"Where is King Lopold? We demand answers!"

Lieutenant Brunhild rested her hand on her spear as she looked out over the crowd. A strong wind blew from the keep, sending her long blonde hair flying behind her. She licked her lips as her eyes roved the crowd. She was waiting for a coming storm without a cloud in the sky.

They kept standing on the top tier of Grim Aegis, up the many walled tiers of the fortress city. It was like climbing up a mountain, though the very top was flat except for the keep. A massive lake stretched around the sides, and four entrances stood closed. Massive wrought iron gates blocked the long bridges that led to the keep, and would be more than enough to keep the populace out.

However, the physical protections of walls and gates weren't the problem.

"Our memories were taken from us! Our lives stolen! We need the king to tell us why!"

"Hear! Hear!"

Caw.

A black bird jumped away from the building behind her, gliding toward the water. Brunhild's eye twitched. Another bird was about to meet an untimely end.

"Come out, King Lopold! Come out and comfort your people with the truth!"

Crack.

It slammed against an invisible wall, breaking bones before sliding down onto the stone ground below. The crowd went silent for a moment until the main speaker, an old woman, coughed and raised her voice again.

Brunhild tuned her out like a blaring communicator. Her job was simple: she needed to watch for threats. However, she was on edge. It was the old woman standing on the other side of the crowd.

She was bent over, leaning on a cane. 'Green Tea' Kageken, an outlaw known for gunrunning, stood in that crowd, seemingly completely unarmed and unbound. However, that was an illusion.

Shadows moved through the crowd, suited men who flitted from darkness to darkness. They rose from people's shadows and disappeared just as quickly. They were like ghosts.

Crunch.

Brunhild looked up to see a large, rotund man standing over her shoulder. He was bald, with a fraying, unkempt beard, and though he appeared to be made only of flab, he was both faster and stronger than he looked. He was Lieutenant Cade and had been her ally for a while.

Crunch.

He took another bite of the turkey leg in his hand, breaking through the bone with pure force.

"Disgusting." Brunhild sighed, looking away.

"These people have good taste." Cade sputtered. "You should try one."

"I'll pass," Brunhild said. "We need to stay focused."

"I don't see how it helps." Cade shrugged. "This crying ain't doing nothing."

"You know it isn't there for real change." Brunhild sighed. "You listened to the plan, right?"

Crunch.

"The small man said a lot of words."

"We can't all be giants." Brunhild shook her head, though Cade wasn't a giant. "Don't compare normal humans to yourself."

"Eh." Cade shrugged.

"But you're right that this isn't doing anything. Nothing's happening."

The plan was for the people to create a distraction and draw out the castle's defenders, giving the others their chance to break through the barrier. The other plan was much more difficult.

She didn't like the idea of her work being a distraction. However, if her duty required it, she would do it. If the plan didn't succeed, though, did the plan actually require it?

"I don't understand." With her free hand, Brinhild bit at her thumbnail. "They should have come out by now. They need these people mollified to maintain control. A show of force, or even a lie, would be better than nothing."

"Smash them to pieces to keep them quiet." Cade shook his head. "That's the best way."

Brunhild eyed him, brushing back a blonde bang as he took another bite of his turkey leg. He was a brute. However, the tactic was valid. It wasn't the one she would prefer. A mixture was better—force and assurance.

"Either way, we have nothing to do until they arrive."

"Let them talk." Cade nodded.

Boom.

A distant sound echoed through the area. Brunhild gripped her spear. Her eyes roved the crowd, but with the yelling, they hadn't noticed. She couldn't pinpoint the exact location.

Her training along the Path of Will simply wasn't strong enough yet.

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"Hey, did you hear that?"

Crack.

Another piece of bone snapped off the leg, leaving only a small piece in between Cade's fingers. The broken bone stuck out like a dagger. Brunhld shuddered.

It was disgusting.

"Hear what?"

Boom.

The lake's waters shook. It was like someone dropped a rock in the center, and a small wave emanated across the water. Her eyes traced the waves, which appeared from the keep itself.

That wasn't right.

Boom.

Another, larger wave rose from the keep. Brunhild gripped her spear tighter. The wave crashed against the shore, and the barrier contained it before it reached the stone.

Still, the crowd hadn't noticed. Still, the three at the front of the crowd droned on. Still, the people cheered.

Hiss.

Bubbles broiled on the water, muted behind the barrier. Brunhild felt a hole boring in her head, and looked at the old woman. She caught Brunhild's eye and held the stare. Brunhild wasn't the only one who had noticed.

Boom.

The speeches stopped. The people looked out at the lake. Silence spread quickly. No one yelled for the king's answer anymore. No one said a word. A shadow, far too large to be possible, formed to the side of the keep.

Boom. Splash.

A massive hand shot up from the water, long with black claws that scraped at the sky above. Brunhild's breath caught in her chest. Something that large shouldn't exist. Even giants couldn't reach so high.

Fwoosh. Hiss. Boom.

Flames ignited across the hand, burning orange and red across the arms and claws. It slammed down on the water, and a muted shockwave shook across the lake.

"That's!" a man yelled, pointing at the hand. "It's Halogi!"

Mister Tyson bit his thumbnail as he looked out over the lake surrounding the keep. She had done it despite everything he had said. Despite his warnings, she had done precisely what she shouldn't.

So long as the barrier remained strong, Ortega and his crew had no hope of getting inside the keep. They could have kept it all for ages, held the key and the gate to the Core.

Arrogance. It was pure arrogance. Or, perhaps, it was fear. Lord Baccia did not suffer failures. Miss Malone knew that. Mister Tyson knew that. Not having control of the city and the port meant they wouldn't get more diggers anytime soon. Pulling non-essentials through the gate risked their key.

Click.

"You're tense, darling." A tall woman wearing a tight black dress and a wide-brimmed black hat stepped up behind him. "You should take a deep breath."

"Any other time, Miss Brooke." Mister Tyson pushed his glasses up his nose before running his hand through his short black hair.

His current form was that of a young man, a perfect advisor for the king to keep tabs on his mental control. However, with the normal business suspended in the wake of the operation's failure, not even that was needed. The old king just sat in the throne room, slurring words together while the enraptured court drooled.

Not even the need for pretense.

Boom.

The massive dark hand of the Ikon rose from the water before lighting in an orange bonfire. Mister Tyson's eyes widened. He hadn't seen the Ikon yet, though he knew its existence. Only the art pieces in the windows showed it.

"You don't need to be nervous. If they come, we will handle them all."

She touched his shoulder, her touch light but cold. Mister Tyson moved away from it. They were far too different.

"It's playing right into his hands." Mister Tyson shook his head. "The people are a distraction. They're a way to bring down the shield."

"I don't think Miss Malone plans to send it beyond the shield," a man whispered from the other side of the room.

Mister Tyson turned, spotting Mister Foley leaning back in a chair against the wall, only two of the chair's legs on the ground. Mister Foley wore a pinstripe suit and small, almost pointed hat, similar to other Fingers. However, his distinguishing features were his bald head, grey eyes, and whisker-like mustache that extended from his face.

He looked like a weasel, which was fitting for his curse.

"Did she tell you her plan?" Mister Tyson asked.

"No, but it will cow the people. So long as she maintains control of it, it won't be a problem." Mister Foley shrugged, leaning forward and letting his chair drop four legs. We can't hope to get them back under control if they keep yelling and screaming out here."

"You're thinking about it all wrong," Mister Tyson said. "You're thinking everything will go the way she plans. The one thing we should assume is that it doesn't."

Slither.

"Why?"

A tangle of vines and wood stepped through the doorway, roughly in the shape of a woman. A large red flower wrapped around a black bulbous pod that formed its head. The form crossed the room and sat at the table in the center, its vine-hands crossing together like it was putting two palms together.

"Miss Glory, always a surprise." Mister Tyson smiled. "Glad you could join us."

"You did call this meeting," Mister Foley said. "While you're not the Hand, you're the strongest of us."

"Oh, he's more than strong." Miss Brooke smiled, reaching for Mister Tyson again. "So much more."

"I thank you all for coming, nonetheless." Mister Tyson turned away from the window as the rest of the Ikon rose from the water, its black form blazing bright. "While we can't override a Hand's orders, we can prepare ourselves to face our enemy."

"You think Ortega's going to find a way through?" Miss Brooke finally sauntered over to the table, sitting with one leg crossed over the other.

"Every time they've beaten us, and we've all encountered them." Mister Tyson clenched his fists. "He took down Tartarus, all on his own. This keep isn't even designed to face a real battle."

"It would be prudent to make preparations," Miss Glory said, her dark bulb unreadable.

Click.

"So, what do we do?" Mister Foley leaned forward, his sharp nails tapping together.

"There are four entrances, and four of us." Miss Brooke grinned. "I think that would be obvious.

"We could work in unison," Miss Glory said, raising her vines like fingers, and they climbed higher than they should.

"I don't think that is a good idea," Mister Tyson said. "Our natures and our curses don't work well together. However, I also don't think we should try to hold them near the bridge if they make it in."

"Then where?"

"Ask yourself what their objectives might be." Mister Tyson smiled. "What do they hope to do?"

"We still got some knights under our control," Mister Foley said.

"There's the king, though they can't free either without their gems," Miss Glory said.

"There are people beyond the gate, but they aren't accessible without the prince," Mister Foley said. "The prince is, of course, with Miss Malone and safe enough."

"There's another option, darling," Miss Brooke said, extending her hand to Mister Tyson. "Beyond protecting the king and the knights, we should place ourselves where we are strongest."

"An interesting suggestion," Mister Tyson said. "Though I think you and Miss Glory would be the best to benefit from that."

"So long as you do not go near the Ikon, it should be fine." Mister Tyson frowned. "Perhaps a mixture of the two would be best after all. Both Mister Tyson and I will guard the main goals, while you and Miss Glory act as wards to drive them."

"The only problem is if they don't show up," Miss Glory said.

"Maybe instead we should hunt them down," Mister Foley said. "Instead of waiting for them, we take the fight to them within the keep."

"A mixture is always best," Mister Tyson said. "We will all defend the keep, pick your places, and be ready to take out the intruders when they break through."

There was no sign-off or salute. They weren't soldiers but members of an organization. All four didn't want the same fate as Mister Deadman, so they understood they needed to do more. They needed to be ready so that the failing mission wouldn't break.

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