The Balmount Kingdom festered under a gray sky, its streets pressed with bodies and burdened with noise. The rhythm of boots striking stone echoed like a warning, knights moving in formation, faces blank behind their helms. People spoke in hushed tones. No one looked too long at anything.
Mira slipped between the crowd, her cloak trailing behind her. Her gaze swept the crumbling facades and alleyways that whispered of hunger and fear. The scent of smoke, sweat, and rot clung to everything. She saw the carriages ahead, iron-barred, prison-like, wheels rattling as they lurched forward. Her heart dropped.
Knights pulled children from the shadows, tossing them in like sacks. One boy whimpered, his arm around a younger beastkin girl whose eyes were wide and glassy. Her bare feet scraped the ground. She looked no older than five.
Mira's chest tightened.
"What's happened to Balmount?"
Another child, a toddler no taller than a barrel, clung to his older brother's hand. He cried, high and panicked, as a knight wrenched him away. The older boy screamed, trying to hold on. The younger one's sobs split the air like glass.
One of the knights, his face less hardened than the others, knelt down, gently placing a hand on the toddler's shoulder. His voice was low, steady. "You'll be alright, little one. Just breathe."
Mira watched, unmoving.
"Some of them still have hearts. But Balmount's rotting. Just like… my…home."
Her hands curled into fists. Her memories surged up like fire, the scent of ash, the screams, the silence that came after. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to breathe.
The crowd kept walking. Heads down. Eyes elsewhere.
"Is this how Balmount dies? Not in flames or war, but in silence?"
A voice from the past rang clear, pulling her back.
Drakos, leaning casually on the roof of a worn carriage, arms crossed, his tone flat but firm. "Remember, Mira. The Bloodbound Covenant's no game. They serve something old. Ordered. They're not just rebels. They're part of something deeper."
Kira sat beside him, legs swinging as she licked a bright red lollipop, her smile big. "Yeah, Mira, be careful! You're super brave, but this Covenant's big. Bigger than a dragon! But you'll stop them, I know it!"
Inside the carriage, Mira leaned against the wooden frame, her arms crossed. "Big? They've always been. And the more I dig, the more I despise them."
Drakos gave a slow shrug, his gaze shifting to the forest beyond. "Despise them all you want. Just don't underestimate them. Some people call it evil. Some call it survival."
Mira's eyes narrowed. "Survival. That's always the excuse. Just like the people who have killed. Just like how a criminal would talk."
Kira tugged on Drakos's sleeve. "But Mira's gonna win anyway. 'Cause she's Mira. Right, Drakos?"
Drakos smirked, brushing Kira's hair gently. Her grin widened like sunshine. Mira couldn't help but smile faintly.
"Thanks, Kira," she said, softer.
The coachman's voice snapped from the front. "You done yet? We're not sightseeing."
Drakos rolled his eyes. "Humans. So tiring."
Kira giggled, her voice bright. "You're human too, silly!"
Drakos smiled lazily. "I forget sometimes."
Then, looking to Mira, his face turned serious. "Be sharp, Mira. Don't go soft. Balmont really needs the help."
Mira nodded then. And now, in the middle of Balmount's decay, she nodded again to no one.
"He was right."
She turned from the carriages, her steps quicker now. Her anger was a silent roar beneath her skin, but she held it in check. Not here. Not now.
Soon.
She reached the inn. Its wood was darkened by time, the sign above creaking gently in the wind. The door gave a hollow groan as it opened, revealing the musty warmth inside. Two knights stood before a door upstairs, armor gleaming faintly in the low light. Their hands rested on the hilts of their swords.
Mira stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Anything happen here, sires?"
The silent knight didn't glance her way, but the other shifted slightly, his voice curt. "Ask your subordinate."
He stepped aside, one armored hand motioning toward the door behind him.
Mira exhaled inwardly. "Please tell me Nina and rest hasn't caused any trouble."
"Understood," she muttered, pressing her palm against the wood and slipping inside, closing the door behind her.
The moment it clicked shut, Nina launched forward, her arms wrapping tight around Mira's waist. "Captain!"
Mira smiled despite herself, one hand rising to gently pat Nina's head. Her eyes swept the room quickly, reading the air. Astrid sat cross-legged, idly braiding a small strand of Takashi's hair as he stared at the floor, distant. Mael, shirt off, paused mid-push-up and rose to his feet with a grunt.
"Captain," he greeted flatly.
Mira's voice softened, but her spine remained straight. "How're you all doing?"
Nina beamed up at her. "We've been good! Promise!"
Mael snorted and crossed his arms. "Finally. Nina's been a disaster as vice-captain."
"What?! I've been amazing!" Nina whipped around, eyes wide. "You're just mad because you lost the sparring match again!"
"You kicked me in the face!"
Astrid giggled, glancing between them. "To be fair, Mael, you were wide open."
Mira let out a short laugh, letting the tension dissolve a little. She stepped toward the desk and set her bag down with care. "I missed you all," she said quietly, then turned. "Why are there knights stationed outside the room?"
Astrid scratched her cheek. "Well… we may have... reacted to something."
Mira raised an eyebrow. "Reacted? That's vague."
Nina laughed nervously, rocking back on her heels. "Haha, Captain, we didn't expect you back so soon! Thought you'd be gone longer…"
Mira's tone cooled. "Nina, I returned early because Balmount is unraveling. The Bloodbound Covenant is not just shadows and whispers anymore. Now, tell me exactly what happened."
Nina opened her mouth, faltered.
Mael sighed, stepping forward. "She nearly beat a knight to death. Would've if Takashi hadn't pulled her back."
Mira's gaze fixed on Nina. The warmth in her expression vanished. "Why, Nina? We agreed not to interfere unless it directly concerned the priest. That rule wasn't for decoration."
Nina shifted, voice small. "He was hurting a child. I couldn't just watch."
Before Mira could respond, Takashi quietly spoke. "It wasn't just Nina's decision, Captain. That knight was hitting a little girl for crying too loudly. Over and over. No one stopped him." His voice trembled, but his eyes didn't flinch. "So… we did."
Astrid gave a slow nod, her tone calm. "They weren't knights. Not in the way they should be."
Mira's hand curled into a slow fist on the desk. She closed her eyes, breathed. "I know how hard it is. Watching suffering and staying quiet feels like betrayal. But this mission… it needs subtlety. The Covenant doesn't move like armies. They rot from within."
Mael's voice dropped low. "I know. But the people here are already rotting."
Mira's brow furrowed. "So what happened after that? How did it get resolved?"
Nina mumbled, "We were brought to the Countess."
Mira's head snapped up. "The Countess? She was around at the time?"
Nina nodded. "Yep. She ordered the guards to guard us, while we wait for you."
Mira frowned. "And she said… nothing?"
Astrid shook her head. "Nothing of consequence. She just had the knight who struck the child stripped of rank. No lecture, no warning."
Mael added, "She didn't even look angry. Just… like she expected it."
Takashi spoke, hesitating. "She told the guards we were under her eye now."
Mira's thoughts spun fast. "The Countess doesn't waste moves. If she let it go… she's planning something."
Aloud, she said, "Thank you all for telling me. Nina, what you did… was reckless. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud of your instinct."
Nina lit up, smiling wide. "Really?!"
Mael rolled his eyes, muttering, "Great. Now she's gonna be impossible."
Astrid smiled quietly.
Mira turned serious again, her voice firm. "We don't have time to sit on our hands. Updates. Takashi. Astrid. Did you find the priest?"
Astrid nodded, expression firm. "Yes, Captain. We found his lair's location."
Mira's eyes narrowed with satisfaction. "Good. Once I speak with the Countess, we'll move. We grab him, question him, and take him to the Eastern Province. Quietly. No one knows until we're already gone."
Takashi hesitated, a shadow crossing his face. "Captain… it won't be easy."
Mira's brow lifted slightly. "Why?"
Takashi didn't meet her eyes. His voice was quiet. "The High Chancellor… and the commander of the knights are both tied to the Covenant."
The words landed like a blade drawn slow. Mira froze in place, her thoughts cracking apart.
"The High chancellor Council? No. Not them."
Her voice, when it returned, was sharp. "What? Is the High chancellor involved? Does the Countess know?"
Astrid shook her head, calm but heavy. "No, Captain. We chose to wait until you returned…. Since you said we shouldn't inform the countess about our investigation"
Mira gave a small nod, fingers tightening at her side. "Smart. If this is true… Balmount's being gutted from within."
Mael leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Yeah. That's the worst part, Captain. We don't even trust the Countess. Not really."
Nina frowned, arms crossed. "Her nature's… slippery. She smiles, but she doesn't blink. Could be part of it."
Mira's tone came out cold but measured. "She's not." She paused, choosing her words. "The Countess manipulates. Always has. But she's not chaos. She doesn't align with the Covenant's rot. She moves in shadows, but not theirs."
Astrid studied her commander quietly. "How sure are you, Captain?"
Mira didn't answer right away. Her mind spun with past glances, cryptic words, unreadable expressions.
"Is she clean? Or is she just clever enough to pretend?"
Without a word, she crossed the room, opened the door, and looked out. The knights still stood posted, motionless.
"Sires," she said, her voice calm. "Is the Countess available?"
The silent knight gave no answer. The other shook his head. "No, ma'am. She's attending to other matters."
Mira gave a short nod and closed the door behind her.
"What's wrong captain." Nina said
She turned back to the others, her gaze distant. "Nothing," she said, her voice thin with thought. "Just considering… who she really is."
Takashi shifted slightly as Mira crossed to the bed where he and Astrid sat. They both moved to make space. Mira lowered herself beside them, her posture straight, but fatigue slipping into her voice. "I need rest. But before that… anything else I should know?"
Takashi hesitated, his fingers curling slightly around the hem of his sleeve. "We saw the priest. We found where he's hiding. But… when we did, his followers were chanting something. Over and over."
Astrid furrowed her brows, thoughtful. "It was strange… something like 'doG'…" She trailed off.
Mira's tone cut through. "No need to guess. It's doG htaeD liaH liaH."
Astrid snapped her fingers. "That's it."
Mael, sitting on the floor now with his arms resting on his knees, tilted his head. "How'd you know that, Captain?"
Mira's eyes darkened, her voice dropping to a low, heavy tone. "The First Commander told me that chant isn't random. It's a creed… a kind of oath. We don't fully understand it yet, but we know this: it's dangerous. That phrase doesn't belong to just any cult. It's the Covenant's heartbeat."
Takashi stared at her, tension creasing his brow. "C-Captain… w-what does it mean?"
Mira didn't hesitate. Her answer came cold and sure. "Hail Hail Death God."
Nina blinked, the color draining from her face. Her usual lightness faltered. "Death God?" she whispered.
Mael leaned back, resting his head against the wall, letting out a long breath. "Of course it's a Death God," he muttered. "What else would they worship? Mercy?"
Mira's gaze shifted to him, sharp as a blade.
"You think it's a joke?"
She rose to her feet slowly, the room falling silent.
"This god… isn't a story. The Covenant doesn't serve madness. They serve order…twisted, dark, unrelenting. And they believe it's righteous. That's why they're dangerous. Every time we falter, people die. Children die."
The words hit like a strike. Nina's fists clenched by her sides, trembling. "Then let's stop them," she said, her voice shaking but steady. "For the kids we saw in the alleys. For all the ones we couldn't reach."
Astrid stood too, quiet fire behind her calm. "No more looking away. No more hiding in shadows. We find the priest. We learn what they're planning. We end it."
Takashi's voice came quiet, but there was steel under the tremor. "W-We… we t-t-tear them out. Root and b-bone. Every lie. Every name. E-Every god they whisper to… in the dark."
Mael rose last, rolling his shoulders, something dangerous in his eyes now. "They want to bring death? Fine. We'll show them what the living fight for."
Mira looked at all of them, her squad, her people and felt the heaviness settle into something solid. Something real.
"The kingdom is rotting from within."
"But we can still save it."
Her voice came quiet, but it cut through the room like steel.
"Good," she said. "Then we're agreed."