The Cost

It was destined to be a moonless night. In the pitch-black world, only the airship's beams of light remained, like the sole island in a sea of darkness, cut off from the world and left with nothing but a desperate fight to the death.

The battle had begun. Countless gunshots rang out in the night, mingling with rising flames.

The Incinerators got to work. Dozens of flamethrowers converged into a wall of fire. They spewed not only flames but also burning oil, while orderly volleys of bullets pierced through the blaze and tore into the creatures lurking in the darkness.

Through thick lenses, all they could see were countless shadows struggling in the sea of fire. Their flesh burned to charcoal, yet they charged through the flames with bloodlust in their eyes, only to be shot through and collapse helplessly.

The soldiers wore disinfectant masks. Heavy breathing came from beneath their filter canisters. Everyone instinctively avoided the fallen figures, while black ash drifted up on the night breeze and settled on their fireproof suits, leaving dark spots.

"Tell the Scavengers that after tonight, we'll need a large-scale purification."

As he watched the ash, still faintly warm in his hand, his emotions stirred slightly, then quickly subsided. Galahad waved his hand, shaking it off.

"It's already underway. Before the operation, the Mechanical Institute poured fifty tons of neutralizing solution into the Pillar of the Furnace. After a day of steam emissions, the chemicals should have accumulated in the clouds. In a few hours, there'll be a small-scale artificial rainfall here. The rain will mix with the chemicals and purify and neutralize all these remains."

Shrike spoke as he took several steps back. He had no intention of letting the residue touch him.

That was the disturbing thing about Fiends. Anything associated with them—even their ashes after death—could have a harmful effect. Every time Shrike finished a mission involving Fiends, he had nightmares for days.

According to the Geiger Counter, this was still just an appetizer. The fiercest fighting was yet to come. Spent shells clattered everywhere, and clouds of ash filled the air.

Glancing to one side, Shrike watched the man who had just arrived with interest. He hadn't expected to see him here.

"You're late, Robin."

As the Iron Snake came to a complete stop, Galahad spoke bluntly to the man emerging from the thick steam.

"We haven't dealt with an anomaly inside Old Dunling in a long time. It took a while to load that thing onto the train so we'd have enough firepower."

Robin explained himself. He looked like a devout believer, an Iron Cross hanging from his black cloak. Following his gesture, Galahad looked toward the direction where steam billowed.

Another Iron Snake sat there, entirely shrouded in steam. The evening breeze revealed one sharp corner of it.

"It was urgently requisitioned from the armory. I hear the Mechanical Institute modified it. It should be just the thing to use against those inhuman creatures."

As Robin spoke, the object came fully into view. It was an exquisitely crafted smoothbore cannon. Floral patterns had been painted on its black barrel in gold-flecked paint. If not for the crate of shells beside it, it might have belonged in an art gallery.

The people at the Mechanical Institute were always like that: they built dangerous weapons, then gave them an artistic finish.

"Three Landslide-class Smoothbore Cannons in total, and four tons of oil across two carriages. Arthur's orders were to burn this place to the ground."

As the one who had transported the cargo, even Robin had been startled when he found out what was inside.

"As for security, don't worry. We spoke with the Mechanical Institute before setting out. They adjusted the Pillar of the Furnace's output and the electrical power along the route. The streets of Old Dunling are now full of scorching steam, and visibility is less than three meters. No one knows what we brought out."

Galahad nodded, but then added,

"That's not what worries me. It's our elite forces. The Geiger Counter readings didn't stop after crossing the critical threshold. They're still rising steadily, which means the changes in the Underground Palace aren't over. The Fiends are still changing."

It was undoubtedly bad news. The Fiends' strength was already beginning to exceed the estimates in the plan.

"One of the main reasons the Purification Agency and even the Demon Hunter Order keep the existence of Fiends secret is their contaminating nature. Even books that record their knowledge can drive people mad. And that's nothing compared to letting a living Fiend into Old Dunling."

Galahad spoke with concern.

"We've been trained and specially equipped so we can barely fight those monsters. Ordinary people wouldn't stand a chance against them. They'd fall into madness and become contaminated... or even turn into Fiends themselves. And Old Dunling is the hub of the world. If this 'madness' gets out of control, it could spread across the entire world through the Midgard Serpent's transport network. You understand the danger that poses, don't you?"

That was why the world had never learned of such uncanny monsters. Coming into contact with them recklessly meant death. It was the Purification Agency and other organizations operating in the darkness that kept them sealed behind the city walls, preserving the world's sanity.

Unfortunately, the battlefield was close to the city. Otherwise, Galahad wouldn't have had to hold back. They could have simply carpet-bombed the area with airships. Given the weapons stockpiled during the Glorious War, they could have flattened the entire Lower District.

But the dark old days were over. Back then, people had been forced to fight Fiends with silver swords and fire. Now humanity had more efficient weapons, and the balance of power had long since shifted.

"We thought of that too, so the armor is waiting for you."

The person in charge of this operation had thought of everything. They had even prepared the armor in advance. Robin was brimming with confidence. As far as he was concerned, God was watching over the battlefield.

As Robin spoke, the last Steam Tram slowly arrived. Its armored plating was matte black, absorbing nearly all light. Without the low rumble of its engine, no one would have noticed it coming. When its doors opened, endless steam poured out, and a menacing silhouette took shape beneath the gray-white mist.

But it didn't seem to be steam. In the mist, Galahad sensed only an indescribable chill. It had to be cold air. The Iron Snake was a mobile freezer. When its doors opened, green lights came on inside, accompanied by a muffled song. It sounded as if a woman were singing within.

A soldier stared at the eerie green light. A woman's face appeared in it, shifting and indistinct, seeming to laugh and cry at once. She seemed to be saying something, asking the soldier all sorts of questions. He felt a strange sense of familiarity, but also sorrow, because the face belonged to his fiancée, who had died several years ago.

His breathing grew heavier than ever, as if a weight pressed on his chest. He reached out and took a few heavy steps forward. Just a little closer—if he got a little closer, he could take the woman he loved back from the hands of Death. If only...

"Beep—"

The shrill alarm shattered the soldier's vision. Then, starting at the back of his neck, neural electrodes implanted beneath his flesh sent a weak current through his brain. As if waking from a deep dream, he suddenly dropped to his knees. Only then did he realize he had left his position and stepped into the green light. A silver gun barrel appeared before his eyes.

"Soldier, you've been affected by neural contamination."

Shrike stood in front of the soldier, facing the green light.

"You shouldn't be looking at that thing, son."

Shrike knew what was behind him, but he hadn't looked at it from the start. Everyone present did the same, keeping their eyes on their duties.

"I... I..."

The soldier tried to speak, but the words turned into a choked, snarling cry. It sounded like another language, though he couldn't tell. The world warped before his eyes, then finally turned a solid shade of red.

"You need to rest."

Those were the last words he heard. Shrike pulled out a syringe and jabbed it hard into his body. As the anesthetic entered his bloodstream, the alarm finally stopped, and the soldier slumped to the ground.

"Looks like the Neurological Rehabilitation Center will have another new patient."

Shrike murmured as he looked at the gun in his hand. The green light behind him had tinted its silver surface.

"So those lunatics really did succeed?" he asked Robin.

Robin also had his back to the light and refused to face it. He clutched the Iron Cross tightly in his hand and spoke slowly.

"They succeeded a few months ago. They've just been fine-tuning it. They think tonight's operation is a good opportunity to test the weapon."

"They're playing with fire."

Shrike cursed. He hated that weapon. To him, it was the embodiment of ill omen.

"But haven't we been playing with fire all this time in our fight against Fiends?"

Galahad spoke calmly. Of the three, he alone looked directly at the light, seemingly unaffected, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.

"The readings are still rising. We need to kill that Fiend inside the Underground Palace. Galahad, according to their instructions, only the Knights Commander are currently authorized to use this weapon. Here's the activation key."

Robin held out the Iron Cross in his hand. Its smooth-looking surface was actually covered in hundreds of tiny grooves, like the notches on a key. It was a key, too—one that opened an ominous box.

This was the real secret weapon of the night. Robin had come here for this.

"Am I the test subject, then? Having a Knights Commander serve as their guinea pig is pretty extravagant."

Galahad paused, then made a self-deprecating remark. Still, he accepted the key. It felt cold, like holding a piece of ice. Without the slightest hesitation, he strode toward the green light.

"So this is why you suddenly showed up here tonight? According to your mission, you should be aboard the Dawn Voyager with Lancelot."

Shrike could hear Galahad's footsteps gradually fading into the distance. He felt uneasy, as if he were watching a friend walk toward an abyss.

"Yes. These are the first suits of armor—thirteen in total. The Dawn Voyager will hunt Fiends while distributing them to the Knights Commander stationed throughout Inverwig. Arthur believes this weapon can turn the tide of the war, and even the Queen has approved it."

Robin spoke with some resignation. But for victory, they had no choice.

"I understand, Shrike. You hate that thing, but it's the only way we can fight the Fiends. Just as Arthur said when we first became knights:

"To fight Fiends is to keep paying a price."

His eyes beneath the mask held a trace of weariness. The Incinerators had lit a blazing sun in the night, its light shining brightly in his eyes.

"We pay in blood, in pain, in everything we can give, until we die with nothing left."

As he spoke, Robin began to laugh. He looked at Shrike beside him and traced a cross over his chest.

"I don't think I'll have it so bad. After all, I believe in God, and I fight Fiends. I'm sure I'll go to heaven when I die. As for you, Shrike..."

"I run a casino, kill people, commit arson, and smuggle all sorts of things. I've broken just about every law in Inverwig. But I know I'm a good person. Whether I go to heaven doesn't really matter to me."

Shrike answered without hesitation. He didn't believe in God. Making more money would put him at ease far more than praying every day.

Just then, a hoarse rumble came from the train car behind them. Shrike's hand trembled slightly, but in the end, he didn't turn around to help Galahad. Faint, indistinct whispers murmured in his ears. It seemed that something had awakened in that moment, inside the train car behind him.

The green light finally went out, but a twisted black shadow emerged from within. His steps rang with the sound of steel, and scorching steam coiled around his body. No one could make out what he looked like.

He strode straight ahead. As he passed Robin, Robin said calmly,

"Galahad, once you've fully activated it, you'll have ten minutes to act. Kill that damned Fiend, then come out alive."

The figure paused briefly. In the scorching steam, a pair of eyes seemed to gaze at him. But the sensation soon vanished, and the figure moved on, past everyone, heading straight for the heart of the sea of fire. Not one person tried to look at the abominable figure as he passed.

"Turn from evil and do good; dwell in the land forever, and never be forsaken; may you be sheltered forever."

Robin prayed.