Shadowblade (Part One)

The hallway was dimly lit, each patchwork of mismatched tables in the room telling stories of quiet conversations. A soft, muted buzz filled the air, and the low murmur of voices and the occasional clatter of glassware echoed in the cozy, shadowed corners.

Finn and Siri were huddled near the bar, talking. Iris sat behind, out of view, while Lancer wiped clean some glasses behind the counter.

Finn folded his arms to Siri. "What are you doing?"

Siri barely glanced up, focusing on whatever strange concoction she was brewing.

"Experimenting. It´s a surprise."

His eyes darted to the container.

"Looks more like a health hazard. And what about the bottles? You can´t just switch the labels and expect me to figure it out."

Siri flicked her dark hair over her shoulders. "Maybe if you paid more attention, you´d be able to tell the difference between run and vinegar, Finn."

"That´s not the point!" he said, sniffing a glass suspiciously. "I´m trying to help run a respectable establishment here. Are you waiting for someone to get poisoned?"

Lancer, who listened on, couldn´t suppress a smirk. "You two get along so well."

Their eyes widened and they spoke in unison.

"We do not!"

"Right, enough messing around," he added. "Iris needs to learn the ropes, and I´d rather not have to clean up after another one of your ´incidents´, Finn."

Finn saluted mockingly but with respect in his eyes. He turned to Iris and found her curled up like a ball, her legs tucked under and her arms wrapped around them.

She always does that, he thought. "You´re old enough, right?" he asked her, holding up a bottle of wine.

Iris´ dark eyes were fixated on him. She nodded her head and promptly stood up.

"I don´t want one."

"Come on then," he said. "I´ll show you how to take orders without getting yelled at, that´s lesson one."

Later, after most of the customers had left late into the night and the bar was almost empty, Iris was wiping down the tables. At that moment the door creaked open, revealing a man and a young boy, their figures cloaked in the heavy shadows of the dim street outside.

The man, tall and gaunt with weary eyes, scanned the room with a desperate caution, his breathing heavy and his posture tense. His dark hair framed a face filled with worry. He wore simple but frayed clothes, and he kept a protective arm around the boy by his side.

The boy, around fifteen, had a wild but adorable look about him. His bright curious eyes darted around the room.

"Okay, lesson two. Greet customers as soon as they- "

He broke off as he straightened from where he´d been leaning against the counter, just now noticing the newcomers. He looked over to Lancer, who nodded.

"Upstairs," Siri said, disappearing behind towards the stairs to lead the way. The man and the boy followed, the door closing shut behind them.

Lancer waited until they were gone, then noticed the look of confusion and interest on Iris´ face she was trying hard to hide. She caught his eyes momentarily and immediately went back to scrubbing, not saying a word.

Lancer smiled.

"This isn´t just any bar," he explained. "It´s kind of a haven for all Replicants in Arnem- those who do not want to be a part of the king´s system."

Iris unexpectedly spoke, although not looking up.

"Both of them?"

"Oh no, just the son. We protect people like him, Replicants who have nowhere else to go. Who either used to live in the Ghoul sectors or are being chased by the military."

Just then Siri returned.

"Prowlers," she muttered. "They´ve been on their trail for days."

"As long as they´re with us, no one´s touching them. Ed is out there, handling things. He´ll keep them away."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Edward moved silently through the narrow, winding alleys of the city, the oppressive darkness and the Replicant cloak blanketing his every step. He was using Aegis continuously to avoid attention and block sudden attacks.

He noticed the misty atmosphere, his mind racing. The mists had been getting stronger for some time, even though they were not as noticeable here as it was in the Ghoul-dominated sectors.

But for now, he had another thing to do. This wasn´t the first time Edward had hunted through these streets, but tonight felt different. Both of them had barely made it safely into the bar. Immediately after he had had to go scouring, to make sure the trail leading to their hiding place was cold. As he moved quickly, wind whistling in his ears, his thoughts drifted back to Iris.

She was new, untested, and still struggling with her powers. And it had only been a week since her arrival. Could she be trusted to keep the secret of their refuge safe? If she slipped up, or worse, ran away or betrayed them . . . but Ed quickly shook off the thought, catching a glimmer of her fierce, stubborn, yet gentle nature.

No, he whispered to himself. "She´s not a bad person. She´s probably the one who doesn´t trust us, coming from the underworld. And I couldn´t blame her."

Just then he heard something and quickly positioned himself at the corner of an unlit street. Moments later, he heard it again. Louder. The sound of footsteps echoed through the alley, and five soldiers came into view on the far side, all armed with Obsidian swords that glinted menacingly in the low light. He could see them scanning the area, sharp and predatory. But what made him worried was the figure at their center.

A Prowler. Cloaked in darkness. They were Replicants, like Ed. They were the king´s personal enforcers, bound to their master´s will and ruthless in carrying out their duties. The Prowler´s face was hidden under a hood, but he could feel the cold, assessing gaze. They were searching. And they were close to the dark spot where Ed stood. Very close.

The very fact that they´d now decided to send a Prowler meant that they were growing increasingly suspicious.

The very fact that they´d now decided to send a Prowler meant that they were growing increasingly suspicious.

Knowing he had to act fast, he removed his cloak and deliberately stepped out into the light in front of them, letting himself become visible for a good few seconds before sprinting away down the alley. The soldiers immediately noticed, and bolted after him, assuming he was one of the runaways they were looking for.

Ed put on his cloak again and ran, using Iron to enhance his speed. He allowed them to keep up with him, their heavy feet clattering behind him. He could also hear the Prowler´s softer, more deliberate steps, calculating and relentless.

The Prowler sprang forward suddenly with a huge leap of Arcane, and Edward narrowly avoided impact, turning sharply to the left. He led them through a maze of alleyways, weaving in and out of the shadows, always staying just within sight and just out of reach using Arcane in quick bursts to propel himself over obstacles and around corners.

He turned sharply again, this time leading them into a wide open market square littered with forgotten stalls and faded banners, almost at the edge of the outer sectors.

He stopped using Arcane and didn´t move as the soldiers caught up and formed a loose circle around him, their swords at his neck from all sides. The Prowler stepped forward with his golden daggers.

"End of the line," he said in a low voice. "Rebel scum."

Edward removed his hood, revealing his face in what seemed to be an acceptance of defeat.

He smiled.