Footsteps echoed softly through the quiet stone corridor. Nao walked beside Lucian, ascending the stairs toward the headquarters' hall. Absentmindedly, she bit her thumb—an old habit resurfacing.
Without glancing at her, Lucian remarked, "Still doing that, huh?"
Nao quickly pulled her thumb away. "Reflex. Proof I'm still alive." She wiped her thumb on her robe.
As they reached the main hall, their steps veered toward the training area—
Kruukkkk
Nao's stomach roared. She tilted her head slightly, locking eyes with Lucian. "I haven't eaten. Cafeteria first?"
Lucian gave a slow nod. "I've eaten. I'll head to the storage room."
"Fine," Nao replied, striding toward the cafeteria.
She pushed open the heavy iron doors. "Ugh. Typical," she muttered, shaking her head.
Inside, the cafeteria buzzed with its usual chaos: Assassins sprawled across the room, some shouting, others stuffing food like they hadn't eaten in days. some devouring meals in silence, others roaring with laughter. And of course, in the corner, Kari—the assassin infamous for exaggerating every story—was passionately telling yet another wild tale. His left hand waved wildly while his right pounded a spoon against the table.
"Then I jumped off a five-story roof—BOOM! Three guys went down from one kick, just like that!"
Nao simply sighed, ordered his food, and looked for a quieter corner to sit.
He started eating slowly. The cafeteria remained loud—until a commotion rose from across the room, louder than chatter or laughter.
A young assassin with a large bag was being called over by three others. His face looked innocent, a bit awkward—clearly, he just wanted to eat in peace.
"Hey! What's with the huge bag? You carrying All weapons in the base or corpses in there?" one of them laughed.
"Did you pack the entire armory or what? Come on, show us!" another sneered, tugging at the zipper.
The young assassin held onto the bag nervously. "I just... I just wanna eat, please—"
Trrrk.
The zipper slid open slightly.
Clink... klink klink klink...
Several metal coins scattered across the floor, rolling in all directions. Nao looked up, curious about the ruckus.
"No wonder the bag's huge—it's stuffed with coins!" one of the bullies shouted louder, drawing the entire cafeteria's attention.
The commotion grew. Some people stood up, intrigued. The sound of spoons stopped, conversations died down.
"P-please go away..."
Suddenly, the cafeteria doors swung open.
A figure strode in, crimson robe swaying, golden-blond hair cascading over a face too handsome for humility. His half-tucked shirt and effortless smirk screamed I own the room.
Every eye snapped to him. Some assassins instinctively pressed against the walls.
Riel Astregarde.
He ambled into the chaos, tone light but laced with unignorable authority. "Hey now, what's all this?"
The bullies froze. One scrambled to gather the spilled coins. "S-sorry, Riel! Just joking, swear!"
But a coin slipped from his grip, hitting the floor with a sharp sound.
Kling
"Dammit," he hissed.
Riel just raised an eyebrow. No words needed—the room hushed instantly. The trio slunk back to their seats, shamefaced. Riel approached the bullied boy, offering a hand.
"You're safe now," he said, He grinned, annoyingly sure of himself. The young assassin adjusted his glasses. "Thanks, but sorry, you're stepping on something important to me."
Riel looked down and picked it up. A worn-out scarf, with a small embroidery of a pig wearing a simple dress at one end.
"Is this... a pig in a dress?" Riel muttered, nearly laughing, but quickly caught himself. "Uh-sorry, I mean... is this yours?"
The young assassin nodded. "My mom sewed it for me before she...disappeared. It's the only thing I have left."
"O-Ok im sorry"
The cafeteria's normal clamor resumed.
Riel sauntered toward the kitchen. "Ma! Triple jumbo rice, extra meat."
Nao Shook her head. "Such a show-off…"
Minutes later, Riel plopped beside her, tray piled impossibly high.
Before she could react, Riel took a piece of meat.
"Glutton," she snapped, jabbing two fingers up his nose.
"OW! Damn—stop! That hurts!" Riel flailed, eyes watering.
Nao withdrew her fingers, scowling. "Serves you right."
Riel rubbed his nose, whining. "So cruel…"
Nao Glancing lazily, resuming her meal.
Seconds later, Riel spoke again. "Hey, where's your money going? Your portions are tiny."
Nao glared. "I have Various needs."
Riel nodded sagely. "Sure, sure. I believe you."
Silence.
Then, as usual, Riel spoke up again.
"Why's your outfit so dirty? Looks like you wrestled a muddy cow."
Nao stopped chewing. This time, her fingers speared his nostrils deeper.
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I GIVE UP! MERCY!" Riel wheezed.
"Bloodstains, idiot. Even Lucian doesn't complain," Nao hissed.
Riel raised his hands in defeat, slumping back. "Fine fine… emotionalbunny…"
"Narcissistic monkey."
---
Around the same time, Lucian stepped quietly into the armory.
The room was dim, lit only by a few faint yellow lights. Rows of metal shelves were lined with old and new weapons—some coated in dust, others freshly sharpened. He walked straight toward the farthest corner and stopped in front of an old sword.
Its scabbard was worn, the tip slightly torn.
Slowly, Lucian opened the cover. Inside, tucked away, was a scrap of old cloth… and a photograph. He took it out carefully.
The photo was faded, its colors dull with time. But it clearly showed a younger version of himself, standing among a dozen children. All of them were smiling. The backdrop was this base, back when everything was still whole.
"Zanna…" he whispered, a faint smile forming on his lips.
He folded the cloth, slipped it into the inner pocket of his cloak, and began adjusting his outfit—ready to move out.
---
The thud of boots echoed through the stone corridor, heavy and rhythmic like a war drum.
Kilo's boots.
They struck the metal floor with steady cadence, each step resonating up to the high ceilings of the base. He walked toward the main hall—where his voice could flow freely into every corner of this place. His cloak fluttered gently behind him, and on his chest, the emblem of Delphinus.
He stopped at the center of the hall, took a deep breath, then—
"LUCIAN, NAO, RIEL, AND BILLY! TACTICAL MEETING—ELEVEN PM!"
His voice erupted like a shockwave, painless yet omnipresent—seeping through walls, vents, and floors.
---
Armory – Lucian
Lucian was adjusting his weapon belt when the voice cut through the air. A small knife nearly slipped from his hand. He gripped the hilt tighter.
Kilo.
Bearer of the Delphinus star. His gift: manipulating sound waves to reach every corner of the base-no speakers, no tech, just raw resonance.
---
Cafeteria – Nao & Riel
Nao and Riel were still seated, enjoying their meals while exchanging light banter. Their soft laughter came to an abrupt stop when Kilo's voice tore through the air.
Nao instinctively turned his head. "Seriously? That's Kilo, isn't it?"
Riel raised an eyebrow. "Does he even have a normal volume setting
---
Library –
A middle-aged man in a white apron sat reading a cookbook. A rumble from beneath the ground made his chair tremble. "What the hell... was that sound?"
He stared down at the floor, as if something massive was unfolding at the earth's core.
---
22:45 – Three Destinies Converge
---
22:45 – Riel's Home
A large mirror with a golden handle reflected the perfect image of a man with wavy blond hair. Riel stood before it, wearing a high-collared black shirt he had ironed himself-for the hundredth time that night.
"Neat. Authoritative. Charismatic," he murmured as he brushed his hair back, only to let it fall naturally again. "A little messy, but still handsome."
He glanced to his right-an elegant wall shelf lit with soft lighting, where a jet-black sniper rifle was displayed like a crown. He walked slowly toward it.
His hand gently touched the barrel of the rifle, as if greeting an old friend.
"It's been a while, huh? Time to shine again, darling."
Riel took his beloved sniper off the rack, gripping it firmly. His expression turned serious in an instant
---
22:45 – Rooftop
The night wind brushed against the black cloak, softly fluttering behind Nao's silhouette.
He sat on the edge of the rooftop-one leg dangling, the other bent to rest his arm.
His thumb was caught gently between his teeth, absentmindedly bitten. His gaze was fixed on the night sky, scattered with faint stars.
"Feels like it's been forever, but it's only been a few minutes," he muttered quietly. "What's going to happen tonight..."
His eyes narrowed, reading the wind, measuring time.
There was something restless inside him- not because of fear, but because of something else.
---
22:45 – Wooden hut
---
Lucian's footsteps barely made a sound as he walked across the dew-covered grass toward the wooden hut. A thin fog drifted lazily between the trees, and stars slowly began to appear one by one in the dark sky.
The wooden door creaked softly as Lucian pushed it open. Inside, warmth filled the quiet space. A little girl lay curled under a worn-out blanket.
"Elen," Lucian called softly.
The child stirred, eyes fluttering open. Despite the sleepiness lingering in her gaze, she sat up with a small burst of energy. Elen—six years old, with messy curls and large brown eyes that reflected the starlight—beamed at him.
"Big brother Lucian… the sky looks so pretty tonight, doesn't it?" she murmured in a raspy, sleepy voice.
Lucian gave a small nod and sat beside her. "I can't stay long. Before I go… I just wanted to ask—how was lunch and dinner today?"
Elen nodded eagerly. "Brother Lars did great! He's a really good cook. He even made fire with his hands again. It was sooo cool!" Her eyes sparkled. "He made root soup and bread. It was yummy!"
Lucian let out a faint smile. "That's good to hear."
Elen glanced toward the window. "I want to see the constellation. That one… but not alone."
Lucian was silent for a moment, then stood. Slowly, he raised his left hand. From the cold night air, the energy of Grus flowed out like ink in water.
A tall figure began to form—a guardian, cloaked in shades of black, white, and grey. It had no face, but its presence was calm… protective.
"He'll stay with you until morning," Lucian said softly. "If anything happens, he'll protect you. And he knows a lot about stars."
Elen looked at the being in awe. "Can I give him a name?"
Lucian nodded. "Of course. Name him however you like."
"Okay! From now on, your name is Angel. You're my angel who'll protect me tonight."
Lucian brushed her head gently, then took a quiet breath. "I have to go now."
"Good luck on your mission, Big Brother Lucian…"
---
22:46 [Riel's Home]
The mirror no longer reflected an image; now it showed a man on a mission.
Riel descended the stairs of his house, his steps calm but laced with hidden tension. His fingers gripped the weapon with quiet confidence, and his gaze burned like the second before a shot is fired.
Inside him, conviction spoke loudly. Tonight-his bullet would find its mark.
22:46 [Rooftop – Nao]
Up above, Nao remained silent. But her hand had dropped from her mouth, and her breaths were growing deeper. She stood slowly, gazing toward the city with a sharp look in her eyes. As if the night wind had whispered something she couldn't ignore.
Inside her, doubt crept in slowly. But that feeling... it was too real to turn away from.
22:46 [Wooden hut – Lucian]
Beyond the forest mist, Lucian left the cabin without a sound.
His body rose slowly into the night sky. Behind him, the light from within the cabin dimmed gently, yet remained warm- like a quiet heart, kept alive by hope and an unnamed guardian.
Within him, old wounds stayed silent. But it was resolve-that kept him flying
---
Tonight, the sky is full of stars.
But not all of them shine for beauty. Some shine for war, for choices, and for truths yet to be revealed.
22:46
The world held its breath. But not for long.