The Wrong Man

The three of them had been walking for nearly an hour.

Rhys had spent most of it talking.

Aren had spent most of it ignoring him.

Elise had spent most of it trying not to laugh.

"So," Rhys said, walking backward in front of them, "how long have you two been traveling together?"

"Not long," Elise answered.

Aren kept walking.

"Too long," he added.

Rhys grinned.

"That's what I thought."

Aren glanced at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep asking."

Aren sighed.

Rhys turned around and continued walking normally.

"So where are we actually going?"

Aren looked at Elise.

She looked back at him.

"We're heading toward the capital," she said.

Rhys raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Elise hesitated.

Aren answered for her.

"She wants me to do something."

Rhys looked at Elise.

"What?"

"Something important."

"That's vague."

"It's supposed to be."

Rhys looked at Aren.

"And you agreed?"

"No."

Rhys laughed.

"Of course you didn't."

Elise slowed down.

"Aren."

He stopped.

She looked at him seriously.

"You still haven't told him."

"Told me what?" Rhys asked.

Aren stared at Elise.

Then sighed.

"I don't want to do this."

"I know."

"Then why are we?"

"Because you need to understand."

Aren turned toward Rhys.

"The reason she's following me is because she believes I'm supposed to help her."

Rhys blinked.

"Help her with what?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"She hasn't told me everything."

Elise frowned.

"I've told you enough."

"You told me about the Society 7."

Rhys's expression changed.

"The Society 7?"

Aren nodded.

"Apparently."

Rhys looked between them.

"That's not exactly something people casually talk about."

"I know."

"And you're involved?"

Elise nodded.

"I'm trying to prevent something from happening."

Rhys's smile faded.

"What?"

Elise looked at Aren.

He answered quietly.

"She thinks I'm part of it."

Rhys stared at him.

"Part of what?"

Elise took a breath.

"The prophecy."

Rhys stopped walking.

Aren didn't.

Rhys quickly caught up.

"Wait."

Aren kept walking.

"You're telling me this guy is part of some prophecy?"

"That's what she believes."

Rhys looked at Elise.

"And you believe it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Elise hesitated.

"Because of what the Sacred Book says."

Aren stopped.

"That's enough."

Elise looked at him.

"You need to hear this."

"No."

"Aren."

He turned around.

"I've heard enough."

His voice wasn't angry.

Just tired.

"I'm not the person you're looking for."

Elise stared at him.

"You don't know that."

"I do."

"How?"

Aren looked away.

"Because I know what I've done."

Elise remained silent.

Rhys noticed the change in Aren's expression.

For once, he didn't make a joke.

Aren continued.

"Whatever this prophecy says, whatever the Society 7 wants, whatever you think I'm supposed to become..."

He looked at Elise.

"I'm not that man."

Elise stepped closer.

"You don't have to be."

Aren frowned.

"What?"

"You don't have to already be that man."

Aren said nothing.

"You keep talking about who you were," Elise continued. "I'm talking about who you can become."

Aren looked away.

"You don't understand."

"Then explain it."

"I can't."

"Why?"

Aren's hand tightened around the strap of his sword.

"Because the last time I trusted myself with something important, people got hurt."

Elise's expression softened.

Aren immediately looked away.

"I don't want to do this."

"You don't have to."

Aren looked at her.

"You can walk away."

Elise smiled faintly.

"But I'm not going to."

Aren sighed.

"Of course."

Rhys finally spoke.

"So..."

Aren looked at him.

"You two are definitely going to keep arguing about this, aren't you?"

"Yes," Elise said.

"Probably," Aren said.

Rhys nodded.

"Good."

Aren frowned.

"Why is that good?"

"Because I was getting bored."

Aren started walking again.

Rhys followed.

Elise followed too.

They hadn't gone far when Aren noticed something.

A man was standing beside the road.

He hadn't been there before.

He wore a dark coat.

Neat.

Unremarkable.

Except for the small insignia pinned near his collar.

Seven marks arranged in a circle.

Aren stopped.

Elise immediately noticed.

Her expression changed.

"Don't move."

Rhys looked at her.

"Why?"

"That's Society 7."

The man smiled.

"Miss Escaflowne."

Elise stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The man didn't answer.

His eyes moved toward Aren.

Then Rhys.

Then back to Elise.

"You've caused quite a bit of trouble."

Aren's hand moved toward his sword.

The man noticed.

"You don't need that."

Aren narrowed his eyes.

"That's usually what people say before I need it."

Rhys grinned.

"I like him."

The man ignored him.

"You should stop traveling with him."

Elise's expression hardened.

"No."

"You don't understand what you're involving yourself in."

"I understand enough."

"No."

The man took one step forward.

"You don't."

Aren drew his sword.

The man's eyes shifted toward him.

"Interesting."

Aren raised his blade.

"What?"

"Nothing."

The man moved.

Aren barely saw him.

A sudden impact struck his sword.

His feet left the ground.

He flew backward and crashed into a tree.

"Aren!"

Elise ran toward him.

"I'm fine."

He pushed himself up.

His hands were shaking.

Not from fear.

From the force of the impact.

Rhys stepped forward.

"Okay."

His smile disappeared.

"Now I'm interested."

He charged.

The Society member raised one hand.

Rhys suddenly stopped.

Not because he wanted to.

His body simply refused to move.

His eyes widened.

"What the—"

The man flicked his wrist.

Rhys was thrown sideways.

He rolled across the ground and slammed into a rock.

Aren's eyes narrowed.

He charged.

The man met him halfway.

Aren swung.

The man dodged.

Aren swung again.

The man blocked.

Aren felt almost nothing.

Then—

A strike to his stomach.

He doubled over.

Another strike.

He was thrown backward.

Aren hit the ground.

The man stood over him.

"You are not ready."

Aren looked up.

"Neither are you."

The man paused.

Aren kicked his leg.

The man stumbled.

Aren immediately rolled away and stood.

The Society member looked almost amused.

"Perhaps there is something there after all."

Elise stepped forward.

"Leave him alone."

The man's attention shifted to her.

"You still don't understand."

"I don't care."

She raised her hand.

The man stared at her.

Then smiled.

"Your father would be disappointed."

Elise froze.

Aren noticed.

The man turned away.

"Go to Sinkros."

Aren frowned.

"What?"

"You're going there anyway."

The man looked back.

"You'll find answers there."

He stepped backward.

Then disappeared into the trees.

Rhys slowly got to his feet.

"...I hate people who do that."

Aren lowered his sword.

Elise remained frozen.

Aren looked at her.

"Who was he?"

She didn't answer.

"Elise."

She finally looked at him.

"One of them."

"I know that."

Aren sheathed his sword.

"What did he mean?"

Elise looked toward the forest.

"I don't know."

Aren stared at her.

"You know more than you're telling me."

"I do."

"Then tell me."

She looked at him.

"I will."

"When?"

"When we're somewhere safe."

Aren glanced toward the trees.

Then at Rhys.

Rhys was rubbing his shoulder.

"Are we still going to the capital?"

Aren looked at Elise.

She nodded.

"Yes."

Aren sighed.

"Fine."

Rhys smiled.

"Finally."

Aren started walking.

"But I'm only going because I want answers."

Elise followed.

"I know."

Rhys walked beside them.

"So we're going to the capital."

"Yes."

"To investigate the Society 7."

"Yes."

"And possibly some prophecy."

Aren looked at him.

"Don't make it sound exciting."

Rhys grinned.

"Too late."

The three continued down the road.

This time, Aren didn't walk as quickly.

He didn't know what waited for them in Sinkros.

But for the first time since Elise had appeared in his life, he was beginning to believe that whatever she had dragged him into...

might actually be real.