The Rook

Alastor removed his spear from the glassy ground, observing the aftermath of Alicia's attack as Axel was being healed by her.

The others were resting or lounging around, tired from the battle. 

Meanwhile, Karna was getting a drink on the other side of the city, relaxing after a difficult job of sitting on a rooftop and shooting arrows at times.

'Quite a lot of damage, concentrated into one area.'

'Would I have been able to deal with it?'

'Yes, I should be.'

Alastor said, "See, I told you it would be easy if we just launched an all out attack."

Alicia sighed, "I suppose it was quick, but there is one downside."

"Don't move! You have been surrounded! Drop your weapons and get down on the ground!" Swarms of Alliance Police had arrived at the scene of the battle.

Alastor looked at them and spoke out loud, as if ensuring the Police force could hear him, "If it isn't the Police branch of Eucoir, the corrupt ones who collaborated with the Spiders to ruin this city and defy the law of the Alliance. I'm practically shaking in my boots."

The person speaking into the amplifier grit their teeth as more weapons were hoisted at Alastor and the students.

Alicia spoke up as well, "We are students of the Academy, headed by Grand Sorceress Illia. We are here on official business, and the Academy will answer for any breaches of the law done by students on missions. So you may take your complaint up with the Headmistress Illia, and are legally not allowed to detain us."

The chief of police felt a shiver go down his back as he thought of incurring the wrath of the strongest living human in the Alliance.

They simply walked out of the encirclement unhindered.

To finish the job, Alicia added, almost as an afterthought, "I am Alicia Meltia Asher, daughter of Elder Asher of the Alliance. You may also take up any complaints with him, because I assure you, he will hear about this."

The aging police chief of the Eucoir branch collapsed.

................................................................................

Alastor left the job of hunting the remnants of the Spiders to the rest of his group, with Amber's almost uncanny ability to tell who was a member and who wasn't.

He himself was in front of an abandoned warehouse, and kicked the door open leisurely.

A voice could be heard from within the well lit warehouse, "Ah, Mr Alastor! I'm done with what you told me to do! Three hundred straw dolls, finished! And it only took me two days! I'm sure the inn owner, Uncle Karl must be worried about me. You told him about the work right?"

Alastor nodded, a gentle smile on his face, "Indeed I did. Did you have fun making the dolls, Silvy? I told you there was no need to rush. And where's Anna gone?"

Silvy, evidently not turned into a blob of charred meat, responded enthusiastically, "I know, but I got bored. And Miss Anna said she had something to do in the back!"

She noticed something, "Wait, you're injured!"

Alastor responded, "Well, it's a good thing you didn't leave. There was a big fight between the Alliance and the Spiders gang. The Spiders have been annihilated completely, and members are still being hunted. Some Alliance member even mistook me for one and attacked me."

Alastor saw Silvy freeze up at that, "W-What?"

"Yes, they were hunted down to the last member by the Alliance. It was truly a cruel sight."

Alastor simply continued as he left the frozen child in the room alone, "Well, I'll be in the back talking to Miss Anna then."

As he exited through the backdoor of the warehouse, Alastor's cheerful expression faded almost as quickly as his 'wound' disappeared. He looked at the woman slouched against the wall.

"Miss Anna Fenders. I believe I explicitly said I would not tell anyone about your affair, if you kept an eye on the girl. Why are you out here then, while she is inside?"

Anna felt her body start shaking as she looked up at the man- no, the demon lurking over her, "I-I want no part in this anymore. I can't live with the knowledge that I helped an innocent girl get-" 

She began sobbing midway.

Alastor finally understood why she was feeling down, "I see. Just what do you think I'm planning to do with her, Miss Fenders?"

Anna asked blankly, "Aren't you going to deflower her?"

Alastor gave her a deadpan stare, which eventually made her reconsider, "You're not?"

Alastor replied, "I have no plans on deflowering someone as young as that. I simply had her hidden in this warehouse due to the eradication of the Spiders."

Anna's face flushed as she realized her error, "So.....she's part of the Spiders?'

Alastor nodded, "Most probably born into it. I could not let her die at the hands of the heartless Alliance bastards."

Anna looked at Alastor in a new light, "I-I see. Wait, then why did you threaten me with my affair if you're a good person?!"

Annoyed by her black and white view of the world, Alastor said, "Because I could not trust someone like you, who would have an affair with a married man despite being best friends with his wife. Don't ask me how I found all this out."

'It was actually quite easy, one can tell just from her profile in the caretaker records.'

Anna blushed and quieted down. Alastor said, "I will be leaving soon. I hope you can support Silvy in that time to grow well."

As Alastor entered the warehouse again, Anna couldn't help but think, 'What a kind man.'

Alastor entered the warehouse, and acted surprised when he found Silvy bawling her eyes out, "Silvy? What happened?"

She asked tearfully, "Is it really true?"

Alastor nodded, acting confused.

In her grief, Silvy revealed everything.

How Karl had raised her, how she had considered Prima her big sister, about Othar being a gentle giant, just things about her life with the Spiders.

'It's almost like....'

Then, Silvy swore to continue the Spiders. She would remake the gang under her, and she would make the Alliance pay.

'....like everything is going perfectly according to plan.'

As Alastor hugged the still crying Silvy, he said, "Taking down the Alliance is a big goal, you know? Besides, I will be part of the Alliance in the future too."

Silvy said, "No! I know you are a good uncle!"

'Uncle? I'm younger than you, brat.'

Silvy continued, "I'll destroy the Alliance so you can retire peacefully in the paradise I make! Then I'll destroy the demons and free us from the gods too!"

Alastor smiled and told Silvy, "Well, it seems I no longer have to worry about my retirement package. I can try to help you find some members for now Silvy, but you must absolutely not go out until me and my teammates leave Eucoir. Lay low until some of the attention on this matter goes away. Anna will help you, I'm sure of it."

Silvy asked, "But Uncle, won't you get in trouble too if you help me?"

Alastor answered her, "Well, even I can tell the Alliance is corrupt. The way things are going, humanity will end up annihilated or enslaved. So, I wish to put together a group of of like-minded people, to help change the future of humanity for the better. And I believe, that you Silvy, have the potential to do that."

Silvy looked at him as he stood at the door of the warehouse, the light of the setting sun streaming in through the door making him look like divine.

Alastor said to her as he left, "I trust you to make my retirement plan a good one, Silvy."

From the beginning, the little girl never realized that she was merely being used as a tool. 

No, all she saw was a benevolent being who helped her in her darkest time. A being to look up to.

Alastor smiled as he wandered through the meandering streets of Eucoir, 'Another piece set in place for the future.'