Chapter 4: The Eastern Outskirts

The air in the old meeting room was thick with the smell of smoke and coal dust. Kaega silently scavenged for anything useful from the three corpses, each of his movements echoing in the silence of the underground cellar. Lyne sat leaning against a cold wall, her dagger resting loosely on her thigh, her eyes never leaving Kaega's back.

It was Kaega who broke the silence.

-Will they come back?

The sudden question pulled Lyne from her wandering thoughts. She was silent for a moment, prompting Kaega to ask again:

-What's wrong? Still holding a grudge about the trap?

-No, -Lyne replied, her voice flat, deliberately ignoring the second question- They only send a party out once per night.

-Good. That dying man mentioned a name, Karizanis. What does it mean?

-It's a god worshipped by the Silver Mask Guild. I think they just made up a name to have something to revere.

-Another bunch of fanatics.

-So, do you believe they exist?

Kaega didn't answer, just turned to look at Lyne, a smirk playing on his lips.

-What kind of god resides in hell, haha...

His laughter was dry and joyless. His eyes glinted with a clear contempt for the insane fanatics. He turned back to the old map on the table, pointing to a circle drawn on the eastern outskirts.

-Hey Lyne, do you know where this location points to?

Lyne looked at the map on the table, silent for a moment as if trying to remember.

-That's... a ruin that hasn't been fully explored, said to be protected by a strange power that can turn intruders into monsters.

-I plan to go there tomorrow morning. After what happened tonight, do you still want to continue with me?

Kaega knew this place was now useless; the enemy wouldn't fall for the same trap twice. But the most important thing was whether tonight's performance had been enough to satisfy this girl.

Lyne thought for a moment, but not for long. She answered decisively.

-I have no reason to leave.

Though her expression showed nothing special, Kaega knew that he had won tonight. He replied calmly:

-Then get some rest. We'll set out in about three hours.

Time passed slowly. Lyne closed her eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. Her breathing was even, but her hand still gripped the hilt of her dagger. From her corner, she could watch Kaega. He wasn't resting at all. In the faint candlelight, he flipped through the old documents, his eyes shining with a strange intensity. His slender fingers traced invisible paths on the map, his lips murmuring plans only he could hear.

"The enemies will become harder to manipulate later on. They'll also send stronger and more numerous pursuers. A direct confrontation is not the way. I must find another path, escape, create conflict, or perhaps... use the other survivors..."

Kaega glanced towards Lyne.

"She is not yet a chess piece that can be fully utilized. If she betrays me and runs, or stabs me in the back, it will be a certain death I cannot defend against. I should still prepare a backup plan."

While flipping through the documents, a carefully hidden file suddenly fell to the floor.

"Hmm?"

Kaega picked it up. The handwriting on the paper was still clear. It was an intelligence report.

<Date: June 13, Year 6831: According to some sources, information about the main base seems to have been leaked. Suspected mole within the Guild, rank 2 or higher. Information about our embedded members in other guilds like the Silver Mask, Blood Wolf... has been exposed. Most have been killed, a few captured alive for interrogation. The Guild is investigating the following suspects: Marina Rose, Jin Herry, Erpert Graystone, Daniel Groveri, Reyna White...>

"Information about the Assassin's Guild. It seems the organization's downfall was due to betrayal from within."

Kaega shrugged, not particularly bothered, and set the file aside, continuing to study other information about Aquila with a look of interest...

At four in the morning, when the first rays of light had yet to creep into Rat Alley, Lyne opened her eyes and saw Kaega still sitting there, showing no signs of fatigue, though his eyes were slightly darker.

-You didn't rest?

-No need. I can work through the night.

-Alright then.

She stood up, stretched, and noticed a tightly tied bag. Inside were smaller pouches filled with a fine black powder.

-What is it?

-Some coal powder.

-Why did you bring so much?

-A trump card for survival.

Kaega replied curtly, a hint of regret on his face.

-I only regret that I couldn't use all of it.

-Then we can come back for it next time.

-No need, this is enough.

With that, Kaega handed the bag to Lyne.

-Hold this for me. We're going to stop by a blacksmith's forge for a bit.

The two quickly left the secret passage. The sky was still dark, but the damp streets were already dotted with a few soulless figures. Their shifty eyes glanced at the bag Lyne was carrying, but when they met her blood-soaked appearance and the cold killing intent radiating from her, they quickly turned away in search of easier prey.

Near the western city gate was a small forge.

-Wait for me out here.

Kaega entered alone. The air inside was sweltering, thick with the smell of metal and burning coal. A fat blacksmith, one eye normal, the other a milky white and grotesquely bulging, was swinging a hammer.

-What are you looking for here, brat? If you don't have money, get lost!

Kaega said nothing, silently placing three money pouches on the anvil. One was stained with blood, another was scorched, revealing the glimmer of silver coins inside.

-I'm here to buy something.

A while later, Kaega walked out. By the door, Lyne had just pulled her knife from the head of a greedy "rat." She said nothing, just looked back at him. Kaega was also silent, tossing her a thin chainmail shirt and a new cloak.

-Put these on.

They headed for the city gate, where two guards from the Blood Wolf Guild were blocking the way. Kaega tossed them three silver coins. Having received their passage fee, they didn't make things difficult and let the two of them leave.

After a grueling three-hour walk, they finally reached the ruins to the east.

-Lyne, give me the bag of coal.

Kaega took the bag, pouring the fine black powder onto a piece of animal hide. He carefully mixed in a yellow powder and a bubbling, fuming liquid that gave off a pungent smell. Every one of his actions was intensely focused and precise. Then, he added crushed stones to ten prepared pouches of powder, tied them tightly, and attached a fuse to the outside.

-This... isn't this Thunder Powder? -Lyne asked in astonishment.

-That's right. An alchemical product from the eastern continent, but heavily utilized in the south and west of this land of Ragak. It's usually sold at a very high price.

-How do you know how to make it?

-I taught myself.

With a look of disbelief, Lyne questioned his words.

-But that's impossible. Only high-level and powerful alchemists know the formula. How did you manage to learn it?

Kaega revealed his arm, covered in a dense network of burn scars, and replied.

-You really want to know that badly...

Kaega paused, his eyes distant.

-I don't know the exact formula. But after that coal mine explosion, I thought, what if it could be compressed into a portable lump that could explode when needed? I tried, and the result was just a small flame, enough to keep warm.

He sighed, a weary sigh that could have been from lack of sleep or the flood of memories.

-I... tried mixing many things into the coal, but with little result. Then one time, by chance, I picked up a yellow powder from the corpse of a foolish alchemist while fighting with other "rats."

Lyne noticed the contempt in Kaega's eyes as he mentioned those people.

-Those fools saw it wasn't gold, so they didn't even bother. But I saw its potential.

Kaega smiled, a self-satisfied smile.

-When I mixed a little and lit it, it didn't burst into flames as I had expected, but it created a lot of smoke. Though disappointed, I still put it away. I never expected it to be one of the ingredients for Thunder Powder. One time, in the sewers, I saw a substance dripping from bat guano, so I tried bringing it back to mix with the coal. Surprisingly, it burned very strongly even in a fingernail-sized amount. When dried and compressed, it had the potential to explode. Though not what I had hoped for, I saw a path forward.

-Bat guano?? You really looked for something like that to experiment with...

Ignoring Lyne's increasingly uneasy expression, Kaega continued his work, his hands never stopping, his mouth still speaking as if boasting of a great achievement.

-Who knows what alchemists put in their creations. I tried mixing those two with many other things... but most were fruitless. Until I combined it with the alchemist's yellow powder...

Tying the last pouch, Kaega stood up, not finishing his story, his face returning to its usual emotionless mask. He handed Lyne the finished pouches and warned:

-Although this is the most stable version I can create, you should still be careful. It's very dangerous. Be gentle with them, unless you want to be blown to bits before you can take that man's head.

Lyne looked at Kaega, her expression not very friendly, clearly still sore about the trap from the previous night. She said sarcastically:

-You managed to create Thunder Powder without a formula... what's the point of you talking so much?

Kaega shrugged, a hint of arrogance on his face.

-My apologies. Sometimes, being too concise makes it hard for others to understand what I'm saying. In any case, my best current partner is asking, I can't let her remain in the dark.

-You...

Lyne knew she was outmatched in this verbal spar, so she didn't reply, just shot him a glare and turned away. By the time Kaega had finished everything, the sun was high in the sky.

-Let's go, the ruins are vast. I don't think you want to get killed for talking too much.

-Hey, why are you being so childish... wait for me.

This time, Lyne took the lead, ignoring Kaega who struggled to keep up. The two of them ventured deeper into the ruins, beginning a new exploration before night fell once more.