Fresh Trail

"What did you find?" Yeager was the first one to speak up, voicing the very question Annabelle had been prepped to ask.

Micelle glanced from the blonde haired princess towards the green haired Knight, a momentary look of confusion on his face. It was as if he had only just noticed that Yeager was even in the same room as him.

"Who's this?" The Earth Knight asked as he gave the young man a onceover.

"Just some Knight we stumbled across," WesLer answered.

Micelle immediately flicked his head towards the young noble, a look of surprise on his face. Judging by his reactions, it was quite clear that he hadn't bothered to scan the room upon entry, merely moving in time with his brother. This was backed up by the wide grin that spread across his face when WesLer and Micelle locked eyes with each other.

"If it isn't good old Western." Micelle slid and arm over the youths shoulders, pulling him close. "My my. How you've grown!! You might even be taller than Hulogren now."

WesLer laughed. "By maybe a few inches or so. I'm sure your ego has grown larger than the Continent by this point. Nevertheless, it's good to see you as well, Michael."

"We should go out for drinks and catch up. I know this great bar with some fine women-"

"Micelle. If you'll cease your childish antics, we have business to attend to." Ariont scowled, shooting his twin a stern look, one capable of splitting mountains. "Please report your findings to Lady Hresgeld. That's why we came here, indolent lout."

"I guess you're right." Micelle let out a small sigh before pulling himself away from the young noble. "This information isn't something I can just keep to myself."

"What exactly did you find?" Annabelle posed the question once again, bringing it full circle.

"Its your sister. She's alive."

For what felt like a century, the room fell into complete silence, where not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Even the constant muttering from the broken witness had entered a brief hiatus, as if she too could feel the weight of the information presented. Yeager said nothing as everyone glanced around, their eyes eventually falling onto Annabelle. The previous grins and amicable atmosphere had all but dissipated, leaving solemn expressions on everyone except the one person who had no idea what was going on.

After an eternity, Annabelle finally spoke up.

"Please explain."

Micelle nodded, unnaturally serious.

"I followed one of the assailants from the top of the castle wall. Well, their Trace at least. By tailing the masked individual, I marked when they met up with the others members of the group as well as their general direction." The Earth Knight touched his chin, looking at the ground. "Unfortunately, nearly all of them wore masks and hid their bodies with cloaks. All of them except for two. One with black hair tinged with green with a bow on his back."

"A bow?" Yeager frowned. "Sounds like Robin. However, his hair should be blue."

"I take it the other one was Alice?" WesLer inquired.

Micelle nodded. "It's hard to say though. It looks just like her, but her hair isn't the right shade of red. It's a bright crimson. Even through a Trace....."

"It's her." Annabelle affirmed her friends statement. The roaring crimson from that fateful day still burned fresh in her mind, replaying over and over again like a broken record. "It's definitely her."

"Are we talking about Alice Wonder?" Yeager questioned. "She's your sister?"

"Seems that way." The Litezo princess let out a small breath. "She disappeared after an attempt on her life two years ago. Everyone assumed she was dead. No body had been found though, so I had hope."

"Surely you already know of the story though," Ariont said, gesturing slightly towards Yeager. "Of the Crestless who planned an attack against the royal family. The one who assassinated the crowned prince as well as the youngest princess of Litezo."

"Afraid not."

"It makes sense." WesLer nodded. "This is Yeager Estero, from Frunctot. That Empire doesn't freely share its politics or stories thereof with the general public. It takes a while for big news to properly circulate, especially given the amount of land and territory it has."

"But it's been two years," Yeager rebuttaled.

"My father tried to stifle the news for the longest time due to my belief in Alice still breathing. We didnt want anyone to panic about Arthur's death either, so he issued a Silence Clause." Annabelle gave the Air Knight a quick glance. "Word eventually got out and spread like wildfire. Frunctot took interest in the news but, as WesLer said, they don't publicly announce the events of surrounding lands."

"Makes sense."

"Well now, if he doesn't know the story, maybe we should fill him in on the way." Micelle elbowed Ariont in the side as he strolled towards the door. "The Traces won't sit around forever, nor will the ones we're after. If we're going to pursue, we should do it now. At least then I can make it back in time."

"In time for what?" Ariont scowled as he brushed off his brothers limb attack.

"For our date of course." The brown haired Knight grinned evily. "I asked out that woman you were eyeing the other night and she agreed to a mixer. No worries, I agreed in your place. You can thank me later."

Arionts sword slid halfway out its scabbard, his eyes beginning to glow. "I'll cut you."

"Hold up." WesLer put an arm in front of the Thunder Knight. "Before any cutting takes place. Let's try and keep our Recon Class alive shall we. Michael. Can you come over here for a second?"

The blonde haired noble tapped Ariont on the shoulder and made his way over towards the dismembered corpse. The small group gathered around him, turning their attention over to the deceased Earl Oklaind despite how increasingly grotesque it was becoming as the minutes passed.

Slinging the bow off his shoulder, WesLer tapped the tip of it against the decapitated head.

"I want you to scan here." The noble smiled slightly as he looked over his shoulder, eyes falling upon an approaching Micelle. "Maybe we can find something of value in the carnage that took place."

Halting in his tracks, Micelle's eyes began to glow, signs of his Crests Artiface activating as a kind of gentle ripple traveled through the immediate area. However, within half a minute of its activation, the Knight dispelled it, his bright hues returning to their normal shade of brown. Shaking his head, Micelle tapped the young noble gently on the shoulder.

"Too much activity. Between the Guards, Church Knights, RockLer Alliance, and us, the footprints and Traces of the culprits have already vanished."

Traces relied on having a direct clue to properly follow. It wasn't some all powerful or all knowing ability. It needed a proper catalyst to activate, be it a visible footprint or fingerprint, bodily heat, fresh markings, pieces of clothing, and even smell in some rare cases. However, none of those were showing up for Micelle, at least none that were related to their targets. All that remained in that room were Traces of those wandering around the crime scene, thereby erasing what could've existed before that.

Plus they had been standing on carpet. Footprints didn't usually stay on carpet for very long anyways. There were no markings on the body either.

Whoever had passed through definitely had a clear understanding of how Glorious Hunting Days operated. Either that, or they had been very lucky.

"Let's head out. I'll fill you all in on the finer details on the way." Micelle gestured for them to follow as he pushed open the door leading out.

"Richor, tell the men to round together and meet us on the back end of Castle Oklaind." WesLer nodded towards the bulky Knight as he passed on by. "Make sure they're ready for combat."

"Sir." Richor gave the noble a quick bow.

"Ariont, you do the same," Annabelle said, following up after WesLer and Richor's short interaction. "I want all units on standby."

"It will be done My Lady."

"Micelle, you lead the way."

"Is everything set up and ready?" Ghost pulled on the reins of his steed, slowing the War Horse to a gentle crawl.

"I had Goldie and Morg see to the arrangements," Robin readily replied, matching the pace of the masked rider. "It'll be done long before Micelle tracks our location."

"And the Traces?"

Robin glanced out towards the distance, where Castle Oklaind rested, almost a pinprick on the horizon. "Piper followed the path you set in advance. Everything else was erased before our depature."

"Thank you. With this, the world will know who we are."

"But how do you know they'll show up?"

Both Robin and Ghost turned their heads as a crimson haired female garbed in a cloak and red hood rode forward, stopping her War Horse directly in between the two individuals. Unlike her Church Knight attire, she now wore a personalized outfit with an emblem of a blood red moon behind a crimson longsword.

"Alice. Good to see you join us. I thought you might sit this one out."

The young princess shook her head. "You know I can't do that. Even if its for a brief moment, I want to see her again. Just one more time, as a simple sister and a close friend."

"As do I." Despite his face being hidden, the emotions of the being were on full display. Pain could be heard behind the mask, pain mixed with a sense of fondness. "After today, our dynamic with her, with our friends, with this world. They'll never be the same."

"Yeah." Alice gripped the reins tighter.

"But we can't lose sight of why we're doing this. Of why we set out in the first place." Ghosts mask shifted between Alice and Robin. "If we focus too strongly on the past, we'll never reach the future. Steel yourselves and your hearts. With logic, not with emotion. The key to battle-"

"-is an unwavering spirit." Alice furrowed her brow in determination.

"But will they come?" Robin raised the question that the princess had uttered when she first arrived. "Even after realizing it's a trap? They'll likely have WesLer with them. He'll see through the ploy."

"They'll come." Ghost affirmed the questioned without a single ounce of hesitation. "We left enough hints. She wont pass it up. Not when it comes to her sister."

"Explosive Jelly?" WesLer asked. "What would they need that for? Are you sure it was Explosive Jelly?"

Around five minutes has passed since the small group consisting of Annabelle, WesLer, Micelle, and Yeager had left the confines of Earl's chambers. Within that small allotment of time, the Earth Knight had taken the opportunity to fill in his audience on the information he had gathered while pursuing the barrel toting phantom. It was only just as he was finishing up his explanation that they reached the spot Micelle had first spotted the assailants Trace.

"Do YOU want to play Recon next time then Western," Micelle shot back. "I'll happily give you the position."

"Heh. Bet I could do better."

"Keep dreaming archer boy."

"It's possible he's right. Micelle I mean." Yeager stepped up onto the wall, having been the last one to ascend onto the walkway. "Shortly after everyone who was incapacitated started waking up, an inventory check was done. Around thirty-four barrels worth of Explosive Jelly had gone missing from the modified storage unit. It's why some are calling it a robbery rather than an attempt on Oklainds life."

"Okay." Annabelle nodded. "If we assume that's the case, what could Alice and these masked men want with highly deadly jelatin?"

"It can sell for a pretty penny on the black market," WesLer suggested. " The neighboring Kingdom of Amarlia would be willing to fork over their left foot for such a big supply."

"Well, just hold your theories before we get to the actual site." Micelle stopped just at the edge of the Castle's wall. "There's something all of you should see. Just try not to break your legs on the way down."

"Break our legs-"

Before Yeager could finish his question, the Earth Knight leapt over the side, towards the moat far below.

"Huh. Was suicide on today's itinerary?" WesLer gave Annabelle a curious yet unconcerned look before walking over to the edge.

"Maybe he got rejected by a woman again?" Annabelle shrugged as she casually followed the nobles casual stroll. "Wouldn't surprise me."

(("You guys could ACT like you care.")) Yeager raised an eyebrow, falling in line behind the blonde Litezo Princess. (("Seen more worried expressions at a birthday party than this situation."))

"Are you guys gonna join me?! Or are you too scared?!!"

Yeager immediately walked over and glanced down.

Rather than seeing a ripple in the cool, almost frozen waters of the moat surrounding the Castle, Micelle was calmly standing at the far end of the debris littered landscape. There were no signs of wires or anything of the like, no contraption to allow him to evade the deadly Zercox Eels swimming below. The only thing that made sense as to the unknown feat was that the Earth Knight had used his Artiface or his own magic.

"Meet you guys down there?" WesLer stepped up onto the walls ledge. "No shame in walking around of course."

"Yeah. Hope you hit your head on the way down."

"Whatever you say Princess."

And with that, the young noble dropped out of sight for the briefest moment. From their position atop the castle wall, the Annabelle and Yeager watched as a rope of light emerged into a existence and shot across the area. The light wrapped around a tree near where Micelle was standing before going taut. Smoothly and effortlessly, WesLer spun in midair and landed with both feet on the ground. After dusting himself off, WesLer glanced up and offered the other two a small smirk, even if they could just barely make it out from where they were.

"Just follow me." Annabelle motioned for Yeager as she stood up onto the ledge, just like WesLer had done.

The girls eyes began to glow, signaling the activation of her Artiface.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Crest Name: Poseidons Bubble

Crest Type: Fortress

Elemental Affinity: Water

Ability: The conjuring and manipulation of liquid spheres. Size and range of the bubble varies depending on the will of the caster, able to expand up to 120 meters in every direction. The larger a bubble, the more prone to breakage. The smaller the bubble, the stronger it is. The number of bubbles conjured depends on Annabelle's magic reserves.

Everything within these bubbles receives a boost or reduction to defense and agility depending on the bond with Annabelle herself. The user receives double this effect upon the abilities activation.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

One by one, large bubbles began appearing, floating in the air directly in front of Annabelle's feet. They twisted and curved downwards in a back and forth pattern, carving a path over the moat and right to the tree across the field of debris. A staircase of see through bubbles, an odd sight that would lead them straight to the spot Micelle and WesLer were standing in.

"Come on," Annabelle gestured with her head as she hopped onto the first bubble. "We have matters to attend to."

Yeager still wasn't entirely sure why he was being dragged along on this adventure but he shrugged his shoulders and climbed onto the bubble. His curiosity had peaked considerably and, even if it put his life in danger, he needed to see it through to the end.