Step … step-step…! Stumble…!

In the dead of night, the luminous moon shone through the wide-spanning pane windows of Aeris University.

“*Pant, pant, wheeze…!* Grrgh…?!”

The hallways were forever expending, linked with numerous doors leading to various lecture halls, offices, labs, libraries, and other necessary facilities expected in Humesa’s most prestigious building for higher learning and discovery.

Screeech…! Screeeech…! Screeeeeeeeech…!

On a typical night, the University would be deserted. Not a single person would be found wandering its hallways. Fitted with the most advanced security systems throughout every corner of its building, no soul could trespass without tripping its layers of security and alerting the authorities.

Whoosh…!

However, there was an exception. A respected member of staff could gain access to the building after work hours if authorized via a formal permit. Once granted permission, staff members could access the building at night for specific circumstances – elaborate research, subjected experimentation, critical assignment, or building maintenance as notable examples.

STAB!

“AAAAGH!!!”

One night, a tutor was granted permission to access the building, requesting his fellow peers for access to the core library for specified research relating to his upcoming seminar.

Clump!

Step … step … step … step…!

On that same night, he was marked as a target.

“Sir Argus, why would you run away from me…? All I asked was a simple question?”

Sir Alex Argus – a respected professor of Aeris University and knighted ally of Queen Sera – was lying face down on the once-perfectly clean floor, his body shaking as he struggled with the overwhelming pain. Underneath his suit, an expanding puddle of his own blood emerged, absorbing into his expensive, tailor-made grey suit. Erected from the fresh hole from the spine of his blazer was a deep-blue spear. Its leading blade struck deep into the cowering victim, penetrating through the target’s body with ease. Coughing up blood, Sir Argus clutched the front-end of his fatal wound, unable to feel muscle movement from the waist down. With his blood spilling out and body shutting down, he was unlikely to escape death’s door without a miracle.

And then, a slender silhouette towered over the cowering body, his hands sitting comfortably in his pockets as his ankle-length, overcoat hung loosely from his shoulders. His cold, ice-blue eyes glared down upon his target, his psychotic aura expanding like a parasite as he observed the man squirming before him. With his victim neglecting to respond, he grappled the rising spear nonchalantly and twisted.

“AaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!”

As the dying man roared out in unbearable torment, the silhouette leaned forward.

“Are you terrified of me?” He questioned the blood-soaked professor, his menacing yet curious tone sending shivers through his victim. “…How insulting.”

His grip on the spear intensified as he proceeded to twist.

“NNNGH?!?! ST-STOP!!! PLEEEEEEASE!!!” Argus pleaded out agonizingly, his cries of mercy erupting throughout the entire building.

“Then … Answer. My. Question.” The silhouette growled lowly, adding an extra twist to the spear with each spoken word – as though the weapon was a ticking clock.

“HrrRRGH-!!! I DON’T KNOW!” The Professor gasped uncontrollably, his muscles clenching up with every twist to the blade. “I DON’T KNOW … WHO YOU ARE! OR … WHAT YOU WANT!!!”

The silhouette was silent.

Shiink!

“AH-HAAAGH!”

The silhouette separated the spear from the professor’s body abruptly, allowing an abundance of blood to spill out in the process. He then stepped around the body casually, considering his next approach.

Shove!

With the kick of his foot, the silhouette then kicked Argus’ shoulder to force him onto his back.

“URRGH!”

His skin as pale as a ghost and breaths struggling to escape, Argus gazed upon his attacker in frozen terror. He mustered every ounce of remaining strength to focus on the silhouette, hoping to identify the man whilst he had life left within him. At the same time, the silhouette stepped before the bloodied man’s sight, squatting down beside him to meet eye-to-eye. Upon witnessing the silhouette’s detail from the reflecting moonlight, Argus’ eyes widened in stricken horror.

“You ran away from me … and yet, you don’t even know who I am?” The silhouette then questioned, acting disgusted yet amused at the same time. “Seems a little disingenuous, don’t you think? Maybe you would’ve recognized me if I held a halberd instead.”

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Struggling to speak a word, Argus uttered a single name as he recognised the mysterious silhouette’s faux-hawk hairstyle along with the mention of the halberd.

“…Hydro…”

The silhouette lit up with a twisted grin.

“Ding-ding-ding…! I’ll give you that one. Although, you’re only partly correct … seeing as my father’s still dead and all.”

The blood-soaked professor could vaguely identify the man’s details, his dazed eyes losing focus by the second. The silhouetted man was youthful and demonic enthusiasm – the complete opposite to the famous warrior he called ‘father’. He sported a similar silver faux-hawk hairstyle to Strada Hydro, albeit dishevelled and manic in appearance. Additionally, the man bore a trio of deep scars across his bony cheeks – two minor scarring crossing diagonally on his right cheek, and one long horizontal scar spanning down his left cheek. Compared to the formal, stoic Strada that the professor recognised from Xaphire Ultima’s golden era, the son crouched before him was the embodiment of bloodlust and inhumanity.

Prod. Prod.

“Now, back onto my question: Where are the keys?” The Hydro then requested calmly, poking the faint professor lightly with the point of his bloodied weapon.

Argus breathed out in a confused response.

“…Keys…?”

“Yes. The ‘keys’ you and your merry party stowed away years ago. You know … after you all hid the Dragon’s Eye.” Hydro elaborated with a forced sigh, acting dissatisfied by the poor responses. “Does that ring any bells?”

Argus stared at him, struggling to process the young Hydro’s request in shock of hearing the notorious jewel.

“Y-you … found the … Dragon’s Eye?!” He gasped out, unable to hide his panicked expression. “But … h-how?!”

“It doesn’t matter who found it.” Hydro admitted irritably, waving off the nuances. “What matters is the next stage.”

Sir Argus’ expression morphed from pure terror to realisation, connecting the dots.

“T-the … next stage…”

The young Hydro nodded with a satisfied smirk, noticing the signs of progress through the professor’s expression.

And then, Argus yielded.

“The … Ethereal Keys…”

The Hydro edged closer with anticipation, eyes beaming and ears peering as he awaited the long-desired answer.

“Monza, I’ve just had contact from Mantis.” A sudden female voice called out, breaking the tension abruptly. “She wants to update us as soon as possible.” Monza Hydro breathed out in a tired sigh, dropping his head upon losing his composure.

“Impeccable timing, Cyndia.” He called out to the distance, expressing his dissatisfaction. “Just tell her to wait until I’m done. I've got about a minute or two left until this guy kicks the bucket.”

Cyndia stood further down the hallway from the pair, leaning against the nearby wall with her arms crossed and piercing night-blue gaze set directly on Monza. Although difficult to spot through the darkened halls, she was fidgeting considerably.

As with Monza, Cyndia was slender in appearance. Her silver hair was tied back into a singular side-tail and fell over her left shoulder, allowing the moonlight to bask upon the smooth, sun-kissed skin of her face. She was also wearing matching attire to Monza, albeit with added alterations. She sported an ankle-length, sleeveless overcoat, allowing her slender yet toned arms to work free from typical restrictions if sleeved clothing. Additionally, the overcoat was partially zipped from the collar to above the bellybutton, showing off her midriff along with her combat trousers. However, the most notable aspect off her unique attire was the plethora of weapons at her disposal. Namely, a set of four unique swords rested in their sheaves attach to the harness of her overcoat, two crossing behind her back and a separate two resting on each side of her waist. She also wore a belt consisting of various weaponized knives, a pair of tomahawks, and other absurd toys and trinkets. Overall, many would consider her attire as a ridiculous fashion choice. Yet, from appearance alone, no one would question her competency over her weapon proficiency.

“Fine. Just hurry up already.” Cyndia accepted begrudgingly; her arms crossed as she restrained her impatience.

She then turned her back on the two, pressing her fingers against her ear as she muttered into a hidden earpiece.

“Don’t mind my sister, she's a little antsy at times.” Monza excused casually as he returned his attention to the dazed professor. “So then … tell me about the Ethereal Keys.”

Wheezing away his remaining breaths, Argus strained to utter an answer.

“…T-they’re … scattered…”

“‘Scattered’, you say?” Monza echoed in intrigue. “Where were they scattered to?”

“I have … n-no idea.” Argus admitted truthfully as he attempted to shake his head, his voice falling to a light whisper. “We all … hid … a separate Key. My colleagues and I … vowed not to reveal the … l-locations to each other.”

Monza stared at the professor blankly. Then, with his spear in hand, he lifted it above the professor’s face directly, the bloodied point of the weapon set for dying man’s left eye as droplets spattered onto his cheek.

“That’s a shame.” He murmured with a low sigh, acting disappointed yet his grin beaming stronger than ever. “Then again, I suspect you do know the location of one of the Keys. So, I’ll amend my initial question: Where did you hide your Key?”

Sir Argus’ eyes widened at the tip of the spear inched closer to him, her pained breaths quickened as panic consumed him. He was adamant not to reveal more on the subject, reflecting on his vow to his colleagues not to reveal the location – even at the brink of death. However, desperation clouded his mind, horrified at the lengths the young, demonic Hydro would go until he was satisfied – whether it was for the purposes to gaining information, or for his simple enjoyment.

The point edged closer. And closer. And closer, until it was a few millimetres from the professor’s pupil.

“It’s … it’s locked deep down in the Barron Caves!” He blurted out finally, his cowardice reigning triumphant.

“Hmm...? See? That wasn’t so hard.” Monza expressed in relief, lifting the spear. “If you answered me sooner, you wouldn’t be lying here soaked in your own blood.”

Just then, Cyndia stepped up into view, acting restless as though time was against them.

“Are we done here, Monza?” She questioned firmly, feeling they were overstaying their welcome. “Don’t forget, we still need to meet the new recruits.”

“I know, I know.” Monza assured in casual response, straightening up. “We’ll finish up here and meet them on our way-”

“Wait!”

Snatch!

However, amid the sibling’s discussion, Argus grabbed Monza’s leg abruptly. Freezing mid-sentence, the young Hydro switched back to the dying professor with an unreadable, ominous expression.

“Please … d-don’t let me die like this!” Argus pleaded frantically, his eyes streaming as he attempted whatever bargaining chip he could imagine. “I-I’ll … I’ll help you find my colleagues. They w-won’t … suspect a thing, I … I promise!”

Monza glared down at the professor, acting as though he was considering the offer. Noticing the young Hydro’s pause, Argus forced one last attempt of persuasion.

“M-my family ... my d-daughters, they’re-!”

Monza then returned with a relaxed smile and answered his plea.

“No. You wouldn’t make the cut.”

Shink!

Without hesitation, Monza stabbed down at the centre of Argus’s forehead – killing him instantly.

To be continued...