I stood still, watching the waves crash against the shore. It was a serene sight, unless you looked back to see a dead body on the stones, a cordon, and armed shapeshifters securing the area. I stood there, playing out different scenarios in my head, but as the main question of "why I was the one invited" remained unanswered, all these thoughts hung uncertainly, as they say, in the air.
To my knowledge, none of the Break Knights had been personally invited before. The only exception that I knew of was Max Kraas. There were official gatherings, like when open raigs were initiated into knighthood, but those were ceremonial, not personal. Even in negotiations between the authorities and BKDW, where raigs were represented by Crixus and Halley, Lair Gluathon had only appeared in person once.
Obviously, my existence was of significant interest to the powers that be, and that's putting it mildly. However, up to this point, they had preferred to watch from the shadows, rather than take action. What changed? What prompted this invitation? Was it Ungor's death? I doubted it, the decision to invite me must have been made before anyone knew what had happened.
Drat! My two-week communication hiatus was now causing trouble. I had no clue what was happening, even within the BKDW, let alone outside it. But something had definitely changed if the Heir decided to meet with me personally. I had no doubt it would be a one-on-one conversation, given the way the invitation was sent.
I was so deep in thought that I only noticed the speedboat entering the bay when its passenger was already disembarking. The yellow kasaya, wooden sandals, and sun-shining bald head were unmistakable. If not for these, few would recognize the Buddhist monk who had arrived. Zanh Kiem's face was far from the usual calm demeanor associated with Eastern monks, and his movements resembled rather those of a Western businessman.
The Maker glanced at me but didn't linger. He probably assumed that I was "in my own world" and decided not to disturb me. After a few words with Rock and Maya, Zanh Kiem sent them away from the body and sat next to Ungor. Having seen the sensum at work several times already, I chose not to approach him and even subdued my Spark to avoid creating unnecessary "noise." To my mild surprise, Zanh Kiem didn't finish his inspection in the usual couple of minutes.
The initial examination of the sensum didn't differ from the one conducted by Rock. Yet, Zanh Kiem began to act oddly. He shook his hands over the corpse, removed his sandals, and walked in a circle around the body. He then lay down on the rocks, mimicking the lifeless position of Ungor, staying that way for several minutes. But he was not done. Rising up, he circled Ungor once more, then with eyes shut, he tread softly towards the shoreline. Upon reaching the edge, he shed his kasaya and dove into the water in his shorts. The nearest commando twitched, as if to follow him, but was halted by a stern hand gesture from Rock.
Naturally, I was aware that the abilities of a sensum at this rank far exceeded those of an ordinary person. But even I was taken aback when Zanh Kiem surfaced from the water near the northern cliff, almost a hundred and fifty meters from the shore. His swim didn't end there. From my vantage point, I couldn't discern what the sensum was doing, but he lingered there for a couple of minutes before diving back under, staying submerged longer this time. I presumed he was examining the sea floor - an entirely plausible assumption given his capabilities.
Once ashore, the Maker donned his kasaya, fastened the black belt, and adjusted his attire. This time, he made his way not towards the body, but towards Rock and Maya who were standing slightly apart. Seeing no point in waiting around, I decided to join them.
Zanh Kiem seemed surprised to see me approaching instead of lingering by the shore. He even took a half-step back, scrutinizing me from head to toe. He likely tried to scan me, but it seemed Metatron thwarted this attempt, leaving the sensum bereft of further information.
"Good day, abbot," I greeted my friend, bowing much deeper than when we met the curator from the House on the Hill.
"Maestro, my respects to you," the sensum replied, a slight relief in his voice. Positioning himself to see us all, he continued, "A troubling case. Conflicting."
His words heightened the tension, not just in me, but also in Mr. Rock.
"I'm unable to determine whether Marek Sovin's death was accidental or not. In fact, I can't even confirm where he died. This place holds an immense amount of ancient darkness. These stones have witnessed many deaths, with the mental imprints of some being more distinct than recent ones, despite having occurred years ago. Such a phenomenon is uncommon, but this place is unusual - it seems to trap negative energies. Have you ever heard the term 'cursed place'? This bay is almost a textbook example."
"But it's so beautiful here," Maya expressed her surprise.
"Blooming belladonna is indeed a beautiful flower," The sensum shrugged.
"I see," The girl nodded in understanding.
"Nevertheless, I am inclined to believe that there was still a tragic accident," the Maker voiced his thoughts, a hint of dissatisfaction but confident nonetheless. "I am pushed to this conclusion because I can almost guarantee that at the time of his death, Marek Sovin was alone."
"Almost?" I was taken aback by his peculiar choice of words.
"Even last year, I would have been one hundred percent sure," Zanh Kiem examined his right hand as though it belonged to someone else. "But after some meetings that have taken place recently, I can no longer be so confident."
"With all due respect," the representative of the Heir spoke up, briefly bowing to the sensum, "Could you clarify?"
"Could there have been a murder here and not an accident?" The Maker turned his gaze to the lifeless body sprawled on the stones. "Yes, if the killer was a powerful Dark adept, on the same level as the head witch of Eshin or the inquisitor familiar to all of us."
The mention of Abel de Diaz sent an unpleasant chill down my spine. By the subtle change in Mr. Rock's complexion, it was clear he experienced similar feelings.
"I'll remind you," Zanh Kiem continued. "I was unaware of the existence of such powerful Dark Ones, even when I was the head of the Third Palm. To believe that there is another Dark One of similar talents in Wilflaes? Of course, you can imagine anything you want, but in reality, this is almost impossible. Especially when you consider that on the territory of Novilter, we cleared Eshin completely."
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"I need to make a call," Mr. Rock announced, retrieving his phone and stepping aside.
"Come with me for a moment." Seizing the pause, the sensum grabbed my elbow and led me to the shore. Once we were far enough away from prying ears, Zanh Kiem asked, "Did you come to your senses?"
"Why did you mention the legate in this case?" Instead of answering, I expressed my surprise. "Do you really think that the representative of the Holy See can be involved in the death of Ungor?"
"So you did," the sensum patted my armored shoulder and smiled lightly. "How about visiting the Abode of Knowledge? For example, tomorrow night."
"You didn't answer," I asserted.
"Of course not," the Maker shrugged.
"Then why?" I felt like I was pulling an answer out of him with pincers, but he resisted.
"Let them run around," he nodded towards Rock. "I'm sick of them. As soon as we cleaned out Eshin, they swarmed me from all sides. No, outwardly, everything is proper and respectful, but in fact, it's constant hindrance. They don't want to share their influence over you."
"How serious is this?"
"I can handle it," the Maker answered, his smile soft. "It's not the first time I've come across something like this." He paused for a moment before adding, "Besides, we are allies in the grand scheme of things, this minor squabble is just that - minor." He then asked, "So, shall we meet tomorrow?"
"I already have an appointment," I replied, shaking my head.
"Cancel it."
"I can't."
"And what kind of meeting is so important that you can't cancel it for me?" The Abbot of the Abode of Knowledge feigned offense.
I pointed towards Mr. Rock and then gestured towards the clouds, my eyes never leaving him.
"Aah, I see!" Zanh Kiem's eyebrows twitched as he correctly interpreted my gesture. "Interesting. It would indeed be beneficial for us to talk, preferably today. However," he gestured towards the body that had just been covered with a white sheet, "I need to handle this case. I didn't even get a chance to speak with him once."
"He was a good man and a skilled Knight."
"Without a doubt." He nodded at me, then inhaled deeply. "Let's head back. Our secluded conversation might raise some eyebrows."
We hadn't finished our discussion, but the Maker was right: whispering suspiciously for too long wasn't advisable. We walked back without any further conversation. Before we could get close, Mr. Rock pulled the Maker aside.
"Damn it!" Maya cursed as the pair walked away. "We have the authorities' protection. Even a Maker is watching over us! And yet... None of us can escape from bizarre mishaps." She squatted down and started examining the smooth pebbles in her hands. "Before all this, before the Breakthroughs, I sincerely believed Makers were almost divine, capable of predicting the future. It's a shame... It's a shame that my fantasies were just fantasies."
"It's not that simple," I defended Zanh Kiem.
"I get it," the girl sighed heavily and skipped a pebble across the sea.
"Makers do have remarkable abilities. Sometimes they really are capable of foresight." At my words, the girl's left shoulder twitched with irritation. "In this case, though, the Abbot of the Abode of Knowledge didn't stand a chance. After all, he didn't know Ungor. He'd never spoken to him, never even seen him."
Maya mulled over my words for a minute before speaking again.
"I understand," she said, this time with a different tone than before. "Do you think we should inform our people?" I tilted my head questioningly, and she clarified, "Should we tell them that the one who died on this beach was first-year student Marek Sovin or Break Knight Ungor?"
"What advice did Mr. Rock give you?" I asked, certain that he had indeed offered some guidance.
"It doesn't matter. His suggestions are irrelevant in this case," Maya retorted sharply.
Her response gave away the nature of the advice she had received from the curator of the House on the Hill, and it was evident that she didn't appreciate it.
"Are they concerned that such news will dampen the morale of the raigs?"
"Exactly," Maya confirmed, her tone terse and tinged with annoyance. "It's one thing when one of us falls during a Breakthrough, but it's a whole other story when death strikes randomly."
"There's no point in concealing Ungor's death," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Everyone's already noticed his absence."
"I agree. I've been asked about his whereabouts by various Knights from time to time."
"Exactly. We need to inform our people about the death of Break Knight Ungor...but without the specifics."
"How do you mean?" Maya asked, puzzled.
"We've confirmed his death and have irrefutable evidence, nothing more."
"But..." Maya began to protest, but I cut her off with a swift gesture.
"The body of Marek Sovin, a university freshman who disregarded the swimming ban, was found on the beach."
"Eh?"
"Note that the Maker doesn't provide a 100% guarantee that it was a mere accident."
"But he said he was certain!"
"Yes, he did, but he also acknowledged other possibilities. What if we didn't eradicate all of Eshin?"
"Crap!" Maya blurted out, going pale. "Do you think some of them might still be around?"
"Honestly? No. I believe we took care of all of them. But my thoughts are insignificant if there's even a sliver of a chance that we didn't."
"That's paranoia!" Maya argued, but then, she conceded, "Still, you're right, Maestro. This approach will divert attention away from the university and me. Everyone's gotten used to my presence here and stopped gawking... If we announce that student Marek Sovin and Knight Ungor are the same person, it will stir up unnecessary attention around the university again. Many will think: since Ungor and Maya Grimm were both studying here, is this institution some sort of raig refuge? This would attract hordes of onlookers."
I hadn't considered this aspect before, but her words carried a ring of truth.
"I agree," Maya stated after a moment of contemplation. Rising to her feet, she gave me a confident nod, "Should we tell the new head of BKDW the entire truth or stick with the usual narrative?"
In that instant, I became acutely aware that my two weeks of self-inflicted isolation had more grave implications than just my aloofness. I had essentially sidelined myself during the elections, failing to support any of the candidates. To add to this, Maya, as she previously mentioned, had declined to run for office and intentionally refrained from voting. The twins, Thora and Kael, also played a pivotal role. Without my guidance, they launched a relentless pursuit of Halley. Thankfully, they exhibited enough restraint to avoid any formal accusations. However, their relentless questions and suspicious glances didn't go unnoticed, ultimately influencing the election outcome. The end result was that Crixus was elected as the new head of the BKDW five days ago. This morning, I was indifferent to the whole affair, but now, with my newfound clarity, the situation began to unsettle me.
"That's a difficult question," I remarked, purposefully shifting my gaze toward the curator from the Heir.
"Mr. Rock trusts me more than our organization's new leader," the girl correctly discerned from my glance.
Our conversation was abruptly cut short when Zanh Kiem signaled us to approach.
"Mr. Rock and I have reached an agreement, and it is our strong recommendation," the Maker began as soon as we drew near, "to keep the identities of Marek Sovin and the Break Knight Ungor separate. This distinction will aid in conducting a more thorough investigation without raising unnecessary suspicion. However, since suppressing the news of Ungor's disappearance will eventually raise questions, and some Knights might assume he stopped fighting, surrendered, or fled, we will announce his death. But we will withhold the specifics. We'll craft a narrative that presents the death of Marek Sovin and the disappearance of Ungor as two unconnected incidents. But we can only proceed with this plan if you agree." With that, the sensum turned to Maya and me, waiting for our response.
I turned to the girl and saw her eyes, widened to the size of a ten-franc coin. Like her, I had the same question: "How does he pull it off?!"