Xinyu and Brax spent several aching weeks in those peaceful white infirmary beds staring listlessly out of a breezy window. During this time, not a single word on Cygnus's whereabouts was uttered to them by their blue-eyed attendant, who made frequent appearances during their stay. The odd woman did, however, give a warning to both of them. By order of Head Westland General Sir Lionel Jr., they were not to reveal the true nature of the incident, regardless of whether or not they remembered it.
While Brax and Xinyu played a part in halting the fiend and held special privileges, specifically being allowed to live, they were warned they were to be terminated without hesitation if this vow of silence was broken. Brax promised not to say a word more about the subject, although he shallowly remembered the incident in the first place. Xinyu more or less ignored anything the woman said altogether.
This was later exemplified as Brax read the papers during the coming weeks. The few reporters daring enough to publish amidst the agent's relentless cover-up wrote that the destroyed towns and deaths were attributed to a strange, anomalous beast. The beast of 'unknown' origins was said to be slain by Cygnus Rift and his division, many of whom sacrificed their lives to take down the beast. Though this peculiar story raised questions amongst the intuitive public, the gossip quickly died down since there was nothing more to be said. No survivors to tell the tale, nor press coverage untouched by the agent's intervention. Lionel had ensured the true incident was buried deep beneath the dirt, for he believed that this shroud of darkness was necessary to maintain order.
Aside from the shuffling of paper and infrequent grunts, not much was said between Brax and Xinyu during their stay, though this was mostly because their exhausted bodies felt like lazing around for a bit. On the day the angel descended, Brax's magic energy was almost completely depleted, his bones broken, and his flesh torn asunder. It was a detrimental destruction upon an aging body that had never tested its limits before. Even though Wunderdum's medicinal practices were advanced, his inexperienced body made the process much longer than a normal injury.
Xinyu, on the other hand, was fundamentally okay, and her physical recovery was quick. Even her shattered arm healed quicker than any of Brax's minor wounds. Even so, she held a pensive expression the whole time. It seemed to Brax that she was thinking about something as she watched carefully out the window.
…
When Brax and Xinyu were finally released from their tranquil prison, the recurring attendant met them at the front door. She gave them a quick nod and motioned them outside of the hospital, never taking her bold blue eyes off of them.
"I'm glad both of you are well," the woman said. "It's time for you to reunite with Cygnus. What's with those looks? Are you surprised I'm more than just your nurse?"
"Yeah, that's it," Brax uttered sarcastically. Neither Xinyu nor Brax was surprised that the woman was more than just a nurse, considering her ominous threats and the fact that she watched over them relentlessly, day and night. Brax would never have noticed had Xinyu not been constantly peering at the door, cracked slightly open, or the figure at the window in the night. She might have shown more emotion than Leila, but she was undoubtedly another Agent of Darkness. No normal practitioner of medicine or standard attendant would be so adamant or perverse in watching them.
"Before we can proceed, we must dress you properly for the castle," the woman said. "There is a tradition that all visitors to Tintagel Castle must be dressed in the highest form of attire. I personally think it's an antiquated rule, but…"
"Tintagel castle?" Brax asked. "You don't mean the king's grounds, do you?"
"Yes, I do," she said. "That is where your friend Cygnus resides, and where you've been requested to be by the higher-ups."
"Ain't he a member of Avalon?" Brax asked. "Why's he there?"
"He does work closely with Lancelot's guild," the woman said. "But he also serves directly under Arthur, operating mostly from within the depths of the castle. Cygnus is the greatest scientist the world has ever seen. His skills are much sought after, even past the Westland borders. Despite that, there are only two people he serves."
"I knew he was well regarded, but not that much," Brax said. "Those two must pay him a fortune, considering his accomplishments. I'm guessing one of them is the king and the other is Lancelot?"
"You're close, but that's not quite right," the woman said. "He does technically serve the king, but that's only because the king is Arthur. If the king was not Arthur, then he would not serve the king, but he would serve Arthur. His loyalties don't lie in his nation or titles, nor can they be bought."
"That's a roundabout way of puttin' it. So who's the other?" Brax asked.
"The only other person he serves is himself," Leila asked. "It sounds silly, but it's the truth."
"That is what I would expect from a man like him!" Xinyu said. "It seems he is a true genius!"
"That's what the people say," the woman said, looking towards the castle that could be seen from anywhere in Wunderdum. "But the truth is… he's just a guy who works harder than anyone else. He is the most relentless man I have ever seen when it comes to his goal."
"Goal? What could a man with everything possibly want?" Brax asked.
"That's something I'd like to know myself," the woman said. "Come. Let's go."
The woman took them on a short stroll to a strangely decorated clothesmith's shop well off the main roads. It was away from the giant plazas and river markets and resided in an unkempt residential district. There wasn't much to see other than broken-down houses, a few shabby stores, and a boarded-up restaurant called 'Rossi's,' which seemed to have relocated elsewhere.
The tailor's building itself was shabby and looked closed, yet when the attendant nudged the doors with two fingers, they swung open. Behind the dusty counter was an owner who was equally as washed as his shop. He was old, portly, and needed bifocals to see anything further than his wrinkled fingers. He wobbled as he rose and wibbled as he walked, his hands shaking relentlessly while he approached his visitors.
"Did you not say we are in need of high-class clothing for where we are going?" Xinyu asked in a low voice. "I do not wish to be rude, but this place is kind of…"
"Shabby?" Brax asked.
"You are so blunt, Brax!" Xinyu said. "But if it is high-quality clothes we seek, I do not think what we are looking for is here. Is there nowhere else we can go for this type of thing?"
"I hear the fashion district of Wunderdum is a sight ta behold, and they've got some affordable stuff too," Brax said with stars in his eyes. He was always in the market for cheap, high-quality goods. "There was a new fashionista I saw a bunch in the paper makin' his name 'round there… I think his name was Hilfoger or somethin' like that."
"Yǒuqù! Do you like fashion, Brax?" Xinyu asked.
"What do you think?" Brax asked sarcastically, presenting his ragged rags and torn trousers. "I just read the papers alla' time back home, and there were a few names that came up more often than not. Those folks are always pretty interestin', even if I don't give a damn about what they're selling."
"Hm, hm! So, shall we visit this Hillofarger person instead?" Xinyu asked. The attendant shook her head, though it was old Ralph who spoke.
"Figerhill? Bah!" Ralph spat, spitting on the ground before them. "That arrogant little twerp hack can thread his fingers to his ass. How dare you fools come in here and insult me like that!"
"I have not insulted you; you have done that yourself with this messy store," Xinyu remarked. "I am sure that Figerhole does not keep his place in shambles!"
"Maybe not, but what he's done to the fashion scene is horrid," Ralph said. "Have you seen how he's dressing people nowadays? Wunderdum's filled with more clowns than folks these days."
"I think it's kinda pretty. Makes the city scene much more vibrant than how it used to be," Brax noted.
"Oh, what do you know," Ralph muttered. "You see a bunch of colors and automatically think it's 'art'. No practicality, no refinement, just a bunch of flashy peacocks trying to stand out, but in reality, you're just making it harder for yourselves."
"Alright, that's enough," the attendant said. She had a vein protruding from her skull, and her tone was curt. "Whether this place is a mess or not, that doesn't change the fact that Ralph is the most talented clothesmaker you'll find in the kingdom. He was once the royal tailor, skilled enough to create suits and dresses hailed by royalty. He's retired right now, but we still use his services occasionally."
"Occasionally? You bloody fools won't leave me be!" Ralph sighed.
"You owe him that much, don't you?" the woman asked. "Did Arthur not bring you in from the streets when you guys were young?"
"Bah! What the hell do you know about that?" Ralph asked.
"Arthur and his royal tailor is such a well-known story, it might as well be a household tale," the woman said.
"I've heard that one too," Brax said. "Is the tailor from the story this grumpy old man?"
"I have not," Xinyu said. "But I do know the story about the weaver girl and the cowherd."
"What the hell is this girl saying?" Ralph asked as he adjusted his glasses, realizing that she wasn't of the Westlands. "Oho, how interesting! She's got eyes. Eyes like Kintaro. What an interesting visitor you've brought me."
"Now that you've calmed down, can you help us?" the attendant asked.
"Yeah, yeah. I just woke up from a nap and got a bit worked up," Ralph said. "I'll have Lauren fire up the ol' clothes orbs and have these destitute young un's in the finest threads before the day is over."
"Do I look young to you?" Brax asked. "I'm gonna be forty soon, you know."
"To me, that's still young," Ralph chuckled. He leaned into Brax. "You're only in your thirties? Plenty o' time left. Now, arms up so I can get your measurements."
Xinyu was forced into a tight indigo dress that was corseted around the waist and had ten too many laces. She resented this greatly and waddled around like a newborn river penguin. Likewise, Brax was adorned in a fluffy ruffled suit with a smooth navy hue and impeccable stitching on each side. The buttons were made of gold, and there was not a single bit of dust or dirt anywhere on the herringbone threads. He wondered if the policies of Tintagel were the real reason he always strutted around in a suit. Or maybe he really was just a stickler for fashion.
To nobody's surprise, Xinyu hadn't even made it out the door before she ripped the dress's buttons by puffing out her stomach. An act she claimed was an accident, but was so clearly on purpose.
"Eh, I suppose this is to be expected of a commoner," Ralph muttered. "Worry not, we've got dozens of other dresses…"
"If I must be redressed, then I wish to have a suit like Brax!" Xinyu said. "A beautiful red one. I believe what you call 'suits' are much more suited for me than any of those terrible dresses you try to stuff me in as if I were a sausage."
"How unorthodox," Ralph said. "A lady wearing a suit? Never seen that before, but I would never turn down a request."
"The brightest red!" Xinyu said.
"Hm? You sure you don't want a burgundy or a deep-wine shade?" Ralph asked. "It'll look much better."
"Nope! A lucky red that shines like the sun will be enough for me!" Xinyu said.
"Suit yourself, I suppose."
Incidentally, Wunderdum's fashionistas, old and young, unanimously agreed that darker clothing was more suave when it came to fine threads since bright colors came off as more flamboyant and less refined. As such, bright reds, blues, and greens solemnly found their way onto the upper echelon of clothing and were a rarity to have on hand. Luckily, the magic practice of clothes crafting was one of Wunderdum's famed specialties, and changing the color of cloth was as simple as using a clothes orb to change the dye.
A white suit was put into a dye-swirled sphere, which could have its lid removed with ease. With a single touch to its glassy exterior, the suit turned navy, then green, then purple, and finally red. With another touch, the red went from a dark maroon to a bright and preppy scarlet, precisely the most fitting garments for the Trader of Joy.
"Now this is a beautiful style!" Xinyu said, admiring the flashy red jacket and pants she was given, shrunken to her size as Westland men did not come that small. "In the east, this is the color of royalty. But much more important than that, it is the color of happiness and of fortune."
"I didn't know a color could have so much meaning," Brax said. "There's so much about this world I had no idea existed… It's so strange."
"That is what I thought when I entered the west," Xinyu said. "Say, old man. Leila said Arthur took you in when you guys were young. Is that true? Are you friends with him?"
"Yeah, it's true. The 'almighty' king seemed to have had a thing for strays back then," Ralph said. He then looked at their attendant. "Well, I guess he still does, eh? Makes sense, considering he was one. Oops, I've said too much, haven't I?"
"No, you've only said your delusions," the woman said. "Arthur the stray was just propaganda wrought upon opposing factions. It's a well-documented fact that he descended from a noble family from one of the olden kingdoms. You should know better than anyone else that the other stuff is just rumors."
"That's how I know it too," Brax said. "The Pendragons, nobles of the Mordred kingdom. One of the many that became the Westlands we know today."
"Aren't you a peasant or something?" Ralph asked. "You seem to know stories and history pretty well for someone of your class."
"I like to read," Brax said.
"Oho, so this one really can read?" Ralph asked.
"A commoner becoming king is unheard of," the attendant said. "It's not that a peasant cannot have the qualities to lead, but rather it opposes the gods' order. Furthermore, the king's vast power can only be explained by noble heritage."
"Well, whatever. Yeah, you're right, Arthur was born a noble," Ralph said. "The noblest of nobles. He's so noble that he bleeds gold and craps out diamonds. Now off with you, I'm going back to sleep."
Outside Ralph's old tailor shop, they were met with a royal flying carriage driven by another winged horse. The brown pegasus that stood there was much smaller than the one they had ridden into battle weeks prior, and had an underwhelming overall presence as neither Brax nor Xinyu had heard its arrival while they were inside. Make no mistake, the young buck before them was a beautiful steed o' flight and worth more than any commonfolk could ever hope to afford, but compared to the majesty of the giant battle beast from the fight with the angel and the glorious chariot it pulled, it fell short.
Regardless, it was still more efficient than traversing the complex hexagon-shaped city on foot. There were too many canals, bridges, and paths going in all different directions around the multifaceted structures of Wunderdum to easily navigate anywhere without extensive knowledge, and that wasn't to mention the loads of people crowding every corner. Flight, reserved only for government business, the richest of the aristo-brats, and royalty, was much faster. Furthermore, only a select few spirit-tamers in the kingdom were even capable of summoning such creatures.
"I do not understand why we had to dress in these uncomfortable clothes," Xinyu said, pouting as the pegasus took off.
"They're a little snug, but I quite like them," Brax remarked. He never had the chance to dress up in anything other than rags, and the occasion made him feel special.
"I much prefer silk garments," Xinyu said. "I am in love with the color and design of these clothes, but they are impractical and do not allow for free movement. Only people who are rich would wear this."
"Ah, to be rich," Brax sighed. He then looked at their attendant. "Say, you've been watching over us the past couple weeks, but you've never told us your name."
"I did not think it important," the woman said. "But if you wish to know, it's Lily."
"I'm not sure why, but you seem familiar," Brax said. "Have we met before?"
"I'm the sister of Leila," Lily said. "She was the one you fought with and who fell in battle."
"Oh. I'm sorry…" Brax began. He remembered Leila. Her death was one of the few fragments that lingered whole in his mind.
"Don't fret," Lily said. "We are Agents of Darkness. Death is expected. I do take solace in the fact that her demise was instant."
"You do not feel sadness for your sister?" Xinyu asked.
"No, I don't," Lily said.
"How could you be so cruel?" Xinyu asked. "I do not care what group you are part of; the loss of kin is always sad."
"This might be an odd concept to someone like you, but we are trained to ignore attachment and suppress personal feelings to do the underhanded things the kingdom's light will not," Lily said. "It's the only strength people like us can provide."
"The lack of emotions does not make one strong," Xinyu said.
"And you would be right," Lily said. "But sometimes it's necessary to forgo love in order to protect something greater than oneself. The agents are just one limb of this multifaceted kingdom. Arthur does not approve of our existence, yet he does not dismiss us. Even one as righteous as him knows we are a necessary evil. And terrible as I am, I will not stop fighting under this guise until I take my final breath, just as she did."
"But you don't seem like a bad person," Brax said. "When we first met, you had such a kind smile."
"Well, yeah," Lily said sheepishly. "On duty, the agents of darkness must be cold and willing to sacrifice anything or anyone to achieve any given mission. It's not that I lack empathy, but I must always be able to cut off any attachment, even if that attachment is my own sister. If we falter, then it could spell the end for something far greater."
"But ain't it okay to take some time to grieve?" Brax asked.
"One weak point in our faction can jeopardize the whole," Lily said. "We need to maintain structure more than ever, now. Something terrible is approaching, and I have not a single second to rest. If leaving my sister behind is what I must do, then I shall forget her. I cannot have her face clouding my mind as I move forward."
"I could never abandon something I like," Xinyu said, shifting her eyes to the side. "Do you really wish to be dictated by such half-hearted resolve?"
"Our resolve is stronger than any other," Lily said, grinding her teeth together as she clenched her fists, though she released them promptly. "Someone such as you, someone so unfairly strong, could never understand what it's like to fight when you are weak. To fight as a whole created from broken cogs. This kingdom has those who are like you and fight for the future with emotion and powerful magics, but there are limits to their idealism. That's why we exist. To be the dirt the heroes stand upon, and when we die, we quietly go to hell. Our purpose is ugly, but absolute. If even one of the kingdom's limbs fails, we all fall. As Agents of Darkness, we do as we must, which is why our resolve must remain unwavering, always. This is the creed each of us is taught at a young age. Eastern girl, you protect what you want, but we protect what we can. You know not of weakness."
"It is because I know weakness that I am strong," Xinyu said. "It is because I cry that I value laughter, and it is because I know hate that I can love. I am strong now because I was weak then. I admit my weakness often blinds me, but I do not need eyes to see your flawed weakness."
"Tell me. When you were weak, did you have a kingdom on your shoulders?" Lily asked.
"If I did, nothing would change," Xinyu said. "It is all the same. The mistakes. The sights. The screams. I will carry them all, because my shoulders have grown strong enough to hold up this whole world."
"Such arrogance," Lily said. "I take pity on someone as high on their own power as you. Perhaps everything is working out for you now, but I know that eventually you will lose everything, and the only thing you will have afforded to you is the fact that you tried. And that accolade will be worthless."
"I do not like you," Xinyu said.
"The feelings are mutual," Lily muttered. "I hate you."
"Hey now…" Brax began, but his words misted away, for he had nothing to say. Neither was wrong nor right; they were just two differing ideals that could never live in tandem. Or so he thought. He saw Xinyu smile smugly at her.
"That is right! Continue to hate me," Xinyu said, laughing. "Hate me with all your soul until the day you die. Hate is still a feeling!"
"Feeling and acting upon emotions are different beasts," Lily said.
"But you have felt it and expressed it, so I win!" Xinyu said. "Just as you are allowed to hate me without seeking revenge, you can show your sadness for your sister, and it will not change a thing. She is dead, and nothing will ever bring her back. That is a pain I, and many others, know well. We have all lost people, but that is okay because we are still here! We can carry their essence into the future. Cry with an ugly face and be sad now, so you can have a pretty smile tomorrow."
"You really don't get it, do you?" Lily asked.
"No, it is you who does not get it," Xinyu retorted. "Why is it so hard to-"
"Xinyu," Brax said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Yes, Brax?" Xinyu asked.
"That's enough," Brax said. "She ain't even facing you anymore. She doesn't want you to see that ugly face."
Lily was turned around and didn't say anything. She crossed her arms, and both Xinyu and Brax could see so clearly the glimmer of the sun on salty water.
"Ah. I am sorry, Lily," Xinyu said, averting her gaze. "I should not have spoken so harshly to you before. "
"It's fine," Lily murmured under her breath.
"Listen, you do not have to like me, and we do not have to be friends," Xinyu said. "But keep watching me, okay? The same goes for you, Brax. I want everyone to see."
"See what?" Brax asked.
Xinyu jumped to the front, brazenly standing on the edge of the gliding cart, which was teetering atop clouds high in the sky. She spread her arms and presented the world, smiling so wide with her rosy, wonton cheeks and shining bright in the scarlet suit.
"The future," Xinyu said.
"Ain't that a crazy sight?" Brax asked, looking over.
"It is, Brax," Xinyu said. "The world is so pretty."
"And you wish to protect it?" Brax asked, gazing all around. The middle-aged peasant, though a bit fat in his sides and wrinkled in the cheeks, was as splendid as a rising phoenix as he watched the Trader of Joy stand in the orange scape's nostalgic warmth. Her words were poetic, and she looked like a painting in the way she stood adjacent to the wide kingdom, but despite her radiant soul, Brax couldn't help but notice the sad look on her face in that moment.
"I do," Xinyu said, clutching her chest. "I want to protect it more than anything."