Every day felt like a copy. I woke up, trained, studied karma techniques, and slept. That's the same boring routine every day. The Forbidden Techniques by Ishamon Rudigard, the mere mention of that book's name and its unknown author etched a bored gaze onto my face.
I flipped through the pages, skimming them without a care in the world about the obscure and sporadic techniques scattered throughout the book. After what seemed like an eternity of reading, I heard a knock at the door and closed the book and placed it down on my desk before heading to the door. I opened the door slowly and saw Iseph standing there with Minoru.
"What do you want?" I asked with a tone of indifference, his mere presence ruining the minuscule peace in my mind.
"C'mon, get up," he demanded, not asked. "You have a mission, don't screw up this time." He walked to his office. I trailed slowly, reluctance weighing on me. As usual, Iseph handed over the small file—this could end our lives.
CLASSIFIED
File 006: Infiltration of Elpis
Goal: Eliminate Elpis's commanders and their new leader.
Confusion rushed over me. Did Elpis really pose a threat after Adrian's death? He was the main reason they were even considered formidable in the first place. "Shouldn't we focus on our defense against the Paigos Empire?" I asked.
"Paigos doesn't pose a threat at the current moment; the higher-ups deemed Elpis a bigger threat at the moment, so live with it." His glare lingered cold and irritated.
"Fine. We'll take care of it." I said. Even though I felt like investing my time into this mission would only bring me more work, I'd rather not deal with Iseph's little drama acts. Minoru and I walked out of his office and headed down the hallway that felt almost obnoxiously long.
The walk to the car was quiet; the only sounds we heard were the chirping of birds and the crunching of our shoes on the gravel surrounding the entrance, before the long roundabout where the car was parked.
"Want to drive, or should I?" Minoru asked, spinning the keys with a too-calm smirk. "You drive. I need sleep," I said, heavy-eyed from late-night karma studies. "Ease up on the studying," Minoru said, concerned about my sleep schedule. "I know Iseph is pushing you, but it's fine to take a break." He opened the driver's door and got in.
"I guess you aren't wrong," I said, opening the car door and stepping in. I adjusted my seat position to get comfortable and clicked a button that turned on the heated seats and closed my eyes. "You getting comfy, Princess?" Minoru asked, chuckling, "Yeah, I am," I said. I was too tired to deal with his remarks.
"Wake me up when we get there," I said, in a quiet tone, the heated seats adding to my already exhausted mood.
"What am I? Your damn chauffeur?" Minoru asked sarcastically, "Yes, you are, now step on it," I said, chuckling softly.
"Yes, your highness! Pressing on the accelerator. Slowly, my eyes drifted off, with the constant feeling of my head hitting the back of the headrest, replicating a feeling of a mother patting their child's head.
That void thar once filled my vision had been replaced by the sight of the golden meadow. The sound of my sister's soft snores was an almost calming sensation, an escape from the world that I was dragged into. The constant chirping of the Sun-Crested Cardinal and the subtle wind blowing on my face felt calming. After what felt like an hour, a small cottage finally came into view, and I slowly picked up my pace.
I slowly shook her, "We're here, wake up, Kassidy." Her eyes opened slowly, and she let out a soft groan, "Let me sleep just a little longer…." she said, closing her eyes once again. "Wake up, you damn brat, I am not your servant," I uttered that once calming expression that filled my face, dissipated only to be replaced by an annoyed tone as I dropped her on the porch and walked inside. The sound of boiling water from the kitchen echoed throughout the cottage. I headed into the kitchen and saw my mother wearing an apron. Her eyes had that very same loving and almost motherly look that I thought I would never see again.
"What's wrong, Cassie?" She said, still smiling with that same loving expression. "Nothing… I thought you were out…" I said, my eyes slowly beginning to tear up, as all the sorrow I held in had finally been released. She looked at me with a look of concern,
"Cassie, are you alright?" she asked, "Why are you crying?", beginning to walk towards me. I couldn't even utter a word, not even a single sound. The world that I once wanted to forget finally resurfaced. Memories of my family, intertwined with my mistakes, weighed on me like a ledger; it held nothing but bad. In fact, it lacked joy and anything vibrant that makes life worth living; it was just a ledger inked in black, every line a constant reminder and a regret for my past evils.
Her eyes hadn't changed a single bit, still caring; still loving. She embraced me and slowly rubbed my back, a feeling that I thought I had forgotten, something that should've drifted away along with those memories.
"It's okay, Mom's here…", she said in that same loving tone. She crouched down to my level and looked me in the eyes, smiling so softly.
"Don't cry, did Cassie upset you again?" she asked as she released her grip and looked me in the eyes, that same loving look, never fading. "No… it's nothing…" I said, raising my arm to wipe my tears away.
"Alright… but if something is troubling you, then let me know!", she chuckled and patted my head.
She walked back to the boiling water and started humming a familiar tune. One that I hold close to my heart, but one that also brings fear and horror to the depths of my soul. My eyes finally woke from that dream, and the comfort I felt faded.
"Wake up, your highness," Minoru said, punching my shoulder with an unrelenting force. "Yeah, yeah, stop hitting me, you brute," I said, my hands rubbing my eyes. "Are you coming out?" Minoru asked, outside the passenger side door. "Open it for me," I said with a smug expression. Minoru then looked at the door, then back at me, and grabbed the handle. I smirked and waited for the door to open.
CRUNCH
THRASH
RIP
Minoru ripped the door off the hinges and smiled, "There you go, your highness," tossing the door to the side. I looked at him with a shocked expression and slowly got out of the car, "Was that necessary, Mr. Brute?" I asked, beginning to walk towards the tall skyscraper that was supposedly the headquarters of Elpis.
I grabbed the hilt of my sword tightly and unsheathed it, gazing up at the tower.
"It's only the higher-ups of Elpis in there, right?" I asked, gazing at Minoru, who was grabbing his long halberd from the trunk.
"Yeah, but if there is anyone else in there, we cannot leave 'em alive," he said, heading towards the entrance with a calm expression.
From what I heard, Minoru has experience in assassinations, but that look on his face didn't remind me of someone like that; it reminded me of someone else.
I followed him into the building. The interior of the building was somewhat run-down, but you wouldn't expect a resistance headquarters to look similar to an NDC base. Scattered throughout the building were flags and banners, all portraying the same hateful statement.
"DEATH TO TELEIOS, DEATH TO THE NDC!" it read.
We walked towards a corridor where an elevator stood at the end. Minoru pressed the button to go up, and we stood and waited for the elevator to come down. My eyes locked onto the small digital screen above the elevator, marking the floors the elevator was on.
4
3
2
1
G
The elevator then dinged, and the doors opened. The hall was dark, almost unusually dark. The feeling of being watched overwhelmed every fiber in my body.
Minooru was the first to step forward, and he walked down the hall with a cold expression, each step a testament to the massacre he was about to commit. I followed closely, gripping my sword intensely. I scanned each room, but to my surprise, they were all empty.
Not a single room housed a soul.
There weren't even hints that anyone had been there, yet I knew someone had to be watching.
"Isn't this weird?" I asked Minoru, continuing to scan each room relentlessly.
"We will most likely be ambushed," he said calmly.
"Doesn't that mean we should be prepared?"I asked, looking at him.
"Whether they ambush or not, the result will be the same," he said, looking back at me before turning back towards the dark hallway, "Just calm down, Caspian."
Once we reached the end of the hall, we were met with an almost grimacing reality. Minoru was right, and it was a trap.
At the end of the hall stood a door, a large Elysian wood door. Engraved onto it were small carvings depicting an ancient battle.
With a firm push, I opened the heavy door, revealing a vast room dominated by a long, polished table. Chairs surrounded it, all empty except for one that drew attention.
Minoru stood tall, his long axe raised toward the shadowy figure seated at the table. "Surrender… or die, Elpis scum," he declared, his voice ice-cold, the air thick with tension as our fates hung in the balance.
Light poured in from the open window, streaming over the figure's face and revealing their features in a warm glow. I felt a nagging sense of recognition, as if I had seen them before. Was it at the busy market, where so many faces crossed my path? Or perhaps at the Walking Tavern, where laughter and chatter filled the air? The more I looked, the more certain I became that this person held a place in my memories.
Their gaze landed on Minoru before shifting to me, curiosity mingled with suspicion evident in their expression. "The Concord Division, huh? Which one of you killed Adrian?"
I stepped forward, gripping my sword tightly as I locked eyes with them. "It was me." Instead of fury, surprise and disbelief flickered across their face.
"You killed Adrian?" they asked, starting to rise from their chair.
"Yes, I did," I replied, circling the table to close the distance between us, my glare unwavering,
ready for whatever came next.
We then stopped, only a mere few feet seperating the two of us.
"Did you think killing him made you a hero?"
For a second my eyes lingered to the ground, reminiscent of both Nyra and Adrian's death. The feeling of despair that once clouded me during my time at the Reinos District had once again returned.
"Adrian... was a monster... he was a bastard," I said, my tone filled with anger that plunged me back into that emptiness.
"Was he?", the figure asked, their gaze still settled on me, "You are nothing but a dog without their own choice, merely following its owner."
Rage filled me, the mere thought of the fact I might just be a puppet clouded my judgement.
What if my actions were unjust? Was the NDC even... order? Was I really upholding anything?
SWOOSH
The figure swung their dagger across my neck, but Minoru had tossed me back just in time, barely managing to weave the blow.
"Snap out of it, Caspian!" he yelled, holding his axe in a defensive stance, "Don't forget what Elpis has done, do not falter... not once."
I steadied my breath, gripping my sword tightly. Minoru stood beside me, a steady presence in the chaos.
"Right," I said, my voice gaining strength. "Elpis caused suffering, and I'm fighting against that."
The figure laughed mockingly. "Greater, perhaps, but at what cost? You're just drowning in blood."
With a swift movement, they lunged, but I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow. Minoru swung his axe, but the figure evaded, their smirk unwavering.
"Focus, Caspian!" Minoru urged. I saw my chance and thrust my sword forward, grazing their side.
"Enough of your games!" I snarled, adrenaline fueling my determination.
Their eyes flashed with surprise. "You think you understand your path? You're just a pawn."
"Maybe," I replied, resolve hardening. "But I'll decide how to play my role."
Together, we pressed forward, fighting not just for survival but for the truth and justice. I wasn't just a dog on a leash; I had a choice, and I was ready to make it count.