The feast went on full blast. The people have already forgotten the mishap earlier while music played in the background courtesy of Jenault's best band. People took to the center and began dancing. It was fun to watch seeing how carefree they were but more importantly, how happy the people were. Lethe's squad joined the festivities, blending in perfectly. Probably because they have been so used to parading in public that they have no trouble fitting in such events. Guilford's squad on the other hand were also having the rare time of their lives. Georg and Joaquim were doing a contest of strength by arm wrestling with the men of the town, Vlad was counting their scores that remained tied eversince they began. Natalia was performing a little magic show for the little ones, cleverly using her affinity to make her magic appear like fireworks in a contained space. The impressed and starlit eyes of those watching was an indication that it was a splendid show.<br/><br/>Guilford on the other hand was lost in thought. He hardly touched his food or drink and simply sat there, eyes staring at nothing in particular. It didn't take a genius to know that he's preoccupied with something. Brynhildr slipped to his side and joined her captain. "It was an accident Captain. Nobody thought Euri would attack with your back turned. He was probably overcome by the desire to prove himself to you." she whispered in a low tone. Guilford only returned a head shake.<span style="color: #0080FF">"That's not it. It was faint, but I felt the taint in him."</span>he sighed.<span style="color: #0080FF">"These people, no matter how happy we see them, we cannot ignore the fact that everyday of their lives are at risk in Palaugrim."</span><br/><br/>Bryn returned the sigh. The words his Captain said rang true. No matter how safe they thought they were, the risk of Sin was always just around the corner for these people, especially without protection from the knighthood or The Immaculate.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"I'm going to get some air. Bryn, you're in charge of the squad. Don't let them stay up too late, we're moving out at first light."</span>he ordered and left his seat, weaving through the thick crowd to step outside. When Guilford was no longer in sight, Brynhildr flashed gazes to each of their squad. Her topaz blue eyes giving the unvoiced command to convene.<br/><br/>It took a while for each of them to slip out from the townsfolk but by the time they stepped outside, Guilford had already walked the distance. Nodding to each other, the knights hurried to catch up, leaping over obstacles and using whatever footing they can to close the distance between them and their captain. Guilford stopped in his tracks when he heard several pairs of greaves landing on the soft soil behind him.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"I said I was going for a walk. What is it now?"</span><br/>"Captain, you have to try harder than that. Most of us here have been with you for years to know when something's up."<br/>Guilford chuckled and turned to face his squad.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Oh? How do you figure?"</span><br/>Hyuga smiled confidently, pleased to know that he was the one who discovered distinct looks in their Captain's eyes. "Your eyes Captain. It doesn't take a genius to know when the Seraph is in there."<br/><br/>Guilford sighed in defeat. He was read like an open book by his squad and denying it would be a futile effort.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Okay, since you're all here, let's get down to business..."</span>he trailed, authoritative eyes snapping over to Hyuga.<span style="color: #0080FF">"I need eyes over town pronto."</span><br/><br/>A little surprised at the sudden request, Hyuga stepped back a little. "O-Okay, give me a moment,<span style="font-style: italic">Oversight</span>it's not an easy spell to cast Captain." he stuttered a little but began his incantations regardless. Guilford then turned to the three oldest knights in his squad.<span style="color: #0080FF">"I need you three for your combination spell <span style="font-style: italic">Delta Absolve</span>, do it while the people are still gathered in the Great Hall."</span><br/><br/>Goerg, Joaquim and Vlad looked at each other and then back to their Captain. "You got it Captain but, why the big spells all of a sudden?" Vlad asked, curiosity the basis of the query.<span style="color: #0080FF">"I felt it in Euri when I drew my Nirvana. It was very faint, but I believe it's not just him. These people are slowly getting tainted by Sin. I don't know how but it's better to take precaution now than to leave it as it is."</span>Acknowledging with a nod of their heads, the three headed back to the great hall and surrounded it from three points forming a triangle. They began to channel their combination spell that will surely take a while.<br/><br/>Hyuga finished his incantations and casted<span style="font-style: italic">Oversight</span>. The air around him danced, causing his robes to sway while under the spell. Even with his eyes closed, Hyuga could feel his consciousness getting lifted above town, granting him a bird's eye view of its entirety.  "I'm all set here Captain, what exactly are we looking for again?" the Dreamer asked.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Lethe and the rest of her squad. Find them."</span><br/>"That should be easy enough, give me a moment Captain..."<br/><br/>The moment turned to minutes, and it only ticked by without a word from Hyuga. Guilford paced around, right hand under his chin with thoughts adrift.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Anything?"</span>Hyuga's brows curled with the question. He could only answer with a shake of his head.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Hmm... as I thought. I found it strange that at one point I could sense some of her squad members, then they would vanish within the premise."</span>he trailed and shifted his gaze back to Hyuga.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Find anything strange?"</span>he asked again. The knight strained in looking but shortly released<span style="font-style: italic">Oversight</span>with a huge sigh. "I don't know how to put it Captain but I feel like I'm being blocked. I can't tell what is what from up there."<br/><br/>Grunting with the revelation, Guilford turned to Bryn and Alfrei.<span style="color: #0080FF">"You two to take to the roofs. Use <span style="font-style: italic">Trace</span> and comb the entire town. I want to know if you can find anything strange."</span>he ordered and watched his two officers move out. He then turned to Natalia.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Nat, come with me. I need you."</span>he finished.<br/><br/>The words startled the ruby-eyed knight and made her blush. "N-Now Captain?" she asked shyly, double-checking if she heard it right the first time.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Yes. Now."</span>Guilford answered. "Ahhh! Bu-But! So soon! I'm not... ready yet..." she trailed off, ruby eyes averting the deep purple ones that stared back at her in confusion.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Get your head together Nat. I meant your magic affinity. Not... whatever it was you were thinking."</span>Guilford corrected followed by a hand scratching his head. The blush faded away in an instant. "O-Oh! Oh my light! My apologies Captain! I was up in the clouds for a moment..."<br/><br/>Hyuga snorted, desperately trying to hold the laughter in.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Hyuga, can you combine your <span style="font-style: italic">Oversight</span> with <span style="font-style: italic">Detection</span>?"</span>The laughter in his features faded at the request. "Captain... you're asking me to weave a complicated spell without practic--"<span style="color: #0080FF">"Can you do it?"</span>Guilford asked again, stern eyes catching glimpse of red ones that blinked a few times. "I can give it a try." was the response.<br/><br/>It took him several tries but Hyuga was finally able to combine the two spells. It was only for a moment but he slumped back to the ground in surprise. Guilford rushed to his side, holding him in place.<span style="color: #0080FF">"What did you see?!"</span>Guilford worriedly asked.<br/><br/>"Li-Lillith..." Hyuga gasped, shock evident in his eyes.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"What?! Are you absolutely sure you saw her?!"</span>Guilford grilled his knight, eyes turning ever fiercer.<br/><br/>"Yes Captain... she stared right back at me for light's sake!"<br/><br/>Guilford could understand why Hyuga was shaken. The name Lillith referred to one of the lesser entities that followed the God of Sin in the old days. She was supposedly defeated by the knights of the old generation long before the final battle. But for Hyuga to see her in this place at this time, and for such an evil entity to be right under their noses, something was already at work.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Nat, get Adair here now. I want to know what they are up to."</span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</div><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><div style="text-align: center;">Palaugrim - Southeastern Docks</div></span></span><br/><br/><br/>Abel stared at the map laid out before him by the Dockmaster. He had already taken note of important locations such as safe routes, knight controlled territories as well as border limits. He was somewhat surprised at how little control and influence The Immaculate held in Palaugrim despite their best efforts. In his eyes, little has changed since he retired from the knighthood. Studying the map a bit longer, Abel pointed at one specific location on the map, Luciano.<br/><br/>"This used to be a knight controlled territory. When did we lose this to Sin?" he asked, humming in curiosity.<br/><br/>The dockmaster explained what he could, detailing the battle that took place in Luciano several years ago and how the knighthood was pushed out of Palaugrim's governing city. The Dockmaster also stated that official records of the battle have been kept under close wraps by the High Council and that information about it is only privy to those trusted completely by the Councilors.<br/><br/>"So you're telling me that the knighthood is sitting on their behinds while<span style="font-style: italic">those things</span>are inching ever closer? What are you knights thinking letting<span style="font-style: italic">those</span>run free!?" Abel yelled in anger. The Dockmaster tried to calm the furious knight in an attempt to futher detail the events.<br/><br/>"So the Councilors, instead of choosing to deploy Master Guilford and Master Lethe to stop these things, decided it would be best to bolster the ranks of the knighthood, hence the propaganda using Master Lethe's popularity? And you say they did this in anticipation of an impending invation of Lindela? That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! Are they planning to forsake all the people here then?! I refuse to believe that!" he yelled again.<br/><br/>The Dockmaster desperately pleaded for the old knight to lower his voice down. He then turned to his safe and punched in a combination to open the locks. Within the safe, the Dockmaster pulled out an old scroll, riddled with the Council's wax seals. He laid it out on the table for the old knight to study. Abel's angered eyes flicked to the sprawled scroll and carefully read the words written within. When he finished, the old knight paled at the revelation.<br/><br/>"So it is true... The Council believes it is no longer possible to liberate Palaugrim and that Tethel is already a lost cause. What they're doing now is conserving Master Guilford and Master Lethe solely for the defense of Lindela should that invation come..." he trailed off, voice coming down to a calm note as he let himself fall into deep thought. "And the reason they recalled me... is no doubt to ensure the safety of both Seraphs, Master Lethe's especially, should they come across anything here in Palaugrim that could threaten their lives." he pondered more on the thought. "I can't believe that the High Council is using Master Lethe to control and limit Master Guilford's movements and actions! This is madness! Light forgive me but I refuse to accept this!" he yelled and stormed out of the Dockmaster's office.<br/><br/>The thought of The Immaculate abandoning all of these people that they have sworn to protect made Abel shudder. It made him question the reason why they were even fighting Sin with their lives on the line in these islands if they were to abandon it all the same. Abel couldn't find an explanation. For whatever reason the High Council deemed it this way, there was so much he didn't know for him to tell. However, what needed to be done was clear, he should find the truth behind it.