Angelica pulled Loqi into her room and shut the door. The blond watched her every move, both shocked and bewildered by her actions. He didn't even have a chance to decline her offer. Of course, he couldn't help giving in to the idea of indulging himself. I do deserve something for my hard work, he told himself, hoping to justify his decision. What really had him stunned though was the fact that a Lucian girl seemed so into him.

Angelica smiled sweetly. "Take off your armor."

Loqi blinked in surprise, his mind pondering about where she was going with such an order. "We... barely know each other," he argued, though his own desire was staring to overtake him. "And your a Lucian. It wouldn't work between us."

The girl giggled at him. "Just do it," she softly commanded.

Loqi couldn't deny her pretty face, especially in her current apparel. He stripped himself of his armor, leaving him in his normal clothing underneath. Angelica then pointed to her bed.

"Now, on your stomach."

Loqi rose an eyebrow, confused as to what she was going to do. But he did as told, going to the bed and lying on his stomach on the sheets. Angelica walked over, getting on the bed and crawling over him. She got herself situated to where her legs were on either side of his hips and she hovered directly over him. She placed her palms against his back and began massaging the muscles. Loqi immediately let out a low groan of content, folding his arms and resting his head on them.

"Angel is such a fitting name for you," he muttered, relaxing under her touch. "You're too amazing to be a Lucian."

She grinned to herself. "You were way overdue for this. You have so much tension in your muscles." She worked her way up to his shoulders for a bit before returning to his back. "So, are you here on your own?"

"No. Caligo Ulldor is in charge of this investigation."

"Oh? Well that's a shame. You seem like such a great leader." She wanted to get straight to the point. "By the way, what's this little investigation all about anyway?"

"To find Prince Noctis." Loqi's expression darkened at the mere mention of the prince. "That royal pain caused me way too much trouble before. We got word that he was last seen here."

"Well I certainly haven't seen him," she lied. "But enough about him, I heard that despite the war being over, Niflheim is still creating their magitek soldiers. Is that true?"

"Yeah. I don't know the details behind it though. I just follow orders."

"Is it also true that the empire is now seeking out the Oracle, who now carries the Ring of the Lucii?"

Loqi's half-lidded eyes snapped open. "How do you know about that?" His voice was suddenly very wary and serious.

Angelica chuckled darkly. "Oh, there's a lot of things that I know." She carefully slid out a throwing knife from between her breasts. "It's true though, isn't it? The previous high commander did everything he could to obtain the ring back at the Citadel."

Loqi started to shift under her. She placed the tip of the knife against the back of his neck, halting his movements. He peered up at her from the corner of his eye. "Who are you?" he angrily questioned.

She leaned down, a smirk on her lips. "That's irrelevant. What's important is that I get the answers I want. Now answer my question or I'll drive this blade right through your flesh." Loqi gulped in fear. "Just imagine your spinal cord being punctured. You'd suffer from permanent paralysis and bring nothing but shame to your name, assuming you don't die, that is."

Her tactics worked. "Okay!" Loqi finally answered. "I'll talk! When Insomnia was attacked, the emperor wanted both the Crystal and the ring! But the Oracle absconded with it!"

Angelica smirked triumphantly. "Good." She lightly pressed the small blade into his skin, just enough for him to feel it. "Now answer all of my questions and I might just let you go."

There were suddenly multiple screams from outside. The redhead jerked her head up, looking toward the window. Angelica glanced down at Loqi with a cold glare. But with so much commotion outside, she needed to know what was going on. She leaned down closer to his ear.

"Consider yourself lucky."

She instantly jumped off him, slipping her knife back into its resting place. She rushed toward the window, hearing Loqi shout, "You won't get away with this!"

Ignoring him, Angelica jumped off the small balcony and landed in the street below. The sight before her left her frozen with wide eyes. An older man in armor she assumed was Caligo stood over a corpse. That corpse was Jared. Caligo held a sword coated in blood.

Iris was among the crowds, hugging Talcott tightly. Both of them cried relentlessly. Imperial troops began circling the area, shooing the citizens away. Loqi, now back in his armor, came rushing out, not noticing Angelica in the crowds as he quickly approached Caligo, his eyes glued to the scene.

"What the hell? Sir, we weren't supposed to harm the citizens."

Caligo sighed, sheathing his sword. "I admit, my actions were a bit hasty. Come, Tummelt, our business here has concluded."

The two men gathered their soldiers to retreat. Angelica was burning with rage. Her eyes were fixed on Caligo, memorizing every aspect of his appearance. She was about to follow after him and Loqi, but a hand snatched her arm. She looked back only to be engulfed in a hug from both Iris and Talcott. Her fury subsided as the two clung to her, crying their eyes out.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, her own eyes growing wet. "I'm so sorry."

Before long, the Niflheim troops were gone, leaving their flags hung up all across town. The mood was no longer lively and cheerful in Lestallum. Everyone was depressed or infuriated by the events. While Iris and Talcott remained in their room, mourning the loss, Angelica isolated herself.

She was convinced that she could've stopped all of that from happening. She was certain this time that she was to blame for it all, and the guilt was eating away at her alongside the memories of the attack on the Citadel that plagued her mind. Why must I sit by and watch everything being taken away from me?