Pov Eliana (A-B)

  The night had passed. Eliana and Ali were in their room, having spent the entire night asleep. The previous day had exhausted them, and they had reached their limits.

  The day before, they had defeated Kra, and afterward, a long silence had followed. Everyone had been drained, and no one had the strength to speak. They had all been injured, though Ali and Eliana had come out retively unscathed. Mikki, however, had suffered the most physically.

  Eliana knew that Sarah had stayed by Mikki’s bedside while she was being treated, but she hadn’t seen Taiwo since.

  Eventually, Eliana and Ali left their room and headed toward the hospital in the noble district—a secure and efficient facility.

  On their way, they ran into Taiwo, who looked clearly disheveled and exhausted. It was obvious to both girls that Taiwo hadn’t rested since the battle.

  “Oh, girls, I was just looking for you,” Taiwo said.

  Eliana and Ali exchanged gnces, curious about what Taiwo wanted.

  “I want to thank you again for what you did for my nation, and I would like to reward you. I’m pnning a formal ceremony to honor you.”

  Ali and Eliana looked at each other again, this time with slight discomfort. Attention was the st thing they wanted. They used aliases and worked hard to keep their identities secret to avoid being tracked by mercenaries or agents from the Republic.

  “No thanks, Taiwo. We prefer to remain heroes in the shadows,” Ali responded.

  Taiwo smiled and nodded quickly.

  “No problem. I still want to reward you—perhaps a little financial compensation and a peaceful life in the kingdom, where you won’t have to worry about running or living as wanderers.”

  The offer was incredibly tempting for Ali and Eliana. They had taken up mercenary work to stay constantly on the move, avoiding detection by the Republic. For weeks now, they had been longing to settle down somewhere, far from the violence of battle.

  “We’ll need some time to think about it…”

  Taiwo smiled again and started walking away.

  “I’m going to take a short nap, and ter, I’ll be giving a big public speech at 6:00 PM. I hope you’ll be listening.”

  “Of course, Taiwo… I mean, Madam Prime Minister,” Eliana quickly corrected herself.

  Taiwo chuckled and patted Eliana’s head.

  “Taiwo is just fine.”

  She then continued on her way toward her room to rest.

  Ali suddenly had a strange feeling—like she was being watched. She clenched her fists for a moment before the observer finally revealed themselves.

  It was Kaia, with her striking red hair and maid uniform. She made a slight bow.

  “The transfer of five million Meyers has been sent to you by my master. You did an excellent job, and he would like to offer you more missions in the future.”

  Kaia handed them a piece of paper before stepping back.

  “I must get going now. My master is waiting for me… I hope we meet again—on the same side.”

  As Kaia departed, Eliana read the letter. It was an invitation to join a group that would fight against the Martyrs.

  “What do you think, Ali?” Eliana asked, deep in thought.

  “I don’t know… I think we should settle down and finally take a break.”

  Eliana nodded in full agreement.

  “Yeah, you’re right…”

  Ali pced her hands on Eliana’s shoulders, gently turning her so that they were face-to-face.

  “I love you.”

  Ali leaned in, pressing her lips against Eliana’s. Eliana quickly responded with another kiss.

  Pov Taiwo (A-B)

  It was 5:55 PM. After a short nap, Taiwo had prepared herself to address the public. There was a lot to expin and a nation to reassure—the events of the previous day had shaken the city and caused many casualties. Some, unfortunately, had lost their lives, while others were gravely injured.

  At the very least, the worst had been avoided. The prophecy she had seen in her dream would not come true—the kingdom would not burn, nor would the rest of the world.

  However, the threat of the Martyrs still loomed. Although most of them in the capital had been captured, some had managed to hide, while others had fled, likely to join other Martyr cells.

  This was an issue to be dealt with in the future, but hunting down the Martyrs was not Taiwo’s top priority at the moment. Unfortunately, she had received disturbing reports—many important figures had been kidnapped. Most of the victims were retives of the heads of state who had come for the grand meeting. Family members, advisors… but the most arming was the abduction of the Queen of Felicity. The kingdom had failed to guarantee the safety of foreign leaders, and other nations would begin to lose trust in them.

  Backstage, Taiwo sat as her makeup artist applied the final touches, working to conceal the dark circles under her eyes. Once ready, she stepped toward the stage and moved forward.

  As usual, a rge crowd was gathered, cameras were rolling, and several advisors stood to her right, while the members of the royal family were seated to her left, including the prince, who sat in a chair, bandages wrapped around his abdomen.

  The prince had insisted on attending. There was no way he would remain lying in a hospital bed while Taiwo gave her speech—he needed to be there, to show that the royal family, despite the coup attempt, was still standing strong.

  Taiwo approached the microphone, tapping it to check if it was working, and smiled. She had, of course, prepared a lengthy speech.

  “Citizens of the Kingdom of Okarie, I am grateful to see you all here today. Yesterday was a terrible day. We have not faced a crisis like this since the Red Epidemic. Lives have been lost, and some of our people will bear sting scars—some have even lost parts of their bodies. For that… I apologize. Unfortunately, I was unable to prevent these events.”

  She paused briefly before continuing.

  “However, we have survived this crisis. This proves the strength of our kingdom and the resilience of its people. Our nation was built on unity, and it is that unity we must preserve. We are one people despite our political differences. Some have a completely different vision for the future of our kingdom, and that is perfectly normal. That is why I will not sanction or abolish the Conservative Party. However, anyone involved in the coup attempt will face justice in a fair trial.”

  Taiwo maintained a serious expression and took another brief pause.

  “Now, I must address what has happened over these past days. For years, a group of fanatics has lurked in the shadows, plotting to overthrow our government. Unfortunately, the leader of the Conservative Party, Lencho Ihejiraka, was swayed by their false promises. This group, known as the 'Martyrs,' sought to spread chaos. Once order is fully restored, we will hunt down these traitors and purge them from our nds.”

  The crowd responded with timid appuse—some were unsure where they stood, while others weren’t even certain if the Prime Minister was telling the full truth. Taiwo was momentarily caught off guard.

  Seeing this, the prince struggled to his feet and made his way toward the microphone. Taiwo quickly stepped aside. Speaking with a strong voice despite his injuries, he decred:

  “I don’t hear enough appuse. Your Prime Minister fought for you, for our people. She has done more for this kingdom than I have in my entire life. Taiwo is the greatest Prime Minister I have ever known, and there is no doubt that you should be appuding her. The royal family stands behind the Prime Minister—we are united! That is our creed. We are the product of hundreds of tribes that came together to resist oppression. I want to hear you roar with all your strength!”

  The prince stood at the podium, his hands trembling from exhaustion. He was weak, and Taiwo quickly stepped in to support him.

  The people were inspired—by both the prince’s words and Taiwo’s. Even those who had been against Taiwo found their anger fading as they realized all that she had done for the kingdom.

  Appuse erupted throughout the crowd, growing louder and louder. Some voices even began chanting Taiwo’s name, along with the prince’s.

  Taiwo leaned in slightly and whispered to the prince with a small smile.

  “Thank you.”

  The prince let out a small chuckle.

  “I’m only doing my duty as prince, Taiwo. After all, we are allies.”

  It had been about an hour since the speech had ended, and Taiwo was on her way to her office when, suddenly, Ladi rushed to find the Prime Minister.

  “Wait, Taiwo!”

  Taiwo turned around, looking at the zebra-woman with a smile.

  “Did I forget something, Ladi?”

  Ladi quickly shook her head.

  “No, not at all, Madam Prime Minister! I just came to inform you that the Doomia squad has arrived.”

  “Already? That was fast.”

  Ladi nodded.

  “Yes, we had already called them to take care of Natalia.”

  “Then take me to the squad.”

  Ladi moved forward, heading to the right, motioning for Taiwo to follow. They arrived at the city's temporary detention facility—the same pce that had once held spies from other nations during the war.

  Inside a rge hall, the most dangerous captured prisoners were gathered. Their ankles and hands were shackled. Among them was Natalia, the corrupted priestess; Matthias, the elite sniper; Anushka, the fierce gang member; and Amanee, the assassin responsible for the death of one of Taiwo’s spies.

  The only prisoner missing was Lencho—he had to be judged in the Kingdom, and unlike the others, he wasn’t trained to kill.

  The prisoners weren’t alone—numerous soldiers stood guard. However, another group stood out. These individuals wore police uniforms, but theirs were stricter in design, reinforced with armor covering parts of their bodies. A red badge was dispyed on their shoulders.

  A woman stood at the front of the group, appearing more important than the others. She was the only one not wearing a helmet but instead a police beret. Taiwo and Ladi approached her.

  “Madam Prime Minister, I’m pleased to meet you. I am Lieutenant Mi Haller from Doomia Prison. I’m here to take custody of your prisoners.”

  Mi extended her hand, her tone and expression remaining strict, even while speaking to someone as important as Taiwo.

  “It was the former Prime Minister who recommended your services to me. I only know Doomia by name,” Taiwo remarked.

  “Doomia is the most secure prison in existence. We house the most dangerous individuals. However, I must remind you that we are independent of any kingdom and have full authority to handle prisoners as we see fit. They will remain imprisoned for life. Your country can rest easy—I guarantee it.”

  “I see… I won’t ask about your methods, then. Very well, you may take them. And if we capture any more members of the Martyrs, I will call upon your services again.”

  Mi smirked slightly and gave a small bow.

  “Thank you for choosing Doomia. I wish you an excellent day.”

  She then barked an order with authority.

  “Load them up! I don’t want a single one escaping! Understood?”

  The guards sprang into action, escorting the prisoners out of the room. Mi followed closely behind, wielding a type of electric baton—one she didn’t hesitate to use, electrocuting Amanee as she gged behind.

  Taiwo waited for her to leave before turning to Ladi.

  “Well, I wasn’t expecting Mi to be so… strict. I almost felt like obeying her myself.”

  Ladi nodded quickly.

  “Some people just have a strong commanding presence. She honestly scares me… Please never send me to Doomia.”

  Taiwo let out a small ugh.

  “Don’t worry, Ladi. You’re the most competent chief advisor I know.”

  Ladi grinned and pyfully pinched Taiwo’s nose, standing on her tiptoes to reach.

  “Because I’m the only one you know.”

  “You’re not wrong.”

  Taiwo smirked, and Ladi gnced left and right before speaking.

  “Hey, Taiwo… how about we go grab something to eat? The Sun of Duin is open, and I thought we could… take a break together, if you have time.”

  Taiwo nodded.

  “Make a reservation for 8:30 PM. I need to take care of something first—I have to stop by the hospital.”

  “No problem! I’ll be waiting for you at the restaurant!”

  Taiwo had arrived at the hospital. She took the elevator up to the floor where her daughter was staying. As she approached the reception desk to confirm with the head nurse that she could visit her, she soon made her way toward her daughter's room.

  Upon entering, she observed her daughter, but she quickly noticed that she wasn’t alone in the room.

  There was another woman present—dressed in a white coat. She had violet hair and wore gsses. Her eyes were heterochromatic, but not in the usual way—one eye was a deep violet, while the other was a slimy green. She turned to face Taiwo.

  “W-who are you? D-do you work here?”

  The woman shook her head.

  “No, I’m just visiting. My name is Denasaia Ansia… Most people call me Dr. Denasaia. I am the director of the Saint-Bathory Asylum… This is your daughter, isn’t it?”

  Taiwo blinked several times before nodding.

  “How do you know that?”

  “What we know is but a drop of water, while what we do not know is an ocean… But in my case, my drop is more like a puddle than a mere drop.”

  Denasaia stepped closer to Taiwo, studying her carefully.

  “Do you know… Mumbi Kariuki?”

  Taiwo tilted her head slightly to the left, then to the right.

  “Vaguely. He was my great-grandfather.”

  “Exactly. Your great-grandfather was a traveler, an adventurer. It’s quite surprising to see his features reflected in your face…”

  Taiwo took a step back, visibly surprised.

  “How do you know so much about my great-grandfather?”

  Denasaia didn’t answer. Instead, she turned toward Awa.

  “I have a daughter too. She recently reached adulthood… I believe you knew her… Sara.”

  Taiwo nodded, and a painful memory resurfaced—the image of Sara’s decapitated head on the ground.

  “My deepest condolences… We couldn’t d—”

  Denasaia quickly shook her head.

  “There’s no need for condolences… She’s fine. She just needs… a little time.”

  Taiwo grew more and more confused. Every time Denasaia spoke, it felt as if she was losing herself in her words.

  “I can heal your daughter. I am the only doctor capable of such a feat. But, of course… there is a price.”

  “What is your price?”

  Taiwo asked with determination. There was hope in her eyes—she was willing to pay any price to save her family.

  “To save a life, sometimes… you must start over.”

  Denasaia slowly leaned in, whispering a few words into Taiwo’s ear.

  “I leave tomorrow morning. I expect an answer before then.”

  “I accept!”

  Denasaia smiled at the immediate response.

  “Very well. I will take care of your daughter… This is not the first time I have done something like this. She will be back by your side in a year—I can guarantee it.”

  “Thank you… Thank you.”

  Taiwo attempted to hug the doctor, and Denasaia accepted, gently rubbing Taiwo’s back.

  “The transfer will take pce tonight… I will leave you a few hours to say your goodbyes.”

  Denasaia pulled away from the hug and left the room, leaving Taiwo alone. She gazed through the gss at her daughter and smiled softly.

  “If this is true… I’ll finally be able to see you again… my little one…”

  Tears streamed down Taiwo’s cheeks as she looked at her daughter, gently caressing her forehead.

  Pov Sarah (A-B)

  Despite the bandages Kety had applied, they were only a temporary solution. Zye, in particur, was utterly exhausted; the doctors had noticed a severe deficiency of several vitamins in her body.

  However, they weren’t in critical condition, which brought Sarah some relief. Once they woke up, they would be transferred to the asylum, where Denasaia and her nurses could take proper care of them.

  Zye was the first to wake up. As soon as she opened her eyes, Sarah moved closer to her.

  “Zy! You’re finally awake! I missed you!”

  Zye gave Sarah a goofy smile.

  “Saraaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, it’s been so loooong, I looooove you!”

  Sarah chuckled slightly before hugging Zye.

  “I’m so happy to see you back with us, safe and sound.”

  Zye let out a small growl.

  “That damn rabbit locked me up! She hurt Zye, and Zye will never forgive that rabbit! Zye was whipped, you know!”

  Sarah gently stroked Zye’s hair.

  “They were really cruel to you… They truly wanted to create a powerful weapon just from… this.”

  She held up the stone to show Zye. She had recovered it after the fight.

  “You got it back! I’m happy for you! You seemed to like it!”

  “I did, but now that I understand its power, I’m not sure if I should like it or not. What I do know is that I’ll protect it.”

  Mikki coughed slightly as she started to wake up.

  “Yeah, you’d better protect that damn stone.”

  Zye’s eyes lit up again at the sight of Mikki waking up.

  “MikMik! I’m so happy to see you again! I loooove you too… But I also love Sarah… Actually, I love both of you!”

  Sarah let out a soft ugh.

  “Sorry… I’m just so happy that the three of us can finally be together again… It’s just that Sara…”

  Mikki fell silent for a moment and gnced at Zye.

  “Sarah… Actually… No, never mind. That’s something Dena should expin to you.”

  Sarah tilted her head but didn’t press further. She trusted her sister, but the thought of Sara being killed still sickened her. She could clearly remember the rage she had felt during the battle against Amadee.

  The day passed quickly. The nurses had to check on Mikki and Zye’s health, and in the end, Sarah was unintentionally kicked out of the room by the nurses.

  She decided to head into town, wanting to take a walk through the streets of Nkiruka. The streets were quieter than usual; most of the shops were closed, and debris was scattered around. But despite that, the city still retained its natural beauty.

  She walked towards the North Gate and exited the city, making her way to the asylum’s flying ship. As she approached, she ran into a nurse on the way—a rabbit with violet hair, wearing a bck nurse's uniform with a red cross.

  “Fuzette! I’m happy to see you.”

  The rabbit smiled and stepped closer to Sarah, pulling her into a hug.

  “Me too, Sarah. Really, congratutions on your work. You and Mikki are the pride of the asylum.”

  Sarah blushed slightly.

  “Oh! Dena wants to see you. She needs to talk to you!”

  Sarah looked at Fuzette and nodded. The rabbit gestured for her to follow. They entered the flying ship, and as they walked inside, Sarah realized the interior looked exactly like Neko City. She figured the team must have worked tirelessly to get the asylum airborne. Another theory crossed her mind—perhaps the ship had always been there, hidden away.

  Fuzette led her to an elevator and invited Sarah inside. She swiped a badge, and suddenly, the elevator began descending.

  “Where are we going, Fuz?”

  “To the boratory.”

  The boratory—the forbidden pce. The one area Denasaia had always forbidden Sarah and most of the younger asylum members from entering.

  The elevator doors opened, revealing a long white hallway with several doors.

  Fuzette led her down the hallway until they reached a door. The violet-haired rabbit swiped her badge again, and the door slid open.

  Inside, Denasaia stood in front of a capsule, staring at what seemed to be a body inside.

  “Doctor?”

  Denasaia turned and sighed.

  “It’s Doctor Denasaia. Or Dena… I’ve been telling you this for years.”

  Sarah quickly nodded, and Dena gestured for her to come closer. She stepped forward, stopping beside Denasaia and the rge gss tube. Inside was the naked body of a woman.

  Sarah’s eyes widened in shock as she recognized it.

  “Sara?! But she’s… alive? She was decapitated! How?!”

  Denasaia lightly pced her hand on the tube.

  “Yes, she was definitely dead…”

  “Then how?”

  “Let me expin… For years, I have been developing this technology. This machine allows me to clone deceased individuals.”

  “That’s impossible…”

  Sarah was left speechless by the revetion. She couldn’t believe it—but the proof was right in front of her.

  “Totally possible. But there are several conditions. First, I need to recover the body—at least 80% of it—to ensure a perfect clone… and I must do it quickly. The second condition is death.”

  Sarah swallowed hard and looked at Denasaia.

  “So… if I die, I could come back to life?”

  Denasaia nodded.

  “As long as I retrieve your body, yes… However, death is not something to take lightly. It’s a traumatic process. And the treatment takes time. It will take at least three months for Sara to return from the dead, with her memory and personality restored.”

  Sarah colpsed onto a nearby stool, the weight of the revetion hitting her like a punch to the chest.

  “It’s going to take time to process this… Every time, it’s the same thing…”

  “The Carmenists must never find out about this machine.”

  “That’s why this secret must never leave the asylum. Otherwise… there will be punishment. Understood?”

  Sarah quickly nodded.

  “Yes! Of course, Doc—uh, I mean… Dena.”

  Denasaia turned and motioned for Sarah to follow her.

  “So… what are you going to do with your life now? You never really decided.”

  Sarah thought for a moment, staring at the ground.

  “…A police officer… I think that’s my destiny.”

  “Great! I actually needed someone infiltrated in the police force.”

  Denasaia remained completely serious, and Sarah couldn’t tell whether she was joking—or if she was absolutely, terrifyingly serious.

  The afternoon was passing by. Sarah had spent it visiting the city with a few members of the Asylum. She then helped transport Zye and Mikki to the floating boat.

  It was now 9:00 PM. Mikki was sitting on a tree trunk, right next to Sarah, both gazing at the horizon. They had built a small campfire, and a few people from the Asylum were gathered around them.

  Suddenly, she recognized someone approaching from afar. She could recognize this person among a thousand, with her beautiful red hair and the bck headband covering one of her eyes. Behind her were Janira, the blonde journalist, as well as Noctis, with his shield strapped to his back.

  Noctis was the first to arrive and approached Sarah.

  "Queen Mia has been kidnapped by a group of flying demi-humans…"

  Sarah spat out the water she had just been drinking and instinctively touched the neckce around her neck—the constant threat of electrocution, like a sword of Damocles hanging over her head.

  "Damn it!"

  Mikki raised an eyebrow.

  "Does this concern us?"

  Kety nodded.

  "Yes, now that Sarah is the queen’s property…"

  This time, it was Mikki who spat out the water she had just swallowed. She quickly stood up, marched over to Kety, and grabbed her by the colr.

  "What did you just say about my sister?!"

  Kety let out a small squeak, and Sarah stood up.

  "Let her go… Mikki, please."

  Noctis slowly approached Mikki, having already drawn her shield. Mikki released Kety and turned to Sarah.

  "I’ll let this go only because you saved my life… So, can someone expin this 'property' nonsense?"

  Sarah expined to Mikki what had happened—how she had stumbled upon the queen’s group, how they had taken her in while she was injured, and how she had to repay the queen’s kindness.

  "This is… ridiculous. And now what? There’s no way I’m letting my sister become a sve or whatever this is."

  "Yes, but if… well…"

  Mikki interrupted Kety, who had started stammering.

  "And what happens if my sister refuses?"

  Kety let out a small sigh, and Noctis stepped in.

  "…Anyone who escapes Felicity’s authority is hunted down until they are either captured or sentenced to life imprisonment in Felicity’s prison."

  Mikki clenched her fists, and Sarah let out a small sigh of despair.

  "So what? I have to go back with you?"

  Kety nodded, and Noctis continued.

  "Yes. Only the queen can set you free, and since she has been kidnapped, we need your help to find her… We will first head to Felicity and seek advice from Grand Denka."

  Mikki stood up and decred,

  "I’m coming with you. I’m not leaving my sister alone."

  That’s when Denasaia intervened. She had been hiding in the shadows of a tree, silently listening to the conversation.

  "You’re still in bad shape, Mikki. I won’t let you go."

  "But Doc!"

  "No 'buts' with me, Mikki! You know that."

  Mikki grumbled a little and sat down. Sarah looked at her sister, touched by how fiercely she wanted to protect her. However, Sarah had no choice. It was an obligation—a duty she had to fulfill. If she saved the queen, maybe she would abandon the idea of keeping her under her control.

  "I have to go, Mikki… I’m sorry."

  Mikki sighed and looked down. The thought of being separated from her sister again, just after they had reunited, was a real pain. She didn’t want to let Sarah go.

  "Mikki… I think it’s time for Sarah to handle things on her own. She’s grown up, and it’s time for her to take the plunge."

  Denasaia spoke again, this time whispering in Mikki’s ear.

  "Look at the way Sarah looks at the redhead."

  Mikki raised an eyebrow and noticed something in Sarah’s expression that made her let out a small sigh.

  "Fine… I wish you luck, Sarah."

  Noctis nodded, pleased that Sarah had agreed. Kety felt the same.

  "We leave in an hour. Get your things ready and say your goodbyes—we’re embarking on a long journey."

  The Felicity group left the Asylum group behind.

  Sarah had packed her things. Her hiking bag was ready, and now she stood outside with her belongings. For the first time, she was leaving alone, far from everyone, for a long period of time.

  The st thing left to do was to say her goodbyes. She hugged everyone from the Asylum—everyone except Zye, who was still dozing off.

  Then, she stood in front of Mikki and pulled her into a tight embrace. They stayed like that for several minutes, clinging to each other. Mikki shed a small tear, and so did Sarah.

  "You're the best sister in the world, Mikki. Never forget that."

  "You too."

  They finally let go of each other. Sarah took one st look at the group before turning around and walking away.

  Mikki watched her sister leave, a tear falling from her left eye. And suddenly, she remembered the prophecy—the verses she had once heard.

  In the ashes of fire, a mark shall be made,

  A pact sealed beneath the gleam of reforms.

  The wounded redhead, key to a dark design,

  The choice of a bullet shall seal the fate.

  Mikki regretted not pulling the trigger when she had seen Kety. Maybe if she had, her sister wouldn’t have been dragged into this journey.

  Sarah finally arrived at the Felicity group. They had prepared two cars, ready to drive to the nearest port to board a ship bound for Felicity Isnd.

  The blonde got into one of the cars and sat down next to Kety. She looked at her for a few seconds. Kety could see the tears falling from Sarah’s eyes.

  "Everything will be okay, Sarah… I’m here to support you."

  Sarah nodded and let out a small sigh.

  A new adventure was unfolding for Sarah—an adventure to recim her freedom.