Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 173: Star Players, Part Two

The weight of Xi’s untimely death hung heavy in the air of their shared dorm room, casting a somber shadow over the group.

Lianna sat with a troubled expression. Enverna, Mel, and Zura shared her solemn silence, each processing the news in their own way.

"It’s hard to believe," Enverna finally spoke, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Xi was always so composed, so skilled. To think that someone managed to... to..."

Her words trailed off, the unspoken gravity of the situation weighing heavily on everyone present.

"I did not know her for long," Mel added, "but, from what little I saw, she was very skilled, that’s for sure. Whoever did this must be formidable."

Lianna nodded in agreement, her mind replaying memories of past fights where Xi’s prowess had been a cornerstone of their successes.

"Multiple assailants," she reiterated, echoing what Miss Taylor had told her. "It’s not just a random attack. It feels... coordinated."

Zura leaned forward, her expression grave.

"Feels to me like this is connected to what’s been happening to our guild. If these are the same people behind the Watchful attacks..."

The implication hung heavy in the air, the unspoken fear of a coordinated threat targeting their guild members with deadly precision. Enverna’s jaw clenched briefly, her frustration palpable. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"We need to find out who’s behind this. We can’t just wait for more of us to get picked off."

Mel, ever pragmatic, interjected with a chilling possibility.

"What if... What if the Tyrant has found a new follower? Someone capable of this level of skill and brutality..."

The mere mention of the Tyrant sent a shiver through the room.

Lianna’s expression darkened at the thought, her mind racing through the potential ramifications.

[Right... The Tyrant failed to claim Mel, but that doesn’t mean the Tyrant can’t try to claim anyone else.]

"We can’t jump to conclusions," Lianna said firmly, her tone resolute despite the turmoil within. "But we can’t ignore the possibility either. We need to gather information, discreetly. Miss Taylor might have leads, but I don’t think we can rely solely on official sources."

Enverna nodded in agreement, her gaze focused and determined.

"Agreed. We have resources, connections. We’ll start digging, see if we can find anything."

---

{Mel}

In the quiet of their shared dorm room, Mel’s phone rang with the familiar tone signaling an incoming call.

She glanced at the screen, noting the name that flashed across it: Al’has Varim, her mentor and the esteemed leader of the Starsign Association.

With a quick exchange of glances with Zura, who was present in the room, Mel picked up the call.

"Al’has," Mel greeted warmly, though there was a note of curiosity in her voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Mel, my dear," Al’has replied, her tone measured yet tinged with concern. "I’m calling because I’ve received troubling reports from some of our members."

Mel’s interest piqued immediately.

"What sort of reports?" Mel inquired, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

"There have been instances of our members being approached by an unknown group," Al’has explained, her words carrying a weighty implication. "Offers to go partake in some grand cause."

Mel’s mind raced as she processed this information.

The Starsign Association wasn’t just a gathering of talents, it was a sanctuary, a place where Children of Mana found guidance and protection.

The notion of some group specifically looking to recruit them would have been something Mel would have loved to hear a while ago. Right now, it just set off alarm bells in her mind.

"Have they mentioned anything specific about this group?" Mel inquired, her voice betraying her concern.

"Bits and pieces," Al’has replied cryptically. "They speak of promises of power, influence, and purpose. But the details are still lost on us. Regardless, we cannot afford to let our guard down. Keep an eye out. You might find yourself being contacted by them soon."

Mel nodded, even though Al’has couldn’t see her.

"Thank you, Al’has."

"You’re welcome."

Mel hung up the call, processing that bit of info.

[So, they might search for me, soon?]

Mel inhaled sharply.

[Maybe that wouldn’t be a bad thing.]

---

{Athene}

As Athene’s car navigated the dimly lit roads toward the rendezvous point with the group of adventurers, a sense of anticipation mingled with caution.

The mission she was on her way to partake in was straightforward enough.

Aid the adventurers in tackling some Fiends. Simple enough.

But, as they approached a particularly secluded stretch of road, Athene saw something.

Figures walked out, emerging boldly into the path of their vehicle.

"Stop, stop!" Athene directed her driver.

As the car slowed to a stop, Athene’s sharp eyes scanned the figures emerging from the shadows.

Naturally, having heard of Xi’s assassination, Athene had a fairly decent idea of what was about to happen.

With that being said, she told her driver:

"I’m going to get out here. Turn around and leave. I’ll be fine."

And on that note, she stepped out of the vehicle, quickly extracting her sword and shield from her Inventory.

Her gaze swept over the figures converging upon her.

Most were Children of Mana, though a few were regular humans.

Athene took a moment to assess her adversaries. Her only warning to them came in the form of raising her gleaming blade, a silent challenge to the would-be assailants, offering them one chance to reconsider their actions and retreat unscathed.

However, the figures showed no hesitation, their intentions clear as they charged at her.

Athene responded in kind, instantly.

Her sword sang through the air, the clash of metal against metal punctuating the night as Athene deftly parried strikes and countered with calculated strikes of her own.

Each movement was deliberate, each strike aimed with lethal intent yet tempered by a mastery that spoke of the years she spent honing her craft.

The skirmish was fierce and unforgiving, the sounds of battle echoing through the deserted streets.

One by one, her enemies fell before her onslaught.

Soon, only one adversary remained standing in the middle of the street.

A young girl, her features marked by the telltale signs of a Child of Mana. White hair cascaded like a silken veil around her, framing amethyst eyes that blazed with a defiant intensity tinged with fear.

Athene’s eyes narrowed.

[... This is quite similar to the report I read about Xi’s passing. Presumably, the same thing happened with her. She took down multiple people and then one very strong individual took her down. So, what must you have up your sleeve?]

Athene’s sword and shield were poised, their polished surfaces reflecting the ambient glow of distant streetlights. The girl brought out a sword of her own.

Finally, they ran at each other.

As the clash ensued, Athene’s experienced eyes quickly discerned the stark disparity in skill and prowess between them.

The girl’s movements lacked finesse, her strikes lacking the precision and power that Athene was expecting.

[She has to be baiting me,] Athene thought. [Something’s off. She must be trying to get me to lower my defenses. To underestimate her. It won’t work!]

That said, Athene made a conscious decision to temper her attacks, aiming to incapacitate rather than maim or kill.

Her strikes, though calculated, were meant to prod and provoke, seeking to elicit surrender. She wanted to interrogate this girl.

However, the unexpected unfolded before Athene’s eyes. As the skirmish progressed, the girl seemed to defy the natural order of combat.

Each blow that should have landed with decisive impact seemed to falter, the girl shrugging off damage that Athene feared would have killed lesser opponents.

[Is her Endurance that high?]

Confusion flickered briefly across Athene’s features, her mind racing to comprehend the inexplicable resilience of her adversary.

Something came to mind, then.

In the reports, it had been stated that the cut that took Xi’s head off was too clean and that it had left the opening cauterized. Athene figured the opponent had simply used some sort of flaming blade, but, now, she was wondering something else.

[... Did she use Xi’s own Instinct against her?]

The girl wasn’t simply enduring Athene’s attacks through sheer determination or skill. It didn’t seem that way to Athene’s eyes.

No, it seemed like she had her own version of this:

Trait:

Stalwart

{Taking damage reduces the amount of damage taken by 10%, stacking up to 5 times}

If that was the case...

[Then, she can use my Instinct as well.]

Instinct:

Judicator’s Judgement

{Once per day, execute a low HP opponent. Must be in close range to activate this Instinct}

Chills went down Athene’s spine.

Instantly, her strategy changed.

She couldn’t let this girl leave this street alive.

Apparently, the girl noticed.

Just before Athene could run her blade through the girl’s body, she backed off.

In a sudden shift of tactics, the girl disengaged, her retreat swift and purposeful.

[WAIT!]

Athene thought, taking a couple of steps toward her, but the girl moved away too quickly.

Athene looked around. Making sure there were no enemies around, she put her gear away.

With a thoughtful expression, she went and sat down on the corpse of one of the enemies she’d killed.

[So, that’s your secret,] Athene realized. [A copycat. This complicates things.]