Her pendant hung open on a wooden supporting pillar behind, Nueve sat on a chair inside a sphere of light, tinkering with the gun—a rune weapon—which she had stolen from one of the enforcers during her escape. Though she was still wet from her escapade, that uncomfortable feeling of wearing drenched clothes became nothing to her, for her curiosity and eagerness triumphed. She was like a child, who had forgotten about everything else, transfixed by a toy.

Steady, she told herself, willing her hands to stabilize.

On the desk where she was tinkering with the gun, were tools such as: screwdrivers, hammers, and wrenches. Hidden in partial darkness were other guns, many of them, which she had stolen and had failed to pry open.

Before proceeding, she leaned forward to refer to the paper she had written. One with instructions to open the gun, which she had attained from trials and errors.

This screw on the bottom now, from a downward angle. Nueve grabbed a small minus screwdriver and began turning the screws.

Rune weapons were all made with failsafe mechanism; where, if it was opened incorrectly, could ruin the rune that made it work.

Sometimes the runes were written in paper, and there would be an ink compartment that would spill to render the rune unreadable. Sometimes there would be a particular rune mechanic that would activate and melt the metal where the rune was inscribed, potentially harming the prier. The first being more common than the latter.

Clink.

The screw fell off to the desk and hit another screw.

Two more screws, Nueve thought.

She believed that the procedures she had created was accurate. However, this rune weapon she was holding was an improved model from the old one. The previous version had more firepower, whilst this one was weaker but with more concentrated firepower.

It was entirely possible that this improved model had a new failsafe.

Nueve made a visible gulp.

She was aware that failure was a possibility and that made her nervous; but her curiosity still reigned. She would rather attempt to open it and fail—rather than being scared of failing and never try. No intention to back away from this attempt.

She unscrewed the left screw from a sideways angle. Hands as steady as possible.

Clink.

Another screw fell on the desk.

Nueve sat in silence, not hearing the sound of ink compartment breaking, nor feeling the temperature of the metal rising. No indications that the failsafe had been in effect.

Her face brightened up.

One last screw to open; and since she had gotten the process right thus far, she was confident the improved model didn’t have a new failsafe. Victory, finally, was hers.

Creak…

The door of the hideout Nueve was in was opened, and a figure in the darkness entered. Nueve was too immersed in her work to notice the sound and the presence of the figure who now lurked.

Clink.

Nueve opened the gun, and she was able to see the inner workings. Indeed, there was an ink compartment which was ready to spill had she gotten the process wrong. Thankfully, it didn’t spill, and she was now able to see the runes.

‘Don’t your eyes hurt? Working like this?’ asked the figure.

Nueve jolted on her chair, shocked by the voice that came from behind. She quickly turned and saw the figure.

He stepped into the sphere of light, and Nueve could see a young man who was her age. Wore a brown cloak, had a bright yellow hair, and had his eyes squinted because of the light. None other than Horizon.

‘… I’m used to it. You should too,’ Nueve said, a hand on her chest to calm her heartbeat. She was too focused with the gun that she had failed to recognize his voice.

‘I don’t think I ever will.’ He took off his cloak and hung it on the supporting pillar, right beside the pendant. Then, he saw Nueve’s soaked state along with her grazed left arm and sighed. ‘For someone who’s drenched and injured, you look happy.’

‘Why wouldn’t I?’ Nueve had a smile on her face. ‘I’ve managed to open a rune weapon!’ She shifted her attention back to the gun and observed its inner workings. ‘The runes they’re using are—fascinating. Same as the previous model but drawn thinner. Conserves more energy and is more efficient when firing. See?’ She showed him the gun.

‘Right, right. I’ll look at it later.’ Horizon went to the wardrobe outside of the sphere of light and grabbed two towels: one pink and one green. Then, he began drying her hair from behind using the green.

‘See?’ Nueve held the gun up, so Horizon could see as he dried her hair.

‘No. We need to talk about how—’ he cut himself— ‘were you… tagged by glowmoss?’

‘It’s still there? Thought the water washed it away.’

‘There’s some remain. We’ll have to throw this towel away later.’ He let out an audible sigh. This habit of his had been getting more and more prevalent as of late. He then shook his head. ‘I was distracted. We need to talk about how you got your priorities wrong.’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘You did. You chose to prioritize your curiosity than treating your wound.’ After drying her hair, Horizon opened one of the desk’s drawer, and grabbed himself a scissor which rested beside a folding fan. Once he had it, he started cutting the other towel, the pink one, to create a makeshift bandage. ‘… We need to talk about that pendant.’

‘This again…’ she groaned. Nueve twitched from the pain as Horizon wrapped her left arm.

‘I’m serious, Nue. You need to let that pendant go. You’ll never hear the end of enforcers if you keep holding on to it.’

‘I know, I know…’ Nueve, at Horizon’s suggestion and insistence, had considered it countless times, again and again and again. It was just that whenever she tried to throw it away, she never could. ‘It’s not much of a problem, isn’t it? Not like the enforcers would ever catch me. I’ll survive, Hor.

‘Ouch!’ She felt the pain as he tightened the bandage more than it was intended, on purpose. He had anger in his face.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

‘You have been surviving. But until when, Nue? One day they’ll get you and it’s inevitable.’

‘…’ Nueve was silent. Her eyes teary from the pain.

‘Sorry.’ He looked down, not able to face her. ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’

‘…’ Nueve looked at the makeshift bandage, it was done neatly with care.

‘… Nue, if you can’t throw that pendant away, then let me do it for you. It’s as easy as throwing it into a trash can or giving it to an enforcer. Really, I can help you get rid of it.’

‘We’ve talked about this and my answer remains a no. You’re unfair, Hor. You know that it’s not just a pendant for me.’ There was pain expressed in her crimson eyes.

‘I know, Nue. I know you have difficulties getting rid of it. That’s why I’m telling you that I could get rid of it for you.

‘See, all I need to do is just—’ Horizon turned toward the wooden pillar and his hand was reaching for the pendant.

‘Don’t touch it.’

Horizon looked over his shoulder; and the shadow of his hand hid Nueve’s expression. This unknown emotion of her caused him unease. To him, it was like staring at a void. He let his hand down and saw her smile having been replaced with a frown.

‘I’ll… deal with it, okay? Just—don’t rush me. I know you’re worried about me; and I appreciate that, really! But just—don’t.’

Horizon sighed. He put his hands up to surrender. ‘Alright.’

Silence then filled the room, loud enough that Nueve could feel it with her skin. She knew that she had to let go of the pendant. One, to keep herself safe; and two, to maintain their relationship, for she could see the matter harming it.

He’s right, Nueve had to reluctantly admit. The pendant was giving her troubles; and she couldn’t escape the enforcers forever. Sooner or later, she would get caught.

‘… Did you use your fake identification when escaping the enforcer?’ Horizon asked.

‘I did,’ Nueve answered. ‘It worked well, but the enforcer was good; and I failed to slip by his inspection.’

‘They must have noted it now. Why don’t we—get a new one for you? I know a guy.’

‘Now?’ Nueve knew that getting a new fake identification would be beneficial, but she still wanted to stay and inspect the rune weapon. Her question and hesitation, along with her expression, conveyed her curiosity perfectly to Horizon.

‘I’ll check the situation first. I’ll come back, and if it’s safe, we’ll go later. You can take your time, Nue.’

‘Alright.’ Nueve was glad to have time.

Horizon went to the supporting pillar and grabbed his brown cloak. ‘Please, change yourselves to dry clothes once I leave?’

‘… Alright.’

He stepped outside the sphere of light and into the darkness.

‘See you.’ Nueve waved. ‘Stay safe.’

‘See you and stay safe too.’ Horizon left.

Instead of changing her clothes, Nueve went back to the gun. She then pulled out a drawer; grabbing herself a brush, an ink container, and an object to write on. Once the brush was dipped with ink, she began drawing strokes and creating a rune circuit.

This priority was right to her.

*

Flamedancer

Chapter 2

What Needs to be Done

*

Ting…

Sounded a soothing bell. The bell after first low had a lull that gave peace. If Nueve was in the old days; or if her father was still around, she would be having her lessons instead of walking under the stars at this hour.

On the sidewalk lit dimly by glowmoss, she bumped her shoulder on a silhouette figure. The downside about working too much with the light, was that she needed time to adjust her eyes to the darkness.

Normally, Horizon would help; but to-day they walked side-by-side—without holding hands.

He’s irritated, Nueve thought, needed not to light and see his expression to conclude thus.

Ahead, there was a figure with a glowmoss armband, an enforcer. Whilst Nueve’s first instinct was to run, she knew better that that would do harm than good. Inside the darkness where her identity was concealed, running would only attract attention to and announcing herself. Thus, she kept her gait steady, and passed the enforcer.

The walk with Horizon continued in uncomfortable silence, and Nueve distracted herself by looking up to the stars.

Her father’s words echoed in her mind, One so bright that it lights the whole world.

‘Hor,’ Nueve broke the silence, ‘where do you think the sun went?’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Horizon replied briefly, not entertaining her.

‘I think—the sun is still there in the sky. Just that it stopped shining and the darkness now conceals it.’

‘… Your father’s saying?’

‘My mother’s writing.

‘She had kept a journal and I once read half of it before my father snatched it from my hands and forbid me to continue. She wrote that the sun dying was odd and convenient. It is supposed to be a huge sphere of fire, yet when the sun stopped shining our world didn’t freeze.’

‘Maybe it was never the sun that warmed our world.’

‘What then?’

‘… I don’t know.’ He scratched his head. Nueve knew that Horizon never liked history, but he engaged himself in the conversation. ‘I suppose you have a point with it being odd. But how is the sun dying convenient?’

‘Because without light you can’t read runes. The world could do much better if runes are taught to people, but it’s not. Instead, it’s illegal to use runes without license; and the license is only for those within the circle.

‘Runes has existed since before the sun died out. It’s possible that—’ Nueve cut herself short. She looked at Horizon, wanting to see his reaction, but in the darkness his expression was impossible to gauge.

‘That what?’

Nueve shook her head. ‘You’ll think I’m crazy.’

‘Won’t change my feelings for you, Nue.’

Hearing that made her happy. If there was light, her smile would be visible to him. ‘It’s possible that—the sun died because someone killed it. To make runes less accessible and to control it.’

‘That’s…’ Horizon lost his words. ‘I could see the perspective, but is there evidence?’

‘No.’

‘… It’s an interesting perspective. Makes me consider if I should stop ignoring history and start learning it.’

‘You should! I can always teach you.’

‘After you make your new identification then.’ His tone, which had been rather flat in emotion, finally had joy. ‘We’re close.’

At a crossroad, Horizon led the way and took a turn to the right. While joy had appeared in his tone, Nueve didn’t fail to notice that he still didn’t hold her hands yet.

*

Horizon had led Nueve to a warehouse. The building was large and had a rectangular front, with a gate for entrance—like a mouth that would eat her whole. The spasmic creak created by the rust on its hinge was like chewing. When she had entered with him and the gate was closed, it was as if she had been swallowed.

Click.

Nueve didn’t fail to notice that the entrance was locked; and that a figure remained stationed near.

‘It’s for security,’ Horizon assured her.

‘…’ She glanced at him. The darkness concealed his expression. ‘I don’t want to stay here longer than necessary.’

As someone who had escaped for most of her life, being in an enclosed space—though spacious as it may—was not the least comfortable for her. Especially when the entrance was closed.

Get the identification, Nueve thought, then out immediately.

‘It’ll be quick,’ Horizon said.

They walked through a small passageway created by two-story shelves which stored iron crates with items inside. On the roof were movable pulleys to move the crates around, their hooks remained hanging. Nueve had to give some effort to not hit her head onto one; the hooks were barely visible because the glowmoss lighting inside was dimmer than outside.

An Illegal warehouse? Nueve wondered as she couldn’t see the items. Since this was the place where she was getting her fake identification, chances were high that it was also used for other illegal activities.

‘Who’s this connection of yours?’ Nueve asked. She knew that he had trusted wrong people before. ‘Not the previous one, is it?’

‘Not the previous one,’ Horizon replied. ‘If all goes well, there will be no introductions whatsoever. Get the business done, then we’re out safe and sound.’

While what they were doing was illegal, she wasn’t keen on working with just anyone. There were types of illegal; one of them was: malicious. She stretched her arm and knocked on one of the iron crates, creating a sonorous sound. ‘What’s inside them?’

‘Just normal items they sell to conceal their activity.’

‘Which is?’

‘Toys for children.’

‘…’ I can work with that, she thought. ‘Are we lost?’

‘A little. A path I took before was blocked by a crate.’ He took a turn and began slowing down his walk to a halt. He glanced over his shoulder. ‘Say, Nue?’

‘Yes?’

‘I love you.’

Normally, Nueve would give him back the same words, but the timing for this one was off.

He approached her and stood face-to-face. ‘I’m… going to ask this for the last time: Would you please part with the pendant?’

She saw his hand asking for the object, but Nueve was still and silent. Partly because she was bewildered, mostly because she wasn’t willing to part with the pendant. Not yet. Possibly not ever.

He sighed.

Nueve instantly felt her insides surging toward her throat, followed by a dull sting of pain. She had received Horizon’s fist right at the gut. She coughed out air before her knees weakened and she began dropping to the cold hard ground.

‘I’m sorry, Nue.’ He crouched; his hand went through the collar and inside her shirt, grabbing her pendant.

‘Fade… you…’