Fahon leaned against the bulkhead of the freighter airship as it cruised over the rainforest towards the mountain. The cargo door opened with a rusty mechanical groan. The wind whipped inside the hold, and rain sprayed him. In the dark, among the dense clouds, he could see flashes of lightning and heard the growl of thunder. Of course, he had chosen tonight, during the middle of a thunderstorm, to initiate the attack.

Minutes ago, the airship had dropped off Pom, a couple squads of Faceless, and Vivana on the side of the mountain. They would work their way to the production facility through the dense rainforest and cover the escape route to the rendezvous point. They also would serve as backup if he needed it. While Fahon had some expectations of the size of the security forces, he ultimately had no idea what was in store. Regardless, tonight he would be a wraith in the dark, a force of destruction and retribution.

The Syndicate had earned it with their corrupt ways. They nearly killed his cousin, slaughtered the Faceless, and took countless lives through their propagation of Razzle on the streets. Now they would pay for it where it hurt them the most, their wallets.

Dropping in now, Fahon said through his Bond-sync with Vivana.

Good luck, Your Excellence. If you need me, I'm not far away. We have eyes on the facility. There's not been any movement. They're not aware of us.

The airship slowed to stop, hovering hundreds of feet in the air above the facility. Fahon could see orbs lights below through the haze and rain. The vessel was positioned over the main building. After putting on his reflective Faceless mask, he pulled up the hood of his dark green poncho. Stepping out of the cargo hold, he dropped like a rock through the sky. Wind and rain battered him as he fell, poncho flapping wildly.

As he approached the rooftop, he slowed his descent with bursts of condensed blue Phasematter, landing like a feather on the flat rooftop. Rivers of rainwater streamed off his hood. The airship was a block of shadow shrouded by the roiling gray clouds. It tilted and flew off, disappearing into the hazy darkness. The pilot would wait nearby until called upon.

Another infiltration, he had to stay on his toes this time. He didn't need to get trapped in another firefight. A satchel hung from his belt. Inside was a bundle of plastic explosives and a detonator. All he had to do was make it to the basement, find a big vat of flammable chemicals, and plant the explosives. He could turn the place into a fireball after he escaped.

With no time to waste, he Phase-crafted a long thin blue cutting blade and carved a hole in the roof. He dropped through, dismissing the blade in a flash of blue embers as he descended and landed on the concrete floor. Water poured through the new opening above, the wind howling and thunder booming.

He stood among great cylindrical tanks, broad metal pipes, and networks of interconnecting tubes, big gauges, and pressurized cannisters. He was surprised how pristine the confusing matrix of hardware looked, gleaming with bright yellow and red paint, or a shiny naked stainless steel.

Catwalks ran along the walls and over the machinery in a grid, connecting to observation platforms with computer consoles. Paths through the lower level weaved irregularly around the clutter of equipment. On the bright side, he found plenty of cover for him to use while he explored.

Stalking across the production floor, he clung to the shadows whenever possible. He urged Divinity to stay near as it veered off to explore on its own. The cobalt Caster returned quickly, hovering over his left shoulder. It kept pace as he darted between machines, dodging unsuspecting workers doing their jobs.

Roughly twenty of them worked in teams, clad in clean white uniforms, yellow hard hats on their heads, and bulky filtration masks on their faces. He felt a little bad for what he was about to do. Sending them out in a thunderstorm like this wouldn't be pleasant but was better than burning to death in a fiery explosion.

Evacuating the building now, Fahon indicated through his Bond-link.

His fingers curled around the fire alarm's lever, and he yanked it. A horrible screeching emitted and flashing blue lights indicated a warning to the people in the building. Fahon waited for the evacuation to begin.

The workers stopped their conversations and actions, looking around in confusion. Did they not rehearse an evacuation? They should sprint to the nearest door, with all the flammable chemicals sitting around. Three supervisors explored the area, looking to identify what was on fire. Urged by upper management, the workers eventually were corralled outside into the horrendous downpour.

The workers are evacuating, Fahon said through his Bond-sync to Vivana. Round them up and get them as far away from the facility as possible.

The entrance to the basement wasn't hard to find. People burst out of a doorway across from where he hid and ducked behind a metal box displaying various dials, levers, and gauges. They filed out, cursing at the weather. Fahon dashed for the door, slipping inside before it closed. His footfalls echoed in the stairwell as he descended. The landing led to a locked door. He precisely cut through the lock and hinges using a Phasematter blade.

The door fell with a thud, and he entered the basement. It was horribly cramped and steamy underneath the mask and poncho. The hallways all connected to maintenance access sections underneath the equipment running upstairs. Approaching a corner, he heard voices, and immediately detected the vibrations of a Bond-link. It wasn't Vivana, she was too far away, and he could still feel the subtle vibrations of her link.

Kormel's voice echoed through the hall. "If this is another random practice drill and they didn't let us know, I'm going to bury the plant manager."

Another voice replied, "The bosses aren't happy with the destroyed shipment. We're behind in our production schedule and I don't know how we will get caught up."

Fahon peeked to have a look. Kormel and a second Syndicate thug, clad in their fitted suits, were walking back to the staircase Fahon emerged from. They stopped dead when they noticed the door lying on the floor. Kormel's Caster chirped, and he tilted his head.

"We're not alone." Kormel's voice was like ice. "I can sense another Bonded. You better get out of here now."

His comrade nodded and scrambled away. Fahon steeled himself. There was no point in hiding now.

I found Kormel, Fahon said through his Bond-sync with Vivana.

I'll be there in a minute! Don't engage him alone, Viviana replied.

I'm not going let him get away.

Your Excellency, don't be a fool!

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Fahon stepped out into the open. With his hooded poncho and mask on, he wondered if Kormel would even recognize him. Kormel turned around slowly, frown deepening on his face. "So those Faceless rats hired themselves a Bonded assassin. I almost didn't believe it to be true. You must be the slime who dumped our shipment in the bay."

Fahon's fingers twitched. He Phase-crafted a glowing blue katana into his grip, lunging to push the point through Kormel's shoulder. Red scimitars materialized into Kormel's hands as he sidestepped the slash. Instead of engaging in a counterattack, Kormel Phase-jumped backwards, firing spikes of Phasematter in Fahon's direction.

Fahon chased after him, relying on Divinity to deflect the dangerous spikes. The Caster projected its shields, deflecting the shards to the side, where they plunged deep into the wall beside him. Kormel snarled swinging both of his scimitars in a horizontal slash. Fahon stopped both blades on his katana, pivoted on his feet, and pushed Kormel off balance.

Kormel recovered quickly and lifted his weapons in a defensive stance. "I recognize that weapon. Don't tell me…"

Fahon spun his katana around and pulled off his mask, tossing it on the floor. He peeled the poncho's hood back, identity revealed.

"I spared your pathetic life. Here you are, come for revenge. Tell me how you found me."

"I admit. You're a hard man to find," Fahon said. "I didn't know you were here. I couldn't be happier. Luck was on my side for one. And once I beat you, I'm going to blow this place sky high."

"So, it's more sabotage, eh?" Kormel spat on the floor between them. "You're fighting the wrong war, Inheritor. You should be searching for your real enemy."

"Why search in vain? When I can squeeze the name out of you."

"You're awfully arrogant. Don't forget—I wiped the floor with you."

Fahon and Kormel wove arcs of blue and red, weapons clashing off each other in a barrage of rapid strikes and parries. Kormel was fast. His fighting style was brutal, and he relied heavily on the speed of twin blades. Fahon dropped his guard, Divinity deflected the blow. Dozens of round pellets of Phasematter materialized in the air around Fahon and sprayed forward in a shotgun blast. Kormel wasn't expecting it, eyes widening. With Bond-sense enhanced perception, Kormel managed to turn in time, taking the brunt of the attack on his back. Pellets embedded into his flesh and into the concrete wall and pipes behind him. Steam hissed and water sprayed from the openings.

Kormel grunted and stumbled back. The back of his fine suit was shredded and bloodied. Fahon had to be relentless, charging in with a powerful thrust. Kormel whipped back around, parrying the thrust a moment too late. The katana slashed open his upper arm, spraying hot blood, getting stuck in the wall behind him. Fahon let go of the embedded weapon, dismissing with the speed of firing neurons. The weapon shattered into tiny blue embers.

Kormel countered, hissing in pain through gritted teeth. His scimitar cut a wide arc across Fahon's chest. The hyper-sharp edge had sheared through his poncho, heavy body armor, and jacket, splaying open a deep laceration in his flesh. He didn't react fast enough to get out of the way, and it was too close a call for Divinity to protect him.

Fahon Phase-jumped backward, brushing hitting his head against the low ceiling, and fired bolts of blue Phasematter in retaliation. Kormel launched his own spikes, some of the projectiles colliding in mid-air with Fahon's own. Both combatants raised the barricades to stop the ranged attacks. There they stood, one behind red, one behind blue, glaring at each other.

Both fighters panted from their efforts. Fahon's adrenaline pumped like lightning in his veins. He knew his wound was bad, but the exhilaration numbed it. Kormel slouched in his own suffering. The shotgun blast had worked wonders for Fahon. It was a bit risky to try to pull off, it left him open to generate projectiles at such a close range. Kormel had not been expecting Divinity warding the blow. Vivana's theory was proving correct, and it gave him a huge advantage. Kormel couldn't be underestimated, he had landed a vicious blow after all.

"Your fighting spirit has certainly improved." Kormel crossed his wicked scimitars in front of him. "You've become too cocky. Clever tricks won't win against a real warrior like me!"

Both barricades dispersed at nearly the same time. Blue bolts and red spikes lanced through the gap between them as they fired at each other. They missed as both fighters dipped low, their moves like mirror images of each other. Fahon's katana popped back into existence in his hand, and he swung it, the blade flashing like a half-moon of blue Phasematter.

Kormel grunted as he blocked the strike with one scimitar. Fahon followed through with the swing, forcing the edge of Kormel's own blade to bite into the floor. There the weapon stuck and Kormel was forced to dismiss it. Red sparks flickered between them as Fahon ducked a following slash with his offhand weapon.

Kormel rolled away from Fahon's spearing thrust. He took his scimitar in both hands, and they crossed blades, rattling. Neither gave ground. They struck a dozen times in quick succession, weapons clattering. The katana vibrated in Fahon's hand with each collision. Kormel seemed to chop harder and harder, desperate to cleave straight through the impenetrable Phasematter.

Fahon backed off, brandishing his katana in a defensive stance. Kormel didn't relent, crossing blades, and pushing forward with all his leg strength, to force Fahon off balance. Fahon put one leg back and fought the press. He figured he could slide his blade along Kormel's and land a strike on his side, even if it might lower his guard.

Hesitation cost him. An unexpected punch struck Fahon side of the head, rocking his cranium. Kormel Phase-crafted a red dagger in the same hand as he wound his arm this time a for a stab. Fahon rolled to the side, the dagger opening a deep cut on his collarbone, missing his exposed neck by centimeters. He dismissed his katana again, blue embers flaring around him. Charging forward he tackled Kormel to the pavement. Fahon sat with his full weight on Kormel, punching him in the face repeatedly.

Fahon's knuckles hurt, he may have broken a finger. He swallowed the pain. Kormel's nose and lips were gushing red. His eyebrows were scrunched with rage as he slipped his arm around.

A pinch shot through his side as a Phasematter knife pierced him. Kormel was going for a second stab when Fahon delivered the hardest punch he could muster. The enforcer's head thudded against the concrete, and he slumped—lights out.

Grimacing and grunting, Fahon rolled to the side of Kormel, lying there and bleeding for a long minute. He focused on steadying his labored breaths. He stood through a painful and laborious process. He rose to one knee first, pushing off and pulling his aching left leg forward, wobbling. When did he hurt his knee?

Divinity scanned with red lines Fahon, assessing the damage. If only the little machine could heal him. Kormel's own Caster, a red shelled orb with two white lines, hovered above him, spinning in the air.

Fahon snatched it. "Caster deactivate Bond."

The Caster chirped in agreement and its Bond with Kormel was broken. Kormel didn't deserve a Caster. Even if he lived, Fahon didn't intend to return it to him.

He took Kormel by his feet, dragging him down the hall. A slick trail of blood was left in the wake. Back in the larger room where Kormel and his partner had emerged, he dropped his legs and stood back, leaning to one side, a lance of pain from his stab wound. His chest wound stung like a thousand tiny needles. Blood was soaking through to the shirt underneath his armor, a most uncomfortable sensation.

With a mental command he Phase-crafted a large blue Phasematter cage surrounding Kormel, searching the area. Luckily, a worker conveniently left a mop and bucket leaning against a nearby wall. Limping over, he grabbed the bucket and carried it back to the cage, slinging soapy water at Kormel. The splash woke him with a start. He moaned, clutching his battered face.

"You have two choices," Fahon said, crouching to be eye level with Kormel. "First, you can stay silent about who ordered the assassinations. In that case, I feed you to Pom. We know how hungry she is for Syndicate blood. Second, you can tell me who it was, and I'll take you back to Ophan with me. You can serve a sentence for attempted murder. We can rehabilitate you and maybe go on you'll go parole eventually—if you behave."

Kormel didn't reply, he looked like he was in a stupor. After a second or two, blinking through his disorientation he locked his rust-colored eyes on Fahon, spitting a bloody wad on the floor.

Fahon folded his arms. "I know which one I would pick."

"You don't know what you're doing. The Syndicate will burn your stupid country to the ground. Did you hear me? You're nothing!"

"Oh, shut it. The Syndicate has no idea what retribution they have earned. In a year, after we're done with them, their top leaders will either be dead or rotting in prison."

Kormel bellowed with mad laughter. "You know what, fine. Do you want to know who ordered your death? It doesn't matter anyway. We'll both be corpses before this is over. This guy is a cold-hearted killer, far viler than the Syndicate. The type of man who would burn this moon to cinders with his ambition."

"Out with it already."

Kormel smiled, teeth stained red with blood.

"It was Crin Haloran."