by Yi Zhu
Why wouldn’t assassins just scale the walls?
Vince reached down and retrieved his blade. Silently, he gestured for the kill team to fall into formation. X moved in front of the pack, and at Vince’s signal, she pushed the door in. Vince charged inside with two Sentinels flanking him while the other two leapt over the wall using the grapples.
The adrenaline coursed through Vince’s body as he breathed in the Fye, his left hand wielding his blade, ready to parry, while his right pointed forward, ready to strike out with alchemy. Figures were standing before him, and at his approach, one of them fell to the ground.
“STAND DOWN!” Vince cried out, and all the Sentinels froze in their tracks.
Sawyn casually wandered around the Shadow’s Manor, greeting each Sentinel as she passed by. After spending an entire month in this place, even the vigilant guardians had begun to relax their guard around her.
With Vince’s permission, she was allowed to explore anywhere within the complex, but she had no doubt her activities would be monitored and reported.
The last time she “stumbled” into Vince’s study, she had spotted several items of interest, including a suspicious concealed compartment in the wooden desk. Though she burned with the desire to sort through the contents, she knew that if she played her hand too soon, she risked compromising herself. Sawyn pretended to focus her attention on the bookshelves, and mentally made note of the layout.
I hate this, she realized. Her idea to lie low here was good, as the emperor had been known to visit this place, along with the daughter of the general. Should an opportunity have presented itself, she would have assassinated both the emperor and the Shadow, and then sought out her last and perhaps most difficult target: Manus. But for some reason, Darius had yet to return since the night Sawyn arrived. Gossip among the Sentinels told her that this break in the pattern might be due to conflict between Vince and the woman, Katherine.
Another month, then Manus’s envoy will be off Royal retainer. It’s not much of an opening, but it certainly helps.
As Sawyn walked past another Sentinel, she waved him down.
“How may I help you?” Sentinel XIII asked with a slight bow.
Even knowing it might be a long shot, Sawyn decided there was no harm in a more direct approach.
“I spent years living under a tree, in a manner of speaking. Is there somewhere I can catch up with the politics of the Capital?”
The sentinel pointed toward a building on the other side of the courtyard. “There is an extensive archive within the record room. I must see to my duty, please excuse me,” he stated simply, and continued his patrol after another polite bow.
Perfect, Sawyn decided, and headed toward the record room.
As she entered, the Sentinel inside tucked away a novel swiftly. Had Sawyn been untrained, she would have missed the subtle movement. To hide his embarrassment, the Sentinel took out a knife and began polishing. Though he was wearing a mask, he turned away slightly and kept his head down. Sawyn walked around and caught sight of the book, or at least the corner of it. The pink letters told Sawyn that the man was reading a romantic work.
Sentinel II, she noted. Ruthless killers with preference for romance novels? His guardians are just as complicated as the man himself.
Temporarily keeping her curiosity in check, Sawyn turned to the massive bookshelves, and resumed the task at hand. Contained within the archives were meticulous records kept by scribes for the public missions carried out in the name of the crown. The information contained there was public knowledge, and therefore easier for her to explain, should she be confronted about it.
Sawyn walked down the aisles and began picking up the files regarding incidents directly involving Vince during his first year as an Elite. With her arms full of books, she settled herself down next to the lone Sentinel.
“It’s quite all right; don’t stop reading on my account,” Sawyn said as she adjusted her dress to make sitting more comfortable.
Sentinel II shuffled around, considering her words. “No, no, my break is almost over,” he said finally.
Perhaps it was the mask, or rather the cold efficiency to all their actions, but everything about those guardians effectively dehumanized them. Aside from their subtle identification numbers, it was difficult to keep track of the Sentinels. In fact, even after spending weeks with them, Sawyn still failed to have an accurate count of their numbers.
Behind that mask, they are just flesh and blood. I will discover all your secrets, Vince, and it is going to make it easier to kill you. Make the most of your last month.
Vince looked down, and helped the terrified orphan boy off the ground. The other Sentinels released their hands from the weapons' triggers. About a dozen children, all shoddily clothed, loitered around the courtyard. The oldest among them couldn’t have been more than eight years old.
“You are all trespassing on forbidden grounds,” X lectured, yet her tone had a certain softness to it.
The children looked at one another, but none spoke up. One of them tried to hide behind the corner of a wall.
“It’s all right,” Vince announced. “You all can stay; just … don’t break anything.”
They just don’t know any better, Vince reasoned.
“According to the Imperial law, the punishment for their actions is death,” X whispered in his ear, as the kids all scattered around, some sorting through a junk pile, others playing games with the dirt.
Vince turned around, his eyebrows perked up with amusement.
X shrugged innocently. “Just saying.”
The Shadow gave the hand signals for “securing perimeter,” and the kill team spread out to get in their posts. With the security taken care of, Vince began heading toward the backyard. Right before he turned around the wall, Vince looked back, to find X taking change out of her pocket, and cheerfully distributing it to the group of wide-eyed orphans, who immediately crowded around her.
Chuckling softly to himself, he made his way to Lucia’s resting site. To his chagrin, there were dozens of small footprints all over the mound of dirt.
Kids.
With great care, Vince smoothed the dirt over.
“Hello, Lucia,” Vince began.
Footsteps behind him betrayed the intruding presence. Vince whipped his head around, and found the same boy he had helped up. The child shuffled around, and regarded him with curiosity.
Relaxed, Vince turned back to face the ground.
I guess this place is livelier with children in it.
For a few moments, Vince considered using alchemy to induce a hallucination, but nowadays, the only apparition that appeared was Zed. Vince tried his hardest to deny it, but though he remembered all of the treasured memories with his sister, after thirteen years, the image of her face had faded.
Instead, the Shadow closed his eyes and recalled the moment when he vowed to Lucia that he would change the world. Even knowing he was young then, his conviction never changed. He was close now, and with his goal within his grasp, Vince needed to feel close to his sister.
Give me the strength to finish the fight. And … forgive me for what I will have to do.
He was going to relive his nightmare soon. In order for the Rebellion to spark again, the emperor would have to fall. And with him, Darius’s closest allies, including Katherine. Ever since Zed’s death, Vince had used the two Elites to keep himself alive. But even though he reminded himself that it was a simple means to an end, the bond between the three was impossible to deny. Now, to honor Lucia’s memory, Vince must once again turn on those he considered friends.
I must remind myself what it is that I fight for. The poor, the forgotten … the children. Soon I will have to pay the price, and then, hopefully, the suffering will stop.
The battle within raged on, as Vince struggled to keep his emotions under control. At that very moment of intense concentration, a sharp pain shot through Vince’s back, and snapped him back to reality.
Assass
in! Vince’s mind cried out.
The blade had struck him from behind, and got caught by the Rudium chainmail. Immediately, Vince whipped himself around, and stared in disbelief into the eyes of the orphan. A second blade thrust upward, and found its mark. Blood gushed out from Vince’s stomach right underneath the armor.
“I’m sorry,” the boy said softly as he dropped the blood-soaked daggers. “I’m sorry.”
Vince’s vision began to blur, and his ears rang so loudly that it almost drowned out X’s scream. He was losing blood at an alarming rate.
The sound of gears grinding faintly registered on his mind, as footsteps approached rapidly.
“I’m sorry,” the orphan repeated, as an edged grapple impacted the boy’s head, killing him instantly.
“Vince!” X howled, as she rushed to his side and pressed a hand against the gushing wound to suppress the bleeding.
Several more figures appeared in Vince’s view, and the pain threatened to overwhelm him. “Take me back,” he forced out, “and lock down the manor … We have to act like everything is normal …” Vince managed to finish, before falling into merciful unconsciousness.
“Fetch a transport immediately,” X demanded, and the Sentinel she pointed to took off running full speed. She looked around as her voice cracked with grief, the blood soaking her hand. “And the rest of us, we protect Vince with our lives.”
Chapter 17: Promise
Six years earlier:
“V41, there are some people demanding to see you at the gate; they claim to be your family. They are of low birth and thus not allowed into the Academy grounds. But you may meet them outside the front gate,” the Alchemy instructor called out, as Vince was heading out of the classroom.
Vince turned and was about to ask for details, but thought better of it. Instead, he bowed in thanks and took his leave.
As he walked toward the Academy entrance, an ominous feeling was nudging at the corner of his mind. Minutes later, a speck of red entered his vision before he could head out of the gate.
“Hey!” Katherine said, as Vince approached. Next to her stood the familiar-looking Riftborn, who had defended the Wolf Gang several years before. The quiet man stood by silently, with shackles on both his arms and legs; his twin scabbards were visible and empty. Undoubtedly, the guards at the Academy confiscated the swords as a safety precaution.
“Hi, Katherine,” Vince replied politely, nodding to both of them. “May I help you?”
The redhead smirked back confidently, hands picking at her well-groomed nails. “You are welcome.”
What is she talking about?
“I’m sorry, Katherine. I have visitors,” Vince said, and began walking past her.
The large, imposing man intercepted Vince in his path but made no threatening gestures.
“Hey, you! Take it easy,” Katherine warned her bodyguard.
The Riftborn stepped back immediately.
“The peasants in your orphanage got attacked … again,” Katherine began, casually. “It’s probably them out there. Good thing I had my bodyguard watch your place for you.”
No!
Vince rushed past the duo and out of the gate. Upon recognizing his face, the guards at the entrance let him pass.
“You are welcome!” Katherine shrieked somewhere behind him, but Vince was barely listening.
As he stepped out of the Academy, Vince spotted three familiar figures in the distance. Without skipping a beat, he rushed forward with all the speed his muscles could allow and took one of them into his arms.
“Oww,” Isha cried out, and tried to wiggle out of his hug.
Vince released her right away, and his brows frowned with concern. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” The freckled girl smiled innocently, but she favored her left side with the way she stood.
Before anyone could react, Vince reached over and patted Isha’s right thigh. Sure enough, he felt the soft bandage underneath. “Why would you lie to me? Don’t lie, okay?” he lectured sternly, as he squatted down and began to pull down the side of her pants to examine the wound.
“Whoa!” Amara cried out.
Derek cleared his throat loudly. “Well, I sure hope you don’t fuss over me next.”
Vince had been so worried about Isha’s health that he didn’t stop to consider how his actions might look to other people. Awkwardly, he stood up straight, and upon seeing the other two without a scratch, let out a sigh of relief.
“Well, that was not weird at all,” Amara commented, half-heartedly.
“I’m okay, Vince. Really,” Isha assured, her cheeks glowing like a peach.
Thank goodness. Vince scratched his head. “You got attacked?”
Amara stretched her arms. “Yeah, a dozen soldiers came, all armed with those gauntlets that shoot fires and lightning and stuff.”
“And like a hundred alchemists,” Derek added. The two girls turned to shoot Derek nasty looks, and he shrugged in defeat. “Fine, there were like two alchemists.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t buying that anyway.” Vince shrugged.
But if the assassins attacked...
“Did we lose anyone?” he asked.
The expressions of the three instantly darkened, and Isha averted her gaze.
“Two,” Derek said after a few moments of silence.
Because of me. They died because of me.
Another one of Vince’s fears came to pass. For most of the year, he lived inside Academy grounds, except for the rare visits he was allowed to make. Being kept in the school, so far away from home, was torture. And some nights he found it impossible to sleep, dreading this exact scenario, that the people after him would turn on his family.
Vince’s fists clenched so hard that his nails dug deep enough to break the skin. When he looked back at his fellow orphans, they regarded him with concern … and fear.
“That anger,” Amara said. “It’s been years since I've seen you like that.”
Derek rested a hand on Vince’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”
Vince looked down to the ground, shame flooding his mind. “It is. They came after you, because they can’t get to me. There are people who want me to fail, and they know how much I care about you all.”
“Vince, it’s not your fault,” Amara said, as Vince pushed Derek’s hand away gently.
“But it is! They are dead!” Vince replied, his voice quickly escalating. “How does this not bother you?”
The three orphans stood there quietly, their emotions barely in check.
“If not for me, they wouldn’t be dead,” Vince said, and in his anger, subconsciously seized Fye.
A splitting headache struck Vince as the chemical coursed through his body. Blood trickled from his nose, and his vision blurred. Heat inside Vince’s body intensified as alchemy raged within.
But with the anger, came hate. But this time, it was directed toward himself. From the corner of his eye, he saw Zed looking back, with an expression of sorrow.
My fault.
“Stop it!” Zed cried out.
“MY FAULT!” Vince screamed.
“Stop it!” Isha cried out, and snapped Vince back to reality.
With a concentrated effort, he released the alchemy. “Isha,” Vince said with a gasp. He looked around, dazed, to address the others. “You all have to leave, get somewhere safe.”
Derek opened his mouth, but decided not to argue.
“Where should we go?” Amara asked, without hesitation. After all they had gone through, she had never questioned Vince, in anything.
“I need to protect you all. This is the only way to make up—” Vince began, but Isha didn’t wait. With teary eyes, she slapped him in the face. Amara and Derek recoiled with surprise.
“Vince. Stop it,” Isha said.
What?
“We are not children anymore,” Isha continued, as she used her sleeve to wipe off Vince’s nose. “You don’t have to protect us. When they attacked this time, we fought bac
k. It wasn’t just that man who saved us, we fought, all of us. And we killed.”
Vince looked up at the girl … no ... the woman before him, even though she was only thirteen, and was forced to recognize the truth: I cannot do this alone.
“Sorry to interrupt this lovely moment, but our place did get burnt down,” Derek said, breaking the awkward tension. “So the plan to go somewhere else does look pretty good. We trust your decision, just tell us where.”
Vince finished cleaning up his nosebleed. “Go to the South, to the ambassador’s manor, in secret. Tell him I sent you all, and he will help.”
Amara nodded, and headed off to inform the others. Isha leaned in, and hugged Vince tightly.
Her embrace felt tender, yet firm. To his surprise, Vince realized he didn’t want to let go. As she squeezed harder, he felt his anger melting away, but refused to shed tears.
This is not goodbye.
“Take care of yourself, V. We will come back soon,” Isha said with a smile, but her tears betrayed her true feelings toward Vince.
As he looked into the eyes of the teenage girl before him, Vince was lost for words.
Derek interrupted the two briefly, and kissed Vince softly on the cheeks. With a respectful bow, he left to join Amara and the others.
Now Vince stood there, alone with the girl he had saved as a child, the one he raised and cared for all these years. Though he was still adamant that the separation wouldn’t be permanent, there was so much that he found difficult to express.
In his eyes, Isha was still the tiny, adorable bundle of joy that latched onto him every opportunity she had, whether or not it was convenient for him. No matter how annoying he found her at the time, Vince could never get mad at her.
Without warning, Isha leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. Though it felt innocent, Vince got the glimpse of something more.
“In the Academy, they taught us how to focus and direct our emotions. And to achieve that, we need an anchor,” Vince explained, as he looked into Isha’s eyes. “Ever since Lucia died, I searched for something to believe in, some beauty to latch on to.”