The battle was fierce, but not challenging. Charging men with armors were not hard to remove from battlefield. Both Brant and Cantarella came with enough preparation; weapon and forte. They didn’t have to ‘ready’ when the fanatics appeared to strike.

There was violet, murky haze all around. That was surely Cantarella’s craft. It was toxic enough to make a trained man unconscious at a moment. She made Brant immune to it by making him drink vaccine with his tea. Sadly the strikers didn’t knew how delicate her skills are. The information regarding her forte was concealed and manipulated to deceive the order of the deep for more than a decade.

Does she make poisons? Yes, and nobody can make better ones than her.

How could she make them? By adding materials, of course. Combining two common herbs on Rinascita and one flower from New Federation make people die with 48 hours. House Fisalia has tremendous amount of recipes in their selves, and Cantarella mastered all of them. Her skill represented her personalities; melticulous, diligent and invulnerable.

That skill alone makes her unpredictable. Is that the only way she can interact with hostilties, however?

It was a subject of hot curiosity. People from the order tried to figure that out desperately. Every attempt was futile. Nobody could dig deep enough into her secrets. The order lost a lot of agents due to their arrogance. They needed almost six months to realize what is wrong with their strategy, and another six months to withdraw from their failure without being responsible of it.

Thus, the correct answer to the question would be ‘only known to Cantarella herself’. This fact implied a serious caution to the order while they plan how to manage potential damage from the Bane. If Fenrico himself was in charge of this situation, he wouldn’t make the strike so naive and reckless, just like this one.

More than fifty men was charging to two resonators from the very beginning. Everyone had enough equipment to neutralize or confront with their forte. Since they had a huge advantage at numbers and the attack was quite sudden, the victory seemed clearly theirs to claim.

But the thing never goes as expected.

Only five among them still had their function of thinking. The others lost theirs minutes ago.

Cantarella, holding her umbrella as usual, walked through stiff, cold body of faint agents with smile. The survivors knew the reason of their survival until this moment was solely Cantarella’s decision. They were still alive because she needed them to alive more than the others. They needed to prove they are useful to her to see tomorrow’s morning.

“Now, let’s talk about a serious matter. One, or more of you possesses information I am looking for. It will make a nice deal if you give me that.”

Cantarella sat on her chair. She had patience. She could, and would wait for the answer.

“I know where your fear comes from. Your life dwelling under the order must have been pretty comfortable. You probably got enough support, regardless of its form. I won’t blame you if you see yourself foolish to give up all of it. I understand.”

She shrugged. Her interrogation was just begun.

“However, our beloved captain Brant here could suggest you something different. Since he did all the fight singlehandly, I hope you could give him some time to speak.”

She nodded to Brant. He stopped leaning to the giant tree; he had a speech to deliver. He walked toward Cantarella and stood right next to her.

“Let’s talk about some history. Don’t consider this a lecture, however.”

Afterall, He just wanted to have a conversation. He had questions. How do his enemies interpret current situation of the city? Do they embraced thoughts of Leviathan in their heart, or do they still have chance to be saved? He still considered Lagunna his home and every Lagunessi his neighbor. He must figure that out before dealing final blow to the order.

Nothing can be solved without talk.

It was what Brant always want to try. Neither of Cantarella and Carlotta, who is or will be in charge of the biggest noble families of Rinascita, were not the best candidate of it. They walked different way of life than theirs.

Theirs could be much harder and much complicated, but surely too far from ordinary people to feel the meaning at the same time. Brant lived a life full of common memories with them. It could work.

“It would be much comfortable for all of us if your support from the order was genuinely yours to claim. It wasn’t at all. The order deprived heritage, memory, culture from who opposed them for a very long time. You call them ‘heretics’.”

“We need to eradicate those heretic movement. Isn’t that Imperator wants us to do?”

There were two golden rules for this conversation.

First, let them speak. Lagunna remained a homeground of Leviathan for a long time. If they become curious at outside of the order, they will be told about it. The world is wide enough; they will always be welcomed.

Second, the truth of Imperator, Leviathan and the blessed maiden should remain concealed. That is not just for security, but also for safety. It must be hidden and unnoticed until the proper timing.

“Do you really think Imperator would tell us to fight against each other? If such thing were true, we are destined to do that, why the order doesn’t care about Septimont? Isn’t Septimont part of Rinascita as well?”

“Lagunna has more priority than Septimont to the Sentinel, right? That’s what we learn from the school. It’s also in the creed!”

Survived men looked and nooded to each other, seeking for courage desperately. As expected from the very beginning, Brant could sense anxiety inside of their mind. Those five who survive from the first poision were not chosen random. In fact, they were selected by Brant to ensure the success of the conversation.

“I know, I know. Remember I told you this is not a lecture. I want us to understand each other deeper. We are not enemies. We share the same street, the same town and the same sea! We share Lagunna!”

“The bishops told us to seperate the people and the land. They urged us to be indifferent while doing duties. Once declared as a heretic, they lose their right to share memories with us.”

That was what the order wants. The order and the Thernodian behind it will not allow human to be human; they define how to feel happy, how to mourn the deads, how to cherish memories. Leviathan never consider human as complex being. It wants to destroy trust and loyalty among people so it could feed their hatred and discrimination.

That is the only thing it seeks, yet the order submits to it to fulfill their own greed. They care nothing but their obsession towards power, yet they call themselves ‘bishops’, ‘pastors’ and ‘preachers’ with no shame.

The nonsense needed to cease.

“Did you feel comfortable complying their orders?”

Nobody answered. They were struggling with inner conflicts. They were trying to find out what is the best choice for themselves. They needed time, so Brant let them to have it.

“I’m not asking you to think whether those were right or wrong. We don’t have to rely on books or teachers to decide what is right. We can do it for ourselves.”

Someone raised a hand quitely. Brant knew who he was.

He was much experienced, much trained acolyte than other four. He had personal affair with House Toccata before their exile, so he received harsh treatments during his training. It was clearly bad days for him, but he didn’t make any complains nor try to defend his position.

The record Cantarella forwarded to Brant said two things about the man. He seems to find out the answer of inner question, and shows extraordinary attention to combat trainings. Those clues suggested a clear diagnosis about his mind.

“Do you mind if I have a question?”

“Of course. Please go ahead.”

“I have friends disappeared a long time ago. It might not be that long if we actually count, but I feel I lost centuries. I know why they became heretics, I’m not curious about that. I want to know if I feel much comfortable if I had reported them on my own.”

He was feeling guilty.

He did nothing wrong. He tried to save his friends. He did what he considered correct. However he lost his childhood despite of all efforts; His goal was to seek Imperator’s favor to find its true intention.

Those who are lack of power can’t choose the same path to those who has power. The resonators has power which normal people are not allowed to have.

“What was your name?”

“Valentine. I already abandoned my house, so no need to ask surname or such.”

He was telling truth; there was no mention to his former family in the report. Valentine and Cantarella had the same question, but he couldn’t do what she was able to do because he was not a reasonator and he had no authority. Their path couldn’t be overlapped.

“Do you believe the sentinel would require such things?”

“I’m not certain anymore. What I was told when I was young is so different from what I actually saw while I was growing up. Doesn’t the sentinel care for everyone? Didn’t they make room for all of us in paradise? If so, you know….”

Brant could feel his pain. Cantarella was closing her eyes while hearing the statement to conceal her empathy and feelings. They can do nothing for him at this moment. They both anticipate what would follow after his last question.

“Why do we need to hate each other? Isn’t that Imperator prohibited more than anything?”

There was no prepared answer for that.

Nobody could answer that. Even the Rover wouldn’t be an exception. The Rover is extraordinary person, always bringing miracles and challenging impossibles, but this was out of their boundary.

This was not a miracle could solve. People needed to change.

“The only thing I can suggest may sound ridiculous. You probably don’t like it. Actually I think you could hate to hear that. Would you let me talk about it, however?”

“Yeah. I’m accustomed to hear things I don’t like. Go ahead.”

“I don’t think we are ready to embrace what Imperator taught us. The sentinel tried to lead us into correct direction, but we didn’t follow well. We were wrong, and are still wrong. The only solution we can do is change.”

No other than Brant himself thought it was a vague statement. It promised nothing in specific but required too many things.

If Therenodian reflects the nature of civilization, however, unfortunately that would be the only ultimate answer to end all of this. To change the entire direction of civilization. To change the total nature of human beings.

No heroic actions were needed. No superpowers were required. It was that difficult because they weren’t. Nobody could do it alone; There was no saviors coming for end tragedies. There won’t be, and will never be.

“How can we make others change?”

“We can’t. The only person you can change is yourself.”

Valentine lost words. It seemed he couldn’t come up with other topic for the conversation. Brant noticed a subtle difference on him, but a sharp bell interrupted. Brant and Cantarella felt some danger looming.

“This is a warning alarm.” Valentine’s face went pale. He screamed nervously. “You need to leave now, immediately! Both of you!”

“What do you mean? What’s happening?”

The sound went so much bigger that anyone near them could notice. Valentine looked around fast with fear. He spoke so fast that he needed to stop himself twice while explaning the situation.

“This, this bell rings when the order deployed a battalion to clean their messes. More than one for this time. You should not engage with them, they will recognize you. They will make you criminals!”

“Could you disable it on your side?”

“I can’t, so please leave! Your presence here will make things worse.”

Without giving other choices, Brant nodded to Cantarella. There were four more witness other than Valentine and all of them could be potential risk. However, as a head of the Fisalias she could deal with some ‘groundless rumors’. Now was the time to leave for safety.

Or, at least that was what they were thinking until the footstep. A hostile footstep, based on boots.

“I will cut her head if any of you move.”

A knight was pointing a sword to Cantarella’s head. He was one of the other four. It was obvious he was trying to save energy for this attack while Brant was trying to understand each other.

Brant offered gesture of kindness but he got threat in return; he glared angrily. He was wearing enough forte energy to dissolve poison inside his body. He was so close that he would get enough time to swing the blade even she activate her ability.

“I’ll never buy your speech! Heretics like you are deserve this. We will exceute other members of the Troupe, and House Fisalia will be in our full control once more.”

“How confident you are. Do you really think you can get away from me after you harm her?”

“I don’t have to. Reinforcements will be here if I can give them just minutes!”

He wasn’t exaggerating. Even Valentine couldn’t follow what he is watching. His attitude was proving his reaction during the conversation was genuine.

“What are you doing? Their mission here is to wipe every evidence. They will kill us as well if we stay here!”

“They will let me live if I tribute you three. They will promote me!”

“You lost your damn mind, Antonio!”

Knight didn’t make any reponses; he just chuckled.

“We will see who is wiser, Valentine! You helped the heretics. The pastors will give you the most cruel punishment as possible!”

“Captain Brant, don’t mind me. You know what to do.”

Cantarella paid no attention to the knight. She was looking to Brant directly instead. Brant pursed quitely. He surely had a loaded gun in his holster.

He could shot the knight’s head. He won’t miss. However, the knight’s movement was enhanced enough to put a blade into Cantarella’s head in given time. He couldn’t make that happen. He wanted much better outcome. He thought everyone here deserved it.

“We don’t have much time. Pull the trigger.”

“Oh, what a drama. It seems she want to ensure your safety by sacrificing herself!”

Brant tried to think, but he couldn’t do anything at this moment.

“People will remember you as idiots. I will ask the librarians to make a record of you as well, so your foolishness will be never forgot!”

Footsteps of the battalions were approaching. The knight’s face was full of confidence. He was already tasting his complete victory. He could sense some insanity in his bloodshot eyes.

Brant tried to think, but he couldn’t do anything at this moment.

“What are you, a coward? Your woman asks you to shot! Aren’t you going to fulfill her last wish?”

Cantarella raised her eyebrows gently.

Brant, in fact, never need to think how to manage the situation. It was not his job. It was hers.

“I wasn’t talking to Captain, Actually.”

“Yeah, she wasn’t talking to me.”

A bullet rushed fast from the knight’s behind. It pierced his shoulder, broke many bones and muscles simultaneously. His blade was dropped into ground. Cantarella shrugged and moved with no marks of tense. He couldn’t understand what was going on.

“How childish.”

Another bullet rushed from complete different angle; it broke his two knee joints at once. Unable to stand anymore, he began to roll on ground. He screamed with pain but nobody was there to help him.

Only a certain resonator was.

Carlotta Montelli. The exectioner, the silencebringer, and the demon.

“It seems we believe complete different Imperator, isn’t it? Our Imperator wants us to talk, and yours wants you to betray.”

“You are heretic! You endanger our home with vile thoughts. You don’t have any rights to say that!”

“Vile, you say? Is it vile to live together?”

Carlotta pulled trigger once more. He was silenced for good.

“Hello, captain Brant. Hello, dear Bane.”

“Hello, Carlotta.”

Brant finally felt relieved. Her terminal was blinking with various signs; it was obvious she already took care of their reinforcements as well.

“Before we begin any discussions, I have something to ask for the both of you.” Carlotta sighed gently. “What were you thinking by sending two different letters with identical request to me?”

Brant and Cantarella looked each other’s face. What is she talking about? They had no idea. Did they asked for Carlotta to come for the rescue at the same time without any discussions or agreement? How?