Before them rose the gates of the Shackling Prison. Two colossal doors towered overhead, crowned by the massive head of a dragon carved into the structure above.
Beyond the threshold, the Sea of Selenite surrounded the complex at every visible level. Light filtered through the water, casting shifting ripples across the walls, as if the entire structure were breathing beneath the surface of a motionless ocean.
Aleph let out a quiet gasp, his pupils reflecting the drifting blue.
"It's like being inside a giant aquarium…"
The muted sound of water pressing against the walls was strangely soothing. Still, he couldn't help but shiver at the sensation of a gaze fixed on the back of his neck.
"Do you understand why Miss Lingsha keeps staring at me?"
Han Shuo raised an eyebrow.
"No. If I did, I would've told you already. I'm just as lost as you are."
Ming Jiang let out a low chuckle.
"Let me educate you, brats! I know that look all too well. I've seen it plenty of times on the faces of slightly unhinged women… and on Old Zhou's wife."
Zhou turned his head sharply, indignant.
"My wife is not unhinged! You're all misunderstanding her. I've told you already, she's a sweet and gentle woman."
Yuan Dao sighed and shook his head, looking at him like a lost cause.
"Poor Zhou. Lack of oxygen is starting to affect his judgment."
"We're underwater, not on a mountain!"
"That's exactly what someone having hallucinations would say."
Aleph glanced back over his shoulder.
Lingsha was still staring at him in a way that felt distinctly unsettling. She didn't even seem to blink.
That is definitely not a normal look…
"…How can someone be that stupid?"
"Why didn't he mutate? How did he even manage to absorb that kind of vital energy in the first place?"
Before he could think further on it, two Cloud Knights stationed at the entrance lowered their weapons, blocking the way.
"Identify yourselves and state your purpose."
Lingsha stopped staring at Aleph and stepped forward.
"I am Lingsha, current representative of the Alchemy Commission. We are transporting a cargo that requires immediate containment in a secure area within the Shackling Prison. Its contents are potentially dangerous."
One of the guards accepted the jade tablet she presented. The other checked the identities of the rest, one by one.
After making a call, both nodded.
"Access granted."
The massive doors began to open with a deep, resonant sound that vibrated through the ground beneath their feet.
A dense, cold air greeted them, accompanied by the enveloping murmur of surrounding currents.
They advanced until they reached a suspended bridge stretching over a depth too vast to measure.
Beyond it rose a monumental rotating structure, an intricate lattice of platforms and gears slowly turning at different levels. Chains as thick as towers descended from above and vanished into the darkness below.
Aleph's eyes lit up.
"Now this is impressive…"
Dan Heng, on the other hand, kept his gaze forward.
"It's just as I remember it…"
Aleph looked at him with concern.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine… Don't worry."
Han Shuo, Ming Jiang, Yuan Dao, and Zhou diverted the cargo toward an assigned corridor leading to the hazardous storage area.
"We'll continue from here on our own," Han Shuo said.
Ming Jiang raised a hand in farewell.
"Try not to get into trouble while we're gone."
"Wouldn't that be asking too much?" Zhou added.
Yuan Dao snorted.
"If she gives you that look again, run. Otherwise, this could end badly for you."
Aleph raised a hand with a wry smile.
"I'll keep that in mind."
As the group split, a figure approached from one of the lateral levels, accompanied by two Soul Escorts of the Ten-Lords Commission.
Hanya stopped before them, her expression as calm as Aleph remembered.
"Aleph."
Aleph inclined his head slightly.
"Hanya."
"I wished to once again extend my gratitude for your cooperation alongside Huohuo, Sushang, and Guinaifen in capturing the scattered Heliobi. The administrative work is not yet complete, but your assistance was significant."
"I'm glad I could help."
Hanya simply nodded and turned her back to him.
"Follow me. We must proceed to the office to complete several records."
Aleph looked around.
"And how do we get there? I don't see a path. Are we supposed to walk across the chains?"
Hanya shook her head lightly.
"It would be better if you saw it for yourself."
She approached a jade panel embedded in one of the pillars. Her fingers moved precisely across its surface.
The structures began to rotate with a deep metallic groan, chains resonating as they shifted. Distant platforms aligned, and gradually, a bridge extended before them.
Aleph coughed into his hand, trying to hide his amazement. He didn't want to look like some country bumpkin impressed by everything he saw.
As they continued toward the office, they faintly overheard a conversation.
"I must admit, the Luofu's Shackling Prison is quite different from the Yaoqing's. I didn't expect it to be submerged underwater."
"Water, land, or air, it doesn't matter. I could escape from any of them with ease without anyone noticing my absence."
A soft laugh followed.
"You shouldn't say things like that in a place like this. They might arrest you and lock you up for a few years."
"You'd see me walking free within days."
As they rounded the final stretch of the bridge, they came upon the owners of those voices.
One was dressed almost entirely in purple, a hood casting shadow over his gray hair. When he noticed them, he cast an indifferent glance their way.
Beside him stood a Foxian man with a gentle smile, his hands clasped behind his back. His ears twitched slightly as the group approached.
Both inclined their heads slightly in greeting.
"Identify yourselves and state your purpose," Hanya said.
The gray-haired man seemed ready to respond, but the Foxian cleared his throat softly and stepped forward, stopping him from speaking.
"Allow me to introduce us. My name is Jiaoqiu, and my companion is Moze. We both serve under General Feixiao of the Yaoqing," he said, opening his narrowed eyes slightly. "I have come because the time has come for certain words to be fulfilled. The Luofu is facing both internal and external conflicts, and the reliability of its leadership is increasingly questioned by the other Generals. Under these circumstances, we do not consider it prudent for the Borisin Warlord to remain here."
Jiaoqiu shook his head.
"Therefore, it is our duty to overstep our bounds and transfer him back to the Yaoqing once more."
...
The office door opened, and Xueyi stepped out. She moved aside to allow her sister, along with Jiaoqiu and Moze, to enter. Noticing those present, she gave a slight nod in greeting before directing her attention to Aleph, Dan Heng, and Lingsha.
"If you wish, I can assign you a guide before you leave so you can tour the facilities."
Aleph looked up with interest.
"A full tour?"
Dan Heng sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Aleph? Tourism isn't why we came here."
"But it looks really cool!"
Dan Heng stared at him for a moment, then shook his head in exasperation at his companion, who resembled a child on his first school field trip.
"…Fine."
Xueyi nodded calmly.
"Follow me."
She led them into the adjacent room.
*********
The damp stone of the deepest level of the Shackling Prison exhaled a sour smell that never faded. The air barely circulated between the blackened walls, and water seeping through the cracks dripped slowly to the ground. Torches set in iron brackets burned with a weak flame, barely pushing the darkness back a few steps.
Chained against the far wall stood the massive body of Hoolay.
Chains descended from the ceiling, crossed over his shoulders, and tightened around his arms before disappearing into rings embedded in the ground. Ten thousand swords pierced his flesh from every imaginable angle. Some had been driven between his ribs, others buried deep into the muscles of his arms, others lodged into his thighs or pierced through his back to protrude from his chest.
Dark stains marked both the chains and the floor with his purple blood.
Despite his pitiful state, the ferocity in his yellow eyes had not diminished in the slightest as he watched the person standing nearby.
Zhuang paced back and forth in front of the cell, his hands clasped behind his back.
Hoolay bared his fangs.
"When I get out of here, I'll tear your head off with my own teeth. Because of you, I've gone centuries without drinking anything. Your crushed skull should have enough juice to start making up for what I've lost."
Zhuang let out a laugh.
"Again? That's the fourteenth time this week I've heard that promise. It wouldn't hurt you to be a little more creative. Not that I expect much from someone like you."
He stopped in front of the cage and looked at him with amusement.
"Don't you get tired of saying that? To make good on your words, you'd have to get out first. And that's not going to happen."
His gaze traveled over the body skewered with swords.
"At the end of the day, you're just a chained beast. Nothing more."
The Borisin's lips slowly curled.
"Beast. You always say that."
He repeated the word as if tasting it.
"You all repeat the same thing before you die. Humans, vidyadhara, foxians, it doesn't matter. Shouldn't you be the ones trying to be more original?"
Zhuang leaned a shoulder against the wall.
"Tch. I'd really like to know where that attitude and confidence come from. You're still nothing but a damn pincushion."
Hoolay let out a low laugh.
"Don't say that like it's strange."
He raised his head against the weight of the chains.
"The weak are food for the strong. That's how the cosmos works. Those who aren't ready will naturally meet a pathetic end."
His fangs gleamed under the dim light.
"Infants have the sweetest blood. Perfect to drink before a war."
Zhuang spat.
The saliva struck the Borisin's face and slid slowly down his white fur.
The jailer looked at him with disgust.
"Enjoy what little time you have left in this damn hole."
He leaned slightly toward the cell.
"You know? If I had a choice, I'd rather you stayed here rotting for centuries."
His expression twisted cruelly.
"But you're not that lucky."
Hoolay tilted his head.
"Oh?"
"They're transferring you to the Yaoqing."
Zhuang's smile widened.
"The Alchemy Commission there has wanted to study you again for centuries."
His fingers tapped absently against the cage.
"They're going to open you up while you're still alive. They'll catalog every organ, every bone, every damn secret of that aberrant biology of yours. After everything you've done, ending up as a lab specimen is a fitting fate."
Hoolay began to laugh. The deep sound rumbled through his chest and along the chains.
Zhuang frowned.
"What's so funny about what I said?"
"Actually? That I won't have to keep listening to your stupid moral lectures anymore."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, beaten dog." Zhuang snorted and brought a hand to the communicator on his belt. "Control. Routine report from the lower level."
Despite his words, the only response he got was static. Zhuang frowned in irritation.
"Did those idiots sneak alcohol in here again to get drunk? Damn irresponsible fools." Growing annoyed, he tried again. "Control."
A hiss of static filled the channel, soon followed by a wet dragging sound. From his experience working in carpentry, Zhuang recognized it as something similar to wood being dragged across damp ground.
"What the hell is going on over there?"
The static intensified until it made his ears ache. The scraping of something dragging across stone came with the sound of bones breaking and muffled screams.
"Huang, respond!"
A woman's sweet laugh reached his ears.
"Oh, darling~ hasn't anyone told you that eavesdropping on a lady is terribly rude~?"
"Run, Zhuang, inform the Gen— ughh—"
"Mmm~ it seems they don't teach manners properly anymore. Shall we play a little, little mouse~?"
Zhuang trembled in horror as the signal cut out completely after the ominous sound of something being chewed.
He slowly lowered his hand as a chill ran down his spine.
A metallic crack echoed behind him.
Hoolay's chains fell to the ground with a heavy crash.
Zhuang spun around.
The shackles were still on the Borisin's wrists and ankles, but they were no longer anchored to anything. The swords began sliding out of his flesh one by one, hitting the floor with wet sounds. The wounds across his body started closing before his eyes.
Shadows materialized around the cell. As they stepped out from the cover of their concealment techniques, their true forms revealed themselves.
Their armor was wrapped in golden roots twisting through the metal plates. Golden flowers bloomed between the joints. A green and gold radiance enveloped their bodies, as if life itself overflowed from within.
Zhuang backed away, only to feel his back hit something solid.
One of the disciples stood right behind him. A dagger came down in a clean motion, leaving a deep wound across his neck.
Zhuang dropped to his knees, blood spilling between his fingers as he tried to hold the wound closed.
His vision began to darken. Behind him, the sound of more swords falling echoed.
A massive shadow approached, swallowing him completely. When he looked up, Hoolay's body filled his entire field of vision.
The last of his wounds sealed shut.
He lifted his head and looked at the invaders.
"Free the others."
A savage smile spread across his face.
"Tonight, we celebrate for a brief moment before we withdraw."
Zhuang tried to crawl away. The sight deepened Hoolay's smile.
"Do you remember the promise I made you?" he asked calmly.
The jaws of the Borisin Alpha came down over him, closing around his head.
******************
Inside the hazardous materials storage area, Yao Feng dropped a card onto the table as he looked at Shui Qiang with a grimace of annoyance.
"How long until the next shift change?"
Qiang adjusted his cards at an unhurried pace.
"Not long. Fifteen, twenty minutes at most. This time Zhuang and Huang are coming to relieve us."
Feng clicked his tongue and let his weight fall back against the chair.
"Great. Just in time to go back down there. I don't like that place… I don't know how you stay so calm with those two down there."
Qiang looked up at him with clear exasperation.
"This again? One of them is a slab of meat that can barely move, and the other is chained up like an old dog. What exactly are you afraid of?"
Feng shook his head, unconvinced.
"It's not that simple, and you know it. Being down there doesn't feel right."
The sound of footsteps approaching through the corridor made both of them turn at the same time. A foxian Cloud Knight appeared at the entrance, a lunch bag in hand. Feng raised a hand in greeting.
"Hey, just in time. Something happen, or are you here to bother us?"
The foxian let out a chuckle as he stopped in front of them.
"Aren't we in the Shackling Prison? Something bad happening here would be downright laughable."
Qiang gave a short laugh and Feng nodded.
"That's true… so what brings you here?"
"Did you forget about the shift change? I'm here to relieve you."
Feng and Qiang exchanged a glance before looking back at him.
"Excuse me?" Feng frowned in confusion. "Weren't Zhuang and Huang supposed to cover for us today? And where's your partner? You should already know protocol says you can't take over a post without at least one partner."
Qiang narrowed his eyes, studying him carefully.
"Hmm. I don't recall seeing you at staff briefings or during lunch rotations. What did you say your name was?"
The foxian's smile vanished completely. He clicked his tongue in irritation and looked at them with disdain.
"I suppose I shouldn't have expected less from those assigned to this place. Much more attentive than the brutes patrolling outside."
He shook his head with a shrug.
The table shot forward before he even finished speaking. Feng and Qiang stepped back at the same time, grabbing their spears in one motion as they created distance without taking their eyes off him.
"Idiots… but good instincts."
He spat on the ground, his expression filled with disgust.
"I couldn't feel more pathetic having to disguise myself as something as miserable and pathetic as a foxian, but in the end…"
Numerous figures began to appear around them, closing in as they moved to surround them completely.
"These are the Alpha's orders."
The foxian's body tensed and began to distort as his clothes and armor tore apart. His size increased as bone and muscle shifted into place. Fur spread across his skin, revealing his true form before their eyes.
"You wanted to know my name? I suppose it'd be rude not to tell you. Not that you'll be able to tell anyone about me. Mok Tok."
Feng and Qiang tightened their grip on their spears as they watched him stretch, keeping their distance.
Mok Tok tilted his head slightly, evaluating them with a crooked smile.
"You should feel proud. No matter how pathetic your deaths may be… the Alliance will remember you as heroes who gave their lives to protect the Prison."
The sound of an electronic lock disengaging cut through the air, followed by the opening of a hatch. Feng and Qiang turned their heads at the same time, both going tense as they remembered what was supposed to be inside that cargo.
"I had some time to take a look and came across the toy that the Society of Mediocrity has been working on with the Corporation. They added quite a few interesting features." Mok Tok laughed as he watched the despair on their faces. "But why waste time telling you about it when you can see it for yourselves?"
Guttural roars filled the space as the hatches slammed open.
Mechanized Borisin began emerging from the cargo. Their snouts split apart, deforming into energy cannons that aimed directly at them.
"Damn it!"
"Even if I turn into a ghost, I'll haunt you, you bastard!"
Mok Tok shook his head in disdain as he listened to their curses before they were struck by the cannon blasts.
"Tch. A Borisin might survive a hit like that. But what else could you expect from trash like you?"
Behind a nearby pillar, Yue Yang watched everything with dilated pupils, holding a Mechanical Crane in trembling hands as he activated the recording without taking his eyes off the scene.
After confirming everything had been captured, he let out a breath of relief and quickly set the destination for the Robo-Crane.
Mok Tok raised his snout, frowning. A low growl escaped him as he kicked the corpses of Feng and Qiang.
"I hate it when filthy vermin hide and watch from the shadows."
Yue Yang felt a chill run down his spine. Seeing the crane ready to fly and Mok Tok beginning to approach, he stuffed the desserts from his pocket into his mouth, forced his trembling body to steady, and stepped out from hiding.
"Hey! Over here, kibble-breath and garden waste!" he shouted as he charged toward them.
"Did you know your mother's a bitch?!"
As long as their attention stayed on him, the crane would have time to slip past their line of sight and begin its journey. But to make that happen…
His life was the price, and despite his fear, Yang chose to pay it.
The crane continued flying toward its destination as screams and the sound of tearing flesh echoed through the silent halls.
*********
"So that's why it's built this way…" Aleph murmured, nodding with a thoughtful expression as he watched Xueyi point out details on the images projected in the room with a slender rod.
"Yes. Do you have any other questions?"
"Well, I'd like to know how many—"
Before Aleph could finish, Xueyi frowned and brought two fingers to her ear.
"I'm sorry, it seems we'll have to continue this conversation another time," she said, before turning her back on them and leaving the room.
Dan Heng let out a sigh and shook his head.
"Aleph, it looks like your quiet little tour has come to an end." He crossed his arms, frowning. "Honestly, I'm surprised they managed to slip in at all, and that we only noticed them by sheer luck."
Aleph nodded.
"Do you have any idea what this could be about? According to the report, there's mention of a strange technique that seems similar to Vidyadhara cloudhymn magic."
The frown on Dan Heng's face deepened.
"It's still too early to draw conclusions. But after what happened last time, when we walked with Bailu through the Scalegorge Waterscape, what's happening now is… fairly telling. Do you remember the Preceptors?"
"Those idiots with sticks up their asses who wanted to kill Bailu? Like I could forget."
Dan Heng nodded.
"Among the Vidyadhara, it's well known that those who guard the Preceptors from the shadows are the only ones permitted to learn cloudhymn magic specialized in concealment." He glanced toward the closed door, then moved to pick up his spear. "It's still too early to pass judgment, since we haven't seen the individuals themselves. We also can't rule out the possibility that someone is trying to provoke internal conflict. We'll need to investigate further."
"I think I might have a good idea of how to get that information."
Dan Heng turned to look at him, somewhat doubtful.
"And what would this plan of yours be?"
Aleph simply shrugged, avoiding his companion's scrutinizing gaze.
"A plan? Maybe I have one, maybe I don't. Sorry I can't say more than that… but if you knew what it involved…" He let out a sigh as he turned his back and headed for the door. "You might try to stop me."
Aleph extended his hand. Two magic circles appeared in the air, and with a faint glow, both Oni and Nappea materialized in front of Dan Heng, blocking his view.
"…Aleph, what are you—?"
Aleph turned back to meet his eyes with a faint smile.
"Just this once, trust me. You know I wouldn't put myself at risk unnecessarily."
Dan Heng shook his head.
"…That claim is highly debatable. But fine, I'll trust you. Just make sure you send at least one message updating me on your situation at regular intervals. Don't forget."
As he watched Aleph's back disappear through the doorway, Dan Heng tightened his grip on his spear.
"We're partners. If you get into trouble, I'll be there to support you."
.....
"Zhao, cover Jiang!"
"Yes, sir!"
A Cloud Knight growled as he moved to save a new recruit who had only recently joined their ranks. A faint sound of footsteps in the water made him frown, and he thrust his spear backward. He blinked in confusion when he realized there was no one there. With a frustrated breath, he refocused on the battlefield.
"What are you doing, you chickens?! Hit harder unless you want to end up as food for these mangy dogs!"
Aleph blinked stupidly, staring at the exact spot where a spear had nearly pierced through him.
[You should be more careful. You almost got yourself impaled for being distracted.]
Aleph's face twisted into an ironic grimace at Burroughs' scolding, but he couldn't really argue. After all, in his distraction watching the clash between the Cloud Knights and the Borisin, he had forgotten to conceal his presence, which led that commander to hear him and assume someone was attacking from behind.
"Haven't I seen things like this countless times already? Why would it start affecting me now?" He muttered, confused.
In the end, he sighed and began moving his hands fluidly, letting illusions spread around him.
Each motion distorted the space before both the Cloud Knights and the Borisin, making their eyes perceive what wasn't there and lose track of what truly was.
He slipped between their ranks carefully, taking advantage of every opening the confusion created, blending in with the Borisin as if he were one of them.
Passing through attacks. Dodging blows aimed at somewhere else.
Aleph kept his gaze fixed on the Borisin farthest from the group, slowly closing the distance.
...…
Aleph closed in and grabbed the Borisin by the throat, hurling him against a nearby wall. Blood spilled from the creature as it shook its head, trying to regain its bearings.
"I usually like animals a lot." Aleph said, to the Borisin's confusion. "No matter their size, shape, or how dangerous they are or seem… I truly like them."
With one hand, he grabbed the Borisin's snout, preventing it from screaming, while his other hand, covered in a sharp blade of ice, plunged into its abdomen.
"Shhh. Don't waste your strength. I promise this will be over soon, alright?"
[Aleph… are you sure about what you're about to do?]
Aleph frowned slightly at the question.
"What do you mean?"
[This isn't like fusion, and you know it. Fusion is temporary, limited, and leaves no lasting side effects once it ends. But this…]
The Borisin tried with all its strength to extend its claws to slash him, only to realize the futility of its actions as it experienced the horrifying sensation of its organs and vital fluids being consumed.
[You're going to completely alter your "base."]
A brief thought crossed the Borisin's mind as he felt the breath of life leaving him.
"So… this is what it feels like?"
Staring at the mummified body draped over his arm with an unreadable expression, Aleph soon tossed it aside like trash.
"Yes."
Why should he hesitate now? This was the very reason he had sought out Ruan Mei in the first place.
"I've already decided."
He slowly closed his eyes. Two heartbeats echoed in his ears as he tried to focus.
"Hey. Dante, why do you always seem sad?"
Always so nosy. Why don't you mind your own business and leave others alone?
"What do you mean by that?"
"Hehe, don't even try to pretend! My eyes pierce through everything. I can read your mental state perfectly and even know what you're thinking… Hey! Who exactly are you calling a pink cow?!"
"No way… it's real!"
Slowly, his bones expanded along with his muscles, reshaping into a new form.
"Dante, you wouldn't actually consider it… would you?"
So annoying.
"I told you already, I'm not wearing a dress!"
"Hehehe, why hide such a great body under baggy clothes?"
"Pervert!"
Pouting doesn't excuse your strange behavior, you perverted woman.
"Don't exaggerate. How could my artistic appreciation be the same as perversion? Beauty should be appreciated, admired, and protected!"
His organs expanded, adjusting to their new size.
Under the dim light of dusk, his eyes widened in surprise as he felt her arms wrap around him.
"Shhh… let it out. You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are."
What did she know about how he felt? How dare she even…?
"I…"
"Don't suppress your pain. She was really important to you, wasn't she?"
A gray, ash-colored fur began to spread across his entire body.
…Is she following me?
"Do you like looking at the stars, Dante?"
Why do you care, stalker?
"Hehe. You know, I really like shooting stars."
"Why? They only last for an instant."
Don't smile like that. It's unsettling.
"Isn't it precisely because they only last for a moment that they stay in your mind for so long?"
His teeth sharpened into fangs. His fingers lengthened, forming claws.
"…Is it really that easy for you to abandon your humanity for a bit of power, Dante?"
Tribal markings began to form across his body.
"Is it that simple to cast aside who and what you are just to fulfill your desire?"
With a dry crack, Aleph stretched his limbs, trying to adjust to the sudden transformation.
"No matter how much resentment fills your heart, how much anger you harbor, or how deep your hatred for humanity runs…"
Aleph frowned as he heard the sound of heels approaching. It seemed that, just like him, someone else was distorting the perception of those around them, making their presence go unnoticed.
"Please… never abandon your humanity."
Aleph let out a sigh, running a hand over his new face.
As he tried to process it, Black Swan stepped out from the shadows with a smile.
"Even in unexpected situations, fortunate encounters can still happen, don't you think?"
A low growl escaped Aleph's muzzle as he gave her an unconvinced look.
"Unexpected situation? Under what chain of coincidences would you end up inside the Shackling Prison? Do you really expect me to believe that seeing you here, after what you told us in Penacony, is just a coincidence?"
Black Swan lowered her gaze, her expression turning slightly embarrassed and puzzled.
"…Wouldn't someone be happy to see a beautiful woman appear before him?"
Aleph narrowed his eyes at the increasingly ridiculous remark.
"You consider yourself a beautiful woman? That's quite the arrogance and narcissism."
"…With that mouth of yours, you're bound to get hit someday, dear."
Aleph's phone vibrated. He completely ignored Black Swan's pout.
[Dan Heng: "I took the liberty of informing General Jing Yuan about your infiltration."]
[Dan Heng: "I don't fully understand your plan or what it entails, so I couldn't give them detailed information to avoid interference… or at least to prevent them from forcing support onto you."]
[Dan Heng: "In any case, what I wanted to tell you is that they're going to attempt a full lockdown of the prison. I don't know how much that will affect your plans."]
Aleph sighed, cast a glance at Black Swan, and growled at her, dismissing her entirely.
"This conversation isn't over."
Throwing himself back into the fray, Aleph struck down every Cloud Knight he could while making the Borisin "see" a massacre unfolding upon the Cloud Knights.
"Method acting is exhausting… good thing I don't plan on becoming a professional."
***********************************************************************************
This took me longer than it should have. Writer's block hits hard. Anyway… what do you think they'll release in 4.2?
By the way, the new version of the HI3 fanfic prologue is up if you want to check it out.