AKARI

Evory, Darius, Merrick, Clea, Raciel, and I follow Aikaterina through the streets of Saria, the runestone having been safely secured in Evory's possession and the dragon subdued. We follow Aikaterina until we come to a small pub and she leads us around the back of the pub where the back entrance is. She glances around before she pulls open the wooden door and steps inside. The rest of us exchange a few glances before we continue after her and follow her to a back room beyond the bar where we find Gambit and Sekai, to our surprise.

"Gambit!" Clea exclaims in surprise and Gambit raises an index finger to her lips in a shushing motion.

My eyebrows furrow as I scan over their appearances, Gambit's typical combat outfit having been updated to the same black armored tube top but with black pants that have a gold cross-stitch pattern up the sides that leaves the skin open where they cross, as well as a pair of high black Timberland boots that lace up, her purple sash around her waist, her black and purple gauntlets being traded out for silver and gold ones, her long wavy black hair pulled into a ponytail, and a black duffel bag draped over her shoulder, while Sekai has his shield strapped to his back, a black short sleeved hoodie with white plated armor, ripped black jeans, and black combat boots.

"What's going on?" Merrick asks as he looks between Gambit and Sekai. "Carmin refused to tell us anything."

"I've been exiled," Gambit says quietly, her eyes flickering between all of our faces as Sekai reaches for her hand and squeezes gently to reassure her. "I was going to be exiled after Carmin had me finish his dirty work, but I wasn't having it. So, I broke his nose and I quit."

"That explains it..." Raciel mumbles in thought.

"Dirty work?" Evory furrows her eyebrows. "What're you talking about?"

"Carmin is...planning something," Sekai starts, having exchanged a glance with Gambit. "We're afraid if we tell you too much that he may find out you know and hurt one of you. But, please promise us that you'll be extremely cautious. And whatever you do, you can't let Carmin have all of the runestones."

"What?" Darius frowns. "Why?"

"He's going to use them," I breathe out, realization dawning on me. "He's going to use them."

"Use them for what though?" Clea asks, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I think I know," Merrick breathes out with wide eyes and Raciel nods in agreement.

"As do I," Raciel pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs heavily.

"He's going to eradicate Wrath," Gambit confirms, her expression grave.

Merrick, Clea, Raciel, and I exchange silent but breathless expressions of fear for Sora before Clea speaks up.

"What?" Clea says with wide eyes, "he can't do that! If he does..."

"If he does, the balance of the world will be uneven," Evory breathes out, pale. "Darkness and light must always coexist, for without one, there would be no other."

"And that's not fair for him to judge the next Wrath based on the actions of the previous one," Darius frowns.

"That's complete bullshit that you got exiled," Merrick scowls. "This whole thing is a mess and Carmin has no excuse for his actions or his intentions, any of them."

"I promise that we'll both continue looking after everyone at Aria, but you have to promise me you'll stay safe and on guard," Gambit says, frowning. "You all should get going soon. Carmin originally was going to send me on this mission, so I wouldn't be surprised if he suspected that I would try and talk to all of you. We can't linger for too long. Sekai and I will be in touch. I promise."

"Nobody will ever come close to you, Gambit," Evory says softly as she walks up to Gambit and pulls her into a tight hug, Gambit smiling sadly.

The rest of us, aside from Aikaterina, join Gambit, Evory, and Sekai into a group hug before we part ways, promising to be vigilant and stay in touch. On the way out, Gambit touches my shoulder and I furrow my eyebrows in surprise as I turn back to look at her, her eyes sad.

"Look after him, okay?" Gambit says and my breath hitches, the silent understanding of who Sora is passing between us, but I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, she probably knew from the start.

"I will," I nod, my eyes locking on to hers. "You have my word."

"Good," Gambit smiles softly and squeezes my shoulder gently. "I knew I would."

***

"Why don't you come to Aria with us?" Clea asks Aikaterina once we reach the gateway.

"I don't know," Aikaterina rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. "I have a duty to do out in the world. It's my oath to take care of the dragons and the people."

"Of course," Evory nods with a warm smile. "Thank you for all that you do."

"It's no problem, really," Aikaterina smiles back before her eyes flicker over to Raciel. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all," Raciel furrows his eyebrows.

"You mentioned Naomi Libelle," Aikaterina starts slowly, her eyes locked on to Raciel's. "You were..her husband then? Raciel Lornhart?"

"Yes," Raciel swallows thickly.

"I see..." Aikaterina frowns slightly before she shakes her head and forces a smile. "Anyway, you guys should get going back to Aria. It seems like they need you back there, now more than ever."

"She's right," Darius sighs. "We should get going."

"If you ever change your mind, we'll be waiting with open arms," Evory adds.

"Safe travels," Aikaterina smiles and waves as we head through the gateway and I watch as Raciel glances back at her one more time as he leaves.

Upon arriving back at Aria in the dispatch center, we're surprised to see Sander, Kit, Shae, and Sora waiting for us near the gate.

"What's going on?" Evory asks as she looks between the four of them, a frown forming on her lips.

"Carmin is finally addressing Gambit's disappearance in the dining hall," Sander scowls with crossed arms. "I'm sure that'll be great."

"He's announcing her replacement as well," Shae shifts around uneasily.

"How do they expect a non-Greed to teach Greed's classes?" Kit shakes her head.

"Do any of you know who it is yet?" Clea frowns.

"About that--" Kit starts, her expression morphing into a grimace.

"Merrick, darling!" A tall woman in a tight red dress with a black leather jacket, short black boots with heels, long and wavy red hair, dark red painted lips, black glasses, long dark red nails that sharpen to a point at the ends, and a golden loop chain belt around her waist saunters towards us from the other side of the dispatch center, her arms in the air as she grins slyly.

"Miroslava..." Merrick inhales sharply, his features contorting uncomfortably.

"Darling?" Sora raises his eyebrows and Sander snorts.

Miroslava walks right through our group and directly up to Merrick, putting her arms around his neck and pulling him into an uncomfortable hug until she pulls back and cups the sides of his face with her hands, a grin on her face.

"How are you, Milan?" Miroslava hums and trails her one hand around to shush Merrick with her index finger before he can answer, promptly glancing back over her shoulder at us afterward with a grin on her voluptuous lips.

"Kit, radiant as ever," Miroslava says, her brown eyes flickering from Kit to Sora. "Ah, the child of the wronged, I see."

"What?" Sora frowns, his eyes nervously flickering over to me as if to ask if Miroslava somehow knows.

"Miroslava, please try to tone it down. This is an academy, you know," Kit pinches the bridge of her nose.

"I'm aware," Miroslava waves a hand dismissively before she turns back to Merrick. "We'll be in touch, I can promise you that."

Miroslava hums and drags her thumb down Merrick's lower lip before she whirls around and walks out of the dispatch center, her heels clicking on the floor the entire way out.

"Excuse me, but just who the hell is she?" Sora crosses his arms.

"Miroslava Constance," Raciel sighs.

"It's probably better if you don't know any more than that," Kit sighs.

"Why?" Sora furrows his eyebrows and glances between her and Raciel.

"Because if you do, she'll kill you," Kit says.

Miroslava Constance, the epitome of lethal seduction, is now Gambit's replacement professor. As if things couldn't possibly get much worse.