Alice was dressed in her usual attire of being a lieutenant, which meant dark blue jeans, a white blouse, some blazer and her hair in a high ponytail on the back of her head. Thank god the blouse was able to behind the baby bump that she had been creating since she was four and a half month pregnant by now. After her short visit to the doctors recently, and another stop by the day after, she had been worried. The thing was Alice couldn't be worried about her health at the moment or well not according to the Council, she still wasn't sure if it was the council but while she was in hospital in Hargeon, the people from the council that came over forbid her to see anyone, even her now fiance as well as anyone else of the knight ranks such as her own cousin Selena and her best friend Evangeline.

The Council warned her that if she wouldn't get her magic back, she would be dropped out of the Rune Knights before she could even ask for a payraise or if she told someone that she was pregnant. Which was very difficult if you start showing. So she tried her very best to pick up her jobs, find better fitting clothing and so on. Thank god she had been able to use magic again albeit a different one; it worked.

She was commanding a team to find the answers to her question and send them away, people stared at her, some were perhaps impressed and the like but all Alice worried about if people were curious about her looks and if she was having some neon sign above her head saying that she was carrying a baby. While waiting for the knights to gather the material, she heard someone calling out her name and her head quickly turned towards the direct of the voice. She was slower than Hecate and Jupiter, while her Jolteon remained faithfully by her side, Hecate darted off to find her friend but simply stayed next to Esperia as she couldn't find Agni.

A blush appeared on Alice her cheeks as Esperia asked her if she snuck out of the hospital and she had to shut her mouth and not snap that she shouldn't be so loud, "Esperia, let's-let's go for a walk." where she softly dragged the girl away from the knights and into an alley where she stood still and turned towards her new made friend with an apologizing look, "Sorry, but they don't know."

Alice felt horrible for some how kidnapping Esperia or forcing her to walk with her and than explain why she couldn't talk like that. She had this sheepish grin on her face for she felt so stupid. Thank god for the Red haired Knight the girl understood what she meant, though of course Alice had not said everything, it was in principle the basic idea, "Yeah I wonder how many people would follow my command as a Lieutenant if they knew." Which was something she didn't say mostly, she was afraid people would think she wanted to be appraised or wanted to appraise herself when she said that, so she forgot Esperia didn't knew she was a lieutenant. But she forgot in general and thanked Esperia for her sealed lips.

She simply looked at her and noticed that she was alone, just like Hecate did, who let Esperia pet her by raising her little head a bit higher to touch the hand that she was lowering. "That sounds terrible, how are you holding up?" By saying that and noticing Alice her reaction, Jupiter calmed down a little and walked to Esperia too as if to comfort her as well, he wouldn't let her pet him if she tried but it was a start after all.

The conversation turned back to the knights and she followed the alley to stare at the knights packing the last of their things, some seemed to be looking for her. Again she felt a blush appear on her cheeks, "yes you are right. We have a mission to find the Lycans that are disturbing Baska.." she felt silent for a few seconds and turned her eyes towards Esperia, "The Lycans that attacked you and your family. I'm sorry, I took it upon me to find them and to make sure they wouldn't be able to harm you or your friends anymore, or anyone else for that matter. I hope you don't mind."

"It took some hard work but here are we now. I don't want to ruin that by telling the biased men that I'm expecting a child." She didn't want to forget things like that, she just want to speak her mind for once in a while, sure she wasn't telling that much, this was just what most people would do and react when you had a function like that and likely had to be out of the routine for a bit. But the conversation turned to her companion who was missing and she had asked if Esperia was alright, in which Hecate tried to comfort Esperia by letting her pet the Glaceon herself. Alice could only nodd with the statement that the vet had made about the Growlithe, "I bet that before you know it he would be up and running again."

Alice kept a close eye on Esperia as she told her about the mission that she and the Knights had planned, basically because it was for and thanks to Esperia that this mission was starting. "If you want to tag along, that's fine. Just stay close to me, I don't want anything to happen to you of course. I do understand if you don't want to come along if it brings too much memories back that you want to avoid."
Without knowing what Esperia thought Alice continued to explain what happened as she believed she sort of owned Esperia to tell that, "We heard that there had been recent fights with lycans and because of that we thought about to investigate. Apart from that as you know we work with the Holy Knights from time to time and I believe they are concerned as well, we don't want any other attacks on other Holy Knights because of a relic, perhaps the Lycans accepted your answer and they would look for another way to get it." Which made it partly a seflish job, for without informing Konstantin, she was protecting him as well.

It was surprising news that Esperia told her after, "The Alpha tried to help you? That's strange idea, but perhaps they would try another way to get information from you and thus they rather had you alive. Again Esperia, if you come along please stick close to me or Hecate and Jupiter." Who would definitely not leave her side so that still meant to be near Alice as well.

Alice noticed the frown but she didn't know what else to say about it was a delicate matter perhaps for Esperia and she had not said much about the incidents that were happening because she was not excited to tell about the deaths and the small amount of people that survived or that were hoping for a cure like Esperia had had thanks to her friend. When she had warned Esperia to stay close to her, Alice started to back to her squad of Knights and commanded them to pick up their stuff and walk towards the hills of Baska. "Are you alright?" She asked when she heard nothing, Esperia was very silent, which made very much sense but it also made her worried, she didn't want to push or drag Esperia to something she didn't want to do. "Anything bothering you?" Jupiter walked briskly in front of them together with a couple of knights for her protection but Alice liked to be up front and show that she was willing to work just as hard no matter which title.

There were many questions that Alice had but she didn't want to ask them right now, not until she was sure that Esperia was okay with what was happening. Maybe she should have talked to her first before she would start up this quest but on the other hand it was mere coïncidence that they had bumped into each other here and now, for any other way it might have gone without meeting them. Besides she had more people to think about and even if Esperia was the only known victim with a reason, she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to leave Lycans that had even attacked only one person like that. Hecate made a purring noise and it was at that right moment that Jupiter turned around that Alice motioned for a halt and that everyone stopped and he turned to look at her and turned to face it. "Ma'm there is blood. They might be here but the trail goes into the forest." she looked at Esperia, "Is this the last place where the alpha has been seen?"

Alice as worried as she was about Esperia decided to ask what she felt and nodded when she saw the little shake of Esperia her head to tell her that she was alright, nothing bothering her, the girl spoke quickly and Alice turned to look at her again, she nodded slowly, she also didn't understand completely but it was something, for as far as she had heard, which was difficult, there were no other attacks on the Holy Knights but she couldn't be sure. Even though she was in a relationship with Konstantin, she would still believe that he wouldn't be able to tell her everything even if he wanted to and she would respect that.

The knights came over to Alice to ask their lieutenant what to do about the bloody trail that was going into the forest, she looked around and told five knights to stick together and check around as well as in the church, if they saw anything wrong they should not do anything but hurry back. She told another to get her spear ready as well as her helmet because she was secretly wearing her Dragoon armour underneath her Rune Knight uniform, but there was something else and she turned to Esperia when she spoke again, intruged that the girl would figure out there was something wrong here and she and the knights listened closely.Before Alice could ask anything about how Esperia knew about the tabboo or if she knew who would be considered innocent she heard a howl and looked up at the forest, she changed looks with Jupiter, who gave her a nod and took already a few steps there. He barked something to Hecate who showed up next to them again and she took the spear of the knight closest to her, "So it seems."

It was of course risky for herself but she rather protected people and still standing up for this, didn't immediately mean that she would have to fight. So she nodded to the knights and followed Jupiter with Hecate close on her right side and Esperia on her left as she had asked from the girl to stay close. As she was walking up front her golden eyes could quickly scan what happened, to the person leaning against the tree as well as the toughest looking guy that must have been the Alpha, he immediately sized her up as well and noted out loud about the Knights and Esperia. She heaved her chin a little to give an arrogant and authority like look, "Right, as I thought." She answered to Esperia but never looking away from the wolf, she raised her hand a little and the knights prepared, "You might wonder why we are here." Because Lycans were more a job of the Holy Knights, it was a miracle the higher ups agreed for her to go on this hunt.

Alice her eyes turned a little bigger as she put the dots together as well and she for once lost focus of looking at the Alpha and stared at Esperia for a second before turning her look back, she lowered her free hand so the knights took a little step back, still prepare to jump up and fight but still a bit more friendly than before, She wanted to open her mouth but she had no time to say anything as the Alpha talked any further, she still didn't trust it completely and she only raised her eyebrow because shortly before meeting Jolteon and Hecate she had been a red haired berserker but she didn't say anything as she felt a hand on her left arm and heard Esperia in her left ear about her girlfriend. Oh great the one that didn't like Rune Knights.

But the Lycan heard it as well and she made a soft sound, it would mean nothing to anyone else, it was some sort of whistle but Jupiter launched a thunder attack only as a warning shot and to get the attention from the Lycan, "Hi. You forgot I was here it seems. Before you go and do the thing we do not allow you to do, I want to offer you a deal, of course if by unrightful justice someone has been killing people from your pack, I assume it can't be someone that has had no training at all but more likely someone with a lot of power, aren't you blinded by rage to simply point out one person while it sounds the work of more? I have met only a handful of Lycans but you guys are more tough, you are discrediting yourself." Which was absolutely not what she planned to do but she hoped that by complimenting the Lycans in a way that she would get them to listen to her and not immediately attack, "I would be willing to stop you if you hunt after this red haired berserker because I do not believe in vengence nor do I believe that she could be the only one behind is and maybe you underestimate people but don't underestimate me. I might be just a woman but if you think that, you would make a big mistake." It might be that this wolf would understand in the terms of packs and even in their private lives she wasn't, but in this rank, squad or group of the Rune Knights, she was the Alpha here and she would be able to show that, she had worked hard to gain this title and respect and she earned it.

While people might think that Alice made a mistake by challenging the Alpha, she was challenging one person, not a pack and he would be less honourable but she believed that it would be no problem at all. "You forget that you do not serve the justice system and that it means you still have to do what the law tells you. I do admit that if you were attacked that that person is wrong." She said clearly enough because it still was true, if there was justice it should be served for both hands, "You do not have the right to take matters into own hands, neither has this berserker but you cannot say that you were serving anything but your own course." Which made her take the spear in both hands, she could count as well but she knew Lycans, they knew nothing about her, meant she had the upperhand still even when outnumbered, she was tarined mostly by Kon, gave her another advantage. "And you are responsible for the action by attacking a family, even if it was because of some vengence or theft, you should have talked to the Council." But the Alpha didn't stop with only that, of course not, one of the reason the Holy Knights hunted the Lycans.

She didn't turn her eyes to Esperia but she had heard her, she looked at the knight next to her and gave a slow nod, most of them used magic, something not all lycans did but they should not engage if the Alpha would attack, he first had to pass Jupiter and she was sure he would always be underestimate for he was just a feline but Jupiter was much more than that. Alice her golden eyes remained on the Alpha shortly after, listening to Esperia, talking about her squad, herself and.. what? Her gaze drifted off, to the ground as she tried to reason with what was happening, Demon.. Lord?

When she felt the magical energy close next to her, she took a step aside and looked at the transformation, she knew Jupiter would warn her in case of movement. She didn't know really what to say or expect, it reminded her of the take over version of her cousin. She heard the restlessness of her squad and stared at them shortly, they looked strange, baffled, she didn't know what it was but the red blush on their cheeks.. it started to annoy her soon, definitely not jealous this time but men.. She turned her face back to Esperia because of the name that was called, oh boy, demon lord. She didn't want to look to long at her, but damn she was sure she liked Esperia better than Asmodeus or so, Alpha girl sounded wrong but she only kept her golden eyes on the Alpha now because this pet on her shoulders felt like she was seen as a small little doll, especially in combination with the word. She had trained hard to be a lieutenant alright!

But it was better than she had expected, even though this Asmodeus knew the fact that Alice was pregnant, she seemed to be there to protect them, "They need to learn that justice is now upon them for the actions they played out. I want them arrested and trailed for what they have done. You think that's possible?" As the Demon was talking to her in a familiar way, it was better to do so. But the fact that she wouldn't be able to fight, she was pregnant not helpless!

"Don't assume we are all bastards like that." She sneered back, she tried to keep her cool but it was difficult as well hormones were killing her mood as well, "If you never try, the assumption would never go away and there you are wrong." But she knew he was partly right, she had experienced that first hand but she didn't want to admit that.Would the Holy Knights do the same? The Rune Knights didn't even hire other races except Neko but yeah Lycans and Vampires were seen as the dark race and she had yet to meet either who weren't in a dark guild, she had only met one Lycan before though and well she liked that person, perhaps that's why she was so harsh in this case, "I'm sorry for yelling at you like that but one of my best friends is a Lycan, I do not judge on race perhaps and unfortunate there are colleauges of mine who do. But they would pay for that assumption." Perhaps she needed to inform the higher ranks but she wasn't sure if that would work, she was a lieutenant though, she should make use of that. "I don't think so, I have enough magic in my arsenal to keep them at bay, but I do not want to arrest them for going after Esperia her girlfriend or after anyone else by protecting himself. However he recounters my command with calling for aid but that doesn't change the fact that he went to kill out a family to find something. No matter what is done wrong to him now, cannot change the fact that he is guilty of that himself, or do you think he would deny?" She said, not looking at Asmodeus but talking to her by simply saying what has gone wrong. They should talk to Fia or whatever her name was to say that what she was doing was wrong, besides probably tell that Esperia was alive was a good thing, if she had caught on to that issue.

She didn't want to prepare for causalties, they didn't deserve that fight, they didn't deserve to die for such a tiny issue that was her own to fix as it been here idea, "Don't you think that it would be more honerable to fight alpha to lieutenant? Instead of cowering in fear behind your subordinates?" She said with the intention of challenging this guy and preventing, she noticed her squad looking at her and some were releaved, if only they knew what she was challenging, but the Alpha wouldn't know as well, she would be safe. This also meant that she finally got the attention from her ranks instead of them looking at the demon lord all the time, if the Alpha would try to run away, he would be in for a nasty surprise of her magic. She would be able to reach this distance with ease.

"Don't worry, I understand that cleary and I do not agree with the way Esperia her girlfriend works, but I'm also not going to wait till they finish slaughtering her." She felt bad for lying but well she had set this up before everything had happened. She was no longer the lieutenant, and the artifact they talked about was still mysterious to her but she had seen an artifact from very close by. At the moment no one but 2 people knew yet that the red head standing here was a Holy Knight herself. Which made her perhaps biased on the whole ordeal with the Lycan, but she rather think the same way as she always did. Had the lycans promised not to harm or hurt anyone else while finding this artifact, she would have let them go. But apparently crime needed to be punished, it felt like she was the parent trying to figure out the fight between siblings. She sure hoped the future wouldn't bring her more of those issues. She also wouldn't be called prejudice, perhaps she was being childish herself. Perhaps she was still too much focusing on her Rune Knight title or already holding on too much on the Holy Knight title, "Not everyone thinks that way." she whispered, perhaps a lycan and a demon would be able to hear her, but she wasn't sure if she would care at the moment. Perhaps all this business was raising towards her head, challenging the Alpha. If Kon would hear his almost six month pregnant fiance say that, she would probably get a whole lecture about why not now.

The armour would probably not even be able to hid most of the pregnancy, which is why she kept on her uniform, but she dropped her coat and took hold with both hands of her spear and kept it ready to fight. "Of course not, else I wouldn't call out on you from Alpha to Lieutenant, I have some respect to myself as well." Which made Jupiter jump around to stare at her with a ferious anger, "Get back Jupiter." she said with a cool tone, but she was sure that if her companion would be able to talk, he would definitely complain very loudly. Hecate cowered, her tail turned low as well as her ears but she moved away.

She had to win, only to demand respect, perhaps save the whole skin for any other Holy Knight because she at first had forgotten about herself and thought only about Kon. They would not know Kon was a part of the Holy Knights, barely anyone know as he mentioned to the outside world that he was a Rune Knight, just as she pretended to be a lieutenant still. "Make space." she called out to the other knights, while one, her right hand complained softly, she turned to look at him and he moved a step back, "You should better listen to your lieutenant, else start doing it now." Her eyes turned to Lilith, she wasn't sure how this would go, but giving up was no option at the moment.

The great thing about holding a spear and that not the whole of Fiore was filled with mages was that people judged books by their cover. This wolf did the same, he assumed she would only be using her spear, but she had only said that she would fight alone, that also included her magic. She had her left hand on one third of the spear and the right hand around the distance of two third of the spear. Easier to sweap it around. She simply moved the back end of the spear up to cast her first spell as the wolf would try to rush towards her. He first would have to gain speed but the distance would be far too fast covered so he wouldn't be able to get too fast at her, besides as soon as he moved she moved as well to use the Vulpecula spell. Which she immediately followed by turning up the spear and moving it to the right to left angle to be able to slam the back of the spear against his lower left jaw. At that moment before she was fully down with the swing, the Vulpecula spell would have already crossed the distance and would hit him, for he was unable to suddenly dart away not knowing the motion of her spear. The binding spell was in action.

When for the second time she moved her hand a little up to start on the swing with the back end of her spear, which was basically a faulty move, she had already cast her Canis Major spell, if the wolf would still be standing too close to her, she would hit him with the back end, but it was also possible that he would have managed to get out of the Vulpecula after the hit of Canis Major or that he would fall completely because of the binding spell. It didn't matter, she would take steps back to make sure to not stand too close anymore. She absolutely had no intention of losing this war game, especially not considering all that was at stake. The ridiculousness of allowing cults to do whatever they wanted was bullshit and she as a Holy Knight would not accept that, no matter as well how much she loved justice and what she had said before, he was a creature of darkness and perhaps he was trying to get his hands on an artifact that the Holy Knight had reclaimed. This war was over before it even began.

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The Alpha didn't disappoint her, but she could always try, the idea of the binding spell was not only to stop him but see the strength of the Lycan. Her eyes narrowed. As long as she was dancing outside his arm reach she would be fine. But she knew one thing about Lycans because of her Holy Knight studies; they absolutely couldn't stand fire. Which was a positive thing for the Solar user.

She wouldn't be able to hit him because of his quick movement of blocking her spear, exactly her point. She had now hit him with the back and simply lowered it with all her force to slam the point into his left knee. After that she quickly jumped back, he seemed to stop her spell, but it must hurt him Which made her narrow down, she had a great spell for this, the orb was too easy so she would something that would detonate, so she moved her hand and simply decided to use the better version. Her Cassiopeia spell would explode no matter what it came in contact with, so either the Lycan would try to stop her again by using that spell or else explode when he would be hit by the spell or one of his subordinates or trees behind him. She couldn't wait. But she also had to stay far away and she held her spear strong in both hands. This was probably still a bad decision but the Holy Knight would never admit to that.

There was this anger flare going in front of her eyes and she stopped to use her spells and held on to her spear again, turning it easily in her hands and she would take steps forwards as soon as she heard the thud from the Lycan against the tree but than she heard him that he only planned to protect his pack. Just as she had planned to protect her soldiers, who were actually and officially not her soldiers anymore and apart from that her little baby. So she heaved her spear and held it close to him, but not close enough to hit him. "I think we have more incommon than we actually expected and perhaps not even like." She turned the spear away, it was a risk and she knew Hecate and Jupiter stood close to help her in case the Lycan would change his mind. "Perhaps I don't understand your way of thinking and you don't understand mine and that's fine. I rather have you not hunting people down and kill them though, even if they have something that belongs to you." There must be other ways, she offered her hand to him to help him up, if she would be able to but he shouldn't underestimate her strength perhaps he already knew that.