Cassian got back to camp, and a few minutes later, Lumine showed up. He was caught off guard when he spotted a familiar face. "Hey there, Detective Alix, you here as backup or what?"
"Hey, yeah," Alix said, her voice steady. "One of ours, Luminara, got killed in that fight you lot had last night. I'm his replacement. Heard you guys were here, figured I'd catch up before we head to Karem Earldom." Her work-worn eyes looked sharper now, probably relieved to skip the paperwork grind from her old gig at the special unit.
Her high ponytail fit her no-nonsense vibe, though it also gave her a bit of a harsh edge, her sharp, upturned eyes and chiseled features screaming arrogance. She had that kind of beauty—striking but cold, like she knew it and didn't care.
"We lost a Luminara?" Robert blurted, his face stunned. Everyone else looked just as shocked. Luminaras were fifth-tier mages, mid-level but tough as hell, not easy to take down even against higher-ranked opponents. They could usually slip away, thanks to some basic spatial displacement magic they picked up at that rank.
"He was weak, he died. It's war—people die, Robert. No need to act shocked," Alix said, brushing it off as she plopped down with the team. Robert and Cassian knew her well, Lumine kinda knew her through her sister who worked with Alix. Ignoring Robert's annoyed glare, Cassian started introductions. "Anyway, meet the crew. This is Wanni, our co-leader, an Emberling mage. These are the siblings, Theon and Althea. You already know Lumine and Robert. And everyone, this is Detective Alix, my old boss from the law enforcement unit, also a Luminara."
They'd figured a Luminara's replacement would be another Luminara, but Cassian confirming it still raised a few eyebrows.
Alix leaned back, her sharp eyes flicking over the group with a cocky smirk, like she was judging them and found them wanting. "Nice little squad you got, Cassian," she said, her voice carrying that smug vibe, like she was just tolerating them. "Kinda scrappy, but it'll work for now. Also, call me Lieutenant—war's on, so we're sticking to official army ranks."
Wanni arched a brow, her Emberling mage staff laid across her lap, clearly not loving the dig. Theon and Althea swapped a look, their sibling vibe screaming irritation, while Robert huffed quietly, still stewing from before. Lumine, off to the side with her arms crossed, gave Cassian a glance that said, You cool with this chick?
Cassian, though, was hung up on something else, frowning. "Hold up, Lieutenant, what's that mean, 'it'll work for now'? We taking orders from you instead of the commander?"
"Yeah, that's how it works. I get orders from the higher-ups and pass 'em to you. It was always gonna go this way, but Commander Lawk was still setting up the chain when the attacks hit," Alix said, sounding bored but going on. "So, for now, you and a few other units are under me. Our job's to guard the rear flank of the caravan heading to Karem Earldom. You'll get the rest of the details later—I ain't passing orders straight to you. There'll be other higher-ups assigned to relay commands to you and one or two other units of low-rank grunts."
Everyone bristled at "low-rank"—nobody liked being called that, but Alix tossed it out like it was nothing. Cassian, a bit pissed, dropped onto a nearby log, wiping the last of the river's dampness from his hands. "So, what, they sent you to babysit us?"
His jab didn't change the harsh truth—they needed a clear chain of command. Last night's battle had been a slaughterhouse of confusion. With proper leadership, fewer would have died. But the real advantage hadn't been tactics; it had been firepower. While the mutated demonic humans relied on brute strength, Cassian's side had leveled the field with mana guns—crude, devastating weapons that turned ordinary soldiers into lethal threats. Without them, the fight would've been hopeless.
Alix's smirk widened, her high ponytail swaying as she tilted her head. "Babysit? Please. I'm here to make sure you lot don't fuck up Karemen Earldom. Word is, it's a shitshow waiting to happen." Her sharp features caught the campfire's flicker, her angular face looking like it was carved to intimidate. "But don't worry, I'll keep you in line. Someone's gotta."
Lumine snorted, pulling her damp silver hair into a loose braid. "Good luck with that," she said, her voice dry, her muscular frame still tense from the river. Her red panties peeked out slightly as she adjusted her belt, her pale skin catching the firelight, though she didn't notice Alix's quick glance.
Wanni spoke up, her tone calm but pointed. "We've handled worse than Karemen. What's the intel? You got anything useful, or you just here to talk big?"
"You lot barely handled shit," Alix said, then turned to Cassian, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Though I heard you took out three higher-circle warriors, even one third-circle? That true, or just some propaganda to pump up morale?"
Lumine's eyes flared with anger, her fists clenching at the implication Cassian was a fraud. "Commander Julius himself confirmed he killed those cultists. Who the hell are you to question him?"
Cassian clocked Alix's vibe as off. She'd always been smug, but this was next-level weird. He thought they'd gotten past the rough patch after that fat cultist nabbed him and he powered through the torture to become a circle warrior. Alix had even seemed guilty, since she was the one who sent him on that job where he got snatched, but now she was back to acting like a complete dick.
"Nah, just messin' with him, no need to get all worked up, little Lumine," Alix said, standing up and turning to Wanni. "As for your question, intel's spotty. Enemy's got some serious players—maybe sixth-tier, maybe nastier. They ain't fucking around, so neither should we." She cracked her knuckles, her Luminara swagger practically glowing. "But I'm not worried. You stick with me, and we'll carve through 'em."
Theon leaned over to Althea, muttering, "She's cocky as hell." Althea nodded, her eyes narrowing, but neither said it loud enough for Alix to hear. Robert, though, wasn't holding back. "Hope you're as good as you think, Detective. Last Luminara didn't exactly walk away."
Alix's eyes flicked to Robert, looking annoyed. "Keep up, Robert. I'm not here to die." She stood, brushing dirt off her pants, clearly over the conversation. "That's enough chit-chat. I got other people to talk to, so I'm off. Follow orders and don't mess around." She paused. "Rest up. We move at evening."
Everyone gave her a lazy salute as she walked away. Lumine, still irritated, muttered, "What's with her? She's acting like a total jerk."
Cassian shrugged, confused. "No idea."
Robert piped up, "Maybe it's that time of the month when women get all cranky for no reason." He got immediate glares from Lumine, Wanni, and Althea, their eyes boring holes into him.