JULES

  "So you're just gonna let Cy go!?"

  "You didn't try hard to stop him either, Kat." Jules slid through the narrow passageway with the rest of them and took the rear.

  "Cyrus is a fool, but a skilled fighter." Whiskers slinked between Seraphina and Katarina. "Alters flock to him. He won't die today. Er—at least in that room. With Musashi."

  "Every word that comes out of that furry mouth of yours makes it worse, Whiskers," Rukia said from Jules' shoulder.

  "Ew—what are you doing!?" Katarina ogled Seraphina while the latter stripped down. Jules looked away instinctively, much to his own surprise.

  "What?" she asked. "This is the widest point in this passageway. I have to put on Odessa's armor."

  "What kind of fighter are you? And why do you keep calling your grandmother by her first name?" Yeah, that is kinda odd.

  "Why do you want to know so bad, Envy?"

  "It's Kat. And if stripping off armor mid-siege is your idea of sound battle tactics—"

  "She's a Ninja. She fights up close and in the shadows."

  "I can speak for myself, Jules," Seraphina grunted.

  "No time. You done?" Jules asked.

  "You seem to know a loooot about her already, Jules."

  "Raven is my Scout in the sky. He let me know I was safe to change, though maybe not from your prying eyes, Kat."

  "We already have a Scout." Katarina crossed her arms.

  "Who, the fox?"

  "Oh, I like you already," Rukia said. Katarina fumed at the fox. Careful, Little One.

  "So how far are we?" Jules pushed them all forward.

  "It's just down the street. We live close the barracks." Seraphina ushered them out a balcony door, and they dropped down a story or two below to the open air.

  "Are we stealing something from there, too?" Katarina asked.

  "I don't like your tone."

  "And I don't like your style."

  Personally, I'm a fan of the Ninja armor. Don't know how'd I feel about your grandmother wearing it, though…

  "Well hello, hello." Two masked Shinsorai emerged from the shadows.

  "And I don't like your friends," Katarina added. "Looks like my position as Party Scout is still secure."

  "Not looking for another fight," Jules said. "It's been a long day."

  "I recognize that voice. To think I had a Sin in front of me the whole time." Great, it's that dick Recruiter, Aki.

  "Two," the other said. "Sera here's been hiding in plain sight." Ah, Daiki, too.

  "What!?" Aki took a step back.

  "Uh, hey guys. I'm still here." Katarina put her hands on her hips.

  "Who the hell are you?" Recruiter Daiki asked. Katarina's eyes visibly twitched, and vein popped out of her forehead, more prominent even than the cursed veins on her arm. Jules, Rukia, and Whiskers scooted away from her.

  "I must admit," Aki said, "I'm a bit unimpressed by the man who's leveled two cities." His Samurai armor clanged as he approached Jules, hand on hilt. Jules noted he still moved with caution.

  "That's because I didn't do either."

  "Aquilantis was all him, though," Katarina added. Jules rolled his eyes.

  "We're not big on small talk. Let's—"

  "Well, Sera," Jules said. "I told you if we got the chance, you could kill him."

  "With pleasure."

  Aki drew his wakizashi and slashed at Jules. Jules dodged it, and in a flash, appeared behind his Recruiter. He pelted the Shinsorai with the Sound, again in its wooden form. Seraphina engaged with Daiki, and Katarina dropped her shoulders and crossed her arms, opponentless.

  Saving Ryoku? Kaizen asked. Wise move, kiddo—though I am a little bloodthirsty today.

  Glad to see you're awake, Jules snapped. But this is personal, now.

  

  ? ? Razor's Edge ? ?

  After a loud SHINK, Aki slashed at Jules again, who blocked it easily enough, one-handed; their swords shook as Aki struggled to overtake Jules.

  "Why doesn't it splinter your wood?"

  The harder your resolve, Kaizen thought, the harder your shaft. Rukia cackled, and Jules shouted at the ghost. "Don't ever say it like that again!" Aki hesitated, then withdrew and looked around. "Don't mind me, I'm just talking to one of the many demons inside my head."

  Jules slashed and sliced at Aki, but couldn't break his stance or get past his defense. "Hey Kat—make yourself useful?"

  "Nah. I'll wait for backup." Cool, thanks.

  

  ? ? Golem's Fury ? ?

  Jules leapt back. I really don't want to fight a Golem here. He waited, but no monster emerged from the ground, so he lunged to Aki—but tripped as one leg was encased is cobblestone that continued to climb up his leg. Aki's wakizashi cut open a wound on Jules' chest, and steam rose immediately. The Shinsorai stared in wonder.

  "The steam's pretty cool, isn't it?" Jules grinned.

  "Stop showing off for Lust."

  "I told you, it's Sera!"

  Hm, I've got an idea.

  

  ? Shatter ?

  The cobblestone crumbled around his leg, and Jules feigned another attack. Aki repeated his Scroll, and cobblestone rose up both Jules' legs this time.

  

  ? ? Stoned Flesh ? ?

  He commanded control of the earth and shifted it into an extra layer of armor that blocked Aki's next strike.

  

  ? Activate ?

  An Inked Art burned off Jules' skin, and a transmutation circle formed overhead.

  

  ? Stone ?

  Cobblestone swept up and encapsulated Aki, but it continued to rise just above his head, then split off horizontally until it formed a bridge overtop of the Shinsorai, held in place by surrounding buildings on either side. The cobblestone around Aki's feet rose up his body until his face was again exposed. Countless summoned arrows rained down on the bridge from the transmutation circle above, but none struck their mark. Now that was cool.

  

  ? Activate ?

  Jules opened his palm at Aki, and more summoned arrows shot out from it.

  

  ? Metal ?

  The blade of Aki's wakizashi expanded out in each direction to a thin rectangle. He hid behind the shield, and only a few arrows pierced through.

  Katarina stepped to the side just in time. "Great, thanks Jules."

  Aki tossed the sword-or-maybe-shield aside and drew his longer katana.

  "So that's why you carry two swords. I've been wondering. One's always been enough for me."

  "You should try two, at the same time."

  "Gross," Katarina mumbled. Aki disappeared.

  "Jules—Look out!" Seraphina yelled.

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  Jules spun around. No—it's a different attack than what I used before? From below, a blade pierced his shin from behind and pulled back out. Jules whipped back around, but Aki was still gone.

  "Kat—You see where?"

  "Nope."

  "THANKS FOR THE HELP!" Another strike slit a calf muscle, another the opposite achilles tendon. Jules forced down Ryoku to spot-heal the wounds, or else he'd be useless in a fight. "Sera, a little help here!?"

  "Thought you never ask," she said between grunts, fighting her own battle. "The shadows—I mean how dense are you, Shinsorai-wannabe!?"

  Of course, but how do I anticipate where he comes from? It wasn't my shadow on that third strike. Jules studied the sun and the shadows all around. Lucky it's high noon, and the weather's clear. He closed his eyes and meditated. A jolt pushed him in one direction—he heard the blade swipe through the air and miss him. He blocked the second attack. Hm, where'd that wakizashi go? Jules felt another incoming attack and parried it, but a second blade immediately followed it and gashed his upper arm.

  "Ah, shit. Found it. Heads up, Kat, Sera. If I can't tell where it's coming from…"

  

  ? Portal ? ? Activate ?

  "I'll just attack everything."

  "Oh shit!" Katarina yelled.

  

  ? ? Ryoku Shield ? ?

  "What!?" Sera shouted.

  Dozens of portals formed all around form Jules' Rune, facing out at all angles toward the shadows, and summoned arrows pelted damn near every inch of the alleyway from his Inked Art. Wait for it, wait for it…

  The Shinsorai emerged from the shadows—There!

  

  ? Fire ?

  A raging inferno pushed Aki back into the arrows' path, and he collapsed to the ground.

  "Hey Jules," Katarina said. "While you were busy, those guys showed up." A battalion of Iron Maiden Hunters eyed Jules and the others. I see fear in their eyes, but also bloodlust.

  Ha! Good pun, Julesie.

  Fight with me or shut up.

  Hey, you can use me any time!

  That's not what I meant! Join the fight as a fox, not my sword.

  Tee Hee! Kaizen joined in with Rukia's laughter in Jules' mind, and he shut them both out.

  "How the fuck does she have so many people!? And I thought you were waiting for backup, Kat!"

  "I mean, we probably weren't supposed to survive Judas Priest Zeke. You barely did, so… And I said I was gonna wait for backup, and I literally did?"

  "We don't have Cy to take out the zombies fast—"

  "More zombies!?" Seraphina shouted.

  "I can see their strings, asshole." Katarina spat off to the side. "Let me handle them."

  "Charmer, this one." Seraphina walked away from Daiki's splayed corpse. Happy for you.

  "Sera and I will take the living. Go!"

  Having studied her before, Jules felt much better fighting side-by-side with her. They mowed down the first five Hunters easily enough, but an undead puppet jumped over to them. Seraphina baited it, and Jules decapitated it. As its head fell, the third eye lit up—

  

  ? ? Shadow Step ? ?

  Sera grabbed Jules and yanked them back into the shadows. The zombie head exploded and melted away Jules' hand that didn't make it into the shadows on time. Black turned to white, and vice-versa, and each direction swapped with its opposite again. Seraphina's face looked terrifying in this world, but she pulled them back out and regained her elegance.

  "Kat! Watch their eyes—"

  BOOOOOM!!! Katarina was blown away. Her limp body rolled around when it crashed to the ground, and it steamed where it was melted, all around, but not from Regeneration.

  "KAT!!" Jules ran over to her side. "Shit, no acid."

  "Jules… Eyes…" Katarina coughed up blood.

  "Acid?" Seraphina asked. Jules touched Katarina with his stump, too afraid to risk damaging his good hand. It burned even worse upon contact with her.

  "That's her Regeneration Method. She doesn't steam like I do—I'm sure you've got your own—but their Holy damage stopped our Regeneration back in Marina Veridia. She won't come back for a while. We need an escape route. Now."

  "Right. It'll take all I have, but I can pull us all into the shadows."

  "Rukia, Whiskers—Get over here now!!"

  Living and disfigured Iron Maidens approached; some of the latter looked like Hunters Jules and company had disposed of earlier that day. The furries arrived, and Seraphina invoked her Rune again.

  

  ? ? Shadow Step ? ?

  On the other side, Jules saw eyes everywhere. Who the hell? Seraphina immediately pulled them back out, and they were thrust between two groups—the Iron Maidens, and the newly arrived Shinsorai. "Of fucking course."

  "Miss Raventree," one of the Shinsorai said. "We have orders to take you back to Lord Jiro."

  "I'm a little busy here, but if you wanna help…"

  "Orders are specified as immediately."

  "They're coming," Jules warned.

  "Guess I wouldn't mind an evac for me and my friends."

  "Orders also specified as you, alone." More Shinsorai emerged form the shadows and separated Seraphina from Jules and the others.

  "Sera!"

  The Iron Maidens, Hunters and undead alike, rushed in. The Shinsorai fought any that targeted Seraphina, but left Jules on his own to fend for himself and his defenseless friends. A Holy weapon stabbed Jules in the back. Katarina's eyes ignited, one green and one violet, and her bare fist clawed straight through the zombie's third eye. Jules braced her for an explosion that never came.

  "Thanks, Kat. Damn that hurt—Kat!?" Jules looked at her in horror. She stared off to his side, her eyes fully white now. "Your eyes…"

  "All I can see are the third eyes, Jules…"

  "Jules!" He whipped around. A Shinsorai had Seraphina hoisted over his shoulders. Iron Maidens, mostly living, honed in on her.

  "Left!" Katarina shouted. Jules parried the blade and shot a stream of fire into the zombie's third eye. "Behind!" He disposed of that one, too. "Five more—"

  Chains wrapped around both Jules and Katarina, binding and burning them. The Shinsorai carrying Seraphina dropped her, then dropped dead. Another scooped her up, but two Hunters ripped her away. Fuck. Last resort…

  

  ? Integrate ?

  Rukia's beads lit up, and Kaizen fused into his body; Rukia, into the Sound, and his Ryoku resurged with Kaizen's.

  A horn blared from somewhere far away while the Integrated trio mowed down everyone around. Another batch slipped in, and a Hunter slashed Katarina from her temple down to a breast. She collapsed to the ground. Jules stabbed the man in the heart, and he exploded into ash. He picked up Katarina, and Whiskers grabbed on tight and flapped on Jules' coattails as he sprinted toward Seraphina. Dozens more men filed in, and Aki limped over to Jules as Seraphina was carried further away.

  Aki unlatched his armor, raised his sword, and posed for one more strike. "For honor."

  "No time for honor, here."

  Jules ran past him, but Aki grabbed him and pulled them into the shadows. Jules fell, and fell, and fell further into the sky. More eyes surrounded him, and Aki tried his best to kill Jules, who couldn't figure out how to move in this world, let alone as one with Kaizen. Far away, Seraphina entered the shadow world as well, carried by another Shinsorai.

  We need to get her, Kaizen.

  You must choose, Jules. You can only save one of them. I have an idea… But there will be a cost.

  What's the cost—You go away again?

  No, but you still won't like it.

  Tell me what I need to do, old man.

  Abandon Envy and save Lust—she'll pull you out of the Shadow Realm—or you can put me into the Sound and stab Kat's Seal. She's not going to like it.

  Jules looked at Lust, then he looked at Kat.

  I am so sorry. I promise I'll find you again.

  

  ? Integrate ?

  Rukia ejected onto Jules' shoulder, Jules crammed Kaizen into the Sound of Fury, and Jules stabbed Katarina's Seal.

  Fire flooded into the wound as she shrieked. Her eyes opened wide and beamed out piercing white light. Jules' vision cracked and shattered before his own eyes, and the Shadow Realm along with it. They fell from the sky and crashed to the ground, along with everyone else who'd entered the shadows. Hunters grabbed Seraphina and were long gone by the time Jules rose to his feet. With Kaizen in the Sound, and his Ryoku running low, Jules was nowhere near as powerful as he'd been just moments before. Shinsorai surrounded him, along with some stranded Hunters and undead.

  "You did this!" a Shinsorai shouted. "This failure is as much on your hands as it is ours!" They all drew their swords and sprinted to him—

  And each Shinsorai and Hunter fell, one by one.

  A Shinsorai Ninja emerged from the shadows. How? I thought we just destroyed that place. "Take out the dead!" The Ninja's voice was distorted, corrupted somehow, though it sounded like a man to Jules, who had no choice but to trust him.

  Jules sliced the threads of the remaining undead with Kaizen's aid, while still clinging on tightly to Katarina. Rukia and Whiskers flailed about his frayed cloak, worthless. Jules looked around at an battlefield, finally wound down to only two contestants, himself and the shadow stalker.

  "Where is Seraphina?" the Ninja—or Assassin—demanded.

  "Depends on if you're an ally, or a foe."

  "That depends on if you abandoned her or not."

  "We did. I had to make a choice—"

  "Then it seems we're not allies, then."

  PATIENCE

  Patience strolled through the streets of Shinsora, alone, basking in the glorious siege. Burning cherry blossom bush there, bodies and puppets here, Sins way over there. Pure bliss.

  He'd felt that familiar presence of the Desert Mouse watching him for quite some time, but still couldn't pin him down. That imbecile should be hunting. I ought to rip his head off when I find him…

  Horns blared in the distance. Ah, just in time. I was beginning to wonder if Viktoria would ever show up.

  "You there," Patience ordered.

  "W-who, me?"

  "Yes, you idiot. Come here at once."

  The man looked down at his fallen comrade, but stopped performing his first aid to save his life. "I'm a bit busy, Sir."

  "Help will come for him. I need you to take an assault team to the Shinsorai barracks. It appears they've hidden Lust here this entire time. You will flush her out of hiding there."

  The Maiden looked at his friend again, then back to Patience, who prepared to activate his Seal and make the man obey. "Y-yes, Sir!" Hm, didn't even have to use it.

  Patience took in more of the wondrous carnage as he proceeded through the city. Their wonderful ceremony, brought to a premature end. He walked without a care. I'll end up at the right place, at the right time, as always…

  He felt a slight jolt that gave him pause. Not the Desert Mouse. Something quite different. Not the Cat of Ninetails, either… He must not have shown himself after all. Another Alter, though, to be sure. Musashi?

  Patience pulled aside another Maiden. "Track down the Shinsorai's movements, then flank and assault them. Help will arrive from the Harbormasters soon enough. Your orders are to get the girl, and only the girl."

  "Yes, Sir!"

  

  APPROACH THE SHADOWS. DISPATCH HIM FOR MY PROTEGE.

  "Show yourself," Patience said. "I felt you long ago."

  "But what?" Only his voice presented itself. The Desert Mouse remained hidden. "You've grown… Impatient?"

  "Very clever. Took you a decade to come up with that one."

  "No, but I waited patiently for years to use it."

  Patience twitched. "You will fetch me Wrath. And if it works out in our favor, his friends. But Wrath is the priority."

  "What of the girl?"

  "She is already mine."

  "Funny, I don't see her."

  "Funny, I don't see you."

  The Desert Mouse grunted. "Where do I find you?"

  "You won't." Patience walked away. He swiped at the air and grabbed a hidden blade, then nudged it aside. Nice try, Jafar. "I will find you."

  "So it seems…"

  My counterpart has already Integrated. Must be feeling cornered right about now. Patience approached the Hunter that held down a struggling Lust. Other Maidens fought the surrounding, but dwindling, Shinsorai.

  "Save the Raventree heir at all costs!" one shouted.

  Patience slipped through the chaos and struck down two Shinsorai Samurai, shoving other Maidens out of his way. He knelt down to Lust and relished the desperation in her pink eyes. It filled his blood with adrenaline, with cruelty, with malice.

  "Why…?" Lust asked.

  "Because I hate this world, and everyone in it." Patience slit her throat, then lopped off her arms for good measure. Hm, wish I'd done that the other way around, now that I think of it.

  "How dare you!"

  "Not the Raventree!"

  Shinsorai Guards attacked him from all angles. Pat drew his rapier; a single second later, they all collapses, alongside some Maidens caught in friendly fire.

  "Treasonous fools. No idea she's a Sin." Patience looked around, proud of his accomplishment and what it'd mean for the reputation of The Spider, of Pat of the Dunes. "Let's take her to the zephyr. In pieces, if you would." A group of men collected Lust's body parts and hauled her away. A flock of ravens took off from a nearby tree. "Before the vultures arrive."

  Charlotte, go collect your eye from the cabin. We'll be needing it again soon.