The Ace

by Majestroke

  Adrian smiled. “Like I said, if you are shy enough to ask me on a date let me take you somewhere romantic.”

  Minerva’s face contorted, as if deciding whether to punch him or kill him. But without another word, she brushed past him. After she was gone, Adrian sighed and fell down to the floor.

  I really hope things would go as planned.

  ◆◆◆

  “So you killed the rat?” Ace asked, glancing over at the dead body of the creature. Near the corpse was a thick black rock, with blood spilled on its serrated edges.

  Diana had no choice. She hated rats. She had been screaming half a day, cursing Ace for leaving her alone here. When she had finally fallen asleep, she had woken up after feeling a brushing sensation in her sole. When she saw the one who was snuffing her foot was the exact creature that she despised, she screamed in mad terror before backing down to a corner. The rat, also scared scuttled to the whole.

  Diana had had enough. She picked the black rock nearby and the next time the creature came out, she closed her eyes and hacked it. She wanted to close her ears to stop hearing the creature’s blood spill out and wanted to numb the nerves in her hands to stop feeling the cold blood that was spilled on her hands, but she couldn’t. She hacked and hacked many times until she was certain the creature was dead, and after she had, she threw one glance at the splattered corpse and threw up.

  “You planned all this didn’t you?” Diana didn’t find words to curse her kidnapper, but if she had another rock, she’d be sure chopping him into pieces right now. “The only object in my cage was the black rock and there was no other thing. Not even a cracked wall.”

  “I just thought you needed some sort of entertainment,” Ace chuckled. “So how much did you enjoy my hospitality?”

  “I wish Travis kills you today, I really want to see you get ripped to shreds,” she cursed. “I wish……I wish……”

  She struggled for words.

  “I think you’ve conveyed your point clearly,” Ace interjected. “Besides, I think we both have pressing matters to attend to.”

  Diana stopped thinking for suitable curse words.

  “What?”

  “I think you lost track of time, but in another few hours the deal would happen. In exchange for you, the man you people call ‘Father’ will be meeting me. He hadn’t stepped out of his house very much these days.”

  “Why do you need him anyway?”

  “To get answers for a few questions. To strike a deal, and some other trivial things a girl like you shouldn’t be concerned about.”

  “If you are up to something sneaky Travis will be there.”

  Ace moved his chair close to the cage.

  “You mentioned the Travis more than a few times in out conversations, and you seem to hold him in high value.”

  Diana gave her own version of an evil smile. “He’s the strongest mage in our house. There is no way a simple tricky mage like you can get past him. He’ll burn you to ashes.”

  Ace didn’t talk for a few seconds. Diana thought she had intimidated him, so she couldn’t stop herself from adding one last line.

  “And he’s my boyfriend.”

  “Oh, really?” Ace mused. “So that boy with you during my kidnapping wasn’t your boyfriend?”

  Diana wanted to throw up again. Everyone mistook Quinton to be her boyfriend. Just because she had a over protective brother who traveled with her all the time doesn’t mean people have the right to consider them as a couple.

  “He’s just my brother,” Diana pouted.

  “Your conversation is getting more interesting,” Ace said. “I’ve been examining you two for two weeks now. I’ve carefully analyzed your walking path, the places you stop and the people you interact with, because a successful kidnapper never underestimates his enemies no matter how weak they look. All these two weeks you traveled with that singular entity that you call your brother, and then both of you retreat to an alleyway guarded by two men. I have never seen you come out with another boy. Is it just that your boyfriend hadn’t taken you on a date for two weeks?”

  Diana struggled for words. She constantly had to remind herself that Ace wasn’t the regular type of enemy mages find. He had the brains, and as she suspected, he had been closely investigating them all these weeks. Sure, she and Travis weren’t an item yet, but their relationship had developed to a status where she could call him her boyfriend.

  Before she could reply in her defense, she heard the ringing of a bell from somewhere inside the room.

  Ace stood up from his seat.

  “It’s time,” he pulled a gun from his back. Diana had seen that weapon before. The military Soldiers had them hanging in their belts. From what Quinton said, it was called a pistol. “Let’s go a little walk shall we?”

  Diana had an uneasy feeling. “Where?”

  “To the Mary Cathedral.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Eight o’clock

  Quinton had been counting fingers until it was eight o’ clock. He couldn’t bear to lose the sight of her sister, the last family member he ever had. It was one of the reasons he had constantly kept her under his surveillance. He didn’t want any danger to befall her, because if she died, there was no point in fighting this war.

  Currently he and Travis had booked a room in the Bakes Motel, which was only a few blocks away from the alleyway that led to the Mary Cathedral. Spies were placed everywhere around the cathedral so if anyone enters or exits it, they would immediately notice.

  So far the plan was simple. Meet Ace, Travis will do the talking. The spies will then make their move and amid the chaos Quinton will grab Diana and run away while Travis provides them some cover to escape. Quinton didn’t know Ace’s power yet, so they had to be extra precautions, but Quinton was confident that Travis would be able to take the upper hand if he and Ace went on a head to head battle.

  He didn’t care about Ace nor the spies sent by Father, all that mattered was Diana. He had to save her. He’ll only begin to breathe normally when she’s tucked away inside the safe house. And after that, no matter what Father says, he’ll never let Diana keep a step outside the house. Not until the war was over.

  Quinton startled as someone opened the door.

  “It’s me,” Travis said. “Just contacted one of the spies. There are some Innercast military students near the cathedral, they say those people will soon go away. It’s night after all. Military academics will never stay in the Outcast during night.”

  Travis removed his cap, revealing his rather shiny blond hair. Quinton at times felt zealous about how Travis managed to keep his cool even in tough situations. He knew Travis loved Diana the same as he did, but still Travis managed to hide his anger while using his attention on the mission.

  “Why do I feel like Ace has a trick under his sleeve?” Quinton said.

  Travis looked at him with fiery crimson eyes. Unlike most other people, Travis eyeballs had a faint color of orange. Most of his crew mates assumed it was because of his power, but as the boy’s best friend, Quinton knew how much of a tragic back story the boy carried. And that was why he was ideal to be the leader. Unlike people like Quinton who had someone they should protect, Travis had no one, and that meant his ideas weren’t restricted to emotion. But recently he had developed feelings for Quinton’s little sister. Quinton didn’t dislike that, but he as a person who knew Travis for many years, he knew he wasn’t the type of person whose attention was focused on dates and bed time napping with a girl.

  Another knock was heard on the door and Angelica – the spy leader – entered. From the look of her face, she wasn’t carrying good news.

  “The military academics haven’t gone yet,” she said, sitting beside the bed with Quinton. “At first we thought they had arrived there for some survey or some inspection stuff but they seem to be wandering aimlessly. Then after a few minutes two other boys joined, then another girl. What’s worse, they don’t seem to be leaving.”

  Travis calmly p
icked up a wine bottle and crocked open the lid.

  “Are you sure they are academics?”

  “They are from Viribus and the costumes show they are novices,” Angelica said. “White vest, black jeans and dark military overcoats. Yup, those are the clothes of novices.”

  Travis poured some contents of the wine bottle to a glass and began to sip it. Quinton got irritated.

  “I think we need to change our strategy,” he suggested. “We will surely be outnumbered.”

  “We cannot consider academics as a threat,” Travis handed the bottle to Angelica, who gobbled up the rest of its content. “How many are there?”

  “Seven.”

  “Any specifically distinguishable individuals?”

  “I saw the boy of the Kalides family, apart from that I didn’t recognize anyone special.”

  Travis nodded.

  Angelica motioned the bottle in front of Quinton’s eyes.

  “Want some?”

  “No, thanks.”

  Unlike for normal people whose visions got dulled after drinking liquor, the mages visions heightened after drinking the substance. But Quinton didn’t need any vision enhancement, all he needed was to hold his little sister in his hand.

  “You haven’t been eating or drinking for all these hours,” Travis pointed out. “Are you sure you can handle a mission—”

  “Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” Quinton snapped. “You know as much as me how I always wanted to keep Diana inside the house. But it was you and Father who decided to let her out. If you had listened to my advice none of this would’ve happened in the first place.”

  “Quinton—”

  “You know she’s special. If something happens to her crest—”

  He stopped himself and looked at Angelica who happened to be suddenly interested in the bottle she was holding.

  “Angelica,” Travis said. “Could you give both of us a moment?”

  She looked at the both of them with a mixture of hurt and pride.

  “Fine,” she replied in a monotone. “I’ll inform you if something happens.”

  After they heard their crew mate close the door, Travis walked and sat beside Quinton.

  “She’s special and I know that as well as you,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean we can keep protecting her inside a house forever. Besides, you know how stubborn she can be. Heck, it’s one of the reasons I like her so much.”

  Quinton didn’t reply. The clock stroke eight o’ clock. The deal was supposed to happen at eight o’ clock, but everything should have proceeded smoothly if the military academics weren’t there. Ace wouldn’t make his move in front of military soldiers, even if they are academics.

  “I’m sure as hell Ace didn’t kidnap her because of her seal,” Travis continued. “Only you, me, and father know about her special seal. He captured her because she was a girl, and girls had the least resistance. And when he attacked, you displayed your power but Diana didn’t, which made him to assume she had only a weak power.”

  Quinton wished his sister had her crest activated. Then Ace was going to wish he never existed.

  “I just don’t want to lose her you know,” Quinton muttered. “She’s the only one—”

  The door banged open, with a panting Angelica beside it.

  “S-She’s i-inside,” she stuttered.

  “Talk straight,” Travis said, standing up. “Who’s inside?”

  “D-Diana. Her location signal just appeared.”

  Travis glanced at Quinton. “Check it.”

  Quinton nodded before vigorously activating his senses. He knew Diana’s location code, it was only a matter of seconds before-

  “It’s active,” he exclaimed, releasing a relaxed breath for the first time after all these hours of tension. “She’s alive Travis! My sister’s alive.”

  Travis’s expression didn’t change. Instead he moved his glare to Angelica.

  “What’s the situation?”

  “Every Seeker confirmed Diana’s location is inside the Cathedral but the military academics are inside there as well.”

  Quinton’s expression darkened. “Is Ace working with the military?”

  Travis crouched and pulled something from under the bed. A regular sized sword, with its hilt gleaming with serrated edges. He unrolled his sleeves, where a singular sewn cut extended from his index finger to the elbow. As he closed his eyes, his scar gleamed and the sword ignited – tendrils of fire bursting from its hilt.

  Travis turned towards a really intimidated Angelica.

  “Are you sure the only threat we have are the academics?”

  “That’s what my spies confirmed,” Angelica replied. “We also sense eight people inside the building, with a new boy in their crew. And here’s the mystery, one of them is emitting huge amounts of hex.”

  “A boy or a girl?”

  “Girl.”

  Travis and Quinton looked at each other.

  “But Diana’s crest is disabled,” Quinton muttered, questioning his own theories.

  “It’s a trap,” Travis stated the obvious. “But we have no time to spare. Angelica, follow Plan B. Quinton is going inside with a man we disguised as Father. You and your spies will be closely examining the situation, and when Quinton gives the signal you go all offense. Your target is Diana, so it doesn’t mean we have to be the victors of the battle. You take her and then retreat. After all of you are gone, I am using Bloodscream to blast that whole damned Cathedral to shreds.”

  Quinton looked at Travis for a moment.

  “What?” the latter asked, a little indignant.

  “You really like her don’t you?”

  Travis smiled from the corner of his mouth. “Of course I do you idiot. And I assure you, Ace will regret kidnapping her. I am going to burn that son of a bitch alive.”

  Quinton smiled and followed after Angelica, recalling how Travis’s confidence was one of the reasons why he allowed him to date his sister.

  ◆◆◆

  Braun hated his father. Sometimes he cursed his own fate for having born for a father like him. His family were nobles, direct supporters of the prince, and yet he had to work in the military like another normal commoner. What’s worse, they were led by a low born boy a few years younger than him. He was reaching the limit of his patience.

  Now he was with Olsen, in the freezing Outcast with no lights except for a small lamp the boy called Jay carried. In the Innercast they had fireplaces to prevent the cold night weather, but the low born of the Outercast didn’t seem to have those facilities.

  “Sometimes I really do want to kill myself,” he muttered to Olsen, who was suffering the same as him.

  After a few seconds he saw Adrian walking towards them. He was the last, but he was punctual. It was right eight o’ clock in the night, and the boy hadn’t changed his word. Seeing his walk, Braun had a strange feeling of irksomeness resonating within him. No matter how lowborn that guy was he had confidence, anyone could see it from his face.

  “Everyone’s here,” he commented dryly. “Our plan is simple. Divide and conquer.”

  And the guy gets straight to the point, Braun thought. Not even a single how are you?

  “Each team will have two academics. I hope everyone got maps of the whole area from the military.”

  A few people nodded while the others remained silent.

  “There are four specific buildings the soldiers might plan to attack, so all we have to do is to defend those four points. Now I would like if you all could take out your maps.”

  Braun pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. Olsen loomed over him.

  “The houses that you should deal with are marked in numbers,” Adrian continued. “Iato and Minerva will be number 1. Jay and Katherine number 2. Braun and Olsen number 3 and finally I will guard number 4 along with Natalie. Any questions?”

  Braun looked at his number. House number 3 was a little far away from the rest of the houses, but he didn’t dare to compl
ain. His pride would be harmed if he chickened out now.

  “I will stay with you,” the girl called Minerva stepped forwards. “Iato, you can managed with the medic right?”

  Iato looked at the blue haired girl sulking in the corner.

  “I can manage it myself, but if anyone doesn’t want to accept her she can tag along with me.”

  Braun glanced at Minerva. She was an Adaiya, a hidden royal family that rarely made an appearance. He wondered if her parents forced her onto this, or she volunteered herself. From the looks of the girl, it seemed like the latter was truer. Adrian on the other hand, gave her a slightly annoyed look before addressing the others.

  “its better we move out now. General Talon said the soldiers will be sent fifteen minutes from now. So it is better if everyone could survey the area and get a general idea of its structure.”

  “Man, this is going to be a drag,” Jay complained but followed Catherine. Others began to clear out as well, and Braun motioned Olsen to follow him. Soon, they left a slightly annoyed Adrian and a expressionless Minerva alone to themselves.

  Their house was indeed far away from the rest of the others. Braun thought this might be Adrian’s idea of a payback. That little asshole……he was going to give him a few extra punches after the training was over. But now he couldn’t afford to pick a fight. Then the military soldiers would arrive and make a farce.

  “I should be sulking at home you know,” Olsen said. “Why did you have to drag me here?”

  “Because you are my friend, and my family directly supports you. So stop complaining and move your sorry ass over to the house.”

  What the boy Jay had told was true. There was never a family called York to begin with. It was killed during a city rebellion a few years ago, and the only remaining son, Olsen, was adopted by Braun’s father. One of the reasons Braun’s friendship with Olsen continued was the latter’s obedience. Olsen always followed Braun around and never questioned his orders. It’s been that way for ten years and it will be the same.

  Besides, Olsen was the only one Braun could call a friend. He wouldn’t say it out loud in front of Olsen, but he was the only guy who managed to withstand Braun’s attitude so far. It’s not that Braun didn’t want any friends. He simply needed them to acknowledge him in the correct way. He was a son of a higher noble. Sure, they might be from noble houses as well, but the Kalides family was of much higher status than other families with only exceptions like the Adaiya House.