Chapter 15 The Man Called Lockwood

Kai crossed his arms, shifting his weight impatiently. "What are your reasons? I have things to do."

Gerry Lockwood leaned back in his chair, studying Kai with the calm patience of a man who had seen too many battles to be easily intimidated. He adjusted his vest and stroked his thick handlebar mustache before speaking. The old wooden chair creaked under his weight. Papers and reports were stacked around his desk like small fortresses.

"You caused quite the mess out there," Gerry said, nodding toward the window, where sunlight angled across the battered streets below. “Brick’s unconscious, Patrona’s changed her stripes, and Gregory is still spitting blood in the infirmary. Not to mention the property damage.”

Gerry let out a small, tired laugh. “This city’s seen its fair share of brawls, but you… you’re something else.”

Kai narrowed his eyes. “If you’re going to fine me, just say it and let me go.”

Gerry chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, there’s a fine, no doubt about that. But that’s not why you’re here.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “I need someone like you. Someone capable of handling things others can’t.”

Kai stared back, unmoving. “Alright. How the hell do you know all this? About the Demon Lord coming back, about cultists, even about Patrona switching sides? I’ve barely caught my breath since all this started.”

Gerry raised an eyebrow. “We’ve been watching you since you arrived in this city, Kai. Your fights tend to… draw attention. Patrona was interrogated by guild officials after she was captured. She talked. Told us enough to connect some dots. As for the Demon Lord…” He exhaled, looking older for a moment. “We’ve got spies everywhere. And some of them didn’t make it back. But they sent enough warnings before they disappeared.”

Kai scowled. “So Patrona’s… what? Team Kai now?”

Gerry gave a small shrug. “She claims she is. Personally, I’m not convinced. People like her change sides more often than they change clothes. But she’s valuable if she’s telling the truth.”

Kai huffed. “Figures.”

Gerry continued, leaning forward, voice lower. “The Demon Lord is returning,” he said, his tone serious now, the humor gone. “We have reason to believe the ritual has already begun.”

Kai scoffed, shifting his weight again. “The Demon Lord? I thought your so-called ‘heroes’ already handled that.”

“They did,” Gerry admitted, rubbing his thumb over his mustache. “But evil never truly dies, does it? The black prayers have been spoken. And this time… it’s different.”

Kai tilted his head slightly. “Different how?”

Gerry slid a document across the desk. The heavy parchment bore the guild’s highest classification: Apocalyptic Threat. Red wax seals glistened under the light. Kai stared at it, the letters seeming to burn into his mind.

“They’re bringing it back as something else. Something new. Something even worse than before.”

Kai exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “And let me guess… you want me to be the one to clean up this mess?”

Gerry smiled grimly. “You’re already involved, whether you like it or not. The cultists responsible for this? They’re tied to Gregory.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “He’s been working with them. He set you up.”

Kai’s grip tightened around the edges of the document, the paper crinkling under his fingers. A cold anger simmered in his chest. “Figures,” he muttered. “That explains a lot.”

Gerry leaned forward, elbows on the desk, eyes sharp. “I want you to lead an expedition. Track down the cultists. Stop them before this gets out of hand.”

Kai let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. “You make it sound easy.”

Gerry smirked. “If it were easy, I wouldn’t be asking you.”

Kai glanced at the document again. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want any of it. But deep down, his gut told him he didn’t have a choice.

“Fine,” he said. “But I’m picking my own team.”

Gerry nodded. “Fair enough. But make it fast. The clock is already ticking.”