Raiza withdrew her hand, keeping her crimson sword trained on Celestine with careful precision.
Celestine released Milo's hand and shifted her full attention to Raiza. Calm and authoritative, she studied her opponent with a quiet scrutiny that made even the most confident fighters hesitate.
Milo stared, surprised and confused. He didn't recognize her, yet her presence her poise, her control spoke of a power far beyond ordinary skill.
The street seemed to hold its breath. Tension crackled between the three of them, Raiza and Celestine sizing each other up while Milo stood in the eye of the storm, alert and uncertain.
Celestine gathered her black hair, tinged with violet, into a high ponytail. The long tail flowed gracefully, strands left free dancing lightly in the breeze, giving her a sharp, ready-for-action look while maintaining elegance and mystery.
She stood tall, relaxed yet radiating authority, her piercing eyes locked on Raiza. Every motion was measured, deliberate, speaking volumes without a word. Finally, her voice cut through the silence:
"Alright… followers of Tavian or rather, the talented ones how about you take your leave?"
Celestine's gaze shifted toward Lazaro as he advanced with a calm, teasing smile. Each step seemed deliberate, the air around him tightening, as if the street itself held its breath. Suddenly, an invisible force tugged at his foot, halting him mid-stride.
Lucas lifted his head from the cold cobblestones, blood trickling down his face, eyes burning with pain and fury. "Our fight isn't over yet, you bastard. You're not going anywhere," he spat, voice sharp with defiance.
Lazaro slowly lifted his foot, preparing another kick aimed at Lucas's head. The air seemed to freeze, time stretching taut for a brief, tense moment. Then he stopped.
Celestine stood with unshakable poise, piercing eyes locked on him. Her voice was calm but carried unyielding authority:
"One more move, and you'll deal with me."
The narrow street was thick with silence, every breath suspended, every glance heavy with the weight of her power.
Celestine held a small vial of Healing Dust, its faint glow shimmering in the dim light. Without hesitation, she tossed it toward Milo.
"Take this use it to heal your wounds and those of the person with you," she said in a calm but firm voice. "Now, leave this place immediately."
Milo stood on his feet, immediately heading toward Lazaro, pretending to attack. At the last moment, he dodged and scooped up Lucas, sprinting away at full speed.
This is my only chance to get out of all this, he thought to himself, heart pounding. But… who is that woman, and why did she help me?
The narrow street blurred around Milo as he raced against time, each step echoing urgently. The faint glow of Celestine's Healing Dust lingered in the air like a protective veil.
Lazaro's lips curled into a faint, irritated smile as he readied himself to pursue. But before he could move, Celestine sent a thin beam of energy toward him light, precise, more a warning than an attack. Lazaro easily deflected it, though the sting against his skin made him pause briefly.
Celestine's gaze bore down on him, filled with a mixture of superiority and provocation, her calm voice cutting through the tension:
"I told you to stop, yet you wouldn't listen."
A flicker of anger passed over Lazaro's face.
"What's your problem, woman?! My enemies escaped because of you!" he shouted, advancing toward her slowly, testing her patience.
Suddenly, Raiza shot between them with explosive speed, planting her hand firmly on Lazaro's chest as if to hold him back.
"Let's withdraw," Lazaro muttered, unease creeping into his voice. "This woman… she's incredibly strong. Works for the Guild Agency. A fight here will only bring trouble."
The narrow street hung heavy with tension. Raiza didn't budge, her hand steady against Lazaro's chest, eyes locked on Celestine. The air hummed with restrained energy, every second pregnant with anticipation.
Lazaro shoved her hand aside roughly.
"Don't get in my way, katana girl. Run if you want, but I'm not leaving until I crush this woman," he snarled, eyes burning with raw intent.
Raiza ignored him completely, her crimson aura flickering faintly as she stepped back.
"Do as you please, then," she said calmly, her tone carrying a quiet defiance that made Lazaro hesitate for just a heartbeat.
In a sudden, unnerving motion, the thin, bald man stepped forward his movements unnervingly smooth, almost as if the ground itself shifted beneath him. Every stride carried a direct, palpable threat.
Raiza and Lazaro froze, eyes widening in genuine shock. Neither had expected such raw power to appear so abruptly. The large red pendants on his chest glowed brighter, tiny runes circling them pulsing with a strange, ominous light signs of the force coiled within him.
Even in that brief stillness, his presence radiated menace. Muscles tensed, energy swelled at his command; with a single blink, he could become a multi-limbed juggernaut, striking and defending with brutal, unrelenting force. The alley seemed to hold its breath as he stepped fully into the space between them calm, deadly, and unmistakably dangerous.
Raiza stared at him, utterly shocked.
"Sharva… what are you doing here?" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of disbelief and tension.
He spoke calmly and slowly.
"Mr Tavian asked me to watch you while you carry out the mission you failed," he said.
"Anyway… let's leave this place now."
Celestine looked at him with mild surprise and spoke in a calm, curious tone,
"I didn't expect Tavian to have a subordinate like you."
Her eyes scanned his thin, frail body before she added,
"You don't look strong… but I guess Im wrong."
Lazaro suddenly charged toward Celestine, energy surging violently around him.
"Damn all of you! I'm not leaving until I kill this woman!" he shouted.
In an instant, Sharva appeared before him. His arm bulged and twisted slightly, muscles swelling as he struck Lazaro's neck with incredible speed and precision. The impact was so strong that Lazaro lost consciousness immediately.
Sharva stood still for a moment, then lifted Lazaro onto his shoulder and turned his back.
"Raiza, let's go," he said calmly.
Celestine watched Sharva carefully, a mix of mild surprise and quiet admiration in her expression.
"Oh… stronger than I expected," she said calmly, resting one hand on her hip.
Sharva didn't look back. He walked steadily, Lazaro draped over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. After a few steps, he raised a hand in a silent farewell.
"Our paths will cross again someday," he said, his voice calm but edged with finality. "And when they do… we'll be enemies."
Celestine stayed silent, her sharp eyes following them until they disappeared into the distance. Beside him, Raiza walked with measured steps, her face unreadable.
Whether she was hiding her thoughts or accepting the outcome, no one could tell.
As Sharva and Raiza moved away, his gaze suddenly flicked toward the spot where Milo and Lucas hid. For a brief moment, his piercing eyes locked onto them cold, sharp, and heavy with unspoken power.
Milo felt a chill crawl down his spine, his breath caught for an instant under the weight of that stare. But Sharva didn't approach. He simply turned and continued walking.
After a short silence, he spoke slowly to Raiza, voice low and deliberate:
"Why is Tavian so interested in that boy?"
Raiza glanced between Milo and Sharva, then replied with measured confidence:
"We thought he killed one of Tavian's weak followers but he didn't.
And… he is Arthur's son."
Milo stood still, watching them carefully, ready for any sudden move.
Sharva continued on his path, followed closely by Raiza.
Raiza said to Milo, her voice calm but firm:
"We will meet again, milo."
Milo sat down, holding the bottle of magical healing dust, carefully applying it to mend Lucas's head injuries. Once done, he placed it beside him, near the wound Raiza had inflicted.
Lucas blinked awake, rubbing his head.
"Damn… is it over?" he muttered.
Milo glanced at him, a hint of concern in his eyes.
"Yeah… seems like it. They've gone."
Lucas pressed a hand against his head.
"All of this… it's because of Toxivar. I'm sorry, Milo."
Milo's voice dropped, cautious.
"Is… Toxivar really capable of killing someone?"
Lucas looked away, his features twisting between sorrow and anger.
"Toxivar… he's… strange. I don't doubt he could… but it's not entirely his fault."
A heavy silence settled between them, the empty street amplifying each heartbeat. Lucas's voice grew bitter, memories flashing in his eyes.
"His past… it was dark even before the orphanage. His family abandoned him. He saw it all… and he wasn't normal."
Milo raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"Strange? How?"
Lucas met his gaze, grief and accusation written across his face.
"Toxivar carries a terrifying, negative energy. He was nothing like the other children. He didn't play, didn't laugh… he liked hurting small creatures, tormenting them."
A chill ran down Milo's spine as he absorbed Lucas's words. The silence between them wasn't peaceful it carried a latent threat, a reminder that Toxivar's dark past still lingered.
Milo's voice was steady, resolute.
"He has to face it… admit his crimes. If he really killed the person who attacked my friend, he must be punished, no matter how terrible his circumstances were."
Lucas looked at Milo, torn between loyalty to a friend and the call for justice.
"This isn't the first time… he always escapes punishment," he said, his tone hardening with frustration and resolve.
The street pressed in around them, heavy with tension, the quiet echoing the dark shadow of Toxivar's past and the fragile balance between loyalty and justice.
Lucas pressed his hands against his temples, wincing.
"Ugh… my head… it still hurts, even after the healing."
Milo rose, brushing the tension from his shoulders, and regarded his friend carefully.
"What do you think… if we go and talk to Toxivar? I think I can convince him."
Toxivar looked at Milo, his gaze sharp but tinged with confusion.
"You… you really expect me to betray my friend and the troublemakers?"
Milo froze, surprise written all over his face.
"What? Wasn't I already an ally of yours?"
Lucas shook his head slightly, his expression serious but calm.
"Milo… even though you were an ally, a little while ago you were heading straight for our hideout while the talented ones were following you. If they had known where we, the troublemakers, were hiding… we would have been in serious trouble, no doubt about it."
Lucas's expression turned serious as he looked at Milo.
"He also told me… that you're no longer an ally to them. I don't think Toxivar would want to see you again."
Milo looked at him calmly, his voice measured:
"What do you mean?"
Lucas continued, his tone filled with caution and concern:
"My advice… just stay away from all of this and focus on your own life."
Milo picked up his phone, scrolling through his contacts, when something caught his eye.
Toxivar's account… it was gone.
His eyes widened in shock, his heart skipping a beat.
"What…? How is this possible?"
Lucas stood up, his gaze steady as he addressed Milo.
"You're running out of time. You need to go."
He paused for a moment, his tone softening slightly.
"As for the Talented Ones who attacked us… the Troublemakers will handle them. But if they ever target you directly, just let me know. We'll come to help on my word. Consider it a way to make up for the mistakes I made and the chaos Toxivar caused you."
Even so, Milo couldn't bring himself to accept it.
"What about the Troublemakers…? If your leaders are evil, Lucas, you shouldn't stay with that gang."
Lucas met his gaze steadily, resolve hardening his features.
"Milo, despite everything, we have different goals. I fight to protect the people I care about and to oppose the Church's injustice. If my leaders ever try to harm them, I'll take them down myself."
He smiled, calm but resolute.
"All that matters to me is my family. I know the Troublemakers are weak, and we won't defeat the Church… not yet. But at least our voices will be heard. And as for our leaders? None of their evil plans will succeed."
Milo studied him, seeing the stubborn truth in his eyes not foolishness, but a fierce determination to protect those he loved. Milo exhaled slowly, his voice calmer yet steady.
"Alright… just don't take any steps you'll regret."
As they spoke, a sudden presence froze them both.
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, her movements graceful and deliberate. Milo's eyes widened, and Lucas, usually cautious, stiffened in surprise.
It was Celestine.
Her piercing gaze swept over them, calm yet commanding. The faint sway of her high ponytail added to her aura of quiet authority. The street seemed to grow colder, tension thickening as if the air itself recognized her presence.
Milo blinked, a bit flustered, his voice uncertain.
"It's… it's you…
Are… are you?"
Celestine smiled at him gently, her expression calm and kind.
"Yes," she said softly. "I heard your entire conversation."
Suddenly, Celestine spoke, her voice calm and composed despite everything happening around them.
"I've suffered while searching for even the simplest information about him," she said softly, her tone soothing yet firm.
Milo and Lucas exchanged a shocked glance, caught off guard by her calm, precise presence.
Lucas stepped forward, forming a makeshift energy pistol and aiming at Celestine.
"Hey, Lucas! Wait!" Milo shouted, lunging between them.
Lucas didn't flinch. "You can take me, but I won't tell you a thing about him, you government dogs."
Celestine's smile widened slightly. Before he could react, her fingers closed over his wrist, steady and unyielding, guiding the pistol against her own throat.
The street went silent, the tension so sharp it could cut.
"You've been fighting for a long time," she said softly, every word deliberate. "You're exhausted. Your head still hurts." Her voice was almost pitying; Lucas's knuckles went white.
He tightened his grip.
Celestine's eyes never wavered. "I'm at full strength. Not a trace of fatigue. Do you really think your energy shot could kill me?"
Lucas's breath hitched. Hatred burned in him, but her fearless confidence gnawed at his resolve. His arm trembled, memories of blows and sleepless nights pressing in.
Celestine leaned close, calm and steady. "Go on," she said softly. "Shoot. I won't block it. Make your choi
Milo's shout broke from his throat, raw and desperate. "Lucas don't!"
Lucas's weapon vanished, and he calmly returned his hand to its place, taking a moment to steady himself.
Celestine smiled at him, her expression calm and measured.
"Good choice… Now, where were we…"
Suddenly, Lucas grabbed Milo's hand and bolted, running with surprising speed.
Milo's eyes widened in shock at Lucas's sudden haste.
Celestine remained still, watching them with quiet focus.
Milo shouted after Lucas, frustrated: "Why are you in such a hurry? I had so many questions!"
Lucas shot him a glare. "Forget your questions! If she catches us, we're in trouble!"
Celestine let out a soft sigh, slipping her hand into her pocket. "Exhausted… I'll leave this for tomorrow," she muttered, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she watched them run. "You really are like your father… always drawn into trouble."
She exhaled slowly, her gaze lingering for a moment.
"Milo… son of Arthur."