Preparation Phase

The duo split up as they began searching. Chou took the east while Alucard from the west. The operator Chou was carrying was in the hands of Fanny and Bruno.

Chou's mind was racing.

Well, at least I won't worry much about leaving the stove open.

I'd really like that old monk's help now.

Fanny taught herself? Impossible. It even took me years to master Kung Fu.

I am so gonna go ham and cheese when those demons dent my favorite nunchucks.

He sprinted as far as he could until he saw a boy trapped in the rubble. He wasn't pinned down, but debris blocked the crevice. A medium-sized fire was slowly growing. Chou knew that he'd need to kick the debris out or the fire will consume the boy in a few minutes.

He checked on the boy first. The boy was covered in soot, though he doesn't look injured, he was terrified, hugging his knees shakily.

Chou encouraged, "Hey, kid! It's okay, I got you." The boy shook his head, silently crying.

"Don't worry. If there is any demon butt here, I'd kick them sky high for you. Do you have any parents?"

The boy nodded.

"If so, I need you to hold tight. I'll kick off the debris." Chou went behind the rubble and roundhouse kicked the top end of the rubble, sending it flying, until it stuck to a nearby building.

Chou held out his hand to the boy, and he pulled him out of the crevice. He brushed off all the soot he could clean off of him, until he heard a snarl.

Chou looked behind him. Two Ravagers came into view, their huge mouths foaming. They had no eyes, but their sense of hearing is extremely enhanced, making them capable of high quality echolocation. They aren't the best chasers, though their sharp claws can shred iron.

Good thing, though, is that they are rather clumsy in turning.

"Oh, boy," Chou said. "Time to do what I do best." He quickly did his basic Kung Fu stance, his eyes focused on the Ravagers. Their backs were the weak spots. He only needed to get around them.

Unfortunately, the alley they were in had a dead end. Guess who were on that.

The first Ravager charged. The boy hid his eyes. Chou maintained calm.

"Easy…" he muttered, waiting for the chance to strike. The Ravager leaped, enshrouding the sun's figure. Chou jumped as well, rotating his body and landed a huge kick on the monster's gut. It's one way to waste 10 minutes of indulging lunch. Chou kicked it so hard that the Ravager flew back, slamming itself to its unaware cousin. Both skidded on the asphalt.

Chou sprinted with the boy, getting out of the alley as fast as they can to prevent being cornered. They got out just in time, for the Ravagers got back up. Both ran to Chou.

He knew that he couldn't counter it, so he dodged it by dashing away. He did so again when they turned around. It was only a matter of time he'd exhaust. Then, from either side, the monsters charged, hoping to nab an easy snack. Chou dodged at the right moment and the Ravagers hit each other. The sound of splitting skulls could be heard, for they were sprinting in breakneck speed.

Chou attended to the boy. "You okay, kid?" He replied with a smile and a thumbs-up.

Chou raced back to the exfil he and Alucard discussed. Alucard was already there, greatsword drawn. It was matted with blood.

"All the survivors were pulled out in time," Alucard said. "The city's outer defense system was deployed, crippling tons of monsters. A few got away unharmed, but it was easy to kill them one by one."

"I managed to rescue a kid when 2 of those uglies came at us. Let's get out of here, meet the others," Chou suggested.

They ran to the blue, towering skyscraper. The buildings have initiated their secondary defense systems. Machine guns and stasis generators are on display, scanning the surrounding area. Eruditio Avenue was extremely wide, each side of the road peppered with busy markets, trade centers, malls and bio-facilities. Now, it wasn't so busy.

The three can't deny the fact they felt like they were watched. They were looking around, overthinking.

"Try to relax," Chou said, breaking the silence. "We would have our guard up as soon as one of the alarms blared."

It took a couple of minutes to reach the building. The inside was crowded with people, but it didn't stay cramped for too long. Multiple portals could be seen through the skyscraper's glass screens, giving the citizens safe refuge. The Royal Guard is there, rounding up the last of the survivors. Chou nudged the kid in line and said goodbye.

Alucard and Chou saw Bruno, Layla and Lolita talking to one of the Royal Soldiers. He was buff, and clad in golden armor which never seemed to dent or rust. His golden sword gleamed, even when sheathed. He had no helmet on, unlike the others.

"That's Tigreal," Alucard said. "Best soldier the Land of the Dawn ever had. Fought a couple of battles and won them. The kingdom would be brought to ashes without him."

Chou could hear their conversations.

"…and much more support would be arriving the kingdom anytime soon," Tigreal said in a deep voice.

"So it's true. It's starting," Bruno replied. "How much support do you mean?"

"A lot. Whatever the threat is, it's huge. I don't even know what we're up against. Estes remains silent. Probably preventing gossip to spread and cause panic."

Alucard and Chou wedged through the conversation.

"Didn't know you'd be here," Alucard said, shaking Tigreal hand.

"I was off duty when Estes requested I go in the field. I thought this would be regular afternoon patrolling, when it was actually a worldwide evacuation. Nearly half the army was deployed through different waypoints in different nations and began the evacuation. As far as I know, Nost Gal remains intact, while Iga and Onmyouji are in disarray. Good thing this place didn't have much of a breach.

"Demons?" Chou asked.

"More than that," Lolita replied. "Ghasts, Mimics, Specters, Hellhounds."

"I knew it!" Alucard exclaimed. "This is why we never had any demon to hunt in the first place. They were amassing a full scale attack… The one thing I truly feared."

"Don't worry, for most of the cities have been cleared," Tigreal reassured. "The problem is, we couldn't easily reach the farther parts of the globe. As far as I am concerned, Estes requires your presence immediately. I suggest we exit this place, along with the guard unit."

"About damn time," Bruno said. "Wait, what about Fanny?"

"She arrived here earlier," Tigreal said. "Nasty cut on her arm, yet she was able to save half a dozen residents. Don't worry, it could be healed in a jiffy." He turned to the nearest portal. "Come on, let's go."

The five followed Tigreal through the portal. After a few moments, they reached the Land of the Dawn.

They have been there before. Actually, they've been there dozens of times, but they never seem to get used to the enthralling beauty the kingdom beheld.

They were in the Kingdom's Grand Circle, a wide circular space in the kingdom. The bricks of the pavement were lined with pure gold, and never held a speck of dirt. A monument was on the center: A tall stand made of marble, and atop, a figure of the sun with 8 rays, a crescent moon residing underneath. It was originally a lone sun, when Estes took charge and the Council requested the symbol to add the crescent moon.

Around the Grand Circle were buildings of all shapes and sizes, yet they seem to create a balanced perspective. The Each structure was made of concrete and steel, with the addition of cutting-edge windows that seem to fend off the light.

On the north of the Circle lay the Holy Citadel, a marvelous castle tipped with domes. The roofs contained multiple scouts, guarding the vicinity. (It has been heard that a scout could hit the eye of a charging demon from a few miles away, and there had been concrete evidence to prove it.)

"How could I ever get used to this place?" Layla asked.

"Answer? You can't," Alucard said, snickering.

They followed Tigreal through the citadel, weaving around the bustling crowd. Once they reached inside, the amount of breathing room increased, but the scenery still left them speechless.

The 5 have been through many spots around the kingdom, but never the palace itself. Pillars of marble and gold were arranged perfectly. The ceiling was painted with realistic representations of past events. Since the paintings were small, it was really hard to distinguish what they really portrayed.

Between each pillar, Royal Guards clad in Sentry Armor stood still, holding intricate, shiny spears that pointed to the ceiling above. Their eyes never twitched, and they were as motionless as mannequins.

The Throne of Light stood proudly on the other end. Made out of pure, glistening gold and fitted with cushions, it seemed like everyone's dream furniture. The kingdom's new symbol could be seen in a huge, vertical stained glass painting behind the throne. What's even astounding is that the whole palace seemed to gleam with blue streaks.

"Since Estes sat on the throne, the castle gleamed blue streaks during the day," Tigreal explained. "When evening strikes, the whole of the kingdom will have azure linings, and the throne would give a darker blue hue. Nifty idea by the elven architects. Got to admit, they've got some talent."

They walked to the throne chamber. They saw Estes talking to one of his advisors.

Elves never seemed to age, and the same would be said for Estes. The eldest of elves could live for up to 10,000 years. It was some kind of partial immortality, but then again, they were never safe from natural diseases and disasters.

His eyes were pure white, yet emotion could be seen on his face. He didn't wear a crown, though he wore a cloak with a big collar and a cape. He had long white hair that reached below his shoulders, and he was holding the Moonlight Codex on one hand.

(The Moonlight Codex is a very powerful and sacred artifact. It mainly consists of a Moon Shard and the Book of Selene. When combined together, it creates a powerful book that can conjure spells, shields and weapons, all through the power of the Moonlight. And yes, its power increases during nighttime.)

"…the support of our schedules. Any attack could be initiated within the hour," Estes said to his advisor. The advisor simply nodded and walked away.

"There he is, our beloved king," Tigreal pointed at Estes. He knelt down, sword pointing to the ground. Estes beckoned Tigreal to stand.

"My Lord," Alucard knelt, the others following his stead.

"You need not kneel," Estes encouraged. "And please, you may call me Estes. Formalities aren't really of much need right now."

"Okay…" Lolita muttered under her breath. She is scanning the area, admiring the grand architecture.

Estes took notice of this. "Creating is your hobby, Lolita. I suppose you're wondering about how this place is made."

"I assume it's no easy task," Lolita replied.

"Of course it wasn't." Estes snapped his fingers. "Please, follow me. We'll go to the underground barracks."

Suddenly, a rumble resonated around the halls.

"Woah!" the 5 said in unison. The floor beneath them divided, revealing a grand staircase, leading to a wide chamber lined with rows of weapons.

"A bunker," Layla said.

"It's more like a last resort," Chou said.

The 7 climbed down the steps. Upon reaching the bottom, the trapdoor closed below them, triggering the illumination in the chamber. The chamber was more like a conference room. A table could be seen in the center of the huge chamber, lined with chairs. People could be seen discussing something important.

"The next shard couldn't be right there. It says on the records. Me and Hayabusa have already cross-referenced the data," said a man. He sported a big ponytail, and he wore light battle armor, detailed to perfection. A Jade dragon's head rested on his right shoulder.

"Something doesn't seem right. The 1st Shard was near here, and north of there is Nost Gal, where the 2nd was found. The Ocular Sun indicates the location of the 3rd, yet it is on the south, where the wastelands are. It's nearly impossible for a relic to be there," another said. It was a girl, clad in standard battle armor. Alucard recognized the outfit. It's one from the Valkyries of Nost Gal.

"I have scoured a lot of places from the wasteland, though I've never been on them dark places. Rumors of relics out and about there, though none be foolish to go there," another one said. He wore a purple scarf and donned a cowboy's hat. His dual revolvers were holstered next to his hips.

Estes came into view, and the people on the chairs immediately stood in unison, bowing. Estes bowed in return.

"Please, sit," he requested.

Tigreal motioned Alucard, Chou, Bruno, Lolita and Layla to their respective seats. They rested their stuff on the table (or next to their seats).

"We have made good progress, but we have a lot to go if we're going to put our enemies down. Our statistics confirmed the site of the 3rd shard. It is somewhere on the dark side of the Megalith Wastelands," Estes said. The people around began murmuring.

"I know that none wishes to traverse there, so we will let the Ocular Sun to scan the area before we get there. The location of the shard is confirmed, but the unknown dangers, we need to identify."

A hologram of the world map popped up on the center of the table. Several miniscule movements can be distinguished.

"The data being fed here is real time," Tigreal explained. "We are able to upgrade the Ocular Sun to do so. There, we could see that the dark side of the Wasteland is bustling with activity. So far, we could only confirm the presence of Hellhounds and Ravagers. The shard is somewhere on the edge of the Dark Zone. Lucky enough, we won't travel too far." He pointed at a small spot on the hologram. The hologram began to disappear.

"We can't get the shard without preparation. We will try our best to obtain it within the week, but we won't guarantee a safe extraction. Expect resistance. That's all for today, thank you." The people stood up, leaving their chairs, yet they still murmured about certain topics.

"Wonder what they could be talking about," Alucard said. "To have that many nations gathered into one place? It's beginning to get to my nerves."

"And what shard are they talking about?" Bruno asked. "There are no more Moonlight Shards."

"They're referring to something different," Layla added. "The cowboy mumbled something about divine intervention."

Estes walked to them. "Sorry for the inconvenience. We will explain everything to you for the time being."