Chapter 40: Regrets

Calen exited the administrative center of Operientes Solem with a heavy heart. The looming darkness of the Aeris streets mirrored his unease. The city, typically bustling, felt oppressively quiet as the last vestiges of sunlight slipped beneath the horizon.

His steps quickened as he headed for his apartment. Perhaps Livra had returned home for some reason. He couldn’t shake the nagging thought that something terrible had happened. Just as he turned a corner, his communicator buzzed violently in his pocket. The name flashing on the screen sent a chill through him: Valtheris.

“Yes?” Calen answered, his voice cautious.

“Ardyn,” Valtheris barked, his tone a mixture of fury and panic. “I just got off a call with Magistrate Drena. The girl—Veyne—didn’t show up for her meeting at the administration. What the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know,” Calen replied honestly. “I went to the administration myself to check on her. That’s when I learned she hadn’t shown up. I’ve been trying to contact her, but no luck. I’m searching for her now, across the island.”

“Damn it,” Valtheris cursed, his frustration boiling over. “This is a disaster. The magistrates are at their breaking point, and they’re ready to hang me out to dry. Find her, Ardyn. Now. Drag her to the administration if you have to. If we don’t fix this, war is inevitable.”

The line went dead as Valtheris hung up abruptly.

Calen’s pace quickened. By the time he reached his apartment, his chest was tight with anxiety. Flinging open the door, he scanned the room. No sign of Livra. Her belongings were untouched. It was as if she had simply vanished.

“Where could you be?” Calen muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

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In the depths of the Islets below Aeris, inside an abandoned levicita refinery, a far more sinister scene was unfolding. The refinery’s once-bustling halls now echoed with the eerie hum of machinery long since dormant. A room that had once been an office had been transformed into a makeshift dungeon, its air thick with the scent of rust and decay.

Ava Lysan, seated in her levitating chair, observed the scene with a malevolent smile. Her voice, low and chilling, filled the room. “What a delightful gift you’ve brought me, Magistrate Korran,” she said, her tone dripping with malice.

“Isn’t it perfect?” Velis Korran replied with a laugh. “With the girl out of the picture, there will be no statement to calm the masses. The tensions with the Earthlands will only rise, and soon enough, war will be upon us.”

Sienna Veilore stood off to the side, her expression unreadable as she took in the scene. Livra Veyne hung limply from the wall, bound in chains and gagged, her face pale and bruised. Sienna’s gaze lingered on the girl, a pang of guilt twisting in her chest.

Sienna had always known that Korran harbored ambitions of conquest, using war as a tool to expand the empire of Operientes Solem. But seeing it in action—seeing Livra, an innocent girl, being used as a pawn in his game—shook her. She had underestimated just how far Korran was willing to go.

“Yes,” Ava Lysan confirmed, her voice like nails on glass. “But tensions take time to escalate. We must hasten the process. To do that…” She turned her gaze to Livra, her eyes glinting with psychopathic glee. “We’ll record a message. A video showing her torture. We’ll pose as radicals loyal to the administration and send it to the Earthlands. The outrage will spark war immediately.”

Before Sienna could react, Tessa Elmein stepped forward. Without hesitation, Tessa raised her hand and slapped Livra hard across the face, jolting her awake.

Livra gasped in pain, her vision blurred as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. The sharp ache of her cheek brought her back to reality. Her wide, fearful eyes darted around the room, taking in the faces before her.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?” Livra cried, her voice trembling. Then her gaze landed on Sienna. “You… Sienna!. Calen told me you were a good person. Why are you doing this?”

Sienna looked away, unable to meet Livra’s tearful eyes. Her chest tightened, guilt clawing at her as Livra’s words echoed in her ears.

“Enough,” Tessa said coldly. She reached for her weapon, but Ava Lysan raised a hand to stop her.

“Wait,” Ava said, her voice slow and deliberate. “Let’s allow our new ally to handle this.” Her gaze turned to Sienna, a predatory smile curling on her lips. “Show us we can trust you, Sienna Veilore. Fulfill your duty.”

Sienna froze. Her blood ran cold as the weight of Ava’s words sank in. She glanced at Livra again—the girl was trembling, her bruised face streaked with tears. Sienna’s hand tightened into a fist at her side.

“This is your chance,” Ava continued, her tone sickly sweet. “Prove your loyalty.”

Sienna hesitated, her mind racing. She had made compromises in the past, but this… this crossed a line she hadn’t dared to imagine.

Livra whimpered, her voice barely audible. “Please…”

The room grew silent, all eyes on Sienna. The weight of their expectation pressed down on her, suffocating.

Tessa smirked, leaning against the wall. “What’s the matter, Veilore? Don’t tell me you’re growing soft.”

Sienna’s mind screamed at her to act, to do something. She couldn’t go through with this. But if she refused, what would happen to her? To Livra? To Calen?

Ava’s smile grew wider as she studied Sienna’s hesitation. “Go on, dear,” she urged. “It’s a simple task.”

Sienna took a step forward, her heart pounding. Every fiber of her being revolted at what she was about to do. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Livra’s eyes again. Her mind scrambled for a way out, for a solution, for anything that wouldn’t damn her soul.

But she was running out of time.

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Calen remained frozen in his apartment, his mind swirling with questions. Where could he even begin to search for Livra?

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

A jolt of nervous energy shot through him. He rushed to the door, his heart pounding. Could it be Livra?

As he swung it open, disappointment and confusion flooded him. Three men stood before him.

“She’s not here, is she?” said Balthar, the tall mercenary whose body was still entirely wrapped in bandages. His voice was gravelly, almost detached. “I already told these two that the girl isn’t the type to run from her responsibilities. Not when she might prevent her people from plunging into war.”

“Then there’s only one option left,” Fin Valtheris said, stepping forward. His tone was as sharp and cold as the steel of his gaze.

Calen’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Balthar? Valtheris? What are you doing here?”

Before either could respond, the third figure spoke, his voice calm yet commanding. “Hoho, a curious question, young Ardyn.”

The man was unlike anyone Calen had seen before. Short and stout, he had a long, flowing white beard and a bald head that gleamed under the hallway’s dim lighting. Though aged, his presence was undeniably formidable.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” the man said with a slight bow. “I am Magistrate Arion Vosca.”

Calen’s eyes widened in shock. Arion Vosca? He was the highest-ranking magistrate in Operientes Solem, a figure of both reverence and fear.

“The Arion Vosca?” Calen stammered.

“The very same,” Vosca replied smoothly. “And as for what we’re doing here, the answer is simple: we’ve come to ensure that Livra Veyne isn’t hiding in this apartment before more... drastic measures become necessary.”

Calen’s stomach churned. “What do you mean by ‘drastic measures’?”

Vosca’s expression darkened, though a faint smile played on his lips. “You’ll understand soon enough, boy. But for now, follow us. We’ve prepared transportation.”

Calen hesitated, glancing back into his apartment. It was as though he still expected Livra to appear, to give him an answer or a sign of what to do. But she didn’t. There was only emptiness behind him.

“I don’t understand,” Calen said, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “Why do you need me? What’s happening?”

“You’ll find out soon,” Vosca said, his tone brooking no argument. He gestured toward the hallway. “Come along. Time is of the essence.”

Balthar gave Calen a slight nod, his expression unreadable. Valtheris remained stoic, his sharp eyes locked on Calen.

With a heavy sigh, Calen grabbed his coat and followed the three men.

The transport awaiting them was a sleek, unmarked vehicle hovering just outside the building. Its dark surface seemed to absorb the fading light of the city, blending into the evening shadows. Calen knew this model of vehicle, it was one expensive kind, powered by levicita, electricity and steam. That kind was obsolete by hundreds of years, why in hell should they travel with that.... Unless... One thought crossed his mind. They needed to aviod levicita sensors to move between small islands and prevent bveing pulled away by the magnetism.

However, the transport wouldn’t get them very far; their destination had to be relatively close.

Inside the vehicle, a woman sat in silence, gazing out of the window. As the others boarded, she glanced at them with disinterest before returning her attention to the passing scenery.

Balthar took the controls of the old, unmarked craft and began piloting with steady precision.

“Allow me to introduce you,” Vosca said in his usual authoritative tone. “Calen Ardyn, this is Magistrate Ilara Drena.”

Calen was stunned. What on earth was he doing in an outdated vehicle with two magistrates and the head of the LCC?

“Magistrate,” Vosca continued, addressing the woman, “this is—”

“Yes, yes, I know exactly who this boy is,” Drena interrupted sharply. “Unfortunately, I’ve heard more about him than I’d like. Sienna seems to hold you in high regard, did you know that, boy?”

“Uh...?” was all Calen could manage, his expression betraying his complete confusion.

Valtheris cut in with a harsh tone. “Ardyn, I hope you understand that what we’re doing tonight must remain an absolute secret. As you can see, we’re traveling in an unmarked, old craft with no security detail. The only one capable of defending us here is Balthar. This mission stays off the record. Understood?”

“Yes, understood. But... what exactly are we doing?” Calen asked.

“Is this boy an idiot or what?” Drena said, rolling her eyes.

“I told you he’s thick-headed,” Balthar added with a dry chuckle and a big smile in his face, his hands steady on the controls.

Vosca, unbothered, continued, “Young Ardyn, what we’re doing should be obvious. We’re going to find Livra Veyne. For months now, Magistrate Drena and I have harbored suspicions about Magistrate Korran. As you may have noticed, he isn’t here. Balthar informed us, just as he did you, that the man he fought in the orphanage bore a paramilitary fighting style identical to the group Velis Korran was part of during his youth. That alone increased our suspicions, so we’ve kept a close eye on him.”

“That’s right,” Drena interjected. “I knew he would try to create obstacles to complicate my diplomatic efforts, but I didn’t think he’d be foolish enough to contact my former right hand, Sienna Veilore. Since I dismissed her, Korran must have assumed she was dispensable to me. He let his guard down and attempted to manipulate her. But Sienna has always been a valuable asset to the administration, so I kept monitoring her movements.

“This morning, Livra Veyne was supposed to meet with me. Instead, Korran and Sienna ambushed and kidnapped her,” Drena said, her voice tinged with both anger and disgust.

Calen struggled to process the flood of information. Sienna had kidnapped Livra? Why?

“And where are we headed?” Calen asked, his tone uncertain.

“To the Islets near the abandoned orphanage,” Vosca replied. “We suspect there are hidden facilities nearby where this entire plot is being carried out.”

“And what am I supposed to do?” Calen asked again.

“Oh, young Ardyn,” Vosca said with a cryptic smile. “I can’t say for certain. But I believe you might be able to help us more than you realize. Sometimes, the heart holds more power than reason. Humanity is a complicated thing. Despite all the technological advancements we make over the years, we remain living beings who love and feel. Remember that.”