked calm, but the sharpness in her eyes betrayed just how calm she was acting.

However, the three did note the minute reaction from Alyssia, who now sat with her arms folded tightly beneath her chest. She had perked up ever so slightly at the mention of Dante again.

"Yes," Lyra answered at last. "It is almost certain."

Her response came calmly, but the seriousness behind it was impossible to ignore.

"The disappearances are too obvious to be coincidence," the Court Mage continued. "Mikoto vanished. Dante vanished. General Grimm of Vel’ryr vanished as well. Three individuals from the three major nations. All of them were among the strongest assets their respective powers possessed. It makes sense someone would want these potential threats as far as possible."

Victoria’s expression dimmed slightly in understanding.

"So someone wanted to make sure the greatest threats were not going to be a bother for a long time," she murmured quietly.

"Exactly."

Lyra folded one leg over the other before continuing.

"It is imperative that we retrieve them all. We can combat this calamity—perhaps even stop it temporarily. But the Abyss is not something that simply exhausts itself. More tears will open. More Abyssal Wardens will emerge. And if matters continue escalating..." Her red eyes lowered ever so slightly, "...then we shall require every ounce of strength available to us."

The room quieted after that; no one disagreed; they all understood the implications.

Lucinda’s fingers tightened slightly against her armored thigh.

Mikoto is still trapped somewhere beyond their reach. She tried not to imagine what kind of realm could contain someone like him. Tried not to think about what state he might currently be in after everything Lyra had revealed regarding the phase.

Victoria exhaled softly through her nose.

"Well," she said with dry humor that lacked its usual playfulness, "that certainly is not comforting."

Her gaze shifted slowly toward Alyssia.

"Still, I doubt the calamity is the only issue looming overhead. There exist three spawns of Octavia now." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Another war may very well break out because of that alone."

Lucinda visibly flinched; it was only slightly, but everyone seemed to notice.

Alyssia frowned immediately at the statement, her eyes sharpening.

"Have people truly become so crude," she asked dryly, "that they would wage war during an apocalypse?"

The disbelief in her voice sounded genuine, not even naïve; if anything, it was disgust at the prospect that entered her tone.

Lyra gave a small hum before shaking her head.

"That is humanity for you," she murmured. "Conflict has always survived even when reason does not. Entire kingdoms can stand at the edge of annihilation and still search for someone else to blame before the world collapses around them."

There was no bitterness in her voice, and that made the statement feel worse.

"But yes," Lyra continued, "Victoria would be correct. If Alyssia’s existence becomes public knowledge, then the calamity itself may very well become secondary in the eyes of certain nations." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Especially for the Vel’ryr Empire."

Lucinda frowned at that.

"Because they lack a spawn of Octavia," Fiona finished quietly.

Lyra nodded once.

"Yes."

The Solkari girl lowered her gaze briefly in thought before looking toward Alyssia again.

"Yet Galadriel and Verdantis already possess their own," Fiona murmured. "So what exactly do you intend to do? Merely keep Alyssia hidden forever?" Her ears twitched. "Initially Mikoto concealed his identity beneath a mask, but I cannot imagine such a life being particularly comforting."

Alyssia’s expression darkened slightly at that, and Lucinda noticed immediately.

"Nothing like that," Lyra waved off smoothly. "I have no intention of chaining Alyssia indoors for the rest of her life."

"Good," Alyssia muttered.

"However," Lyra continued without missing a beat, "I will allow her to walk the streets as she pleases only once I am certain she is strong enough."

"I am not a child, you know?" Alyssia protested immediately.

No one answered her, which somehow offended her even more. Lucinda almost smiled seeing the visible irritation on the white-haired girl’s face.

Lyra spoke up again as her gaze shifted back to Lucinda.

"That," the Court Mage stated calmly, "is where you come in. I would have you play teacher to Alyssia."

Lucinda’s brows furrowed slightly; truthfully, she was not particularly surprised.

The request made sense.

Another spawn of Octavia would naturally understand Alyssia better than almost anyone else possibly could. Even so, Lucinda still struggled to understand why Lyra seemed so certain she was the correct choice.

"I am not sure how much help I would actually be," Lucinda admitted honestly. "Spawns of Octavia naturally improve with time. And our familial arts are not exactly something others can simply teach."

Then something occurred to her, a thought abrupt enough that her expression shifted immediately.

"Wait..." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked directly at Alyssia. "Have you been able to summon Harbinger at all?"

At the mention of the divine blade, Alyssia clicked her tongue softly.

"No," she huffed, folding her arms tighter. "The blade eludes me for whatever reason." Her eyes narrowed irritably. "For a sword, it possesses quite the attitude."

Lucinda frowned deeply at that; her thoughts immediately began turning.

("So her too...") The realization was uncomfortable. ("Maybe it truly is because there are now three spawns of Octavia. Or perhaps...") Her eyes lowered slightly. ("Maybe Harbinger bound itself entirely to Mikoto.")

That possibility alone made her chest tighten; Harbinger of Fate was not a simple weapon. It was victory; whenever the blade was drawn, there was no path but the one leading to victory. The most powerful of any divine artifacts.

And if even Alyssia could not summon it...

Lucinda slowly exhaled before forcing herself back into the conversation.

"Back to the topic," she continued calmly, "barring our eyes, our ability to replicate powers through magic, and Harbinger... there would still be Seraphic Chorus."

At those words, Guinevere’s interest visibly sharpened.

"The Familial Arts that call upon the divine army of Goddess Octavia herself," the court mage mused softly. "A fascinating ability."

Her violet eyes shifted toward Alyssia.

"She has only managed to summon a few manifestations successfully," Guinevere continued. "I assume that is because you yourself have been actively making use of them."

Lucinda nodded once.

"Yes. I cannot be everywhere at once." Her voice lowered slightly. "The soldiers themselves are powerful enough to stabilize many battlefields alone. Unfortunately..." she frowned slightly, "...I still have not managed to summon General Magnus."

"A pity," Lyra murmured thoughtfully. "But understandable."

The room quieted briefly again as Lyra leaned forward slightly, resting one hand beneath her chin.

"But there remains something else you can offer Alyssia."

Victoria glanced sideways toward Lucinda before looking back at the Court Mage.

"Are you hoping Lucinda can accelerate the learning and adaptation process?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Just so," Lyra nodded smoothly.

Lucinda remained silent for a moment as her eyes drifted toward Alyssia again. The white-haired girl met her gaze directly this time. Lucinda realized that despite all her irritation and complaints, Alyssia herself likely understood the danger better than anyone.

A third spawn of Octavia, an existence that should not have existed, and of course, a target the moment the world learned of her. And beneath all the attitude, Lucinda could sense it clearly now.

Isolation may very well call upon her, like it could with Mikoto. Like it did with her so long ago.

"Very well," Lucinda finally said.

Alyssia blinked once as Lucinda exhaled lightly before continuing.

"I will help however I can."

For the first time since the conversation began, Alyssia’s expression softened slightly, only for a moment. Then she quickly looked away with a small huff.

"Good," she muttered quietly. "Because Lyra is unbearable when she attempts to teach combat."

"I heard that," Lyra replied immediately.

"You were meant to." Alyssia shot back.

Victoria smiled softly into her cup while Fiona rubbed her temple in exasperation.

Despite the crushing weight of everything surrounding them—the Abyss, the disappearances, the angels, and other realms—for one brief moment, the suffocating tension in the room eased just a little.