Lance Might be the Key to Everything

By the time Gin reached the Northern border, smoke and fire had blurred the horizon and subsumed the sky with a piercing smell. His boots dug into the soots and Tadasu, sensing the danger in air, vibrated lightly in his grip.

He didn't know that. He always thought that it was a mighty sword, but not sentient enough to evoke a reaction physically.

Gin calmed it down by stroking the handle with his thumb, but he himself was far from calm. The effect was not calming for anyone or anything.

Noises had fled the air. What he could hear was just a pressing ringing in his eardrums, no battle shrieks let alone commands.

His heart lurched in terror. Where was everyone?

Why nobody bearing a triskele insignia of the Guardianship was seen?

He wanted to search for Azure Ao. When he pulled the holodev, a stray sword flew in his direction, almost cutting his hand off.