"Hmp!" Crack.
The wooden sword went flying, the result of the savage hacking Kyle had just displayed under the pretense of swordsmanship.
"You are not in your right mind today," Hashu said, setting aside his own sword, which was little more than a twig.
"Yeah, you could say that." Kyle admitted it without much enthusiasm, but it was the truth.
He lowered himself onto a small stump and let out a long breath. "I wasted a session with you, even though I knew my head wasn’t clear."
"No one ever truly lets go of their thoughts, no matter what they tell you. If nothing else, they are probably thinking about the woman they slept with last night or the one they plan to sleep with tonight."
Kyle chuckled. "Well, I certainly wasn’t thinking about that."
"But you are thinking about a woman."
Kyle glanced at him. "And how, exactly, did you suddenly become capable of reading my mind?"
"Since you’ve already wasted a session, why not make it worthwhile? Tell me what’s troubling you. From the fragments of my memories, perhaps I can offer you some insight."
Kyle chuckled. "The way you speak tells me you’ve had a lot of experience. And... since you won’t be telling anyone about this." He sighed. "It’s just a feeling. Something close to my heart tells me that something is about to happen. I’ve never felt anything like it before. I can sense it, but I can’t put it into words or figure out how to react to it. And now I’m in a place where I have no allies or friends I can trust to bring me reliable news."
"Fuck friends. Fuck allies." Hashu snickered. "When the itch gets too strong, you use your hand. Why depend on anyone else?"
Kyle exhaled slowly. "That’s the complicated part." His shoulders sank. "Great things are expected of me because people have seen what I’m capable of and what I’ve achieved. If I suddenly leave, I’d give them a reason to doubt my reliability when it matters most."
He shook his head before continuing. "And I don’t even know if this instinct is something I should trust."
Hashu remained silent for a moment.
"I used to have a habit of always expecting the worst whenever I had only fragments of information."
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "It kept you cautious and prepared?"
Hashu shook his head. "It prevented me from drowning in regret because I failed to act on what my instincts were telling me."
Silence swallowed the field.
His words struck through the hesitation that had clouded Kyle’s mind until now, leaving him with nothing but the uncomfortable truth he had been avoiding.
"So... should I just break the rules, betray the trust of a few people, become a rebel, and run away to find out whether my instincts were right?"
Hashu shrugged. "For now, tell me one thing. What matters more? The fear of being seen as a rebellious kid, or the possibility of losing whatever your gut is warning you about?"
Kyle didn’t need to think.
"The latter. Nothing matters more than the safety of my people."
Hashu shrugged. "Then why are we having this conversation in the first place? Go on, brat. Get out there and screw the rules."
A faint smile touched Kyle’s lips as he rose to his feet.
Looking down at the warrior, he said, "Never thought I’d find such a great advisor in you."
Hashu scoffed. "Don’t get any ideas, brat. I could simply be sending you to your demise so I can finally stop teaching an amateur."
Kyle chuckled. "I know you wouldn’t do that. But anyway, thanks."
With those words, he vanished.
....
"Hmm. Quite a good actor you are."
Ethan nodded with a smile as he listened to the report of a car currently making its way toward headquarters.
The number was familiar. Of course, it was. The Commander owned only one car.
"Is there any reward you wish for?" Ethan asked, tilting his head.
Timothy stood before him, bloodied and bruised, yet his knees remained straight and his head held high.
"You... promised... my cadets."
His voice trembled. More than it had during the call. Every ounce of strength on the call was deliberate, a performance necessary to betray the one woman Timothy had sworn to serve.
And here he was, bargaining with the devil, luring his own Commander into a trap for the sake of two people he regarded as his own children.
"Oh, right. Clara and Hannah." Ethan nodded. "You know, I abducted them for an entirely different reason. I thought using them to corner Amanda would be easier."
The blond man grinned.
"But then I realized she doesn’t care enough about them to give in. So, well... here they are."
One of his tentacles wrapped around the steel wardrobe and dragged it aside.
Two women tumbled out, bound tightly in ropes, their mouths sealed with gags.
"Oh no..."
Timothy’s breath hitched as he dropped to his knees before them.
Hannah was unconscious, her condition far worse than his own. She must have resisted, and whatever punishment followed had left her bleeding and barely breathing.
"We need to save her. Now!" Timothy cried, knowing none of the promises he had made would mean anything if she didn’t survive.
Ethan clicked his tongue. "Fine. I will. But you have to promise me you’ll lure that bitch to my hideout."
Timothy nodded frantically. "I promise. Just... save her. Please, save her..."
Ethan sighed and extended one of his tentacles toward Hannah.
Timothy finally released the breath trapped in his chest.
At least Hannah would sur-
SQUELCH.
"Ghhh..."
Timothy’s body trembled.
Clara’s hand clawed desperately at his wrist.
The sound of blood spurting.
The muffled cry for help.
It all reached him at once.
His cadet was dying.
His instincts screamed it at him.
Slowly, he turned his head, his face paling as his eyes settled on the scene.
He saw it.
With his own eyes.
"Cl...Clara..."
Her eyes were wide, fixed on him.
On the one man she had believed would save her.
And now there was nothing left in them.
No fear.
No anger.
No life.
"You will rot in hell for this!" Timothy roared, charging at Ethan with nothing but his fists.
But before he could get anywhere near him...
SQUELCH. SQUELCH. SQUELCH.
Three tentacles pierced his chest, leg, and stomach, robbing him of every chance at vengeance.
Ethan smiled.
"Remember? You never lie to the Commander. You told her Clara died, so I merely helped you make it true. And this is how you treat me?"
He stepped closer.
"You were always a good man. The only one who ever appreciated me for who I was. You supported me when others wouldn’t. And that’s why I wanted you alive by my side until the very end... alongside my Layena."
He shook his head.
"But sadly..."
Ptuh.
Ethan flinched as Timothy spat directly in his face.
"Remember this, Ethan. Unlike the deaths you’ve inflicted, yours won’t be an easy one. You’ll scratch your nails until they bleed. You’ll tear out your own eyes. You’ll slit your tongue. You’ll crack your own skull! And yet, you still won’t die..."
"Ghuk!"
A tentacle suddenly burst through Timothy’s skull.
Ethan stared at him for a moment before calmly saying, "But you did."
Shaking his head, he tossed Timothy’s body aside before turning his gaze toward Hannah.
"Well, I hope you’ll help me get what I want..."
His smile faded.
"...or perhaps you were never important enough to keep."