The slave held Illford’s stare for several seconds before turning away. The old noble studied the boy, not making that same mistake. ‘I overlooked a radical variable,’ Illford noticed as the boy approached the desk. He slammed his foot on the edge and hopped up, crossing his legs and coming half an arm’s length from Illfords face. His demeanor changed. The boy was not a slave nor a noble. Illford leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers. ‘Is it pride or arrogance that you sit in front of me?’
The two of them silently gazed at each other. According to Illford’s source, the boy, Nico, glanced at a specific part of the noble’s desk. Illford’s smile became a little more forced.
‘Interesting,’ The man itched to get answers, but years of experience stopped him. ‘Slowly.’
“You look very curious, sir. What’s on your mind?” Nico asked. Illford stayed silent, stunned. He’d been keeping his emotions hidden by his smile. Reevaluating the boy, Illford opened the drawer to his left. He pulled out several envelopes and tossed them onto the desk.
“I was wondering how you got to these. This desk is enchanted to keep people out.” The boy reached forward and skimmed the letters before looking back up.
“People,” He replied. Illford held an impassive expression as the gears in his mind turned.
“Path finder,” He muttered. “That makes you the mysterious Hand of Hermes that’s been going about.”
Nico shrugged. ‘Even if he was one, he couldn’t be better than the king,’ Illford came up with a few conjectures and voiced the most plausible.
“You replaced the slave. Killed the boy and took his place, that is why you are not bound by the king’s sorcery.” His words made Nico react. The slight shifting and the narrowing eyes. ‘It’s the truth, or close to it.’
“Oh don’t look so surprised,” The two of them traded wordy blows, and Illford poured more wine. ‘His abilities may be specialized for espionage. Taking people’s faces or the sort. Possibly how he got into my desk. Or he has help. The boy is close to the Prince and Neaudiel is acting strange.’ Illford waved away his musings, keeping to the hard facts.
“A civil war. Bold and bloody.”
“Are you going to stop me?” Nico raised an eyebrow. ‘Cocky.’
“Burning the food stores and mills, terrorizing trade, one would believe you want the city to burn. Unless there is something else in that skull.”
“What about you? Building rifts between the noble houses. You practically handed out knives by changing the currencie’s silver content.”
“A subtlety and more controlled chaos,” Illford smirked. Nico had yet to grasp his true intent. Money was only valuable as long as people expected it to be. Seashells could be worth more than silver if he convinced the people. ‘Monkeys dancing in a cage is the only way to describe this city.’
“Then you should have no problem with me.” Nico stood. Illford watched the boy leave, his mannerisms returning to that of a slave.
“The high houses will be consolidating their power. Your recent actions had made them wary of violent feuds. I suggest getting their silver when they’re away.” Nico glanced back, his eyes seeming to read more than Illford’s words. “Come nightfall, I can have you aided or killed. Which should I choose?” Illford called after him.
“Do you value your life or not?” Nico shut the door.
“Curious,” Illford thought aloud. “It will be a pleasure to work with you, Hand of Hermes.”
Nico looked back at the wooden door, sensing Illford’s amusement. The inside of his leg was in agony. His limp receded as he made distance, and he could think again.
Nico rubbed his temples. His mind was in disarray. Illford’s emotions pierced his mind towards the end. That man holds resentment against someone.
‘I too have someone to get back at,’ Nico retrieved his stashed cloak and waited for nightfall.
Nico dashed from the roofs. A satchel hung by his hips, squeaking as it shook. He swung from a bar. He was missing two fingers, making it hard to grip, but that was fine. He slipped down and rolled onto a lower roof and continued.
The line of pale blue light brightened the rooftops and deepened their shadows. Nico ran through the rudimentary map of the city in his head, remembering the major parts. Soon, he reached a prominent spire that coiled into the air. The Acterine citadel rivaled the heights of the palace. According to history, the place was the corpse of a stone serpent that the former Queen Solregina slew and gifted to her husband’s family. Oil lamps glowed from within the tower, making the shadows dance.
Nico landed on one of the last roofs. A wide berth of empty streets separated him from the tower. Nico shoved his hand inside his pouch and pulled out a black starling. His mind morphed, changing his thoughts. He held onto his desire and flapped his small wings. The bird crossed the stone field quickly, silver glistening in its feathers. Nico drifted onto the textured stone, and his cloak fluttered, becoming separate again.
He pushed on one of the windows, testing it. Summoning Whispering Reed, he stabbed the lock open and slipped inside. The nearby feelings crept into Nico’s head, alerting him of his surroundings. He moved lithely, dodging the guards. Whispering Reed vanished into sparks, and Nico held a small glass knife. He’d grown accustomed to them. They were fragile, yes, but small and sharp. They are easier to manufacture than their metal counterparts. Jay wasn’t influential enough to get metal without raising a few eyebrows.
Nico moved down the spiral halls, traveling on an upward incline. One guard sat lethargically by one window, legs kicked up on a box, and his eyes half asleep. Nico felt hot, sweat forming on his brow. He held his arms tighter and moved slowly, adamantly about avoiding the guard’s notice. It was in vain.
The guard sat straighter, knocking aside the crate. Nico moved like a striking predator. He was upon the guard before he could yell and grapple the man. He rested the blade against the guard’s neck.
“Speak only to answer,” Nico commanded, deepening his voice. “Where is Dromeiric Acterine’s study?”
“U-upper floor, but the Lord is out,” The guard rushed in a hushed voice. Fear seeped from the guard’s mind. ‘Barely a man,’ Nico noticed from the voice.
“And the silver?”
“Also on the upper floor, in the master’s study.” The guard’s voice cracked, and Nico wrapped his arm around the guard’s throat, incapacitating him. He sucked in the air, feeling like he strangled himself, and laid the guard softly on the ground. Then he rushed up the halls. There were other people coming.
The wind roared in his ears, and the halls stretched on forever. Nico internally berated himself. He got arrogant. The last successes went to his head. Cursing, he summoned Whispering Reed and engaged the guards in front of the study. The guards noticed the sparks and bristled. Nico ran forward, parrying the first man’s attack and getting close. He knocked the man in the helmet with the pommel and swiped his feet from under the off-balanced man. The second guard attacked, nearly skewing the intruder. Nico trapped the man’s arm against his side and stabbed the man in the arm.
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Leaving the men, Nico gritted his teeth from the expected pain and entered the room. Soft carpets and rows of shelves welcomed him. He shut the doors, his eyes immediately adjusting to the darkness thanks to [Wildborne].
‘I’m a paranoid noble who wants to keep my money safe, where will I hide it?’ Nico rushed to the bookshelves and knocked one over before the door. He threw aside the painting and moved the desk. Nothing.
Nico was about to try moving the rug when he suddenly felt an emotion. He twisted his body, barely avoiding a fatal stab. A thin blade ran into Nico’s right arm, stabbing bone. He screamed in pain and swiped at the assailant. The man moved out of range and moved back in, delivering a downward slash. Nico blocked the blade, and a song of steel rang out. Nico stepped back towards the back of the study. The person followed, stepping into the moonlight.
“And you are?” Nico asked, hoping the person couldn’t hear his beating heart. He glanced at his wound and the hole in the cloak sleeve. ‘I just got this thing.’
The mysterious woman attacked, sparing no words. Their swords sang, and paper flew from under their feet.
Nico contorted his sword, doing his best to fend off the vicious barrage with one arm hanging at his side. He felt no emotions from his enemy, like a blank slate. The whispers in his head kept repeating the phrase: ‘Shadow walker.’ The woman was subpar with a sword but made up for that lack of skill with brute strength. Nico dodged swing after swing and attempted a few counters.
The study became a mess of tree remains as the two battled. The woman stabbed Nico’s head, cutting his ear and ripping his hood off. Giving up on defense, Nico leaned into the strike and stabbed with his injured arm. The woman was surprised and avoided the knife. Nico pressed on, attacking with his sword.
The woman moved like an acrobat, throwing up paper and flipping to safety. Nico didn’t waste the moment and went for the window. The woman stepped out into the light in front of him. ‘Damn,’ Nico swung at her, and she batted the blade aside. She moved to the counter. Nico reached out with his hand, attempting to catch her arm.
“Are you a pathfinder?” The woman’s voice came from behind him. Nico lunged forward, but his cloak choked him, dragging him to the floor. The woman stood above him, her eyes holding a spark of intrigue. ‘Sparks,’
Nico dismissed Whispering Reed. The woman pulled back, and Nico flipped over and grabbed her ankle.
He stood in the same empty space as before, a blue sun hanging above them. The woman scanned the area briefly and attacked with her bare fists. Nico countered, having two working arms again. He pulled her arm back and hit her in the jaw. She reeled back a little and slammed her head into Nico’s. His jaw exploded with pain, and then he felt woozy. She was behind him again.
‘She can use her aspect?’ A groggy feeling swept over him, smothering his strength. ‘This is no different from fighting her normally, how does this help?’ Maybe it wasn’t supposed to help. Nico’s ability granted him power, but he needed to earn it.
Nico was only a sleeper with an unsaturated core. The last Awakened he killed was overconfident and sadistic, trying to torture Nico rather than ending the fight.
He canceled the merge, and the natural world fizzled back into view. The woman stepped on his injured arm, making him scream. He dismissed his memories and lay prone. The woman inspects him, suspecting a trap. She raised her sword, ready to kill him. She thrust. Nico raised his arm, moving the blade with his forearm and grabbing her wrist.
The world shifted again, and they stood opposite one another. Nico moved first, summoning Whispering Reed as he attacked. Instead of sparks, a sphere appeared from the sun, falling behind him. Nico couldn’t pay attention to the bizarre moment and engaged the woman. A hand-to-hand battle was hopeless. She was superior in strength. Nico coiled his arm and raised his knee. She braced, and he canceled the merge.
Nico spun on his shoulder, slamming both feet into the woman. She stumbled back, and Nico grabbed her arm again.
Once again, they faced each other. Nico initiated the battle and repeated the process. ‘Time doesn’t move outside here.’ Nico switched their worlds repeatedly, keeping a hold on the woman. When they switched back to the real world, their reactions carried through. It was disorienting for Nico, and he knew it was coming. It must have been much worse for the awakened warrior. Her cold demeanor broke, and she began to look amused. Nico started to summon a memory and pulled her close before merging.
The woman sped up, escaping Nico’s perception. He felt her hand around his throat in an instant. “Die in here or out there,” She said. Nico obliged, ending his aspect. The woman yanked her arm free and punched Nico in the stomach. He crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. The woman stepped on his arm as Backstabber finally manifested and pulled the scythe out of his hand.
“My master doesn’t value his life. Clearly, neither do you,” She spun the scythe and cut the floor above Nico’s head, sending up splinters of wood. She stepped over Nico towards the window. “He sends his regards.” In the next moment, she was gone.
Nico watched the moonlight pour into the room, lamenting one fact. He was weak.
~~~
Jay watched the flames flicker and crackle. The wax was spotted with gray dust, making the flames sporadic. He hung his hand over the candle absentmindedly, letting the pain wake his body. He couldn’t sleep; better to be alert. Yawning, he opened another book. He skimmed the ledgers and, jotted down a few notes, and moved on. One by one, the stacks dwindled. Jay closed the book. ‘Where is it?’ The fallen creature he trapped inside the nightmare with him should have manifested near the crucks of the nightmare, yet years had gone by with no appearances. A giant spider would be hard to miss.
He yawned and stepped out of his room. He shot the stunned guard a dissuading look as they tried to stop him. Who would they follow? The absent king or the present Prince? He rubbed the bags under his eyes and stepped out onto a balcony.
The night air was crisp and smelled stale. Jay leaned on the railing, his body weighing itself down but never finding sleep. His birthday was soon. All their efforts would be proved fruitful or wasted. Otherwise, the nightmare would naturally end. The floods were clear in Jay’s mind from the last time he conquered this nightmare.
“It is most unwise to be alone my lord,” Neaudiel appeared on the balcony, slightly behind Jay, affirming his position. Jay smirked. If Neaudiel knew the truth, this knight would cut him down. ‘Perhaps not.’ Jay looked back out. ‘Have I become the prince?’ The question bothered him deeply. Until now, he’d seen the people he’d replaced as avatars. Changing in and out of them is normal. However, the people felt so genuine. Following that logic, the person he replaced was real. Did he kill them? Or were they always him? Jay pondered the question to no end.
Looking down at the city did that to him. Jay would doom this city to escape, and the nightmare would cease to exist once he does. ‘I would have toiled away the time if Nico didn’t show up.’ That wasn’t right. Nico didn’t show up, and Jay dragged him in.
Jay reached out and caught a line of thread, forgetting his thoughts. It was too thin for thread, hair, maybe. ‘White hair, No, webbing.’ On the end was a tiny spider coiling up the strand.
“Hey Neaudiel,” Jay turned and flicked the spider onto the man’s armor. Neaudiel moved his eyes to spot the spider before looking at Jay dubiously. “My lord,” he stated calmly. “Do not use the spider to annoy me.”
“Why not?”
“It’s demeaning,” He replied.
“That you’ve been reduced to being made fun of?” Neaudiel brought his fingers together, the spider between them. Jay didn’t even notice the man grab it. “For when I use my body to squish the bug,”
Jay watched the man for a long moment. “Do you want to leave?”
“My lord?”
“You’re a former royal guard, respected. How come you spend your time with me?”
“You are the future of this kingdom. The next sun.”
“A tarnished sun.”
“You call me respected, yes, by the people inside the city. Adventurers are more respected by the populace for their fantastical shroud. Slaying beasts and saving the innocent garners far more fame and glory than guarding someone.” The man stroked his bead and straightened.
“So the idea of greatness is subjective for me. But you are of Sky Eye’s blood, your greatness is inherent. That is why I stay with you.”
Jay stayed silent, reading his runes. [Tarnished Sun] Your glory has no shine, and your reign shall end in darkness. ‘You have no idea what is going on.’ he thought.
“On that note, we should plan for an imminent engagement. It is tradition for you to be married after coming to age.” Solace’s mouth dropped and his cheeks flushed red. Neaudiel was deadpan. Deep laughter rang out from the balcony.