Chapter 8: Radio Silence
The mess hall buzzed with hurried footsteps and clattering trays as the knights scrambled, moving with urgency. Most of them rushed out, their faces etched with tension, yet no one had offered a word of explanation. The usual calm had been replaced by a storm of chaos.
At a table in the corner, the band sat together, confusion clouding their faces. They watched the scene unfold with growing unease, each trying to make sense of the turmoil around them.
Nina furrowed her brow. "What the hell is going on?" she murmured, a sharp edge to her voice.
Sin and Simon, drained and slack, rested their heads on the old wooden table, both too tired to ask the questions on their minds.
Nora and Naro exchanged a quick glance before scanning the room with a mix of wariness and curiosity.
"Everyone's leaving in such a frenzy," Naro noted, a frown tugging at his features.
Ivy, seated next to him, spoke under her breath, a low murmur that cut through the noise. "Yeah. But where are they going? There's no way a Galco breach is big enough to pull all of them away."
"Exactly," Nina agreed, her voice thick with frustration. "So why haven't we been notified? Shouldn't we be involved too?"
Before any of them could form another thought, Enzo appeared, adjusting his cloak with practiced ease as he walked up to their table. His tone was sharp, the words cutting through the tension.
"You're not involved, Cadet," Enzo's voice was cold as he spoke, his eyes flicking to Nina. "This isn't a matter for rookies like you. The hierarchy's at play here. We're being sent to the farthest corners of the world—who knows for how long."
Naro's eyes widened with recognition. "I've heard of this before. It's called a 'continuus impetus,'" he quoted, his voice trailing with understanding.
Nora's brain flickered with recollection. "Oh, right! That's when the Shadow Mother amplifies every knight's power for up to a week, but in exchange, each knight is forced to battle nonstop."
Enzo nodded, his lips curling into a grim smile. "Exactly, twinkle toes. And in case you weren't listening—" he paused for dramatic effect, "—I have to go right now."
Without another word, Enzo dashed off, following the frantic tide of knights heading out.
Nina's thoughts churned as she absorbed the information. "So... we have to hold Leipzig for a whole week, just like that?"
Ivy leaned forward, her voice calm but serious. "On top of that, our connection to the Shadow Mother has weakened. It's going to be harder to keep the balance."
Naro's words brought the weight of reality crashing down. "Without Leo, we're the ones who have to hold everything together. For all we know, this battle might last the rest of the term."
Sin, suddenly alert, straightened up as if something clicked in his mind.
"If the Shadow Mother is focusing on boosting everyone else, that means…" Sin paused, his eyes glinting with something darker, "our curse is weaker."
Simon shot up next to him, realization dawning in his eyes. "That means we won't be as affected by the sun!"
The rest of the band exchanged uneasy glances, already knowing what was coming next.
"No," Nora said firmly, cutting through the tension. "We're not doing anything stupid. We've got no mission right now, so we're staying busy. We'll figure this out after."
Sin and Simon exchanged a quick look, an idea sparking in their eyes.
"PTV!" they exclaimed in unison, grins creeping onto their faces.
Minutes later, the band room was alive with energy. Instruments were set up, and the sound of tuning filled the air.
Nora, in her usual spot, began to warm up her voice, stretching out the notes with careful precision. Sin and Nina, too, were busy with their guitars, exchanging a glance that lasted just a little longer than necessary. When their eyes met, Sin's cold exterior cracked, and Nina's warm smile tugged at something inside him.
"What?" he grumbled, trying to mask the emotions brewing beneath his surface.
Nina stuck her tongue out, pulling a silly face, and Sin's stoic facade crumbled. He burst out laughing, his laugh a rare, unrestrained sound.
"There you are," Nina teased, giving him a playful nudge. "Cheer up! We'll find Leo, and after that, we won't have to worry about places like Leipzig."
Naro's voice cut through the banter. "Hey, lovebirds! You ready yet?" he called, twirling his drumsticks in the air with a flourish.
Nina's face flushed a deep red, while Sin shot Naro a look that practically screamed, "Not now."
Simon, ever the energizer, leapt in. "Oh, yeah! Let's get this show on the road!" he shouted, signaling his iconic finger guns.
Ivy, on the other hand, walked up to the piano, cracking her fingers and flexing her hands. She shot Naro a look as she settled into position. "No warm up?" he teased, a sly grin on his face.
Ivy met his gaze, her confidence radiating. Without another word, she ran her fingers over the keys in a rapid glissando, her hands moving like lightning.
Naro, momentarily silenced, nodded, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. He'd momentarily forgotten Ivy's true musical prowess, and the reminder was humbling.
With everyone in position, Nora stepped to the front, her voice still warm from the preparations. "What are we playing?" Simon asked, twisting his head as he scanned his bandmates.
Sin's voice was calm but resolute. "Hell above."
Without hesitation, the band launched into the song, their movements as fluid as the air around them. Every note, every strum, every beat was in perfect sync. Their energy matched the song's intensity as if they had become one with the music.
Ivy's piano built a haunting backdrop, while Nora's voice cut through the air, fragile at first but steadily rising with emotion.
"Cannot spend another night in this home," Nora sang softly, but with a piercing intensity. "I close my eyes and take a breath real slow." Each word was filled with aching vulnerability, her voice raw and real. The piano hummed under her, an ethereal presence.
As the song's intensity swelled, the guitars came alive. Sin's playing was fierce, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous as purple lightning crackled from his guitar.
"But what's the difference when you beg for love?" Nora's voice was louder now, rising like a cry, the band's sound swelling behind her. The tension in the room was palpable, thick with the energy they were creating together.
Naro's drumming exploded into a heavy, driving beat. The rhythm picked up, the guitars blistering with power, each note punctuating the rise of the song. The band's sound became a tidal wave, fierce and overwhelming. As Nora screamed the next line, the lightning jittered about chaotically inside the room, its intensity rising with the music.
"I met a girl who never looked so alone," Nora's voice softened, taking on a more haunting, almost defeated quality as she sang, the music shifting into a more rhythmic, almost hypnotic trance.
The guitars swirled around her voice, the energy ebbing and flowing like waves crashing against a distant shore.
But then, the chorus came back in, even harder than before—more furious, more relentless. "Cause this is a wasteland, my only retreat," Nora screamed, and the band followed, crashing through the walls of sound with brutal force.
The music exploded in a final, cathartic surge, all of their energy coming to a head. The guitars screamed, the drums pounded with violent intensity, and Nora's voice was the hurricane that held them all together.
As the final chords faded, the room fell silent, the last note hanging in the air. Sin, his breath ragged, looked up at the others, his eyes glowing with that same purple hue from before. His fangs glistened faintly as he panted, recovering from the storm they'd just created.
"What?" he growled, his voice sharp as everyone stared at him, confusion and awe written on their faces.
Nina stared longer than anyone else, her gaze piercing, unsure of what she was feeling. She didn't know whether to be afraid or... captivated.
Nora's voice was soft, almost questioning. "I thought... back in the Shadow Mother's room, she said she gave you the gift of summoning."
Naro nodded slowly. "Yeah, we all heard that."
Simon, wide-eyed, leaned forward. "So what the hell is this?"
Before Sin could respond, a dark, hungry presence swept over them. Shadows moved, twisting like tendrils, curling around the band members. They pulled away one by one, the shadows binding them to their fate.
"Looks like it's mission time," Naro muttered, his expression hardening.
One by one, the band members were pulled away, leaving Sin alone as they said their goodbyes, heading toward the chaos in Leipzig.
Now standing alone, guitar strapped around his torso, Sin took a moment to breathe, pushing his locs back and using a towel to wipe the sweat that built on his forehead. He panted like a beast, the use of his new lightning ability caused him fatigue.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone