Kenzo rested both arms over a stone balcony as he took a smoke from a cigarette. The bitter kick from the fumes scratched his throat as they usually did, making him spit it with a face of contempt over the edge of the terrace and down into the couple dozen meters drop to the ground. Empyrean Divine’s Summer Gala had started with a blast as some of the most illustrious figures in Fiore enjoyed themselves beneath the Stellan skies. The building where the ball was taking place couldn’t be described by anything else than the word magnificent. It had a huge main hall, decorated with jewelry and tapestry that the finest artisans of Stella and Earthland had to offer. Among the couple of terraces that flanked the dancing hall, the male had found a quiet spot. Away from prying eyes and hopefully sneaking ears, the blue haired warrior waited for his guild master.

Kenzo finally released the smoke he’d been holding with a sigh. ”As bad as ever”. The warrior took the pack of cigarettes on his hand and placed them back into his pocket. He honestly disliked smoking. Kenzo had never actually seen the appeal, but for some reason lighting a cigarette and taking a single smoke from it before throwing it away put him at ease ever since Finn passed away. The male had told Rania, with whom he’d attended the ball, to please excuse him for a second. He had urgent matters that were best discussed private, lest she managed to get herself involved in a mystery that ran far deeper and dangerously than the mercenary had ever imagined.

Kenzo took a sip from his glass of champagne as he waited for Alisa to arrive at the spot. It had been almost a year since he took a step in Fiore. Yet, it had not been in vain. Kenzo finally had a lead that pointed in the right direction. One he’d been tracing deep within territory of conspiracy theories and myths in hopes of arriving at a destination the bellan warrior and Fiore's Wizard Saint had in common: Finn’s Death. As he took a glance back at the main hall, his eyes cautiously hovered around the presence of two infamous individuals. The howls of wolves echoed through the night. It was a full moon.

Kenzo’s time away from Fiore made him realize something he’d been juggling in his mind for a while; he was tired. Tired of always being on the move, of feeling as a foreigner. Even his presence in Fiore was something quite unheard of. The warrior came from the far, eastern lands of Bellum. Yet, his birth country was never a place he called home. War took him from the mountainous regions of Sin to the dunes and scorching sands of Desierto. Everywhere he went was nothing more but a transaction ending in receiving his payment. It didn’t matter if his next patron was the same people that he’d spent the last years fighting and killing. For a mercenary, concepts as sides were merely formalities; such was the life that had chosen him.

However, he’d left all that behind after feeling the bitter taste of betrayal at Joya. Life became murky and dull. Wanting to flee as far as he could, the warrior decided to find solace in his mother’s homeland. Fiore was like a spark of light, as bright as the renaissance minds that tinkered and toyed with magic, creating lacrimas with functions unheard of in the rest of the world. For a moment, the swordsman was able to find the peace he sought and even a place he could call home. At least, until Finn died. Kenzo decided it was something he needed to move on with, he couldn’t allow his past to drag him down anymore. He joined Blue Pegasus and found happy days at the guild, people he could bond and settle down with. Yet, the bitter taste in his mouth wouldn’t leave; he knew that unless he uncovered the truth behind his friend’s murder it’d never do.

Kenzo spoke with Alisa before leaving the country. He had a clue leading to Caelum and while slim, it was still the only trace left he could follow. How long he would be away, Kenzo didn’t know. So, the two guildmates decided it was best for the warrior to leave alone while she stayed at the guild. It would be dangerous for her to leave Blue Pegasus, the people they were after had managed to kill someone of Finn’s caliber after all. His journey took him from the titanic sea gates of Caelum to the catacombs of the Minstreli capital. It was there, under the crypts of the grand Cathedral of Illumin that he found a clue pointing back at Fiore. The deeper he went, the darker the mystery became. After more than a year, Kenzo had managed to discover a somber truth that had extended its roots deep into the world, its rotten tendrils reaching deep within Fiore’s capital.

The realization that he couldn’t take on the task alone anymore came at a perfect opportunity. Alisa would be travelling to Stella for Empyrean Divine’s summer gala according to news he received from the guild. His presence would undoubtedly be a surprise for his guildmate, but he hoped it would at least be a pleasant one. Chuckling at the admonishment that caught his attention, the male answered with a withdrawn: ”Yeah…”

His eyes were lost in a distant gaze. His mind wandered once again to the feelings of tiredness he was experiencing, only to all be melted away by the woman’s embrace. Kenzo was frozen stiff for a second, it had been a long time since he’d experienced the warmth that came from someone you could trust. While him and Alisa hadn’t known each other for long and had yet to interact much with one another, they at least shared their sorrow for Finn’s death and a place to call home. The male finally answered to her approach by hugging her back. It might have been a silly and simple gesture, but it was a sign that confirmed the warrior’s feelings. In the brief moment it took, he vowed to himself he’d finally leave his past behind once they got to the end of the mystery; however, there were still unresolved matters between his fresh start and him. For the moment, he needed to put Alisa up to date.

”I’m glad to see you again too.” Kenzo answered her question with a sincere smile. ”Can’t say I haven’t had worse… but I’ll be back in shape after a dozen more drinks and a nice sleep at the hotel’s bed.” The male adopted his usual carefree attitude before shifting into serious business. Coursing energy through his right eye, he scouted their surroundings to make sure there was no one close, making it shine with a blueish flame. ”Seems like we’re all alone.”

The male leaned back against the stone railing, positioning both arms at his sides. ”I’ve found a dangerous truth regarding Finn’s death…” Kenzo took a pause as he assessed the best way to proceed. ”He was killed by something far bigger than a simple assassin.” A gust of wind passed by as the moon shone brightly above the sky.

”Finn was killed for knowing too much.” Kenzo air quoted the last part of his sentence with his left hand. ”What that means? I have no clue… but whatever it is, it is related to a mysterious organization with ties to royalty all around the world. They are simply known as the circle amongst the underground syndicates of Minstrel, so I spent the last months digging out any clues I could find.” Kenzo omitted the details of his involvement with said underground syndicates for the meantime.

”It seems like the circle refers to a secret conclave deeply rooted within the upper echelons of the Church of Illumin; and Crocus has a seat in it.”