The forest around them was quiet, the wind rustling through the leaves like whispers from forgotten souls. In a clearing shaded by tall pines, Noah knelt on one knee and placed a shimmering crystal disk onto the ground. A soft hum echoed as an arcane pattern lit up beneath it, projecting a three-dimensional magical map of a sprawling estate ahead.
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Okay, this isn’t just a normal map. Where the hell did you get this?"
Noah didn’t even glance at her. "Let’s just say I know someone who owed me a favor."
"Liar," she muttered, folding her arms. "But fine."
Lys knelt nearby, surrounded by a faint glow as her three spirits — Gaia, Aqua, and Fire — floated protectively around her. She tilted her head as she studied the rotating blueprint.
"This place is enormous..."
Noah pointed to the outer perimeter. "We’ll enter from the rear garden. Least amount of patrols, no necrotic mist."
He traced a path through the estate. "First floor has magical constructs — bone dogs and bonewatchers. Second floor, a cursed hallway and a binding chamber, probably where they trap failed summons. Third floor is her sanctum. The crypt levels are underneath. Most of the undead will be sealed below unless she’s already begun a ritual."
Cordelia whistled low. "You sound like you’ve been there."
He shrugged. "A few reports, some personal digging. Lucky guesses."
Lys stared at him with wide eyes. "You really know all that from ’a favor’?"
"Of course," Noah said smoothly. "Don’t overthink it."
Cordelia narrowed her eyes, but didn’t press further.
"Alright," Noah said, stepping back. "Here’s the plan—"
Before he could finish, the clearing pulsed with a sickly green glow. The trees behind them groaned, and a cloud of mist spilled out across the forest floor.
From the shadows emerged twisted shapes — skeletal beasts and ghouls, crawling on all fours with snapping jaws and flickering red eyes.
"Oh, for fuck’s sake," Cordelia groaned, drawing a dagger with a burst of flame. "Did the plan include an ambush, genius?"
Noah’s crimson eyes narrowed. "Nope. That’s new."
Gaia shimmered beside Lys, already forming a wall of stone between them and the incoming horde.
Lys stood quickly, alarmed. "They must’ve detected the scan!"
Noah smirked. "Then let’s welcome them properly."
He cracked his knuckles, the air pulsing as mana surged through his limbs.
Sparks danced through the air as Cordelia hurled a wave of fire into a pack of skeletal wolves, their charred bones scattering with hollow screeches. A sudden gust of wind followed, slicing through the mist like blades — her second element surfacing as she moved with precise, practiced steps.
Lys stood just behind a rising stone barrier conjured by Gaia, her hand glowing with cerulean light. Aqua hovered above her shoulder, forming protective whips of water that lashed out at any creature that dared approach. Flames flickered around her other side, Fire spiraling erratically, ready to strike on command.
Noah blurred between enemies, Gibbous Step activating mid-stride. His afterimage was cleaved by a skeletal knight’s axe, but his real body was already behind it, landing a punch that shattered its ribcage and helm in one hit.
"Now seems like a really bad time," Cordelia shouted between slashes, "but weren’t you assigning us roles, commander?"
Noah sidestepped a lunging ghoul and slammed it to the ground with a mana-boosted kick. "Right. Roles. Got distracted by the walking corpses."
Lys deflected an arrow of shadow with Aqua’s help, then turned her worried gaze toward Noah. "If there’s more than this outside, what’s waiting inside?"
"Probably worse," Noah said grimly. "Which is why you’re going in first, Lys."
"You and your spirits will lead the charge. Gaia can shape terrain. Aqua can cleanse curses. Fire burns through necromantic wards. You’re the vanguard."
Lys blushed slightly at the confidence in his tone, then nodded quickly. "O-okay. I won’t let you down."
Cordelia played with fire. "And me?"
"You’re infiltration and utility. Use Wind and Lightning when things get tight. Stick to shadows, disable traps, deal with spellcasters."
She grinned. "Love it. Finally using me properly."
"And me?" Noah asked himself aloud, dodging another ghoul with a spin and crushing its spine with a downward elbow. "I’ll handle anything that tries to bite your heads off."
Lys giggled despite the situation. "So brave."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "So dramatic."
The mist began to recede — the last of the undead crumbling to dust.
Cordelia wiped her blade clean on a tattered cloak. "Next time, finish the damn briefing before we’re attacked."
Noah exhaled, flexing his sore knuckles. "Noted."
The trio advanced cautiously now, their surroundings shifting from crumbled ruins to warped terrain — the result of dark magic eroding the land over time.
Once they reached a safer clearing near a shattered fountain, Noah halted and turned to Cordelia. "The item. You still have it, right?"
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "The one Meliora gave back? Yeah, I kept it close."
She reached into her side pouch and pulled out a sleek black case. Inside, resting on velvet, were the Glasses — thin, ordinary-looking spectacles with a faint magical shimmer.
"Good," Noah nodded. "These are going to play a key role in the infiltration."
Lys leaned in, curious. "Wait... what do they do again?"
"They let you project memories," Cordelia answered. "Once. You can pick what to show."
Noah smirked. "Exactly. And the right memory, at the right time... can open doors. Or close them."
Lys blinked. "But how do you know—?"
"I met a merchant once," Noah interrupted smoothly, "he used something similar to trick nobles into believing he was royalty. It’s a long story."
Cordelia glanced at him sideways, clearly catching the deflection but choosing not to comment.
"Anyway," Noah continued, adjusting his gloves, "when we’re in, we’ll need to move fast. These glasses could buy us time... or mislead the enemy, depending on how we use them."
Lys nodded, though a little doubt lingered in her expression. "Just tell me where to go and who to punch."
Cordelia smirked. "And I’ll burn the rest."
Noah gave a half-grin. "That’s the spirit."
From behind the cracked fountain, a soft, low hum echoed. The atmosphere shifted again — colder, sharper.
"Looks like the warm-up is over," Noah muttered.