Outside the cabin, the midday sun fought its way through the thick canopy, casting jagged patches of light across the porch. Tanya and Anyael sat together on the wooden stairs, the silence between them heavy.
Anyael stared at the treeline, her expression flat. "So, how long are we letting them stay here?"
The bluntness of the question made Tanya flinch. She looked at her sister, searching for a spark of the girl she used to know, but found only cold indifference. It irked her.
"A-Anya... I'm sure they'll be out of our hair soon," Tanya replied softly.
Anyael didn't blink. Her eyes remained fixed on the forest. "They should be."
Tanya felt a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. Ever since Cassia's party had arrived, Anyael had changed. She watched the newcomers like a predator marking prey, her gaze intense and unforgiving.
"Anya..." Tanya started, but the words died in her throat. Her sister wasn't listening.
A short distance away, near a wide clearing, the scouting party had established their camp. Gent and Jesbie sat on a fallen log that Natsu had smoothed out for them. The shade of a massive oak offered some relief from the heat, but their minds were far from peaceful.
Jesbie let out a long, ragged sigh. He stared at nothing, his hands trembling slightly. "I still can't believe it. The divine... walking among us."
He gripped his silver pendant with such frantic force that the chain finally gave way, the links snapping between his fingers and falling into the dirt. He tried to whisper a ward of protection, but the holy words fled his mind, leaving his tongue feeling heavy and useless. "Who would've thought I'd meet the Goddess Lunara in a place like this?"
Gent spat on the ground, his eyes narrowed. "Hmmph. I never reckoned a goddess of beauty would be so danged terrifying." He shook his head. "Call me crazy, but that ain't no goddess of beauty I ever read about, Jesbie."
The two men looked out over the vast farmland. After a moment, Gent let out a sharp, nervous laugh.
"Forget about the goddess," Gent muttered, gesturing toward the fields. "This right here is what's got me rattled."
In front of them, the once-empty fields were teeming with life—if it could be called that. Humanoid shadow figures, massive shadow beasts, and creatures that defied any known logic worked the soil. They moved with inhuman precision and a silent, unholy fervor. Their flaring purple eyes were the only light in the dark corners of the field.
Jesbie joined in the nervous laughter, though it sounded more like a sob. "We didn't find any demons in No Man's Land... we found something way worse."
They watched the abyssal display in silence. The realization was finally sinking in: every single one of those nightmares answered to the man who was currently acting as their host.
Near the animal pens, the atmosphere was jarringly domestic.
Nyxara, Veyron, and Lunara sat at a small iron table, enjoying tea and light snacks. Two shadow maids stood perfectly still behind them, their hands folded. A few yards away, Natsu was busy tossing feed to the pigs, whistling a low tune as he worked.
Veyron took a slow sip of her tea before setting the cup down with a deliberate click. "Ares is on the move, then?"
Lunara blew the steam off her own drink. "Yes. According to the wraiths, Sun Wukong is planning to descend. He wants to kill Natsu personally."
Nyxara didn't join the conversation immediately. Her icy-blue eyes were fixed on Natsu. She watched the way he moved, the simple care he took with the livestock, her expression softening into something intimate and warm.
Veyron noticed the look and shared a glance with Lunara before turning back to the topic.
"The stupid monkey wants to try his luck?" Veyron barked a laugh. "He's grown ambitious, I'll give him that. What about Thysera and Ilyra? Any word from them?"
Lunara giggled, her eyes finally drifting away from her sister to look at Veyron.
"The wraiths say the whispers have already reached the high seats," Lunara replied. "The Owl has grown restless; it seems the Council's patience is finally being frayed by the War God's blunt stupidity."
Nyxara finally set her cup down, her gaze never leaving Natsu. "Let them come," she said quietly. "They will find that No Man's Land is quite efficient at keeping its secrets."
Nyxara's words hung in the air, cold and final. Veyron and Lunara exchanged a look. Back in Elysium, Nyxara had been the impartial arbiter, the silent end of all things. Seeing her this sharp—almost vengeful—was new. It was the side of Death that didn't just collect souls, but guarded them.
"What are you girls chatting about?" Natsu asked.
He stepped up behind Nyxara, resting his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down, his chin hovering near her ear. "You comfy, love?"
Nyxara's icy demeanor vanished instantly. She reached up, cupping his cheek, and pulled him down into a deep kiss. It lasted a long time—long enough for the silence to become awkward for everyone else at the table.
When she finally broke away, she was smiling. "Very, my dear."
Lunara made a show of being fascinated by her tea, hiding her face behind her cup. Veyron, however, just rolled her eyes and looked disgusted.
"Oi! Get a fucking room, you two," Veyron snapped. Her face was red, though she tried to look annoyed rather than embarrassed.
Natsu laughed, giving Nyxara a final kiss on the forehead. She leaned into it, closing her eyes for a second.
"I'll see you guys later," Natsu said, stepping back and waving as he headed toward the cabin. "Dinner starts at seven, okay?"
Inside the cabin, the room was quiet. Cassia lay on the bed, staring at the grain of the wooden ceiling. The nightmare was gone, but the weight of it still sat on her chest. A light knock at the door frame made her head turn.
"Can I come in?"
Tanya stood there, looking hesitant. Cassia gave a small nod. Tanya walked in, moving quietly to avoid waking Lorie, who was still slumped on the floor and snoring softly. She pulled up a wooden stool and sat near the bed.
"How are you feeling?" Tanya asked.
Cassia went back to staring at the ceiling. She didn't answer for a while, her breathing slow and measured.
"I've... been better," Cassia finally replied.
The silence that followed was thick. Tanya shifted on the stool, the wood creaking under her. She took a breath to speak, but Cassia beat her to it.
"You and your sister are the runaways from Azmuth."
Tanya froze. Her eyes went wide, and her hand twitched on her lap. She looked like she wanted to run, but she forced herself to stay put.
"I'm not sure what you mean, Miss Ghast," Tanya said, her voice wavering.
Cassia didn't even look at her. "Don't play pretend. I'm not here to bring you back." She turned her head then, her emerald eyes boring into Tanya's. "I told Natsu the truth. We're here for demons. That's the job. I don't give a damn about the kingdom's missing prizes."
Tanya stared at her, searching for a lie. When she didn't find one, she let out a long, shaky exhale. She leaned back, her shoulders dropping.
"What made you get involved with that rotten kingdom?" Tanya asked. "If it's okay to ask. You don't look like the type to be loyal to a place like Azmuth."
"I have my reasons," Cassia said flatly. "That's all you get."
Tanya nodded slowly. She watched Cassia for a moment, then a small, genuine smile touched her lips. "You don't seem like a bad person, Miss Ghast. I'm not saying you're a saint, but you're different from the people they usually send."
Cassia scoffed, though there was a hint of amusement in it. "Am I now?"
"I think so." Tanya stood up, smoothing out her dress. "I realized I haven't introduced myself properly. I'm Tanya. As for my sister…" She glanced toward the door, her expression darkening briefly. "I'll let her introduce herself when she's ready. She's... complicated."
Tanya laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. She hesitated, then extended her hand toward the bed. "It's a bit late for this, but it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ghast."
Cassia looked at the hand. She thought about the soldiers outside, the mission, and the crown she served. Then she looked at Tanya—a girl who had clearly climbed out of hell to find this farm.
Cassia reached out and took her hand. Her grip was firm.
"Likewise... Tanya."