Jonathan peered out of his bedroom window, overlooking his housemate below. Olivia as usual indulged in her training, while Ciara was lost in her gardening. It was an early morning, he had been up all night going through all the files the academy had on the victim. It became frustrating to go through it again after six times.
Everything they had on him was fabricated from thin air, his family record to his early education, nothing about them was true. Except for his current identity, Anthony Gonzalez, single, lived in a small room above his workplace. He worked as a baker for a bakery named Moondrop Bun. Even then, all of it was a cover for his true occupation.
At least he has a small social circle, it must have been for his cover, but nevertheless, an opportunity to accumulate information. However, interviewing them without any actual edge or a lead might burn his bridge too soon before he could use them to confirm any information he had.
The only choices Jonathan had before him is either he visits the victim’s home, the crime scene, or to the morgue for a better look at the victim’s body. He was interested in the wounds inflicted upon the victim.
Still, he can’t do it all in a single day, he got classes, an appearance to maintain, and a cute bodyguard that followed him around. Since his new job required secrecy, it will make the investigation ten times harder than it was supposed to be. However, Jonathan did get the new uniform from Dr. Victoria. It is supposed to help him keep his identity hidden while on the investigation. A black formal garb with a streak of red. The outfit consisted of a trench coat and a blackened, sleek helmet.
Jonathan sighed. He appreciated the new uniform, but at least, they could have provided him with a proper weapon. He could always use his old ones. It will be done for now.
There’s another problem, the report they gave him was filled with things beyond his human education. For example, in his home, they found a plant: Hypnos’s Poppies, which is a flower of some sort. He had no idea what it was or even existed until today. They didn’t even bother putting some notes under it.
Well, at least Jonathan got time on his side to get a lead. The chase yesterday should spook the man into hiding.
“I wonder if that girl knows something about it?” A grin appeared, Jonathan slid the window open. “Hey, Ciara, right?”
His housemates turned their attention to the waving man with raised eyebrows. Jonathan accidentally leaned out of the window and dropped from the second floor. He broke the patio railing before landing in the bushes. “Ouch…”
Ciara stood up in worry but stayed where she was when Jonathan stood up again with a grin. Olivia crossed her arms while she watched the man stumbled toward Ciara. After shaking her head, Olivia continued her training with the sword.
Jonathan walked up to the green-skinned girl, she recoiled back when he was way too close for her comfort. “Y-Yes?” asked the girl.
“What are you doing?”
“Gardening…”
“Cool, so what are you growing here?”
“Lilies, daffodils, and a few plants for Sigil Studies class.”
Jonathan squatted down near the weird plants. “What’s this?”
“It’s Dragonbreath.”
“Dragonbreath? I never heard of it.”
“It’s for summoning creatures with a fire alignment, like salamanders or firebirds. If you want to know more about it, Sigil Studies class starts after lunch.” Ciara fidgeted with her trowel. “W-Why are you here?”
“I was just interested to get to know you.”
Ciara's cheek flushed an even brighter green. “Me, but why?”
“Aren’t we housemates or something? It’s not wrong trying to know you guys. Even you too, Olivia.” Jonathan beamed a smile at the other woman.
Olivia rolled her eyes and ignored Jonathan entirely. An ice-cold attitude, but it reminded him of Eri. Jonathan was sure he was going to grow on her. It’s only a matter of time.
Ciara kneeled near one of her plants and tended to it. Jonathan scooted closer, which caused the woman to scoot away, and the more he did, the further she got. Jonathan couldn't help but laugh, it’s becoming a game. “So, why gardening? Is it like a hobby?”
“Because it’s calm. They don't have malice, they don’t judge, and I feel like I’m back at home when I’m near them.” Ciara stared longingly as she gently ran her finger down the leaf.
“If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?”
“I believe it was a large island called Ireland.”
“Ireland. It has been on my list of places I wanted to visit. I know it seems rude to ask you this, but I’m new to all of this. I mean the Nephilim, magic, and stuff. Can I ask you what kind of species you are?”
Ciara was a bit taken back, but she understood what he meant. “I’m what people call a changeling.”
“A perfect replica of a human. Fairies down there tend to steal human babies and replace them with changelings. No one would notice at first, but until they do.” Olivia let out a short mocking laugh. “They drove them out of their home. One thing that humans don't realize is, changelings have no idea they are fake ones. Imagine your family cast you out from your home because you’re different, despite being the best child they ever had.”
Jonathan noticed the subtle pain in Ciara’s gaze. He scratched the back of his head. “You know I’m great at playing the guitar, what about you?”
Ciara was a bit surprised to see Jonathan was still there. She let out a small laugh and pulled a lock of hair behind her ear. “I… I know how to play the drums.”
“You do?” Jonathan looked at her with wide eyes, she shyly nodded her head. “Awesome.”
Jonathan turned to Olivia. “What about you?”
Olivia stopped swinging her sword and glanced at Jonathan. She turned away and left without saying a word. The displeasure on her face was clear as day. Olivia passed Eri on the way up the stairs, they both shared a glare. After Olivia disappeared into her room, Eri entered the backyard with crossed arms. She raised her eyebrow at Jonathan.
With a smile, Jonathan raised his arms. “I’m not doing anything dangerous, Eri.”
“You better not, because I’m sick and tired of saving you.” She proceeded to take a seat on a chair on the patio and kept her gaze on me.
“Hey Ciara, don't tell her I fell out of the window,” Jonathan whispered with a grin.
Ciara’s cheeks flushed bright green again when Jonathan’s warm breath grazed her skin. He was too close, again. She doesn’t understand this man at all. He helped her without a reason, he has no sense of personal boundary or shame, and he stayed despite knowing what she was.
“Jonathan, right?”
“Yes, that’s me. One and only, as far as I know. What’s up?”
“I heard a classmate of ours is planning a small party tonight. I wonder if you are planning on going?”
“A party?!” Jonathan’s eyes glimmered with excitement. “Oh my god, of course, yes. I can't wait.”
“No, you don’t. There will be too many people there. Since you have a habit of getting into trouble despite my effort to keep you safe, I forbid you from going to this party,” She said with a glare.
“Oh, come on. It’s not like I’m going to get stabbed there. It’s a party. My first one here. Come on…” Jonathan begged with puppy eyes and pouty lips.
Eri groaned as she rubbed her temple. “Alright, but you will stay by my side. At all times.” She made the last part clear as glass. Though she was mad at him for running off to chase a dangerous person, there was something else that bothered her, and she refused to let him know what it was.
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The afternoon came nonetheless, despite the rain pouring heavily outside, Jonathan and Eri were ready for the Sigil Studies class. Eri found the class boring since it had no practical use for her, Jonathan, however, was excited as usual because he had no clue what this class was about.
A mature succubus walked into the class and immediately, Jonathan had fallen for her. Eri had got used to it, she could even tell that Jonathan was hiding a dumb grin underneath his calm exterior.
The professor flipped her purple hair and sent a strong scent of lavender that swooned half the class. “Well, well, look at all these handsome and beautiful individuals in my class. My name is Ms. Nicollette Solovyov, but y'all can call me Ms. Nicol. First thing first, they are F-cups, in case you are all wondering.” She grinned as she placed her arms under her breast.
“F-cup?” Half the class can be seen taking a visible gulp.
Ms. Nicol giggled at the expression her students had but started her lesson anyway. “Sigil is the hardest form of spell casting available. It is not fuelled or controlled by emotions or thoughts but by diligence, patience, and precise drawing. One Sigil can mean anything from a simple as creating a veil to a more complex as creating a living illusion. So, what we are going to do today is to learn how to create a Sigil of the four basic elements that we use for spell-slinging.”
“Please take out a piece of parchment.” As instructed by Ms. Nicol, everyone took out a piece of parchment. “Let’s start with a circle, but not too small, just enough for you to draw in it.” She took out chalk and drew four Sigils on the blackboard.
“As you can see here, Fire Sigil is the shape of a triangle. It’s sharp and pointed; destructive and rising. Earth, on the other hand, is shapely, rigid, and strong. Air is three-line traversing each other, flexible and unrestricted. Water is the opposite of Fire, downward but pointed when necessary; destructive but falling.” Ms. Nicol was in a state of passion as she explained.
“Try drawing the fire Sigil.”
Jonathan bit her tongue as he drew the fire Sigil as precise as the figure on the board. While Eri beside him, lazily drew her the Sigil. One thing that no matter what she does, she could never make Sigil work, for some reason.
“Finish? Then a little drop of your spiritual energy should start as a catalyst and activate the Sigil. Only a little, too much of it might cause一”
An explosion threw Jonathan to the back of the classroom and broke the table in half upon impact. Eri and all the students turned their attention to him with widened eyes. Jonathan raised his arm and sat up with a big smile on his face. “I can do magic? Take that! Gahahaha.”
Eri left her seat and leaped from table to table toward Jonathan.
“Do you need to go to the infirmary, Mr. Jonathan?” Ms. Nicol asked while trying to hide her amusement.
“Jonathan, don’t move.” Eri checked Jonathan’s body vigorously for any sign of wounds.
“No need, Ms. Nicol. I want to learn it all.” Jonathan pushed Eri gently and sauntered back to his seat. His face blackened from the explosive while his hair stood up like the Eiffel Tower, but he was fine. Excited even. “One question, can I activate it from afar?”
A grin appeared on Ms. Nicol, apparently, she had found herself a prodigy of her own. “Yes, by adding the Latin word: Imperium. Which translated to Empire, for this Sigil you have created becomes your empire and under your absolute control.”
“I see.” Jonathan wrote down in his half-burnt notebook.
The class goes on as she taught the meaning of each symbol and what it symbolizes and also slowly showed them how to make it work. Apparently, Ms. Nicol wasn’t lying when she said it is the hardest form of spell casting. Almost half of the class couldn’t activate the Sigil when they did, it wasn't as impressive as Jonathan's first attempt. Even the undine still couldn’t do it.
When the class ended, it was mostly frustration and groaning. Before Jonathan left the room, Ms. Nicol stopped him with a wave. She donned a mischievous smile and pulled Jonathan into her bosom. Jonathan almost fainted, before Eri pulled him away. He stumbled a bit before propping against the table.
“Excuse me, Ms. Nicol. I advise you to not do that.”
“Aww, I’m sorry. I was just excited to finally meet a potential prodigy in my class. It has been a while since the last one.”
“Prodigy?” asked Jonathan while he slowed down his heart.
“Yes!” said Ms. Nicol with giddy. “You have a bright future in Sigil studies, Johnny. Please come to my office any time you want, if you want to expand your knowledge… or your body.”
“My... My Body?” Jonathan once again fainted from imagining something he wasn’t supposed to.
“Oh my.”
“Again?” Eri groaned as she took his arm and lifted him.
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Eri brought the fainted man to the infirmary as usual. She never thought that this would be a daily occurrence for her. Not that she minds, to her, Jonathan’s weight wasn’t bothering her, she had lifted heavier things than him. Such as that pickup truck she threw from a long time ago, even then, she lifted it with ease.
Arriving at the infirmary, she found Bor already waiting for her with a packed sandwich. They both went inside without even greeting each other, Bor was about to say something, but decided to hold it in.
A nurse spotted them and sighed when she saw Jonathan in Eri’s arms. She raised her eyebrow at the male undine, she recognized him from when she used to be one of the students here. “Aren’t you that undine who can’t even do a simple spell? You even lost that tournament in the first round.” She couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh, but it was hilarious. I should leave, it's time for my break anyway.”
After the nurse left, Bor noticed Eri had balled her hands into fists.
“Why didn't you say something back? Why do you let her mock you? Does our pride as an undine means nothing to you?”
“She was having a laugh.” Bor averted his gaze from Eri.
“A laugh at the expense of your pride, is that a laughable matter to you?” Eri was at the brink of anger, but she calmed herself before placing Jonathan gently on the bed.
“There are much more important things than pride.”
“What, tell me what?”
Bor was about to answer but held his tongue for reasons unknown to Eri.
“There you go again. When the tough questions start flying, you keep your mouth shut. That’s why father threw you out of the house.” Eri’s grip tightened. “You’re a weakling and have always been one, I was a fool to think otherwise. I see that now.”
“But, how dare you make an oath to protect him when you couldn’t even protect yourself?”
“I will protect him when the time comes.”
“I doubt you would be useful. Tell me, why do you even take the oath?”
“Because I sense something in him, I sense darkness, but also light. Warmth and bright. He’s more than what you think he is. He wasn’t just a saint or a fool. I don’t know it yet, but I wish to be by his side and be his tool if he needed me to.”
“This human? He’s rude, obnoxious, perverted, and has no sense of awareness for his safety. He does what he wants and thinks nothing of other-”
Bor interrupted her rant. “But I know you notice something different about him, but you haven’t figured it out yet.”
“And you know more than me? You’ve only been with him for a short while.”
“Your pride is blocking your true sight,” Bor advised.
“And your naivety will cost us our family name,” Eri scoffed.
Their conversation halted there, it was better to keep their tongue at bay before it escalates into another fight. Eri took out a book to take her mind off, while Bor enjoyed staying by Jonathan's side.
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Once again, Jonathan woke up in the infirmary, but this time, Bor was on the other side of the bed away from Eri. Bor’s sister doesn’t seem to pay attention to her brother; instead, she found herself engrossed in a book.
“Hey, buddy, I thought you were working today?”
“I’m on my break. Only a minute left before I get to my post. I thought we could have lunch together, but never mind. I brought you a pack of sandwiches from the diner.” Bor placed the sandwich on Jonathan’s chest.
“Oh, thank you.”
Bor sneaked a giggle. “Jonathan, you can't keep fainting when you meet a succubus.”
“I can’t help it, okay? Ugh. They are hot.” Jonathan let out an exasperated sigh.
“Jonathan, I’ve been thinking.” His smile was gone, and he donned a serious gaze. “Yesterday's incident caused me to rethink myself. I need to get strong, so I can protect you. I don’t want you to end up like that man yesterday, so I’m going to take my time off to train. We won’t see each other much, but I promise I’ll be there when you need me.”
His sister let out a mocking chuckle. “I doubt you will get strong.”
“Eri!” Jonathan scolded.
“Am I wrong?” Eri threw her arms aside. “Haven’t you tried this before, and do I need to remind you how you failed last time?”
“Not this time.” Bor suddenly stood up and stared into his sister’s eyes. “I may have met my limit in strength and magic, but I can still improve my skill and knowledge. And one day, I prove that by defeating you in battle.”
“W-What?” She never saw Bor fiercely determined before, it intimidated her a bit. Enough to cause her to take a step back. “Oh yeah?! I’ll make sure to pound how weak you are the next time you challenge me.”
“See you later, my friend.” Bor left the infirmary.
“Wait…” It was too late for Jonathan to stop him.
Huffing and puffing with annoyance, Eri sat back down and continued her reading. Jonathan let out a sigh, at least, he has this sandwich with him. He unwrapped it and enjoyed it as much as he could before leaving the infirmary. Jonathan also made sure his appearance was presentable before stepping outside.
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Ciara raised her gaze at the stacked boxes on top of the rack. With her short arms and legs, there was no way for her to reach it. She stared at it with a small frown. After searching the room for a stepladder, she found the next best thing: a stool. She brought it near the rack and placed it for her to climb.
Even on top of the stool, the box was still too far for her to grab, but she still could reach it with the tip of her finger. She nudged the corner, and it caused a chain reaction. The stacked boxes fell on top of her and pushed her off the stool.
A trickle of green blood dripped from her forehead. It felt as if a bee stung her right on her head. Dizziness overwhelmed her. Suddenly, a faint and caring voice called out her name.
“Ciara. Ciara…”
“Their first child was fated to leave this world before she could even open her eyes. Her bloodline has been good to me, it pains me to see their descendants about to feel so much grief. So, I gifted them, you, who was born without a parent. A creature of deceit. Fear not, I will bless you with my magic, so they would not recognize who you truly are. A warning, do not reveal your true nature, or my blessing will come undone, and all their love for you will turn into fear. Heed my warning, child.”
As Ciara grew, the wonderful life she had with her family muted the spirit’s warning. She had thought of herself as one of them and did not doubt it. She was a human because her parents were human. Her existence was not something she questioned about.
Until one day, her entire life came crashing down. It was her first day as a freshman at a local high school. It was a normal day as usual, but she heard a scream for help after she got home.
“Please help me!” She knew who it was. Ciara rushed into her home to see her mom with a broken leg near the bottom of the stairs.
“Ma?!” She kneeled beside her. Panic set in as her mom writhed in pain.
A feeling deep within her compelled her to place her hand on her mother’s broken leg. She did, and a surge of power pulled into her, then made its way to her hand. A subtle green light cast over the broken bone. It snapped back into place and healed perfectly.
She may have fixed her mother’s broken leg, but it came with a heavy price. Her true nature was revealed, her eyes darkened into nothing but black, her skin changed to green, and even her face’s features drastically morphed into another person.
Ciara’s mother looked on with terror and just like how the fairy warned, all her love and care for her turned sour. She screamed at the monster beside her, she didn’t recognize who she was or has no recollection of Ciara as her daughter.
The young girl was shocked as her mother wailed her arms with immense fear. She thought her mother had gone insane until she saw her reflection.
“Ma, it’s me, Ciara!”
Nothing but a scream of horror.
“Ma!”
“What did you do with my daughter? You monster!” She pushed Ciara against the wall. A jolt of pain came from behind her head, she reached it and saw green blood on her fingers.
Tears welled up in her eyes, she couldn’t stand watching her mother in this state, so she ran as fast as she could and never to be seen again. She was confused and scared until the fairy came to her and took her in. They told her the truth and apologized, but it was already too late. The life she had known will never be hers anymore.
By now, it’s nothing, but a distant painful memory.
She came to this academy, seeking a fresh start, but just like the fairy warned, she was a creature of deceit. Nobody could trust a changeling. Most would avoid her, while the few would seek to use her. Because she has a special ability to change her form into anyone she desires.
It’s an ability she hated. She was not a liar, and to use that power would mean to admit she’s one.
“Ouch…” Ciara placed her hand near her head and a glow of green light healed her cut.
She stood up and set aside the stepladder. Once everything had been cleaned up, she brought the boxes with her.
Maybe she was destined to be alone, who would dare give a creature of deceit a chance?
But then again… “Ciara, hey!” A familiar voice called out to her.
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Jonathan thought the hallways would be at least crowded, but it seems most of the students had gone home. He only had Sigil Studies class for the day. Eri had left him to go settle some business of her own. As he wondered what to do next, Ciara could be seen at the end of the hallway.
Shrugging his shoulder, Jonathan caught up to her. “Ciara, hey!” shouted Jonathan with a big smile on his face.
Ciara’s shoulders perked up, then relaxed when she saw Jonathan. A small smile formed. “Yes?”
“Do you know anything about Hypnos’s Poppies?”
“It’s a rare plant. Why do you ask?”
“I saw it in a pamphlet somewhere. I never heard about it before, and I thought you might know something about it.”
“Oh, uhm, it’s certainly a rare plant. It only grows in Greece. I think they used it to treat severe cases of insomnia. It’s highly potent, just eating the plant without grinding it is enough to knock someone out for a couple of hours. I think you can find it at the certified apothecary in the city. Not a lot of them sell it because too much of it can send the user into a coma.” Ciara tapped on her boxes as she waited.
Jonathan didn’t realize he was lost in his thoughts. “Oh, sorry. Those boxes look heavy, can I help you with those?” He took some off her and accompanied Ciara to the garden behind the academy’s main building.
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The lampposts illuminated the streets as the sun began to sink over the horizon. Inside his bedroom, Jonathan pulled out the same thermos he had for years. It seemed like a normal thermos at first glance with its cute knitted coat and a defined dent. However, it’s not the thermos or the coat he was interested in, no, it was hidden underneath the cover.
With a quick pull, he put down the thermos and turned the coat inside out. Six throwing knives were strapped to the side of the coat. Perfectly balanced and sharpened, complimentary from back in the days when he was active. It was odd, he didn’t think he would need it after he quit the squad, but here he goes again.
He slipped the knives into the tactical sheaths strapped around his legs and arms. To hide the knives, he used the sleeves of his shirt and the cuff of his pants.
His sight wandered to the inquisitor badge on his bed. At first, he sighed, then he took it and slid the badge into his pocket.
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A knock on his bedroom door pulled his attention. He set aside his backpack and made his way to the door. He waited for the second knock. When he heard it, he opened the door to see Eri waiting for him. “Are you ready?”
Jonathan widened his eyes at the woman before him. She was donned in a sparkly blue dress, it wasn’t tight-fitting, but more of a loosely draped over her muscular body. A dress made for a Greek goddess. Diamond earrings, necklace, and bracelet; the full deal. Even her midnight hair was tied into a ponytail to show off her naked back. Despite the occasion, she still carried her trident. “Aren’t you overdressed for this party?”
“What do you mean?”
Ciara popped from her bedroom in a full skirt summer dress bathed in yellow. A circlet of flowers rested on top of her hair, while a beautiful lilies' corsage wrapped around her left wrist. She fidgeted as Jonathan kept his stare on her. “Do you like it?”
“Like it? I love it. Both of you look so damn beautiful. Wait, I thought it was going to be like a small house party.”
Eri sighed. “I think you misunderstood what Ms. Ciara said. It is a small party, there will be no parade at the end of it.”
“Wait, a parade? I think there’s something wrong between your definition of small and my definition of it.”
“Oh, you didn’t know? The party is going to be at the Nephilim embassy.” Ciara placed a hand on her arm. Her eyebrows raised as she worried about Jonathan's state of confusion.
“I think someone forgot to tell me the details.” Jonathan stared accusingly at Eri.
Eri shrugged. “I’m your protector. Not your secretary. Shall we get going?”
“Screw it. Let’s go.” Jonathan closed the door behind him.
“Are you certain? Because I feel bad not saying anything before inviting you.” A guilty frown on her face as she lowered her gaze away from Jonathan.
Jonathan shrugged his shoulders. It disrupted a part of his plan, but an opportunity to get into the embassy with a good reason was a chance he couldn’t miss. He could probably dig a few good information about the murder there while on the pretense as a party goer. “Yeah, come on. We are going to be late if we keep chatting here.”
The horse-drawn carriage waited for them outside the house and brought them to the embassy. Undines guarded the gate and perimeter fence due to what happened yesterday. Jonathan doubted anyone could pass them without proper authorization after seeing first-hand what an undine is capable of.
After the carriage stopped, Jonathan got out first and gave his hand to the two women behind him. It was a gentleman's thing to do, or at least, that was his intention. Eri stared at Jonathan with skepticism but accepted it otherwise. When it was Ciara’s turn, she flushed bright green before accepting it.
As they walked toward the door, a guard stopped them. It wasn’t an undine, but judging from his look, he was a Nephilim. “Welcome. May I inquire about your names?”
Jonathan and the rest told him their names. He took a while to check the list, but when he found it, he took a bow. “Please excuse my manner, security has become our top concern after the incident yesterday. Lady Lucy welcomes you all with warmth.” He opened the door.
A flurry of delicious scents lingered in the hall while a piece of subtle classical music seemed to be emanating from the inside. Jonathan entered and his jaw dropped. It wasn’t a small party, after all, it was a ball. Many of his presumed schoolmates were wearing either a suit or a dress. There’s no doubt about it, Jonathan was certainly underdressed for this occasion.
Jonathan's sight wandered as he strode the hall. There are no undine soldiers on sight. It seemed they were only allowed to guard the perimeter and the gate. Instead, most of the guards here consist only of Nephilim.
His sight wandered again and caught a familiar red-haired Nephilim. The host of this party, Ms. Lucy. She leaned on the railing of the second floor and overlooked the party from there. She opted for a sleek snake-skin suit with an unbuttoned black shirt for this evening. For a host, she seemed unhappy to attend her party.
Again, his eyes wandered to a corner where Jonathan spotted another housemate of his, Olivia, she also opted for a suit except her reminded of one of those military formal suits along with a short cape on her left shoulder.
Everyone's attention seemed to be drawn to the alluring succubus near the buffet table as she strode her way to Ms. Lucy with two wine glasses. It was another of Jonathan's housemates, Ms. Melody. She drew many wandering eyes because of her revealing, body-hugging red dress. The bottom of the skirt has a slit that reveals her thigh. It’s no question her status as a succubus and her scrumptious body will draw the eyes of male or even female in the room.
“Wow…” Ciara looked with awe at the ceiling above her. A sparkling diamond chandelier hung from it and decorated with extravagant gold-embroidered black fabrics. Her sight then wandered to the banners on the wall. It held the emblem of the Nephilim government: a pair of blackened feathery wings inside a triangle with a single eye in the middle.
“That is the symbol for the Nephilim government. The government is led by the longest living Nephilim in the entire world, Sir Lucifer Morningstar.”
“Wait, The Fallen Angel, Lucifer?” Jonathan looked at Eri with wide eyes.
“It would be best to not call him that in front of other Nephilim, or at least in front of his daughter, Lady Lucy Morningstar.”
“Thanks for the warning. So, she is his daughter.” Jonathan turned his gaze at Lucy as she crossed her arms with an annoyed frown. “Is her father here?”
“I don’t think so. Sir Lucifer is very busy leading Paradisum City in the arctic. The last I saw him was during the Undine royal wedding back at New Marina, but that was a year ago.”
“Lucifer Morningstar, I wonder what he's like.”
“The first impression I have of him was a calm and doting parent. He wouldn’t stop talking about his daughter with my parents.”
Jonathan turned to Ciara. “I have no idea what to do at this kind of party, do you have any idea?”
“I haven’t been one to either, but I heard of it,” Ciara confessed.
“Excuse me, why is that question not directed at me? Obviously, I have more experience in this matter,” Eri glared with a hurtful frown.
“I mean, it’s because… You know. You.” Jonathan stepped back with his hands raised. “Woah. Woah. I don’t mean it as an insult. I thought you weren’t that kind gal, you know. Since how serious you are.”
“That’s- that’s! Untrue. I love attending parties and dancing and enjoy the savoring delights.” It was the first time for Jonathan to see Eri this agitated before. His statement must have hit harder than he had expected. “I’ll show you.” She grabbed Jonathan and pulled him to the center of the ballroom.
Jonathan hasn’t the slightest idea of how to dance, he froze. Of courses, his body froze, He never danced before except for wiggling his arms around. Eri offered his hand to him. Jonathan scratched the back of his head. “I don’t know how to dance, so go easy on me.” He took her hand.
Eri placed Jonathan's other hands on her shoulder while her own pressed against his back. Before they knew it, off they went, swirling around the court. It was rough at first, Jonathan was stepping on his dance partner’s foot a lot, but it didn’t bother her. As they went on, Jonathan finally got the hang of it or at least tried to match Eri’s rhythm.
A joyous smile on her face was a pleasant surprise for Jonathan, it was infectious and soon found himself matching that smile. He laughed at how bad he was, but Eri was more delighted to have a dance partner so early on at this party.
Eri could go on forever dancing but decided to stop when Jonathan was getting tired. They went back to Ciara, she was a bit jealous and lonely to be left behind, but Eri pulled her to the dance floor out of nowhere. It seemed she hasn’t had her fill with it. Ciara on the other hand was a little better dance partner than Jonathan. Soon even Ciara was infected by the sudden burst of joy from Eri.
Jonathan caught up his breath near the refreshment table, his eyes wandered to the orchestra playing in the background. The song they were playing was exciting and lively. Many students joined the dance floor. They were having a wonderful time.
“Enjoying yourself?”
A familiar voice greeted Jonathan, one he’s not mentally prepared for. His heart racing, when he turned, the alluring succubus stood behind him with a glass of wine. “Uhm…” After taking an unnecessary gulp, he continued. “Ms melody, right?”
“No need to be formal with me. So, returning to my earlier question, are you enjoying yourself?”
Jonathan turned his gaze at the two women dancing eagerly in the center of the room. A smile crept up to him. “Isn’t it obvious? But, it has been a while since I had this much fun with friends.”
“Were you alone before coming here?” Melody tilted her inquisitively.
“Sort of. I would meet interesting people during my travels, but it always ended short. I’m not big on staying in one place.”
“I see. I do hope you will be staying here a little longer. This place may be a bit overwhelming at first, but I truly believe this floating island offers more than a quick pit stop.”
A man dressed extravagantly in a suit joined beside Ms. Lucy. There were a few grays in his slick black hair, he chatted with Lucy in a friendly manner. Jonathan theorized that the man must have been a relative or a close friend to Lucy. Melody noticed Jonathan’s stare. “That is Lucy’s uncle, Roderick Gabblestone. He’s also the ambassador for the Nephilim government. This party was his idea.”
“His idea? No wonder Ms. Lucy looked annoyed from the first moment she entered.”
Melody hid a giggle. “Lucy’s idea of a party is chugging alcohol and high-pitched dance music.”
“I don’t blame her. That’s the kind of party I’m used to.”
“Oh, now I understand. It explains the attire you chose.” Melody scanned Jonathan’s wardrobe choice, and it made him feel a bit self-conscious about it, heck, even a bit shy of it. Melody giggled again at his bashfulness. “I think you looked great. It shows honesty.”
“Yeah, right…” His eyes were stuck on Lucy for some reason. “You know what? The party host shouldn’t be allowed to have a bad time at her party.” Jonathan cleared his throat loudly. “Hey, Princess!”
Lucy turned to him with a raised eyebrow, so did the few students near him. Jonathan pointed at the wine tower behind him. “I bet I can chug it all more than you.”
An energetic grin finally emerged, she jumped off from the second floor with her blackened wings spread out, then landed near Jonathan. With a glare, she took one of the wine glasses. “You better bring your A-game because I’m going to make you wish you never challenged me in the first place.”
A small crowd gathered around them, soon a chant can be heard repeating. Even Melody was politely cheering for her friend. Eri and Ciara walked to the crowd, they were wondering what was so interesting and pushed toward the center. The undine’s eyes widened in disbelief, and Ciara gasped with a hand over her lips.
A scene to behold as Jonathan chugged down a whole glass one after another along with Lucy. They were equal at first, but as soon as they had over fifteen glasses, one of them started to wobble slightly. It was Jonathan. They finished it all, and it seemed they were both equally matched, except for one thing, Lucy was still sober while Jonathan was swaying left to right.
“I thought *Hic* That was too much for me. *Hic* Who wins?”
“It’s a draw.” Melody stepped in.
“I agree.” Lucy nodded his head. “I wish the drink was stronger, but I can’t complain. You held your own一”
Jonathan dove face-first into the refreshment table and flipped everything over. Ciara rushed to her friend. “Jonathan!”
“Again?” Eri groaned.
“What do you *Hic* call a dancing sheep? A Baa-lerina. Hehehe,” said Jonathan before he knocked himself out.
As usual, Eri brought Jonathan’s unconscious body to an empty guest room for him to rest. Ciara wanted to come along, but Eri insisted that she stayed behind and enjoyed the party. Ciara was reluctant to go back because she wanted to stay close, but she didn’t want her new friends to perceive her as difficult, so she stayed behind.
Eri laid down Jonathan on one of the extravagant couches in the room. Jonathan stirred and took her hand. “Hey, … I’m sorry about what happened. You should go back. I don't want you to miss the party because of me.”
“I can’t leave you. What if you got sick again?”
“I’ll be fine. Besides, the trash can is nearby. I can puke anything I need. Now, go back out there and enjoy the party with Ciara, please, for me.” Jonathan put on his best puppy-eyed act.
Eri was hesitant to take the offer, but she hates to miss this kind of party. It’s not like Jonathan could get into more trouble while he was drunk. “I’ll take the offer, but promise me, you won’t get into any more trouble. Please.”
“Hey, where else am I going to go? I can’t even walk straight,” joked Jonathan. He was trying to hold a vomit at bay.
She glanced from the left to the right. Satisfied with her surroundings, she left through the door. Jonathan closed his eyes and waited. After a few quick breaths in, he opened his eyes wide and clear. He stood up with an intense gaze, he wobbled a bit before regaining his stature. A by-product of the alcohol he consumed earlier.
He needed to clear his mind and one thing he learned was that pain always does the job. He slammed his fist against his thigh. A surge of pain crept throughout his nerves. He responded with a grimace but gained sobriety.
After a quick glance at the door, it was never the option. He walked to the window. With a single twist and push, the window became accessible to Jonathan. He stepped outside the window while keeping his feet away from the edge. Slowly, he cautiously reached the ambassador’s office.
Through the window, Jonathan peeked inside the room and glanced at each corner of the ceilings. There doesn't seem to be any surveillance device that he knew of. He opened the window, then took a step inside. It was somewhat a normal office apart from a few strange devices on the table. A bit extravagant to his taste.
He wandered the room. There’s one thing Jonathan knows, the office drawers won’t help him. It will probably be locked, and no one would keep anything important inside an unlocked drawer. He squatted in front of the fireplace. The fire was still raging, and the wood looked fresh. Something caught his eyes, a tiny piece of charred parchment. It looks official. The ambassador was getting rid of a letter, perhaps, or a report.
Jonathan took the tiny burnt piece and left the fireplace. Afterward, he made his way to the couch. It was still cold on both couches, including the one across from him. The two half-empty wine glasses on the coffee table suggested that the ambassador had a guest today, but not recently. It could be a wild goose chase, but worth taking note of.
Jonathan tilted his head slightly and noticed something small underneath the table. It was a small bark. It doesn’t look dirty. Someone intentionally brought it here. Anything is a clue since magic is involved. He stored it in his wallet.
A sigh later, Jonathan didn’t find any other clue that was substantial to his investigation. He heard a faint voice coming from outside the room, immediately, he climbed out of the window and closed it back up. His back leaned against the wall and made sure he was hidden in the shadow.
The ambassador walked into the room. In an attempt to peek inside, Jonathan leaned to the window but unfortunately, his foot slipped off the edge. He fell into the hedge below him. It wasn’t a cushioned fall as he expected. It felt more like a bed constructed from thorny branches and leaves.
He rolled off the hedge and landed on the grass beside it. A faint ill intent voice caught his attention. He left the ground and peeked out of the hedge. It sounded familiar because it was the same Three Stooges that bothered Ciara. Jonathan squinted to focus, they had surrounded Ciara.
“I said no,” said Ciara, but it only made them angrier.
“Why are you so stubborn? Do you really want to do this the hard way?”
“I’m not scared of you.”
The Nephilim swung his hand. It connected with a resounding slap. Jonathan groaned and took a couple of steps back while his palm pressed his nose. It was unexpected, no one had noticed him coming up to them. They all went wide-eyed at Jonathan.
“Geez, right in the nose? Ouch! My freaking nose. Shit.” Jonathan kept his chin up. “Is it bleeding?”
“Jonathan, w-what are you doing here?” Ciara asked while keeping her hands hovered above him. Panic set in as her concern for him rose.
“You again?” The Nephilim young man’s eyebrows furrowed. “I warned you to stay out of this.” They raised their fists and readied to strike him.
Jonathan posed in an exaggerated kung-fu stance while keeping Ciara safe behind him. “You might want to consider going up against me.”
“Do you think we’re afraid of you? You’re a loser, and the same goes for that girl behind you.”
A trident flew close near the bully’s face, barely an inch, and broke the metal fence on his left. His eyes darted to the right in fear and saw Eri stood in the doorway with a deadly glare. They backed away slowly, trembling and filled with anger.
“We’re not done here. I swear by it,” said the bullies' leader before they left the scene.
Eri sauntered toward them with a furrowed eyebrow. Jonathan fell on his butt, unable to keep the pose much longer, and also his back pain was riding him hard. The fall from earlier finally caught up to him. Ciara kneeled beside him while making sure Jonathan was okay.
The trident flew back into Eri’s hand. “You promise me to stay out of trouble.”
“I just couldn’t help myself.” Jonathan scratched the back of his neck.
“It wasn’t Jonathan's fault!” Ciara raised her voice, which was unexpected. “They were bothering me. Jonathan came to help me. It was… my fault.”
“No, it wasn’t. Wait, shouldn’t you be with Ciara all night?” Jonathan raised an eyebrow.
“I came to check on you, but you weren’t in the guest room. So, I was out looking for you. You dare blame it on me?” She extended a hand to Jonathan.
“I ain’t blaming you.” Jonathan took a long breath before grabbing her hand. She helped him up. “You should trust me more, and believe me when I say, I can take care of myself.”
“It’s hard to do that when you keep…” Eri waved her hand and sighed. “Never mind.”
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After a short mingle at the party, they went home on the same carriage. Jonathan walked up the stairs with Eri and Ciara behind him. Jonathan waved his goodbye at Eri, she was about to wave back, instead, sighed before going into her room.
“Hey, Jonathan. I want to say thank you.”
“It’s nothing. If I had a second chance, I would do it in a heartbeat.” He beamed a smile at her.
“Why?” The question escaped her.
“Excuse me?”
“I wanted to know why. Why me? Why do you want to help me? I’m not even the real Ciara.” She averted her gaze.
Jonathan flicked her forehead. Snapped her attention to him with a jolt of pain. Ciara found herself staring into the eyes of a half grinned young man. “To tell you the truth, I hate your eyes.”
“My eyes?” Ciara flustered with furrowed eyebrows as she glanced away.
“Yep, those eyes. It’s a dead giveaway. It showed that you're probably thinking you don't deserve help or love or anything else. It reminded me of someone I know.” A bittersweet memory flashed for a second, which turned his grin into a frown before returning into a smile. “I’m not trying to help the real Ciara. I’m trying to help you. The woman who stood before me because you’re real to me, not whoever the real Ciara was. Anyway... see you tomorrow.”
Jonathan entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him. Ciara was left stunned with her hand on her forehead but regained herself after a minute. She entered her bedroom. The hallway was left desolate.
After an hour, Jonathan came out with a black inquisitor uniform and a mask over his face. He skipped the creaking steps. After leaving the house, he started walking toward the city.
It took an hour of walking before he arrived in the city center.
The city was almost empty except for the occasional one or two passers-by. Several Lampposts illuminated the streets, but the alley remained dark. Jonathan stayed away from those routes tonight. He didn't need more trouble than it demanded to be.
Jonathan found himself in front of a modest two-story shophouse. A sign hung above the doorway. It was written in cursive: Moondrop Bun. It was owned by the victim: Anthony Gonzalez, a Nephilim who worked for the Nephilim government as a spy. Of course, the whole store and his occupation were a cover-up. He would be a bad one if he admits he was a spy.
A warning tape was placed in front of the entrance. He peeked inside. It looked like a normal bakery, nothing more. There are even a few loaves of bread inside the display case. Using the front door might draw unnecessary attention. He headed into the back, through the tight alley beside the store.
Arriving at the back door, Jonathan’s gaze was drawn to the stuffed mailbox right next to it. The report suggested he has been missing for quite some time. The victim’s neighbor also has informed the Academy Security of his disappearance.
Jonathan peeked through the glass pane and glanced around him to make sure no one was looking. He wrapped his fist with his jacket and broke the glass pane. He reached inside to unlock the door. After gently pushing the door open, he stepped inside, then closed the door behind him.
Since it was at night, the short hallway was in complete darkness. Jonathan was sure, he stumbled into a bunch of furniture before arriving at the front of the shop. He looked down the counter, lucky him, there was a working lantern inside.
The light from the lantern brightened the room a bit. It was a bad idea to use the lantern, but he couldn’t see. He adjusted the lantern to emit as little light as possible, so no one would be alarmed by the sudden light in an empty crime scene.
After seeing the moldy bread in the display case, it nailed down the fact he was missing for a week.
He proceeded to the second floor. Three doors led to different rooms, he took the one near him and was greeted by a bedroom. It was certainly a modest bedroom. Much better than what Jonathan’s got, but it’s not like he cared.
He checked the drawer first and found a box. Inside it was the same flower from the report, Hypnos’s poppies. A tremendous amount of them, judging by the stains on the inside. It seems someone had cleared it out. He placed it back in the box.
Squatted down near the bed, he searched under it and found nothing interesting. He checked the wardrobe, though the man had a good sense of fashion, there wasn’t any substantial info to the investigation. However, obscured in the corner of the wardrobe was female underwear. A raunchy one at that. Either, he had a lover or the man has a strange fetish for it.
Jonathan backed away from the wardrobe and started to search everywhere in the bedroom for anything. He even tried to find a hidden compartment in the bedroom and found nothing.
It’s time for him to head into another room. It was a small office. He checked the table, nothing except for receipts and bills. He reached underneath the drawer. It was supposed to be a eureka moment, but there was nothing underneath it. He wandered around the office and checked every nook and cranny.
Jonathan's doubt a spy would keep anything important in his home. There was another room he hadn't checked yet. The last door led into a bathroom, which was disappointing to Jonathan when he found out. With nothing left to do but to check the first floor, he thought a break would be nice now. He sat on the closed toilet bowl and sighed.
His eyes wandered around the bathroom. It’s a nice-looking bathroom, clean, and has a lavender scent to it. A black smudge caught his attention. The pristine bathtub has a small black smudge on it. He leaned and squinted closer. Then he looked up, and a grin appeared. A slightly misplaced ceiling tile, too subtle for anyone to notice.
Jonathan left his seat, then climbed the tub to reach the ceiling. With a gentle push, the ceiling tile shifted easily. He reached in. Something small nudged on the tip of his finger. He took it and brought it out. It’s a small key, beautifully made, and looked too simple for a regular lock.
A creak from the hallway caused Jonathan to reach for his knife. He stored the key inside his pocket. After leaning against the wall beside the doorway, he took a peek. Three men dressed in all black leather armor. Their faces were completely covered by a haunting mask. A giant veil’s Sigil etched on their chest.
Three against one isn’t a good idea, but there’s a possibility that he could get out of here unscathed. It’s worth a try. Jonathan stood up straight, then relaxed his shoulder and simply walked out. Not a single glance at them and pretend they weren’t even here. Judging from how they sauntered in, those Sigils might have made them invisible. The group of men didn’t know Jonathan could see them, so why not play it out.
He did it. He walked past them without any trouble. They were staring at him, but they didn’t suspect a thing until… one of them slowly pulled out a dagger. Jonathan stopped at the edge of the stairs. Weighing his options dearly, those people behind him weren’t amateur by the look of it. Even if he did run, they would catch up to him no matter what. Either by magic or some special physical attribute they have.
If Jonathan were to fight them, he could win, but that’s just bragging. Serious injury and the possibility of death should not be taken lightly. The longer he waits, the smaller his chances of survival become.
He sighed. “Before we start anything, I should warn you. I am not someone you should underestimate. So, how about a deal? We pretend this encounter never happened and part ways without any unnecessary violence.”
They raised their chins and glanced at each other. The other two took out a dagger and stepped closer. That answered Jonathan’s question loud and clear.
"Fine. Let it be known that I tried to warn you."
Jonathan threw a knife behind him and missed the man in the middle by an inch. The blade dug itself into the wall behind them. He took out another knife and snapped his finger. It triggered the knife he threw earlier.
It wasn't a normal knife, he had carved a fire sigil on it before the party. So when he activated it, the knife exploded and sent the man flying toward Jonathan. It was a part of his plan, he wanted to use the momentum to dig the knife in his hand into the throat of the flying assailant.
He left the knife in the throat of his enemy and twirled to the left. He let the man fly past him and crashed into the enemy on the stairs.
The other two enemies earlier managed to dodge the explosion earlier. After a quick refresh, they conjured up several fireballs above their palms and readied to blast Jonathan with it.
Jonathan was quick on his feet, he quickly dove into the bedroom on his right.
Fireballs landed where Jonathan used to stand. It followed him until he jumped and hid behind the bed. Suddenly, a blast of air from below sent him flying upward and sent him through the window behind him.
A few broken shards had buried themselves into his body after he went through the window. Jonathan's body was thrown against the brick wall before falling from a two-story house into the dark alley below. The shattered glass rained onto him.
Jonathan smeared his finger with his blood and drew a Sigil on the floor. He poured his spiritual energy into the Sigil. The clinking from the broken window above alerted Jonathan. He rolled over and snapped his fingers.
A stone spike rose from the Sigil and flew toward the attacker. However, he wasn’t a fool either, he dodged it with a blast of air and sprouted black feathery wings to keep him afloat. He barely avoided the spike, but it did distract him from what came next.
Jonathan had drawn more Sigils in a short time, but he forgot about the other attacker. A dagger flew straight into the back of his leg. Jonathan dropped to one knee. He gritted his teeth and snapped his finger.
More spikes flew at the flying attacker. He dodged it as expected, but Jonathan had already devised a plan for that. For every spike, there were other Sigils on them. A snap from his fingers exploded all the tips and sent shards of stone flying everywhere. Even into Jonathan’s arm.
Jonathan slammed his back against the wall before the disoriented flying attacker fell. He drew a Sigil behind his back and waited for the enemy to stand up. When he did, Jonathan moved away. By doing so, he avoided a blast of fire from the attacker in the window. However, not without a move of his own. With a snap of his fingers, he activated the Sigil he drew earlier. An earth spike flew into the fell attacker's mouth and impaled him to the wall.
The move was risky, especially with a dagger in his leg. He pulled it out, almost screaming out from the sheer pain alone. Jonathan kept his back against the wall and out of sight from the other attacker.
The other attacker finally made a move. He leaped and sprouted black feathery wings and kept his distance while slinging fireballs at Jonathan.
Jonathan rolled and avoided as much as he could, and threw his knife at both walls, but it was too much. A fireball hit right in his chest and he was sent flying into a wall behind him. As if all the air inside his lungs was forced out with a sudden kick. Steam rose from his body, a hole in the middle of his jacket revealed his slightly burnt chest. A lump in his throat caused him to puke out blood.
It looked like Jonathan was defeated. He grinned when the enemy landed in the alley. It was too late for him to escape. The attacker finally noticed the knives planted on both sides of the walls.
“It’s nothing, just a bit of air.” Jonathan snapped his fingers.
Imagine how much it would hurt when you are blasted by high current air from both sides. Well, it felt like being squeezed by two objects. Jonathan didn’t waste time rushing toward the enemy with the last knife in his hand. The blast of air stopped.
The blade was about to come down. The enemy blocked it with his arm. An unexpected outcome. They began to struggle against each other. Neither was too strong for the others, but Jonathan was hurt, to begin with. The odds in his favor slowly dropped. So, he led his opponent into the window beside them, back into the bakery.
Shards of glasses buried inside Jonathan and his enemy, mostly his enemy, since it was his opponent’s back that went through first. They were both on the floor with the knife now directly on top of his opponent’s eye, but the enemy had his grips on Jonathan’s throat.
The blockage on Jonathan’s throat made it harder for him to breathe. He took that risk and removed his hand from the opponent’s grip over his throat. Jonathan slapped against the back knife and sent it through the enemy’s eye. The attacker screamed in agony, but another slap to the back of the knife drove it deeper into his enemy’s skull. Finally, the scream stopped.
Jonathan removed himself away from the enemy and sat against the wall. He spat the lump of blood out from his throat.
A fire began to grow on the second floor. Jonathan had caused it from the explosion earlier. He was tired and in pain, but he got a job to do. He turned to the knife in the enemy’s eyes and sighed.
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Jonathan sat on the grass in the park across the burning shophouse. The fire reminded him of the campfire he had in the middle of the woods. He missed the outside world, and the calm and quiet he worked hard for.
The same golden woman stood beside him.
“Is this it? Am I cursed? All I wanted was to be free, and some peace to go along with it, is that too much to ask? ” He sighed. “Why am I asking you this? You never talk.”
“What about you guys?” He asked the three severed heads beside him.
A squad of Undine landed in front of the shophouse and started to put out the fire with water magic. Among the Undine was someone familiar to Jonathan, Commander Zey. She spotted Jonathan waving his hand with a smile. With a shake of his head, he jogged toward him.
When she arrived, her eyes widened at the three severed heads beside him. She was calmed, unlike most people. The way she acted when she saw it told a lot about a person. She has seen death before. “May I ask you, what are you doing with those heads?”
“I thought you needed it to identify the burned body inside.”
“With the greatest respect, can’t you drag the dead bodies out of the burning building, or at least try to put out the fire?”
“An average weight for a man is about 200 pounds or 90-ish kilograms. I’m injured and tired, and I ain't going to drag three dead bodies out of a burning building. Second, I forgot how to draw a water Sigil.” Jonathan stretched his arms, then placed his jacket over the decapitated heads. “Do you know any healing magic?”
Commander Zey kneeled beside Jonathan. Her hands over the wounds. A shimmering green light rained down on the injury. “Did you initiate first or did they initiate first?”
“I initiated first, but to be fair, I did warn them.”
“The deal was to investigate a murder, not produce more of it.”
“You asked me to investigate a murder of a spy, which, by the way, is already difficult on its own. Also, I was a mercenary before this, not a detective. I’m doing my best here. However, I did find a clue. A key, to be exact.” Jonathan showed the key.
“It doesn't fit any standard lock and the teeth are too simple.”
“I thought so too.” He turned to the heads. “These people aren’t exactly amateurs. Any clue who they are?”
“Shadow Walker. They are basically ghosts. Practically invisible. Highly trained in combat and magic. I would be lying if I say that I wasn’t impressed. Perhaps those records weren’t a lie after all.”
“Compliments accepted. I do want to admit it. That isn’t my best work.” He turned his sight to the burning building. “It’s because of the new elements.”
“What is your next move, Mr. Jonathan?”
“Early breakfast could be nice right about now.” Jonathan stood up, still aching from his wound, but it was manageable now that Commander Zey had closed it. He tucked down on his lapel and brushed the dirt off his shoulder.
“Pardon me, you want to enter a public place in that?”
“Why not?” Jonathan raised her eyebrow at the woman.
Commander Zey sighed with slumped shoulders. Afterward, she ordered her men to clear any dead bodies and brought them back to the headquarters. She called a carriage for Jonathan and her to use. It didn’t take them a minute to reach the BizzBuzz Diner.
There weren’t many customers in the establishment due to the hour. Jonathan was disappointed to find out the succubus that worked here earlier isn’t available for the Dead man’s shift. Instead, he got this moody goth pale girl as a waiter. Though, she was cute on her own.
Jonathan chowed down on fries with a side of milkshake. While Commander Zey ordered a steak with a cup of black coffee. Jonathan smiled as the woman, before him, enjoyed her steak in a pristine and ladylike manner.
He slid two fries between his teeth and lips to make himself look like a vampire. “A fries-cula. Boo! I’m going to suck your blood.”
Not a single amusement on Commander Zey’s face. She put down her utensils and dabbed her lips with a napkin. When Jonathan turned to the waiter, she looked offended and placed the kettle with a disgusted face.
“What did I do?”
“I believe you have offended an entire species.”
“Don’t tell me. Is that girl a vampire?” I glanced back with a worried look.
“In a matter of fact, yes.”
“I’m sorry. All of this is still new to me!” Jonathan yelled out to the waiter, but she waved him off with a frown.
“Mr. Jonathan, we are here to discuss your next move, are we not?”
“I thought I was getting breakfast.” Commander Zey looked at Jonathan with a frown. He waved his hands apologetically. “That was a joke. I need to see the body as soon as possible.”
“That will be easy, I will arrange it after your class tomorrow.”
“I, thank you, good madam. Can we enjoy our food now?”
Commander Zey nodded in agreement. The rest of the night, they enjoyed each other's company until it was getting too late for them to continue. Commander Zey accompanied him to his house. Jonathan waved goodbye to Zey and sneaked back into his room, unnoticed.