Author's Note: Double update, since I missed an update on Monday because of my forgetful mind c:

The magnificent sight of the floating "utopia" wasn't enough to overrule the sight of the people working around it. It was something that left one aghast.

Cecil and Hana resisted the urge to cover their mouths in horror.

The people working on the ship were in terrible condition. Their sunken faces, emaciated bodies and lifeless eyes. Yun and Kiyae grabbed onto Haru and Ryo, trying to compose them. Meanwhile, even the indifferent Xue couldn't help but frown at such a horrifying scene.

The people who were freed previously and kept on with their disguise as a "slave", began to tremble in fear. If it weren't for the reassurance and promise that Haru made to them, they would be collapsing onto the ground from utter defeat.

"Now, get to work. All of you."

They were all shoved aside and forced into their own duties.

"Don't worry, we'll all come to bring you back," Haru reassured the people disguised along with them. "Just trust me."

Thus, without any protest, they were all guided away from the group. Meanwhile, the group stayed together in this area, and to their surprise, the ones that guided them were the slaves instead. The mercenaries were standing languidly at the side, chatting boisterously with their comrades.

"Disgusting." Kiyae clicked her tongue.

Yun suspected the mercenaries assigned to this area were the callous ones, while those who were more morally-inclined were assigned to other locations.

"I swear, even if it's the last thing I'll do," Haru hissed out, the fury evident in his orange-blonde eyes. "I'll tear this place down completely into shreds, and wipe it from existence."

This place was hidden from the public eyes, due to the large cliff towering it and it was only through the many sacrifices of Haru's people that they managed to figure out Ephert's goals. As well as the location of such a concealed area of the island.

"Ah!"

A female slave collapsed to the ground in utter exhaustion, earning the sympathetic and frightened looks from all around. She coughed violently, her petite body shivering.

"Oi!"

One of the mercenaries barked out, walking towards the slave on the ground and lifting his leg up.

"Get to work, you useless thing!"

All of a sudden, a raven-haired woman sheltered the slave with her body, glaring at the mercenary.

The mercenary paused in his movements.

"Have you lost all sense of morality working under Ephert?" Cecil said coldly to the mercenary. "It wouldn't hurt to let those exhausted to rest for a moment, would it?"

"What do you know? You talkative woman!" The mercenary yelled out, aiming his kick for Cecil instead.

Cecil welcomed the kick, since she was confident she would be able to dodge it and protect the exhausted person below her.

"Ah, Cecil! Jeez, that reckless woman again! Hey, Xue, your lover is--" Haru sighed out, glancing around before blinking in shock. "He isn't here anymore."

Just before the kick landed on Cecil, Xue blocked the mercenary's leg with one hand. Hana was watching the scene with a proud smile, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Piss off, you busybody--"

The mercenary barked out, halting when he noticed the murderous look on Xue's face. He immediately shut his mouth, losing all will to fight back. Somehow, his instincts within him were screaming at him not to fight against this handsome ash blonde-haired man.

Xue shoved the mercenary away, making him fall to the ground. Despite being in a tattered kimono and having similar body stature, with the sunlight beaming down on Xue, he seems to tower over the mercenary.

The mercenary gulped nervously, standing up and clearing his throat before storming away. "Hmph, bunch of useless things."

"Th-thank you." the female slave spoke softly.

Cecil smiled, nodding at the exhausted slave before glancing back at Xue.

"There wasn't any need to do that, you know?"

"That wasn't my main concern, it was something else," Xue dusted his palms, scanning his surroundings with a menacing stare. "If they were to join in and threaten you with any other lives on the line, you would take a beating for them with no hesitation."

Xue lowered his voice, completely void of emotions.

"And that is something I will never allow."

The other mercenaries, who wanted to join in, started to step back upon meeting Xue's cold grey eyes. Kiyae stepped in beside Xue, cracking her knuckles, her gaze equally cold.

"Take a step closer, I dare ya."

Haru and Ryo were glaring at them as well, a dangerous glint in their eyes.

The mercenaries here weren't able to keep up with the news on the outside, hence, they don't have the slightest clue about the true identities of these eight people.

However, their instincts alone were telling them that they were not to be underestimated.

Eventually, they gave up on their sadistic desires, going back to their own business.

"We can't be attracting too much trouble before K'xug comes back with the news," Yun advised them, retying his hair into a low and neat ponytail. "If they start retaliating and holding the people here hostage, we wouldn't be able to move freely anymore."

Cecil was preoccupied with the female slave, assessing her condition. It wasn't just exhaustion that caused the female slave to collapse, but her high fever and the lack of the necessary nutrients for her body to recover.

There was something else that unnerved Cecil.

There were rashes all over the woman's body, along with her violent coughing.

If she looked around closely, the other slaves were coughing to themselves as well. Their reddened faces, along with red spots scattered throughout their arms and legs.

"It hurts..." she groaned out. "And it feels so cold..."

Cecil looked back at the female slaves in her arms.

High fever, chills, coughs and rashes.

It's a viral infection.

Cecil frowned deeply.

She came across symptoms like that in one of the medical books she read. If she could find a place to sieve through her memories without any disturbance, she would be able to find a cure with the supplies she has in her storage ring.

The woman coughed once more, and blood spurted out from her mouth.

Cecil recoiled back in surprise, and thankfully, none of the blood came into contact with her skin. Hana gasped out in horror, hurrying to Cecil's side with her handkerchief.

"No, don't come close, Hana," Cecil shot her hand out, turning to Haru and Yun. "Right now, there is another danger with the possible hostage situation."

"What?" Haru said in disbelief.

"Would you care to elaborate, Cecil?" Yun questioned.

"A sickness is spreading among the people," she explained, still wearing a troubled look. "And it's a sickness that probably attacks those with weak bodies. None of the mercenaries I have seen around here share any symptoms."

All of them shared looks of disbelief.

"Damn." Kiyae placed her palm on her forehead.

"Along with nourishment, they all require immediate medical care from a well-equipped healer," Cecil added. "There is only so much I can do with the supplies in my storage ring."

"Can you...point out the exact sickness spreading around?" Yun asked, almost pleadingly, his head throbbing from an oncoming headache.

Cecil smiled confidently, a hint of haughtiness in her voice. "Definitely, without fail."

"She just needs a quiet area, with no other disturbance." Xue stated abruptly.

"I recall there being such an enclosed area within this open cavern system in the map given," Yun pointed out, adjusting his glasses. "It would be best if K'xug returned now, since he would be able to point out the exact location."

Cecil blinked rapidly in shock, looking at Xue. "How did you know..."

"I'll ensure that nothing disturbs you," Xue smiled. "Not even a squeak from me, or from anyone else."

She sighed before smiling in return.

I don't think I need to ask him how he knows.

"Cecil, where should I carry her to?" Kiyae said, carrying the unconscious female slave. "I know a sick person needs a cool and clean place to rest, right?"

"Poor thing," Hana pouted to herself, wiping the blood away with her handkerchief. "Hang in there, we'll save all of you."

Cecil sighed, feeling helpless yet her gentle expression says otherwise.

"Even after I warned you there was a viral infection," Cecil smiled as she shook her head, taking out a bottle of pills from her storage ring. "Come here, all of you, take one."

Cecil handed them the pills, one by one.

Xue did not bother to take one, since he knew he didn't need one. He glanced over to Hana, knowing that she didn't need to take one either since she was recovering her powers.

Sickness that affected mortals would not affect them.

However, Hana swallowed down the pill without hesitation, since it was an order from Cecil after all.

"As to where you should carry her to rest..." Cecil turned to look at Yun.

Yun shook his head.

"Hmm, even if there is one appropriate place here," Cecil hummed thoughtfully. "We are still under the watchful eyes of those awful mercenaires."

All of a sudden, there was a commotion outside.

The mercenaries who were glaring at the group, and not daring to do anything to them, made a move.

"Fire! There's a fire in the study room!"

"What?! Save the documents first! The Lord needs them!"

"We are trying!"

"Hurry up with the water!"

Somehow, the group had an inkling to the culprit responsible for the fire.

The captured slaves seemed to pay no mind to the commotion, their lifeless eyes going back to the "floating island" and working on it once again.

Yun was disturbed at that sight.

Their hopes were completely broken. A chance like that occurred, but they wouldn't even think of escaping.

The moment the mercenaries disappeared from the area, a shadow flashed by and landed beside the group.

It was K'xug.

All of them jerked back, and a few of them exclaimed in shock.

K'xug ignored their surprised reactions, immediately taking out the map hidden within his kimono. He unfurled it, and whipped out a quill from nowhere, shocking everyone once again.

"Where the hell did you get that?"

With no rest, K'xug started to circle areas on the map, which revealed the entire open cavern system. After he was done circling the areas, he paused before starting to doodle on the circled areas.

Everyone wore bewildered expressions.

They never knew K'xug as someone who would doodle.

"..."

"..."

"..."

It really doesn't suit his image.

All of them shared the same thoughts.

After which, K'xug stood up and handed over the map to Yun, his movements stiff. It seemed as if he was embarrassed that he actually resorted to drawing on the map.

All of them leaned in, observing the map carefully. Haru, Ryo and Kiyae were holding back their laughter, even Xue found his lips twitching in amusement.

K'xug narrowed his eyes at them, looking away in embarrassment.

"K'xug, your drawings are so cute!" Hana chirped with a beam. "It's an apple, a book, a...toy sword? Ah, and a cupboard with little thingies!"

"What's...all this...?" Yun tilted his head, before widening his eyes in recognition. "Are you possibly trying to tell us..."

"The kitchen, the study, the storage room," Xue pointed at the circled areas individually, along with the drawings. "And lastly, the armoury."

"...wait really?" Haru blinked in disbelief, before guffawing. "That's what he meant?"

Xue smirked at K'xug. "Yeah, I believe that what K'xug was trying to say, since he is unable to write any characters."

K'xug nodded stiffly, glancing away.

"What a cute..." Yun halted, clearing his throat. "An innovative way of identifying the different rooms."

K'xug covered his face in embarrassment, his figure disappearing in a flash. Everyone knew he was going back to his duties for spying from the shadows once again.

"Ah, hey, he's running away!" Kiyae snickered.

Yun cleared his throat once more, glancing at all of them.

"Now, thanks to K'xug, we can finally commence our final operation."

Yun started to assign them to their individual duties and stations, just like the strategist he was.

***

"Lord Ephert."

An effeminate man with long, straight grey hair stared chillingly at his subordinate. There were female servants dressed scantily by his side, combing at his hair gently with their heads bowed. He was leaning against the armrest of the wooden couch, the material of its futon was of the highest quality.

"What do you need now?"

"There has been no news from the caverns."

"Of course there isn't, I warned them not to ramble on about anything other than the completion of my island."

"...it has been a week."

Ephert paused, before gritting his teeth and smacking the female servants away. They trembled in fear, dropping to the ground, not daring to utter a single word or lift their heads up.

"And it took you that long to inform me?!"

The male servant bowed his head, shivering. In fact, Ephert was the one who demanded that the mercenaries be sent away since they were annoying him incessantly with useless reports.

The mercenaries, who weren't loyal to Ephert in the first place, stopped reporting. For the first few days, the male servant assumed nothing was wrong.

However, it was an entire week of silence from them.

With a fearful heart, the male servant had no other choice but to report.

"Forget it! I'll go see it myself!" Ephert grabbed the outer layer of his clothing from the female servant's hands, and marched away. "Useless things!"

His footsteps were silent against the carpet, and a trail of white mist followed behind him. The mist cleared and appeared beside him in the form of a young man, donning a black kimono. The young man had long, ebony hair, his eyes completely closed, his fair-skinned arms hanging loosely by his sides.

"Would you like me to accompany you?"

"Who am I to say no to you?" Ephert responded, the fury from earlier not present in his voice now. "Why are you deciding to accompany me this time?"

The ebony-haired man stiffened, his eyelids trembling slightly.

"Just...because."

Ephert did not say a word, and the servants pulled the doors open.

Ephert exited his room, ordering for guards to accompany him. His mansion was similar to a minka, and the sight of the huge, luxurious mansion would leave one flabbergasted.

"Is there something there that will be of interest to you, this time?" Ephert questioned. "Raz?"

The ebony-haired man, Raz, smiled with a drop of sweat rolling down his face.

"Yes, well, it's more than just an interest."

"Oh, really?"

Raz lowered his head. "Yes."

It's a matter of my life and my death.

The two of them finally left the mansion, along with a large group of guards. Unbeknownst to all of them, there was a figure seated atop the mansion, his figure hunched.

"Those idiots have finally realised it," the figure muttered in a mocking manner. "Took them long enough."

He shifted forward, the moonlight revealing the familiar features of his face.

"Just wait, Cecil Lan," Jehan smirked. "I'll have you by my side soon."

He stood up before vanishing from sight.

Alas, Jehan didn't know that he himself was being stalked from the shadows as well. A trail of black mist stopped at the spot he was previously at, transforming into a humanoid figure with familiar black, spiky wings.

"Not to underestimate him..." Zeau muttered out. "Is that what you said, brother?"

His purple-black, long hair gleamed in the moonlight. A gentle breeze swept by, causing his hair to flutter.

"If slowing him down this way won't work," Zeau narrowed his eyes. "I'll just have to slow the Supreme God down another way, until the annihilation of the angels is finally achieved."

Zeau smiled genially to himself.

"That is...if this soul fragment of yours disappoints me, Xue."

***

Pt. 1

《 start 》

It's not like I had any other choice.

Drawing was the only way I could communicate.

Embarrassing.

It's too embarrassing.

Why did I...

Why did I think it was a good idea to draw in the first place?!

《 stop 》

***

Pt. 2

《 start 》

How did I know?

How could I not know?

The nights you spent in a quiet, dim bedroom training.

The nights you spent studying about medicine even after training tirelessly.

The nights I spent being concerned over you.

The nights I spent watching you, just like that.

The nights I spent thinking that a sight like that was my entire world.

It would be difficult to not know.

《 stop 》