Still Lies Pt. 1

Like every morning, the streets were loud—the hum of traffic, people rushing in and out, and just… everything. It never fails to irritate me.

I picked up my coffee and took a slow sip, my gaze drifting to the window beside me. As lively as the city might seem, I know better. These people, walking with smiles plastered on their faces, moving on to the next item on their agenda... It's almost as if they're okay with living under oppression. Whether or not they're aware of it doesn’t matter. I can't shake the disappointment I feel for their complacency.

Suddenly, someone stepped over and sat on the booth at the other side of the table. It was a young woman with her face covered by a newsboy cap and a pair of sunglasses. She wore an elegant trench coat befitting her small size. Although her hair was now black, I knew immediately that not just any stranger would sit down for a nice chat. This isn't that kind of world.

"You're quite early," she smiled.

"How'd you know it was me?" I asked.

"An edgy-looking boy who looks like he doesn't get enough sleep, sitting by himself at a coffee shop around the same time I requested. My educated guess doesn't seem too far-fetched, aye, love?"

"That's... a weird way of describing me."

"Call it what you will. If it's any consolation, you look exactly as I pictured you. Hm... In fact, not much has changed."

"Changed...?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

I can't believe I'm sitting in front of the Astrid of Calypso. Many of those who dabble in the shadow network consider her a leading revolutionary and look up to her. While I wouldn't call myself one of them, I do feel my heart racing just a little now that I'm seeing her in person.

"To call me out here with someone of your status..." I sighed. "Calypso really wants this thing, huh?"

"Hey, you're the one who accepted my proposal, love," Astrid snickered. "Got no one to blame but yourself. Anyway, where is this thing?"

From my pocket, I pulled it out and rolled it across the table. She stopped it with her fingers and inconspicuously hid it away.

"Well, I guess that concludes the exchange," I said as I stood up. "I'll get going now."

"Hm? Already? I just got here."

"Was there something else you needed?"

"We both know that it's not what I need. It's what you need, love."

Over the years, I've learned that caution is the key to surviving in this city. Watchful eyes lurk around every corner. Every second that I stay here is a chance I lose my anonymity, especially with Astrid around. But... My curiosity was getting the better of me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ah, come on. Look who's right in front of you. I wasn't just sitting on my ass doing nothing for the past seven years. Every bit of information regarding the High Order is saved in my memory bank. As a fellow hacker, I'm sure you understand what that means. So? Any questions?"

I can't lie about the fact that I've thought about it. For the longest time, I haven't been able to penetrate the High Order's most secretive network. I'm sure they had something to do with Nelia's disappearance, and my hope is that I'll one day find out exactly what it was. If it's Astrid...

"Then... tell me... Do you know anything about someone named Nelia De Leux?"

For a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Astrid didn't react, nor did she move at all, but I could've sworn I saw her mouth curling into a smile.

"Nelia... huh...?" she scoffed.

"So you do know something."

"Maybe I do. My question for you is, why are you looking for her?"

"Because—"

Suddenly, my eyes twitched cautiously as I scanned the coffee shop.

"Hm? You're just now noticing, love?" Astrid asked.

"Huh?"

"Take a closer look. What do you see? A nice coffee shop with the fresh scent of brews and a cozy interior. So why is it that there isn't a single person here, not even the bartender?"

I missed that completely. Although I knew that something was off, I hadn't noticed that the place was completely empty save for us. It wasn't like that when I got here, so I could only question when it happened.

Astrid reached for my coffee cup and took a sip, as if this situation wasn't bothering her in the slightest.

"Shouldn't we get out of here?" I asked.

"Hah. I know you're better than that, Strider," Astrid scoffed. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that we've already been caught red-handed."

At that moment, a flash of red overtook my sight as an explosive sound ruptured my ears. The next second, I found myself on the ground outside, struggling to pick myself up. My entire body was aching, and there was blood on my arms. Even my coughs were painful.

I looked up at the coffee shop, which was now burning with flames. Fire... Everywhere... All around me, I am surrounded by fire. Just then, a sharp pain struck my head. Something is there... and it's on fire.

My vision began darkening. Steadily, I was losing consciousness, until I felt the touch of a hand on my shoulder.

"No time to rest, love," Astrid said, completely unscathed.

It took everything I had to pull my head up. There, I saw a vanguard of soldiers pointing their guns at us with hundreds more standing behind them. Through the sound of crackling flames, I heard footsteps clacking on the pavement. From the crowd, Alexandria emerged, her oversized jacket flowing to the side.

"To think I'd find you hiding in a place like this, Astrid," she chuckled. "In one of the most exclusive districts in the city, no less. I thought you were smarter than that. Glad to see that I was wrong."

"How long have you known?"

"Even while being at the end of a hundred barrels, you still wanna ask questions?"

"Thought I should ask anyway since I could die at any second now."

"Hah! You really haven't changed at all. If you must know, we've known since you landed in the Golden Age district, and you can blame that guy next to you."

"...Oh?"

"That's right. Good job, Solas. You led her straight to us."

What? What is she talking about? I had nothing to do with this.

"So... It's cuz of him, huh?" Astrid sighed.

"That's right, dear. Once again, you've put your faith in the wrong person, and it led to your downfall. Third time's the charm, eh?"

Shit... I need to speak up. If Astrid misunderstands, then I'll lose every chance I have to find Nelia. However, I couldn't get those words out of my mouth because it felt like my throat was burning.

"Hah. Are you sure that I'm the one who hasn't changed? Call me crazy, but I think you need to take a nice, long look in the mirror, Frankenstein."

"...What are you on about?"

"Maybe it would've worked on Minerva since she's the most gullible. But me? That's just asking to be embarrassed. You're saying this kid led me to you? Just for that, he took an explosion to prove his point? Nah, he wouldn't do that, especially since he's Nemesis's kid brother."

My eyes shot wide open. Nemesis... I've only seen her name briefly mentioned in a few of the files I pulled from the High Order's network. She's the former captain of Calypso, the one who led the insurrection seven years ago.

Wait... Seven years ago...?

Suddenly, my head was overtaken by throbbing pain, and it wasn't because of the explosion. Nemesis... I know her, just not the name. I... know her.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Alexandria sighed. "What a shame. Code: Metamorphosis."

From the tip of her finger, a thin lightning bolt sprung out, aiming right for Astrid.

I don't know how, I don't know why, but I felt my body moving on its own. In that split second, I shoved Astrid out of the way. Time seemed to slow, and I could see the lightning bolt cutting through the air, racing straight for me. It was like the world itself knew I couldn't dodge in time, as if it were taunting me with the inevitable.

Shit... I really can't dodge it.

"Code: Eleventh Hour," a faint voice whispered in my ears.

At the final moment, a flash of sunlight blinded me. The air vibrated with the silent scream of a metallic blade. Just for a second, the scene distorted, and I glimpsed a head of flowing white hair, swirling like a trail of snow.

The lightning bolt, once racing toward me, visibly trembled. A line split through its center as the two halves whisked past me.

A woman appeared before me, her curved blade's tip resting against the ground. Every soldier in the area instinctively stepped back—except for Alexandria, whose grin only grew wider. The stranger slowly turned to face me, and just like with Astrid, the sight of those hollow diamonds within her glowing cyan eyes petrified me.