A cold frost of wind crackled against Kazuki's face… The Engan countryside was... quite dull.

The records along Kazuki's memory dated this… 4914. March, the come of Spring was dawning.

Enga was just rows and rows of agri-land and florescent, colourful hedgerows. Highlands and mountains clung to the horizon with their snowy peaks.

Still, it was by far more peaceful than Anagora or Lautrasia.

The former was too loud, and the latter had a pungent smell of fish for half its surface. Kazuki leaned out of the window, yawning. The year was 4914. The autumn breeze swept into the classroom, chilling Kazuki's unmarked face. The sun was starting to set in the distance.

Kazuki was bored. He heard the doors to the classroom open, followed by two people. Kazuki's face lightened up at their arrival, Victoria and Noah. Noah waved over at him as Victoria closed the door behind her. "Ey! We were looking for you!"

"Well, you found me," remarked Kazuki. "Just wanted some air."

Noah nodded, leaning beside Kazuki. "That sounds like an old person thing, Kazu, you gotta get with the times, like have you heard of that new holo-comic strip!? My parents got me negative first editions of it."

"Heh, you only got that because your parents work in the media-news-thingy," said Victoria, walking up to them. "My mum gave me cool gadgets to work with."

Victora's hair was messy, a bit of a fluffy mess here and there. Her eyes were much darker than that of her twin's as well. Plus, she looked... slightly shorter.

Noah grumbled. "Nuh-uh! I got it because... they..."

"Point made," commented Kazuki. He turned back out to the countryside. It looked so peaceful... It wasn't something that demanded his attention or his memory. It simply was just a landscape, nothing more and nothing less. "My parents give me a building set to mess around with. You two can go ahead to the club, I'll stay here."

"Ugh, do you really hate my sister that much?" asked Victoria. Noah snickered at the brash question.

"I mean, I can see why..." said Noah, causing Victoria to pull on his ear. "HEY, HEY! I was joking!"

Elizabeth... That was Victoria's sister. "She's so dull, though," said Kazuki. "Borrring."

"Pfft," Victoria snapped. "Boring?! You two would get along, come on... we got the latest volume of those books and comics you love."

"I'll read through them all in a single sitting," Kazuki said. "And I don't love them. I enjoy them. Very different."

Victoria pouted, grabbing onto Kazuki's arm and trying to tug him. He fought back, grabbing onto the window sill and pulling himself back towards it. "Just this once! You'll get along with her! I promise! Sure, she's a bit dull but she's basically me!"

"I hate meeting new people..." Kazuki said, placing his hands on the exterior of the windows to keep him in place.

Noah stood up and gently moved Victoria off him. "Hey, you must have something in that 'genius' brain of yours to convince him."

"Tch..." Victoria let go. She grumbled to herself. "Thank you, but... This piece of emotionless bread doesn't care!"

Kazuki placed up two fingers in a peace sign. Victoria immediately slapped them down, staring back at them. "Bread? Demeaning, don't you think? Bread's softer than me."

"He's stubborn!" she shouted.

Chuckling, Noah tried to calm Victoria down, stepping in between them. "I hope you never get this pressed in front of other people..."

"Yeah," Kazuki said. "Seems like I'm living in your head rent-free." He gave them another peace sign and smirked.

Victoria stopped, then laughed. "Naw! It's you who has myself in your head rent-free! With how much you think about our rivalry, you must!"

"We're... rivals?" Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "Breaking news to me."

She was just about to throw herself back into another fit of anger, as Noah stopped her. "Hey!"

Kazuki sighed and chuckled. He livened up his dead face. "Fine, I'll go, but you better buy me some apple juice. Rival."

Her face immediately livened up again, as she pointed at Kazuki. "Ha! So you accept this! Alright, next spelling quiz..."

"You had to choose the hardest one for you to win?" Noah asked.

She nodded. "If we draw! I win!"

"But... that's... Sure." Kazuki nodded. If that made her happy, then he was fine with going along with it. He didn't care all too much. After all, he just has to keep going along with what life has to offer.

Victoria and Noah started to walk off. Kazuki straightened his back and cracked his knuckles... The sound was very refreshing to his memory. He turned to them, as Noah opened the door leading out into the ventilated halls.

Taking a step forward, Victoria placed her hands behind her as she turned back to Kaz. "Speed up, Kazu, you're gonna get left behind!"

Kazuki smiled slightly. "Sure, sure." He shrugged, walking forward - the sight of her freckled face against the bright rays of an autumn evening bled further.

Such a brilliant face hurts to see… Kazuki knew not why. Along the face of a younger Kazuki, he remembered that he was smiling. A smile is such a foreign object and concept.

His memories have been kinda all over the place... But why... Was his memory acting up? No matter... Kazuki's blue eyes stared forward, for a moment. His crisp blue eyes did nothing except slowly fold down with water, narrowing and thinning at the sight...

His ears were ringing... And that same bright face and smile was no more. The school had crumpled away to flame and vacuum. He slowly got up, his body ached from his fingers to his feet. Blood covered the floor, spreading out from Victoria's corpse. "Left behind... you're the one... who didn't speed up," Kazuki mumbled to himself.

His thoughts and fleeting feelings dissipated across the air. Her burgundy-red eyes were dying of light. Her messy hair had fragments of rubble stuck in it.

"Victoria… you're still here… right?" Kazuki asked the corpse. "You… wouldn't leave me, right?"

Yet when it came down to it, nothing mattered. All smiles died, and the spark in Kazuki was gone.

No reply came.

"You didn't run ahead of me… did you?"

He was starting to lose his sense of reality.

"..." There's no reason to fight against them.

Nothing he could do would change what had happened in the past. All he can do is continue marching forward, until death unites him once again with her - across that river, filled to the brim with dead subordinates and peers... Kazuki watched himself whimper…

His gold eyes pitied the kid he once was, standing aside.

Stolen novel; please report.

"..."

Kazuki counted... Five... Four... Three... Two... One. His body collapsed to the floor, as a force shoved him down. It was Noah. He was crying... He looked down and picked up the same shard of glass Kazuki used to kill Victoria.

"Noah..." Kazuki muttered to himself.

Noah was shouting. He couldn't hear the words. His mind and ears didn't take them into account. Still ringing. His gaze turned to Victoria, then back to Noah. Kazuki couldn't move. He was hopeless and helpless. Noah tightened around the shard until his own hands bled. Kazuki's mind twisted in thoughts... Then, Noah's shaking hands dropped it.

Standing above Kazuki, Noah knelt down, and punched him across the face, all the while crying and shouting. Kazuki didn't have the chance to resist, nor the energy. His broken body refused to move, and all he felt was pain.

Kazuki must have felt like he was going to die that day until an explosion raptured from above split them apart...

And all he could see was dust. The faint thumbs of his heart were slowly dying out. The crunches then stopped… And then restarted. Encased in steel with the melancholy of death hanging around it.

∗∗∗

A heart of lead marched forward to the sound of the guns - into the valley of death. The sound of boots crunched across the desolate maintenance tunnels.

4925 – Ball Palace, Kiapra Oversector, Grandé Republic of Anagora.

Only the faint white light from the corners of the walls accompanied the team. Three in total. Kazuki, Nihara and Václavos.

The Contract-Breaker, Brawler & Marksman. They were armed with the best gear that the Marquis could provide. The famed Contractor's Light Plate is nimble and strong. Far better than the Tiran-Genesis Deltastring and later Heimfall was provided.

Drones resupplied the three, attaching backup gear and tools to their pockets and vests. Kazuki turned to his own. "Stop that," he muttered.

'MISSION STATEMENT: REFUELL THE BOSS,' the drone responded. It had G.L.A.D. painted on its hull. It wasn't one of the Marquis'. Rivera probably sent it along with his team's gear. 'PERFORMING OF TASK: CRITICAL. NOTE LEFT BY RIVERA: DO NOT LISTEN TO BOSS.'

Kazuki grumbled.

The plates were barely heavier than a papered book, with the segmented plates encompassing their sides, back and front. It even had parts protecting the shoulders. Extensions bent down to their elbows and knees.

It even connected to Kazuki's leg and anchor braces. The final pieces were attached before the drones flew over their heads and out of view.

The plates fit snugly over their formal suits. They rocked both professionalism and lethality with each step.

Kazuki listened in to the gunfire, rocking and shaking the foundations of the penthouse. The battle must have already started, then. 'This is Phalanx-1, Arbiter, to Overwatch Control. We're moving into position. Copy.'

'Ah, you don't need to be so stiff, Arbiter,' said Archius. Oh... How the fuck did he... 'Oh, don't worry, I had a little talk with the Marquis and shimmied my way into access for comms, so how are we all enjoying the flight's entertainments?'

Václavos was the first to reply, 'Could be better.'

No shit he could be better. His face was covered in plasters and bandage patches. No lasting damage, though. Nihara didn't respond, merely scowling at the annoying voice.

'Just get on with the briefing. Status on Sir Icarus' teams?' asked Kazuki.

'Hmm...' Archius dithered for a moment into silence. The trio kept walking, to their allotted entry point. Kazuki looked down at his ICAPAD. He had the entire thing planned out, along with any secondary routes in case things went awry. The worst is to come. 'Not much, really,' Archius continued. 'They're being stalled by security and drones and press. Sir Icarus is... oh.'

Now was not the time for speaking to oneself. 'What?' Kazuki snapped.

'He's doing work! Damn, you better get to Eliza first before this guy steals her from you! Oh... He just sliced that guy in half! Doesn't even look like he's sweating!' Archius laughed.

'Stop that. I need eyes on Eliza, Cyrus, Obadiah and Lady Antiar. Get me that.' Kazuki was not in the mood for games.

Kazuki nodded to Nihara.

She knelt beside him and placed an explosive device on the bottom of the tunnel. 'Breaching Charge in place.'

Nihara crossed over to the other side, placing several more explosives, before taking a large step away. Kazuki shuffled back, patting Vitellus on the back.

'Will resistance be heavy, Arbiter?' Václavos asked.

Kazuki nodded. 'Yes, Sharpie. Expect reserves, and possibly Lady Antiar.'

Václavos groaned in annoyance, whilst Nihara gave him a small fist-bump on the shoulder pad. 'Kaz will deal with the Knight.'

'Tell us now, before we breach,' Kazuki said, directing annoyance to Archius.

'Pfft... Don't have eyes on any of them. Something jammed the cameras, your team will be without oversight,' Archius said. 'You good with that?'

Was he good with that? No more annoying voice? The answer was very clear. Kazuki didn't respond.

Archius sighed and chuckled. 'Don't cry, I'll only be a few city blocks away. Good luck, Kaz, Nihara and Václavos.'

'Can you do something for me?' asked Kazuki.

'Hmmn?'

'Draw as many muzzles and drones from their rear. As many as possible. I'd prefer an easy infiltration for this,' Kazuki said.

'Sure, don't worry about that, security's more worried about the whole damn Knighthood Order of Imperial Knights Battering ram rolling down the front door.'

Kazuki audibly grumbled into the uplink.

'No, no, I mean it! They look like a bunch of Crusaders learning there's a bunch of aliens holding up somewhere!'

The only difference between the Imperial Knights and the Crusaders of old was that the Imperial Knights wouldn't level a planet to kill one xeno.

'Hey, Kaz, I mean it when I say you'll need luck, luck on calming your nerves… You'll get Eliza, trust me on that,' Archius remarked. 'And we're older.'

The situation was familiar to Kazuki. A hostage rescue situation involving Kazuki, Nihara, Václavos and Archius… Kazuki stopped, thinking to himself with a staringly blank face. Back then, Kazuki had failed Archius and himself… He had failed his mission.

His contract to a friend. Not again. Not this time, Kazuki thought.

'I'm sorry…' Kazuki sighed.

'Don't be,' Archius snapped. 'This time? It's different. We have help and assistance. And a lot of fucking guns, how about that for a change?'

Kazuki nodded, feeling somewhat motivated by his words. Sly fuck… Archius can always somehow burrow and slither his way into everyone's hearts. Even Kazuki's silent steel soul.

Archius then dragged Kazuki into a private uplink channel. 'Hey, Kazu.' His voice was far too normal. That sent a shudder up Kazuki's exospine.

'What?'

'This is just like Jas, isn't it, well for you at least,' Archius started.

'Of course,' Kazuki replied. Of course. Kazuki didn't forget that. But having it noted only made the anxiety and dread grow.

'You're not going to hold back out of pride now, are you?'

Kazuki had to play it cool. 'Of course I will. I'll drag him into a courtroom, that'll show him.' The two scoffed at the snide remarks.

'Don't let fear hold you back either, Kaz,' Archius continued. 'Make me proud boy!'

'I'm older than you...'

'Sure, but I'm smarter, and much better looking, so who's winning there, you senile cripple?'

Kazuki groaned and grumbled loudly. It was loud enough that both Nihara and Václavos glanced over. Fuuuck, he really does not like dealing with Archius' wit.

With that, he cut off his uplink, leaving Kaz alone with his team. The gunfire was unending. Václavos aimed his scoped rifle at the explosives in the middle of the tunnel. However, just as he was to pull the trigger, Kazuki pushed his muzzle down. Vitellus looked up at Kazuki.

"Hmm? Arbiter?" Václavos mused. "Did Berserker do something to my face whilst I wasn't looking?"

"I wouldn't touch your face with a ten-foot pole." Nihara glanced over and rolled her emotionless eyes.

Kazuki asked, "You failed me before. Will you fail again?"

Václavos shook his head, then looked through his scope. Kazuki pushed the rifle down more. He lowered his voice till only Václavos could hear. "Eliza's life is at stake here. Cyrus' too. I know you love Nihara, but are you willing to do what it takes for victory?"

"Yes..." Václavos said. "Of course, I am."

Kazuki gripped the barrel of Václavos' rifle. He needed to make sure he was fully aware of the consequences. "Remember what happened to Kieran and the rest of Eden?"

"I..." Václavos stopped. Of course, he'd remember. They all do. Nihara looked over from across the tunnel. Kazuki kept the pressure on, not relenting until Václavos gave him an answer. "All dead."

The Contract-Breaker nodded, he relented on his face for a second. "We are faced up against Lady Antiar Kelebori of the Seven Criminals. She doesn't have Antonius' strength, nor Freyja's speed, nor Emiya's intelligence, but she's lethal."

Václavos nodded.

"If Nihara is out of the fight, can you still fight as effectively as you would if she wasn't?" asked Kazuki.

Václavos nodded again.

"I want to hear it."

"I'll fight till my last," he said. "I'll focus on the mission. I'll focus... on the mission."

Kazuki relented. He stepped behind Václavos and patted him on the back. "Make me proud," Kazuki said.

Amidst the gunfire and muffled cries, Václavos aimed - and placed a plasma bolt in the igniter of the explosives. Dust and debris smashed down into the room below. Sparks were sent upwards, as the trio rushed down through the gap. Into the breach.

Into the Valley of Death and beyond the jaws of the Eclipse.

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