Cain moved down the hallway, his steps echoing against the polished floors, catching in the hollow, sterile silence that filled Elohan’s tower. The walls were a cold, unfeeling metal, lined with lights that cast a pale glow, and the air held a faint, clinical tang that reminded him of machines and antiseptics. He kept his gaze forward, mind running through the upcoming meeting with Elohan, thoughts of the interrogation room still lingering in the back of his mind. He barely registered the pattering footsteps approaching him from behind until—
«Cain!» A familiar voice broke the silence, and he stopped, shoulders tensing slightly.
Alice jogged up beside him, her boots barely making a sound on the hard floor as she caught up. Her expression was a blend of annoyance and something he couldn’t quite place—amusement, perhaps. «You left me behind on the last mission,» she accused, crossing her arms with mock indignation.
Cain turned his head slowly, his bionetic eye glowing faintly in the dim light. His expression remained neutral, though his jaw tightened ever so slightly. «I waited twenty minutes for you,» he replied, his voice calm but edged with subtle reproach. «You didn’t show»
Alice scoffed, raising a brow as if the excuse was beneath her. «You knew I’d be late. I always take a little longer to prep—perfection takes time.» She smirked, leaning slightly closer to prod at his shoulder. «But you, mister ‘always follow orders,’ ignoring protocol and leaving without me even though Elohan ordered it? That’s a first. I’m almost impressed.»
He straightened, brushing off the spot where her finger had touched as though her teasing left a mark. «It wasn’t a complicated mission,» he said curtly, his tone betraying no trace of humor. «I didn’t need backup.»
Alice tilted her head, her smirk deepening. «Oh, sure, because you’re Cain, right? Lone wolf, unstoppable soldier, Elohan’s golden boy.» She clasped her hands mock-reverently, batting her lashes as she feigned adoration. «Tell me, does your played perfection ever get exhausting?»
Cain exhaled through his nose, resuming his stride without bothering to respond. Alice fell in step beside him, her presence an unwelcome interruption to the quiet focus he’d been trying to maintain.
«You’re no fun, you know that?» she teased, glancing sideways at him as they walked. «All business, all the time. It’s a miracle you don’t rust in this place.»
Cain ignored her, his attention fixed on the towering doors at the end of the corridor. Alice’s constant chatter grated on him in a way he couldn’t quite articulate. She had a knack for finding his irritation and poking at it like a child with a stick. Still, she wasn’t truly angry about being left behind. If anything, her annoyance seemed half-hearted, as if she enjoyed the excuse to bother him more than anything else.
«I don’t understand how you function,» he muttered, more to himself than to her.
«What was that?» she asked, leaning closer with a grin that said she’d heard him perfectly well.
«Nothing,» Cain said sharply, his bionetic eye flicking to the large double doors ahead. Elohan was waiting. His pace quickened, hoping she’d take the hint and drop the conversation.
She didn’t.
«Oh, come on,» Alice said with a laugh, keeping pace with him. «Admit it. You’d be bored out of your mind without me around to keep you on your toes.»
Cain stopped short, fixing her with a cold stare. «Again, I’d survive,» he said flatly, before turning back toward the door.
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Cain could almost feel Alice grinning behind him, undeterred as always. «Sure you would,» she said lightly, falling silent for once as they approached Elohan’s chamber. «Well, good luckt with the Boss man.»
—---------
Elohan stood before a massive window that stretched from floor to ceiling, offering a panoramic view of the city below. The Great One’s silhouette was imposing, his tall frame cloaked in flowing robes of deep crimson, trimmed with black and gold. His back was to Cain, hands clasped behind him, as though the act of gazing out at his domain required his full attention.
Cain stopped a few paces from the center, standing straight, his hands resting behind his back in a formal stance. «You summoned me,» he said, his voice steady, with only the faintest edge of curiosity.
Elohan didn’t turn immediately. When he did, his piercing, ice-blue eyes seemed to strip away the armor of formality Cain had carefully built over years of service. «Cain,» he said, his voice calm and measured, the kind of voice that didn’t need to raise itself to command obedience. «I trust the interrogation is proceeding as expected?»
Cain nodded. «The Godhunter is… resistant, but he will talk. It’s only a matter of time.»
Elohan arched a brow, his expression unreadable. «Good. I trust you’ll see it through. However, I have a more pressing matter for you.»
«What matter?» Cain asked, his voice careful, neither too eager nor dismissive.
Elohan gestured toward a small console embedded in the wall. With a wave of his hand, an image flickered to life—a woman, regal and commanding, with striking features framed by dark hair streaked with silver. Her eyes seemed to burn with an intensity that made Cain’s spine stiffen. Synara.
«You recognize her, I assume?» Elohan said, watching Cain closely.
Cain gave a slight nod. «Synara.»
«Indeed,» Elohan said, his tone cold. «She has requested a meeting. Officially, it’s to discuss the recent disturbances caused by the Godhunters. Unofficially…» His gaze darkened. «She has her own agenda. She always does.»
Cain frowned slightly. Synara’s reputation preceded her—unpredictable, calculating, and as dangerous as the secrets she hoarded. «You’re not attending?»
Elohan’s lips curved into the faintest of smiles, though it held no warmth. «No. I’ve decided to send you in my place. Consider this both an honor and a test of your adaptability.»
Cain’s bionetic eye flicked to the image of Synara again, processing the information. «A test,» he echoed.
Elohan’s ever so sauber Smile disappeared. «You’ve proven yourself in combat, Cain. Now, I need to see how you fare in the realm of politics and intrigue. Synara will test you, of that I have no doubt. She’ll push, probe, and attempt to unsettle you. Do not let her. Remember, you represent me. Anything less than success will reflect poorly on us both.»
Cain straightened, his expression hardening into one of resolve. «I won’t fail.»
Elohan tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing the truth of Cain’s words. «See that you don’t.»
Cain caught the faintest glint of wariness in Elohan’s eyes. It was rare for Elohan to feel so openly of distrust. «What am I to expect?» Cain asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral.
Elohan chuckled, a sound as smooth and empty as glass. «Expect nothing. Trust even less.» He leaned forward slightly, shadows pooling in the hollows of his face. «Synara has always sought influence, even among her own. She will test you, probe for weaknesses, perhaps even tempt you with promises of power or freedom. But know this—she’s a master at disguising poison as honey.»
Cain felt his jaw tighten, the words sinking in. There was no warmth in Elohan’s warning, only cold calculation. Cain was a tool in this game, and Elohan wasn’t concerned with his survival—only his effectiveness.
«What do you need from me, then?» Cain asked, his voice edged with quiet resolve.
Elohan’s gaze sharpened. «Observe her. Record every word, every gesture. If she attempts to sway you, play along. Let her believe she has the upper hand. But under no circumstances are you to agree to anything she offers.» He paused, his tone darkening. «Remember who commands you.»
Elohan leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low murmur. «And again; remember, Cain, whatever she offers, you refuse. Synara’s loyalties shift with the wind. She’s no ally of ours, and you are not to trust her.»
Cain kept his expression neutral, but his pulse quickened. Elohan’s words implied more than he was saying. It was as though Synara posed a direct threat, not just to their cause but perhaps even to Elohan himself. A hint of vulnerability, one that Elohan was not likely to reveal without reason.
«What if she asks about our plans with the Godhunters?» Cain ventured, testing the waters.
Elohan’s mouth pressed into a thin line. «You’re there to observe, not answer. If she presses you… deflect. Make her question your usefulness.» He leaned back, exuding the kind of relaxed authority that came naturally to him. «Do that, and I may consider this task a success.»
Cain nodded, his mind already racing through possibilities. Synara was known for her cunning, her ability to see through deception with a casual ease that unsettled even the most seasoned among them. He’d have to be on guard—one slip, and he’d be in over his head.
Elohan’s gaze didn’t waver. «This mission will determine much, Cain. Remember that. I expect nothing less than your full dedication.»
Cain stood taller, his eyes locked onto Elohan’s. «You have it, my lord. I’ll do whatever it takes.»
Elohan’s expression softened, if only slightly. «Then go. Make no mistake: Synara will test you. Prove to her—and to me—that you’re stronger than she thinks.»
Elohan regarded him for a moment longer, then turned back to the window. «You’re dismissed.»
Cain hesitated only bri
efly before turning on his heel and leaving the chamber, the soft hiss of the doors closing behind him. Elohan’s words echoed in his mind, mingling with the faint hum of the tower.
Be wary.
It was advice he intended to heed.