As Xander led us around corners and into another section of the structure, we passed a few guards. A few of them said nothing while others watched our every step. Then it was as if we left a low-security zone and entered a high-security one. A guard stood at each corner. Each looked armed with something that resembled a gun.
Only these things were not simple things. Parts of the gun emitted light while others were clear. As if those parts were made of some sort of crystal. The guards watched us while their hands tightened around the stocks of their weapons.
“What are those?” I asked Xander.
While he didn’t respond, our tag-along did. “Those are guns, of a sort.” He sounded a bit smug as he continued. “Just something I came up with to help balance some of the issues the military was having as they tried to do their job.”
“The military?” I said as I turned my face enough to get a look at Pendragon. “Why is there a military?”
The answer came from someone as they stepped in front of our group. “Do you want the short answer or the long one?” I spun to look at the speaker. While he looked older, his muscles were still well-defined. He looked at Xander and offered a hand to him. “Kai, or should I call you Xander?”
Xander ignored the hand. “I was ordered to take Kyren here to see an oracle.”
“And, let me guess,” the man lowered his hand as he spoke. “You are taking her to see Philipa?” None of us said a word as we waited for one or the other to speak. “Well, you know the drill. I cannot let anyone into this wing without prior authorization.”
“I could always…”
“Get around the security?” He lifted his eyebrows as he chuckled darkly. “Not with the current system in place. You just missed Colonel Reeds and me debating what we thought would happen if someone tried. So, be my guest and try.”
Xander sounded a bit annoyed as he asked; “I need to do this now so what is it you want Marcus?”
“That is Captain Young to you…” the man looked like something Xander said had pissed him off. He seemed to realize this as he stopped long enough to take a breath before continuing, “Fine, I can make an exception for you but only if you agree to an IOU on behalf of your guild.” Just how much power did Xander have that he could make such agreements without talking to someone about it?
“That is too open-ended,” Xander shook his head. “You could ask for something that could lead to war. You know that I could never agree to that. How about I personally agree to do one mission for you for free? I will even agree to ignore the guild's requirements and rules. The only requirement will be that it must follow the Council’s rules and regulations.”
Captain Young shook his head. “I may be new to this command but that doesn’t mean that I will let you pull walk all over me. I know just how strict the Council is when it comes to missions. I also know how lax your guild is on its requirements. I even know that, if the money is good enough, your guild will bend a few of them.”
“Fine,” Xander sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “I agree to owe you one mission, done for free, as long as it follows the rules as set forth by the Shadow Blade Guild.”
“Good.” Captain Young looked pleased with himself as he gestured for us to continue. “I look forward to you working for me.”
As we moved forward, I asked Ginger “What just happened?”
“And idiot decided to try and get one over on my brother.” She smiled.
The man who held her hand chuckled, “He does know that their restrictions, while few in number, are even more limiting than the Councils, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Council requires that each official request is reviewed for potential issues and consequences before being put onto the market to be bid on by multiple agencies, including guilds from all over.” Ginger started.
“Our guild is one of the few that is allowed to take requests directly,” Xander took over. “We review each of the requests and determine the effects across the city for years to come. There are a few people whose entire jobs revolve around simply making sure that any job we take will never impact us in a negative way. While we have been known to ignore this, the compensation must be enough to make it worth any risk or loss that we might suffer.”
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So they were willing to look the other way when it suited them. They were mercenaries. However, before I could point this out, he knocked on a door. It burst open as a little streak of gold-blond hair flung itself at him. “KAI!” A high-pitched squeal came from the little bundle of energy. “You came to visit me!”
Xander reached up to pat the tiny person's back. “I told you that I would when I could didn’t I?”
“Then where have you been?” The voice sounded like it was pouting. “You have been in the city for days yet you only now came to see me.”
“The reason for that is one of the reasons I came to see you today.” He said as he tried to pull the bundle from where it was plastered to his chest.
The thing let him go but jumped back as it escaped from his grip. “You think I don’t know that? Is she really so important to you that you would break a promise with me?” It was only as the thing stood up that I realized it was a kid. After being inundated with the non-humans, I found myself face to face with a human-looking boy.
“She was…”
Whatever Xander was about to say was interrupted as the boy turned to look at me. As our eyes met, he started to speak. His voice was not the happy, excited voice from earlier. It deepened as his eyes turned into a kaleidoscope of color. “In a forced sleep after the gods tampered with their own spell. Pushing it to do what it was never designed to do. Mixing both demonic and heavenly magic in a single vessel without care for the consequences.”
“What do you see?” Xander’s voice was as full of awe as it was soft. It was as if he was trying not to scare the kid.
“I see a conflicted love. Between two who battle for your heart, even if one does not realize it.” The boy took a breath before continuing. “I also see death and betrayal in your future. I see the graves that line two paths. Between which you must choose. The choice of which will help tip the balance between two worlds. Dooming one while saving the other.”
My heart stuttered at his words and their potential meaning. Conflicted love? Who did he think was fighting for my love? The only person that came to mind was Xander but his sister already warned me about him. Who else could there be?
And what was with the rest of that? The balance between two worlds would be affected by something I did? I wanted to call bullshit. There was nothing I could do that could affect so many people. The thought of my decisions having such an impact was enough to turn my stomach.
“What group does she belong in?” Ginger asked.
“Mysticism would do well to teach her to use her heritage but her class would do best in the Magic Formations branch. Slippery Shades could help her hone her skills as a cunning fox but her impulsiveness and skills might make her an asset to the IPAS group. Then again, she might be best used in the central government as a mediator with various non-human groups.”
“So you are saying that she could be a part of any group?” Xander asked as he threw his arms up in exasperation.
The boy paused before answering. “Yes.”
“What the hell am I going to put in the report to the council?” Xander ranted at no one in particular.
“Put Omnes et non. They will understand. If they ask you to explain, tell them to come see me.” Without another word, the boy slowly turned and walked back into his room. As soon as he was inside, the door shut and the lock snicked into place.
“What just happened?” I was utterly confused by everything that just happened.
“Yeah,” Pendragon’s brows were furrowed as he looked at Ginger. “That was not normal. Just what is going on? Who is this chick?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Xander’s voice was hard and uncaring. “We got the information we came for. If you want to back out, feel free. I am sure I can find someone else to help Kyren for the short bit of time I am gone.”
Suddenly a soft thump was quickly followed by a loud wailing noise that filled the hallway. My heart stopped as the hairs on my neck lifted. The world around me seemed to slow down as I spun to look in the direction it came from. While the wail was muffled, it sounded as if the kid was in a massive amount of pain. I moved toward the door but Xander was much faster. He smashed through the door. Reducing it to splinters with his shoulder as he charged in. The other two were just behind him, leaving me alone in the hall as I tried to catch up.
All I could smell on the other side of the door was blood and an odd metallic aftertaste. It was odd enough that I nearly stopped to try and find its source. But the sight of the three of them kneeling on the ground pulled my attention away from that and to the fact that Xander was cradling the boy in his arms.
The golden locks that had seemed so alive earlier looked dead as they fluttered in the air around the two of them. My world turned cold as I realized the boy was no longer bleeding. That there was more blood pooled on the floor than inside his tiny form. From where I stood, I could see that his body was riddled with holes.
A chill ran down my spine as a deafening silence pressed in on me, broken only by the distant echo of an alarm. My eyes scanned the room for the source of the damage to find that the room was in an even worse shape than the boy’s body. Holes were torn into every item as if an army of something was desperate to find their way out.
Moments later, a squad of heavily armed soldiers rushed through the door. They took up station around us, weapons at the ready, as Captain Young strode in. He looked pissed. His expression darkened further as he took in the scene. His eyes met Xander’s as he spoke. “You know I am required to take every one of you in for questioning.”
Xander didn’t say a word or even nod. Instead, his arms tightened around the boy’s body as he rose to his feet. He walked slowly and deliberately as he made his way toward one of the soldiers. The soldier slung his weapon behind him before he accepted the body.
No one spoke as we trailed the Captain out of the room. But I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. My eyes were locked on Xander. He looked calm but I could practically feel the waves of anger that festered beneath the surface. I had the feeling that if he ever found out who had killed the boy, they would find themselves wishing for death.