Pov Eliana (A-B)

  Night had fallen over Nkiruka, the capital of the Kingdom. Mikki, Eliana, Ali, Sara, and Kaia had been escorted to the center of the capital, where thick walls enclosed the area. Within these ramparts stood various beautiful houses inhabited by nobles. There were also several hotels for distinguished guests. The two most impressive buildings were the king’s pace, which was enormous, and the government building, where all the ministers and senators of the Kingdom gathered.

  They were led by the spy to the grand reception hall, which, for the occasion, was completely empty. There was only one person in the vast room—Taiwo—who had been eagerly awaiting the girls she had seen in a dream. Hearing footsteps, she turned around and quickly approached the group.

  "Finally, after all this time, I’ve found you,"

  Taiwo excimed with a wide smile, relieved to finally see them before her.

  "You’re the Prime Minister, right?"

  Eliana and Ali had never really paid much attention to the leaders of other nations; politics was not exactly their favorite topic of discussion.

  "Indeed..."

  Taiwo quickly analyzed the group—their clothing, their condition—and, unsurprisingly, the girls' clothes were in poor shape, some of them were injured, and others had dark circles under their eyes.

  "But first, I think it would be best for you all to get some rest… Tomorrow, we will discuss a pn to… save the world."

  The girls voiced no objections—they were exhausted and in bad shape. Taiwo picked up her phone to call her chief advisor, who arrived promptly a few minutes ter.

  "My chief advisor, Ladi, will escort you to your rooms."

  Ladi nodded at the order, then turned around, motioning for the group to follow her.

  Ali had entered the room. Earlier, Ladi had asked if they preferred to sleep alone or in pairs. The girls had chosen to share rooms, with Eliana particurly insisting on being with Ali, which Ali found strange but didn’t question further.

  Sara and Kaia decided to share a room, while Mikki opted to have one to herself.

  The two girls had taken a well-deserved shower, changed, and put on the pajamas provided by Ladi. It was a simple set—bck joggers with t-shirts of different colors. Ali had chosen a white t-shirt with a rge star, while Eliana had opted for a completely bck one.

  The hotel room had a double bed that they had to share, though it wasn’t the first time they had slept in the same bed or shared a room.

  Eliana y on the left side, while Ali took the right. They both turned onto their sides so they could face each other. Ali smiled at Eliana, who seemed lost in thought.

  “Tough day, huh?”

  Ali chuckled softly at the chaotic events of the past few days. Eliana nodded and looked down at the floor.

  “I… I had memories… earlier… I mean, when you were fighting… I think I passed out, and when I woke up, I could clearly see people’s weak points.”

  Ali’s smile widened with curiosity.

  “What’s my weak point?”

  Eliana pulled the bnket up, covering part of her face, and whispered almost inaudibly,

  “Me.”

  Ali’s face instantly turned red. It was true—she had no physical weaknesses, no Achilles’ heel. Her weak point was Eliana, the one she had cherished ever since she had saved her years ago.

  “I… I wasn’t expecting that… B-but you saved my life, and as a wolf, I feel the need to repay those who spared me from a horrible fate… Like you.”

  Eliana smiled, letting out a small, na?ve ugh before turning her back to Ali. Without hesitation, Ali moved closer and wrapped her arms around Eliana’s waist, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

  “I… I… You saved my life… And… W-when I saw you fighting with Mikki against the mage… I felt useless. You trained me to be stronger, but without a weapon, I’m nothing… I kept wondering how I could help you, and that’s when this warmth spread through my arm… and my power awakened, just like Mikki’s.”

  Ali nodded, deep in thought. If both Mikki and Eliana had unlocked their abilities, then why hadn’t she? And how could she awaken hers? She didn’t have an answer yet.

  She held Eliana a little tighter and whispered into her ear,

  “I love you… Eli.”

  Eliana’s face flushed an even deeper shade of red, even more so than from the intimate embrace. Deep down, she had been in love with Ali for a long time. She nodded quickly as Ali pressed a soft kiss to her neck, making Eliana blurt out in a rush,

  “I love you too!”

  Ali ran her fingers through Eliana’s hair, her voice a teasing whisper in her ear.

  “Took you long enough.”

  She nibbled gently on Eliana’s ear, making her shiver. Eliana closed her eyes, and the two girls shared a night they would never forget.

  Pov Zye (A-B)

  However, not everyone had the most restful night.

  In a dimly lit workshop, Zye sat chained by the ankles to the wall, diligently working on a device small enough to fit in one hand. Judging by its nearly finished state, it wouldn't take much longer to complete. She was in bad shape, exhausted from staying awake for countless hours.

  Her captor had discovered her weakness—the inability to make decisions for herself. Taking full advantage of this, he had ordered her to work until the device was finished.

  Suddenly, the door creaked open. But it wasn’t the jailer. Instead, an angel with rabbit ears entered the room. She walked up to Zye, pcing her hands on the girl’s shoulders.

  “How’s my little Pinkie doing?”

  Zye let out a low growl. She hated being called that, a nickname based on her pink hair.

  “...I’m working.”

  The rabbit-eared woman leaned closer to inspect the device, letting out a soft giggle. Her excitement was clear.

  “I see it’s almost finished.”

  Zye sighed, continuing her work as she mumbled,

  “...Why? Why am I building this? This thing… it’s going to destroy the world…”

  The rabbit-eared woman smirked, hopping onto Zye’s workbench as she casually undid the belt of her bck pants.

  “Do you know how angels are chosen?”

  Zye shook her head. She knew nothing about it.

  “I was just a simple rabbit before. But one day, Bunnae saw my suffering and made me one of her angels… Normally, gods and goddesses choose someone who has no importance to anyone. That was my case… My vilge was wiped out. I was the only survivor. I traveled to other demi-human nds, only to be hunted down because of my race! Rabbits are cute but weak, and in this world, if you’re weak, you’re nothing. You’re just prey.”

  Zye shivered. She didn’t know many rabbits personally, but something felt off—like the woman’s words belonged to an era long past.

  “...That’s not true… That doesn’t happen anymore…”

  Without warning, the rabbit-eared woman stood up, grabbed her belt, and struck Zye with it. A sharp cry of pain escaped her lips.

  “Did I ask you to speak? No.”

  Zye quickly shook her head, falling silent.

  “Now, where was I? Oh, right! Why am I doing this? Because the only species worthy of ruling this world is rabbits. With this device, I’ll have the power to make everyone bow before me. Me and my suf– I mean, my associates.”

  “But… once I finish it… I’ll need a way to power it. It needs energy.”

  At that moment, the rabbit-eared woman pulled out a neckce with a strange red gemstone embedded in it. The moment Zye id eyes on it, she knew exactly what it was. Instinctively, she lunged for it.

  “That belongs to Sarah! You stole it?!”

  The woman shrugged.

  “Maybe I did… This thing is a battery. So rare these days… And that Sarah? She’s dead. She went looking for you and ran into my associates. They killed her. All because of you. Do you hear that?”

  Zye froze. She swallowed the lie whole. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the device in her hands. Every part of her wanted to stop, to smash it into pieces—but she couldn’t. The order had been given. She had to keep working.

  The rabbit-eared woman stood up and turned to leave. With a flick of her fingers, her belt shimmered with magic and hovered ominously beside Zye.

  “If you stop working for even a second, this belt will whip you.”

  Zye swallowed hard and immediately resumed her work as the woman exited the workshop, leaving the young girl to fend for herself.

  Pov Mikki (A-B)

  The next morning, the entire group gathered around a table with a map of the city id out before them. Taiwo stood at the center of the table, with Ladi and the spy who had led them to the pace seated to his right. Sara and Mikki sat on one side, while Ali, Eliana, and Kaia sat on the other. The discussions were about to begin. Under the table, Eliana and Ali were discreetly holding hands. Taiwo was the first to speak.

  "So, our enemies are the... Martyrs, is that correct, Kaia?"

  Kaia nodded slightly to confirm Taiwo's words. Mikki then joined the conversation.

  "Have you interrogated the mage? Did she reveal any information?"

  The spy spoke next, her voice calm and composed.

  "She revealed the existence of two bases in the city. We've identified the first one in the north—it's where your friend Zye is being held."

  Mikki clenched her fists, and a glimmer of hope appeared on her face. At least now, she knew exactly where Zye was. Ali then raised his hand.

  "And the second base?"

  "The main entrance is beneath the temple in the southern part of the city—the same base you escaped from."

  "We have information on our enemies," Ali stated.

  The spy confirmed Ali’s statement.

  "We already had suspects in mind. For about a year now, our agents have been monitoring certain individuals. We’ve identified four captains... but the leader remains unknown."

  Ali suddenly remembered that she hadn’t had time to tell them about his encounter with the rabbit angel.

  "The leader is a rabbit angel! I don’t know her name, but she has bck and white hair. She cims to work in the name of the goddess Bunnae… She tried to convert me to her cause, but I refused. She said she would rule this world... That’s all I know."

  Sara quickly processed this information, drawing from her knowledge.

  "If an angel is involved in this, attacking won’t be easy... Not without the help of a god—"

  Suddenly, a realization clicked in Sara’s mind, and she turned to Mikki.

  "The tattoo—it's what gives you your powers! These powers come directly from a goddess, which means you can fight. I remember what my mother told me: when a goddess chooses people, she grants them a portion of her power. Mikki has the ability to control wind... Eliana can see enemy weak points… I don’t know all the gods by heart, but I’m certain these are powers from a goddess."

  Taiwo nodded, understanding what Sara meant.

  "Which means that to neutralize the angel, you all need to be together… and have fully awakened your powers."

  Mikki spoke up, holding Sarah’s tracker in her hand as she looked at the group.

  "Unfortunately, without Sarah, we can’t attack. Do you have any idea where she is?"

  The spy shook her head with a small sigh.

  "No, we don’t have security cameras in the city. We can only rely on witnesses for information. I’m sorry."

  Mikki sighed, having expected that answer. She had to find her sister—she had sworn to protect her no matter what.

  "Who are we dealing with? The more we know about our enemies, the better we can defeat them."

  Agent A5 pced several photographs on the table.

  "There are four generals operating in the Kingdom of Okarie. The Martyrs have influence across the entire continent, and I’m certain they have a presence on other continents as well."

  Akinyi, the spy, picked up the first photo, showing a young human man with bck hair.

  "Matthias Beck—he’s a mercenary from the Empire. He was likely hired by the Martyrs. An exceptional sniper and only 20 years old, he’s the one we have the least information on."

  Eliana recognized him and nudged Ali.

  "Ali, do you remember him? Didn’t we go on a mission with him before?"

  Ali nodded, looking more closely at the photo.

  "Yeah, it’s him… He’s really skilled. He wasn’t much of a talker, so I didn’t know him well. I’m not sure if I should be surprised that he joined this organization… or not."

  Akinyi nodded and noted down the information.

  "I checked the mercenary guild’s records and the active missions in the area. He’s currently out of the city on a mission."

  Taiwo felt relieved—a sniper could be extremely dangerous to the safety of the entire group.

  "The second general is Amadee Iagwyn. She’s not from the continent of Sano but from Dalfor."

  "Sorry, but I don’t really remember Dalfor. Can someone refresh my memory?" Ali admitted, scratching his head with one hand while still holding Eliana’s with the other.

  Sara expined, "Dalfor is west of Sano… There was only water there before, but in 1443, the continent of Dalfor suddenly appeared out of nowhere. They supposedly come from another world, and the inhabitants of that nd aren’t like us, the demi-humans. They are fantasy races—elves, dwarves, dragons, fairies…"

  Ali grinned. "Thanks for the reminder! I remember now."

  "Yes, indeed. Amadee is an elf. I did some research on her. She’s 162 years old, still young for an elf. She was a spy for Leoris but was dismissed after being accused of assassinating a prince. She’s fast and agile—be careful."

  Mikki nodded, inspecting the photo of the elf.

  "This confirms that the Martyrs have significant influence."

  Akinyi pointed to another photo.

  "Anuschka Huber—she’s from the Empire like Matthias, but she’s not as well-known. She’s 28 years old and allegedly a member of a criminal

  organization, a gang in the Empire. That’s all I know about her."

  The girls remained silent, realizing that they weren’t up against ordinary people. They dreaded the identity of the final general.

  "Lastly, we have Yuuka Mizutani, an oni from Okamoto Isnd. Her age is unknown, but based on the intel I received, she’s the most dangerous of the four. She wields a katana and has killed hundreds of people."

  Mikki grimaced and rolled her eyes.

  "Great. They’re all powerful, and I assume we have to take them down. We’d better gather as much information as possible before engaging them."

  Kaia, who had remained silent, finally spoke with a small smile.

  "So, what’s the pn? We know our enemies’ two hideouts."

  Taiwo id out the strategy.

  "If we attack one base alone, the other will be alerted. We’ll have to strike both simultaneously. We need one team to rescue Zye and another to destroy the Martyrs’ main base."

  Ladi grabbed the Prime Minister’s arm, looking panicked.

  "What?! You pn to blow everything up? There could be cave-ins! We don’t want a massacre in our city!"

  Taiwo reluctantly nodded. After some thought, she realized she couldn’t endanger the lives of numerous people, especially if there were civilians held captive inside. Sara then proposed a pn.

  "We could use sleeping gas bombs. We pce them in strategic locations, set them off, and the gas will put them all to sleep. Since they’re in tunnels, it will work perfectly. Once they’re asleep, you can arrest them all."

  "I like this pn. Any objections?"

  No one raised any objections.

  "Good. Let’s form the teams—we need to be strategic."

  Mikki looked at the girls as she made her decision.

  "There’s likely to be resistance in the main base. I’ll go there—there’s a higher chance of encountering a general there than during Zye’s rescue."

  She then turned to Sara.

  "Sara, you’ll go with the team rescuing Zye. She needs to see a familiar face; otherwise, she won’t follow… or obey us."

  Sara nodded. "You’re right, but I’m not really a fighter."

  Kaia smiled. "Then I’ll go with you. I’m sure we’ll make a great team."

  Mikki then looked at Ali.

  "Since your powers aren’t awakened yet, it’s better if you go with them. You seem skilled in combat, but I’m not sure if Kaia and Sara will be enough."

  Ali sighed, realizing this meant she’d be separated from Eliana, but she agreed.

  "Alright… Then Eliana will go with you. But won’t two people be too few?"

  Akinyi raised her hand.

  "I’ll go with them."

  Taiwo nodded, pleased that the teams had formed quickly.

  "Kaia, Sara, and Ali will rescue Zye, while Akinyi, Mikki, and Eliana will pnt the sleeping gas bombs in the enemy’s main base. Now that it’s settled, Ladi, take our guests to the armory."

  Pov Sarah (A-B)

  Sarah woke up in a comfortable bed. She couldn't remember much from the previous day. She recalled being chased, feeling a terrible pain in her arm, and then falling asleep. The st thing she remembered seeing was being carried by a red-haired nurse with an eyepatch.

  She was in her underwear under the bnket. Looking to her left, she saw a bandage on her shoulder, covering part of her fming bird tattoo. She gnced around the room and sat up slightly, now in a seated position on the bed.

  Suddenly, the doors opened, and the nurse from the previous day entered the room, carrying a meal tray.

  "Finally awake? You slept for almost an entire day."

  Sarah swallowed hard, shocked by this information.

  "A day?! That’s impossible… Where is my sister?"

  She asked, slightly panicking. The nurse pced the tray on the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed.

  "You're safe here, don’t worry."

  The nurse gently stroked Sarah’s head, which seemed to calm her panic a little.

  “W-who are you?”

  “My name is Kety, and you, little kitten?”

  Sarah hesitated for a few seconds before giving her name to a stranger, but she saw no real danger in revealing it for now.

  "Sarah… Sarah Hearts."

  Kety smiled and pced a small kiss on Sarah’s forehead, making her blush slightly.

  "Eat a little, you must be hungry. I’ll let the Queen know that you’re awake."

  The nurse left the room. Sarah looked at the meal tray—it was a local specialty: a steak with pepper sauce and spices she didn’t recognize, served with potatoes and some sad.

  Sarah thought about Kety. She was both intimidating with her eyepatch and yet… something about her made Sarah’s heart race when she looked at her.

  Still, she wondered where exactly she had ended up. Kety had mentioned a queen, but the queen of which country, which isnd?

  Sarah began eating, and just as she had finished half of the steak, the door opened again. The queen entered, dressed in a long coat, a white shirt, and bck pants. There was a clear sense of authority in her stride. She was accompanied by Kety on her left and another woman wearing full-body armor, with a rge shield strapped to her back.

  "I see our little lost kitten is doing well."

  The queen’s voice was gentle. She approached Sarah’s bedside.

  "I have yet to introduce myself. I am Mia, Queen of Felicity."

  Sarah nearly choked upon hearing the name Felicity. She had heard many rumors about this isnd—a police state whose sole income came from copper exports, where all the inhabitants were fanatically devoted to the queen. The isnd also housed a massive prison, filled with criminals forced to mine copper for hours on end to fund the city.

  But the most chilling rumor Sarah had heard was that the authorities arrested people for the smallest reasons, just to make them work in the mines.

  Kety, noticing Sarah choking slightly, looked at her with concern.

  "Are you okay?!"

  Sarah nodded and forced a slight smile, deciding to lie to cover up her reaction.

  "The spices are really… spicy. I apologize, Your Majesty."

  Mia smiled at Sarah’s politeness.

  "Apology accepted. Now, tell me, little kitten, how did you end up in this state? Injured, exhausted, with nothing in your pockets?"

  Sarah looked down at the bnket and began expining, lying slightly. She told them she had been traveling with her sister and a friend, who had been kidnapped at the border by fake guards. She also described how she had escaped.

  "That’s awful… You must have suffered so much," Kety said, looking even more worried. It warmed Sarah’s heart to see someone genuinely concerned about her. Usually, it was her sister who worried about her, so this was a new experience.

  "I have to find my sister… She must be so worried, and—"

  Mia, however, interrupted Sarah with a slight smile and a firm voice.

  "I took you in, and this is how you thank us? Wanting to leave so soon? No, little kitten, you now have a debt to pay to Felicity. How about coming back to the isnd with us? We’ll find you a job."

  Sarah began sweating. A single drop rolled down her forehead, past her left cheek, and finally nded on the bnket. She was in serious trouble and completely trapped. She could only hope that Mikki would find her soon. For now, she had no choice but to obey the queen.

  "0016, do you have the colr?"

  The armored woman, 0016, nodded and pulled out a metal colr, handing it to the queen.

  "This colr will ensure you repay your debt to Felicity, little kitten."

  Sarah shook her head rapidly—she absolutely did not want that thing around her neck. Wearing a colr like that meant she was no longer free. It meant she belonged to someone. But she had no choice. She was too weak to escape, and she didn’t want to go against 0016 and make an enemy of an entire country. She reluctantly lifted her hair slightly.

  "...Alright… I don’t think I have a choice."

  The queen stroked Sarah’s head before fastening the colr around her neck. It locked into pce and automatically adjusted to fit perfectly. Sarah touched the cold steel encircling her throat.

  "If you try to betray me or escape, you will be electrocuted. Only the key can unlock the colr. If it is ever destroyed, you will be branded a traitor, and traitors in my country… spend life in prison."

  Sarah swallowed hard once again, shifting uncomfortably in the bed. Panicked, she quickly responded.

  "Yes… I won’t betray you… I’m not a traitor…"

  The queen smiled, standing up and motioning for 0016 to follow her.

  "2246, take care of our guest. I want her to recover as quickly as possible—I have a mission for her."

  Kety bowed slightly.

  "Yes, my queen…"

  Pov Ali (A-B)

  The group of girls entered the armory, all of them amazed by the staggering number of weapons inside. Each one headed towards the weapons that interested them—there was everything from melee weapons to firearms.

  Mikki approached the swords, examining them carefully. She picked up a few, testing their weight and bance with a few swings, but none seemed to suit her. That was until she found a katana. She tested it, and its lightness felt perfect in her hands. She also grabbed a combat pistol equipped with a suppressor.

  Eliana and Ali both went straight for the firearms. They were used to handling assault rifles. Eliana picked up a Uzi, along with a knife in case she had to fight in close quarters.

  Ali chose an assault rifle—an AK-47—and also grabbed a pair of brass knuckles. If she had to fight up close, she preferred using her fists.

  Sara kept things simple, opting for a silenced pistol. Among the group, she was the least skilled with weapons, so she didn’t overcomplicate things.

  Kaia selected two pistols—one strapped under her maid skirt and another at her waist. She also took a set of throwing knives, hiding them in her boots and under her skirt.

  “I think we’re well armed. We attack tomorrow,” Akinyi stated as she exited the armory, the girls following closely behind.