Lydia

The trip back to Pernan was only interrupted by Leah joining us with the Yamadians we had left behind. It had taken them nearly half an hour to get their bearings after they arrived, and I gave Leah an unamused look.

"You could've taken it a bit easier…" I said.

"My priority is to be by my lady's side." Her reply was expected, but I still rolled my eyes dramatically. Once everyone was loaded in the carriage again, we were once more on the way.

We had only been gone for a few weeks, so the city hadn't changed at all. Yet, I still felt a sense of relief when we entered the underground, greeting Lily the florist with more familiarity this time. Abel led the way back to Luke's office, and after a quick knock on his door, my eldest brother sat waiting behind his desk, buried in a mountain of paperwork. You can take the prince out of the castle, but the paperwork comes with him, hm? I appreciated Azure giggling at my mental joke.

"Welcome back, everyone," Luke said with a tired smile as he looked up at us. Once everyone had filed in, he stood and gave me and Audrey hugs. "I read the advanced report, great job. As expected of my sisters." Perhaps it was because he was exhausted, but he was being a bit more affectionate than usual, and it made Audrey and me blush a little with embarrassment.

"You've been doing your best as well, it seems," I replied cheekily, and my brother laughed.

"The seat may change, but the work doesn't." he clapped his hands together and folded them beneath his chin as he sat back down. "Now, I imagine there's quite a bit that wasn't in the reports. Shall we get to business?" His eyes drifted to the two Yamadians standing slightly behind us. The warriors Daimyo Masayori had provided were being guided by Lucia and Hailey to the soldier quarters, so we only had Yuzuki and Yuuichi now.

On cue, the two stepped forward and bowed deeply toward Luke.

"We greet the first prince of Venyth." They repeated the respectful phrase they had also given Abel back at the inn.

"I'm not the prince of anything, right now." My brother retorted before catching himself. That's not like him… I'll make sure he gets some rest after this. His biting tone only made the Yamadians freeze in their bow until Luke finally waved his hand. "Stand up, as you can see, I'm not in the condition for formalities right now."

They did as they were told, but exchanged a nervous glance. After a moment, Yuuichi finally took the lead and began to speak.

"I understand that you must be hesitant after our last meeting, but I want to emphasize that we will stand by our promises from here on out."

"If it's for the sake of my people, I will not put a strain on our relationship for the duration of this conflict," Luke said, his face a mask of professionalism. Before Yuuichi could relax, though, he continued. "However, my father made you a promise three years ago, do you remember?"

I did. I could hear my father's words, as cold as my mother's magic. "Venyth will not forget Yamada's betrayal. Even if the kingdom falls, there will be consequences." And one look into Yuuichi's black eyes made it clear he hadn't forgotten either.

"I do, Prince Luke." He said clearly, meeting my brother's gaze unflinchingly despite the tension in the air. "My brother—No, my whole family regrets our decision. However, as a leader, I trust you can at least understand that we did what we thought was best for our people."

That made my brother pause before he shook his head slowly. "It's precisely because I understand that I will not let it go… Still, I apologize for letting my emotions get the best of me. This conversation only matters if we make it through this alive." I smiled a little at my brother's words. It was clear he had no intention of cold-blooded revenge, but he would see to it that the consequences Father spoke of would come to fruition. After taking a moment to compose himself and let the tension in the air fade, Luke continued. "Now, I understand that Yamadian troops won't be coming right away. What do we need to do?" Yuuichi looked relieved that the topic was shifting away from the past, and he cleared his throat.

"To guarantee a safe landing, Duke Rose must be removed from power." It was a quick but efficient explanation, and my brother closed his eyes in thought.

"Defeat Duke Rose, hm?" Luke mused in his chair. "That's... doable, I think. But we would need the reinforcements swiftly after that. If we take out the Duke, the Emperor will not give us much time to prepare before a counterattack."

"Our esteemed Daimyo is preparing for war as we speak, and our ships will be waiting a day's sail off the coast for news of our victory," Yuichi explained.

My brother glanced at me for confirmation, and I nodded my head, causing him to let out a heavy breath.

"If that's the case, we might just have a chance..." He looked at everyone present in order before stopping on Yuuichi again.

"Then we need to make a plan to retake the capital."

The atmosphere shifted as the conversation progressed, and Abel chimed in.

"It might be difficult to avoid collateral damage." He said thoughtfully.

"Why don't Lydia and I just sneak into the castle?" Audrey asked, tilting her head cutely. "Even if the emperor's stella empowers the duke, he won't be a match for us."

"I have no doubt. But he isn't the only thing we need to worry about." Luke said, frowning. "That man is a conniving snake, unafraid to play every card at his disposal to win. Regardless of whether we capture or kill him, it's likely his army will go out of control." His face darkened. "It would put the citizens at risk, and Sasha would likely be their first victim." Anger blazed in Audrey's eyes at the thought, and I put a hand on her shoulder.

"It won't come to that." I comforted. "So, what we need is a plan to take care of them all at once." Everyone in the room nodded and fell into thought. Outright sieging the capital would only result in needless death, but if we moved too slowly, we would lose the upper hand. We spent the next hour brainstorming and bouncing ideas around the room, with Leah even contributing a bit while serving tea. Unfortunately, the night ended without us settling on an idea, and it wasn't long before I found myself walking down the hallway with Audrey and Leah. Abel and the two Yamadians opted to stay behind to keep at it a while longer.

"There's got to be some way to attack… If we just assassinate the Duke, who knows what contingencies he's left behind…" I muttered to myself as we walked. Audrey's face was screwed up in thought, and while it was pretty adorable, I knew she was seriously thinking of ways that would ensure her sister's safety.

As we walked, we ran into Isaac, who was heading to my brother's office with a stack of more paperwork. Seeing us for the first time since we had returned, his eyes filled with relief.

"I'm glad you both returned safely." He said.

"It was a bit rough at some points, but it worked out in the end." I paused and eyed the dark circles under his eyes. "You, on the other hand..."

"I'm only helping where I can." He said ruefully. "His Highness is an incredible person."

"I think so too, but rest is important for everyone," I said with a frown, remembering that I had meant to send my brother to bed. Perhaps it was irresponsible of me, considering all the work they did was for the people, but I really did wish my brother would take better care of himself.

"With you two away in Yamada, we had to prepare for any outcome," Isaac explained, his violet eyes obviously tired. "I expect we'll be able to get some real rest now, at least while preparations are underway."

"I see." I wasn't sure what to say exactly, but then Audrey chimed in from my other side.

"Now that we're back with Abel, we can lighten the load a bit, right?" She asked me, and I nodded with a laugh.

"Of course! Although Abel isn't that gifted with administrative work…"

The three of us chatted for a few minutes, with Leah waiting patiently against the wall until I sent Isaac on his way with orders for those still up to retire for the night under threat of fire magic. Once we bid Isaac goodnight, Leah led the rest of the way to the room Audrey and I had been given and held the door open for us before following us inside.

She immediately busied herself with checking the sheets and making sure the room had been taken care of correctly while we were gone, but judging from the frown on her face, it hadn't been to her standards.

"My ladies, please go freshen up while I replace the bedding." She said, and Audrey and I complied since neither of us would complain about soaking in a warm bath after our long journey home.

We made our way back into the winding corridors of the resistance headquarters, towels, nightgowns, and whatever else we'd need in hand, to the communal baths. The resistance didn't have the luxury of a private bath, so even my brothers bathed with everyone else. Not that I minded, it was usually quite fun to relax with the other ladies around when I could. Coincidentally, after stripping off our dirty clothes and stepping onto the women's side, we found Lucia and Hailey already relaxing in the simple yet large tub of steaming water.

After spending an enjoyable time chatting with both of them in the steaming water and feeling refreshed, we parted ways with our friends, only to find our room spotless and with fresh sheets on the bed. Leah said a final goodnight before retiring to her room right next door, and I curled up with my girlfriend beneath the soft covers.

"Do you think we'll find a way?" Audrey asked quietly as we lay in the dark.

"There's always a path forward, even if we can't see it immediately," I said, trying more to convince myself. As much as I thought about it, I just couldn't think of a plan that would guarantee the safety of the citizens. Just protecting Sasha and a handful of others would be no problem, but an entire city? Especially one where every guard or knight could turn at a moment's notice?

Eventually, we both fell asleep, but my dreams were filled with ash and blood.

***

Audrey

The next few days were filled with meetings and arguments as the leaders of the resistance tried to reach an agreement on a plan of action. Many ideas were suggested, but the final decision turned out to be the simplest. Infiltration.

"We should have our people slowly enter the city over the next couple of days as adventurers," Abel said over the large table that had a rough map of the capital. "Once enough are in place, we have a couple of our best pose as knights and replace a squad on night duty. Once the guards change, they take over at the gate and crack it open, allowing for more of our soldiers to get inside under the cover of night."

"Will that even work? Wouldn't the city guards recognize their own?" Yuuichi asked skeptically.

"If they were well trained, definitely," Abel smirked. "The Duke's biggest weakness, despite all his scheming, is that he believes money and power will guarantee loyalty. At the end of the day, nearly all of his men are mercenaries."

"I see," Yuuichi said thoughtfully.

"Once we gain control of the gate, we'll truly flood the city with our people, spreading out as much as possible to respond to any situation that may arise from our enemies." Luke joined in. "While the resistance as a whole will protect the citizens, Audrey and Lydia will lead an elite squad right into the castle to capture or kill Duke Thomas Rose."

"What of his family?" One advisor asked, only to earn a glare from every royal present.

"His wife and daughter are not targets. If they are found, they will be captured but treated with utmost care." Luke said.

"Why should we—" The advisor argued, but was cut off by a flash of white fire from Lydia.

"Victoria Rose and Sasha Rose will not be held responsible for the Duke's crimes." She said sternly, leaving no room for argument. Everyone in the room nodded quickly in agreement, and I relaxed a bit where I stood quietly. I had been anxious about how the matter regarding my sister and ex-stepmother would go over, but my girlfriend just handled it with force. As she usually does.

The rest of the meeting was spent discussing logistics and who exactly should do what. When it was over, everyone except those in our core group shuffled out of the room.

"I want to keep an eye on things at the castle," I announced, causing everyone to look at me. "I want to get Sasha out before the fighting even starts. I will not risk her being used as a shield a second time." Lydia had told me before how the Duke had used my sister to stop her flames before. The thought alone was enough to make my blood boil.

"How will you do that without raising suspicion?" Luke asked me. "If she suddenly disappears, the Duke might suspect something. You can't even use the shadows with anyone but my sister, right?"

"That's right, and it's true, Sasha wouldn't be able to get out by herself." I then filled them in on my plan, and it was met with various reactions.

"That's a dangerous gamble, Audrey," Luke said.

"I'm willing to take responsibility if the worst happens," I said, steadfast in my choice. "But it won't come to that, because I've seen it with my own eyes, and in the eyes of my sister. I'll spend the next few days confirming it before the operation, and if I think the risk has changed, I will find another way."

"I say go for it," Abel said nonchalantly. "I trust Audrey, and it's her family. I also have reports from the ethereals supporting the idea." I nodded at him in thanks, and he winked at me. "That's what the fun brother is for."

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"Are you saying I'm not fun?" Luke took offense, and I couldn't help but feel my nerves disappear at the banter.

"I'll be careful and will keep in touch." I then turned to Lydia, who was still eyeing the map on the table. Touching her shoulder drew her gaze to me, and I raised a brow. "Do you want to come with me?"

She thought about it for a moment before taking my hand and squeezing it. "Like Abel said, I trust you. And I actually mean it." She joked. "I would love to see Sasha again, but I feel I'll be more useful here for now. Be safe all the same, alright?"

"Of course." I left a quick kiss on her cheek before turning away with a smile. "I'll have you waiting for me, after all."

Shadows enveloped my body, and I was soon flying through he purple-black void, heading toward where my sister was.

***

A couple of hours later, I was flying through the red and black walls of Venyth castle, though I doubted that was still its name. Well, it will return to its proper owners soon. I found my sister returning to her room for the night with Anne and a young boy who looked vaguely familiar. Where have I seen him before? I couldn't quite place it, but judging by the armor and sword at his hip, he was Sasha's guard and also an undercover resistance agent. It gave me peace of mind knowing she had someone now who could openly protect her.

Once the three of them were behind closed doors, I took control of their shadows, wiggling them unnaturally to draw their eyes. I didn't want to startle them.

"Sister…?" Sasha whispered, and when I made her shadow nod, she smiled. Glancing back, she got a nod of acknowledgement from Anne, but the young knight looked panicked as he stepped closer to my sister.

"My lady, it might be an intruder!" He had his sword halfway drawn when Sasha raised a hand and stared at him.

"Sir Strauss, do not tell me you are not familiar with the divine guardian's power?" She said, with a noticeable condensation in her tone.

"Of course I am!" the knight, his name now known to me, denied with a bit more emotion than was probably proper for an escort. "She uses water magic! I saw it first hand before… everything."

"Ah, you mean the war parade? Yes… I suppose she did use mostly water for that show." I watched as the boy gritted his teeth in frustration at my sister's tone. Are they… bickering? Is my sister actually fighting with a friend?!

"I'm not sure that's what's going on here, my guardian," Aurora said with exasperation, but I was on the verge of happy tears.

"She's never had a friend before… How could it be anything else? Look, don't you see how much fun she's having?" It was minute, but I saw the way her lips twitched as she teased the boy. Perhaps it was hard to notice through her usual icy expression, but I could see it.

"Please enlighten me, my lady." Sir Strauss said sarcastically, "What does that have to do with the unnatural shadows?"

After a dramatic sigh while holding her cheek, Sasha didn't respond to him, instead directing her words to the room.

"How long are you going to watch, sister?" Taking that as my cue, I rose from the shadows by the bed, leaning against the bedpost with my arms folded. She turned toward me with a bright smile that seemed to shock the knight beside her more than my actual appearance did.

"I was just appreciating how you've made a friend!" I said, causing her to pause midstep on her rush to hug me. Her face went expressionless again, but I didn't miss the slight flush of her cheeks.

"Don't ever repeat something so horrible. Had I known Sir Strauss would be such an impudent brat, I would've chosen someone else."

"Excuse me, my lady?!" The boy in question fumed, only to be ignored by the lady in question, as I finally wrapped my arms around her and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Wait… Are you…! The divine guardian is my lady's s-sister?!" After composing himself, the knight's eyes finally focused on me and widened in shock. Suddenly, he dropped to a knee and bowed his head.

"L-Lady Guardian! It's an honor to meet you properly!"

"Properly?" I questioned, ignoring the disgusted noise Sasha had made at his display.

"Ah. I suppose you wouldn't remember," he said sheepishly, looking up at me. "During your parade three years ago, you offered me words of wisdom." I racked my brain for any event like that, but as I stared at his face, something came to mind.

"Oh! Are you that noble boy who was bullying those commoners?" I asked excitedly, clapping my hands together, completely missing the way Sir Strauss's face twisted with embarrassment.

"Y-Yes. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was quite childish back then. I became a knight to honor the advice you gave me. I know, serve as Lady Rose's guard."

"And you're doing a splendid job, from what I've seen," I replied with a smile, causing the boy to beam happily.

"How can you say that after just meeting him?" Sasha huffed in annoyance. "He was only respectful on the first day when he pledged his sword to me! After that, he became an entirely different person!"

"How so?" I asked with amusement, and my sister continued her rant.

"He's disrespectful and can't hold his tongue! There's always some remark flying from those lips!"

"But it looked like you were having fun teasing him back." I giggled, and she deadpanned again.

"I wasn't."

"Sorry, my mistake then," I said nervously. Not that I believed her, she just looked so serious all of a sudden. Clearing my throat, I changed the subject while gesturing for the knight to stand up again. "I've come to discuss the current situation with you."

I explained the resistance's attack plan to the three of them before moving on to my escape plan, but Sasha interrupted me.

"Escape?" She asked, confused. "Why would I do that? Please let me fight with you, sister!" Her pleas attacked my resolve, but my desire to protect her was stronger.

"Not this time," I said gently. "I can fight at my best knowing you're safe." She frowned and folded her arms.

"Sister Lydia told you what happened before, didn't she?" When I nodded, her frown deepened. "I'm not a helpless child anymore! I would never let myself be captured… Not after what happened because of me."

"None of that was your fault," I said, trying to comfort her.

"It is! If I hadn't been used as a shield, Sister Lydia would've likely killed Father back then!" She claimed.

"And the kingdom would've still fallen to the empire. If anything had changed… Lydia and I may not have even survived." I asserted quietly. It was hard to say, but changing anything that led us to the present could've led to a much worse outcome. Putting my hand on her shoulder, I did my best to convey my feelings. "I just want you to be safe… Please?"

After a tense moment, she relented and looked away.

"Fine, if that's what you want, Sister."

"Thank you."

Still, while I had her promise, I hadn't given her every detail of my plan. I knew my sister was strong-willed, and there was a chance she would convince Anne and Sir Strauss to stay instead of fleeing. To ensure her safety, I had to include one more person. The rest of the night passed with leisurely conversation as we caught up on our time apart. When the night finally darkened, I stood up to leave and let my sister get some sleep.

"I'll be around for the next few days until right before the operation. Make sure you prepare what you need." I said, and she nodded from her spot on the bed.

"I will, Sister. Sleep well."

"You too," I said softly before melting into the shadows once more.

***

The next few days passed as I watched over Sasha and paid special attention to her interactions with a specific person. Their time together over the weeks I had been gone seemed to have grown more frequent, despite my sister's reluctance and anger. Now, it was evident to me that Sasha needed more than I alone could give her, and it seemed her mother's sincerity was starting to get through, if only a bit.

"Good, I'll be able to include her in the plan." I mused to Aurora. "Watching them, I know she's truly trying to make amends." Even as I said it, my heart still fluttered with anxiousness. There was still the possibility the woman wouldn't listen to me, but I had put off the confrontation long enough. That night, after saying goodnight to a tired Sasha again, I snuck through the shadows until I was looking into a dimly lit bedroom. Apparently, the Duke did not share a room with his wife, but that would only make this easier for me. Cautiously, I emerged from the shadows out of my target's view. She sat on the edge of her bed, facing away from me while staring up at the moon shining through her window.

My mouth opened and… I hesitated. Flashes of the past ran through my mind, and a shiver ran down my spine as I felt the phantoms of her slaps and punches, and the echoes of her rage-filled admonishments. No. I'm stronger now; she can't hurt me anymore. Shaking my head, I composed myself. I would need to keep my feelings in check for this.

"Hello, Victoria," I said, causing the woman to jump from the edge of the bed to whirl around and face me.

"W-Who dares---!" Her expression of panic gave way to shock as our eyes met. "Cecelia...?" My heart welled with uncomfortable emotions as I looked at the women who had so viciously tormented me in my childhood. Yet after watching her earnestly interact with Sasha, I found myself lacking the anger or fear I thought I'd feel. I was still hurt, but the past would no longer shackle me as it once had.

"I'm honored that I remind you of my mother," I said calmly. My response only made her eyes widen more before she composed herself, and a look of resignation crossed her features.

"I see. " It was all she said, and silence filled the way before I stepped toward her. She flinched, but didn't move. When I finally stood just a hand's length away, she closed her eyes, a single tear leaking from the seam. "Please promise to take care of Sasha."

I was shocked. Part of me felt bad for scaring her so much, but the fact that she assumed this would be her final moment and was only thinking of her daughter proved to me that she really had changed. Stepping past her trembling form, I moved to sit on the dark green sofa in the middle of the room.

"I'm not here to kill you, Victoria." I said calmly, "Please sit down," but she didn't move, not even to look at me. Instead, her head hung low and her fists curled tightly into the fabric of her nightgown at her sides.

"Why not?"

"Excuse me?" I blinked at her whispered question.

"Why would you not take revenge? After everything I've done to you? Don't I deserve to die?" Her loaded question hung in the air, and I leaned back against the plush sofa and let out a heavy breath.

"I hate you," I said, and the woman finally turned to face me with tears in her eyes. She opened her mouth, but I continued. "I will likely never be able to forgive you for robbing me of my childhood. The few memories I have of my mother are overshadowed by the pain and darkness you inflicted on me afterward."

"Then—" She stuttered, but I raised a hand.

"But you are still Sasha's mother." I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes. "I've experienced that pain... Why would I want to make my precious sister go through what I did?"

Finally, she moved to sit across from me in the opposing seat. Shame and guilt danced across her face, but a small rueful smile appeared on her red lips.

"You're just as infuriating as your mother."

The statement made me chuckle in surprise. Before now, Victoria had only ever spoken about my mother with jealousy and bitter hatred. But now... She was almost mournful. She had towered over me when I was little as an object of fear, but now... All I saw was a woman sincerely trying to make up for her mistakes. As her victim, I had every right to exact my justice upon her, but I found myself without the desire. As long as she strived to be better, haunted by her past actions, I thought that would be satisfying revenge in its own way. Despite my earlier words, maybe a day would come when I could forgive her. You never know what the future could hold, after all.

"What brings you here, if I may ask?" Her tone was polite, and I met her gaze with a small smile.

"Who else but Sasha?" I replied. "I've been around the last two months, and I've seen first-hand just how hard you've been trying to connect with her again... And over the last few days, I could tell Sasha has been opening up to you. " I chuckled as I thought about it. "Even if she won't admit it."

"Do you really think so?" Victoria asked hopefully, and I nodded. "It's because I've seen your effort that I've come to you. You would do anything to protect her, right?"

"Of course I would! I know I don't deserve it, but I am still her mother!" Victoria cried out,

"Good." I paused to organize my thoughts. If I were wrong about her, my following words would guarantee doom for the resistance, but I had faith in the way Sasha had been acting the last few days."Tomorrow morning, I want you to take Sasha and leave the castle. The earlier the better." The attack wasn't scheduled to start until the evening, but I wanted to give them plenty of time in case of delays.

"W-Why?" She looked at me with worry.

"You know why." I didn't need to spell it out for her. She may have been too blinded by greed and power in the past, but she wasn't stupid. Her face drained of color.

"B-But—!" I raised a hand, and she stopped.

"That bastard used Sasha as a shield in the past, and I will not let that happen. Never again." The serious look in my eyes must've conveyed my feelings, because she stopped arguing with me and her face hardened with resolve.

"Where should we go? Will we be safe anywhere once the fighting breaks out?"

"You've met Sasha's knight escort, yes?" When she nodded, I continued. "Sir Strauss will guide you to a safehouse. Anne will also be going with you."

"What of my own attendants?" There was genuine concern etched across her features, and I smiled reassuringly.

"You can't tell them anything, but I assure you that nobody other than those who attack the resistance will be harmed. We're doing everything we can to prevent unnecessary death."

"I'll believe in you then." She said quietly before a bitter smile appeared on her lips. "What a ridiculous thing for me to say after all this time, but I hope you'll allow it."

"I told you already. As long as you act with Sasha's best interest in mind, whatever's happened between us will not matter," I said with a kind look. "Sasha isn't aware you'll be going with them. I'm worried she'll do something reckless, and I'm hoping you'll give her a reason to stay away until the fighting's over."

"Do I just need to head to her room in the morning then?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Yes, I've already informed Anne, so they'll be expecting you at least."

"I'll pack a bag tonight, then." She resolved.

"Good." There was an awkward pause, but there wasn't anything else to discuss. "That's everything then, thank you for your time."

With the conversation over, I stood up to leave. I didn't want to reveal the secrets of my abilities to her quite yet, so I moved for the door.

"Wait, Audrey!" I paused with my hand on the knob when she used my name for the first time I'd ever heard. Slowly, I turned back to the woman I used to fear so much, and found her prostrated on the floor, her forehead touching the cool tile. "I'm truly sorry. For everything."

"I know."

With those final words, I slipped out the door, and once it closed, into the shadows. Floating aimlessly in the darkness, I sighed.

"I'm proud of you, my guardian," Aurora said gently. "I know that wasn't easy for you."

"My heart was pounding the whole time…" I said. "But maybe someday… I'll be able to find peace with her."

"As the world changes, so do the people residing in it. You are not the only one capable of growth and change." I closed my eyes at my goddess's words and tried to imagine a future where Victoria, Sasha, and I could all sit at the same table and truly enjoy ourselves.

Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

***

As night fell over the capital the next day, I stood on a hill just outside the city walls with Lydia. Her hand in mine as she stared out over the home that had been taken from her.

"Tonight's the night…" She whispered, as if trying to convince herself more than anyone else. "I'll finally have my revenge."

"I'll be by your side, every step of the way," I said with a smile.

"Right… Thank you. Did Sasha get out safely?"

"Yep! Victoria managed to get them all out with no hassle." I gave her a thumbs up with my free hand, making her laugh. I felt the tension in her body relax a little, and I squeezed her hand. "Everything will be alright. We've got this!"

"Of course we do." Lydia mimicked my confidence, and we returned to looking out over the city lights.

"Hey! We're just about ready to move!" Abel called from behind, drawing our attention. We had Abel, Luke, Leah, Lucia, Hailey, Isaac, and Anthony with us as part of the central infiltration unit. We also had Yuzuki and Yuuichi, along with the rest of the Yamadians, who would bolster our ranks. While the bulk of the resistance would focus on keeping the knights and guards in the city proper under control, we would strike right at the head of the beast. As the others all put on their cloaks and masks, I felt a surge of stella from Lydia as she turned us invisible.

"That's just not fair… I have to wear this stuffy thing." Abel complained when we vanished from sight. He pulled at the mask covering most of his face, and Lydia laughed from beside me.

"You complain too much, brother. You're a prince, act like it!"

"You're one to talk," he retorted.

The exchange helped lighten the mood for everyone present, and then Luke raised a hand.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Once we all confirmed, he pointed at the largest building in the capital. "Tonight is the start of our true resistance!"

Then we all ran toward the city wall, knowing that tonight's outcome would determine our future.

Will we rise and reclaim the light, or forever sink into the darkness?

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