I stood at the edge of the surf, watching the waves crash steadily onto the rocky shore. The clear sky, sporadically dotted with wispy clouds, seemed to cast a judgmental gaze upon the lifeless body near my phantom feet.

To be honest, I felt overwhelmed. Were it not for the Projection, this sensation would border on shock.

Why did this happen? Why would the shapeshifter ingest poison when escape was almost in his grasp? He'd retrieved the wetsuit from under the stone pile and was about to wear it. What made him suddenly decide to end his life? It made no sense!

The only plausible explanation is that he saw me. Yet, that's impossible! No one in the material world can detect a Projection, except for high-ranking sensums or fellow raigs. This rule has no known exceptions. At least, none that I'm aware of.

I leaned over the corpse. The shapeshifter was unmistakably dead, not faking or playing a trick. His heart had stopped, and his aura had entirely dissipated.

Why?

Did he possess an exceptional sense of danger? Maybe, but why not fight to the very end? Within a minute, he could've dived into the waves, escaping any raig's pursuit. We can't follow someone underwater, even in the Break. Ending one's life based on mere intuition? That seemed a bit far-fetched.

Cursed shapeshifter! Everything had been going smoothly. While tracking one of the culprits hoping he'd lead me to his superiors teetered on the brink of failure, I still had a chance to apprehend a live member of the Eshin clan.

But that opportunity slipped away.

Now, my mission was compromised. A mix of doubt, confusion, and slight indignation swirled within me. An odd combination of emotions, especially standing over a deceased body.

What's my next move?

Firstly, I shouldn't waste time on futile ponderings. Secondly, I need to report the situation, and luckily, I have a walkie-talkie with me.

I was preparing to exit the Break and contact operational headquarters when I hesitated. An unanticipated idea sprang to mind. What if Eshin is being orchestrated by a true criminal mastermind? It wasn't just a wild speculation. Just look at the wetsuit and air tanks — the proof of detailed planning. This shapeshifter had more straightforward escape paths. Yet, someone had anticipated the Break Knights monitoring escape routes. They weighed this likelihood and devised a strategy to counter potential surveillance. They strategized this based on mere hints, unsure of the facts, indicating the shrewdness of the one behind this attack on the cat clans' negotiators. Could this perplexing suicide be another part of a grander scheme?

Is paranoia intensifying? Perhaps.

But then again, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you aren't being watched! I'll prepare for the worst-case scenario, but without jumping to unfounded conclusions, I'll employ Occam's razor. Suppose someone did anticipate raig surveillance and devised an apparent escape plan for it. What would Maya, Crixus, or any other Break Knights do in my shoes? They'd likely exit the Projection immediately. Then, they'd either attempt to resuscitate the dying individual (if they're unaware of the specifics of cyanide) or they'd immediately reach for a phone or walkie-talkie. The point being, almost every raig I know would've left the Break for some reason, materializing right above the shapeshifter's body.

I scan my surroundings. I can spot at least four potential sniper positions, each offering a clear view of this stretch of coast. Should I investigate each one? It might be pointless. If the mastermind is as clever as I suspect, they'd have a contingency for the off chance a raig caught onto such a plan. Thus, if no one materialized above the body instantly, any snipers in position, if they existed, would've immediately evacuated. Unless... unless they're mercenaries, kept in the dark about the full plan.

Worth a shot!

I initiate Sliding.

The first location, a wooded hill dense with shrubs, is clear.

The second, a stone obstruction half a kilometer away, is empty.

The third, a crevice in a cliff, is vacant.

The fourth, a washed-up tree trunk, is unoccupied.

Did I err in my judgment? Or maybe the objective isn't to take out the Break Knight monitoring the escape routes. Could it be about identification, with a concealed camera somewhere? Searching for such a tiny device on a rocky shoreline could take hours, if not days, especially if I'm on my own.

Never underestimate your opponent; it's a path to consistent failure. This axiom has often been my lifeline. Acting on this, I sprint away from the coast, covering a couple of kilometers. Once in the woods, I find a thick bush to hide in. Ensuring my spot isn't visible from the outside, I exit the Break.

I retrieve my radio.

"Ghost two reporting."

"Go ahead!" The voice of the curator of Wilflaes' underworld responds after a brief delay.

"The baretail is dead."

"How? Where?" There's a momentary silence. I can almost picture Alir swearing under his breath. Then the radio crackles back to life. "Location?"

"Coastline, north of a distinct split rock, about three hundred meters from it."

"Stand by and guard the body until the team arrives!"

"Understood!"

Ra-a-a-a-i-i-i-ig!!!

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

Sliding!

What if everything's been cleaned up? What if they've either moved the body or incinerated it? The absence of any presence on the shore doesn't guarantee safety. After all, a backup team could be submerged, wearing those same dive suits!

The forest rushes by in a blur: branches, leaves, bushes, tree trunks. Soon, the coastline comes into view.

A sigh of relief escapes my lips. The body remains untouched, positioned exactly as I left it with no signs of disturbance nearby.

However, if a cleanup crew were lying in wait underwater, then the alleged presence of a Break Knight put them under unjustified risk if they were to take any actions. But even so, my caution wasn't unfounded. These enemies have already shown themselves to be not only treacherous and deceitful but also incredibly clever.

Now, all that remains is to wait and keep watch.

I'd estimated a wait of at least fifteen minutes given the distance to our operational headquarters, but to my surprise, a projection of Maya emerged from the forest only five minutes after my call.

What's she doing here? Had she finished tracking her target already? Or had no one taken the second escape route? If that's the case, our situation is dire, as that was our only hope to salvage this operation.

"Did you kill him?" Maya asks as she approaches. Her voice is devoid of judgment, only carrying the faintest hint of regret.

"Look closer," I reply, kneeling down. "See the froth on his lips, with that distinct shimmer? It's cyanide mixed with silver. He took his own life."

"He killed himself?" She sounds incredulous, repeating the statement as if to verify.

"Yes, as you can see. He was nearly in his wetsuit, then out of the blue, he bit down on the capsule in his mouth. It doesn't add up. Underwater, he'd have easily evaded pursuit, even from a raig. But he chose death."

"It's baffling," Maya says, crouching beside me and studying the shapeshifter's face.

"I agree," I nod. "But what brings you here? Did no one use the exit you were overseeing?"

"It's worse than that," she replies, looking away.

"Did your target also commit suicide?"

"I wish it were that simple." I notice a shift in her demeanor; she appears defeated, despondent. Her spirits are clearly low.

"Tell me."

"Initially, things were going smoothly. The gunfire was intense when a man emerged from behind a door. He wasn't a shapeshifter or a sensum, just a regular guy, dressed like a typical clerk. Swiftly, he left the technical hallway, headed upstairs, and tried to blend in with the crowd. I was right on his heels, trailing just a few steps behind..."

"What happened?" I ask, the suspense in her silence palpable.

"He just... vanished," she replies.

"What?!" My astonishment is evident.

"No, not like he evaporated into thin air, but he somehow blended in with other clerks. I just... I don't get it." Maya raises her gaze to the waves crashing on the shore. "I never lost sight of him, not for a moment, didn't even blink... And yet... I lost him. This shouldn't have happened. It just shouldn't." She turns to face me, her eyes filled with tears of frustration and self-blame. "I messed up, master. I let myself be fooled like a naive child. The worst part is, I don't get how it happened. I just don't."

"Calm down," I say, placing my hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "Tell me again."

"Everything seemed fine until they called for an evacuation due to the gunfire. People started rushing out from all the offices. But I swear, I kept my eyes on him the entire time!"

"I believe you," I reassure her. "Go on."

"I was right on him, always. I wasn't walking close, but rather moving above, leaping from light fixture to light fixture. I always had him in my line of sight. And still, he just vanished."

"So, you're saying you didn't look away, you didn't blink, but he still disappeared?"

"Yes..." Her voice trails off, barely above a whisper.

"Maybe this isn't on you," I suggest.

"What do you mean?" she asks, clearly taken aback.

"Consider this: you were focused, never lost sight of him, but he still disappeared. From what I've observed, you take your responsibilities very seriously. You couldn't have simply missed him. This means an external factor was at play. And the only thing that comes to mind is alchemy."

"But..."

"Hear me out," I interject, cutting off her protest. "Whoever orchestrated this has already demonstrated their cunning and foresight. Look at this body, the diving suit, the oxygen tanks. Eshin clearly anticipated their operatives being tailed by raigs. They prepared for it! They planned their escape knowing we'd be there. What's more, this operation was risky. They would've used their top operatives, don't you think?" Maya gives a hesitant nod. "Now, think about this. My exit produced a shapeshifter, which makes sense given their abilities far outstrip those of regular humans. Right?" She nods. "But from your exit emerged, by your account, a mere human. An anomaly. A glaring inconsistency in their plan."

"But I'm certain he wasn't a sensum or a shapeshifter," she insisted.

"That may be true. He appeared to be an ordinary person. Appeared. But he wasn't," I replied.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"What do you mean?"

"Recall the words of Zanh Kiem. Who can mask their aura to mimic that of ordinary people?"

"The Dark!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she covered her mouth in realization.

"Precisely," I affirmed. "You came face-to-face with a seasoned dark adept. Their abilities remain a mystery to us; they may possess skills we haven't even begun to fathom. So, it's not your fault. They've simply outwitted us. Not just you, but all of us. Eshin has proven to be far more cunning than we all initially believed."

"So, it's over? We've lost our only lead?"

"Wait! I never said that," I replied. "There's no such thing as a perfect crime. Every criminal makes mistakes, Eshin included. Their operation was loud and complex; they must have left some traces behind. While it's possible that we might not find them, remember, we're not alone in this. We have the entire investigative might of Novilter, the envoys from martial monasteries, and the Inquisition behind us!"

As if on cue, the distinctive sound of propellers slicing through the air echoed from behind the trees. Moments later, a police helicopter emerged above the canopy. Skimming just meters above the surf, it approached the deceased shapeshifter's location, paused briefly, and began its descent. However, before it touched down on the rocky shore, the door slid open, and two figures leaped out. With a roar, the helicopter veered off towards the port.

"And there's our cavalry," I said, nodding towards the arrivals, Zanh Kiem and Nein.

"Cavalry?" she asked, puzzled.

"I mean reinforcements," I clarified, realizing she didn't understand the idiom. I need to be more careful with my choice of words in this world.

I brushed off her confusion with a dismissive gesture, indicating it wasn't a big deal.

Meanwhile, the two sensums, having watched the helicopter vanish behind the trees, turned their attention to the body. While the investigator headed straight for the deceased, the leader of the Third Palm approached the surf, crouching down to touch the incoming waves. Rising, he gestured towards us.

"Miss Maya, Master Maestro, it's good to see you again," the Maker declared with a notable volume. "You can leave the Break. There's no danger here."

"I'm still without a disguise," I replied, turning to Maya after Zanh Kiem's suggestion. "I'm afraid you'll have to manage in the real world on your own."

"I understand," Maya responded. With a nod, she transitioned back into the material realm.

Ra-a-a-a-i-i-i-ig!!!

Upon noticing the arrival of the female Knight, the Maker greeted her with a warm smile and a playful bow.

"Milady. I gather Master Maestro won't be joining us?" the sensum inquired.

"He has his reasons," Maya responded, her tone tinged with irritation, likely from her earlier oversight.

"That does complicate matters somewhat, but if he cannot join, then he cannot," the Maker conceded, casting a thoughtful glance in my direction. "From what I gather, our plan didn't go as hoped. Still, even failure provides insights. We need to pinpoint where our strategy faltered," he said, focusing back on Maya. "Your account should shed some light on our oversight."

With precision and clarity, Maya recounted her surveillance efforts and also relayed my suspicions regarding the identity of the elusive individual.

Nein seemed preoccupied, meticulously inspecting the body by the shore. Yet, as Maya conveyed my thoughts, he perked up, straightened, and commented, "That seems plausible. I don't find any inconsistencies."

"We'll comb through the port administration building for any remnants of darkness as soon as it's secured," he directed, nodding at Zanh Kiem. "What transpired here on the beach?"

Maya had to re-enter the Break to relay my response. This process repeated several times, as the sensums had further questions. Through Maya, I shared my speculations, the possibility of an ambush, and Eshin's anticipation of raig presence. I also conveyed the growing yet uncanny feeling that the shapeshifter detected me prior to consuming the poison. It felt increasingly unlikely as time passed, but I believed it pertinent to share.

"Interesting deductions," remarked the clerical investigator after hearing my thoughts through Maya. "But they have glaring oversights. If our adversary is as astute as we believe, they would've anticipated multiple Break Knights — two, three, even five raigs — monitoring the exits. Deploying a decoy team isn't logical. It would've risked exposure, and we could've extracted much more information." I silently conceded to his point, realizing the gap in my reasoning. Nein, however, continued. "Regarding the shapeshifter sensing your presence, Master Maestro, that isn't mere conjecture." He gestured to the body and carefully lifted the edge of the wetsuit. "Come closer, everyone. Observe the positioning of the fingers on his left hand. This gesture is a crude way to say 'To hell with all of you.' Someone wouldn't ingest poison and fashion such a sign unless they were convinced they were under observation. He must have sensed you, Master Maestro."

"Okay..." Zanh Kiem said slowly, hearing the explanation. He then touched the corpse and turned to the girl. "Miss Maya, I need some of your blood."

Without a moment's hesitation, Maya stepped forward, rolling up her sleeve.

"Oh! Not too much," the Maker said with a smile, amused by her readiness. "Nein, a knife, please."

From Nein's demeanor, I expected him to produce a large blade from beneath his jacket. However, he simply handed over a basic multi-tool. The Head of the Third Palm examined the blade, testing its sharpness against his nail before signaling Maya to offer her hand.

With a swift and barely perceptible motion, the Maker made a tiny incision on Maya's arm. He collected a drop of her blood on his fingertip, immediately sealing the wound with another swift gesture. He then repeated the process on the corpse, gathering a small amount of the deceased's blood.

What came next was entirely unexpected. Handing the multi-tool back to its owner, the Maker sat cross-legged and ingested the two drops of blood — one from Maya and the other from the corpse. His eyes rolled back, and a striking change overtook his aura. Disturbing, dark veins became vivid against it. I couldn't fathom why this sight was so deeply unsettling to me. I've witnessed far worse scenes in my life — decapitations, acts of gruesome violence. The mere act of Zanh Kiem consuming the blood shouldn't have had such an impact on me. Yet, witnessing the transformation of his energy body was profoundly distressing.

The color of his aura darkened further, making his physical face appear eerily pale. This continued for what felt like an eternity but was only about a minute and a half. Finally, in a voice devoid of emotion, the head of the Third Palm began to speak:

"A young man... Barely out of school. Acquired the abilities of the Break Knight... Couldn't contain his pride... Showed off... They discovered him... Administered a drug... Ensuring a deep slumber... They dissected him alive... Harvesting materials... The last organ they removed was his heart... A fraction of his blood, tainted with dark energy... Now resides in this corpse..."

Concluding his revelation, Zanh Kiem's eyes snapped open. He swayed, then retched on the nearby rocks. Gathering himself, he walked to the ocean, rinsing his mouth with the salty water. His aura started regaining its original brilliance as the unsettling dark streaks began to fade. Within moments, the Maker was standing tall once more.

"It feels like cats have made a mess in my mouth," said the head of the Third Palm, wiping his tongue with a handkerchief pulled from his breast pocket.

"Lao ban," Nein remarked with a slight grin, stowing away his switchblade. "You really should be more careful. If Legate Abel was nearby, you'd have an explosive bullet in your head for that."

"Do you see the legate here? No? Then, shut up!" Zanh Kiem retorted sharply. He then addressed us, "Maya, Master Maestro, Nein is brilliant when it comes to investigations. However, his social skills leave much to be desired, and he often can't discern when to speak and when to remain silent." With a heavy sigh, the Maker lit up his handkerchief, burned it, and tossed the ashes into the sea. "I've dabbled in the forbidden and will face the consequences. But I ask you both to keep this incident to yourselves. And no, I don't regret using methods frowned upon since ancient times. The knowledge we've gained justifies my actions." Catching Maya's nod of agreement, he went on, "Now, we know that Eshin's operatives, through alchemy, can detect you raigs — let me call you so, without pretension and pathos. In other words, these operatives can sense you even in the Break. Unfortunately, we don't yet grasp whether they see shadows, detect a scent, or use some other means to sense your presence. One thing's certain: this instinct bestowed by darkness is far from flawless and is restricted in range. Moreover, it doesn't reveal the identity of the Knight but only signals the presence of a Projection. Given this, we must adapt our entire strategy accordingly." Zanh Kiem paused, rubbing his temples in deep thought.

"Lao ban," Nein interrupted his superior, pointing.

"What?" The head of the Third Palm leaned over the body, scrutinizing for a moment before asking with evident irritation, "What am I supposed to see?"

"Lao ban," Nein said, a hint of reproach in his voice. "Notice that the wetsuit has a small raster pattern, and it's branded 'Talk Ocean.'"

"And your point is?"

Maya, not wanting to intrude but driven by curiosity, shifted into the Break to get a closer look at the body.

"'Talk Ocean' doesn't produce wetsuits with a raster design; they make ones with a lined pattern. Yet, this isn't a counterfeit: all the brand markings are genuine."

The head of the Third Palm frowned. "Now you've lost me. They don't sell it, but it's not a fake? Elaborate."

Nein explained, "Our Seer, Rui, is a diver. I recall an article from one of her diving magazines. 'Talk Ocean' produced only a limited trial batch of these raster-patterned wetsuits, and they never went on public sale. It's a lead, lao ban! If these wetsuits were part of an exclusive trial batch and Eshin's operatives have them..."

"I get your drift!" The Maker's previously pale face broke into a grin, and he gave Nein an appreciative slap on the back.

"As I said," I directed my comment towards Maya, "Perfect crimes only exist in the movies."

Maya returned an uncertain smile.