Vol 1 - Ch 26 - Blade in the Dark

As a child, Caelan loved to hear Gramps tell stories of his past. He also had a quote for every situation, nuggets of wisdom he had accumulated over the decades.

One of his

“Careful with what you tell people. Wrong words at the wrong ears is worse than fixing the broken engine of a moving car.”

“Yes, sir!”

Caelan would only grasp the true meaning of those words much later in life to his bitter regret.

-----

The world spun in dizzying circles, vision flickering. Fire pulsed from the hole in his stomach, each beat spreading deeper. With a shallow breath, Caelan kept repeating the events of the night in his mind.

Should have listened to Leopold…

Poison, in all likeness. Didn't matter which type, he could feel his body failing. He felt like laughing if he had the energy to do so.

Thinking back on his life, Caelan felt a dullness in his chest. Only the failures came to mind, in quick succession. My brothers and sisters, butchered. Gramps in the hospital for the last time. And Sam, a weak smile as I held her hand before the end.

She looked scared, but did her best not to show. No tears came out of his eyes that day, had to be strong for her.

He turned his head and squinted for one final look at the knife. It had no handle—two leaf blades meant for throwing, not stabbing. Made for throwing, rather than stabbing. He held onto it, its edge slicing his palm. It helped spread the poison further, but at that point, it wouldn't matter.

I survive over a hundred anomaly encounters, but a knife finishes the job. What a way for a “super-soldier” to die…

Eyes closed, he let darkness embrace him. A distant voice echoed as if from a distant shore. Whoever it belonged to, he couldn’t care less.

I’ll see you soon, Sam… Gramps…

-----

Hours earlier, the young man made his way back to Nashoba’s home.

“No luck again?” His friend held a mug of coffee as Caelan opened the door, a heavy bag dropped on the ground.

Body heavy by sleepiness, Caelan collapsed on a chair. “Other than a couple of weird rodents, no one went inside the junkyard.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a sigh. “You heard of any stranger asking about the junkyard?”

Nashoba chuckled, his mug froze on the way to his mouth. “I think you spread those rumors a bit too well. Lots of folks turn up to see who the 'mysterious topsider" in the flesh. He took a sip from the scorching drink. "You appearing and acting like a rich dick only poured Ignis in the fire.”

Caelan smirked, thinking of how Leopold acted in the game. Smug. Untouchable. A perfect role to play. “Had a good teacher.”

The zoakri kept his intense stare at him for a few moments. “So, I still…”

Without opening his eyes, Caelan interrupted him. “No.”

He looked as though he had eaten a lemon. "Come on, you said this guy is mighty dangerous. You seriously gonna be stubborn on this? After all the help I gave?”

“That’s different.” One long breath later, Caelan continued. “I don’t want you nowhere near him because it’s dangerous.”

Arms crossed in an attempt to look more serious from Nashoba. "I can take care of myself."

“Not against him.” Images of the plane’s crew flashed before Caelan’s eyes. “Doc and Aunt Ye would kill me if anything happened to you. Not to mention, you swore you wouldn’t touch the subject anymore. Nor try and come help me, remember?”

"My exact words were 'I won't go with you fight this mysterious figure', aye." A finger tapped at his forearm. "Still think it's a bad idea to be there alone."

“Noted,” Caelan said while yawning. “Give me six hours to recharge. No use standing guard half-dead.”

-----

Feeling restored, Caelan stretched as he entered the kitchen. A note waited at the table, explaining that Nashoba had gone to help neighbors.

Fridge empty. Stomach growling. The weight of the coin in his pocket carried him toward the market, drawn by remembered smells. And today is market day too.

He spent the whole time figuring out what he would get. Nothing too heavy, in case he needed to fight later, but had to be filling. Could also go to Doc’s home for a taste of Aunt Ye’s cooking. But after weeks of thinking of mouth-watering scents, he had to try it.

I mean, could be my last chance, for all I know.

Once again, colorful stalls littered the streets as far as the eye could see. All manner of produce and utensils on display, to supply any need you might have. Caelan chuckled when he noticed some stalls looked like carbon copies of those he saw at the Shadow Market. A man’s got to eat, I suppose.

One vendor caught his eye, waving his arms around with wild energy. Promising the tastiest skewers they’d ever have. Dozens of people already in line convinced Caelan to check it out.

While the man promoted, a younger girl, still in her teens, prepared the meat. To Caelan, it felt as if the fragrance of paprika, lemon, and cheese jabbed him in the nose. Minced meat got shaped into cylinders with a mix of spices. Before being put into charcoal to roast. Ten seconds of holding back drool were enough for him to join the others in the line.

From the corner of vision, he noticed a hooded figure approached, straight at him. Wrong posture. Too confident for a street merchant. Heart racing, Caelan gripped the hatchet beneath his shirt, ready to strike.

“Well, mission accomplished.” A quick motion pulled back the hood. Caelan’s heart stopped.

Relief hit him like a wave. The hand on his weapon loosened. “Lucien! What in the…”

In the same way as Caelan, Lucien disguised himself as a zoakri. Full package, with fake scales and a chameleon tail swinging behind him. It would have impressed Nashoba on how well it all fit together.

The executor placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a long story, but the boss asked us to look into the missing pet. Know anything about it?”

He got a nod in return. “Might know a thing or two, yes.”

Lucien sighed and slumped, tension leaving his frame. “That’s great. Was getting tired of looking. How about we go see the boss and you can tell her about it?”

Caelan used some moments to think about it. "Sorry, but I already have something planned tonight."

“Oh?”

“Remember that annoying pest that keeps showing up?” Jaw tightened, Lucien nodded. “Well, I laid a trap for it and have been waiting for it to spring.”

“I see.” Hand on his chin, the young spy thought on it for a bit. “Would you like some help with dealing with that? I can call a few of my friends, make sure we get the bastard.”

Warmth spread across Caelan’s chest. “That would be great! Is Sarah with you?”

A subtle balance of the head came from him. “No, she’s busy somewhere else. But with four of us and you, it should be more than enough.”

“Agreed. Glad to know we can finally exterminate that pest.”

A smirk spread on the executor’s face. It didn’t spread to his eyes, which remained calculating. “Oh, couldn’t agree more.”

-----

Once Caelan finished checking his gear, he put it all in his bag. Prep work is done. If he shows up tonight, I get my answers or end him.

At the kitchen table, Rosa hummed—one hand sketching, the other fiddling with the glowing crystal pendant Nashoba had gifted her. “You sure you’ll be fine until Nashoba comes back?”

She gave him a thumbs up and a determined face. Nashoba had brought her from the clinic so Doc and Aunt Ye could have “alone time”. But the second he came back an old couple appeared asking for help. “Won’t be gone more than an hour, tops. Keep watching the daughter, would you darling?”

Looking at the watch under his wrist, Caelan saw Lucien and his team would arrive soon. When they separated earlier, he gave him the location of the house, where they would meet to stand watch at the junkyard. The executor even said they would help spread the rumors.

A knock on the door alerted him of their arrival. "Alright, be a good girl, and don't open the door to strangers. If anything happens, go find Nashoba, deal?"

One more thumbs-up from Rosa.

The door opened, he saw Lucien standing at the entrance, semblance shrouded by his hood. "You ready to solve our pest problem?"

“More than you think.”

A twinge of doubt flickered through Caelan’s gut—but not fast enough.

With the agility of a cat, the executor pulled a rod from his sleeve. It touched Caelan’s chest and it felt as if every muscle in his body contracted at once. Pain exploded through him. His muscles seized, and the floor slammed into him like a sledgehammer. Every instinct screamed to move—but his body refused.

“Lucien?” Caelan croaked, pain lacing every syllable. “Why—”

The executor crouched beside him, voice soft. “Orders are orders.”

Darkness swallowed him before he could scream. He tried to scream for Rosa to run, only for his blood to freeze when he heard sounds of struggle inside. Oh no… He tried to draw his weapon. Mind screamed the order to the body. His hands didn’t listen.

Then, everything went dark.

-----

When Caelan regained consciousness, heavy chains kept him tied to a chair. Each breath a struggle as he fought to move his neck. He looked around at the vast space littered with rubble, where Lucien watched him with three other people.

The traitor looked to one of them, a woman around their age. “See, I told you he would wake up earlier.”

“Good.” A bulky man stepped towards the bound Caelan. “Gives us time for this.”

When the fist hit, Caelan’s mind fog cleared in a second. Right side of his head burning, he ignored the metallic taste in his mouth and checked the intel. Lucien had betrayed him—whether for Vaedra, someone else, or reasons unknown. The fever in their eyes left no doubt—they hated him. And they tied him tight enough that he couldn’t move an inch.

On top of that, they had found Rosa.

After taking a long breath to quench the fire in his chest, Caelan focused. Had to keep them talking, learn what they wanted from him. Probe them until they reveal what happened to the little girl. “So, Vaedra showed her true colors at last?”

The giant man pulled his hair to raise Caelan's head. Pure white teeth locked in a grin. "She ain’t leading the show anymore. Not after her incompetence got eight people killed!” He emphasized the point with another blow, this time to the left.

He didn’t give him the satisfaction of showing pain. Only spit out the blood and grinned. Big guy, enjoys violence. Nurses a fragile ego, probably. “Is that how your boyfriend hits you at night?”

That granted him another punch to the nose, sending him to the ground.

“Enough!” Lucien didn’t need to raise his voice to have them in silence. “Orders are to bring him alive. Keep that up and Rikareos will eat your liver for dinner while you watch.”

Good, so Vaedra kept her word. Looking up, he met eyes with Lucien, who didn't turn away from it. "Seems like loyalty is foreign to you, isn't that right, Lucien?"

The bastard only shrugged at his taunt. “I serve the empire and the executors, not her. She’s just a fish in a pound, when there’s an ocean out there.”

The indifference froze Caelan in place. He thought back at the reluctant gentle soul from the games. A boy more interested in artistic pursuits rather than spy work. Whose entire storyline revolved around balancing that conflicted duality.

He could see none of that. All Caelan saw was a weapon, cold and calculated, like many men he fought in the past.

Everything felt wrong. Either his knowledge from the games was inaccurate to the world. Or the one staring him down wasn’t Lucien at all.

The realization felt so obvious, he berated himself for being an idiot and not seeing it. Leopold did, a lifetime ago. And now he’s the one paying for it.

“Lucien” is a Displaced too!

Caelan chuckled from the floor, blood on his teeth. Turns out Leopold’s instincts worked perfectly. No time to dwell on his stupidity, only to make sure of Rosa's well-being.

“Oh, you think this is all a big joke, do you?" The third figure, a slim man, spoke in a high-pitched voice. He fiddled with his thumbs and kept checking the door to their right.

“Now that you mention, I am looking at your face…” In retaliation, a kick to his exposed stomach. When the air returned to his lungs, Caelan ignored the aches and kept talking. “Man, you sure have some issues to vent. You doing alright buddy? Spy work too stressful, so you need to blow off steam by tenderizing people?”

The man lifted him, chair included, hand on his throat. "Why do they always think they are hilarious?”

Despite the hardship of speaking, some words managed to come out. "Sometimes I… strike gold. Unlike your dad… when he slept with your mom."

Blood rushed to his eyes as the squeeze got harder. “Friend, I wouldn't keep testing my patience. You're not going to like it if I do, believe me!”

Good. Pressure point found. It didn’t feel like that, with how many light dots danced in his vision. Come on, someone stop him. None of you want to be on Rikareos’ bad side, do you?

“Stop!” The woman pulled the man back, who let go of Caelan. Almost got another concussion when he slammed into the ground. She crossed her arms, fingers trembled with a semblance of self-control. “I know how you feel, Jonas, but we can’t just murder him in cold blood!”

"He sold out our friends!" The giant man had spit flying out of his mouth. "My Lucy, your cousin, and Gepard’s brother! All dead because he convinced Vaedra to send them to a trap.”

So that’s what this is about. While they bickered, he scanned the room for possible weapons and exit points. He flexed against the chains, testing for slack. He’d need a moment to strike—if one came.

“When’s the transport coming?” The one named Gepard spoke to Lucien. “We can’t stay here! A hollow can appear any second!”

Caelan’s pulse spiked. Outside the safe zone—of course.

“It’s coming along, relax.” With freezing eyes, Lucien looked at the two people arguing. “You know… Zayne has a point.”

“What?” The woman blinked at him, while the big guy’s eyes expanded. “What do you mean?”

“Look, we all know what’s going to happen, right?” He pointed up with a finger. “Rikareos will cut him a deal, he gets into a cozy cell while feeding him info.” All three executors looked down at Lucien’s words. “All for leniency. You think that’s fair?”

Caelan knew what the endgame would be. Whoever controlled Lucien’s body wanted him gone, for whatever reason. If he wanted to survive, convincing the other three was his only choice.

“I’m not a snitch!” Dizzy, but determined, Caelan forced out the words. “Vaedra had me on constant surveillance all the time? How would I pass along anything?”

“Any blessings could circumvent that.”

The bound man laughed at the notion. “I can’t use essence, you bloody morons! What sort of blessing could I have?”

"This is above our pay grade." The unnamed woman raised her hands. "Let's just give them to the people above and wash our hands from it."

“That’s bollocks and you know it!” Said Zayne, fist slammed against his palm. “We can get rid of him here and say he fought back.”

Steadying his breath, Caelan continued speaking. "You're all executors, trained to be spies. Tell me, what's the point of a double agent if they get caught in less than a month? You all think anyone can be that stupid?”

“H-He’s got a point.” Gepard raised his hand as if they were in a classroom. "Professor Vaedra also vouches for him, despite everything. We should let our superiors decide what to do."

“Are you all serious?” Zayne’s eyes darted from one person to another. “You can’t expect me to just have the guy who’s probably responsible for Lucy’s death and simply let him walk?”

“You aren’t letting me go.” He turned his massive head towards Caelan. “You think Rikareos will be gentle with whatever he has prepared? More than enough punishment there.”

Better have them drag me away than killed. If Caelan could convince the High Whisperer of his innocence, work towards unmasking Lucien could begin. All he needed was time for it.

Zayne clicked his tongue, arms crossed over his chest. “I hope he handles you personally!”

With one heavy sigh, as if tired, Lucien pulled something from his pocket. “How sad… I wanted this to be clean.”

He threw something on the ground, releasing a smoke cloud. Sounds of shocked words and screams of pain followed while Caelan fought against his restraints. When it settled, his stomach sunk below the earth with what he saw.

Lucien, blood on his blade, his dead colleagues spread around him. And three pale, flickering copies of himself.

“It’s you…” Beginning to hyperventilate, Caelan's thoughts were a complete mess. “You’ve been trying to kill me this whole time?”

"What gave it away?" With a smirk on his lips, he took out the lens from his eyes, revealing the purple eyes. "Hate how those feel all day. Like an itch you can't reach for a good scratch, you know?"

The weight of his mistake crashed onto Caelan. He thought of himself as the hunter, only to be nothing but a stupid rabbit. Then, his blood boiled in his veins.

Lips trembled as he stared daggers at his stalker. “Why?”

"The dead require no answers." With a flick to the blade, drops of blood everywhere. "Just know you got in my way and must be punished for it." The trapped Caelan tried to escape, his skin scraped off by the chains. “But before that, guess I must get rid of all loose ends.”

What he saw made Caelan stop breathing. Rosa, bound and gagged, tears in her eyes, pulled out of a box. Her eyes covered, she moved her head around until Lucien placed the edge of his blade on her throat. "So sweet and innocent. A shame."

“Wait! She has nothing to do with any of this? It’s me you want, not her!”

Lucien laughed, no emotion or warmth behind the sound. “Oh, that’s only an excuse. I just feel like seeing you anguished by a tiny cute corpse is all.” He then moved to slice open Rosa’s throat.

“NO!”

Adrenaline slowed reality, sharpening every detail. The iron scent of blood filled his nostrils. How his scream ripped and tore at the silence, his efforts in vain. How much fervor Lucien had in his eyes.

How a rat jumped from the ceiling, dropping right on the murderer’s face.

An aura barrier deflected any real damage. Didn’t stop the creature from crawling over Lucien’s body. The man tried to slap it away, only for the beast to change positions. Thank God that thing decided to jump on him now!

With a herculean effort, he tried to break the chains. Face purpled, metal links groaning. Still, he could not free himself.

“Fucking vermin!” At last, Lucien seized the rat, hurled it down, and crushed it beneath his boot. “You must have a star watching over you! Twice a critter stops me when you’re around!”

His words didn’t register with Caelan. Letting go of all pretense of control, he yelled at the man walking towards Rosa. “Wait wait wait wait wait! Just kill me, not her!” Sam’s corpse came to mind, pale inside the coffin. Tears fell unnoticed. “For the love of God, PLEASE!” Desperation made Caelan’s mind play tricks on him. He swore the air behind Lucien shimmered for a moment.

“Time to embrace the stars, child.”

Before he could finish the deed, Doc appeared out of thin air. Then, he smashed Lucian’s side with a warhammer.

The monster rolled on the floor and recomposed himself, twin blades drawn. The sound of string snapping filled the room, before he jumped sideways, a bolt embedded in his chest. With an animalistic howl, Doc stormed towards Lucien. His hammer raised high, shield raised.

“Thank the Matron we got here in time!” Nashoba dropped to his knees beside Caelan, bolt cutter in hand.

"About time!" The displaced did not dare take his eyes off the duel between Doc and Lucien. "How did you find us?"

"Rosa's pendant has a tracker." The zoakri finished cutting all the chains holding him back. "Don't look at me like that! It fucking helped us save the day, didn't it?"

“Forget that, we have to help…”

Lucien threw copy after copy towards Doc. And like a bulldozer, he smashed each one of them away. Like he swatted flies. Biting his lips, the assassin tried to keep his distance. Only for the old man to close the distance with each passing second.

“I’m never getting Doc angry.” When Rosa got freed from her bounds, she threw herself at Nashoba. “We must get out of…”

From the corner of his eye, Caelan saw Lucien throw something. It flew straight at Rosa, triumph curling Lucien’s lips. They locked eyes for the briefest of moments, both aware of what would happen.

Instinct and years of training drove Caelan forward, shoving Nashoba and Rosa out of danger. The knife went deep in his stomach instead, his body losing all strength.

“CAELAN!” Nashoba sounded distant, as if from underwater.

“I’m sorry…” That’s all he could say, before collapsing.