Chapter Text
Alpha and Gamma met in the entrance to the throne room in Mitsugoshi as the sun was rising.
“... we are moving most reserve Shadow Garden members in place for the supermarket opening. We have found a cult base near the Midlands while scouting. We currently don't have the numbers to deal with it, although we could send Delta but she usually destroys everything including valuable information the Cult has. And that concludes the report.” Gamma finished.
Alpha nodded. Then she felt a presence emanating from the throne. Lord Shadow is here.
Gamma reaches the handle of the door to the throne room. Why does she get to take up all of Lord Shadows time? It should be me.
Alpha picks up Gamma and lobs her in the opposite direction with a perfectly executed throw Shadow taught her.
“YOU HAVE A SUPERMARKET TO PLAN!!! DO THAT!!”
“OOOWWAAaaaaa……”
*Crash!!
Gamma probably broke something. Probably a wall. It doesn't matter.
Alpha quickly enters the throne room; she slides the door closed and subtly wedges the door closed with the doorstop.
“Alpha, long time no see.”
—-----------
I think I just heard Gamma fall over somewhere. Eh. Not my problem.
I haven't seen Alpha since the sanctuary. All things considered, it has only been a few weeks. I left her with a title but I didn't really show her what it means to have the Authority of an Eminence in Shadow.
Together the Shades basically have enough to be an Eminence in Shadow by themselves. Eta, she has the scientific intellect of one. Zeta can appear out of nowhere and act mysterious. Epsilon has the drive to continue working towards something until she reaches perfection and then still strives for greater heights. Delta has the raw strength. Gamma has political and economic influence. Beta knows how to construct a compelling narrative. Alpha has the presence and emits the authority of an Eminence in Shadow.
An Eminence in Shadow has to show absolute Authority over their surroundings, subordinates and enemies. Enemies should tremble, subordinates should be awed by your power and the surroundings should fit thematically as you set the tone. Alpha is already strong enough but she lacks the style. Anyone with enough can instantly kill some low rank cultist. But it takes a real skill to dance around them and show all their attacks are pointless. Alpha instantly beats her foes. Alpha is too efficient for her own good. I need to teach her to fight stylishly.
“Alpha, long time no see.”
Alpha walks up to me stopping a hair's width away from my face. She is as close as can be without physical contact.
“Cid… hi.”
Someone knocks on the door.
“Should we get that?”
“no” Alpha pouts.
I don't know what Alpha is trying to do, so I was about to just default to saying report. Then I thought of a better idea.
Someone slams on the door again, this time the door caves in a bit.
I overheard her and Gamma talking as I was before I sat down. They mentioned a cult base somewhere in the midlands. I wanna raid it.
*Crash! Gamma breaks the door open and tumbles to the floor. “Ow~ …Lord Shadow.”
Her nose is bleeding.
“Gamma, I will take Alpha to raid that cult base in the midlands.”
“Eh… you will go personally?” Alpha and Gamma say in sync.
I have no good reason to go, I just thought of it right now. I need to sound cool and mysterious so they don't question it. “I have a task I must fulfil.” I stand up and face the opposite direction, the cape flowing in the non-existent wind. They look impressed. I gotta show Alpha how to do this.
I picked her up in a bridal carry because over the shoulder would be very uncomfortable and most importantly not look as Eminencey. Then I dash off.
I just realised I have no idea where this cult base is.
…
Well Shit.
—------------
Cid picks up Alpha. In a bridal carry. She could feel his arms on her. They were firm. Her side was slightly touching his firm, muscular, toned, body. She was melting at his touch. It was pure bliss. Alpha slowly wraps her arms around his body fearing his sudden rejection of her. But he does nothing of the sort.
She looks around her. They are flying through the air together above the capital. Flying at an impossible speed. Well impossible for all except him.
Alpha nuzzles up so she is pressed into his arm in pure bliss.
Wait, where is Cid going? This is not even remotely close to the right direction.
As long as I can spend time like this it doesn't matter. She closes her eyes.
Time flies by just as they do.
“Alpha, you can let go now.”
She panics and looks around. He is in a field somewhere not even remotely close to the cult base they were supposed to go to. She is wrapped around him clinging on like an oyster. She was too infatuated by his presence to notice they landed.
She lets go and plops to the ground.
—--------------
They landed near a bandit camp. Cid asks Alpha to deal with them as if there is an audience watching her. She seems a tad confused but goes with it.
There is a small group of rugged sick bandits sitting around a wagon. Its wheels look to be worth more than anything they own. They honestly seem more like homeless with weapons. Felons who ran away from their punishment and had to become bandits to stay alive. Or just bandits who are suffering from the rise of well guarded trains. He almost feels a little bad but bandits are bandits.
Alpha initially sneaks up on them and slashes them in a single swift motion killing almost all of them. They could never see it coming.
The next slash kills three more. They haven't even had time to react yet. The final bandit has only just realised she is there.
Nooo… You're supposed to look cool. Alpha is at the level of speed where a regular dark knight would not be able to tell if she is skillful or just too fast to see properly. She is too fast for her own good.
The second in command for a cool ultra secret organisation should also be ultra cool. She's ruining my coolness by being too fast. I need to fix this. “Alpha stop.”
Alpha stops instantly and turns to me.
“Alpha. These foes, their fate is already sealed. They do not deserve your full strength.”
The final bandit stumbles back and falls next to a musket. He grabs the musket and shoots it at Shadow.
Shadow responds by slightly tilting his head to the side. The projectile misses by a centimeter. Alpha dashes at him and stabs his neck. The dash was so fast that the shockwave it created launched the corpse across the forest.
—-------------
Do not deserve your full strength? This is a lesson but I don't understand it. She thought back to what happened. Her enemies annihilated easily within moments. Was she too slow? No that could not be it.
‘Deal with them as if there is an audience watching you’
An audience?
“Alpha. You should try to fight more… well you have seen how I fight.”
She has seen how Shadow fights. He dances around his enemies and allows them to use their maximum strength at him. Then when he has become tired of the exchange he defeats them in a single blow.
“You want me to force the enemy to use their full strength against me. Then end them in a single strike?”
“Yeaaaaa-- No, not that exact pattern you have to switch it up every now and then. But most importantly you have to look cool.”
“Look cool?” Alpha questions.
—----------
Oh no, she doesn't get it. What's the point in being the Eminence in Shadow if you people think you are just impossibly fast. That's so lame. You're supposed to be The Eminence in Shadow’s second in command, not a speedster.
“Yes, precisely. If you can easily beat an enemy, your priority should be looking cool in front of everyone else.”
“For morale?”
“Sure we will go with that.”
Time to teach Alpha how to look cool.
––Someswhere very far away from the cult base in the midlands—-
204 was leading an assaination mission on a 1st child. He was praised and was considered a ‘growing talent’ in an intercepted message from the Mordred faction. Shadow wisdom dictates we should “nip it in the bud” before it becomes a bigger problem. Fortunately they just located the bud.
She looks over the location. An isolated church in a small village around 30km west from the midlands. It was by far the largest building in the area. With a grand statue a few meters tall of the ‘hero’ Oliver outside.
We found this location due to the suspicious amount of transports heading in and out. Isolated few guards have no chance of calling reinforcements. It is likely a cult storage facility. They probably store cheap weapons, food and collect orphans to turn into 3rds here. If they are very lucky they could find a possession.
204 was an elf. A quite strong one at that. Well a strong elf was required to rein in the two therianthrope teammates. 205 and 206 sit behind her in the tall grass. They overlooked the church from hidden positions.
284s team were somewhere to the left of them and 332s team to the right. 612, 615 and 618s teams were in the rear to stop the enemy that slipped through and gain experience in more high level operations. Their first mission against powerful cult members. Their teams have fought against bandits who are being bankrolled by the cult to fulfill specific tasks and third children. This would be their first time witnessing a battle with a first child.
They blended in with the shadows and snuck up next to the church. The outside guards' throats were slit before they made a sound. 284s team on one side and 332s on the other. 204 in the main entrance.
In the centre of the church there were two men talking. Around 20 2nds and low ranked 1sts scattered around the church, that's abnormal. No civilians. Good.
This would be their perfect time to strike.
205 and 206 rush ahead and strike at the 2nd children in the entrance, this draws their attention. 206 takes the pommel of a sword to the head, a harsh reminder of her recklessness. 204 mentally scolds her teammates for going ahead of her.
“Shadow Garden is here!? kill those bastards who defy the cult!” the first child shouts. The man next to him stands in eerie silence.
The 2nd all rush at them. 284 and 332s teams finally make their move. Bursting from the windows they encircle the seconds and cut into their ranks. 6 cultist drop dead.
333 takes a bad stab to the leg but cuts down the opponent in return.
One 2nd attempts to run. The observation squads cut him down.
332 takes what should have been a lethal hit but is saved by her slime. The wound is big but it can heal.
The 2nds start to panic. Their numbers are thinning. More are killed every second.
285 gets her bicep cut. Her sword arm goes limp.
The final men are just moments away from being killed.
One of the cultists consumes something his body expands into a monstrous size. He lashes out wildly like a beast.
205 underestimates the monster and attempts to block. She takes the hit hard. This angers 204. 204 slices the head of the monster clean of its body in vengeance for the harm done to her friend.
4 combat viable shadow garden members plus an injured 205 against the first child and a mysterious figure.
—----------
The figure makes his move, going for the kill on 205. 204 blocks it. The blow is heavy. 334 strikes at him but he dodges. He clearly is not a regular child. Not even a first one at that.
His power and speed is on a different level. If it weren't for the gargantuan difference in skill between the cultist and Shadow Garden, 204 knows she would be dead already.
“Oh, would you kindly introduce yourself.” 204 jokes.
The mysterious figure falls for it. “I am the named child Howard the Cyclone and you fools will die by my blade.” He scoffs.
Shit. That's why there are so many cult forces here. 204 realises they don't have the numbers to win without casualties. She signals for a slow retreat. We need to get the injured numbers out of here before escaping, otherwise he could pursue us easily.
Preventing the enemy getting a sample of the slime suits is a higher priority than the mission. We can't have casualties.
204 looks over her shoulder, the other two numbers engage the assassination target. He takes a blow and backs up into the back in the church. Howard falls back too. In the open like this they will get surrounded and die sooner, they know that.
“What now?” the 1st child asks.
“Pass me my pills, you escape.”
No. I can't let that happen. We are too tired and have many injuries.
Suddenly,
*CRASH!!!*
A statue fell head first through the ceiling of the church at an impossible speed. It lands directly on the first child and crushes him before he can react.
The top of the statue buries itself in the ground as if it has decided to become a pillar.
“wha.”
A figure stands upon the statue. Golden light beamed down from the hole in the ceiling highlighting the figure.
“No one will be escaping.” She announces.
It was Lady Alpha.
She came to save us.
204 decides not to question why or how Lady Alpha is here. She should be in the capital. Nor did 204 question why she uprooted the statue in front of this church and threw through the church's ceiling to make an entrance. All that matters is that they are saved.
Lady Alpha casually drops from the statue and lands without a sound. And strolls towards Howard.
He swings at her.
Alpha simply pivots on her heel slightly to dodge.
He swings more, Alpha dances around his strikes.
“WHAT MONSTER ARE YOU?”
He swings again and misses. Then he attempts to charge at 204. Alpha trips him before he has the chance. He falls on his face pathetically.
“NO. NO. I WONT LET YOU TAKE ME!!”
It is well known the cult uses ruthless torture on captives. He ends his own life before he could befall that fate in Shadow Garden's hands.
Alpha looks at the now corpse like an insect or dirt that needs to be cleaned.
“Lady Alpha.”
“she didn't even need to draw her sword.” 332 whispers.
“L-lady Alpha”
“Lady Alpha!”
“So that's the power of one of the seven Shades” 618 murmurs.
“Lady Alpha”
The numbers call her name and kneel before her.
“Tend to your wounds, my job here is done.”
She exists through the hole she entered through with silent ease.
“The Shades are just on a different level entirely.” 616 says in disbelief.
“That was crazy. Did you see how unbothered she was by his attacks?” Another shouts.
“No wonder when Delta interrupted our class with Lambda and called everyone weaklings she didn't speak out. If Delta is second to Alpha, then everything is weak to her.” 617 contemplates.
“To think there are seven people that are strong in Shadow Garden.” states.
“And Lord Shadow is leagues above them.” 204 reminded them. That would be impossible to believe if not for seeing the crater in Midgar with her own eyes.
—------------
Yesssssss
“Alpha. You did brilliantly.”
Alpha was awesome. Well I set up the scenario. Gave her some cool lines to say. I grabbed the statue to make an entrance. I waited for the correct moment. And launched it through the ceiling.
But her performance was incredible.
Alpha looks happy to me. She's standing in front of me all gleefully. I think she gets it.
I need to teach her to set the scene at some point.
I do have some nitpicks. Like you said ‘No one will be escaping.’ to the guy who was going to stay behind. Is not perfect but still gets a passing mark.
“Cid. What about the base we were originally supposed to go after?”
I forgot we were supposed to be doing that.
“We will do it now.”
Then, I picked her up in a bridal carry and flew off again.
—------------
Cid carrying me again.
Alpha tried not to squeal like a teenage girl with a massive crush on a hot guy that picked her up. Even though she is a teenage girl with a massive crush on a very hot guy who is flying around with her.
He is circling around the base as if he doesn't see it. He must be enjoying this as much as I am so he's trying to find an excuse to hold me for longer.
Alpha makes herself blush harder.
—--------
I'm lost.
I have been going in circles and cannot find this damn base.
Fortunately Alpha seems to be happily grabbing onto me like this. If she notices I have no idea where we are going it would be my biggest fumble as the eminence in shadow.
I have to find that base before it's too late.
A few minutes later.
I found it. Crisis averted.
—--------
She stylishly takes out the cultists in the abandoned villages that had taken shelter in while Cid gives her hints on how to look cooler, much to the dismay of the very confused cultists.
“Alpha. I will show you how to make an entrance.”
She listens.
“What you are good at is the silent drop down. Where you make no sound. Against a stronger opponent you need a greater presence."
Cid then drops from the ceiling with a powerful sounding thud. He simultaneously releases a thin wave of dense magic. Which would alert anyone reasonably sensitive to mana.
“Another way is instead of cushioning your fall, you make a crater.”
Cid drops again from the ceiling this time he infuses magic into his heels as he lands smashing the ground with a massive force. The floor below him cracks.
“you try.”
Alpha climbed up the wall and jumped down. She empowered her legs with magic to survive the impact and kicked the floor when she landed. And fell through.
—---------
Alpha braces for impact, she almost fumbles the landing.
She looks around. The walls are old but reasonably taken care of. Their is a staircase that heads up to the surface and a cage with a cover over it. A possessed.
Lord Shadow must have known about this and waited then attacked once the possessed was present. That's why they went on a few hour detour. He is truly beyond comprehension.
She was not expecting their to be a hidden basement.
“Your next lesson is adaptation. You must be in control of the situation no matter how it changes.”
Shadow descends and lands next to Alpha.
“I’m impressed, you knew this would be here.”
“I had no idea”
“of course it obvious to— wait what really.”
“I don’t know everything. I just do the best thing possible in any situation.”
Alpha is almost suppised by his openness. Usually Lord Shadow speaks as if he knows everything. Perhaps this newfound openness is the way to his heart.
“Cure the possesed, its you that found her.”
Alpha resisted the urge to ask him to leave her behind as taking her would interrupt her 1 on 1 shadow time. But that would be too selfish.
—----------
Gamma hears Lord Shadow and Alpha return. Where have they been its almost been a day.
She enters the room. Lord Shadow seems to be pondering atop his throne.
Alpha was carrying a girl. Presumably a possessed they rescued.
“Shall we do that again some time?”
Alpha instantly closes the distance between them.
“Yes. Absolutely.”
Shadow turns to Gamma.
“Gamma, I need a false identity to infiltrate the Bushin festival, tomorrow.”