Chapter 63:

  And So It Begins

  (Lucas's POV)

  A sense of relief washed over me as we finally returned home. It was good to be back in familiar territory and in a familiar room; mine and Elizabeth's bedroom. Flopping down onto the bed, I let out a satisfied sigh.

  "Ah, it's really good to be back," I took a deep breath, taking in the calming scents that I had missed, "Nothing like being home."

  Elizabeth smiled amusingly, a warmth to her expression.

  "You always were a homebody," she replied, half-teasingly.

  "I can't help it," I told her, closing my eyes for a moment to take everything in, "Being home feels...nice. It's familiar. It's not like I don't enjoy going pces, but-"

  "I know," Elizabeth cut me off gently, "You feel best when you're home."

  "You know, Ellie..." I muttered into the fluffy bedding, "I'm home wherever you are, so...it's more that I enjoy our own space. It just feels better."

  Elizabeth was quiet and didn't respond. A mischievous smirk crossed my lips as I opened my eyes to gnce at her. Sure enough, the reason she wasn't responding was because she was flustered. Her face was an adorable light shade of red. She pyed with her hair bashfully, her expression in a slight pout.

  "If you say things like that, Lucas..." her eyes flickered to me and my heart caught in my throat, for within them I saw an unsatiable desire, "I can't be held responsible for my actions."

  I smiled into the bedding, tempted to see just what actions she might take.

  "Adorable..." I muttered, turning over onto my back.

  I propped myself up with my hands, gazing upon Elizabeth fondly. She gnced at me with that familiar fervor of obsession. It was just the two of us right now, for the others were taking care of a few things. Mainly distracting the all too curious masses.

  From the moment we nded we had been beset by reporters. They bombarded us with questions about our trip, but thankfully, Aegis and the Pyers Association were waiting for us. They escorted us home, but even there, reporters waited.

  Elizabeth had ordered Maya to bring me upstairs, along with Hannah and Denny, but Maya stubbornly refused. She was backed by Hannah and Denny, and I admit...I helped persuade Elizabeth as well by clinging to her. It had been rather cute to see her at a loss for what to do, and had no choice but to adhere to our wishes.

  Honestly, I was grateful to Maya. She knew, just like I did, that the moment Elizabeth went back to work that she wouldn't be around as often. I appreciated the [Living Mirage], but it wasn't quite the same. So, this was my way of trying to get as much time as I could with Elizabeth before that happened, and Elizabeth knew that as well.

  "My dear, dear Lucas..." Elizabeth's words practically purred, "What am I to do with you?"

  She pced her hands on her hips in feigned exasperation, a slight smirk to her lips.

  "For starters..." I said, reaching out a hand towards her, "You could get your fine self over here."

  Elizabeth raised a curious eyebrow, amusement upon her face. Sauntering over to me, she made sure that I saw every movement. Before I knew it, she stood above me, taking my hand in hers. Our fingers intertwined as she pced one leg over me.

  "Now that my fine self is over here..." she teased, the slight fragrance cherry blossoms and burning wood hitting my nose, "What do you-"

  Before she could saw another word, I wrapped my other arm around her and buried my face into her chest. Not of out any scivious intent, but simply...I wanted to enjoy her warmth. I breathed deep of her natural scent. That near euphoric burning aroma that intermingled with whatever perfume she decided to wear that day.

  It was extremely calming. I could already feel my heart slowing down from the anxiety I felt. Anxiety from already missing her, despite her not having yet left. I felt her rex against me, pulling me into a gentle, understanding embrace. Her hand lovingly caressing the back of my head.

  "Oh, my poor love..." she spoke softly, tenderly, "I know. I don't wish to leave either."

  I didn't say anything, just held onto her. I wanted to burn the feeling of her into my memory even more than it already was. I wanted to engrave her touch upon my skin. Imbed her scent into the very fabric of my being.

  It would be an understatement to say that I was attached to her. I couldn't imagine my life without her, and ever since she came into my life, it was like I had never known a day that she wasn't a part of it.

  "What else...needs to be done?" I finally asked, turning my head to the side so that I might speak, yet I kept a firm hold on her, "The first Critical Dungeon is cleared, and you have another fragment, but...how many are left?"

  Elizabeth was silent for a moment, though didn't stop stroking my hair.

  "I...honestly don't know," Elizabeth finally answered, "While I know how much of me is still missing, I am unsure how many pieces remain to be found."

  "What do you mean?" I asked, my face scrunching upon in confusion, "How do you know how much is missing, but not how many pieces remain?"

  I found myself feeling a little embarrassed as Elizabeth chuckled in that way that she does when she finds me adorable.

  "Trust me, I asked myself that same question at first," Elizabeth said amusingly, beginning to expin it to me, "When we first met, I had already been weakened, but when I first regressed..."

  She let out a soft breath, taking my chin gently in her hand and tilted my face up to look at her. She gazed into my eyes as if contempting something. It was rather intense, but after a moment, she seemed satisfied as she let out a contented sigh. I gave her my best smile, realizing that she had been checking to see how I felt as she spoke to me.

  "I'm good," I assured her, "No headache at all."

  "Hmm," she thought for a moment, caressing the side of my cheek lightly, "Let me know if it does."

  "I will," I promised, and motioned for her to continue her story, "Please, continue."

  "Alright, alright," she gave a small smile, "Where were we?"

  "Somewhere about..." I dragged my words out pyfully, wrapping my arms back around her and pcing my head against her chest once more, "...here."

  I could feel her amusement and hear the soothing beating of her heart.

  "Ah, yes, how could I forget," she ughed, taking my head in her arms once more, "Right, well...when I first regressed, I was maybe at about five percent of my previous strength, and that's being generous..."

  I listened as she expined to me how the first time she came upon a fragment of her power, she had become excited, overjoyed even.

  "The call was...enticing," she said, her tone growing sensual, "Absorbing it was...a rush. I felt like every single inch of my body was being caressed by your hands. Ah~, it was amazing."

  I blushed at her analogy, trying futilely to hide my face against her.

  "To be honest..." she continued, and I could hear the pyful mischief in her words, "It felt so good that I almost ca-"

  "Ellie!" I excimed, cutting her off when I realized where she was going with this, my face burning even hotter.

  "I'm only joking," she ughed, "But, it did feel quite nice. After all, a piece of myself had returned. It was truly a euphoric feeling."

  I simply shook my head in pyful admonishment.

  "Teasing me like that..." I grumbled with a slight huff.

  "You like it," she nudged my pyfully, "Besides, can I not tease you?"

  "No...you can," I admitted, taking a deep breath, "But let's stay on topic."

  I couldn't help but ugh as she waved a dismissive hand and mimicked my words silently with her mouth. She was so childish sometimes, but I loved it. It was nice to be able to joke with each other and tease the other without either getting upset. Besides, this was a rather serious topic, and neither of us wanted it to get too depressing.

  "Anyways..." Elizabeth took a deep breath, continuing where she left off, "When I absorbed that fragment, I maybe got back...one percent of my strength. That's being generous. I was a little disheartened, to say the least."

  Taking my hands in hers, she took a seat next to me on the bed.

  "I had known I was fractured, but..." she shrugged, running a thumb along the back of my hand, "I felt like it would take forever to gather everything at that rate."

  She grew silent, focusing on my hands, and I didn't rush her. She pyed with my fingers, turning them over in her hands, tracing along the creases of my palms. When she was ready, she continued.

  "That was, of course, until my second fragment," she traced circles in my palm as she spoke, her tone gentle and soft, "I felt a huge rush of power course through me as I recovered up to ten percent of my strength, far more than the first fragment ever gave. I was curious, but my suspicions were only confirmed after the third fragment was found."

  "Was that different as well?" I asked, and she nodded.

  She never once took her eyes off of my hands, and I never took my eyes off of her, enraptured by the serenity and profound warmth within the expression of her face.

  "It was barely a drop in the bucket," she answered, scoffing slightly, "Every fragment I came across was different. Recently, the one I just absorbed, gave me perhaps...three percent? The one before that, guarded by Luria, was bigger. Roughly eight percent."

  "Damn," I muttered, now understanding what she had meant, "I guess I understand how you don't know, but I'm sure you know my next question."

  She smiled knowingly, a glimmer to her eyes as she nodded.

  "Yeah," she said with a light chuckle, "Where am I at now, yes?"

  "You know me well," I replied with a chuckle of my own, "I am curious, yes. While we don't know how many fragments remain...I'd like to know how close you are."

  "With you? I'm always close," her response was quick and flirtatious, catching me off-guard.

  "Damn it, Ellie..." I growled, blushing slightly, "You know what I meant."

  "I do," she said coyly with a rather proud grin upon her face, "I also know what I meant."

  I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself as I rolled my eyes.

  "You're adorable~," Elizabeth muttered fondly, and then cleared her throat as she answered my previous question, "Roughly eighty percent, give or take. I can't be precise because it's really only a feeling. It's not dispyed in a status or anything, but when I'm whole again...I'll know."

  She was convicted in this belief, and while that was reassuring, it was a little frustrating that we couldn't know precisely.

  "I know it's frustrating," Elizabeth said softly, wrapping her arms around me in a warm embrace, "Especially because I've accrued these fragments over many regressions, but I assure you, my love...no, I promise you, I'll find all of them in this life."

  I rexed in her arms, resting my head against her shoulder.

  "I'm sure you will," I said softly, "Until then, what do we do? How big of an effect will the remaining fragments give?"

  "What we'll do is simple," Elizabeth answered assuredly, "I'll keep you safe, gather the materials I need for the medicine, and ensure the world is ready for what is to come."

  "That's what you'll do, but what about-" I couldn't finish the sentence before Elizabeth pced a finger over my lips.

  "You already know, my love, but incase you forgot..." she said pyfully affectionate, "You just have to listen to me and Maya, not be foolish, and of course...look cute."

  As she finished speaking, she booped me on the nose, flustering me as I couldn't help but smile and roll my eyes.

  "Yeah, yeah," I waved my hand dismissively, "Can't guarantee the cuteness, but I'll do my best with the rest."

  "Excuse me?" Elizabeth's tone was a warning, and the air around her became dangerous, "What did you say?"

  "I-I mean, well, I'll do my best to listen, but-" I began, a little flustered at the sudden shift.

  However, before I could continue, Elizabeth took hold of my head between her hands, smooshing my cheeks together. She stared intently at me, an obsessive spiral within her emerald-gold eyes.

  "I don't care about that," Elizabeth told me, "Though I'd prefer if you did listen, but no..."

  "Bhut 'den wut-" I tried to ask, but Elizabeth drew closer to me, her face a mere breath away, causing my words to get caught in my throat.

  "You're always cute," she stated adamantly, "There's nothing to guarantee. It's just a fact, so take it back."

  "Huh?" I blinked, slightly turned on by her sudden aggressive love, but also a little amused.

  I tried not to ugh, because she was being quite serious, but it was also because she was so serious that I found it amusing. In fact, it was quite endearing.

  "Not even you, my love, will insinuate you're not cute," Elizabeth told me firmly, "So, take it back. Say that you're cute."

  I felt myself grow embarrassed at this dispy of aggressive affection. It was true that at times I had self-confidence issues, but I had only meant it as a passing joke. I should have known better with her, but I didn't regret my choice of words because I was now blessed with seeing Elizabeth like this.

  "Okay, okay," I admitted defeat, taking her hands away from my face so that I could speak normally again, "I'm cute, alright? Happy?"

  She watched with suspicious wariness for any signs of deceit, but seeing that there were none, she rexed with a content smile and affirmative nod. "Gods, is she cute..." I thought fondly, and it was then that I saw my chance.

  "Good," I smiled, taking her hands in mine as I leaned in to whisper in her ear with devilishly pyful intent, "You're cuter, though."

  I pulled back to see her face bright red, gring at me with a pout.

  "That's not fair!" she huffed, and I could do nothing but ugh.

  Honestly, after that, everything became a joyous blur. She tackled me back onto the bed and we rolled around as we pyfully fought with each other. She told me to take it back, but I refused. I admitted that I was cute to her, but she was even cuter to me. It was adorable to see her get so flustered, but what was even better was the fact that, in the moment we were pying, all tension melted away.

  For that brief moment, nothing else existed. It was only the two of us and the love that we had for each other. It was a much-needed respite, despite just getting back from vacation. Especially for Elizabeth, who for that moment thought of nothing else. Her ughter filled the room and my heart.

  It was well worth eventually losing the "fight", pinned to the bed underneath her. She stared lovingly into my eyes, and I did the same.

  "I love you," I whispered fondly, unable to stop smiling.

  "I love you, too," Elizabeth replied softly, and after a moment of silence between us...she leaned down to greedily kiss me.

  I returned the sentiment, closing my eyes and savoring the taste. I made sure to cement this moment into my mind. I would miss her when she was gone, but I looked forward to the few moments we'd have, and even more so to everything that awaited us once this was all over.

  -----

  (Elizabeth's POV, the next day)

  Elizabeth took a deep breath, filling her nose with the gentle scent of Lucas that still clung to her shirt. It was...calming. A small, soft smile crept across her lips as she remembered the other day.

  His kisses were soft and warm. His touch...electric. It was a nice reprieve before she had to get serious. Lucas knew this, and had done everything he could to ensure that she had been able to enjoy herself. So, she had been pampered endlessly. That's just how he was.

  Now, even though her [Living Mirage] was with him, it just wasn't the same. Sure, she could feel what her mirage felt, but that was only a small soce. Pushing the thought from her mind, she focused on those before her. They all sat around a rge conference table in Aegis's Headquarters, their attention on Elizabeth who sat at its head.

  "Report," Elizabeth ordered, "Any news on the base in Antarctica?"

  The ones she addressed were no normal individuals. They were all those that Elizabeth had recruited over the years. Each one were talents that had been cultivated from her past lives. Some were in charge of departments within Aegis, while others lead the individual Pyer squads. Of course, Zero Squad was here as well, though they took a backseat away from the table.

  "Nothing of note," a man with gsses and short cut bck hair answered, his calm, grey eyes glossing over a tablet before him, "At least...the Wild Zone remains intact."

  The one who answered Elizabeth was Zeke Hanson. A 30-year old man with a keen intellect and strong magical ability. He was also quite handy with technology and a bde. Lucas once called him a Techno-Necromancer in the past, on account of how he could seemingly bring the most destroyed tech back to life. That, and his penchant for summoning metallic, skeletal robots.

  He was a Mid-Tier S-Ranker in charge of Research and Development of Magi-Technology within Aegis. If it had been made by Aegis, it had his stamp of approval on it. Of course, that wasn't his only responsibility. Keeping an eye on Wild Zones fell within his purview because it was his tech that had helped shape the walls, satellites, and other defenses against them.

  Zeke was a well-kept man, organized and neat. He was very detailed oriented, and most likely had some type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it never interfered in his work, so Elizabeth didn't mind. It was a part of his charm to many, but as long as he proved useful, that was all that mattered to Elizabeth.

  "Intact...huh?" Elizabeth inquired, trying not to ugh at his choice of words, "My cousin can't be causing too much trouble, right?"

  Zeke pushed up on his gsses, gncing over at Elizabeth with a deadpan expression.

  "Just st month, two barriers needed to be repaired," he replied bluntly, "I can confidently say that it wasn't caused by any monster from the Wild Zone."

  Again, his choice of words were amusing. No monster from the Wild Zone, but a monster from outside of it? Well, Sis definitely fell into that category. Zeke was quite good at throwing casual shade, and Elizabeth didn't really mind.

  "Speaking of Sis..." Elizabeth leaned her head against her hand, "Any news on those from Clouds? He was supposed to be keeping an eye on them."

  It was at this point that another person spoke up. They were a 37-year old woman with a commanding, yet x presence. Her name was Kelsey Graham. A handsome woman with a gentle olive-tan skin tone that was only marred by what few scars she had received during her military service. She proudly dispyed her arms which bore a few of them, having worn a bck muscle tank top and cargo pants to the meeting.

  Kelsey had been part of an elite commando squad before being dishonorably discharged for putting her superior officer into a coma. When asked why she did it, she had simply replied, "Talk shit, get hit."

  This, of course, didn't fly with the Court-Martial. She had been faced with prison time before one of her battalion stepped forward to reveal the truth of what had happened. Kelsey had found evidence that the superior officer had been leveraging their rank to take advantage of those under them. However, when she tried to bring this to light, it had been strangely dismissed.

  Realizing that her superior officer had someone powerful backing them, Kelsey decided to take matters into her own hands. She found him cornering one of her squad mates, and when she confronted him, he simply scoffed. He believed himself immune to any retaliation and made the fatal mistake of attempting to leverage this against her. He ended up with several fractures and put into a coma for the foreseeable future.

  This revetion had the Court-Martial simply discharge her, albeit dishonorably. She had attempted to take the fall for everything in order to not put her squad mates in any danger, but they wouldn't have it. They stood by her, and when she was discharged, they all left the military.

  It was at the moment that Elizabeth was right there with a job offer for them. It was that unrelenting integrity that Elizabeth liked about her, but also the fact that she knew when to get her hands dirty. Now, Kelsey was in charge of Aegis's Sentinel Squad, one of their Elite Teams. A Mid-Tier S-Ranker, Kelsey was an incredibly skilled fighter, and no one lower than Rank A was in Sentinel.

  "Talking about that wispy thing of a girl, Yuki?" Kelsey asked, casting a curious, wary eye towards Elizabeth, "Eh, Sis sent a report a little while ago, but...are you sure you didn't want to kill them, Miss?"

  "What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked with a sly smirk, "There are easier ways to kill people, Kelsey. They should be grateful I spared them."

  Everyone around the table looked at each other knowingly. Every single one of them knew what had happened. That Yuki had interrupted Elizabeth's date with Lucas, which was incredibly dangerous for ones health. Not to mention, they had been involved in the meeting where the assassination of Lucas had been discussed. This alone was enough of a death sentence.

  After a moment, Kelsey simply let out a resigned sigh, shaking her head with a smile.

  "Right, grateful," she chuckled, "Well, they might be wishing for death right about now. Your cousin is insane, you know that, right?"

  She wasn't wrong, but that's exactly why Elizabeth had trusted this task to Sis. Not only was it a punishment for Yuki and Clouds in general, but it was also a huge benefit to them as well. Sis was in charge of training them. Elizabeth wasn't so shallow as to simply throw away useful tools, even if they had interrupted her date and knew about the assassination attempt.

  "What did he say?" Elizabeth asked coolly, her eyes glinting with a hint of devilish intent.

  Seeing that Elizabeth wanted her to stop beating around the bush, Kelsey cleared her throat and took her feet from the table. Sitting up properly, she pulled up the report on her tablet.

  "Clouds form gracefully..." she began to recite the message from Sis, "Jenna enjoys her new pymates, though often there were cloudy days where it rains, followed by clear skies. However, soon clouds will once again fill the sky with grandeur."

  Elizabeth ran an exasperated hand over her face, staring out between her fingers at Kelsey who had paused awkwardly.

  "...Transtion?" Kelsey looked towards Elizabeth hopefully.

  "Well, I'm sure you got the Jenna part, but..." Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head, "Clouds is obvious Yuki and her team. Forming gracefully is him saying that training is going well, but...cloudy skies means they've been worked to exhaustion, as clear skies follow. Which means none of them could move. Filling the sky with grandeur, well..."

  Elizabeth took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling.

  "Simplest terms?" Elizabeth said, letting out a short ugh, "You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. He's pushing them to their limits until they break, letting them rest, and doing it again."

  "I was afraid of that..." Kelsey mumbled, putting the tablet away, "Even I wouldn't want to train with him..."

  Kelsey shivered at the thought, which amused Elizabeth. Sis certainly did have a...reputation. Not necessarily a bad one, as he was actually well-liked. His methods were just a little...eccentric. They didn't fall into the realm of normal reason. Sometimes, he does things just because he thinks it might be fun. Such as sending the report in a weird code.

  "Well, they're not dead, so it's fine," Elizabeth leaned forward as she spoke, "Have they made any progress?"

  "Yeah," Kelsey nodded, "Surprisingly, that was actually coherent. Sis believes that Yuki has reached the Mid-Tier of Rank-A. Her shadow, Michael, is believed to have reached Low-Tier Rank-A. The others...well, B-Rank is being generous."

  Elizabeth nodded along with the report. When Elizabeth had sent Yuki and her team to Antarctica, Yuki was around Mid to High B-Rank. Michael wasn't far behind her, and the rest of her team were decent High-Tier C-Rankers. So, the fact that they've shown growth means that Sis's training has been working.

  Elizabeth had a keen eye for talent after years of regressing, and she knew that with the right nurturing, Yuki could reach the Mid-Tier of S-Rank. Michael might be able to get to Low-Tier S-Rank, depending on his effort. Once the Sun's Pace appears, and they recover the Ambrosia, it might be possible for them to reach even higher with the improved Angel's Teardrops Elixir.

  "Keep me updated," Elizabeth told her, and Kelsey nodded before rexing back into her chair, "Now that the formalities are out of the way, if no one has anything else to report...?"

  Elizabeth looked around at everyone, waiting to see if they had anything to say. Besides Zeke and Kelsey, there were five other individuals sitting at the table. Erika Cole, Bine Morris, Irene Dawson, Isaac Silva, and Kyle Anders. Each of them an S-Ranker in their own right and every one of them a part of Elizabeth's Covenant.

  Erika Cole was a young, 27-year old woman with a penchant for pastels and Lolita fashion. With opalescent eyes and bushy pigtails, part of her hair colored pastel pink and the other pastel blue, she definitely stood out. Erika was a fashion designer and artisan turned Pyer who went by the moniker "Pastel Star", and was in charge of all fashion lines produced by Aegis, including Starfall Atelier. The ring that Lucas had bought Elizabeth had been her design, and all the clothing she had got for him was made by her as well.

  She was also in charge of Aegis's Angel Division that was comprised mainly of support Pyers. Though, any who underestimated them would be a fool. They had earned the nickname "Battle Medics" for a reason, and Erika herself had another moniker whispered among those who have seen her in action. Hell's Angel.

  Elizabeth couldn't count how many times she's seen Erika's pretty little dresses and dolled up face covered in the blood of her enemies, both monster and human alike. Her favored weapon, a comically rge morning star, covered in viscera.

  Bine Morris was an older, portly gentleman with a kind smile and wrinkles that were well-earned. Despite being well into his 60s, his blue eyes twinkled with an inner light that never faded. The same couldn't be said for his hair, which had completely disappeared from the top of his head, but remained almost defiantly along the sides and back in a neatly trimmed, grey stubble.

  His age and appearance had many people underestimating him, but his mind was as keen as ever. One of the few High-Tier S-Ranks that Aegis had, though his records were sealed, and he was in charge of various business expenditures within Aegis. A fancy way of saying he was the liaison to the criminal underworld, keeping them in line and using them for Elizabeth's benefit. This included Devil's Den who was working with them on the Angel's Teardrops.

  His unique skillset from a past of leading a criminal enterprise was quite useful for Elizabeth on many occasions. Whether it was in this life, or any other. After all, he was one of the first to have joined her Covenant long, long ago. Something that remained even through regressions.

  Irene Dawson was a 43-year old woman that always had a sullen, somber atmosphere about her. Her expression was almost always mencholic and unimpressed. Mesmerizing seafoam eyes looked out from behind her fxen hair that she sometimes brushed aside.

  She was a drab individual that wore dark, foreboding clothing. Some might believe her a ghost, and indeed, she had earned the moniker of "Phantom". This honestly seemed to please her more than anything, but Elizabeth wasn't surprised. Irene had a huge interest in the occult, and up until about two years ago had been insecure about it. That was about the same time her and Zeke started dating.

  The two of them were close, and as Elizabeth caught her eye, a kindred spark was ignited between the two of them. The edges of Elizabeth's lips curled slightly into a small smile. She remembered the day that Irene had come to her, stars in her eyes for the first time to tell her all about Zeke and how he didn't find her interests weird. He was the first one to genuinely care about what she enjoyed...so long as she didn't interrupt his experiments and work.

  She was more than happy to watch him work, and he never minded her presence. In fact, they often worked together on certain projects. She was a very skilled Enchanter, being the head of their Enchanters Department. It was Irene that Elizabeth had enchant most of the outfits for Lucas.

  Isaac Silva was a young man with copper skin, dark hair, and bright amber eyes filled with life. A retired, 22-year old Boxer forced out of the sport after killing his opponent. There had been a lot of controversy surrounding it because Isaac never served jail time. It had been revealed in court that the man he killed had been a notorious drug dealer that had hid their identity.

  Isaac discovered this when one of his cousin's ended up in a coma from a drug overdose. His cousin never used drugs in their life, so Isaac knew something was up. The police didn't care, and so he looked into it himself. Turned out, it was Luka Larson, the current Boxing Champion.

  Unable to get to Luka outside of the ring, Isaac confronted him inside of it. Facing him in the Championship Match, Luka taunted Isaac about his cousin, proving fatal for him. Elizabeth sponsored Isaac's trial and helped his cousin recover from the coma.

  Ever since, Isaac has been a part of Elizabeth's Covenant, and the leader of Aegis's Elite Comet Squad. All of them were heavy hitters and stalwart defenders.

  Kyle Anders was a man in his early 40's with peppered auburn hair and tired, yet kind aquamarine eyes. Freckles dotted his well-aged, sun-kissed face. A behemoth of a man, the suit he wore barely contained him. Yet, despite his intimidating size, he was as gentle as can be...so long as others weren't in danger.

  He was, perhaps, the most normal out of everyone here. At least, he didn't have some tragic or horrible past, even though he had lost his wife several years before the gates appeared due to a terminal illness. He was just a gentle giant with a strength to rival that of titans. Those who have faced him or seen him in battle, however, might say he's far from being normal.

  Now a single father of four daughters, Kyle had awakened during the first wave. A Gate had appeared at his daughters' school, and he was one of the first on the scene. He protected them and others as a building colpsed, keeping it from falling on them until help arrived. Ever since, he has dedicated his life to making sure that the world stays safe for his daughters to grow up in.

  It was this that had led him to Elizabeth, and now he was in charge of the Training Academy that had helped take care of the twins, Priscil and Trevor. He had been diligently helping train future Pyers and those newly awakened. Keeping them safe in order for them to unlock their full potential.

  With all of them assembled together, it was time to discuss the pns for the future.

  "Good," Elizabeth nodded when no one said anything, "As you are aware, a new type of gate has appeared, and I believe it won't be the st."

  "...Are you increasing training?" Kyle inquired in a soft rumble, "It might be possible, but some of the kids-"

  "I understand, but yes..." Elizabeth nodded, locking eyes with him, "We need them to be ready. Do it gradually. I know you want to be careful, but we might not have the luxury."

  Kyle's shoulders sunk in resigned understanding. He had a soft heart, but he knew what had to be done. For everyone's future, it was the only way.

  "You're the only one capable, Kyle," Elizabeth encouraged, "I trust you with this."

  At her words, Kyle's eyes lit up and he sat a bit straighter. There was a determination burning in his eyes as he nodded. Erika gnced over at Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow.

  "I guess I'll be working overtime, huh?" she inquired, a silvery chord striking everyone's ear as she spoke, "Well, I guess it can't be helped. Though, that will mean I might not be able to finish the current order..."

  "I'm sure you can finish them," Elizabeth said, her eye twitching slightly as panic began to set in, "...Right?"

  This was both a question and a statement. Erika smiled slyly behind the sudden hand-fan she produced.

  "Of course~," she replied with a light ugh, "Just wanted to see you sweat a little. Don't worry, your precious boy will get his clothes."

  Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at Erika in slight annoyance, but wasn't really mad. She was more relieved that it had been a joke, and Erika knew better than to make it more than once.

  "Good, thank you," Elizabeth rexed, looking around at everyone else, "Isaac, Kelsey, Zeke, Irene. You all have roles as well. Isaac and Kelsey, your teams will be working with Zero Squad."

  "Training maneuvers?" Kelsey inquired hesitantly, knowing this wasn't the right answer, but fearing the correct one.

  "You know better than that, hermana," Isaac answered with a wry smile, his voice holding a bit of an accent, "Come now, you think she'd let us off the hook that easy?"

  "...No," Kelsey slumped over, defeated, "Damn it. Back to the grind, huh?"

  "Don't worry, we'll take care of you!" Ailyah assured, pcing a comforting hand on Kelsey's shoulder, "Get you up to snuff in no time!"

  Kelsey could do nothing except ugh sadly, completely resigned to her fate. Elizabeth watched them for a moment, feeling the genuine warmth in the room. Memories of the past fshed before her eyes. Simir moments that had occurred before, only to all end in disaster. It would be different this time. It had to be.

  "What about us?" Zeke spoke up, gncing towards Irene briefly, "You said you have tasks for us?"

  "Yes," Elizabeth nodded, motioning towards Bine, "We'll be coming into materials that need to be processed. Work with Bine on the details, but we'll need you and Irene to begin synthesizing them."

  "That's...doable," Irene's voice was wispy as she spoke, "If...Zeke is okay...with it."

  "I don't mind," Zeke smiled warmly at Irene, who hid herself behind her hair, "Bine, does this have to do with Devil's Den?"

  "Somewhat," Bine spoke for the first time, a surprisingly smooth voice, "Leave the details to me, and just focus on what you do best."

  "...As aloof as always," Zeke sighed, running a hand through his hair, "No matter, if Miss Elizabeth needs it, it will be done."

  "So, everyone is in agreement?" Elizabeth asked, and everyone nodded, "Good. We'll be busier than ever, but I'm counting on everyone. Don't make me a fool."

  "Never," Kelsey answered seriously, and everyone else was in agreement.

  With the meeting over, Elizabeth dismissed everyone, though called to Zeke has he left. Turning back around, he addressed her curiously.

  "Yes, Miss Elizabeth?" he inquired.

  "Honestly, when will you drop the honorifics?" Elizabeth smiled, shaking her head.

  "You're my benefactor," Zeke stated simply, "I should address you politely."

  "I figured," Elizabeth sighed, "Well, no matter. I wanted to ask...how's that new assistant of yours?"

  "That girl you...politely asked me to look after?" Zeke asked, refraining from saying what he really wanted to.

  "You can just say I dumped her on you," Elizabeth ughed, "It's not like I really gave you a choice."

  "...That you didn't," he admitted, "Though, I can't say I'm not grateful."

  "Oh?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, "Careful, you might make Irene jealous."

  Zeke simply looked at her with the most deadpan, serious expression ever.

  "I am loyal in my affections, Miss," Zeke stated matter-of-factly, "Irene knows as such."

  "I'm only teasing, so...grateful?" she urged him to continue.

  "Yes," Zeke nodded, "Denny is an incredibly talented Artificer. Her skill with nanotech far exceeds my own. Speaking of, how did her experiment go?"

  Elizabeth thought back to that moment in Italy when she had to convince Lucas to get the shot to inject the nanites into him. A warm, loving smile came across her lips.

  "Perfectly," Elizabeth answered fondly, "Thank you for your help on that."

  "Not at all," Zeke waved a hand dismissively, "I barely did anything except answer what few questions she had. It was all her work. To be honest...I've learned quite a bit from her myself."

  "Is that so?" Elizabeth was a little shocked to hear him admit that, as he was a little prideful of his work, "So, she's a good addition to your team? You're not one to give praise so easily."

  "Praise is given where deserved," Zeke stated simply, "And Denny has earned it. She has a brilliant mind and vast potential."

  "She's important," Elizabeth told him, "I haven't told you this, but she's Lucas's sister...well, semi-adopted sister. Take care of her properly, understand?"

  A dawning understanding entered Zeke's eyes as he bowed his head in acceptance of the request.

  "I'll do everything I can to train her properly," Zeke responded in that professional tone of his, "As a fellow technomancer, it's our duty to help one another."

  "Is it, or do you just want to learn from her?" Elizabeth teased.

  "...It can be both," Zeke replied, though avoided eye-contact sheepishly.

  "Right, right," Elizabeth ughed lightly, "Well, that's all I wanted to know. You're dismissed."

  Zeke gave a polite bow before leaving the room. Left alone with nothing but her thoughts, Elizabeth turned around in her chair as the walls of the conference room shimmered and changed from the darkened gss they had been, into clear windows looking out at the city.

  Her face became set in pensive thought. Things were finally being set in motion. The final stretch. Everything after this point was critical. She couldn't make a single mistake. The pressure was building up, and as it reached its zenith, almost as if he could sense it...Lucas hugged her [Living Mirage] and through its ears, she could hear his distant voice.

  "I love you, Ellie."

  She smiled coyly, taking a deep breath to focus herself as her mirage responded to his words with a kiss. Lingering her fingers over her lips, she longed for his touch and was slightly jealous of her clone. When all of this was over, she would smother him with so much affection, he'd be drunk for days on it. A sight she looked forward to seeing.

  However, before such a thing could come to pass, she had a lot of work to do. In the distance, she saw the familiar red glint crackling in the sky. Another Gate Break. Just one of many to come. From this moment forward, everything meant more than ever before.

  Elizabeth reached for the gss next to her on the table, putting it to her lips as she took a long, purposeful drink of the sweet, violet-blue nectar within. Though it wasn't perfect yet, the Angel's Teardrops mixed well with the Crowned Tulip's that she had long since gathered. The energy coursing through her body was a reminder.

  This was the start of the end.

  In this life, she would succeed.

  -----

  Nikushimi