The first sign that Lucifer’s ordeal in Terra Insanire was ending, or escalating, came from the one who started it all. Clouds mounted an attack on the skies with Alecto’s uncharacteristically meek admission into the underbelly of the Meridian.

“It is going to rain tonight. You should stay in this cave. Here, take my cape in case you get wet.” Lucifer tied the sentimental attire around Selene’s shoulders. “Why the long face? It looks good on you.”

“Heehee! You’re too kind. Red always fit well on me! Maybe I should upgrade my dresses sometime…”

“If you so desire. Personally, I love your dress. Reminds me of home.”

“Yeah. I really miss family, and my room, and all the times I had a chance to dance at a ball! Oh, right. The dance is in just a couple days. Have you decided who you’re going to ask?”

“I… Have you ever considered that, maybe, we won’t make it before the dance? What if we’re unable to escape this place… ever? I’m sorry, but this is a potential truth we have to consider. I don’t think we’ll get back in time unless something changes fast. Because nothing is working right now.”

“Don’t be silly, Lucifer! We’ll make it through this. I know we will.”

“Haha.” He nodded. “Always the very optimistic princess. I’m glad that’ll never change. I’ve fought countless battles, and seen many foes give up hope. And somehow, you never do.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. If you really thought we were finished, you’d have already given up! I know you’re sensible like that.”

“No. Just hard-headed is all.” He encouraged more laughter.

Nadia snuck up on them both, smiling herself. “That’s all well and good. But that still begs the question. Who are you going to ask for the dance?”

“…Rather, who will you take? No one really expects me to show up, damsel in hand. But you? You’re perfect for this sort of thing.”

“Aha. I’m glad you’re so concerned. But I’ve got a special someone waiting for me back in Mistral.” Nadia winked.

“I know you’ve talked about it in the past, Lucifer. And I want to remind you.” Selene said. “An attendee to the dance doesn’t have to be romantic. They can fill any role you want them to fill, be it a dance partner, or just a good friend to accompany you. Have you thought any more about asking Alecto?”

“Huh. If I consider that, it’ll rely on her. I’d be more concerned about you. You’ll have zero suitable suitors. I don’t mind in the slightest. Do you?”

No answer came forth. Even more silence followed as a pile of rocks- the precarious shield from the sun, collapsed. The one responsible for treading onto the scene was both welcome and detested, forming a bittersweet look between Lucifer, Selene, and Nadia.

“Alecto. Do you need anything?” Her leader asked.

“Only a chance to speak, and a promise you’ll listen. I spoke with Lady Eleanor about this, and she told me… Sh-She said I should be honest with you. I haven’t been. She offered to help me tell you guys this, but… It’s my responsibility.”

“Do I want to hear this right now? Or should I sit down?”

“I-It’s fine. I need to take a seat more.” Alecto took a deep breath. “You probably already guessed this much, but I’m not just a girl who likes to pretend she’s a knight. The name Keraseer actually does hold weight. Historically, all Keraseers have been powerful knights. Nadia, you’re a descendant of Lady Hestia, yes?”

“Of course. That’s what it means to be an Amaryllis.”

“Likewise, Keraseers are descendants of a deity named Lord Keres. He was not unlike a king. He knew Lady Hestia well, actually. That’s how I knew you were an Amaryllis the first time I’d set eyes on you. It came naturally.”

“Really?” Lucifer let the implications of her story travel unsaid.

“I know what you’re thinking. You’re not a god-fearing warrior. But believe me when I tell you, Lord Keres is real. Back then, he was one of five who preceded humanity. He was known as the Slayer-”

“The Slayer of Heretics.” Nadia finished.

“…Should’ve expected an Amaryllis to have done her homework. You know more than you let on.” Alecto huffed, amused.

“’Slayer of Heretics.’ That’s a cheery name.” Lucifer let out a single laugh. “So your great, great, great grandfather, with possible a few hundred more greats, was a god. If I buy it, that makes you part of some sort of clan, does it not? If every Keraseer is destined to become a legendary Huntress, or whatever you want to call it, how does tradition play into our current predicament?”

“Heretic equals Delphic.” Alecto spelled it out with as few words as possible. “My existence is to rid Remnant of as much Grimm as possible. And Delphics are the worst of all. They played a part in Keres’ downfall…” Her voice caved into despair. “And my own.”

Lucifer looked back at Selene, then signaled for her to leave. “Go stand watch. Make sure there’s nobody listening in.” The reality was, he knew she’d find nothing. But whatever Alecto was willing to reveal now might be best left hidden for some on Team Lance. Alecto, however, stopped them both.

“No. I need to be honest with all of you. My…” Tears spilled out from under Alecto helmet, prompting her to remove it. “My family was slain by a Delphic when I was only a child. He… He would’ve killed me too if I wasn’t hidden by my- my sister.”

No one said anything, Alecto’s pain being carried to each of them through her choked cries. Lucifer was the first to begin coping in his own right.

“It wasn’t Nobody, was it?” He sat next to her, showing a rare sign of affection by setting a hand on her shoulder. Alecto had expected him to give into rage, as ready to break the state of the hideout as he was the back of whoever was responsible. Nadia joined his mellow approach.

“N-No. Whoever did it doesn’t look anything like him. He’s just another example of why I will never forgive Delphics for what they’ve done.”

Selene ran in to hug her, a stream of tears trailing down her own face. Merlin followed suit. “I-It’s okay. Nothing will ever happen to you as long as we’re here! I promise!”

“She’s right. Don’t cry. It’s going to be alright. We will protect you.” Nadia cheered her up with a signature grin.

“I know. After so many years, the Keraseer Kingdom cannot be allowed to perish. I am all that remains.”

“One day, I’ll help you find the one who did this to you…” Now came the expected reaction from Lucifer. “I will beset onto him the full might of Atlas, and he will suffer before you.”

Alecto sniffled. “I’d never seen him before then, and I‘ve never even seen him since. I don’t know who he was. He, um, he wore armor. And he used a great-sword similar to my own. It wasn’t Nobody. His sword, attire, and voice is completely different… Whoever did it might be dead, and I wouldn’t even know.”

“But he was older than you, right?”

“Yes. Much older, if I had to guess.”

“Then it wasn’t Beleth.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Her sobbing continued. “A Keraseer has one purpose in life: uphold the will of Lord Keres. Delphics are still Grimm. And when my family died, I made an oath to purge each and every one I ever came across. Remnant needs to be spared the atrocities they’re known to wreak. Killing Beleth is just something I need to do.”

“I, um.” Nadia wasn’t sure what to say. “If we cannot convince you to let Beleth go, all I can promise is that I myself will help neither you nor him unless it is to save someone’s life. And after what I’ve learned, I can finally say I understand why you’ve gone this far, but… Beleth can’t be like the one who took your family from you. He’s was a friend before he was ever a Delphic to me.”

Lucifer, who had long since retracted his mask, slid it back into place. “Affirmative. But I cannot assist you in this. I will go to great lengths to stop any bloodshed. I hope you can understand.”

“I can.” Alecto leaned on his shoulder.

“How long ago was this incident?”

The hardship in her voice returned. “…Three years ago. I-I was just a scared girl who didn’t know how to hold a sword. I was such a coward.”

“No way!” Selene puffed her cheeks out. “There was nothing you could’ve done. Now, you’re among the most capable, skilled fighters I’ve ever met! Remember, when we first met, I didn’t even know how to activate a semblance. Plus, that’s only changed because of you!”

“…Thanks.”

“Why don’t we just make the most of our situation?” Lucifer said. “Before anything bad happens again, why don’t we, you know… Have fun? As a team?” It was strange for him, out of everyone, to suggest pleasure before business.

“Ha. What do you have in mind?” Alecto wiped her nose, and slipped her helm back on.

“The sun will rise soon. I bet the temperature is perfect for sparring. What say you? Or are you going to hide behind a pretense of ‘hidden strategy’ to make me think you’re not chicken?”

“You know, Rade is way better at the whole ‘scared’ angle. You should stick to military talk, captain.”

“…Affirmative.” They chased one another out into the sunrise of daytime.

Though everyone knew a storm loomed overhead, ready to crash down and plume Team Lance and Blazer into further conflict with each other, they were eager to share one last moment of levity. Any act to mirror the sentiment was squandered in Summit’s Blight, where four other key combatants were primed for an encounter.

The Delphic Nobody sat on his knees, sharpening his blade on a translucent whetstone. It appeared honing the severity of his death-inducing implement was a favorite pastime of his. Few truly knew the Whetstone had an archaic relationship with the Beryl Rhinestone. It was almost time for them to reconvene as they had once before, seeing as Nobody spotted Nomad. And in the faunus’ hands was the unmistakable Rhinestone.

“Deer! The Rhinestone! It is mine!” Nobody rose, able to peer into Nomad’s eyes despite the shade of his cap.

“Nobody. The Moth didn’t send you, did she?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Deer. I wouldn’t dream of it. It’s time the Beryl Whetstone reunites with the Rhinestone, no? Whoever holds both artifacts is rendered immune to the Creatures of Grimm. It’s wasted on you. Grimm are Grimm. And should be punished as such. I stand for many things, Deer, but I’ve never stood with them.”

“But you are Grimm.” Nomad knew this to be untrue. He desired only to provoke with his evaluation, to test Nobody’s allegiance to the faction.

“Hold your tongue! Delphics may have a history of aligning themselves with the goals of their uncivilized, soulless pets. But my beloved is proof they can still be fair and forgiving.”

“Are you?”

Not a single word came from Nobody, and in return a Beowolf lunged at him from behind. Few would be able to dodge the cheap shot, but Nobody did it and cleaved the Grimm in half without lifting a finger.

Nomad resumed his speech. “It’s not like a traveler to know the secrets of the Rhinestone. That, while being commander of the Whetstone, makes you a notable target. But if the Moth didn’t send you, then you have nothing I want.”

“And she does? Doubtful. Whatever it is you seek, she will not help you.”

“I do not need her help, nor do I seek it. Speak quickly, for many rely on my arrival.”

Nobody paced back and forth, gesturing for emphasis. “I’ve been thinking. There are few in Remnant who possess Kingdom Lore like me. You, being one of the few who knew what Delphics were, are more than likely among them. So tell me this, Deer. Bringing back those lost, it’s…” He paused. “It’s a fight without end.”

“This tale I know too well.”

“There was once a faunus with horns. He wore bandages- just like you. And he wore Idol’s Cloak, as you do now. He knew how to cheat death. Are you him?”

Nomad knew who Nobody was searching for. Perhaps it was himself. Either way, he refuted any knowledge of such an individual. “…No. I am just a Lorekeeper, trying to reclaim the past.”

“Figures. And here I was thinking there could have been some sort of truce between us. Ha. An alliance with the faunus. Could I really be that desperate?”

“The thought of Delphics and faunus working as one. Never thought I’d experience that again.” Accidentally, Nomad let an aspect of his past slip. And Nobody was too keen to miss it.

“Again!? You knew a Delphic before me? What was their name!?”

“Their name doesn’t matter, anymore. For both your lives are at an end.” Nomad and Nobody whipped their eyes onto a third warlord. He was but a silhouette against the early sun, but his identity was brutally distinct. Nomad just hoped he was wrong. It was Caligula. “What matters is what I am going to do now that I’ve trapped the interlopers from Vale’s recesses. You have no hope of survival.”

“And you are?”

“Silence!” Nomad raised a hand. Due in part to Herald and Team Lance’s reports, he had acquired a great deal of knowledge regarding Caligula. “Why are you here? What business do you have in Summit’s Blight, tyrant? Why do you hunt us? You have stolen more from me than I thought I had. How much is enough, Caligula? When will you be satiated?”

“The Moth Beckons. She wants your help- and that isn’t me issuing a request. That is a direct order. But if you refuse, and I’m hoping you do, I will gain the ultimate privilege. A chance to rid Summit’s Blight of these pests: faunus and Delphics.”

Nobody held a finger forward, making his position crystal clear. “Tell the Moth there are no allies to be found here!”

“The death penalty, then.”

Nomad crossed his arms. “You’re out of your depth, Caligula. You should not have come here. This is your last. Chance. To leave. To face us alone is an arrogant choice, one that is certain to be your downfall.”

Though even he began second guessing himself at the blaring of an airship on the horizon. Servus Portum artillery. More concerning though, was the mingling of music added to the mix. Not the orchestra affiliated with the Choir Battalion, but rather a rude blend of guitar and percussion- with lyrics that put any previous attempts at vulgarity to shame. Only Caligula knew what this meant.

“Hahahahahaha! Whoever said I was alone?” He screeched over the blasting of a boom-box. Dimitri held it in one hand, the other encased in a bulky apparatus that had a metal hook attachment. With this, he was carried onto the scene by the aircraft carrier, and as the ginormous ship left, he unlatched himself. During his fall, he used the weapon-grappling amalgamation against Nobody to slice off a jaw-dropping amount of Aura.

“Ya miss me, Mister Grimm?” Dimitri chuckled, the music player still hanging from one arm.

“Oh, that’s a nice piece!” Caligula remarked as the rowdy rock song receded. “High tech Repentance Device, right? One of General Victor’s favorites. Surprised he let you anywhere near it, though.”

“Not that good ol’ Joe knows! By the way, you might’ve lost a few robots on the way here. Oops! Heehee!”

“A mercenary, I presume. What is your name?” Nomad wasn’t intimidated in the slightest, even if he may now have reason to.

“Are you slow in the head, or something? You’re talkin’ to the Paragon of Pandemonium! The Harbinger of Havoc! The Great-”

Nobody didn’t let him finish. “The Great Madman, Dimitri.” He stepped out of the ashes, once again alongside Nomad. Lifting a hand to his face, he jerked his chin left and right to crack his neck, understandably stiff from the surprise attack. He then spat forward, to the floor. Thunder began rolling.

“The Great- why, yes! You must be a fan! I’m just here cause ‘Extra Supreme’ with the funny hat over there promised I’d get a piece of the pie should I cooperate. Yeah he kidnapped me, but Salem’s wrath isn’t a much better option for a chap like me. Really, it’s a win-win.”

Nomad, to Nobody’s dismay, rolled his eyes and began leaving.

“Deer! These infidels need to be taught a lesson!”

“I’m not here to babysit.”

“Oh, I think you are!” Dimitri giggled incessantly. It was grating to everyone’s ears. “Unless you want your little friends of Team Lance in Terra Insanire to settle up- and I can guarantee you, it’ll be payday very soon!”

“You know of Team Lance?” That captured his attention.

Caligula answered this time. “The four children attending Beacon Academy have trespassed my great city more than once- and there is already no sanctuary for them. This battle, your death and their retribution at my hands, will spark the beginning of a golden age for Servus Portum- and it all starts with you! Heroes and legends will always crumble.”

“Fortunately, I am neither. And I will stop you.”

First came Nobody’s duel, which gave him ample chance of gloating while he disarmed Dimitri. “You must be joking, my dear. You haven’t a chance at beating me. Your ignorant stupor against my dexterous swordsmanship and allure? I’ve been looking forward to this.”

“Cut it out! Kiddo! They don’t call me Vale’s Most Wanted because of my hot bod, fresh-mouth. Look at- this is a disgrace!” Dimitri, thanks to his own skill and the refusal to unsheathe any swords, was able to pin Nobody against a cliff face and teach him the ways of the street. This onslaught ended with Dimitri slamming a subset of loose boulders against his enemy, trapping Nobody’s arm in the wall. Even he couldn’t deny, Nobody wasn’t trying- and he wasn’t distressed in the slightest.

“I’m going to be disappointed when this is all over. Toying with humans who think themselves superior? It’s therapeutic.” Even with one hand out of commission, Nobody decided to win. Parries and a demonstration of his own enhanced, precise approach brought stabs and jabs that threw Dimitri off balance. None could blame him for then falling away once a hand bashed his head against the wall, through a ditch downward. Inadvertently, Nobody doomed the faunus to now combat two crazed cretins.

Not that there was any problem. Without weapons, Caligula was little more than an old man with unbelievable stamina. Dimitri seemed the opposite. Young, dumb, experienced in the joy of a rough dust-up, but zero discipline to speak of. Amazingly, the two made an excellent team. Though it wasn’t enough. All that changed when Dimitri reached for the Repentance Device.

In order to counter this, Nobody, who was still struggling to pull his arm out from the collapsed crevice, took a drastic measure. He unhooked his sheath, sword included, and threw it down to Nomad. “Deer! If you damage her in any way, you die today!”

For the first time the sword was being unveiled for purposes beyond destroying locks or trees, or morale. Though it was unlikely Nomad matched whatever Nobody had to offer, he revealed a great deal of training with blades. Caligula was forced to employ his own private stash of knives and guns just to keep up, while the upgrade from crowbar to Repentance Device cornered Nomad to employ exclusively defensive maneuvers.

Be it bullets, electricity arcs, or that barbarous grappling hook- Dimitri’s gun, supplied by Servus Portum, would’ve been a treat to examine up close if not for who was using it. With a number of aerial kicks, he closed enough distance to push Dimitri back, into a crater.

With that, he turned to puncture Caligula through the stomach. Nobody’s weapon was sharp enough to not only bypass Aura, but completely empty it. All Caligula did in response was pull the sword out of himself, somehow unaffected, and throw it aside. It bounced off the edge of Summit’s Blight, into a gulley of considerable size.

“No!” Nobody broke his arm out of the stone prison in a rage. Though instead of chasing Caligula, he chased his brand. That meant a suicidal plunge out of the battle, to a fate even Nomad wouldn’t tempt.

“Aha! Half your forces are divided now, faunus!” Caligula clapped. “Wouldn’t you consider time to retreat? Run back to your horde of animals just like you, dare we dream? Oh, I think not. For all the trouble you and Herald have put me through, I think keeping you as pets would be an apt punishment!”

“Words mean nothing, tyrant.” Nomad looked him dead in the eye without blinking, a flash of determination sparkling in his eyes. “Talk, since you clearly love the sound of your own voice. I will act in the face of damnation. And it’s why you will never defeat me. Because I always come back to stand for something. What do you stand for? An uncivilized city that’s mocked by real kingdoms, and real kings.”

Caligula simply laughed under his breath, walking over to the dropped Repentance Device. “I stand for the future. A future in which all in Remnant can look up, and see the salvation I’ve provided out of the kindness in my heart. I have no choice. You don’t know my plight, faunus. And you’ll not live long enough to see it enacted.” A stream of volts blitzed out of the canon, intercepting Nomad. Even behind Idol’s Cloak, he couldn’t tolerate the relentless assault.

As the fumes of fried rock and rain subsided, Dimitri galloped to his new best friend’s side. “Damn. That push dead-on killed. But not as dead as this guy is right now, I’ll tell you that much! Gah- What!?” A slobbering Griffon cut through the smoke, somehow having been ordered to wrestle with Dimitri, and whisk him into the skies out of Summit’s Blight. With his sudden disappearance, a very alone Caligula watched Nomad and Nobody parade into view.

On his own, Caligula lacked the fighting prowess necessary to beat Beacon’s first years- let alone the duo ahead. Thus, he needed to tap into a version of himself often kept hidden.

“In the next life, I hope you have the wits not to anger the beast.” Nobody smirked.

“…Hahahahahaha! I will show you a beast!” Caligula burst into a sea of black, slithering arms. In the past, he had teased this ability, but now the Infection had fully taken over.

“Nice trick. You’re pretty good!” Nobody had a habit of talking while fighting. Or in this case, dodging. The swarm of unknown appendages swinging around were foolishly assumed to be Caligula’s semblance. “You have tricks. So you didn’t come unprepared. I thought as much. But this power will fail even still. You’ve made a critical error!”

“Oh? And what’s that?” Caligula’s inflection became eerily faint, and hollow.

“If your Aura is broken, so is your semblance! And now that I hold the so-called ‘Repentance,’ you are beaten for the first and last time! Because when I am finally satisfied, you’ll be but a stain on the bottom of my boot. Make your prayers!”

Even after a loaded gauntlet from his own advanced firearm, the Infection somehow saved Caligula. Nobody began to believe himself forthright in any celebration. It did stun him, though.

“We’re not in Servus Portum anymore, human!” He grabbed the autocrat by the neck, and shoved his covered blade between the ribs. Anyone would’ve accepted defeat by then. However, not only was Caligula still kicking, but his body was as well. That was when he noticed the black blood spilling everywhere- the blood of Grimm.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. Are you sure I’m really human?”

For once, Nobody fell back, taken off guard. Nomad caught him, and the two backed up.

“Do you know how Summit’s Blight works, Nobody?” He asked, convincingly calm.

“Of course. Why bring that up now?”

“Because that’s our ticket out of here. In approximately ten seconds, on this day, the platform on which we now stand will be traded out with one far from here. Caligula will be stranded, and we will escape.”

“Escape!? Do you have brain damage? This is our chance to kill that bastard for good!” Nobody justified his dash forward.

“’Prohibere!’” Nomad declared, holding the Beryl Rhinestone forward. The strange incantation froze Nobody and Caligula in place. Neither could move, encased in stone, entranced in time. And as predicted, their environment faded into that of an old, stale riverbed. Where Caligula stood now was anyone’s guess.

“What was that about, fool!” Nobody threatened immediately upon being released. “How dare you use the Rhinestone against me!? It is mine to hold! It is my destiny.”

“You believe it possible to kill Caligula. Whatever it was keeping him alive, it would’ve only continued to do so. If you wish to return and throw yourself at him until you cannot stand, I will not stop you a second time. You certainly fail to live up to your genius reputation, ‘Grimm Tactician.’” Nomad scoffed.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If I left as you dared to at the start of this, you’d have fallen at the hands of Dimitri, dead.”

“I don’t care.”

“Are you taking any of this seriously? Or is this really just a game for you?”

Nomad turned to watch the sunset. “Interesting words coming from you. If I could’ve cut down the two of them using that sword, I would’ve. I can’t. If you tried, they’d both be so dead, they wouldn’t even know it. There’s little doubt you’re admirable with the sword. You’re just handicapping yourself. Why hold back all this time?”

“Dimitri and Caligula are too wretched to consider soiling my blade on. She’s too good to be wasted on them. Make no mistake. Had I unsheathed her, none of you would live past tonight’s moon. There’s no sport in slaughtering those who couldn’t defend themselves in a manner like that. No. They don’t deserve her time.”

“Where are you going?” Without turning around, Nomad knew Nobody was walking away. A brush of his coat and the adjustment of his collar complimented a response.

“To find a new Griffon.” He whipped around, scissoring a feather off a nearby bird. He then balanced it on his sword, watching to see which direction it fell. North. “It’s decided.” So he headed north.

Ella was last seen unconscious. Gratefully guarded within the confines of Augustus Correctional Facility, sound asleep in the East Wing. Sector Two-One-Four, in fact. But now she couldn’t even check the time as she awoke, in the black nothingness of Idol’s Twilight. This would’ve been the third time she was taken here against her will, thankfully.

Her bed dissipated when she stood, only being made of vibrant darkness. The wind called to her, leading her towards the horizon. In following it, she came upon Terrance- floating unconscious a few feet in the air. In front of him studied an Oathkeeper clad in bloody rags.

“I-It’s you!” She acted relieved. “Kalthus, right? I know you’ve brought me here in the past, but may I ask, what is this place exactly?”

“Hello again. This is Idol’s Twilight- an empty land bordering Remnant. It is a place of light, despite the absence of any. This void acts as a safe haven, yet it remains devoid of anyone save for us. It has been missing from the world.”

“O-Okay… What does that mean?”

“It is a realm only Lorekeepers can pass through. That includes you.”

Ella’s attention turned toward Terrance, who persisted to float in space, encased in a dreary fog. “Does it include him?”

“Hahaha. No. A Lorekeeper is one whose fate is tied with divinity. That’s why he’s asleep. In here, there are few who are permitted to walk this path freely without succumbing to the lingering ligaments of a forgotten world.”

“Why has he been trying to hurt me?”

“He sought to ruin me, by making sure you and I never came into contact. Without you, I cannot complete my quest. Strangely enough, he remembered the past. Your past.”

At the first hint that someone may know something, she became naively excited. “What is my past? Do you know who I am? Is there anything you can tell me about myself? Please.”

“…Nothing, sorry to say. As long as Sirius remains locked here, you’ll be able to continue your journey in Vale. But now, an enemy threatens to dismantle everything. Sirius would be incapacitated until I remove him from Idol’s Twilight. But his Aura is struggling against the mists known to occupy this place. It won’t be much longer before he returns to the land of waking: Remnant. I will be able to hold him no longer. This has only ever happened once before. Someone is helping him.”

“Who is doing this?”

“I cannot say. Must be a traveler who’s not yet been revealed in my expedition.”

“What will Terrance do when he wakes back up?” She now jumped at the chance for any elaboration, even if it couldn’t reveal her history.

“The last time he was trapped here, I was unable to keep his memories from resurfacing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he can hold on again. His unyielding desire to destroy you is what drives him, even now. When it’s all said and done, expect him to return with a vengeance.”

“He’s been stuck here before?”

“Indeed. More than once, in fact. The first time, everything worked splendidly. The second time, my research led me to believe him finally subdued. But time after time, he surprises me. What about you? Have you begun to reassemble the pieces of a fractured past?”

Ella thought for a moment. She did remember something. Back before Victor attacked her at the entrance to Terra Insanire, the symbols of the door switched something inside of her. “A-Actually… I do! I remember my last name. It’s Ella Tir.”

“Well… Hahahahaha! Welcome back, Ella Tir. You would probably like to see how Nadia is doing, wouldn’t you?”

“Y-You can do that?”

“Indeed. I have a Lorekeeper on their way to rescue Team Lance. In time, he will fix everything.”

“Thank you. Who’s going to save them?” She tilted her head, moving closer to her savior.

“Someone for whom it is for the best I keep their identity a secret. Until the deed is done, I recommend you stay here, Ella. In the meantime, you must be hungry. Try some Sweet Regale. It is a delicacy few know, and even less tasted.”

“O-Okay…” A bowl of swamp-colored ice cream lifted itself into her hands. “Wow. It tastes amazing! Where’d you get it?”

“A friend knows the recipe. Typically, it’s not something he easily parts with. He’ll be here, soon.”

She continued to eat the Sweet Regale without much consideration for manners. “Mm! I… I really am thankful for your help, but… Why are you helping me? I don’t even know you. What’s in it for you?”

A session of tranquil silence indicated a question best left unasked. “…Vengeance of a sort. It’s very fortunate we’ve happened upon each other, Ella. Soon enough, everything will fall into place.”

Not another phrase was uttered. Ella was quite content to simply stay within Idol’s Twilight, savoring the Sweet Regale. Here, everything was quiet. As minutes passed by, she began to understand why. Besides the pupils, nothing existed. Even the floor was transparent to the point of invisibility. She never would have thought it, but a landscape filled with nothing was one of the most beautiful things she’d even laid eyes on.

As one might expect, there was a throne room in Servus Portum. Several were littered throughout the arid, red stretch of obedient civilization. The one most frequented by Caligula rested not with the people, but in the skies far above. Inside the most well-armed blimp, it was kept.

He had not quite recovered from the recent ordeal. Riddled with holes, marred with stab wounds, and dripping thick colorless blood, Caligula trudged into his main quarters without so much as a brisk pace.

“Supreme Leader!” Prime Solomon rushed to his side. “Dear god! What happened?”

“Prime. I have had some day. Leave me be.”

“If you insist. But, are you alright? Do you need medical aid?”

“Never better. I’ll walk it off. I always do. Is this my meal?” Caligula held his hand out to a vast dining table overflowing with luxurious food, rich in taste and quantity. Prime nodded. “The White Fang leader Nomad has committed an act of war against me. I want you to do something for me.”

“What do you request of me?”

“Pick ten faunus slaves at random. Have them beheaded in public. Then, remove one tooth from each, and have Aamon deliver them to Nomad. Send a message that for every day that he does not surrender to me, I will have ten more of his kind executed.”

“…I’m sorry, Supreme Leader, but I cannot.” Prime contested. “Pass the task onto another if you must, but I could never carry out an order like that. It isn’t what Claudius would’ve wanted.”

“You will be silent, and not speak another word.” Caligula chucked a plate piled with pristine cuisine into the wall. At that moment, Victor entered the chamber.

“It would do you well to listen, Prime. Supreme Leader Caligula knows what’s best. To think your judgement succeeds his is the highest form of hubris. I have… much to report.” He had hoped a compliment would soften whatever punishment would befit his failure. “I was unable to capture nor kill Augustus, Ella, or Zara. And… Terrance is no longer under my control.”

“…That is just what I needed to hear today. First the adversaries of the Moth turn against me, and now Vale prevails. Before you say something else, bring Aamon in here. I’d like to hear his insight on how the mission turned so sour.”

“Of course.”

“Today’s cost me a lot. I hope it doesn’t cost me my two best Generals…”

When Aamon arrived, he quickly began a speech without provocation to avoid any interrogations of Zara and his interactions with her. It worked wonderfully. “The Purifiers have made exceptional progress on the southern front of Summit’s Blight, even if they have come to a standstill against the White Fang, unfit to breach the natural barriers. Their guerilla tactics have proven effective, and due to the home field advantage, our numbers were pushed back today.”

“So you’re losing.” Victor mocked. “Some help you are.”

“My Purifiers will evolve soon enough. Do not be so quick to condemn them. We all know how I work.”

“You work too slowly.” Caligula squashed an apple in his fist. “Fix it, now. Or I will deactivate you, and find something better.”

This was an action Victor, for some reason, could not allow. “There isn’t something better. You cannot deactivate Aamon. This time, that is my choice to make. We need him- I need him to expand our long reach. Without him, we cannot adequately serve the Moth.”

Prime Solomon countered this with a rejection of Salem’s ideology. “Forget her. The Moth should be left alone, and we should leave this delusion of conquering Vale behind. She has nothing to offer us!”

“Other than our own demise! I am in charge here. I am the Supreme Leader! And if this bickering continues, I will have no choice but the replace the lot of you. Do you think you are anything special, Aamon? Victor? You two were nothing when I found you!”

The doors opened yet again, and in sauntered the most unwelcome but invincible guest of them all, the Seer. Caligula sighed. “Leave me.”

“Supreme Leader, I beg of you! Reconsider your alliance with Salem! There’s nothing to fight for!”

“I am ordering you to leave, now.”

Prime, Aamon, and Victor quickly marched outside, making sure to lock the door behind them. They could only imagine what horrors would soon take place inside once Caligula explained how Nomad and Nobody eluded Salem even now.

Entry No. 8 complete.

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