Come to think of it, her experience with Espers has always been horrible.

Awakened as a Guide from the tender age of ten, Sara who was orphaned like many others who survived The Capital’s breach, then enrolled to become ‘useful’ for the society in specialized camps and institutions. They won’t allow Espers or Guides to work before they reach eighteen, but they always want to enforce education and nurture as many agents as possible as the threat always looms over the horizon.

Starting off as a grunt for Guide Center, C-Class Sara is faced with countless selfish Espers. She can still remember their biting remarks, and how they want the Guides to honor them, or they will say something ‘bad’ about their Guiding that it may affect their overall ratings and evaluations. For an eighteen-year-old girl, it was horrendous, if not traumatizing.

Then by the time she is able to rise as A-Class, she is able to shut those kinds of Espers down. Of course, with the situation that can increasingly become an emergency in the blink of an eye, she can’t always pick the Espers she can take care of, or the type of jobs she can do.

Remote Town is not exactly any different from any abandoned cities: dilapidated skyscrapers, ruined roadblocks, debris of broken buildings, but the air there is stale, thick with Aether. The notice in their terminal displays code BLUISH GREEN, meaning they should be fine to stay around there for now, but they need to take caution if they discover any Aether shards. Staying too long in Aether-concentrated areas is not advisable, be that you’re Espers or not, as the rate of corruption varies differently between people. Any Espers or Guides must also watch out for the sign of exhaustion for using their powers. 

Right then, as they are dispatched to Malkuth, a few hundred meters before the supposed site of the distress signal, Amara Angkara Khurana tries to talk with them—an Esper, trying to talk to Guides about planning.

Usually, Espers will likely charge ahead, believing in the wealth of their power, and they want the Guides to simply back them up. Yet, the lady in red hair doesn’t think so. 

It is confusing, but it is also a … novel experience.

Amara does most of the talking between them, Sara doesn’t really mind. Sara listens quietly as Amara talks to Penelope, and she merely answers any yes or no question, like whether she has previous Raid experience or is well-aware of Malkuth’s terrain.

“And your weapon is … a blade, Miss Penelope?” Amara inquires. She seems to have something in mind as both Guides answer questions from her, and Sara notices that Penelope seems notably relaxed as the conversation goes.

“Y-Yes, standard issued military grade blade.” Penelope shows her weapon.

Amara nods, “And how about you, Miss Khalida?”

Sara raises both of her hands to show her dual batons nestled on her waist. Amara produces her tablet, types something, then she shows the screen to the two Guides.

“Here, for your information. I’m A-Class Esper, Offense type. My power lies in Aerokinesis.”

Sara is caught off-guard when Amara shows her ID. She doesn’t expect someone like ‘The Tempest’ to be A-Class, just like her. 

“Y–You’re an Offense?” Penelope yelps. The black-haired woman seems to be the same as Sara in that regard. “I, I thought you’re a Support Esper, Miss Angkara.”

Like three core skills of Guides, Espers also divided with their difference in core powers. Offense types are the ones who concentrate on attacking and taking down enemies. Defense types are those who will safeguard Monolith or become the lead for any defensive skirmishes. Then there are Support types, the one that can amplify other Espers or act as an assist.

Knowing ‘The Tempest’ anyone may think that the brilliant tactician is naturally a Support.

Amara doesn’t seem to be offended, rather, she smiles, “I get that a lot.”

Sara flashes her identification tablet, just in case. “I'm an A-Class Guide, Physician.”

“A, Ah, I'm also A-Class, just like the two of you.” Penelope adds. “I’m a Mentalist.”

“Well, now as we’re acquainted with each other, we’re here to locate the missing expedition team or track the scientists. So far, the team that’s spreading around the area have yet to locate their target, except for monsters.”

Sara chews her lower lip, pensive. There’s also a chance that they’re already gone, or perhaps corrupted beyond belief.

“I—I hope we can still find them alive.” Penelope stutters. She trails behind Amara as Amara leads the three, using her tablet to navigate. Sara stands beside Penelope, watching their surroundings as the Espers follow the radar indication.

Penelope has her blade steady beside her, while Sara pulls up both her baton in guarding stance as they proceed. Amara doesn’t seem to have any weapon with her.

“Contact in twenty meters, spread out!”

When Amara bellows, Sara jumps to the left side, while Penelope steers to the right. Amara swings her hand, forming an air slash with her rapid movement. It hits a humanoid monster that suddenly comes crawling from the nearest abandoned building.

“Your ten o’clock, Miss Khalida!”

Sara springs to action, fuels her baton with electric current and tosses away the incoming humanoid monster that sprawls to her side. ‘Humanoid’ is the only description to give to the bipedal entity, their bodies mangled with a metallic stake over their heads, leaving nothing but any semblance of human flesh remaining on its shell. Sara whirls, knocking the monster away from her, then Amara jumps forward to give the torso-less monster a slam to the nearest concrete, crushing its body. Amara keeps clutching on to the remnant until it dissolves to an ash-like substance, and finally she pulls away.

Penelope shrieks beside Sara, but she stays on her ground. The corner of her eyes brims in tears but her blade is trained in a ready stance. The horror of extermination perhaps nothing new to Penelope, albeit still gruesome.

At best, the Guides can only guard themselves during a situation with monsters and it’s Espers who can finish them off. Traditional weapons won’t be so effective in combat against Aether monsters without superpowers.

“Is that all?” Sara asks.

“For now, yes.” Amara flexes her wrists after the outbursts, and they rejoin again as a group.

“Are you okay, M-Miss Angkara?” Penelope asks warily. “Do you need Guiding?”

“Mm, no, not yet. I’m alright.” Amara replies. “Let’s resume our search.”

So her weapon is her fist, Sara concludes as she watches the dark-skinned woman open her terminal again, refreshing the radar. 

They walk toward the southwest this time, no more ambush happened, but it is awfully quiet. Too quiet when the information says that there is a ‘large’ group of expedition members and scientists.

Or are they already beyond saving, just like the bipedal monster they stumbled upon earlier?

“Miss, Miss Khalida, are you okay? You look, um, pale.”

Sara blinks to find Penelope peers at her back. The meek black-haired Guide’s blade hands tremble, but her question is full of clarity. She is clearly concerned, although Sara doesn’t know what kind of expression she’s making right then. She feels that somehow she loses her cool when she is reminded that some people who succumb to Aether corruption are those who are beyond saving.

Be it a regular person or any Espers, or Guides, for that matter.

“I’m okay. Thank you, Miss Penelope,” Sara manages, trying to sound as carefree as possible.

In front of them, Amara pauses. They’re faced with dilapidated houses, an open field in sight but no sign of any life nor monsters nearby. The radar doesn’t pick anything, and the Aether reading is still on normal level.

“Strange,” Amara mumbles. “When earlier we suddenly come into contact with monsters, then they should be more nearby …”

Sara holds her breath. Her deduction is sound. While it is relieving that they don’t meet another enemy soon enough, the silence begets questions. Penelope raises her blade above her head, bracing for something. Sara pulls up her baton to cross in front of her face. Amara stands still for a long while, the radar has yet to pick up any changes.

Until they hear a pitched scream come not far from them.

“There’s a Sentinel! Issue a Code Red!”

“There’s still an injured person here! Come aid them—wahhh!”

Sentinel. Sara’s blood runs cold. Amara acts to send out a warning issue with her terminal, then she turns over to both of them.

“We’re coming to cover for them.” her eyes flash in resolution. “Please stay in the line if we’re about to engage with the Sentinel.”

Sara nods numbly, her grip to her batons tightens as the three of them dashes toward the critical point. Sentinel , the apex of monsters born from Aether. Unlike the bipedal or four-legged bloodless, organless beings that encountered mostly in the wild, it is said Sentinel has their own sentience. They run rampant simply not because they want to exterminate their threat, but also they target those who are not corrupted, as though they’re trying to transmit corruption at large.

As if they’re coming to end humanity.

They come upon a large grassfield, where two groups of Espers engage with a Sentinel. Seemingly C-rank, towering about two meters high with half of its body mixed with armaments that look like a tank and its wheel. Its pair of hands swivel around, trying to toss anything near them, but the Defensive Esper erected the solid ground to block its attack.

“Guides, stay behind the line!” Amara yells as she spots the Guide right behind the fighting Espers. “Any Espers close to the threshold, pull back and don’t push yourself! Help is on the way!”

Though she is not merely issuing orders, Amara joins the battle, trying to distract the Sentinel by striking its head. The monster let out an ear-piercing scream, and its hands turned like clockwork, smashing buildings around it in response.

“There’s someone in there—one of the surviving researchers!” one of the injured Espers said when Sara came around the defensive line, right behind the Esper who erected a protective barrier of sand. Sara and Penelope look over the area, spotting the small group in white coats trying to seek refuge beneath a warehouse rubble. The Espers coordinated attack is enough to distract the Sentinel, but they lacked the mainpower to come and rescue them.

“I—I can come to save them!” the black-haired Guide says. “I did the same during Netzach duty!”

“Miss Penelope? But—”

The Sentinel roars once more. Amara issues commands to keep attacking its weak spot, and avoid the building when the monster thrash around. The researchers who stay in that warehouse won’t last too long if this keeps up, even Sara knows it.

“Miss Penelope!”

Sara is unable to stop her as the meek Guide makes a beeline toward the warehouse. Her choice is only to follow her, as she can’t just disturb Amara, who’s leading the attack to the Sentinel. They dodge the debris that come flying their way, and reach the researcher group.

“Y, You are safe now, please follow me and don’t get distracted!” 

Penelope steadies her voice as she takes the hand of the researcher’s leader. The rest tag along with her, and Sara secures the roadside from the vast grass field for them to pass. They are able to transport them back to the defense line in time with Amara distracting the Sentinel from rampaging.

As much as Sara wants to praise Penelope for being quick on her feet, another problem rises.

It is when the stake embedded on the monster begins to glow. It flashes in red, as it bellows in an ear-piercing scream. Sara clutches her head, feeling the suspense split her head in two—an influx of Aether that pours out from the Sentinel has a few active Espers grounded. 

Penelope falls to the ground, trying to cover her ears to no avail. Sara drags Penelope with her and takes them behind the defensive line. The black-haired Guide remains unmoving, with blood coming out from her ears, but still pretty much conscious.

“Acceleration Wave? Impossible, this should be a normal C-rank Sentinel!” the defense Esper groans.

Amara raises her voice, “Anyone who can still stand, keep attacking! If you’re at the threshold, pull back!”

One of the vanguard Espers limps toward the line. Sara sees their eyes have changed, a luster of bright red, a sign of berserk state. Guide who’s aiding them is already processing to hold them to administer Phase 1 Guiding, but—

“Ahhh—AHHH!”

No.

Before the berserk Esper is able to tear the Guide to a new one, Sara tackles them away, sending them rolling on the ground. The defensive Esper stationed nearby pointed their gun at them, motioning the Guides to stay back and not engage with the Esper.

This is bad.