Into the Serpent's Den

The group made their way back to the safe house under the heavy weight of silence. Kai still felt the strange pull of the shattered Kitsune node in his chest, like a faint echo refusing to fade. The fragment in his bag vibrated softly with each step he took, its steady rhythm the only thing grounding him in the eerie quiet of the city. No one spoke as they weaved through narrow alleys and dodged the faint glow of wandering patrols.

When they finally reached the safe house, Ignis shoved the door open, scanning the dim room before nodding for the others to enter. Kai slipped inside, setting his bag on the table as Febe and Selene filed in behind him. The tension between them was almost palpable, their victory against the Kitsune node doing little to ease the growing unease. They had won the battle, sure, but it felt like the Ashen Order was still a few steps ahead, waiting for their next move.

Febe dropped into a chair, tossing her satchel onto the table with a heavy thud. "That was a mess," she muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. Her sharp green eyes flicked toward Selene. "If your plan for the next node is just as messy, we're screwed."

Selene, who had been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, let out a quiet chuckle. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Barely," Febe snapped, her voice edged with irritation. "Kai nearly got himself killed back there."

Kai looked up from the fragment, which he'd pulled from his bag to examine. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, this time," Febe shot back, narrowing her eyes at him. "But you keep pushing yourself like that, and one of these days you won't be."

Before Kai could respond, Ignis's deep voice cut through the tension. "Enough." He stood by the door, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "We don't have time for this. We've got two nodes left, and the Ashen Order isn't going to wait for us to recover. They'll hit back, harder than ever."

"Which is why we need to be smarter about this," Selene said, pushing off the wall and stepping toward the table. She unrolled a map of the city, spreading it out across the table's surface. Her void-tinted eyes gleamed as she tapped a spot near the heart of the Serpent Clan's territory. "The next node is here."

Kai leaned forward, studying the marked location. "The Serpent Clan's stronghold?"

Selene nodded. "Their main archive. It's their most heavily fortified site. If we take it out, it'll deal a massive blow to the Ashen Order's control over the leyline."

Febe snorted. "And get us all killed in the process."

Selene didn't rise to the bait, her expression remaining calm. "There's a way in. An old escape route the Serpent Clan abandoned decades ago. It leads directly to the node chamber."

Ignis frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "How do you know about this route?"

"I've been there," Selene said simply. "The Serpent Clan doesn't trust outsiders, but they've made deals with the Ashen Order in the past. I've seen their defenses. If we move carefully, we can get in and out before they even realize we're there."

"And if they do realize?" Febe asked, raising an eyebrow.

Selene smirked faintly. "Then we improvise."

Kai let out a slow breath, glancing at the fragment in his hands. It pulsed softly, as if encouraging him to speak. "If this is our best shot, then we have to take it."

Febe threw her hands up in exasperation. "You're really putting all your faith in her? She's been with us for what, five minutes?"

"I don't trust her either," Ignis said, his voice steady, "but I trust the plan. If we're going to stop the Ashen Order, we can't afford to pass up an opportunity like this."

Febe crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. "Fine. But if this goes south, don't say I didn't warn you."

Kai looked at Selene, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You'd better not be lying about this."

Selene's smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "I'm not. I want the Ashen Order gone just as much as you do."

Something in her tone made Kai pause. There was a weight to her words, a bitterness that felt real. He wasn't sure if he trusted her yet, but he didn't think she was lying. Not about this, at least.

The group spent the next few hours preparing for the mission. Ignis sharpened his blades, his flames casting flickering shadows on the walls. Febe checked her satchel, muttering under her breath as she counted out enchanted tools and potions. Selene sat at the table, sketching out a detailed map of the Serpent Clan's stronghold and marking potential threats.

Kai, meanwhile, sat in the corner, staring at the fragment in his hands. Its energy felt different now, heavier somehow, as if it was absorbing the weight of everything that had happened. He could still feel the echoes of the Kitsune node, like a faint buzz in the back of his mind. It was a reminder of how close they'd come to failure—and how much worse things could get.

"You okay?" Febe's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. She crouched down beside him, her green eyes studying him carefully.

Kai nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just... thinking."

Febe smirked faintly, though there was a softness to her expression. "You think too much, you know that?"

Kai let out a quiet laugh. "Maybe. But it's hard not to."

Febe leaned back on her heels, resting her arms on her knees. "Look, I know this is a lot. You didn't ask for any of this, and no one expects you to have all the answers. But you're doing okay. Better than okay, actually."

Kai looked at her, surprised. "You think so?"

Febe shrugged. "Don't let it go to your head or anything, but yeah. You've got guts, I'll give you that."

Kai smiled, the tension in his chest easing slightly. "Thanks."

Febe stood, brushing herself off. "Don't mention it. Just don't get yourself killed, okay? I don't feel like breaking in a new fragment-bearer."

---

By the time night fell, the group was ready to move. The city was quiet as they slipped out of the safe house, the faint glow of streetlights casting long shadows across the empty streets. Kai clutched the fragment tightly, its pulsing energy guiding him forward. He felt the weight of the mission pressing on him, but he pushed the fear aside. They didn't have time for doubts.

Selene led the way, her movements confident and precise. Ignis followed close behind, his flames glowing faintly as he scanned their surroundings. Febe stayed near Kai, her sharp eyes darting from shadow to shadow, ready for anything.

As they approached the Serpent Clan's territory, the air grew colder. The streets became narrower, the buildings taller and more imposing. Faint traces of void magic hung in the air, a reminder of the Ashen Order's influence.

Selene stopped suddenly, holding up a hand. "The passage is just ahead."

Kai squinted through the darkness, barely making out the outline of an old, crumbling doorway hidden beneath a tangle of vines. The fragment in his bag pulsed harder, its energy resonating with something deep beneath the ground.

"This is it," Selene said, stepping toward the passage. "Once we're inside, there's no turning back."

Kai took a deep breath, his heart pounding. "Let's do it."

The group slipped into the passage, the darkness swallowing them whole.

---