Even the reinforced doors of the Instructors’ quarters were no match for Karina’s strength. They flew open with ease, hinges shattering as the black-haired woman delivered a Crest-enhanced kick directly to their center.

    Accompanied by Ningning, Winter brought up Karina’s flank, holding her Crest knife in form four, the most mobile of her fighting forms. With her comrades at her side, she rushed into the high-ceilinged lobby. An eerie silence pressed in as Winter stared upward, scanning the many tiers of balconies above. The light from four crystal chandeliers glittered out across the room, reflecting off of the many mirrored surfaces covering the walls. Though the recruit quarters were well-maintained, the Instructors quarters were practically spotless, decorated as if meant to house royalty.

    “Quite extravagant, for the dorms of masters,” Karina noted, gesturing for Winter to take the lead.

    Ningning laughed. “You should see the councils’ home. It’s rumored to be carved from the bones of slain dragons.”

    Winter glanced at Karina for a response, noting the way the corners of the taller girl’s mouth grew taut, the way her eyes hardened. Clearly she had a different idea of Joohyun and Seulgi than Winter and Ningning did.

    Winter turned, leading her companions around the front desk, to the stairwell. She sent a Pulse to Giselle, a questioning emotion, probing to find out whether the older girl was alright or not. As Winter climbed the steps to the first floor, worry thrummed all throughout her, making her Crest grow fitful, crawling over her hands and biceps. Though her sister was with Yerim, the Evil was something that, apparently, no Guardians had dealt with before. Would they be able to defend themselves properly?

    Winter, Ningning, and Karina skipped the first two balconies, ascending at the fastest pace they could. None of the Instructors lived on any of those levels; these were reserved for training rooms, libraries, and recreational areas.

    “Instructor Yerim lives on the fifth floor,” Ningning called from behind, perhaps sensing Winter’s hesitation as they reached the third balcony. “Seventeenth room, I believe.”

    A frantic Pulse came from Giselle, causing Winter to skid to a halt. Simultaneously, the ground shook, a tremor ripping downward from above, shaking the balcony and causing the chandeliers to sway dangerously.

    “What was that?” Karina asked, looking around. She barely seemed jarred by the quake at all, while Ningning and Winter were forced to cling to the bannister of the staircase.

    “I have no idea,” Winter said, straightening. “Giselle sent me a Pulse, but I can’t tell what exactly it meant. It was just… frantic.”

    Another quake came, this one stronger than the last, and Winter grabbed hard to the balcony railing. Just as she did so, there was a flash of white, and a blurred, incomprehensible shadow shot down from above.

    Karina didn’t pause. She grabbed the side of the railing and vaulted over it. Winter rushed to the edge of the balcony, getting there just in time to see Karina land in a crouch, sword held out to her side. Across from her, one of the fog demons writhed and roiled, forming a series of long, snake-like protrusions.

Winter centered herself, allowing her dagger to retract into her body, to join the flow of her Crest and settle into her ankles and calves. She grabbed the railing and leapt. The sentiments she felt - worry for her sister, panic as the monster lashed at Karina, wonder at how fast she was falling - melted away as she flew downward. That cold, calm state took over, and she landed directly beside Karina. Ningning dropped in a moment later.

The monster struck out with a wave of separate tentacles, and the trio scattered. Several Crest blasts erupted from Karina and Ninging, twin cascades of black and white that did little to the Evil, but allowed for them to safely get out of reach of its tendrils. Winter cursed to herself, turning her dagger over in her hands as she ran, wishing that she’d learned more long-range combat with her Crest. The idea had simply never appealed to her like dagger and sword fighting did.

She was about to jump from behind the desk, hoping to provide a distraction for Karina and Ningning to move in, when two figures fell from the balcony above. The first was Giselle, landing in a sweep of blonde hair, a wild snarl painted on her face. An expression Winter had seen many times during the fiercest of training sessions. Her nose was bleeding profusely, and there were several gashes along her right arm, but otherwise she seemed well enough.

The second was Yerim. Her black bodysuit reflected the chandelier light as she fell, crimson hair fluttering in the updraft. She landed just within the monster’s reach, golden Crest shining like a beacon on her cheeks and forehead. Though she was barely three years their senior, Yerim held an air of command about her, a product of both her family status and her own merit as a prodigy. Unlike Giselle, Yerim was totally unharmed.

The monster shifted its attention, sending all of its tentacles shot toward Yerim an