The sun slowly climbed out of the horizon. It was supposed to be a calm scene, except it was disturbed by groans and grunts. Despite the ache from yesterday’s injuries, Jonathan was adamant about keeping his body in top condition. Because yesterday’s fight was a wake-up call. He could have died at every given chance his enemy’s had.

Ciara in a gardening overall and a sun hat brought him a glass of orange juice. Jonathan showed his gratitude to her before taking a sip. She seemed to be overly cautious of Jonathan. What Jonathan said to her must have affected her more than Jonathan realized.

“It’s rare seeing you here, so early.” Ciara took a seat on top of her toolbox.

“I’m trying to be healthy.” Jonathan sat the drink down and proceeded to do several sit-ups.

“Jonathan, do you mean what you said last night?”

Before Jonathan could answer, Eri stormed into the backyard and threw her trident at Jonathan. “Filthy creature!”

The trident left a cut on his cheek before planting into the ground beside him. Ciara stumbled back from her seat. Jonathan wasn't disturbed at all by the sudden attack. He simply stood up and turned to face the furious undine.

“Look, what happened yesterday wasn’t a part of the plan.”

“July 13, 2012. Bermuda.”

That date and location triggered a memory from the depth of his brain. His eyes widened, then relaxed back again. He let out a sigh before stepping closer to Eri. Barely an inch between them.

“You worked for them.” Her hand balled into a fist. “They were civilians. No weapons. There were children there.”

Jonathan glanced at Ciara, and back to Eri. “Are you sure, revealing your military secret in front of a civilian?”

“Why? Are you ashamed of what you have done?”

“Shame?” Jonathan chuckled. “It was a job and nothing more.”

Eri’s fist was a centimeter away from Jonathan’s face. It was too fast for him to evade anyway, but he didn’t need to. Between her trembling fist and the glare, she had on him was obvious. Eri was conflicted between her oath and her rage.

“Eri! I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t do it. We can talk about this.” Ciara took a step forward.

“So, I guess it wasn’t just some false promise.” A smile grew on Jonathan’s face.

“I’m bringing you to Commander Zey.” She gripped his collar.

“Right now?”

The trident flew back into Eri’s hand. She leaped toward the sky at tremendous speed. Her launch cracked the earth she stood on and left Ciara stunned. It didn’t take 10 minutes for her to land in the courtyard of A.S headquarters.

The undine’s guards pointed their tridents at the sudden guest. Eri didn’t waver, instead dragged Jonathan forward past the guards. They weren’t sure whether she was an enemy or not, but they did follow her closely until she arrived in front of Commander Zey’s office.

Eri kicked the door open and tossed Jonathan inside with force. His back slammed against the office desk and caused him to let out a small grunt. Despite the Commander’s desk being forcefully shifted to the left slightly, she still remained calm. Her focus was unfazed from the paperwork she had on the desk.

“There wasn't any doubt in my mind that there would be trouble after the headmistress made the deal with you. Still, I have to ask. Eri, may you explain to me, what do you think is going to happen after bringing him in here?”

“A trial. Punishment. I want justice for what he has done.”

“Jonathan, can you wait outside?”

“Give me a sec.” Jonathan stood up and stretched his back before walking toward the door. He was stopped when Eri placed her arm in front of his chest.

“Let him go, Second Lieutenant Eri Pacifica.” Commander Zey narrowed her eyes at Eri.

“You’re not my commander.”

“Do you want to take that up in your chain of command? Be my guest.”

Eri growled in anger, but she had no choice. She lowered her arm, letting Jonathan leave the room. With only the two of them left in the room, Eri rushed to her desk and slammed her hand. It almost tipped the cup of coffee.

“Him, here? Why?!”

“Headmistress Victoria wants him here, and I trust her judgment.” She continued her paperwork.

“The same old Commander. Anything she asked, you delivered like a dog. Even if it means betraying your own kind, and you dare call yourself an undine.”

Zey stopped writing but didn’t raise her gaze to meet Eri. “Second Lieutenant.”

The young undine covered her mouth. She had gone over the line with her last statement. Though the Commander hasn’t shown it yet, she was furious. Eri had dug her grave. “Commander, I’m一”

The Commander raised her hand to stop Eri’s apology. “You work for me now.”

“W-What? That’s not possible. My Commander won’t allow it.”

“This goes above your commander rank. Colonel Porto himself has given you to me. This is the order. See it for yourself.” Commander Zey placed a piece of paper in front of Eri to read.

Eri took the paper in her hand. After reading it, she lowered her chin in despair. It cannot be. She doesn’t believe it, nor wants to. “How?”

“I permitted them to release Jonathan’s unredacted file to you. Since you will be acting as his commanding officer on the field. To keep him from getting into any more trouble. It was the plan, but now...”

Eri straightened her posture and kept her hands at her side in a military fashion. “I apologize for my behavior, Ma’am.”

“I questioned your discipline, Second Lieutenant. Someone of your rank should know better. Perhaps you could learn proper etiquette back at the training school as a private, don’t you agree?”

“No, Ma’am.” That was the single most terrifying experience for Eri. She never saw Commander Zey this furious before.

The Commander would scold others, but never once threaten them. If she didn’t know better and kept fighting back, Eri was sure she couldn’t leave this room with his body intact. Commander Zey was known for her fury back in the war, she had heard rumors about the numerous creatures she had slain with only her bare hands.

“Good. It would be a shame to see you climb up rank again after one outburst. If you could climb again after I send my report to the Colonel.”

“Please don’t, Ma’am.” Eri’s voice squeaked a little.

“I’m not a fan of a second chance, Second Lieutenant Eri. However, luckily for you, Headmistress Victoria is.” Commander Zey shook her head and continued writing.

“Thank you, Ma’am.” A wave of relief washed over Eri.

“Do you believe in this place? The idea of this place. A place where every species and race in the world could understand one another, learn from each other, and live in harmony and true to themselves. Answer truthfully, please.”

“I don’t, Ma’am.”

“Explain why you chose that answer.”

“Every species has their agenda. We do not share the same principle or believe. So, we cannot put other species’ needs before our own.”

“Good answer. It’s the same as mine, but the Headmistress doesn’t share our opinion. She truly believes this place she built could do it.” A smile escaped Zey’s tight lip.

“I may not believe in her ideal, but I do put my faith in her because she has proven me wrong, time and time again. I won’t ask you to do the same, Second Lieutenant Eri, but I do want you to do the job. Keep Him out of trouble, but do not interfere in his work.”

“Affirmative, Commander Zey.”

“Good. Here is his mission file.” She placed it on the table. “Be familiar with it. You are dismissed.”

Zey saluted the Commander and left the office with the file with her.

----------------------------------------

A few minutes earlier.

Jonathan exited the office, groaning at his sore back. He leaned against a column in front of the office with a sigh. People turning against him wasn’t something new. It has always happened when they found the truth. What he did in the past wasn’t something he was proud of, but it is not like he has tremendous regret over it. It was a job for him and nothing more. The same as a housekeeper or a banker. He doesn’t understand why someone would make a big deal out of it.

After shaking his thoughts away, he spotted a beautiful, pale woman with curly black hair. Though her skin tone is a bit brown, she reminded him of Olivia, one of his housemates. She was wearing mismatched clothing of different colors. It seems random, but at the same time colorful like an abstract painting.

The odd part about her was the black fabric covering her eyes. She tapped the cane in front of her to find her way, but despite the help of a cane, she still bumps into things. However, everyone seems to be ignoring or outright avoiding like a plague.

It's hard for Jonathan to see her bumped into things. He wanted to help, but if people were ignoring her, they must have a good reason. The old Jonathan would have ignored her, but he’s not him anymore, not after he quit being Memory’s cub.

But even after quitting being a mercenary, he still ended up doing a job for other people, instead of being free. Jonathan violently shook the thoughts away. Dwelling on it won’t help anybody. Screw it, he's going to help anyway.

He approached carefully. “Good morning, beautiful madam. May I walk you to your intended destination?”

“Who is that?” She turned her head around.

“My name is Jonathan. I’m a passerby. I couldn’t help but notice you are having difficulty walking.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t be near me. Didn’t someone tell you who I am?”

“Nope. Not one. Unless someone told me that you’re beautiful because I already knew that.”

She covered her lips as a way to hide the giggle underneath. “You are a sweet talker, but I’m fine. You should stay away from me before you catch my bad luck.”

“Lucky for you, I don’t believe in bad luck. Here, let me hold your hand.” Jonathan took her hand.

Her body jolted in surprise, but she relaxed again. Jonathan’s touch was strangely familiar. It was warm, akin to a sense of home. It doesn’t make sense to her. She thought she lost it a long time ago. She tilted her head, confused. “Odd… I can’t see you.”

“I mean, you do have a piece of fabric over your eyes. That could be the reason.”

“That’s not what I meant.” She waved her other hand, dismissing it. “Please ignore what I just said. What was your name again?”

“Jonathan Jameson, at your service, mademoiselle.” He beamed a smile at her, though she could not see it, she could sense it.

“Jonathan, a spry young man such as yourself makes me feel at ease. I can tell you have a bright soul, though a bit tainted.”

“Wow, we only met, but you already sound like you’ve fallen for me. I never knew I had that kind of game.”

She giggled some more. “You are forward, but that's just a front. I sense a timid you in there. I wonder what will happen if I push further.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The woman snuggled around Jonathan’s arm. He felt her soft breast pressed against his arm. Jonathan immediately lost his cool attitude. He accidentally let out a quiet squeak, not loud enough for her to notice. Even his cheeks had gone red.

“My, my, has my young knight gone mute? Was I too much for you?”

Jonathan coughed. He tried his best in a deep, manly voice, and asked, “Please forgive me, mademoiselle. I was lost in my thoughts. I was just wondering where are we heading?”

“Forward.”

Jonathan shrugged his shoulders and started leading the woman forward as carefully as he could. It was certainly a good morning to stroll. Jonathan had enjoyed the walk he had with this woman, whose name he hasn't asked yet. That realization finally popped into his head. He hasn't even asked for her name.

“It seems awkward now, but I never asked for your name.”

“My name is Diana Donovan. It’s a pleasure to meet you, my young knight.”

“If I’m your knight, then you shall be my princess.” Jonathan grinned.

Jonathan may not know how much those words meant to Diana, but it was enough to make her go quiet. She lowered her chin while her grip tightened around Jonathan's arm. It was quick, but she felt her heart skip a beat.

Jonathan worried about her sudden silence. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” Her head perked up with a smile. “You reminded me of someone.”

“I did?”

“Indefinitely. Take a right here. Through the training ground.”

Following her direction, Jonathan led her around the corner into the training ground. Not far from him, Bor was running toward him with a worried expression on his face.

Bor was sweating heavily as he ran toward Jonathan. He had to leave his training early after hearing the news about her sister and a strange man she forcibly brought here. There’s only one man who fits the description his fellow workmate gave him, so he rushed here as soon as he could.

Diana tugged on his sleeve. “I sense a storm in your heart.”

“Oh, sorry, Miss Donovan. Someone I know is heading toward me.”

“I see.” Diana let go of his arm. “I’ll be fine from here. You should talk to him. Whatever the outcome is, I find it better to have closure.” She nodded her head and smiled before she wandered away from him.

Jonathan watched as Diana left his vicinity. The strangest thing happened, he never saw her appear like this before, the golden woman. Not when he was around people. Furthermore, she wasn't appearing beside him, instead, she appeared beside Diana and walked beside her. She stared at her, and Jonathan felt the longing she has for the blinded woman. Perhaps they knew each other.

And of course, she was only visible to Jonathan. Odd indeed.

“I came as soon as possible,” said Bor, he calmed his heavy breathing. “Are you hurt?”

Jonathan looked at the undine, surprised by his genuine concern. He chuckled and looked away. “You don’t have to pretend anymore.”

“Pretend? I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.”

“You know, like being nice to me and whatnot. You must have known by now about all the things I did in the past. I understand if you want to cancel the oath and stay away from me. It’s not like it never happened before. I’m perfectly fine, you know… No hard feelings, yeah?”

Bor had never seen that kind of smile on Jonathan before. It was gut-wrenching. It’s the kind of smile that’s been beaten and whipped to near death. He was about to say something back to him when they were interrupted by Eri.

“I’m your commanding officer starting today. Let’s go. I prefer to spend as little time with you as possible.”

“As you order, Ma’am.” Jonathan slipped his hand into his pockets before he followed her.

Bor was left behind. He knew something had happened because he never saw Eri that angry before or Jonathan in that kind of mood. There was only one person he could ask if he wanted to know: Commander Zey. He marched in the opposite direction from Eri and toward his commander’s office.

Eri glanced behind her. There was something wrong in the way Jonathan was staring. He wasn’t staring at her, so it wasn’t meant for her. However, there’s a certain coldness in those gazes. It only amplified her belief that Jonathan was too dangerous to be left alive. Those were the eyes of a killer, and finally, he revealed his true nature.

Jonathan was in a bad mood for a reason unknown to him, but in truth, his broken friendship with Bor had affected him more than he realized. He doesn’t want to think about it anymore because there’s only one goal for him now: getting out of here. That’s why he needs to solve this case as fast as he can.

After taking the stairs, they arrived at a creepy room with a strong smell of death. There’s only one place that fits the descriptions, it was the morgue. Eri left Jonathan’s side and talked to the person in charge.

Jonathan’s sight wandered until he met with a familiar woman, sitting alone in the waiting area. He admitted that she scared him a bit, he thought she was a ghost. It seemed she hadn’t noticed him there, so he got closer to her, and suddenly, she turned her face to him. Jonathan’s footsteps must have alarmed her.

“It’s me, Jonathan.”

“I know, so how did it go?”

“Uhm…” Jonathan chuckled. He prefers not to answer that question. Deflection is the best strategy after all. “What are you doing here?”

Diana sensed something off him. She understood it well. “I’m actually waiting for you. You see, I’m the Seer that will be helping you with the case. The Headmistress personally requested me.”

“Oh, a Seer?”

“Yes, I am. Is it strange?” asked Diana with a curious look.

“I actually don’t know what a Seer does.”

“A seer has several abilities. One of them is the ability to see any object’s past.”

“Cool, how does it work and how far can you see?” Jonathan took a seat beside her.

“My sight doesn’t tread that far at all. I’m only able to see certain events that were so powerful that they scarred the object’s essence. If I were to describe how it works.” She tilted her head slightly. “It would be like following a trail of breadcrumbs until I found the bread itself.”

“Woah, can you teach me how?”

“Learn my abilities? Why?” The very question Jonathan proposed was odd even for her standard, and she has been alive for a long time now. And saw so much strangeness during it that she thought nothing could surprise her anymore. However, it was quite refreshing to be blind again. Perhaps meeting her again, even though he wasn’t her, was perhaps the best thing that has happened to Diana for a long time now.

“Hello?” Jonathan waved his hand in front of her. It was stupid for him to do so, she probably couldn’t see it, but he needs to snap her back from her trance. After thinking hard, an idea popped into his brain. Suddenly, he tapped the tip of her nose.

Diana snapped back to reality with perked-up shoulders and a flustered face. “What was that?”

“Sorry, you kinda spaced out there, so I boop your nose.” Jonathan scratched the back of his head with

“Don’t do that again,” she pinched my thigh.

Jonathan winced at the pain and chuckled. “Okay, okay, okay. Ouch. Stop. Please. I won’t do it again.”

“Hmph,” She pouted. Her anger wasn’t out of hate. It was more of a sense of surprise. What he did to her had caused her heart to skip a beat. She doesn’t like it at all. It made her feel like a young maiden again. It’s one of those feeling a woman her age shouldn’t have, at least not to a young man like him

Jonathan booped her nose again and quickly backed away with a grin. Diana became furious and wailed her arms around, trying to find him. The young man teased her to catch him, but he was too fast for Diana, to no avail. Every time Jonathan led her with his voice, he would simply step away. A while it just became a game of tag mix with Marco and polo along with a bit of teasing.

Their playtime came to a halt when Eri got closer to them. “Lady Diana, it’s an honor to meet you. I presumed you would be joining us for the inspection.” Even though she looked at Diana with respect, it was colder than before when her gaze turned to Jonathan it was colder than before. It had nothing but resentment and hate for him.

Diana straightened her posture and dress, then nodded. “Ms. Eri Pacifica…” Her sentence suddenly trails off, as if something had disturbed her. She shook her head slightly when she returned to reality. “I’m sorry. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Shall we?” Eri turned and started walking further into the room.

They were walking side by side, but Eri seemed to distance herself from Diana. Jonathan noticed it, then leaned closer to Diana. “Uhm, I noticed lots of people---”

“Distance themselves from me?” She finished his question before him. “It’s actually common sense to stay from a seer. That’s why it came as odd to me when you said you wanted to learn how to be one.”

“I mean, it is a cool ability to have. It’ll also make my job easier.”

“It certainly will, but my abilities come with a terrible curse. Besides, you can’t learn it by natural means. Only a Banshee can gain these abilities, despite that only a few dozen can be a seer.”

“A curse?”

“Yes, a curse every Banshee has. It’s pretty scary, are you sure you want to know?”

“Uhm, sure…” said Jonathan, uncertain if he wants to know or not.

“We don’t only see the past, we can also see the future, but at a specific point. We can’t prophesize big events. The only thing we can see in the future is death. Our end. Every Banshee can see how they will die, and a seer can see the death of everyone who came in contact with her. We’re basically walking bad luck.” A sense of coldness permeated from Diana as she turned her face to Jonathan. “Now that you know, do you want to know how you die?”

“Nope.” Jonathan’s answer was common to Diana. It’s an answer she always got when she asked someone else the same question. Usually, by then, they started to stay away. However, Jonathan got even closer, he wasn’t scared. “I don’t really care how I die. I could die just by taking the stairs or going to the bathroom, or heck, eating something I shouldn’t have, or even walking right beside you. I don’t care how I die, but I do care how I live.”

Diana smiled as she leaned against Jonathan’s arm. “That’s really a good answer.”

It surprised the young man, but he kept his nervousness in check. The smile she had wasn’t brought by happiness, but of melancholy, loneliness, and perhaps longing. It must have been a lonely existence with all the people keeping themselves away from her and quite frankly frightening, she can see how she died every day.

“It must have felt like insanity, always seeing how you die. How do you do it, keep yourself sane, that is?”

“Easy, we had the same answer. Care for the living and not for the dead. Cherish every moment and encounter. And today, I cherish our encounter. It was a fun day. Thank you, my knight.” This time her smile was more genuine than before, she meant every word she said and believed in it.

“How could you say that? Our time together hasn’t ended yet.” He booped her nose again.

She bit her bottom lips and pinched his arm, once again Jonathan caved into her pinch. He never thought someone like her was good at pinching. They shared a laugh and even enjoyed each other's company. However, from the side, Eri looked at them with disgust, not at Diana, but specifically at Jonathan. She hates how normal and loving he can be, she knows under all that facade is a disgusting murderer.

Eventually, they stopped when they met with the victim’s body. Anthony Gonzalez, a Nephilim that was found dead two days ago in front of the Nephilim embassy. Worked as a baker, but his true occupation was a spy. To be honest, he doesn’t really look like a spy, more like a regular Joe, but if he does look like a spy, that would mean he wasn’t really a good one.

Jonathan leaned closer to the body, he found that the stabbing wound was odd. It was as if he had been stabbed multiple times by a different knife and tools. But there’s no slight deviation in the stand wound, whoever it was, they didn’t change the tools every time he or she stabbed him.

“The stab wounds didn’t come from the same blade, but somehow, they didn’t change the blade from how close the wound was to each other,” said Jonathan.

“Perhaps the murder weapon was a Metalmorp. That would explain why there were traces of it inside him,” said Eri as she leaned closer.

“What’s Metalmorp?” Jonathan turned to the undine.

“It’s a liquid metal that can change into any shape according to the user’s will.” Eri exposed the wound further and revealed a small amount of silver substance stuck between the flesh.

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

“I see. Wait, I’ve seen this before. It was sold at one of those shops we walked past.”

“It’s a common item here. The Metalmorp are good at a few things, but turning it into a weapon isn’t one of them. Its toughness is weak compared to a normal metal. I don’t see how the suspect could overpower the victim using such a flimsy weapon. The victim could simply break it with a hit before the suspect could even attack.”

“Not if he was unconscious. Hypno Poppies. The report said there was a trace of it inside his body and house. I saw it back then when I was at his house. Also, look at his wrists and ankles. He was certainly bound, but he didn’t struggle.” Jonathan pointed out the marks around the victim’s wrist and ankles.

“Hypno Poppies are rare here.”

“Then we got our lead. We just need to follow the poppies.”

“Still there about twenty apothecaries that have the licenses to sell it. I don’t know if we have the time to question them all. Furthermore, he might even use another name to purchase it.” She turned to Diana. “Perhaps Lady Diana can provide us some insight.”

Diana hovered her hand above the body. She flattened her lips and furrowed her eyebrows together. “Disturbing.”

“What do you see?” Jonathan leaned closer to the banshee.

“Nothing. Absolute nothing…” She turned to face Jonathan. The look she held on her face was fear.

“That’s not possible. Everything, no matter how small it is. All of them have a past. Lady Diana. Are you saying this body has no past?”

“It’s not impossible, but it’s true. Either it’s being blocked by something powerful or it has been erased by something even more powerful. In my opinion, both are alarming.” She placed her hand on her chin.

“What about the Shadow Walker I took down yesterday? Can you do your thing on them? It might help us if we know what they are after,” said Jonathan.

“That will be useless. We don’t have the bodies anymore.” Eri averted her gaze to the file in her hands.

“What do you mean?”

“The Nephilim government already took the bodies. They stated the personals who attacked you weren’t on an official mission, and they will launch an investigation within their ranks to uncover the one responsible for the order.” Eri lowered the file.

“Could have guessed so. A seer like you would be a danger to their national security. Imagine the stuff those Shadow Walker knew.” Jonathan furrowed his eyebrow together and crossed his arms. “There’s nothing we can do about it. Talking to his close contacts at this point would be a waste of time. It’s his cover after all. The Apothecaries are our main lead. He wouldn’t be buying it so near to his residence. That’s why we need to start with the furthest one from his home then make our way deeper until we can find one who has seen the victim before.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. I will ask the administration to compile all the apothecary’s addresses with the license to sell Hypno Poppies. From there we can determine which one is the furthest and start there.” Er took another look at the file. “That’s odd. According to the autopsy report, he had been dead a day prior before he appeared in front of the embassy. However, the witnesses said they saw him walk and collapse in front of them.”

“Can magic do that, move a dead body?” asked Jonathan.

“By definition of moving, throwing them across the room, sure, but make them walk, no you can't unless…” Eri’s words trailed off, then she turned to Diana.

“Unless what?” asked Jonathan.

“Forbidden magic. Necromancy,” answered Diana.

“Implying that would mean turning The Headmistress into our main suspect. Necromancy isn't just forbidden. Its knowledge has been thoroughly wiped across the world, and the only known practitioner alive is Miss. Victoria” explained Eri.

Jonathan sighs heavily. The case has become substantially even more difficult than before. “Is she our suspect, then let it be. Innocent until proven guilty, right?”

“You both should leave, or you are going to be late for your class,” said Diana.

Eri looked at her watch and turned to Jonathan, “She’s right. We need to go.”

Before Jonathan could follow Eri toward the door, Diana tugged on his sleeve. Jonathan glanced behind him and saw Diana with a worried look. She smiled before saying, “Trust your right.” She let go of his sleeve and walked away.

Jonathan raised his eyebrow, confused as to what she meant, but before he could give it any thought, Eri glared at him to hurry. He shook it away for later and fastened his pace toward the undine waiting for him.

----------------------------------------

Two years prior before Jonathan had even the slightest thought of leaving this life, he was on a mission in the middle of the night. Thousands of heavy droplets broke apart into tiny drops upon impact with the thick jungle foliage above. His dark tactical garbs were soaked with rainwater while his boot was smeared by the mud.

He peered out of the bush to get a better look at the compound. A standard out in the woods drug lab. Everything was set up in a way that is easy to move in case of emergency. Highly guarded by more than a dozen mercenaries.

The rustle beside Jonathan drew his attention. He turned his head and met with a go-lucky and rugged-looking young man with dark hair. With a dumb grin on his face, he took out a thermos and poured a cup of tea for himself. “Cold night, eh?” whispered Kenny.

Jonathan pressed his hand against his forehead and groaned quietly. “I told you to leave it behind. You’re going to give away our position,” whispered Jonathan.

“Pfft, it’s not like they have heat vision out there,” said Kenny as quietly as possible while waving his hand at Jonathan’s worries.

“I can’t believe Memory would pair us again. She never listens to me when I keep telling her I want another partner.”

“Come on, Jonah. You’re going to hurt my feelings, you know?” Kenny pouted.

“Whatever, you know the rule if anything happens to you.” Jonathan focused his attention on the compound.

“I know. I know. Whatever happens, the job takes priority even at the risk of my life.” Kenny lay against the wet grass and covered his face with a hat. “I’m bored, Jonah. Bored out of my mind.”

“Then take a shore leave.”

“And leave you by yourself? I wouldn’t do that to you. You know I love you too much.”

“Spare me your love. I’m not your responsibility.”

“You said that, but I know you love having me around, Brother.” Kenny slapped Jonathan’s back.

Jonathan shrugged off Kenny’s hand. “Please stop saying that. I’m not your brother. Can we focus here? We got a job to do.”

“Sure. Sure. Tell me what do you see?” Kenny crouched beside Jonathan, then rested his arm over his partner’s shoulder.

“Too many soldiers. We need a distraction.”

Kenny stretched out his arms. “Alright. You get data. I provide the distraction.”

Before Jonathan could even suggest anything, Kenny already left his side. He groaned at his sudden disappearance and snuck around the edge of the compound. He found himself behind the main tent where his target should be. All he needs to do now is wait for the distraction.

Jonathan waited and waited. Suddenly, the entire jungle shook with a loud boom. He turned around and saw a bright orange light flickering over the foliage. Panic arose around the compound, Jonathan heard shouting coming from inside the tent and numerous footsteps leaving the tent.

He took a knife and tore a small slit in the tent’s wall, enough for Jonathan to take a peek inside. As expected, there wasn’t a single soul left. He tore the slit even wider for him to crouch through. He examined the interior and stopped his gaze at the laptop on the desk. Wasting no time, he made his way to the laptop and began copying everything into the external hard drive.

A soldier walked into the tent and saw Jonathan messing with the laptop. He didn’t give any warning, instead, pointed his handgun at Jonathan. He was about to pull the trigger when suddenly, he fell unconscious and collapsed to the floor.

Jonathan turned his head to the sound of a metal thump. He let out a groan when he saw Kenny behind the collapsed soldier. Kenny held a dented thermos and wore a grin. “And you tell me to leave my thermos behind.”

“What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to head to the extraction point?”

“Come on, I deserve a thank you for saving your life.”

“My life has no value. If you were forced to pick either to save my life or complete the job, take the job. I would do the same to you in a heartbeat. Also, I don’t need your help. I got it under control.” He took out the silenced pistol that was pointed at Kenny and slid it into the holster.

“There you go again. A good loyal cub. The same as always. Mama Bear really got you under her spell.”

“The reason why I’m loyal to her is not because of her spell. Memory put food on my plate, taught me how to survive, and gave me a roof over my head. She’s the only good thing that ever happened to me. I owe her for everything.”

“How long are you going to keep paying her back? Hm? Two years? Five perhaps? How about ten? Twenty? Fifty? And do you think she did all those things out of the kindness of her heart? No. She sees us as a means to an end. We’re not her family, or friend, or equal, we are her weapons.”

Jonathan quickly stood up and brought the tip of his knife closer under Kenny’s jaw. A trickle of blood dripped down the blade. “Give me a reason. I dare you.”

Kenny remained calm and collected. He sighed and raised both hands. “I won’t fight you, Jonah, but know there’s much more to life than being a good little soldier.”

“There isn’t. Life is disappointing. Life is cruel. It is unjust and the people in it are vile creatures.” Jonathan pulled his knife away and slid it back into the sheath.

“Not all of them.”

Jonathan disconnected the hard drive after the process was complete. He walked toward the opening slit he came through. “Let’s head to the extraction point.”

“No, Jonah.”

Jonathan turned around with a raised eyebrow. “What?”

“I can’t. They're keeping kids here as forced labor. I need to save them.”

“Save?” As if that word was alien to Jonathan. His teeth clenched against each other. “Save? Our job is to infiltrate, extract the data, and leave. There is no saving of any kind in the mission briefing.”

“I want your help, Jonah.”

“Have you gone crazy? There are more than a dozen soldiers out there. The two of us don’t have the manpower or the ammo to take all of them down. Even if we did save those kids, then what? Who’s going to feed them? Where are they going to sleep? Who’s going to take care of them? You? Me?”

“I know. I know…” His fingers dug into his palms. “But, not this time. I’ve been to where they are. I can’t leave them.”

“Fine. If you want to kill yourself, do it. I refuse to take any unnecessary risk, so I’m leaving.” Jonathan turned his back on him.

“Catch!” Kenny threw the thermos at Jonathan. His partner caught it and glanced behind him. “I want you to have it. One day when you’re out of Memory’s grasp, I want you to ask yourself; Who am I?”

“Who am I?” asked Jonathan with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, who are you?” asked Kenny before he turned around and put one round into the chamber of his rifle.

That night was the last time Jonathan ever saw Kenny. He didn’t know whether the young man had survived his foolish mission or not. To his knowledge, he believed that he never made it, or at least, that was what he told Memory after he got back from that job. It took him almost a year to realize that he should have taken Kenny’s offer. If only he knew what Memory truly was.

----------------------------------------

Jonathan stared out of the window while the rest of the students chitchat in their little groups. Sometimes, he heard one of them bring up a few unsettling topics in their conversation. One of them was about the murder in front of the Nephilim embassy and another was the fire that started at the bakery. Worries seem to hover above the classroom like a dark cloud, yet they still have faith in the Academy Security.

“Who am I?” muttered Jonathan to himself.

“Is that question meant for me?” asked Eri as she lowered the book from her gaze.

“No, just a question from someone I knew.”

“Then keep it to yourself.”

The door to the classroom opened, a dwarf man with a clean-shaven face entered the room while carrying a stack of books that’s too tall for him. His brown hair complements his dark skin. He looked too young to be a professor. The dwarf placed his book beside the desk and turned to face the class. “My name is Mr. Roldan Twinhorns. I’m here to teach you my favorite subject, History & Fable. I hope with my teachings all of you would have a better understanding of each other's history and forge a harmonious relationship.”

He sauntered to the left of the desk. “I know what you’re thinking. Why should we learn each other's histories when your species history is already convoluted enough? As I said before, it is to better understand each other. This Academy, the whole island is unlike anything else out there. Our species even though here we live side by side, out there, we are distant. We do not engage with each other except for politicians and ambassadors. Why is it that we do not interact with each other? It’s because of our underlying fear of each other. The cause of it? Lack of knowledge.”

Jonathan’s gaze wandered and stopped at Ciara. She secretly waved at him. He returned it with a wave and smile.

“Now that I have your attention. Let’s start with the Nephilim. According to their ancient text and earliest records. The origin of this species predates humanity itself. It is said that the first Nephilim was a Seraph that left the High Kingdom to live on this earth. Their ancestors were depicted to be giants with black wings that span a mile away. Whether it was true or not, we still have no evidence except for the ancient texts.”

“However, what we do know is that the Nephilim are well acquainted with the human world, they are similar to them in terms of features except for their wings and also have coexisted with them in secret since the beginning of humanity. The Nephilim and the Human have a similar history except for their origins.”

A succubus raised her hand. Roldan gestured at him to speak up. “How do they coexist with humans?”

“With a special set of rules applied to them by their government and the ability to hide their wings. These rules are mainly enforced by their government officials and with a bit of magic along the way, their species remain hidden from the humans.”

“What kind of magic?” spoke up a changeling student.

“Mental Magic. If the true nature of the Nephilim is accidentally revealed to a human, their task force will swoop in and wipe a part of the human memories that contain the incident.”

“Isn’t messing with someone’s head unethical?” spoke up a succubus student.

“That rich coming from a succubus. You don’t know what they are capable of. We’ve been living with them since the very beginning unlike your species with your hidden world. I bet your species doesn’t really care about humans, they only want to feed on them. That's why your kind is pushing that Human Relations Bill,” spoke up a Nephilim student.

“How dare you say that after my kind helps your species with The Vampire & Lycan War? We want that bill to pass because we are sick and tired of living in secret. The Human is civilized enough to act according to our existences.”

“Stop bringing that war up, it happened 40 years ago. Your species doesn’t understand how cruel and unpredictable humans are. If that bill comes to pass, it will only bring us another war. Remember what happened to Saint Jeanne? She believed in the kindness of her kind, only for them to burn her at the stake for protecting all of us.”

The atmosphere in the classroom began to shift and rise in heat. The Nephilim and the Succubus were glaring at each other as if they were going to start a war in the class. Roldan snapped his finger and the entire room turned their attention to the Professor. “Yes, humans have a habit of doing despicable acts, but remember not all of them are bad. In fact, history has shown us that they are capable of doing good things that go beyond our expectations. Many of them have helped and even sacrificed their lives for us, and do not forget Saint Jeanne was a human. So, I ask you this; was she cruel to us?”

The students lowered their gazes and shook their heads.

“Even my kind and your kind and everyone else has started wars for less. That’s why history is important, so we do not repeat it, understand?” Roldan’s smile put the class at ease. “Now back to our topic, the Nephilim have a special ability that lets them conjure and control darkness. Even though not all of them have this ability. Those who do have, are highly regarded in their society.”

He turned his gaze to Lucy. “Ms. Lucy, would you care to show us the ability I mentioned?”

Melody the succubus who sat right next to her poked the young woman. Lucy woke up from her stupor with a loud yell which frightened her neighbors. She noticed the surrounding stares from the other classmates, then let out a small cough while composing herself. “The answer is number 2.”

Roldan let out a chuckle. “I envy you, Ms. Lucy. You slept through quite the storm.”

Lucy tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. The other students hid a chuckle while Lucy glanced around to understand what happened. She turned to Melody, “What’s going on?”

“Ms. Lucy, we were on the topic of Nephilim, and we would like you to show us the special ability that only a Nephilim has.”

“Oh, that thing, sure.” She raised her hand in front of her.

Suddenly, the entire classroom was shrouded in darkness. It wasn’t the kind of darkness that ever existed, it was blinding in a way that no one could see anything, not even themselves. To make it worse even the sound was muted. It was uncomfortable and unnatural, Jonathan found his hand was trembling. He always hated the darkness and found a way to deal with it, but this kind of darkness was entirely different. It brought up a few unsightly emotions in him.

1… 2… 3… 4…

5… 6… 7… 8…

When the darkness disappeared, Eri found Jonathan clenching his teeth together and gripping his left wrist. A literal sweat ran down the side of his head. While the class clapped for Lucy, Jonathan calmed himself with a long breath.

“What’s wrong?” asked Eri in a whisper.

“Nothing...” He grinned. “I didn’t know you care.”

“I don’t.” Eri turned her gaze away.

The class proceeded without a problem. Roldan explained the Nephilim history in great detail, at least not all of it considering the time he was given. After the Professor left the lecture room, Jonathan and Eri headed toward the exit.

Ciara waited for Jonathan at the door. When he got close, she perked up with joy. She glanced between Eri and Jonathan. “Are both of you okay? I was worried when you took Jonathan away. I didn’t know what to do. I thought about calling Security, but I know you wouldn’t hurt Jonathan. So, I just waited at home.”

“Well, sort of. We had a disagreement.” Jonathan glanced a raised eyebrow at Eri.

Eri stood there in silence, not even trying to calm Ciara’s worry.

“See? She and I already work it out. So, no need to worry.”

“I see. I’m glad you both stop fighting. I like it better when the two of you were friends.”

“We’re not friends. If you said that again I will cut your tongue off.” Eri left the hall without saying anything else.

Ciara was left stunned at the threat. Jonathan waved his hand in front of her. “Don’t worry about that. We still have a few things to patch up. Anyway, how are you, Ciara?”

“Oh, I actually need to be somewhere right now. There’s a new fresh batch of fertilizer on sale today. I guess I will be seeing you later?” Ciara’s gaze fell at the thought of her leaving so soon.

“Hey, we’ll catch up later. I’m also busy myself right now,” suggested Jonathan.

She nodded but was a bit downhearted. Jonathan smiled at her before going through the door. Eri was waiting for him on the other side. She began her stride and Jonathan jogged to catch up to her. Ciara watched them walked away before turning to face the opposite direction.

On the way out, Jonathan stopped when he found himself beside a door. The sign above the door told Jonathan that this door led to Nicollette’s Office.

“Eri, can we take a detour first?”

“Fine, but don’t make it too long.”

Jonathan knocked on the door. What happened next was truly unexpected, a loud noise similar to a stack of material can be heard from inside. Alarmed by it, Jonathan flung the door open. He widened his eyes at the thousands of books stacked on top of each other, almost covering the entire floor. It seems several of those stacks had turned into a landslide.

An arm can be seen poking out of the seas of books, Jonathan quickly rushed to grab her arm, then gently pulled her out of the mess. Ms. Nicollette let out a sigh of relief after she resurfaced again. The once alluring succubus was replaced with this messy hair and bathrobe-wearing succubus. She doesn't even look like the professor from yesterday.

“Ms. Nicol?” asked Jonathan.

“Yes, that’s me.” She answered happily. When her eyes met with Jonathan, her smile grew even wider. “My prodigy!” She wrapped her arms around Jonathan and pulled him into her large bosom. Those bare and soft pillows almost suffocated Jonathan, wait, actually it did. When she released Jonathan, he was completely unconscious with a dumb smile on his face.

“Miss! Damn it.” Eri groaned.

Ten minutes have passed, Jonathan finally awakens from his slumber. He groaned and rose from the sofa into a seating position. His barely open eyes wandered around, surprisingly the mountains of books had been slightly clear, to make the center of the room more accessible. Eri can be seen stacking those books away along with Nicollette.

“Did I go to heaven?” asked Jonathan.

Nicollette turned to face the young man. “You’re such a flatterer. No, you didn’t go to heaven, but you did pass out.”

“I can’t believe it happened again,” muttered Eri.

“Damn my only weakness.” Jonathan raised his fist with exaggerated anger.

“A dumb weakness if you ask me. What happens if you have to fight a succubus?” asked Eri.

“Well, I’m more of a lover than a fighter anyway.” Jonathan grinned.

“Such cute banters. Ah, I wish I was young again. Goofing around with friends. Those were the days.” Nicol rested a hand against her cheek while she stared longingly at the window.

“I rather go to hell than be his friend,” said Eri.

“Ouch, I would be lying if I said that didn’t hurt. Anyway, Ms. Nicol, I wanted to borrow a book from you.”

“A book?” Ms. Nicol tilted her head to the left slightly.

“Yes, a book about Sigils.”

“May I ask what for?”

“I want to learn more Sigils, so I can take down my enemy more efficiently. The last time I got into a fight, I almost lost my life.”

“I’m sorry but no. Never again.” Nicollette sauntered to her desk and took a seat. She let out a disappointed sigh before leaning back against her chair.

“Why?” Jonathan raised an eyebrow.

“If you want to use Sigils as a weapon, then you have to find someone else to help you. A Sigil is a tool. If you want to use it as a weapon, please go ahead without me. What I do here, what I studied isn’t to make weapons. It’s to create opportunities, develop hope, and improve lives.”

Jonathan sighed. “I understand. Sorry to bother you.” He left the couch and headed toward the door.

“Wait a moment.” Nicollette gestured for him to come closer. Jonathan obliged her. He stood in front of the desk while she scribbled something on a small piece of paper: it’s a circle within a circle with three lines connected both circles. “Here, it’s a Sigil for an orb of light. Some say it’s completely useless, but I do not blame them. It does absolutely nothing except create an orb of light.”

“What is this for?”

“Most people view magic as a weapon, and it broke my heart to know this. Yet, I do not hate them because they are correct. It is a weapon, but at the same time, it’s so much more than that. As a teacher, it is my duty to forge my student’s wisdom. So, I want you to find a use for this Sigil besides from a light. That’s your assignment.”

“I don’t think I have the time.”

“If you finish this assignment, I will teach you everything you want to know.”

“That does sound good.” He shrugged. “Why not? I can give it a try.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Nicol, but Jonathan and I need to go. We have a lot of work to do,” said Eri, before she bowed and walked toward the door.

Jonathan waved at Nicol before jogging to catch up with Eri’s pace. They left the academy and took the carriage toward the outer reach of the island. On the way there, Jonathan took the moment to change his clothes into his official inquisitor uniform along with the mask.

“Wait, shouldn’t you change too?” asked Jonathan.

“Why?”

“Aren’t my identity as an inquisitor supposed to be a secret to the public? If they saw you walking side by side with me, won’t they find out? Since most of the time, you only hang out with me.”

“They won’t. An undine on a mission, while she’s a student, isn’t uncommon. If you are that worried, I shall wear a mask.” Eri took out a white veil with a trident insignia from her pocket and strapped it on her face.

The carriage finally stopped at their destination. A simple questioning should suffice to gather information. However, it wasn't as easy as they thought. They soon found out most of the shop owners were reluctant in sharing their customer information. So, Eri had to use threats most of the time, and it worked, yet, what she was after wasn’t there.

Apothecary after apothecary. Threat after threat. Some were more willing while others were not. It took them half a day and still no viable information. They checked almost all the apothecaries on the outer rim of the island, except for one.

They arrived at the final one, hoping this one could be their answer. If not, then shall head further inside the island to search for the right one. It’s going to be taxing, but what can they do with a limited lead to go on with?

Eri entered the store first, but Jonathan halted his advance when he saw a familiar woman. A Nephilim with fiery red hair, Lucy. She seemed to be wearing a subtle pink uniform with a flowery blue apron. More questions rose within Jonathan, and it grew when she happily escorted the small children inside what seems to be a preschool of some kind, but it was too large to be a preschool. His eyes wandered to the sign, the word Orphanage was clearly shown beside Victoria’s name.

Jonathan rubbed his chin, then shrugged his shoulders before entering the apothecary.

Inside was almost the same interior as the other, clean and filled with hanging plants. Behind the display stood a greenish young man with thick glasses, and behind him were the tall cabinets in which the owner stored their dried herbs and remedies. The only things different about this store are a few subtle personal details such as a photo frame of himself with what Jonathan assumed to be his family and the size of this store itself. It was a lot smaller than the other stores.

“Can’t you just give me the information I asked, please?” Eri had already started questioning the shop owner.

The owner looked nervous, sweating actually, but he seemed stubborn to give out the information. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. My customer trusts me with their information. I won’t reveal it so easily.”

“This is for official business. They are lives at stake.”

“If it is official business, I will need to see an official statement that requires me to give you the information.”

“We don’t have it because this mission is a need-to-know basis. We can’t tell you why, but we need that information.”

Jonathan wandered around the store, looking at each plant, then he found a small plant in cute pots with a colorful marker. Actually, he found several of them. Those markers have names written on them, and with how rough the handwriting was, these could have been written by small children.

Jonathan spoke up, disturbing their argument. “Those kids from the orphanage come here often, don’t they?”

The shop owner glanced between Eri and Jonathan, then stuttered. “Y-Yes they did. Good children. One of the teachers was asking me if she could borrow several pots to teach them about plants. I gave them several and volunteered to help.”

Jonathan put up a genuine smile. Though it was covered by the mask, the shop owner could still sense it from Jonathan’s body language. “Aah, I see you, Mister. Doing good for children is one thing, but you have a thing for one of those teachers, am I right?”

The shop owner blushes instantly. “W-What? I didn’t say that.”

“But you didn’t deny it. Come on, you especially said you volunteer when they didn’t even ask you.”

The shop owner let out an exasperated breath. “Yes… I do, okay. She’s a Banshee with a beauty mark near her right eye.”

“So have you made any progress with her?”

“No. It’s hard for a changeling to find a date. We are considered deceitful creatures by most. Most don’t trust us. Let alone date us.”

“Is that true?” Jonathan turned to Eri.

“Romantic relationships aren't my expertise, but in a way, yes. I heard a few mentions of it. It’s hard to trust someone when that person can’t change their face easily.” Eri looked back at Jonathan. “But, I don’t see how this could help in our---”

“Shush.” Jonathan turned his attention back to the shop owner. “It must have been tough. You know, trust or not, I do believe in the power of love. Love can overcome all, don’t you agree?”

“But, it’s not that easy.”

“Have you ever tried telling her how you feel?”

“No…”

“Then how do you know if it was easy or not? Look, truthfully, you got two options, confess, and she might take your offer, or she doesn’t. You will get heartbroken, but you can move on. Find better than her.”

“I don’t know.” The shop owner lowered his gaze in defeat.

“You do know you don’t have to decide now, right?”

“I know… but what you said is right.” He stared at Jonathan with gratitude. “Thank you. I needed to hear it.”

“Now that I help you, would you mind helping me?”

“The information… I’m sorry, but I can’t. Most of it is private matters.”

Jonathan took out his badge and placed it on the display case. “I don’t need to see them all, but I do need to find one person. He may have come here using another name, but we know what he bought. We just need that person. We need to know what he was doing with that stuff, where did he go afterward, and anything that might be useful to us.”

“You’re an Inquisitor… but we never had one since a long time ago. Even before I was born. Perhaps, I can help you. Please tell me what he bought.”

“Hypno poppies,” said Eri.

The shop owner’s eyes widened. “There’s only one person that ever bought those flowers from me. His name was Ricky Forin.”

Eri took out a picture of Anthony Gonzalez and showed it to the shop owner. He immediately perked up when he saw the picture. “That’s him. What happened to him?”

“That’s not of your concern,” said Eri.

“He passed away,” said Jonathan despite Eri’s reluctance.

“Jonathan! We can’t.”

He waved his arm and nodded his head to calm her. “I know we can’t tell him, but we need his help.”

“He passed away?” said the shop owner, a certain look on him told them both that he was close to the victim.

“He did, I can’t tell you how, but it wasn't the plants. That’s for sure. Were you close to him?” asked Jonathan.

“In a way, but not that much. His past was a complete mystery to me. When he came, we only talked about love and about his conditions. He always seems lonely to me, but a week ago, he was happy. He told me he had found love. I can tell he had certain things weighing him down, but he was a good man.”

“What conditions?”

“He has trouble sleeping at night. It was severe. The poppies weren’t going to help him, so I taught him how to make a stronger dose. I warn him he can’t use it regularly, or its effect will weaken over time.”

“Was he telling the truth about his conditions?”

“Yes. He was telling the truth. I can see his condition taking a toll on him. I may be far from a physician, but I know how my plants affect my customers.”

“Did you know where he usually goes to or came from?”

“No, I never ask. But a week ago, he asked me for a recommendation. He wanted to know which restaurant near the dock was the best for a date.”

“Did you give him?”

“I didn’t know much about that area, so I wasn’t very helpful.”

“Anything else?”

“He always visits the orphanage after he bought the plants. Other than that, no, nothing else. I can’t believe he’s gone.” There’s clear grief in his expression, he truly cares for the victim.

“Thank you for helping us. We’ll contact you if we need further information. I’m sorry for your loss.” Jonathan took his badge and left the apothecary with Eri.

Once outside, Eri blocked Jonathan’s path to the orphanage. “Why did you tell him that the victim was dead? You know our mission is a secret. What if he blabbers to a local press? We are already in high heat with the incident.”

“Trust only works both ways. I needed him to trust me, so he would be truthful about the information, and he won’t talk to the press.”

“How do you know he won’t?”

“He’s not that kind of guy. Look at his stores, he hung a few decorations, but nothing eye-catching, only subtle things, and he cares about his customer privacy that he was willing to go up against an undine. So, he appreciated the privacy, he doesn't like attention.”

“The love talk? How do you know what to say?”

“I don’t. I’m not good at romance stuff either. I read a couple of romance books during my spare time, so I used it as a reference.” Jonathan stepped away from Eri and proceeded toward the orphanage.

“I’m not really sure about the victim’s conditions.”

“The shop owner has no reason to lie to us. The victim was in some way his friend. By our presence alone asking questions about his friend, he knows the victim is in trouble, so he would want us to help his friend.”

They finally arrived at the front of the orphanage. There’s something in Eri’s expression that Jonathan was not sure what to make of it. It was similar to disgust, but it isn’t. Displease perhaps, but that’s not it. No, she was uncomfortable and slightly reluctant to go in.