Caelan knew this was a bad idea. He followed Seraphina into the dark alleys anyway. Leopold would have a field day if he were here…

Seraphina led him, clad in the usual Executor mission attire: a bodysuit covered by a poncho. This allowed her to drop the outer layer to give her the freedom necessary to fight. All while her weapons and gear remained concealed while walking the streets.

“How did you have this ready again?” Caelan adjusted his uniform, tailored to fit Leopold’s still-obese frame.

She turned her neck a bit, still walking ahead. “Oh, I like to sew in my spare time. Adapting the uniform to your size was a fun way to pass time.”

Beneath his poncho, Caelan carried a few weapons, in case he needed them. He knew Seraphina wouldn’t be the kind to betray him.

Still, the weight of the tomahawk reassured him.

 Until now, he had never left the Academy grounds. There had been no reason to, as he had to use his time with purpose. Yet, he couldn’t help but look around like a child. For everything felt so different from his old home.

First, the people—crowds still walked despite the late hour. No curfews, no special permissions needed. How many years had it been for him since he saw a crowd at night? And so many lights, spread across the city, pushing the darkness away.

The smell of food overwhelmed him. A dozen different spices fought for his senses, all the time. The fat of genuine meats, the sweet sensation of cakes right out the oven.

And music too! It flowed from inside stores and from street performers alike. Everything felt so different, so alien to him.

All this life—music, laughter, the scent of fresh food—it should have felt like a dream. Instead, it made his skin itch. The last time he saw a crowd this large at night, it ended in blood and fire. It made all the clearer this was a different world. Or rather, how it should have been if not for the Collapse.

And the Rot.

Seraphina turned into an alleyway, leaving the buzz behind. The young man followed as she scaled a fire escape, heading straight for the rooftop. She pulled a pair of binoculars, checking the other side of the street.

“So, is that where this hideout is?” Caelan panted as he reached her. Each word a struggle to come out.

“According to my intel, yes.” She offered the lens to him. A residential building, its painting coming out at points, came into view. “This place serves to relay messages between cells. Will be here for a few days before they move to a new location.”

He glanced at the rooftops. No sentries. If we’re walking into a setup, it’s a well-disguised one.

“Keeping mobile. Less chance of being caught.” He looked for entry points at ground level. Only the front door came into view, from his point-of-view. “We going in from the back, I assume?” Seraphina studied him for a moment before answering. “Something wrong?”

“You really are a box full of surprises, aren’t you?” She gave him a little nudge at the shoulder. "There is an entrance at the back, but I would rather go by the door on the roof. Doubt any sentry would expect it.”

“Alright.” He sat down away from the edge. Less chances to have people notice from the street. “You sure they would have data to prove my innocence?”

“These places handle all the coding and decryption of their comms.” She sat down besides him, a bit too close in his opinion. “Different cells rely on them to be on the loop of what’s going on. That’s why is so hard to actually find them.”

That had Caelan tense up. He questioned how she happened to find one out then. She explained one of her trusted sources came across the info. Not even Vaedra knew of it yet. In her eyes, they go there, check if there had been any mention of the names “Leopold” provided. If they found none of it, him being a mole would lose credibility.

At least, enough to have Vaedra guessing even longer.

“Don’t you think I could temper with evidence when we get there?”

"Not at all." He jolted when she shifted, laying her head in his lap. “I’m watching you the whole time, to make sure. Now, if you’ll excuse me for a bit. The fat on your legs make them quite comfortable, and we have to wait a few hours before going in.”

He stared at the woman with closed eyes invading his personal space. Then, he released a sigh and reminded myself this was her alright. Even Kai Garnier didn’t know how to handle you.

He thought of Sam, who often did the same thing. Caelan even felt the urge to play with Seraphina’s hair like he did years before. Before his wife lost her gorgeous brown mane. He could still hear the buzz as she took it all off herself.

To donate so kids could get wigs, she said. She looked the most beautiful woman in the world in his eyes.

Chest tightened, he looked at the sky for a distraction. The light pollution drowned out most of the stars. But the fiercest ones still fought to shine through. And the moon, clad in its green hues, dominated the sky. A sad smile came to the young widower, thinking back on so many nights.

If not for the crushing paranoia, he would have even enjoyed himself.

Hours passed, the streets became emptier. When Seraphina thought them cleared enough, they moved.

The duo climbed the fire escape to the building besides the objective. Then jumped across the gap between them. The girl even joked on how she expected him to shake the whole thing. Caelan thought how Leopold would respond to it. If he were there.

“I know you’re listening, you fool! Just come out already!”

He got no response.

Once they went through the door, they pulled their weapons. A combat knife for Seraphina, the tomahawk for him. They moved in silence, into the dim lit hallways and stairs. “There's a hidden area beneath the building.” She whispered as they reached the ground floor. “Other than that, the place is empty.”

Knowing her Blessing, Caelan figured they shouldn’t have any surprises. He reminded himself that he should question her words. In theory, he shouldn’t be aware she could sense her surroundings with an “essence sonar”.

Leopold would question it with a sarcastic remark. Before Caelan would explain her whole deal and how they should trust her. The knot in his stomach served as a poor replacement when he noticed that.

They reached a door on the basement, a heavy lock in place. The crack underneath had light coming from it, but no sound betrayed presences. That had Caelan’s mind on alert, wondering if they were walking into a trap. She assured him no one had come in or out of the building since they began their vigil.

If he didn’t need to prove his innocence so bad, he would have retreated. Instead, he  tightened the grip on his weapon.

As she worked on picking it, Caelan watched the top of the stairs. He readied himself to throw the first axe, a second one ready at his belt. A minute of tension later, she unlocked it, both ready for their assault.

Seraphina kicked the door open. They rushed in, her voice sharp as she ordered anyone inside to surrender.. Only silence came as answer.

For the room had been empty of people.

“What in the…” Seraphina scanned the room, confusion flickering across her face.

Caelan scanned the room. At first glance, it looked like a normal office. Except for the scattered papers and overturned utensils. Someone had cleaned the place in a hurry. No signs of entry points other than the one they came from. A hidden door?

As he tried to make sense of it all, he heard a voice. “WATCH OUT!”

Caelan jumped to the side, rolling away from the portal. With a swoosh, two throwing knifes came into his former position. Seraphina gasped, spinning toward the stairs, blades raised in a low, defensive stance.

“Careful! I can’t sense him with my Blessing.” She then whispered to herself, just loud enough for him to pick up. “This can’t be happening…”

This doesn’t make sense. If her intel was right, where the hell did they come from?

The sound of heavy stomps struck his eardrums. Caelan prepared himself to throw an axe at whoever came in. But when the figure covered head to toe came in, he froze in place. Cold terror gripped him before his brain could catch up. The figure loomed in the doorway, and then he saw the eyes. Not human eyes. Irises laced with purple.

The color of the Rot!