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 useful items from the three corpses, each of his movements echoing in the stillness of the underground chamber. Lyne leaned against a cold wall, her dagger resting loosely on her lap, her eyes never leaving Kaega's back.

Kaega was the one to break the silence.

-Will they come back?

The sudden question pulled Lyne from her wandering thoughts. She remained 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 once each night.

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

-It's a deity worshipped by the Silver Mask Guild. I think they just made up a name so they'd have something to worship.

-A bunch of fanatics.

-So what do you believe in?

Kaega didn't answer, only turning to look at Lyne with a smirk playing on his lips.

-Gods aren't real here, haha...

His laughter was dry and mirthless. His eyes glinted with a clear contempt for those who could only pray. He turned back to the old map on the table, pointing to a circle drawn on the eastern outskirts.

-Hey Lyne, do you know what this location is?

-It's a ruin that hasn't been fully explored, said to be protected by some kind of power.

-I plan to go there tomorrow morning. What do you think?

-I have no opinion.

-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 of the room, she could watch Kaega. He didn't rest at all. Under the faint light of a candle, he flipped through the old documents, his eyes glowing 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 as time goes on. Their strength will likely increase with each day we survive. A direct confrontation isn't the answer. I have to find another way. Hiding outside the Silver Mask's territory is the best way to limit their influence..."

Kaega glanced over at Lyne.

"She's not yet a piece I can fully control. I still need a backup plan. From the very beginning, she hasn't trusted me."

As he was flipping through the papers, a carefully hidden file suddenly fell to the floor.

"Hm?"

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

<June 13, Year 6831: According to several sources, information about the main stronghold has apparently been leaked. A mole is suspected within the Guild, rank 2 or higher. Information on members embedded in other guilds like the Silver Mask, Blood Wolf... has been compromised. Most have been killed, a few captured alive for interrogation. The Guild is currently investigating the following suspects: Marina Rose, Jin Herry, Erpert Graystone, Daninel Groveri, Reyna White...>

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

Kaega shrugged, setting the file aside with little concern, and continued to study other information about Aquila with a look of interest...

At four in the morning, before the first rays of light had crept into Rat Alley, Lyne opened her eyes to see Kaega still sitting there, showing no signs of fatigue.

-You didn't get any rest?

-Don't need it. I can work through the night.

-Fine.

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

-What is it?

-Some coal dust.

-Why are you bringing so much?

-A survival tool. - Kaega replied curtly, a hint of regret in his expression. - My only regret is that I couldn't make use of it all.

-Then we can come back for it later.

-No need, this is enough.

With that, Kaega handed the bag to Lyne.

-Hold this for me. We're going to stop by the blacksmith's.

The two quickly left the secret passage. The sky was still dark, but a few soulless figures were already wandering the damp streets. Shifty eyes glanced at the bag Lyne was carrying, but when they saw her blood-stained appearance and the cold, murderous aura she exuded, they hastily looked away in search of easier prey.

Near the west gate was a small forge.

-Wait for me out here.

Kaega went inside alone. The air within was sweltering, thick with the smell of metal and burning coal. A fat blacksmith, one eye normal, the other a grotesque, bulging white orb, was hammering away.

-What do you want, brat? No money, then get out!

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.

A short while later, Kaega came out. In front of the forge, Lyne had just pulled her dagger from the head of a greedy "rat." She said nothing, only turning to look at him. Kaega was equally silent, tossing her a light 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 toll, they didn't make any trouble and let the two pass.

After a three-hour walk, they finally reached the eastern ruins.

-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 hissing, fuming liquid that gave off a pungent smell. Every one of his movements was incredibly focused and precise. Then, he added small crushed stones to ten portions of the prepared powder, tied them tightly in small pouches, and attached a fuse to the outside.

-Is... is that Thunder Powder? - Lyne asked in astonishment.

-That's right. An alchemical product from the eastern continent, but used extensively in the south and west of Ragak. It usually sells for a very high price.

-How do you know how to make it?

-This...? - Kaega paused, his gaze distant. - I don't know the exact formula. But after that coal mine explosion, I thought, what if it could be compressed into a small, concealable package that could explode on demand? I tried, and the result was just a small flame, enough to warm my hands.

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

-I... tried mixing many things with the coal, but with little success. Then, by chance, I looted a yellow powder from the corpse of a foolish alchemist while fighting off other "rats."

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

-Those fools saw it wasn't gold and paid it no mind. But I saw its potential.

Kaega smiled, a self-satisfied smirk.

-When I mixed a little and lit it, it didn't erupt in a fierce flame as I'd imagined, but it created a lot of smoke. Disappointed, I still kept it in a corner. I never expected it to be one of the ingredients for Thunder Powder. One time, down in the sewers, I saw a substance dripping from bat guano and tried mixing it with coal. To my surprise, it burned fiercely with just a fingernail-sized amount. When dried and compressed, it had explosive potential. It wasn't what I'd hoped for, but I saw a path forward.

He continued his work, his hands never stopping, his mouth still talking as if showing off a great achievement.

-I tried using fresh bat guano, but it had no effect. Only old, aged guano met the standard. So I continued my quest of mixing those two things with everything under the sun. Some mixtures would suddenly explode, others would just smoke, but none were what I wanted. And then, the yellow powder from the alchemist... it was the last thing I tried. The resulting substance was stable and needed a fuse to be activated. I lit it, and it exploded with much more force than just the coal and bat guano water. After that, I quickly went to the forge to learn more and found out the yellow powder was sulfur, sold quite widely though not commonly.

Tying off the last pouch, Kaega stood up, his face once again an 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 unfriendly, clearly still sore about the trap from the previous night. She said sarcastically:

-You talk a lot, don't you.

Kaega shrugged, his expression growing even more arrogant.

-My apologies. Sometimes I have to talk a little more than usual, just because I'm afraid others won't understand what I'm saying.

Lyne knew she had lost this verbal spar, so she said no more, merely glaring at him before turning away. By the time Kaega had finished his work, the sun was high in the sky.

-Let's go.

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