She sat beside a doll who refused to do anything but smile- as if it offered his humanity validity. They sat underneath a marbled arbour in a large emerald garden, one that had been filled with multi-coloured wildflowers that bloomed underneath the settling mist. Even in winter, the atmosphere of the monastery’s environment was kept warm, so it was as if a permanent spring had settled in the lush landscape.

At a table of ornate fashion, sitting quietly in an iron-wrought seat that had been painted white, Aelem sat in silence as she watched two knights dance upon the emerald grass of the flowered garden. Lace and Howl had grasped their weapons tight, their expressions furrowed as they faced down a beast of mechanical nature.

It looked nearly human in appearance. Aelem could see, even from far away, that the seams where its limbs met upon its skin had been carefully hidden. As it stepped forward, the whirring of gears and the quiet steam of engines sounded out. For all intents, it was an automaton made to look like a person.

It wielded a simple steel sword in its hand, one that reflected so brightly under the morning sun that it almost made Aelem unwanting to look in its direction.

Lace stood directly before the false human, staring it down as if she felt no fear before the blade pointed at her throat. Aelem could see that her expression took on a different look than usual. Rather than her false mask of a smile, she was more serious as she took a stance before the automaton. 

Suddenly, the doll stepped forward, its expression unmoving as it swung its sword in an arcing motion overhead. Stepping out of the path of its attack, the slice of its blade passed quickly afront Lace’s expression, who seemed to grin before the mechanical creature.

Before Aelem’s eyes, Lace disappeared from view. All that remained was the automaton, which seemed to glimmer even brighter than it had previously. It seemed as if strings of metal had been wrapped taut around its body.

“The people who watch us perform our duties… rather, the crowd that tends to gather despite that-“ Omen started to speak with a softened smile. “They’ve taken to calling her the ‘Steel-strand Knight’.”

In an instant, Lace had appeared behind the automaton, her fingers gripped tightly in a fist- in such a way that her knuckles had turned a bright white, and her teeth clenched desperately. Strands of steel had enveloped the automaton, holding it firm in place.

“Hurry it up, dog!” Lace grinned amidst her gritting.

“And Howl…” Omen spoke softly. “He bleeds for the people’s sake, despite his callous demeanour, so they all call him the ‘Silver-blood Knight’.”

A silver flash burst through the air, and in a single moment, the automaton’s head had been blown clean off. Where its neck became frayed in steel demeanour, a bright-silver liquid dripped down its body, before sinking into its flesh and vanishing completely. 

Howl stood far from the ordeal, holding a bow tightly in his hands, that shone the same colour underneath the sun as the silver blood that dripped gently from a cut in his forearm.

“Don’t call me a dog, little mouse,” Howl spoke harshly.

“You intend it as an insult, but I quite enjoy it.” Lace smiled softly as she walked up to him. ‘I hope you continue to call me by that name.”

Aelem turned towards Omen suddenly, with curiosity gilding her lips.

“Then why do they call you the ‘Butterfly Knight’?” Aelem asked of him.

Without responding, Omen simply stood up from where he had been sitting, walking over to the two Knights. For a moment, they seemed to discuss trivial things, Lace still holding a smile upon her face. In the background, however, the automaton that had fallen to the ground began to whir once again, its foot shaking against the grass impatiently. It began to prop itself up, standing headless before the Knights. In unison, they turned to meet its missing expression, and as they stepped forth, Omen held them back. 

“I haven’t been able to fight, recently,” Omen spoke with a smile as he turned towards them. “I’ll do it.”

His cloak fluttered as he stepped forward, his hand hanging at his side where his blade rested. In comparison to Omen, the automaton seemed massive in size, even without a head. Still, he did not abandon the smile on his face. In one motion that was nearly unrecognisable within Aelem’s eyes, the mechanical human swung their sword towards Omen’s head. 

With one sharpened breath, Omen pulled his blade from his side and parried the sword of the automaton in a way that a resounding ring echoed throughout the garden. He then pierced it through its steel abdomen and allowed it to fall to the ground in a heap of metal.

“They call me the Butterfly Knight because I am very handsome and talented.” Omen winked as he turned towards Aelem.

In response to his jest, the other Knights seemed to roll their eyes and sigh.

“Why have they been so weak recently?” Howl spoke coldly. “Has the Crux underestimated our abilities up to this point?”

“I don’t think it’s that.” Lace shook her head in response. “Master…  I think he’s been preoccupied recently. Would you have any idea why, Mr. Knight of handsome talent?”

The smile faded from Omen’s face in an instant. His gaze grew shadowed, and his eyes sharpened as he looked back towards Lace.

“That man… why would I wish to talk about him?” He spoke in a cold, unnerving tone.

“You’re right.” Lace shook her head in response. “I forgot you’re an idiot who can’t fathom the mentioning of his father.”

She stepped in closer towards Omen, her difference in height met with the sharpness of her tongue.

“I don’t really care what happened between you and the crux of the Paragon… but if it hinders our work-“ Lace cut off her words suddenly, looking over towards Aelem. “Rather, if it’s affecting how you work- if it’s simple defiance towards our Master, I won’t hesitate to cut you down.”

“Still, despite our history, you would make such threats?” Omen spoke with furrowed gaze.

“I would.”

Omen reached out a hand, and Lace took it in turn.

“That is why I consider you my most beloved colleague.” Omen smiled softly.