Reapers

by Ain Soph

  Edric seems taken aback and stays silent for a beat too long. I’m worried he isn’t planning on responding at all. After a minute or two, he finally whispers a response I have to strain my ears to catch, “I get what you’re saying, Luxem, but you shouldn’t compare us. It’s not healthy for you, and it’s not a competition. And it’s too bad you weren’t this understanding when I begged you to stay in Timberwood.” His words sting more than a slap to the face. When I first met Edric outside of the Remnant camp (and even in Timberwood), I worried he was still holding on to the hurt and pain I caused him all those years ago. Sometime after I learned about his mother though, I let myself relax. Memories of Edric as a child came rushing back to me, and on our ride to the Dagger Corps camp, I thought about Edric’s mom and all the times we shared with her when we were kids. I let my guard down and allowed myself to believe we were past the bitterness that developed between us all those years ago. Edric has been civil, agreeing to help me when I’ve needed I, and teasing me just as he did when we were kids. I assumed Edric had forgiven me because he was all too willing to assist me on my mission, but if he’s bringing up our last confrontation, then Edric’s still holding on to a grudge- one that he will possibly never let go of.

  I try to stay calm, but I can feel the hot burn of anger welling in my stomach. We’ve both grown as people in the last five years. We’ve both lost everyone who meant anything to us (except Mori). Neither of us are the same two kids trying so desperately to hold on to their innocence and youth. It isn’t fair for Edric to act like I’m the same girl who left him behind in Timberwood. That girl died on the day Lucie disappeared. “Edric, I’m sorry I left. I obviously regret it. My sister’s most likely dead because I couldn’t stay in Timberwood. Leaving is a decision I’ve come to regret every single day of my life. But you can’t forever have a grudge against me because I left you behind. And do you even know why you’re angry at me? Is it for leaving you behind or are you actually upset because I didn’t return your affections after you told me you loved me!” My sharp words slice right through Edric’s armor he’s spent years so carefully building around himself. My voice echoes through the trees and a flock of birds fly out from the tree tops, their squawking filling what would have been a deadly silence between the two of us.

  Instead of answering my question, Edric clenches his jaw and his cheeks flush with anger, “We’re at the border. A patrol should be coming by shortly and when they do, you can give them your letter.” He drops his pack on the ground and sits beside it, resting his forearms on his knees and lowering his head so I can no longer see his face.

  I feel a storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. I wanted to provide Edric comfort about his mother’s passing. How did things end up going so downhill? I regret losing my temper with him, especially because the anger I threw at him is directed toward myself. This entire time, I’ve tried avoiding the memory of Edric’s confession. For the past five years, I’ve been able to pretend that he never said he loved me. I rewrote the story of our goodbye in my mind, denying any feelings Edric had because of petty guilt. But like Lucie’s disappearance, this is another mistake of mine that I can’t run from any longer. Five years ago, leaving Timberwood seemed like the right thing to do, but it was a selfish, impulsive decision that ended both my sister’s life and the best friendship I’ll ever have.

  “I’m sorry, Ed-” Edric holds up his hand to interrupt me, and my voice dies with sorrow. He isn’t even going to let me apologize. I convinced myself that Edric only said he loved me in another attempt to keep Lucie and I in Timberwood with him, but the truth is, I knew Edric loved me before he even said anything. It was just...too intense, too obsessive- it was a love I wasn’t ready for, and it scared me.

  The morning I decided to leave Timberwood, I asked Edric to come with me to the old train tracks behind Mori’s (old) house. Both of his parents were in the fields that day, and Edric had been trying to stay away from his dad as much as possible. He and his dad had never gotten along that well, and Edric’s mom always had to play mediator between them. At that time, Edric was getting louder about his desire to join the Dagger Corps militia, and his dad was fighting against Edric’s decision. He wanted him to become a granger like his own father before him- regardless of Edric’s growing reputation withing the mercenary community in Titania. So after breakfast, we both ran away from our troubles to the train tracks. I wanted to escape the pitying looks of the town, and Edric wanted to avoid his father. I know that when I first asked Edric to meet me on the tracks, he probably just assumed I had a bad morning and needed to get away for a while. He came to the tracks with a basket of fresh food in case we were going to be there through lunch, and I realized Edric braved his father’s withering glare to gather fruits and vegetables for us. It made breaking the news of my leaving even harder. I knew Edric felt strongly about me, and he was the best friend I could ever ask for, but that’s why I thought it would be easier for him to let me go. I thought he’d be the first to know and understand what I needed, and Edric always acted selflessly with me- I didn’t think that time would be any different. We both had different plans for our futures, and we’d have to part someday. It was just happening a little sooner than he expected. After I told Edric that Lucie and I were leaving, he broke, begging me to stay. But I stood my ground. I told him leaving was best for Lucie and I, and I had to do right by my sister. Nothing prepared me for his next words though. “How can you still be so oblivious when I’m making it so obvious for you, Luxem?” Edric glared at me with harsh, angry eyes glazed with hurt. It was a look that burned its way into my soul- Edric’s very own brand on my heart. “You make my life worth living. Being a mercenary? I don’t care about that. I only did it to be with you, and without you here, I’ll suffocate. Please, stay, Luxem. I want to be with you until the end of time. Don’t leave me now. Not like this, not this soon. I love you. Please, please don’t leave me here.”

  Edric’s intensity frightened me, and I pretended that I didn’t believe him, working up fake anger to avoid dealing with his feelings. “How could you go so low, Edric. You’d actually lie about something like that? If you loved me at all, then you’d understand what’s best for me, and right now, that’s letting me go.” I ran away from him, leaving Edric behind as he called out to me, and I didn’t see him again until that day in the fields when Edric pretended that I didn’t exist. He most likely thought I was avoiding him because of his confession, and even though I denied it to myself, I know that a large part of me was worried about what he’d say if we were to see each other again. I ran from Edric just as I ran from myself.

  Five years has passed since that time though, and Edric’s still holding on to our last conversation, and not because I left, but because I acted like he was lying. Edric isn’t an emotional person. He’s quiet about feelings, and if he’s suffering, he just keeps it to himself. Edric hides his pain with a mask of smiles and jokes, but I’ve always been the one person who can see through all of his acts. That day though, I let him down more than anyone in his life ever had or probably ever would. Edric believed that I was the one person in his life he had a true connection with, and I broke his heart with my lie.

  If I can get him to open up just a little bit, then maybe I’ll be able to get through to him. I try to speak again, but Edric hushes me once more with a distant, distracted look on his face. My ears finally pick up on what he must be listening for. In the distance, I hear the roar of a truck’s engine headed in our direction, “They do their patrols in trucks?” I ask. “Isn’t that a waste of gas?” I’m surprised to hear the patrol even using a vehicle. Gas can be hard to come by, and those in control of the supply are usually pretty stingy. Most of the time, militias work out deals with the owners so their mercenaries can buy gas for a lower price. But even with a secure set up, militias don’t like wasting gas. Usually a mercenary has to be on a mission to fill up their tank. Using gas on patrols would be a huge waste. The Dagger Corps are an elite bunch, but
I don’t think they have that much power.

  Edric shakes his head, “I’ve never seen them do patrols in a vehicle. The Dagger Corps is actually pretty stingy with their gas, so using a truck for a simple patrol is unheard of. To be honest, I have absolutely no idea what’s going on right now. The control room probably spotted us, but it should be pretty obvious by now that we’re not a threat. We’re on the outskirts of their territory. We should be fine.”

  “It’s definitely their patrol, though? Have you ever seen how the Artifs patrol their camps? Do they use vehicles at all? The Dagger Corps could have been compromised.” Images of Isoline’s camp after the Artifs attacked flash through my mind. The truck’s coming from the direction of the Dagger Corps’ main compound, but if it’s out of character for them to use a vehicle, then there’s always the possibility that their camp’s been overrun and the truck belongs to an Artif militia.

  Edric motions for me to hide myself in the brush while he searches for a different spot to do the same. For all we know, the control room is watching us hide ourselves, but at least the cover will provide us with a few extra seconds to make sure the truck coming our way is actually Dagger Corps. After covering myself to the best of my ability, I make eye contact with Edric and hold his gaze until a red pick up truck pulls up no more than fifty feet away from us. Four unassuming grunts with similar hairstyles and masks jump down from the truck and take a brief look around the forested area where Edric and I were just standing. I quickly look toward Edric to see if it’s safe enough for us to leave our hideouts, and he nods his head while disentangling himself from the bush.

  The Dagger Corps patrol looks unsurprised at our graceless entrance, and one of the men (the patrol’s leader perhaps) steps forward and addresses us without lifting his mask, “You’re Luxem, correct?” I hesitantly nod. It might not have been such a good idea to fake a letter from Ulric after all, especially when they already seem to be expecting me. The Dagger Corps seems like it knows more than I gave it credit for. “Our leader’s been expecting you.” I don’t have a chance to respond before two of his men raise their guns and shoot tranquilizing darts in Edric’s and my necks. I yell out in pain and surprise. I understand now why they brought the truck. That’s the last thought I have before blackness overwhelms my vision and I hit the soft ground of the forest floor.

  “Human nature is complex. Even if we do have inclinations toward violence, we also have inclination to empathy, to cooperation, to self-control.”

  -Steven Pinker

  CHAPTER TEN

  ”Where’s Edric?” I struggle to free myself against the ropes binding me to a rusted, brassy chair in the Dagger Corps leader’s office. “What have you done with him!” My voice is scratchy and frantic. I’ve never been in a situation like this before and I can feel the fear building within me. I want to remain cool and keep my composure, but I don’t know how. It’s just me, the leader, and two higher ranking officers in the room, and no one’s answering my pleas. Instead, they stand against the control panels lining the back of the room, staring at me as if I’m a carnival sideshow. It’s embarrassing to be in such a vulnerable position in front of them. This isn’t how I imagined the meeting to go at all, and I’m worried for Edric. He’s a mercenary here. Why would they capture him too?

  I pretend that I’ve lost interest in the three Dagger Corps members across from me and look around the room instead of focusing on them like I’ve been doing since I woke up. I’m actually surprised at the amount of tech surrounding us. Edric said the Dagger Corps were impressive with how much technology they used, but hearing about it and seeing it in person are two completely different things. There are multiple screens I assume are attached to cameras around the compound and rows of buttons that I couldn’t care less about. It’s unlikely I’ll ever learn their purpose, let alone get the chance to use them. The walls are windowless, built out of some sort of dark, coppery metal- I feel like I’m in a submarine. I wonder if we are. At least the metal encasing us keeps the room at a comfortably, cool temperature, but that’s probably the only silver lining of this entire situation.

  I slam my back into the chair in another weak effort at escaping my bonds, but it’s half-hearted. I don’t expect anything I try to work. The chair is bolted to the ground and the rope is completely secure (they made sure of that). Even if I do manage to free myself, I have three of the best trained soldiers in the entire Dagger Corps militia locked in the room with me. As much as I hate to surrender, there’s nothing I can do in this situation. I strain my neck, rolling it from side to side and trying to crack the upper vertebrates in my back. I don’t know how long I was out from the tranquilizer dart, but it was enough time for the men to drive back to the compound, bring me into the office, and imprison me in a chair. My neck certainly feels as though hours have passed with me trapped in this position.

  I just need to stay calm. I keep repeated those words to myself like a mantra, but I’m not sure they’re working. After the Remnants’ demise, I felt unstable- much like I did after Lucie disappeared. When she vanished, I became a person I didn’t even recognize, but after feeling that same pull to darkness once more after talking to Ulric, I’m realizing that even though I thought I buried it within myself, I’ve always just been narrowly holding that darkness back, barely keeping it from taking me over once more. Now, with Edric gone and myself trapped, I need to breathe. I need to breath, so I don’t snap. Not here. Not right now. There’s still too much to do. I have to hold it together.

  I hear whispering from across the room and focus my eyes on them so I can lip read- or at least attempt to. The leader smirks at me and grabs the arms of the men beside her, turning them away so I can no longer see their faces. I sigh and blow my bangs away from my face, giving the floor a hard kick in frustration. At some point while I was passed out, they took my goggles and every blade I had hidden on me. Their leader is thorough, not that I can say I’m surprised. I noticed her immediately when I came to. She’s pretty much exactly what I expected from the Dagger Corps commander. Around forty. A shaved head with scars marring the left side of her face, trailing up across her scalp. And piercing blue eyes, so sharp, the color seems closer to the silver glint of a knife. Her outfit looks like a men’s suit- high leather boots, a form-fitting vest, and a long coat- all in black, and all perfectly ironed. She looks like she can easily intimidate the young soldiers forced to report to her. The two men flanking her look nondescript in comparison. Standing next to her fierceness, they seemed young and naive, like two scrappy boys trying to play tough. Regardless, they were obviously capable enough to stand out in the commander’s eyes. Not only are they present in the room right now, but neither is wearing the typical masks of the Dagger Corps’ soldiers. Instead they have metal helmets in a deep rust color that extend over the bridge of their noses. They’re elites within the Dagger Corps, and I have to be careful not to underestimate their abilities.

  I want to find out why they kidnapped both Edric and myself. I still don’t understand what the point of capturing their own mercenary is. He’s not a threat, and they should know that. Furthermore, I have no idea how they even know my name or knew to expect me. Even if Edric had the opportunity, there’s no way he could have gotten a message to them about our plan, and honestly, even in his anger, I doubt Edric would double cross me. He has more honor than that, and I don’t think he would have been kidnapped right alongside me if he was working in tandem with them all along.

  Finally, the leader saunters over to my chair, smirking at me along the way. She grabs a top hat from a small table next to the control panel and balances it on her head. The two soldiers in the room with us remain in stiff positions of attention across from us. The woman stops in front of me and cross her arms, giving me a smile that leaves her eyes cold. I suppress a shiver and meet her eyes, relieved that I’m still holding on to some semblance of calm and control. If I give in to the animalistic instincts telling me to claw my way out of here by whatever means necessa
ry, I’ll never get answers.

  “Where’s Edric?” I question once more, hoping for an answer now that it seems like the commander wants to talk.

  The woman barks out a sarcastic laugh that grates on my ears. I glare at her as the leader bites her lip to keep her giggles at bay. This isn’t at all what I expected from her. She stares at me for a beat longer before cocking her head and giving me a wicked grin, “My name’s Loka. As I’m sure you’ve already concluded, I run this place. It’s my own personal playground here with all my toy soldiers and techy fun. I’d shake your hand there, but it seems your a little tied up.” Loka giggles at her own joke for a moment before licking her lips and clapping her hands together. She squats in front of me with a serious look, “And your buddy’s fine. He’s one of my best mercenaries and very special to me. It’s not every day you have someone as good as him fall into your lap! Then again...” Loka trails off and leans closer to my face. “I’ve heard you’re just as good. Although, I doubt you figured out how we knew to expect you. Poor thing, tied up in this hard chair, racking your little brain for answers. Well, let me ease your suffering. Ulric left a little last minute note for me that my boys here picked up when they went to reek hell on their camp. Imagine their surprise when they show up, and the party’s already over, with nothing but this crappy little piece of paper covered in tea stains to bring back.” I glare at Loka with annoyance. Her drawl is slow, and apparently the woman likes to give soliloquies. I want her to get to the point. Where is Edric? Why am I here? What does she want with me? Can I get off this awful chair yet? Loka stands and starts pacing the room. I believe her that Edric is safe, but I want to find out exactly where he is. That can be my starting point.