"I said that I have anger issues, not that I am weak. There is no reason for you to assume that you are stronger than I am.”

“Oh yes, I suppose anyone would say that to try and feign weakness,” Spencer said casually, knowing full well that he was subtly goading on Cyrias. “There’s no need to tell me twice! Nope! I now know my new partner is a full on coward! No shame in that big fellow!”

"I thought you wanted to take a day off first?"

“Oh yeah! Right…”

Melody chuckled in embarrassment, rubbing the back of her head and fiddling around with her hair absentmindedly.

“Sorry about that commander. It’s just…well the thought of it just really pisses me off, you know?”

Angered, Cyrias pulled Spencer up and slammed him against the wall, causing some cracks in it. "I am not weak and I am no coward!" He growled.

Jackson sighed. "And you think that this all doesn't make me feel anything?" She asked sarcastically.

"I am not weak and I am no coward!"

“Oh? What a terrible temper you have!”

Spencer retched himself away from the walls of the Imperium Library, dusting his coat off and still smiling lightly. If he was fazed at all by this violent turn of events, then he was a master of hiding it.

“Oh, you public menace! Look what you’ve done to that poor wall. And my suit! Well, let’s reevaluate, hmm? You’re weak, sensitive, and you’ve got a problem with constructive criticism. Tell me again…why shouldn’t I arrest you on the spot again?”

A dark aura began to surround Spencer, splashing all around and engulfing Cyrias. Despite his unspoken gesture, his posture said it all. It was beckoning to the Minotaur, daring him to strike again once more. Daring him to do it…and then find out who would be the one with a few broken bones.

"And you think that this all doesn't make me feel anything?"

Melody frowned and stepped back, a little hurt by her new commander’s sarcastic tone. She should have known better than to make things personal. Wasn’t that what the Imperium taught her? For the sake of the citizens, she had to put her feelings away.

“R-Right. Sorry about that commander,” she mumbled, looking down. “So, where to first?”

"Once again, I am no coward and I am not weak. Weak people don't crack walls. And second, I warned you about my bad temper, which is the actual reason I won't fight you." Cyrias said, still growing.

"I don't know, actually. I've never been a very outgoing person." Jackson admitted. She had no idea how to act. Part of her just wanted to open up to someone who wasn't her husband for once, but she was at work, and it was something frowned upon.

"Once again, I am no coward and I am not weak. Weak people don't crack walls. And second, I warned you about my bad temper, which is the actual reason I won't fight you."

“If you say so little minotaur,” Spencer said casually, the aura dying around him. It became clear to the demon that he was essentially hindered to move about freely with Cyrias tagging along. Ah well. He would commit his research some other time then.

“Perhaps its time we reports back to Miss Jackson? Or, are you just stationed under me?”

"I don't know, actually. I've never been a very outgoing person."

“Would you like to just go home then Commander?” Melody didn’t see any reason why she shouldn’t. It was obvious that the higher ranking Knight saw no interest after the tragedy of today.

"I'm not fond of it, but I'm your assistant for as long as this mission takes." Cyrias answered, still not exactly in a great mood.

"As I said before, I live too far away from here to go home for just one day." Jackson explained to Melody.

"Indeed you are," Spencer muttered to himself, opening up a dark green portal. This would prove to be very interesting indeed. Tipping his fedora, he motioned for the minotaur to head in first.

Melody sighed, not sure she was going to get anywhere at this point. "Well Commander," she said blankly. "What do you suggest we do?"

Cyrias said not a single thing as he followed Spencer through the portal.

"Well, there should be a spa closeby. Have you ever been to one before?" Jackson asked Melody, looking at her.

"Well, there should be a spa close by. Have you ever been to one before?"

Melody shook her head. “I’m afraid I haven’t, no. Though…I’d like to try it now if that’s really what you want Commander.” She smiled despite herself, knowing that Jackson was at least feeling a little better.

A few feet away, Spencer crossed out of the dark portal, pausing to wait for his newfound subordinate. Perhaps the minotaur would prove of value eventually….

"It's a very relaxing thing. Especially with a stressing job like this, it's very nice every once in a while." Jackson told Melody as they started to walk towards the spa.

Cyrias followed Spencer without saying a wordt to hin, refusing to do so. He had never been fond of humans, but he never hated anyone as quickly as Spencer.

"It's a very relaxing thing. Especially with a stressing job like this, it's very nice every once in a while."

Melody smiled and nodded her head, following along after her commander. This hot spa sounded fun, no doubt and she wondered why it had taken so much time for her to finally go to one. She figured it was because of her training as a detective that took away from it.

“Have you been to a lot of them? Or does the Imperium drain you too?” she asked jokingly.

Spencer walked along with Cyrias in tow, the smile never once leaving his face. This was perfect. Ideal even. He could practically feel the hatred directed towards him. No, that was a lie. He felt it all the same as any reality.

“So what’s your opinion on Project R? Or…have you not heard of that? Dear me, it seems someone needs to get more involved with the Imperium’s goals and directives.”

For a brief, rare moment, Jackson seemed to smile, but it didn't last very long. "The imperium drains everyone, but that doesn't you can't spoil ourself every once in a while. Or let someone else spoil you." She answered. Honestly, just being home or going to a spa was a great way to spend her time, in Jackson's opinion.

Cyrias shrugged. "I don't know and I don't care. I just do what I'm told and ask no questions. To me, that works just fine."

"I don't know and I don't care. I just do what I'm told and ask no questions. To me, that works just fine."

“…you truly are a boring person, you know that?” Spencer muttered to himself, starting to think that this brute of a half-ass knight would prove to be useless to him. “I bet if I told you to slam your head into a rock, you’d do it, wouldn’t you?” he asked a little louder this time.

"The Imperium drains everyone, but that doesn't you can't spoil yourself every once in a while. Or let someone else spoil you."

Melody widened her eyes at the ghost of a smile exuded by her commander. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to bring about the smile back on her face as well.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right! Ah, isn’t that the place over there?” She pointed to a small shop on the corner of the main road.

Jackson nodded. "Yes, it's here." She said, heading into the building and making an arrangement for two. The woman told them to wait for a moment.

Cyrias sighed. "I do not care for your oponion about me. I have a life outside if this job, and am simply doing this because I need the money." He said, only getting more annoyed by Spencer.

"Yes, it's here."

Melody did as she was told, waiting patiently for the lady at the counter to check them in. Taking in the interior of the spa, she was surprised to see just how big it was. It was almost like a hotel, what with the high walls and even the candle chandelier positioned at the top. The Lumen Elf figured it was just there to create a peaceful atmosphere for the guests.

“Hey commander, what’s the-”

Her question was soon silenced as a large rumbling suddenly erupted from beneath their feet. The lady at the front widened her eyes and gripped the desk’s edge to keep from collapsing like a rag doll. It only lasted for a few seconds but it was enough to jar the three women in the spa.

Melody looked at Jackson with a frown, concerned by how pale the front lady had become from the shock. “Commander, what was that?”

"I do not care for your opinion about me. I have a life outside of this job, and am simply doing this because I need the money."

“Really,” Spencer said boredly. “Must be some life if you’re just dead muscle for me.” The earthquake was now being experienced outside and something in Spencer’s demeanor changed slightly.

Tipping his fedora, he grinned all throughout the rumbling; he certainly didn’t seemed phased during it all. When it finally subsided, the two of them could hear loud clamoring coming from in front of them.

The distressed cries of citizens in need.

“Oh? I do find this to be very interesting.”

"That was an earthquake and I don't know what caused it, but we should find that out. See if any citizens got hurt. Earthquakes can be dangerous." Jackson answered, getting up. Once she had made sure that the lady at the desk was alright, except for the shock, she left and brought the woman to a safe place, expecting Melody to follow.

They would get to the spa another time, the safety of the citizens was far more important than feeling better. So for the moment, she did her best to just not think of all her misery and headed hack into the spa to see if anyone was still there, and if anyone had gotten stuck. She would deal with her own problems later.

Cyrias let out a sigh. This idiot was really too full of himself. Why did he think that Cyrias cared about his opinion? He was of no importance at all and if anything, just annoying. That was all, really.

His thoughts were interrupted by the earthquake, but the minotaur didn't allow himself to be too surprised, recovering quickly and heading for the source of the cries from those in need.

Further across on the other side of the massive city, Kiara blinked awake as she felt a sudden shaking sensation. Rising up, she figured that it must have been some sort of earthquake or something and was about to go back to sleep. Then she pieced together what it really was and her blood coiled into icy streams.

Sitting up, she moved to wake the others and grab her coat. The Imperium were doing it again…damnit! At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to stop them this time…

"That was an earthquake and I don't know what caused it, but we should find that out. See if any citizens got hurt. Earthquakes can be dangerous."

At the other side of the city, Melody said nothing but followed her commander outside the spa shop. Likewise, Spencer casually followed Cyrias until they were led into a wide space in the city. One of the many gathering squares. Standing before them was a mighty Imperium Knight grasping a frail man by the scruff of his neck.

As the soldier lifted him higher for the world to see, so too did the ground shake violently again and again.

“Aw, so it was just another summoning after all,” Spencer said casually. “Nothing to worry about here.”

The others were still fast asleep and seemingly unaware of what was going on around them.

Once Jackson was outside and seemed to have brought everyone in safety, she was panting slightly. Saving lives took a lot more effort than taking one, she reaslised. "Is this everyone or are you still missing somebody?" She asked, looking at one of the spa's staff members.

"You call this nothing to worry about?" Cyrias asked, looking to Spencer. He didn't know what the knight was going to do to the man, but it didn't look good.

"You call this nothing to worry about?"

“Why yes, actually I do,” Spencer said with a look to his lackey. “What, you’ve never witnessed a purging before? Sheesh, you really are a newbie.” As he said this, the Knight holding the man waited until a swirl of chaotic energy erupted before him. Something seemed to be moving on the other side. Something huge.

As the man gave one final beg for his life, the Knight hurled him down into the deep abyss until that something lashed out, consuming the man whole. The sound of flesh being torn apart died down as the portal was closed.

“Oooh. Looks like we just saw the best part,” Spencer said. “What? Did you think Project R was anything short of messy?”

"Is this everyone or are you still missing somebody?"

“I think we’re good,” Melody replied with a frown. Something felt off. Wrong. As a Lumen Elf, she was more aware of her surroundings than most people. So for this feeling…

"I think that this, whatever it was we just witnessed, is nothing other than needlessly cruel. Minotaurs may not be the kindest folk, neither, but at least we don't feed one another to demonic beings." Cyrias answered, obviously shocked and upset by what he just saw.

"Good." Jackson shortly answered, leaning with her back against a wall and trying to catch her breath. She had already been tired from continiously being busy with all of this, but it seemed like it was starting to take its toll from her now.