“So, this is the place, huh?” Eleanor read out the many crimson flags lining the bridge ahead. Behind them, a massive idol of the magnate tempted their entry through an outstretched hand. With the smell of the ocean sweltering from below, and the rising sun’s grant of the clouds an orange hue, this empire very nearly compared to the awe of the Coven’s bastion. It was inspiring.

“Admit it. You’re impressed.” Eos hauled on her back a multitude of weapons. Most of them were dented, cracked, or dulled.

“I’m more surprised you lugged all that junk here. Remind me why, again? It’s not breakfast, is it?”

“No… It’s missing salt.”

“You should try that more often. Being funny, I mean. I like when you try.”

“I’m not trying.” All that brought, along with the next order, was more laughing. “Stop laughing… No, the truth is, I brought this here as a peace offering. Not that it’s needed. I was told this settlement is the forefront of human technology and blacksmithing. I’m curious what dreadful killing tools they can craft out of this. Can a champion’s weapon re-forged ever swing the same again?”

“I think there’s only one man who can answer that question. Gaius. Ambitious, for a human. That must be him, there.” She pointed towards the stone statue. “He’s bigger in person… Oh, c’mon! That was funny.”

“No, but your failure certainly was.” Eleanor whacked her in the arm. “Did you say something?”

“Allow me to clarify.” A stranger slid beside them. “This statue is of you. And him.” He pointed at an unidentified worker. “And that woman over there! The populace is what built this city, and ultimately, they are the ones to be celebrated. Notice the lack of any definable regalia. We do not plague the lands with reminders of power, here. The Republic will remain absolute, long after my time here is done. And that is not Gaius. But I am.”

“You?”

“Welcome. Welcome to Servus City! Just as Herald said, it was foretold that you would come. You must be… Artemis?”

“Sister Artemis sent us, rather. My name is Eleanor. I am merely an ally.”

“Eos.”

Gaius clapped, walking further into Servus City. “Excellent, excellent- I was beginning to think an expert on Grimm would never arrive. And just in the nick of time, too. No doubt, the rumors brought you here. It’s just a shame the rest of your Coven couldn’t make it, because this may be more than a two person job.”

“What are you talking about?” Eleanor managed to cut in, flustered both with his monologue and the brilliance of the surroundings.

“Why, the Bone Graveyard, of course! Isn’t that why you’re here? Oh, Eos, is it? I appreciate the gesture, and I have no doubt this equipment served you well, but I’m afraid we’re above such barbaric weaponry here.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Take for example this state of the art artillery. No simple catapult, these cannons take advantage of our best scholars and engineers. This is one of a kind. Through the use of gears and pistons, and some dust, we can launch one of these with greater velocity than any weapon that’s come before.” Gaius dragged what appeared to be an enlarged, pointed shell of ammunition. “I’m sure it seems like witchcraft. But believe us when we tell you, these weapons can defend better than any army.”

“This is certainly intriguing, and I appreciate the tour, but we’re in an urgent situation. We’re here looking for Herald-“ Eleanor began speaking.

“Yes, yes, the Bone Graveyard, that’s it. Come quickly, I’ll bring you right to it. I’m just thankful you had the wits to answer my call before things got out of hand. You’re a difficult Coven to get ahold of, but you certainly know how to keep a minister waiting. If we work together, I predict we could settle this error, in a manner that profits us both.”

“What are you talking about!?”

“I know, it sounds absurd, but seeing it yourself is better than any description that could’ve brought you here.”

Past the vendors and gardens, he toured his guests, receiving zero attention from his subjects. If Gaius was in fact the ruler, one couldn’t tell from the way he was presented.

Eleanor grew impatient once they stopped at the very core of Servus City. “So, what’s this? Why did you bring us here? To look at an oozing hole in the ground?”

Gaius paused, then cleared his throat. “There was a man who lived here for many years, under the alias of Agramon. He served us well, but when the time came, he joined the rest above. My residents are the heart of this place, and I honored them with a burial in the center, overlooking the lands they loved so.”

“You wanted to enshrine them at the highest peak.” Eleanor knew this tradition well. “That doesn’t explain why all the graves are down there, in a chasm.”

“This was the apex of height. It’s been nearly a year since it began sinking, and now, here we are. You should’ve seen the beauty from this pedestal at its prime. The rising sun- the brisk winds? The way the skies blushed pink in the afternoons. It was breathtaking.”

“Okay. What does any of this have to do with us? We’re not in the business of landscaping.”

Gaius aimed his cane at the tallest tombstone, which was shrouded in a black haze. “I know why this is happening. Agramon sleeps at the center of it all, his corpse unrelenting. I don’t know how, but there’s some sort of cruel magic at play. He is spreading this bitter infection, of which Clotho’s Coven, though innocent, is still responsible. Don’t you understand? The expanding Infection is Grimm. Agramon was a Delphic.”

Eos dropped her stash of armaments. “Servus City harbored a Delphic? This is treason of the highest order.”

“I-I didn’t know he was Grimm! None of us did until his passing. He never left his house except for combat, and then at night? He would just barricade himself back inside. Like you, the man valued his privacy.”

“That was no man.” Eos corrected.

“Don’t you understand!? His deception allowed a sacrifice for his city. That’s what matters. He was to be entombed with full Servus customs! Agramon was a Delphic, yes, but he was still a soldier first.”

“Then you are guilty for this as well! No Delphic is worth such dignity.”

Eleanor set a hand on Eos’ shoulder, silencing her. “I have given Delphics a shallow grave, before. They’ve never left any sort of influence after death. Do you know why this one is any different?”

“You’re asking me? I assumed this to be a common phenomenon, for everyone of this species. My mistake.”

“This is nonsense.” Eos stomped into the Bone Graveyard past them. “There’s only one thing to do. This ‘Agramon’ is still kicking after death? Then crack open the casket and snuff out what little hope remains. Take notes, Gaius. This is how you give a dead Delphic its due respect.”

“What are you doing!? Stop! I’m ordering you! Have you lost your mind!?” He screamed. Eleanor only watched as Eos shoved her hand into the colorless bog and tore the sarcophagus out from the ground with ease. It reeked. More surprising was the state of the Delphic inside.

“What?” Eos let go and stumbled back.

“Impossible.”

The three froze, daring each other to make the first move. “The coffin is empty.”

Artemis’ vultures circled, their caws pushing the silence back into its cage.

“I can’t say I understand what’s happened here, nor how this infection was left in the Delphic’s wake.” Eleanor said. “There are some things even a Silver-Eyed Warrior has never seen, but I’ve witnessed stranger. We’re not new to such occult arts. This does confirm one thing, however. Somewhere, the missing body is walking free. As soon as we’re done with Herald, the search can begin.”

Gaius coughed. “The problem is Agramon. The solution is Agramon. Go to Herald if you must. You can find him in the tallest spire, easily seen from here. The people thank you.”

“We thank you as well, Gaius. Not just for this, but for revealing to us a Delphic still remains. I do not know how it is alive, if what you say is true. But I have a feeling, with its death, the Bone Graveyard will return to normal. Perhaps one day, after that’s done, we may return and celebrate this triumph.”

“You’re going to have your hands full trying to beat him. Agramon was a model soldier in life. One can only guess what power he’s seized in death. The only fight he ever lost was the one that killed him, when he gave his life to stop a Geist, with his silver eyes.”

Eos and Eleanor stopped to share a glance. They said nothing else, and departed. With every crowd, a fraction would stop to shake Eleanor’s hand, or bow before her. No matter where she went, the fame of the legendary Coven followed. Eos was in much the same position, but her less amicable reputation, born of myth, brought a level of esteem few dared challenge.

“We’re looking for-” Eleanor pulled back a red curtain, nearly bumping into her target. “…You.”

“Eleanor! Always a pleasure. And Eos, too? Lucky me. You didn’t bring an Eidolon with you, right? Just joking.” Herald saluted. As the conversation continued, he patrolled repetitively, dripping candle wax into the artificial fountain lining the velvet curtained cell. “Word on the street is, you and your allies are in desperate need of knowledge. Something about a traitor among the six heroes, who’ll bring back Trajan? Terrible.”

“That’s exactly it. I guess we came to the right place.” Eleanor handed forward the texts responsible for everything. “We are not allowed to read any teachings from Lady Clotho above our level, but the last psychic tablet isn’t written by her. It’s available for anyone, but we can’t read this tongue. Maybe you could decipher it.”

“…Do you realize who wrote this?”

“Obviously not. We just said that.”

“It was a figure of speech, missy. Any fool could tell this is from the hand of Kyradin Bael, in the language acquired before the First Bewitchment. No wonder you twits can’t make any sense of it… I-I take it back! You can lower your weapons…”

They waited in anticipation for the wisdom of the Arbiter. Perhaps now, there’d be an answer- some sort of direction. Herald read in silence, savoring the attention. “Uhuh. Okay. I’ve confirmed that everything you’ve gathered so far is correct. The only thing this adds is a revelation about relics. You see, there are two of them. The first is called Black Dust, but of particular note is the other: the Beryl Rhinestone.”

Eleanor shook her head. “Something about this doesn’t add up. Why would Lady Clotho ever point us towards a relic? You need one to summon Trajan. There’s no reason for her to give us the means to do so.”

“It’s out of the question. The thought that she’d aid Trajan’s resurrection is unfathomable.” Eos said.

“The same could be said of any of us. But even still, she’s guiding us towards a relic. What if this is what she wants?”

“That could not be what she meant… It can’t be. It wasn’t her who wrote this anyway. It was Kyradin Bael.”

“What’s the difference?”

Herald handed the tablets back. “All I know is, they want you to find the Beryl Rhinestone. And once you have, bring it here, and I’ll figure out what happens next. Deal?”

Eleanor lifted her head from her hands and strutted to the balcony, contemplating. “What happens next…? Of course… Of course! Without the relics, Trajan can never return! They want us to destroy them!”

“Wait.” Herald contested. “Aha- Y-You don’t wanna go and do something silly like that. Don’t jump to conclusions. Just bring it here, to me, and I’ll outline our next move. For Clotho, right?” A powerful ringing burst out, startling most but causing immediate panic for Eos and Eleanor.

“That was the dome of the Keep.” Eos looked to the sky, witnessing a ripple in the air, originating from the distant east. “A lapse in the shields! Our home is vulnerable to the arms of Grimm. We’ll be needed there.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The barrier sealing ourselves from the world. Rarely, if ever, does it falter- but should it ever, our emotions are no longer masked, and anyone is granted entry. There’s no time to waste.” Eleanor explained.

“You serious? What caused it in the first place?”

“We won’t know until we’re there. One day, should we ever reunite, I’ll tell you. Till then. Sister Eos, do you know where the others are? Were any of them still there when we left?”

“Only Sister Diana.”

Herald quickly sat up, smirking. “Oh? I’d better come with you. Your silver eyes and heavenly weaponry are impressive, but a master of the Old Arts is still necessary.”

“He’s right.” Gaius announced his presence. “We can’t afford to lose you.”

“You were listening in?” Eos growled.

“There’s no time.” Eleanor rushed outside, ignoring the murmurs of concerned civilians who caught sight of the horizon-wide outburst. A confrontation was in order. Many years had passed peacefully without any sign of decay in the invisible walls confining the Heart of the Coven, of which very little could be held accountable. Whoever had contributed to this crisis would need to be disciplined, but all that mattered now was preventing an attack. Never before had a Grimm trespassed. If that changed, guilt wouldn’t be the only consequence.

“What’s going on, ladies?” Troy yawned at his post, preparing a handshake. They pushed him aside, gunning forward. “Hey! I asked you a question! Wait up!”

They checked in right on time to observe the cracked security, a frenzied Artemis bursting from the gates, barking. “Who breached the Coven’s walls? I command an answer!”

“Neither of us.” Eos subtly stepped in front of Eleanor.

“I can vouch for them!” Herald snapped his fingers. “We just arrived moments ago.”

“Same for me.” Styx formed from the shadows. “I had nothing to do with this.”

Artemis sighed. “…Herald. It’s been awhile. I’m sure you’ve heard of the terrible fate prophesized by our master. And you would understand, there is nothing more traitorous than severing the aegis keeping our home at peace. Are we all clear, here? Whoever did this has painted a target of astronomical proportions on their back.”

“Wrong.” Mania announced. With one hand on the shoulder of Diana, the truth was revealed. “Sister Diana and I were training her silver eyes, and, foolishly, I pushed her too far. She strained herself, causing a power surge that bounced off the barricade. I take full responsibility for this.”

The youngest attempted to take partial blame, though Artemis wasn’t amused. “W-Wait. It’s not fair of you to take the fall for my mistake-“

“Sister Diana is only to practice under my strict supervision. Someone could get hurt. She could get hurt. What were you thinking?” As the discussion continued, Herald spotted Tormentyst enshrined on the bench of Eos’ garden, placed there upon Diana’s entrance. Slowly, as gingerly as possible, he slithered behind everyone to claim it. He would’ve succeeded too, had Eleanor not strangled him back for support.

“I already told you, we were at Servus City, with the Old Fang. Just ask Herald!”

“Look.” Styx said. “We’re getting off track, here. C’mon, these two already admitted to doing it.”

Artemis paced. “Even by accident, this doesn’t add up. If it doesn’t make sense, it can never be true. Sister Mania, we have rules! You know the difference between right and wrong.”

“Sh-She did it because of me. I asked her to help me!” Diana pleaded. “I didn’t think there was any harm in it. I’m sorry.”

“What are you suggesting, Sister Artemis?” Mania said. “Foul play? I’d never do such a thing.”

“I’m following orders. Remember, one of us is Xiasma. Keeping Trajan out of Remnant matters above all else. I apologize that I’m the only one taking any of this seriously! But our council has persevered for generations uncounted. It is through our allegiance that Remnant may rest, undying! We’ll have to take drastic measures to preserve that law, now.”

“We’re dealing with this as best we can. Pointing fingers isn’t going to help anything.” Eleanor tried to reason.

“She’s right, you know. ‘Inculto!’” Herald commented in a high pitched tone, mocking them with his hand, still stuck in Eleanor’s grip.

Artemis swallowed. “We don’t need your input, Sister Eleanor. I know it wasn’t you. You’re not the one I’m worried about.” Eleanor, at being approached, placed a hand on the hilt of her sword. Not necessary. Eos stepped in front of her, the hulking tank’s mere presence drawing away any attacks. “How dare you.”

“Enough of this!” Eleanor shouted. “How are we this easily splintered? Aren’t we supposed to be a devoted family? And look at us, now. Squabbling like children.”

“This is exactly what Trajan’s been waiting for.” Styx said. “The moment we lose our bond with each other, the greatest force against Grimm is finished.”

“…Of course. That was foolish of me.” Artemis walked away, eyes trained on the others. “We’re too paranoid. We’ll settle this diplomatically, at a later date, once I’m in better judgment. Until then, I’ll repair the shield. No matter what happens, promise me we’ll have each other’s backs.”

Hesitantly, each of them nodded.

“In the meantime, I suggest you all get some rest. It’s not often we are blessed with sleep. Cherish it. Once the ritual is complete, it’ll be a long while before you find another chance. Perhaps… Perhaps tomorrow, under the spell of a new moon, everything will seem better. Seem lighter. Let’s just hope.”

“Er, wait! Ah… Gah! No!” Herald hissed, lightly struggling as Eleanor dragged him outside, away from Tormentyst. In the dead of night, she let him go.

“A connoisseur of the Old Arts should have an easy trip back. I’ll miss you, Herald. It’s unfortunate this is how we had to reunite.”

“…I’d agree.” He stomped away, trying to hide his anger, mumbling incoherently about Tormentyst as he kicked up piles of dirt with every stride.

Eos put a hand on Eleanor’s back, and the two watched the sky under the guidance of constellations. In a strange twist, Eos spoke up first. “I wouldn’t hold this against Sister Artemis. A grudge is not in the spirit of the Coven. She cares. You can’t hold that against her.”

“What worries me is, she was right. Someone in that room is playing us. I-It could be you. Promise me. Promise me you’re not the imposter.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Think of all the times you or I had the chance to let the other fall, and took the right path. If I’ve been planning to stab you in the back, I’m not a very good mastermind. I’ve missed my chance a hundred times over.”

Eleanor smiled, then studied the stars. “I wish we’d never found these stupid tablets… Was this really Lady Clotho’s wish? There must be a happy ending to all this, right?”

“She’s been at this far longer than us. I accept the fate she’s set before me. We’ve never been failed by her, before.”

Entry No. 5 complete.

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