GATE - War of Two Worlds Part 2

V-20 Chapter 232 Where your loyalty lies

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--- Western Sewer Entrance, Thaluilas ---

Date: August 2nd, 2026

The pitter-patter of rats scurrying along, the drip-drops of droplets, and the sound of running water echoed throughout the tunnels. The dark passages of the sewers, though not a place someone would consider safe, harbored a small group. SAS, Rose Knights, Clanless waited, impatiently, for the all-clear sign from the little fairy that was sent to scout ahead.

"Is she okay? She's been gone a while," Albert asked.

Kryuune watched on, hoping to see her companion soon. "Sebille will be fine, she is well-trained, and she's done this before. She'll be fine."

"What if she got lost?" Pina asked.

"She-," the siren thought to herself before placing her hand on her mouth to think. "No, she is fine, I hope."

"This would be much easier if we have a communication device that fits her tiny size," Panache complained.

"I know that would be easier if she had something to connect to our FIST or your NETT system so we can see what she is scouting but creating a communication device the size of a microchip is not an easy feat," Albert stated. "If it was not for the fact that they can tell the difference between a Black Hornet and a fairy I wouldn't be relying on her."

"Besides, why don't you act as our scout, Nelia?" Sergeant Filip Walsh asked. "You have the agility and stealthiness of a cat, shouldn't it be easy for you?"

"We use Sebille for this role all the time so she knows what she's doing," Nelia responded. "With her small size, it is extremely difficult for the guards to detect her. If the guards see or smell me, they will know I am out of place but if they caught her, it would not be too suspicious as fairies tend to wander into many places out of curiosity. Besides, I am Neko, remember. I might be able to see wider than humans but not clearly at a distance."

Following the statement, a small dim-lighted, shimmer of light quickly headed in their direction as Kryuune breathed a sigh of relief. Going from cover to cover, the fairy discreetly dove straight into the tunnel.

"The path is open so far," Sebille reported.

"What was with the hold-up?" Pina asked.

Sebille flew to Pina and hovered. "Sorry, I went far ahead to make sure I didn't miss anything because of the lack of guards, but security seems really light for some reason."

"That's peculiar. You would think there would be more with who they have locked up in here," Bozes said.

"We can worry about that later, how about we get going," Albert ordered.

Once exiting the sewer system, the group saw the devastation of Thaluilas. While Pina never visited this city, it was once considered one of the most beautiful of them all, thanks to its elvish design.

As the group moved through what remained of the market, some of them commented on the destruction. The Rose Knights even compared it to Rondel after the demon was summoned.

Stopping, Pina moved toward Lartia and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Well," Lartia looked around as she responded. She then pointed toward the palace. "I was thrown by my husband and fell from there so I could escape."

"Bloody hell," Sergeant Walsh commented.

"We are Nekos," Nelia responded. "See those bricks pointing out of the wall? We are able to use those to break our fall. We might not be as physically strong as you and other races but we always used our agility to counter it."