The restaurant was one of the few places in Satceb that still clung to a semblance of normalcy, its dim lighting and low hum of conversation providing a temporary refuge from the chaos outside. Alex Victory sat at the far end of a long, polished table, his posture relaxed but his mind anything but. The events of the previous night weighed heavily on him, but he had learned long ago how to compartmentalize his thoughts. He sipped his drink, a faint smile playing on his lips as he observed the other occupants of the table.

On the opposite end, Hallelujah, known infamously as "The Silver Devil," lounged in his chair, his eyes catching the dim light and giving him an ethereal, almost otherworldly glow. His aura was one of calm, controlled power, a stark contrast to the chaotic energy that seemed to radiate from his wife, Inkosazana. She sat perched on his lap, her long legs draped across him, her presence both alluring and intimidating. Her beauty was the kind that made time itself seem to slow down, every movement she made drawing the eye, every glance from her deep, dark eyes hinting at untold mysteries. Inkosazana was a force of nature, a being of pure, unadulterated allure, and those who underestimated her often found themselves facing a power far greater than they could comprehend.

The three of them formed an unlikely group, bound together by their roles within SAGA. Alex, the cold and calculating enforcer; Hallelujah, the enigmatic and powerful Devil; and Inkosazana, a woman whose very presence seemed to distort reality and illusion. They were a faction within SAGA, tasked with missions that required more than just brute strength—they required cunning, finesse, and a willingness to operate in the moral gray areas that most others feared to tread.

Dorian, their informant and handler, appeared beside Alex with a suddenness that would have startled most, but Alex merely glanced at him, his expression unchanged. Dorian slid into the seat next to Alex, his usual nonchalant demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness.

“I don’t usually gather all of you in one place,” Dorian began, his voice low, “but this time it’s different. SAGA has a mission for you, and it’s too important to be handled in fragments.”

Hallelujah raised an eyebrow, his hand idly tracing patterns on Inkosazana’s thigh. “What’s the job, Dorian? You know we don’t do well with vagueness.”

Dorian leaned forward, his eyes flicking between them. “You’ve all heard of the Queen’s Gladius, right?”

The mention of the name made Inkosazana sit up slightly, her interest piqued. Alex, however, remained still, his mind already calculating the implications. The Queen’s Gladius was more than just a gem—it was a fragment of the Golden Ring, one of the two anomalies that had nearly torn the world apart a decade ago during Ogre's War. The very idea that a piece of it still existed was enough to cause ripples throughout the underworld, and the fact that it was in Satceb made the situation all the more dangerous.

“It’s here, in the city,” Dorian continued, “and someone is trying to sell it to the Black Jackals, a faction of Devils that have been making moves in the shadows. If they get their hands on it, who knows what kind of chaos they could unleash?”

“Where do we come in?” Alex asked, though he already knew the answer.

“Your mission is to find the seller before the deal can go down,” Dorian said, his tone grave. “But there’s a catch—the city is in the middle of a destabilization event. Streets, air, sky, even reality itself—it’s all shifting. The army has already issued a citywide alert, telling everyone to stay indoors until it ends. But we can’t afford to wait.”

Hallelujah sighed, his fingers drumming against the table. “A destabilization event, huh? I thought we’d be dealing with something more…stable for once.”

Inkosazana smiled, her eyes glittering with excitement. “Destabilization is just another word for opportunity, love.”

Dorian ignored the banter, his focus entirely on the mission. “This isn’t going to be easy. The Black Jackals aren’t the only ones interested in the Queen’s Gladius. There are other players in the city right now, and they’re all dangerous. You’ll need to move quickly and carefully.”

As they discussed the mission, the restaurant’s walls began to subtly warp, the first sign of the destabilization event. The room seemed to stretch and compress in irregular intervals, the lights flickering as reality itself struggled to maintain coherence. It was a disorienting effect, one that could easily unnerve those who weren’t accustomed to the city’s shifting nature. But for Alex, Hallelujah, and Inkosazana, it was just another day in Satceb.

Outside, the city was in chaos. Buildings twisted and turned as if they were alive, streets changed direction, and the sky—already shattered by the Red Trident—pulsed with an unnatural energy. The very fabric of reality was coming apart at the seams, and those who were unfortunate enough to be caught outside during the event faced the risk of being lost forever in the voids that opened between the cracks.

As the group exited the restaurant and stepped into the shifting streets, the full extent of the destabilization event became clear. The air was thick with static, and the sounds of the city were distorted, echoing strangely as if they were being filtered through a broken lens. The streets themselves were a maze, with paths that should have led one way suddenly leading another, and landmarks appearing and disappearing at random.

Navigating through this chaos required more than just knowledge of the city—it required an understanding of the forces at play, and an ability to anticipate the shifts before they happened. For Alex, this was second nature. He moved through the distorted streets with a confidence born of experience, his eyes constantly scanning for any signs of trouble.

Hallelujah and Inkosazana followed, the former’s aura of calm unshaken by the shifting reality, while the latter seemed to revel in the chaos, her laughter echoing eerily as they moved. They passed by groups of huddled citizens, all too aware of the dangers lurking just beyond the edges of their vision. Some of them recognized Alex and his companions, but most were too focused on their own survival to pay much attention.

As they made their way through the city, they began gathering information about the seller of the Queen’s Gladius. It was slow going—many of their usual contacts were either in hiding or unwilling to speak out of fear of the Black Jackals. But piece by piece, they began to put together a picture of who they were dealing with.

Finally, after hours of searching and questioning, they got a solid lead. A low-level fence, known for dealing in rare and powerful artifacts, had been seen making contact with someone matching the seller’s description. The fence operated out of a small, nondescript building on the edge of the city, a place that even the shifting streets seemed to avoid.

As they approached the building, Alex felt a growing sense of unease. The air here was different—heavier, more oppressive. It was as if the very atmosphere was warning them to turn back. But they pressed on, their determination overriding their instincts.

Inside, the building was dark and silent, the only light coming from a single flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling. The walls were lined with shelves filled with all manner of strange and ancient objects, many of them pulsing with an unnatural energy. But it wasn’t the artifacts that held their attention—it was the body lying in the center of the room.

The seller was dead, his body twisted and broken in ways that defied explanation. It was as if reality itself had turned against him, warping his form into something unrecognizable. Inkosazana knelt beside the body, her expression unreadable as she examined the scene.

“He’s been dead for a while,” she said, her voice unusually quiet. “But whatever did this… it’s still close.”

Alex cursed under his breath. They had been so close, and now their lead was gone. But as he scanned the room, something caught his eye—a small, faintly glowing stone lying near the body. It was unassuming, but there was an unmistakable aura of power surrounding it.

Hallelujah reached out to pick up the stone, but before he could touch it, a loud noise shattered the silence. The walls of the building began to shake, and the air was suddenly filled with the sound of distant voices, growing louder and more distinct with each passing moment.

At the same time, in a darkened boardroom far removed from the chaos of Satceb, a group of individuals sat around a long table. They were the leaders of the most powerful corporations in the world, their influence surpassing even that of most governments. But their true power lay not in their wealth, but in their shared hatred—an all-consuming desire to eradicate all Devils from existence.

“The war may have ended, but the Devils remain a blight on our world,” one of them said, his voice filled with venom. “They are an affront to everything we stand for. Their very existence is a reminder of the chaos they brought upon us.”

Another nodded in agreement. “The Golden Ring may be gone, but its fragments still linger, and with them, the Devils’ influence. We must find these fragments and ensure they are destroyed, along with every last one of those abominations.”

Their hatred stemmed from the devastation wrought by Ogre’s War—a war that had reshaped the world in ways that could never be undone. While the war had brought them immense power and wealth, it had also left deep scars, both physical and psychological. The Devils, with their paracausal abilities and disregard for the natural order, were a constant reminder of that trauma.

“We’ve already begun purging them from our ranks,” another said, his tone cold and methodical. “But we need to do more. We need to be thorough. There can be no room for mercy.”

Their conversation continued, filled with plans and strategies for the complete eradication of Devils. It was clear that they would stop at nothing to achieve their goal, even if it meant plunging the world into another war.

Back in Satceb, Alex and his companions stood over the dead body of the seller, the implications of their failure weighing heavily on them. The Queen’s Gladius was still out there, and now it was up for grabs by anyone willing to take it. But as they prepared to leave, they knew one thing for certain—the city was about to become a battleground, and they were right in the middle of it.

As they exited the building, the streets outside had changed again, the destabilization event reaching its peak. The sky above was a chaotic swirl of colors, the fractured remnants of the Red Trident casting strange shadows over the city. The air crackled with energy, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to shift with every step.

“We need to move quickly,” Alex said, his voice tense. “If the Black Jackals get their hands on the Gladius, it could be the end of everything.”

Hallelujah nodded, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a steely determination. “Then let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.”

As they navigated through the shifting realms of Satceb, their thoughts were already on their next move. The city was a maze of dangers, and the stakes had never been higher. But for Alex Victory and his companions, this was just another day in a world where reality itself could no longer be trusted.