The paths may be many, the destination uncertain. Yet every choice shapes the journey, and every step leaves its mark upon the destiny one forges.
Celestia returned to the castle, her spirits light, just before the end of lunch. The two barons sat leisurely, discussing their wealth and estates, too absorbed to notice the little miss slipping past. She moved silently toward the inner courtyard, careful to avoid their gaze.
"I should wait out here until they leave," she thought to herself, settling on a bench.
"A lot happened today," she murmured.
"Life beyond the castle's consciousness is… dark," straightening her posture, such tiny movements marked the cold, dehumanizing distance the noble code forced–a visible line separating them from common folk.
"If only I could change how nobles treat commoners," she whispered, her voice almost lost in the wind.
A bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.
"Ah… it's time I depart," Fenwick said, rising.
"We shall resume our discussion another day," Melrick replied.
The baron's carriage awaited, the knights ready on horseback. Yet Luther lingered, hand pressed to his cheek, lost in thought.
"What happened to you?" Fenwick asked, concerned flickering across his face.
"How dare she strike me… " Luther scoffed, "for not following my orders."
"I see," Fenwick said softly.
"My son," he continued, "In order to tame wild dogs, one must first place them on a leash."
They exchanged smirks, the carriage pulling away as the sun began its slow descent, weary from the morning's events.
Meanwhile, the black cat followed behind Keita across the rooftops, finally settling near his home.
"I should probably start returning earlier," he thought, wary of his mother's temper.
"...I'm home," he whispered as he entered, bracing for reprimand.
"What are you doing standing there?" his mother asked.
"Come in. Wash your hands and go eat," she instructed calmly.
Keita froze, surprised by her gentler tone. That evening the bath water ran hot, and for the first time in days, he felt warmth not just from the food but perhaps from her.
That house still would not be quiet that night–not from his mother's grief, but from a familiar presence.
Outside, the black cat explored the stables, causing the horses to rear and squeal, their instincts thrown into chaos.
"Something wrong with the horses?" Keita's mother called, rushing to investigate.
Keita followed, helping her calm the frightened animals.
"...This is…" Keita murmured softly, picking up the bandana the black cat had worn.
"It must have run off after riling up the horses," he thought.
Finally, the household settled, and both were able to rest—but their peace would not endure.
The next morning, words spread of strange disturbances among the livestock.
Keita dressed early, a smile on his face. Today, he would meet Celestia.
Their time together was filled with laughter, Keita eagerly sharing his love for Sota Sentai.
"Should we go now?" Celestia asked, excitement in her eyes.
"Yeah," he replied.
Together, they hurried to the brothel, laughing and holding hands. Celestia dressed casually to avoid attention, but her departure from the castle did not escape the battle-hardened Alistair.
Behind the brothel, they met with the servant who would hand them sweets and exchange warm words between mother and daughter.
"Hey… where is the cat?" Celestia asked, icing stuck to her cheek.
"Almost forgot," Keita said, taking the bandana from his pockets.
"Then that means… ," she gasped, the implications dawning upon her.
"We should go look for it," she decided, smearing the icing on her cheek.
"Bye Felicia," they joked.
"You two keep safe," the servant replied with a smile, watching them vanish into the day.
She returned to her master's side.
"They have already left milady," she said
"Aww… but I wanted to see her longer," pouted Aurelia.
For hours, Celestia and Keita chased the sounds of rowdy animals in the distance, weaving between crates and barrels.
"... Let's give up for now," Keita panted.
"Agreed" Celestia said, breathless.
They returned home before sunset, repeating this joyful routine for the next few days. The castle began to notice Celestia's soft expressions, the occasional smiles she could no longer hide. Keita's mother observed his cleaner clothes and earlier returns. Even her tears and sorrow seemed lighter at night.
A voice shouted somewhere in the village, "Hey… look, it's a black cat!"
"It has three eyes too," another cried.
"Monster," they yelled.
The cat leaped away, a silent shadow racing through the night. By morning, tales of this strange omen had already reached the castle.
"My lord, it appears that the people are in distress over the sighting of a black cat," Alistair said calmly.
"There are also complaints of it affecting livestock behaviors, hindering goods and services," he added.
"We can't afford to have our people slipping into panic over superstition," Melrick growled, the words bitten off mid-thought as his fingers dug into the armrest.
"Have the guards on patrol investigate, but quietly. I don't want hysteria in my streets."
Melrick scoffed, "If people believe monsters walk freely under my rule, they'll start questioning who truly holds power."
"As you command," Alistair said, bowing slightly.
Outside the castle walls, the rumor had already taken root. Groups gathered, whispering of ill omens and bad luck. Some claimed their animals refused to eat. Others spoke of shadows moving where nothing should be. Fear fed on itself until it became movement–people searching alleys, climbing fences, and watching rooftops with anxious eyes. Some waved torches, others grabbed what they could.
Celestia and Keita heard the commotion from afar as they walked. Exchanging a glance, they broke into a run.
"There!" someone shouted, pointing upward.
The black cat stood upon a slanted rooftop, its three eyes reflecting the last rays of the sinking sun. For a moment it remained still, its tail flicking like a teasing metronome.
BANG!
"I almost got it," a man shouted, the sound of stones whizzing through the air.
The cat moved with impossible speed, dodging the projectiles, leaping from roof to roof. It vanished for a heartbeat only to reappear just beyond the reach of anyone chasing it.
Gasps rippled through the villagers as they rushed after it, stumbling over each other in their urgency. But the creature moved too fast, slipping between their fingers like a shadow given shape. One moment it crouched in the shadows of a wall, the next it bounded across a hanging laundry line like liquid black fire. Even the villagers, caught up in their clumsy pursuit, couldn't help but mutter in frustration at the little creature's antics.
Keita grabbed Celestia's arm. "Stay close," he urged as the crowd surged around them.
They ducked beneath carts, vaulted over barrels, and pressed against walls to avoid being trampled. Every corner they turned seemed to offer only more chaos—the cat always one step ahead, moving through the shadows like a living phantom.
The sky dimmed faster than anyone realized, long shadows stretched across the village, swallowing color and warmth. A strange stillness fell for a single breath–just long enough for the cat to pause atop a stone wall at the edge of the lower quarter. Its eyes scanned the horizon before it merged into the growing darkness.
Cheers erupted as it disappeared over the village walls. Then the air grew tense, thick with an unspoken warning. A low tremor followed as the ground quivered beneath their feet, barely perceptible above the cheers of the villagers.
Somewhere in the distance, hulking silhouettes moved across the fields and through the shadowed edges of the village–some with twisted, sinewy limbs, some furry, others scaled, each carrying a presence of predatory purpose.
The sun sank fully, plunging the streets into darkness. Leaving only the glow of scattered torches and the shimmer of distant, unidentifiable eyes in the dark.
Keita and Celestia pressed close together, hearts hammering trying to stay ahead of the chaos.
A single thought struck them both at once, "Mother!"
The sounds of horns rang through the night as knights and a squad of lightly armored individuals made their way in formation to protect the village.
The monster wave had begun in earnest, leaving destruction in its wake, advancing relentlessly.
The battle for the village had begun.