A Few Moments Later

  That Same Night

  Still Above That Church

  With an expression of utter emptiness for a few moments, Viat? (20 years old) seemed to recite the mantra of the group she belongs to-currently second-in-command:

  - "Omnes sumus, omnes patimur, et tamen ignoramur..." -

  This group, still on the rise with only five thousand members, was a far cry from the millions actively enrolled in the ranks of either the Reginae faction or its rival, the Inanis faction.

  This group, known as the Duodecim Relicti, sought neither the world's destruction nor its conquest.

  It had only one goal since its creation nearly eight years ago: to bring down both Reginae and Inanis from within.

  Their official mantra-used by the forces and the leadership composed of twelve leaders-summarized their longing for justice.

  Justice for every life lost in the crossfire ten years ago during what would later be known as the Twelve-Day War.

  The bloodiest conflict between the forces that would later consolidate into Inanis and the Reginae forces that tried desperately to fight them off while protecting the civilians.

  All of it within the territory of what used to be the second-largest city in the entire Oculi world, with a territory of 25,000 square kilometers.

  It once held a population of 12 million people. But now, ten years later, it stands in a state no different from the former Oculi capital-

  A ruined sprawl stretching over 50,000 square kilometers, which also fell five years ago under the ruthless assault of the fully formed and highly structured Inanis.

  And so came the brutal scene: Larel's entire body fell in several decapitated pieces, severed cleanly by the swift and silent strike of Viat?'s essence blade.

  His remains stained the church's ceiling with black blood-the same kind that ran through the veins of every Oculi in that world, including Viat? herself.

  After reaching the heart of the church, she was seen pulling her hood back over her snow-white hair and turning her gaze toward the direction of the former royal castle.

  She displayed not a single drop of emotion-neither sorrow nor satisfaction-because she knew she would only feel something real again-

  Once every underground facility and every single member of Reginae within them-and likewise, every last soldier of Inanis, the sworn enemies of Reginae-

  Had been obliterated, scattered in bloody fragments across the entire world.

  A world now divided in two: one half believing in the harmony preached by Reginae, the other poisoned by the blind vengeance propagated by the leadership of Inanis-the Begeneri Twins.

  All of this sparked by the death of the former queen ten years ago, at the hands of humans.

  Humans, who weren't even part of that Oculi reality. They remained a species that hadn't yet learned how to travel between realities-

  Something the Oculi could now do, albeit with difficulty.

  Viat? adjusted her long, snow-like white hair beneath the black hood, and with a nearly imperceptible and silent leap, vanished from the top of the church.

  She advanced at remarkable speed deeper into the capital's territory-

  Leaping and often sprinting nimbly across various structures, passing over destroyed establishments,

  And over numerous ruined, uninhabited homes-many of them overrun by roots and vines.

  These remnants of the past stood as testament to the five years since the capital's fall to Inanis forces, where nature had reclaimed its space amidst the ruins of what had once been a colossal, vibrant metropolis.

  Carefully observing her surroundings, Viat? reached a vantage point atop one of the ancient towers-now fully engulfed in roots-

  About five kilometers away from the ruined royal castle, visible even in that pitch-black night.

  Not a single light illuminated the surroundings, nor the rest of the ruined capital.

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  To the unaware, it might seem as though the city no longer harbored any form of life.

  But Viat? knew better-she knew exactly where the current beating heart of Reginae pulsed. Not above the ruins of the capital-

  But beneath it. The faction's base lay nearly ten kilometers underground, directly beneath the ruined royal castle-seemingly unguarded to inattentive eyes.

  Yet it was heavily watched by Reginae forces, who guarded the entrance with methods so obscure that even in daylight, amidst the rarest and brightest sunrays-

  Their presence remained nothing more than a whisper in the shadows.

  That was Reginae's best-kept secret-one even Inanis, their deadliest foe, had yet to unravel.

  Still Within the Oculi Capital

  Near the Center of the Capital

  Viat? stood atop the partially destroyed tower, veiled in the darkness of the night.

  No one could see her, as she was well hidden in the shadows of the night, with barely any celestial light in the sky.

  The heavens above were overcast, clouds scattered yet dense enough to obscure most of the region that encompassed the entire territory of the former Oculi capital.

  With its nearly 50,000 square kilometers of land, Miss Viat? looked down with a disgusted expression etched across her face.

  Her attention was focused toward the grand and abandoned royal castle looming in the dark horizon, as she lifted one of her hands to her ear.

  She activated the communicator embedded within, requesting a direct line to her group's leader from the Duodecim Relicti.

  That person was none other than Luciel, both founder and current leader for nearly eight years now-a young man the same age as Viat?: twenty.

  After a brief pause, he answered her request calmly, prompting her gaze to drift upwards, toward the nocturnal sky.

  [Luciel - Through Communicator] ...You vanished for a month without a single word. Were you successful in the first part of the infiltration into Reginae territory, Vice-Leader Viat?? [Subtle, deep sigh] -

  At the same time, the once-soothing breeze of the night, now tinged with chill, stirred her black hood.

  [Viat? - Voice Calm & Hollow] Forgive me. I encountered some unexpected setbacks before reaching Reginae territory and the subsequent ruins of the former capital Oculi. [Slightly irate breath] -

  The air had turned colder due to the arrival of a cold front sweeping across the region, heralding the approach of winter.

  Much of the area surrounding the great, ruined capital of Oculi would soon be cloaked beneath the common black snow of that world.

  [Luciel - Through Communicator] I understand. If you're contacting me now, I assume you're close enough to assess the forces stationed above the surface of the capital, correct? -

  She inhaled deeply at that question, her thoughts drifting momentarily to the young siblings, Larel and Lariel.

  [Viat? - Voice Calm & Hollow] Yes. I am currently inside the capital, approximately five kilometers from the central castle. -

  Miss Viat? had already eliminated five border guards prior to advancing further into the heart of the capital.

  [Viat? - Voice Calm & Hollow] And I can tell you in advance that the second phase will be significantly more difficult to complete, my lord. [Subtle, thoughtful inhale] -

  She had been testing the strength of the patrol units near the border to determine whether it would be worthwhile to engage and eliminate each enemy along her path.

  [Luciel - Through Communicator] For you to admit that to me... it compels me to remain fully alert for your safety from this point onward. [Slight tremor of apprehension in his voice] -

  [(Viat? - Quiet, Affectionate Whisper)]The fact that he worries about me... it makes me like him even more than I already do. (Subtle, affectionate chuckle)]

  [Luciel - Through Communicator] Viat?, proceed with your mission's original objective with extreme caution. Do not take unnecessary risks. Understood? -

  [Viat? - Respectful & Serene Voice] ...Yes, my lord. [Deep, motivated breath]-

  She remained undetected simply because the guards were too weak to notice her presence, even just meters away.

  [Luciel - Through Communicator] And if necessary, revise the subsequent steps of our current plan against the Reginae. Adjust as needed to ensure success. -

  She was far more experienced in manipulating her essence through Oculi techniques, and her physical prowess was exceptional.

  [Viat? - Respectful & Serene Voice] Understood, my lord. Thank you for trusting in my abilities for such an important mission... [Grateful sigh]-

  Her movements-fluid and silent-resembled those of a ballerina. Whether infiltrating or killing, she moved with elegance and deadly precision.

  Through the communicator, she heard a faint chuckle from Luciel, a sound filled with genuine affection, shared between two long-time companions.

  At that very moment, she calmly began unfastening the black hood that had cloaked her body, her gaze lifting slowly toward the horizon.

  As her hood came undone, the night wind gently swept it back, revealing what lay beneath.

  Underneath the long black cloak, she had concealed her true attire-a sleek, shadowy outfit that clung perfectly to her form.

  It accentuated her feminine curves, making her appear even more striking, while also radiating a delicate innocence-something she intended to weaponize in the next phases of her mission.

  Miss Viat?, at that moment, was wearing the feminine uniform used by the Raginae soldiers-those assigned to guard the capital's border from possible attacks by the Inanis.

  And yet, it was Viat? herself who, just a few hours earlier, had killed the previous owner of that uniform, along with her small patrol unit, after the fall of night.

  She had done so in order to change her clothes and make her mission easier, after encountering a girl with a similar appearance to her own-one who was about to be brutally executed.

  Now, wearing the black garments of her enemy, Viat? no longer gazed at the horizon with distant, vacant eyes.

  [Luciel - Through the Communicator] - "Omnes sumus, omnes patimur, et tamen ignoramur!" [Inhales deeply, with confidence] -

  Instead, her gaze had transformed into one of total, obsessive desire for justice, culminating in a smile consumed by pain rooted in her past.

  [Viat? - Voice: Pleasured & Driven] - "Omnes sumus, omnes patimur, et tamen ignoramur..." [End of communication] -

  For a few moments, Viat? closed her eyes in the present, recalling her younger self-ten years old-before being rescued by Luciel.

  [Echoing Voice of Young Viat? - From the Past] - Please! Let me follow you! Please! [Breathing: trembling and broken] -