As he slowly opened his eyes, white light flooded Cassius’ vision. Fatigue seemed to plague him, but nothing immediately hurt. Suddenly, memories of the pocket and Maya flooded into his mind, causing him to sit up and startle a woman in the room. Or rather, it was a well-dressed Banshee that had been talking with a Faery. He let his mind settle as he took in other details in the room—empty beds across the room, a thermometer next to his bed, and other various materials. Somehow, he’d been transported to the hospital after passing out.

  “Cassius?!” a girl’s voice yelled as she ran into the room. Cassius looked up and saw a girl in a lavender dress, who wore a smile as bright as the sun. “Cassius! I’m so glad—I’m so sorry! I’m—I’m...”

  Maya stopped trying to explain her feelings as she darted to him and wrapped him in a warm hug. Cassius didn’t worry about drying Maya’s tears; it was just nice to be held like this, after such a failure. The pair stayed like this for a long time, until a nurse walked in to check Cassius’ vitals. Everything physical was well, but a persistent cloud seemed to hang over Maya’s head as she got her thoughts together, sitting on the edge of Cassius’ bed.

  “You okay?” Cassius asked with a soft tone, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I remember... most of it. Lots of bad memories.”

  “Yes... lots...” Maya replied, quiet. “I’m... I think I’m okay, now that you’re awake.”

  “You’re sure? Fully healed?”

  Cassius’ breath caught as she leaned over and revealed a large scar. “The Minotaur?” he growled.

  “Yes,” Maya said, averting her red, irritated eyes. “Don’t worry so much about it. Everything has been dealt with.”

  “I’m glad you’re okay.” He leaned over and hugged her again. “I never got the full story, though. Why weren’t we killed?”

  “It’s... a long story. After you—”

  He noted the pain on her face, and the reluctance to recount the story. “It’s all right. You can explain later, once I’m out of the hospital.”

  “Right. Sorry. I’m supposed to be able to articulate my thoughts even when they’re painful, but I’m just... a horrible excuse for a noble,” she explained, beginning to cry. “I almost got you killed. Everything seems to go wrong when I get put into the equation.”

  “We all stumble sometimes. I couldn’t even protect you,” Cassius said, hiding his anger about his shortcomings. “And that Contradictor. You chased her out.”

  “But... it doesn’t feel like an equal exchange! I almost killed my own boyfriend!”

  He took a moment to think, knowing he wasn’t very good at reassuring others. “You didn’t. You’re blaming yourself for the movements of enemy factions and the dangers of pockets. And now, that pocket isn’t immediately dangerous anymore.”

  “It is, Cassius! Tomorrow is the Full Blood! Countless lives may be lost, just because I’m impatient!”

  “The knights will—”

  “Undo any of your mistakes, Maya,” a commanding yet calming voice interrupted. “As the King, I reassure you of this fact.”

  The room became quiet as soon as the tall, burly man spoke. An air of both calmness and vigilance blanketed the room as Cassius’ eyes met his grey eyes. Matching that were grey streaks in his otherwise golden hair that matched his clothes. Currently, his head wasn’t topped with his ceremonial crown, though it was easy to recognize the man without it. The King of Solumina, the King of the Sun.

  He donned his uniform, a more intricate form of the normal uniform of the knights, which was primarily red, with white and yellow being secondary colors. The King’s uniform consisted of a white and gold collared shirt, a smooth red coat with golden designs on the sleeves and along edges that ran down to grey pants and stopped at black boots. A simplistic, bright yellow design of the sun was sewn onto the breast of the uniform. All knights wore their symbol, though most of the older knights had kept an older version of the symbol on, which consisted of ten marks rather than nine.

  The King interrupted as Maya and the nurses began to kneel. “Please, no formalities while I’m strolling around. Arikt, I am glad you’re doing well.”

  “Yes, your Highness. I mean— Rhodan. I recovered nicely,” Cassius responded, making sure to watch his tone.

  “That is great to hear. If not for the circumstances created by the event a week ago, you would have missed your mission,” he said with a hard look. He gestured for the nurses to leave, and they did so and closed the door behind them. Maya made her way toward the door too.

  “No. You stay as well, Mystere.”

  She nodded and sat back down on the stool next to Cassius’ bed. She always seemed stiff around the king, though it made sense; she wasn’t around him nearly as often as Cassius was.

  “Cassius, I assume you’ve been informed,” Rhodan said, “that you’ve been out for almost nine days?”

  “Yes.”

  “Making today the seventeenth. As I said, this means you would have missed your mission, had it not been pushed back due to the information gathered from Maya’s... ‘excursion.’ I’m here to ask you if you think you’ll be prepared to set out this evening.”

  “Uh...” Cassius thought for a moment. He glanced to Maya, who gave a sympathetic look; he guessed she’d known about this. “I think I’ll be able to go... but what about the defense against the Full Blood? The pocket specifically.”

  “We have plans in place to defend against the new weakness without you. Now then, show up to port before nightfall, tonight, if you’re properly recovered. I’m sending you on an important mission, now that your Dualaratie has been summoned.”

  Cassius flinched at the words. His Dualaratie. Summoned. Since when? I never fulfilled the proper summoning ritual. I never wanted one in the first place. He thought, unable to get any words out.

  “About that, Rhodan...” Maya said. “I... never got the chance to tell him. My apologies.”

  A calm voice distracted Cassius from hearing the King’s response. The sun, my liege... it restrains me.

  He looked skeptically at his shadow, where the voice had come from. “Did anyone hear that?”

  “No?” Maya responded, confused.

  “Your Dualaratie,” Rhodan said confidently.

  “My...? Yeah. Maybe it was.” Cassius was still unable to comprehend that information. Summoning a Dualaratie without the proper incantations was unheard of, even in legends and stories. And how was the King able to say that so confidently?

  “What did it say?” Maya asked.

  “That the sun is... restraining it.”

  The King pulled thoughtfully at his grey beard, walking toward the windows. “Perhaps we must darken the room.”

  The King closed the curtains, and a weird sensation tugged at Cassius. More and more, as if a piece of him was being tugged out of him. In turn, his shadow began to rise off the floor and take shape. An exact replica of Cassius formed next to him, though it was somewhat transparent, and its features were hard to discern. Cassius and Maya watched with wide, curious eyes as it rose from the ground, while the King looked on intently as the shadow turned toward Cassius.

  Maya slowly turned toward Cassius as she asked, “Does it—your face! And hair!”

  Confused, Cassius reached up and touched his face, only to be surprised by the lines on his hand. Black, rectangular lines ran from the palm of his hand up to—he assumed—his face. However, more interesting than that was the Solumian Numeral on his palm, the symbol for ‘one.’ It was just like the Solumian Numeral three he wore on his Silhouette uniform.

  “An... Ethereon?” Cassius asked.

  Maya raised her hand to her mouth. “There are silver streaks in your hair, Cassius.”

  Caught in a state of minor shock, he wasn’t sure what should be said, or done. He pulled his hair down to look at it and asked, “Why?”

  “I assume it is a side effect of your Dualaratie’s powers,” Rhodan suggested. “Try dematerializing it.”

  Shocked silence filled the room as Cassius willed his Dualaratie to disappear, along with his Ethereon.

  “Nothing like it,” Maya said breathlessly. “I could write so many papers on this...!”

  “No!” Rhodan said, causing Maya and Cassius to flinch. “Excuse me. Just... not yet, at least...”

  “Pardon my words, but why? It could help to answer many questions of this world.”

  “While this idea may be considered unrefined, Cassius, and anyone with him, could infiltrate missions without anyone knowing he has a Dualaratie—a simple escape from a tough spot. On the other hand, it—and that fugitive—would reignite dangerous religious ideas.”

  Cassius glared at the man as if he were insane. Not only anger, but fear as well, boiled up in him as that confidential information was brought up in front of someone that mattered. Someone who Cassius would hate to see caught in any more crossfire than she already had been. Confidence in the King’s eyes only angered Cassius more—the King had said it on purpose.

  “The—what?!” Maya asked, refusing to believe what she’d heard. “How does an invisible Ethereon relate to the Church? ...and who is the fugitive?”

  Cassius could tell by her tone that she was only asking to be proven wrong. She knew the connection, minus the part about the fugitive, which even Cassius hadn’t thought of. And there was nothing Cassius could do except play it off, just as the king did.

  “Ah, that is my mistake. My fatigue is getting to me—if you would please, Maya, don’t share that with anyone for... private reasons, shall we say?”

  “Can we go back to the mission?” Cassius asked, hoping to derail the conversation. “I’d like to go on it.”

  “Cassius, you should be resting,” Maya chided. “You woke up not even twenty minutes ago.”

  “You’re always telling me energetic is my middle name,” Cassius teased.

  “In a sarcastic tone...!”

  The King interrupted their banter. “Cassius, you’re free to go, though I advise thinking Maya’s recommendation over.”

  Cassius nodded. “Got it. At the docks before nine tonight, right?”

  “Correct. Now then, I must go attend to other matters.”

  “Good luck,” Maya and Cassius said simultaneously.

  “Thank you. I’m hoping this Full Blood will go well, with the different defenses,” King Rhodan said as he walked out of the room. Moments later, the nurses crept back into the room, preparing to get Cassius discharged. The two Dualaraties from before checked one final time that Cassius’ vitals were stable before allowing him to go.

  Maya pointed to a shelf beside the bed. “I brought clothes for you to change into. I’ll be waiting outside, and then I assume Thomas will want to see you.”

  “Right,” Cassius said, smiling as he thought of his little brother. “He must’ve been worried.”

  “Very,” Maya agreed as she left.

  Cassius, pointedly ignoring the fact that he had a Dualaratie, hopped out of bed and threw on a plain black shirt and tan trousers. His pair of brown boots sat at the end of his bed, on the floor, and after shoving them on and grabbing his jet-black cloak, he thanked the nurses and exited the room. Endless thoughts still floated around his head, but he forced them aside for now, wanting to focus on other things.

  “Ready?” Maya asked, turning toward him.

  “Yeah. Anything else I happened to miss?”

  “Actually,” Maya said, “the Irrates launched an attack a few days ago. Lots of knights left to defend the border, so our defenses are lacking, and...”

  Cssius placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as she faltered. “Just because you happened to find a pocket inside the city doesn’t mean we’re all going to suffer for it. If you want, I could specifically order some knights to guard that area.”

  “I just wish it didn’t even need to be guarded, Cassius. At all. It puts civilians in danger, and it puts knights in danger.”

  “How can I get you to worry less about this? I’m just at a loss... and honestly, I’m more worried about your health than I am anyone else’s. You’re really sure you’re fine?”

  “Me? I’m...” she looked away. “It was more than terrifying. I doubted I would make it, and I hated myself for getting you involved, and I just—I lost some of my love for research.”

  Cassius led her down the hall, looking for a quieter space as she began to cry. “Losing passion for something you love... I get that. You remember how I got back into sword training?”

  “Yes?” Maya looked up with tears in her eyes. “No offense, but I trust people I love to take care of themselves. I can’t tell myself to continue researching just because I could help the world.”

  Those words burned Cassius like a hot iron; a direct strike to one of his values. He chose to stay silent rather than fight her on this. Pushing his feelings aside to preserve hers, he continued, “Then maybe you shouldn’t. But I don’t want you to lose the thing you loved most, either.”

  She nodded and gave him a hug, beginning to feel better. “Thank you. I’ll think over it for a few more days.”

  “Am I allowed to change the subject?”

  “Hm? Sure. Go ahead.”

  “On the eighth, the same day I saved you, there was a news segment about this girl who had summoned a rogue Dualaratie. I assume your father kept you from the source, but I was just wondering if you happened to have any theories on that.”

  “Not that I should say,” Maya whispered, “in a place where people could hear.”

  “Never mind then. I have to worry more about... my Dualaratie anyway,” Cassius said as he began walking down the hall, Maya by his side. “You know I never stated my Purposes, right?”

  “Shh! I haven’t told anyone about that yet. They gave me a few days to recover and get my thoughts in order, and just now, hearing about that girl, I... well, you get what I’m trying to say.”

  “So I’d be in the same boat?” Cassius guessed, annoyed that his Dualaratie was already a possible trouble.

  “Yes. But I’m glad you’re not. We have enough to worry about, like that mission. What do you think you’d be doing anyway?”

  “Not sure,” Cassius lied, thinking of the snowflake paper he had looked at the last time he’d eaten breakfast. “I’ll be briefed during the mission though.”

  “Oh. Well then, your Dualaratie. I want to learn more about it sometime. Name, Style, Class, Subclass.”

  Cassius smiled at her curiosity. “You don’t need to worry about giving up researching. Scared or not, you’ll just be roped back into it somehow.”

  “Right,” Maya responded, looking away embarrassedly. “I was serious though. I want to learn about your Dualaratie.”

  Cassius directed the conversation away from his Dualaratie. “How about after we say hi to Thomas?”

  “I have to pick something up between there and the docks,” Maya said as she walked through a door Cassius opened, out into the bustling, colorful city. “But I’m not giving up on this. Oh, and we have a long walk anyway.”

  “There’s nothing I could know about it yet. All I know is that it’s a shadow.”

  Maya sighed. “Then tell me about... the Church. No excuses. The King wanted me to know, so I decided to have you fill me in.”

  “No. That’s one thing I’m not budging on. It’s not for you to know.”

  “I already know that you knights are the reason for it crumbling.”

  Cassius tripped on his own feet, surprised and shaken. “Don’t say that!” He whispered, suppressing his annoyance. “End of conversation.”

  Maya went silent, and though Cassius felt guilty for hiding this, he knew her safety would drastically decrease the more she knew about everything at play behind the scenes. It made him wonder: How much does she know? That the Silhouette Knights quietly, methodically destroyed the Church’s ability to spread information? That their strongest member had gone missing during a mission to destroy the Contradictors, years before Cassius had joined them? Or is she bluffing, and she doesn’t even know what information we got rid of?

  Minutes passed in awkward silence as the pair made their way through the city. They had already left the entertainment district and were heading through the main area of the city, where most of the housing and shops were. He watched a few Dualaraties as they floated or walked around with their summoners. A few kids were arguing about a game on one side of the street, and a few people haggled at shops while colorful, triangular banners flew over their heads. Teenaged girls in tall houses giggled out of their windows and pointed at people walking through the street while little boys played games of tag or catch with each other.

  He nudged her shoulder as they reached their destination. “Sorry for being so protective. I just worry about how much more dangerous that topic is compared to even that pocket you found. No immediate danger, but... I know from firsthand experience how easily spies and assassins can get their jobs done.”

  “Oh,” Maya responded, seeming to shrink back. “I understand then. And I won’t ask.”

  “Thank you for understanding... it’s one of the reasons I started dating you.”

  Cassius smiled as Maya smacked his back out of bashfulness. He watched her with a sparkling eye as he knocked on the door of a large building. It had stark white walls, and being as far as it was from the castle, its four stories made it stand out doubly so. And if that weren’t enough, vibrant finger paintings lined the walls, as if Solumina’s vibrant colors had lowly encroached on a defiant, boring old man.

  “Who is it?” A singsong voice asked. A young woman with dark brown hair and golden streaks opened the door a moment later and gasped. “Cassius?! You’re awake?”

  “I am, Miss Tracy,” Cassius said. “I was released this morning.”

  The woman, wearing a simple black dress and a white apron hugged him tightly before looking him over. To Cassius, that had been routine for most of his life, as Thomas and he had been placed under the care of the orphanage when his parents had died. Tracy, only sixteen at the time, had taken a liking to the two and began calling herself their “big sister.” Worried, she said, “You’re really sure you’re fine? One hundred percent?”

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  “Um, yeah. Promise,” Cassius responded.

  Tracy rolled her eyes. “Oh, as if your big sister can’t worry about you. Honestly, you have quite a few who worry for you, you know. Your friends, your captains, your little brother, and especially that gorgeous young woman behind you.”

  Maya waved, smiling. “She’s completely correct, Cassius.”

  “It’s unfair being outnumbered by you two,” Cassius complained. “I’m just here to see Thomas. No more check-ups.”

  Tracy smiled, amused, but before she could call for Thomas, the trio heard quick thumping coming from the steps. A moment later, a small, freckled boy with black hair and blonde streaks bolted into the foyer of the orphanage. The little ball of energy gasped as he spotted Cassius, changed his expression to a large smile, and sprinted to Cassius before hopping into his arms.

  “Cassius! You’re okay!”

  “Yeah. I’m okay.” Cassius hugged him back tightly, glad to see his brother so excited. Thoughts of their mother filled his mind as he patted the blonde hair on the kid’s head. “How’ve you been?”

  “Um. Worried!” Thomas exclaimed, blushing. He pointed to Maya and continued, “Maya said you got really hurt trying to protect us, and then you got put in the hop...hos... hospital!”

  Cassius released the adorable kid and found it impossible not to smile at him. The way he had trouble pronouncing some words, even at seven years old, the way he blushed when talking about Maya, but most importantly because of the overload he had of kindness and happiness. A sense of pride caught Cassius by surprise at his brother’s progress.

  “Well, now I’m all better. No more worrying, okay?”

  “Promise! I’m happy you’re all better!” Thomas said. He spotted Maya bending down for a hug and ran over to her to give her one.

  “Thomas was a lot more worried than he’d like to admit,” Maya teased. “But I kept telling him you were more than strong enough to survive the fight with the big, scary Minotaur.”

  Thomas pouted, tried to escape Maya, and only found himself being picked up. “Hey! Let me go, Maya!”

  “Nope, never,” she said with a smile.

  Cassius felt his guard drop as he smiled genuinely at the two. Being with them made him feel as if he had a proper family. As if the rest of his family hadn’t been ripped away from him by Dualaraties. Before the thought could darken his mood, he pushed it away, only thinking about Maya and Thomas.

  “One day you’ll be too heavy,” Cassius said, “and Maya won’t be able to carry you anymore. And you’ll absolutely miss it.”

  “I’ll miss being able to hold you, too.”

  Thomas huffed and sighed in defeat, refusing to look at Cassius or Maya. Cassius wondered if he knew the two were right. While his brother wasn’t the brightest, he seemed to be able to get some ideas perfectly, while others never clicked. Cassius had discovered long ago that one of those things was using a sword, but instead of the lessons not clicking, Thomas simply refused to learn.

  Instead, Thomas asked why people fought when they could talk instead. Cassius brushed the question off at first, but it made him wonder as he grew older. Not once had he come up with a good answer, even after multiple years. For now, Cassius’ best answer was that some people couldn’t be reasoned with, or that some people wanted revenge so badly that they’d never stop fighting, or that they fought blindly for justice. In his opinion, he knew that he would fight or kill anyone he needed to just to be able to protect Maya and Thomas, but Thomas hadn’t thought the same. Instead, he said that he would find a way to protect who he loved without inflicting pain on someone else. While naivete was clear in his argument, Cassius didn’t have an insightful way to tell that to a child.

  Maya’s words brought Cassius out of his trance. “We came to tell you that Cassius is going out on his mission today instead. And of course that he’s okay now.”

  “Aw...” Thomas complained, but he quickly beamed instead and ran up to Cassius. “Well, bring home more souvenirs! And stay safe.”

  “I always do,” Cassius responded with a smile as he knelt to be at eye level. Small, warm arms enveloped Cassius before he was even at his brother’s height. “I love you too, Thomas.”

  “I know. I love you more-er.”

  “Just more,” Cassius corrected him with amusement.

  “More-ER!” Thomas stubbornly.

  Maya joined the hug. “Well I love you two the most.”

  The Arikt brothers each blushed at the words. She was the love of his life to one, and to the other, she was just like a mother. And to each other, they were family, and they always would be.

  * * * * * * * * *

  “Got it. I’ll see you at the docks then. Love you,” Cassius called out to Maya as she waved goodbye. They hadn’t been with Thomas for long, as Cassius wanted to leave for his mission as soon as he could. After the pair had left, Maya told Cassius she had forgotten to do something at home, and then abruptly left, leaving Cassius alone once again.

  As silence encroached on him, the world around him seemed to slowly stop being so exciting. The bright banners and colored houses became dull once again without the presence of Maya or Thomas. He walked onwards swiftly, with a purpose, until something caught his eye. A streak of red in the dull city, and an accompanying feeling of... something Cassius couldn’t quite grasp.

  Some sort of aura? But why is it so... commanding?

  Moving closer, he noticed red and brown hair adorning a pale face. The build of the body was hidden beneath a cloak, but the hair matched the description, and thanks to the feminine face and long hair, it was easy to tell the person was a girl. A small Dualaratie floated by her as well, further raising his suspicions. Maya hadn’t been able to give him an answer on how someone could’ve summoned a rogue Dualaratie, leaving the only source to be the Church, and they had been destroyed for a reason.

  Realizing he was standing in another stupor, Cassius moved into an alley beside him. Carefully, he watched the girl from around a corner, waiting for her to turn toward him. Slowly, she turned, looking into his eyes, giving him a clouded sense of superiority. He pushed the feeling aside and looked back into her alarmed eyes, noting the brown hair, the red streaks, the thin, pale body, and the Dualaratie beside her. Only a single doubt remained: was the Dualaratie rogue, or not? But it seemed he wouldn’t need more proof, as the girl turned and began walking toward a clothing shop, following the gestures of her Dualaratie.

  He followed her, except something was still off. She had run from someone who wasn’t at all indicated to be a knight. So what had tipped her off? The Dualaratie? Hoping to figure it out soon, he pulled open the door to the shop she had walked into and slowly, cautiously began making his way toward her. Once he was close enough without further raising her suspicions, he reached for his sword. But nothing was there. Instead, he only felt the pull of his shadow and turned in its direction before glancing back to see that the girl was gone.

  What?! How?! He asked himself. No doors were opened. No—Invisibility. So she has caught on.

  My liege. A smooth voice spoke. The same one from the hospital. A voice that brought feelings of hostility—not due to the tone, but rather Cassius’ own memories. I apologize for frightening you. Excuse my interjection, my liege, but can you not see the girl?

  Reluctantly, he responded, “No.”

  No need for physical words. Thoughts shall suffice, the same way a knight need only look at his commander to glean his thoughts. Now, excuse me once again, my liege, but the girl remains in the same spot. A skill hides her from your eyes, but my Mystic Sight cuts through it. I suggest you walk near her to scare her off, and I will pin her.

  Cassius nodded slowly, still feeling both entranced and repulsed. Then, he began moving toward the girl while still looking at clothes, as if he was considering buying some. Step after step, Cassius approached the girl’s last location, trying not to give her any more clues that she already had. But he stopped for a moment, feeling a rare moment of uncertainty in the face of invisibility; one of the many Skills that was extremely hard to, or impossible to counter as a normal human. He could only hope the girl didn’t want to hurt him.

  How are you going to stop her? You won’t be able to interact with anything on Verinth’s plane. Cassius told the Dualaratie.

  Do not fear, my liege. While I break no rules, my sword may have properties that are unfamiliar to you. If required, I will explain them to you, but for now, I recommend we focus on the task at hand.

  Cassius gave a small nod and then continued through the shop. By no means was it a large shop, but he took his time looking at clothes to make sure he wouldn’t be detected as an enemy once again. Suddenly, clothes rustled behind him, causing him to turn and instinctively look toward the area, just as any confused passerby would.

  Directly behind you, my liege. The shadow told Cassius. Without thinking, he jogged between the racks behind him and almost tripped over something invisible. After regaining his balance he looked at the floor, which was ordinary except for the long, shadowy sword held horizontally to the ground. Cassius also noticed faint outlines of something, but there weren’t enough to fully make out a person. Then, he felt a tug on his leg that almost toppled him.

  Watch yourself! Back away and tell her she is caught.

  Cassius instead quickly bent down and grabbed what he could. To not be indecent, he grabbed at his legs and felt leather around thin wrists; she was caught. He pulled the hands off his leg and held them up before passing one wrist to his left hand. Not sure where her eyes were, he chose a spot to look at and said to her, “It’s best if you stop resisting.”

  “I can’t!” the girl hissed to the Dualaratie. Both were no longer invisible, and only the Dualaratie seemed to notice the spell had stopped. The already pale girl was now white as a ghost.

  “Uh...?” Cassius said uncertainly.

  His comment and the direction her Dualaratie was looking seemed to help her realize the spell had ended. She turned her head toward Cassius and spoke with a tone that masked worry and fear. “Uh... am I in trouble?”

  “I’m not letting go of someone who said they can’t stop resisting,” Cassius told her, acting slightly arrogant.

  She glared fearfully at her Dualaratie after realizing it had stopped the spell just in time to ‘frame’ her.

  “Kiara Luminaire.”

  A completely innocent but confused look gave her away. “Yeah?”

  “As I thought. You’re going to jail for... cooperating with a rogue Dualaratie.”

  Her eyes widened at the words while she looked at Cassius, but her face quickly changed to annoyance. “She’s not...!”

  “I’m not a judge, so...” Cassius trailed off. He’d never heard of a fugitive so young reaching one of the top pages of the news the knights got. In her boots, he’d be just as flustered and scared for his fate. “Just follow me?”

  She sighed and gave up without a fight. Cassius silently ordered the shadow to put its sword away, and then he stood up with the fugitive in tow. An eyebrow raised at the sight of her bloodstained cloak as he unarmed her. Then, carrying the swords and cloak in one hand while holding her wrists in his other hand, the pair walked out of the shop after Cassius gave an apology to the employee. Thankfully, the girl’s Dualaratie seemed to listen just as well as the girl and it followed them as they walked out of the store.

  “Hey,” Cassius began, “do you happen to be planning anything with your Dualaratie?”

  “No,” she answered simply. The small Dualaratie kept quiet. “That’d be stupid.”

  I sense no gathering of power either. The shadow said, making Cassius jump.

  “Is she really rogue?”

  “I’m not, thank you very much,” the Dualaratie responded in a haughty voice. “But I do have a physical body.”

  Cassius glanced at the sunlit sky and kept his doubts. “It just... seems impossible. Researchers say that only rogues have that trait.”

  “Hm... well, it seems a little shortsighted to be so hostile to someone different from you. You’re lucky I have manners, and that I’m not willing to jeopardize the life of a sixteen-year-old girl just to say rude things.”

  “I never said I had anything against you,” Cassius replied, feeling flustered by the verbal fight the Dualaratie was putting up. “It’s just... odd. You’re an abnormality.”

  “Ouch. I’ll ignore those hurtful words for now. Anyway, you followed orders. If you really cared—”

  “Cia. Stop,” Kiara said with a hard voice. The Dualaratie, surprisingly, listened to her.

  Cassius glanced at the redhead and thought better of continuing the argument. He knew it’d be useless to let himself be provoked by a soon-to-be prisoner. And though he felt a tug to ask more about the Faery, he contained his curiosity for now and asked about the girl, even if he wasn’t supposed to. “So, why in the world did you come to Soleil of all places... as a fugitive?”

  She kept quiet for a minute, and Cassius assumed she wouldn’t speak, but she did. “I could follow the river north to Borea, and then... go to the Invearnal Kingdom. It’s not like I know why she’s got a physical body.”

  He noted the defeated and embarrassed tone she spoke with.

  “And you’re sixteen?”

  “Yeah. Just a kid,” she responded with some spite.

  Cassius refrained from telling her that that wasn’t exactly true. After that short conversation, silence reigned over the two as they walked through the loud streets and received an overwhelming amount of stares from passing children and curious adults. No one paid much attention to Cassius himself, but instead, they stole glances or openly stared at the girl with streaks of red hair, and her oddly dressed Dualaratie. It seemed everyone had been intrigued by a teenage girl being walked through the streets by a knight, and whispers seemed to latch onto the idea that it was the girl with a rogue Dualaratie.

  Curious, Cassius himself examined the pair, noting subtle similarities, such as the fact that both were always examining their surroundings. The most surprising was when Kiara glanced at her Dualaratie, she smiled very slightly, but rather than it being a smile of malice that Cassius should watch out for, it was a simple smile to a good friend, as if they shared an inside joke. The girl seemed to see her Dualaratie as someone she was safe around, but Cassius wasn’t so sure. He didn’t think it would be possible to create a deep, trusting bond in such a short amount of time—especially not with a Dualaratie.

  Beyond that, the girl’s clothes were completely casual, minus the dried blood and holes. Guilt crept into Cassius as he realized that this really was just a normal girl caught in an uncontrollable situation. But, he didn’t want to let a possibly dangerous fugitive roam around in a city, so he had done his job. There was also the possibility that she could be acting dumb and innocent to make Cassius second-guess if he should capture her, but that feeling of fear he got from her made him unsure of what she might pull.

  He wondered about that for a moment and then saw a trusted coworker of his in his red coat. The man had a bad attitude, but he always made sure to get his jobs done. Cassius walked over and waved as best he could, with two swords and a cloak in his hand. “Hey, Dominic.”

  The older man, who had black and brown hair, turned and gave a wave as well before gaping at the girl and her Dualaratie. “Isn’t that the fugitive with a rogue?”

  “She’s not rogue...” she responded before Cassius could, still with some annoyance in her voice.

  “She is,” Cassius responded to Dominic while ignoring the girl. “I found her while she was... shopping?”

  He received a nod from the girl in response.

  “In... the capital city?” Dominic asked, astounded.

  “Yeah... I already asked her about that. Said it was a stop on a trip.”

  “Well,” he began with a laugh, “that trip was cut short.”

  “Just... take her off my hands. I have to get prepped for a mission.”

  “Sure,” Dominic responded as he gave a nod and took the offered swords, cloak, and her wrists. “No cuffs? The Dualaratie doesn’t bite?”

  “Don’t carry cuffs. And neither have tried an escape, but watch for Invisibility. That’s the only Skill I know she has. Anyway, get her to the cells and collect the prize I don’t care enough to get it myself,” Cassius told Dominic as he walked away.

  “Wha—Yes, sir!”

  Cassius waved, indifferent to the title he hadn’t truly earned. The barracks, which he was headed to, clearly stated he wasn’t a captain, general, or anything similar. All he considered himself to be was a normal knight with a few surprising feats. But they never came to mind as he walked—none of his feats seemed special to him, and the world didn’t either. The solitude, though, was welcome. Nothing to worry about or wallow in. Just a quiet calm, even in the raucous city.

  He reached the barracks and walked in through a back door before heading upstairs to his room. Once inside, he began changing clothes and froze as he noticed a shadow seeping out of his dresser. Cassius shook his head as he realized it was just his Dualaratie again—he shouldn’t be so jumpy around his own Dualaratie. Slowly, the shadow formed itself fully and seemed to salute, though it wasn’t a salute Cassius recognized.

  My liege. Apologies for frightening you, but I’m not sure if there’s a better way to approach you.

  “It’s fine,” Cassius responded as he pulled open his dresser, warping the shadow.

  Excuse me, but didn’t I mention there’s no need to spe—

  “It’s just natural. What do you want?”

  Unshaken by Cassius’ clear contempt, the shadow continued after a pause, Understood. Anyway, I was wondering what we should name me. I don’t seem to recall having one.

  Cassius, confused, looked at the shadow. “You don’t recall having one?”

  No, my liege. Is that unusual?

  Cassius brushed the question aside and continued getting dressed. “What about James? Or Leo?”

  Leo? The shadow chuckled. No, that certainly won’t fit. I’m... not entirely sure why I feel that way though. It rings some sort of bell.

  “Don’t go telling me you’re one of those Dualaraties that claims to have past memories. I don’t believe any of their stories.”

  Hm. I wasn’t going to, but I’d like to hear more about that topic later. Now then, how about your last name as my name? We are two parts of a whole after all.

  “Why? We can make one up,” Cassius muttered.

  No. I’m obstinate on this. I want to use your last name.

  “Arikt?”

  Yes, the shadow responded, with the first hint of excitement since he’d spoken to Cassius. That name fits. Arikt...

  “Is that all?” Cassius asked as he checked himself over in his mirror, noting again the silver in his hair and the black lines on his arm. But he focused primarily on his uniform. For the next mission, his black uniform was required, which seemed to interest Arikt.

  My liege, why is it that you wear such a dark uniform when this city is so clearly focused on the sun and its colors?

  “You’ll find out on the mission,” Cassius said. But even he wasn’t completely heartless, so he continued, “In short, twelve others, along with me, take on missions from the king. Those missions are usually covert ops that involve getting information from a cult group known around the world as Contradictors. Nobody’s allowed to know of us Silhouette Knights, and the Contradictors keep quiet too.”

  And these Contradictors? Why are they our enemy?

  “They burn their souls. Their Dualaraties. Burning turns them into white, winged Dualaraties. We aren’t sure of their goal yet, but we know it has something to do with Dualaraties and Acujutu.”

  But would this... ‘burning’ not be unhealthy for a person?

  “Can’t you just wait until the mission?” Cassius asked, hoisting up the bag he had just pakced. “You’ll get the rest then.”

  I—Yes, my liege. I’m willing to wait. Arikt went silent but didn’t disappear as he followed Cassius out of the room. The possibility of being seen walking around with his own Dualaratie bugged him, so he silently ordered Arikt to disappear. May I ask... why do you hold such contempt for me? Is it my manner of speech? Are you disappointed I didn’t kill that lady down there?

  Cassius paused for a moment before walking on. Once outside, Cassius whispered, “I hate Dualaraties, is all. They’re the reason my parents are dead. The reason Thomas can’t get a proper education. They put people in danger.”

  Arikt was quiet for a long time. I... am not sure how to respond. You’re correct in that thought process, but then, why not join the Contradictors? They seem to hate Dualaraties as well if they’re willing to burn their own.

  “Their views differ. They believe in a Sun god and a Moon god, and I believe in a single God,” Cassius explained. “I believe that, if you take away one of the major creations of God, imbalance follows. They obviously don’t, if they’re willing to destroy half of God’s creations.”

  This world... is interesting. I’ve never even considered the existence of higher beings. I only consider your words and orders. To help you keep or attain your Purposes.

  “I never spoke mine,” Cassius said, stopping for long enough that he was bumped into. Reluctantly, he asked, “Remind me about that, and to explain the Contradictors, and whatever else.”

  Yes, my liege.

  After that, the conversation between them died, and Cassius watched his Ethereon fade away. But even though he’d killed the conversation, he still wondered why his Purposes hadn’t been needed to summon Arikt. That, combined with his fluctuating Ethereon led him to one question: was Cassius the true owner of Arikt? It seemed like a question Maya might be able to answer with a few experiments, but he couldn’t test that for now. He’d just have to trust that Arikt was his to use.

  As was usual for him, he put those thoughts away in a little compartment for later, and a rare smile appeared on his face even as he pushed his way through crowded streets. It had been too long since he’d been outside of the Kingdom’s reaches, and this mission all but guaranteed he’d be leaving it behind for at least a few weeks. Filled with a budding excitement, Cassius broke into a jog as soon as he found his way out of a crowd and raced toward the docks.

  It didn’t take long at all before they came into view, expansive as ever. Ships rocked gently on the glittering Lake of the Sun and their masts stretched out of his view. Sailors of all nationalities called and cursed their crews, telling them to move crates this way or that or to fix something on the ship. And, most noticeably, the smell of dirty streets was replaced with the scent of fresh air that floated in from the lake. All of it together made it his favorite part of the city, though he didn’t get to spend much time here.

  Cassius slowed to a walk once he reached the upper portion of the docks, filled mostly with small cranes and their cargo, as well as nice cafes that rested just beyond the secondary unloading zones. As he climbed down a flight of stairs, cranes and shops were replaced with boats, sailors, and crates. Dualaraties flew or walked all around, most of them being uncommon to Cassius. Dwarves and ghouls from the Scorched Remnants, Valkyries from the Crystalline Stronghold, and the rare mummy from the Glass Desert.

  And most eye-catching, a girl with golden hair and a guy with cobalt blue hair. He smiled wider at the realization that this mission would be harder than most.

  “Maya! Katarin!” he yelled.

  The two stopped talking and looked at Cassius, waving him over.

  “Hey,” Katarin said, excitement clear in his voice. “Haven’t worked with you in a while.”

  “Yeah. Guess we’ve got a challenging mission this time.”

  “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Maya chimed in, though she seemed lost in thought. “And Cassius, I got this for you.”

  A navy-blue coat landed in his hands, the heavy weight causing some surprise. The inside was lined with soft, dark grey fur, and the outer layer was made of something hard but flexible. His eyes widened as he realized what it meant.

  “Who told you where we’re going?”

  “Not telling. But that’s to keep you warm while you’re there. And the best part...” she pointed to the outer layer of the coat, “is that that’s made of Moonsteel. It’ll work better than most of your armor, I’d assume, since it keeps you warm and protected.”

  “Expensive...” Cassius responded, concerned. He pushed the feeling away and smiled as he pulled her into a hug. “But thank you. I’ll probably wear it the whole mission.”

  Maya grinned up at him. “I hope you do, since I got it as repayment for last week. And I’m glad you like it. Anyway, love you Cassius, and good luck.”

  She kissed his cheek before he could get out a response. “Thank you. I love you too, Maya.”

  Before he could say anything else, she pulled away, smiled once more, and extended her pinky finger to him. He followed suit, ignoring the abrupt goodbye, and they wrapped their pinkies around each other’s.

  “Pinky promise you return safely,” Maya said.

  “I pinky promise,” he responded.

  After he said that, she hugged him once again for just a few seconds, and then quickly walked off without saying another word. Cassius knew she worried a lot when he went out on missions, but something seemed a little different this time, like she wasn’t worried about him. He smiled sadly as she left, and then he turned and realized Katarin had already walked onto the ship nearest them. Cassius picked up his bags and walked out onto the pier and onto a plank that led onto the deck of the ship that Katarin was on, trying not to think about Maya’s abrupt goodbye.

  As he turned, Katarin ran a hand through his short, blue hair that was cut just above his eyebrows and styled to the side. There were streaks of black in it that matched their uniforms. Katarin was a couple of years older than Cassius, taller by a few inches, and his eyes were a dark blue that almost matched his hair. He had dark tan skin and a rough but lean body; anyone could tell at a glance that he worked out a lot. A worried smile replaced his usual natural charm.

  “Hey. Did anyone ever wish you a happy birthday last week?”

  “Yeah. A few people.”

  “...did she?”

  “Maya? She must’ve forgotten,” Cassius responded, trying to sound unbothered.

  “I don’t like when you lie to yourself. She didn’t. She thinks you won’t accept a late happy birthday.”

  “She knows I would...”

  “Yeah, but... put that with the ‘gift’ she got you last week, and she starts second-guessing herself. But she means no harm.”

  “I know.”

  Katarin sighed. “I’m making sure your subconscious knows too.”

  Cassius nodded in understanding. He appreciated Katarin for looking after him even if he didn’t act that way. “Thanks.”

  Katarin looked towards the helm, where the captain waited. “Hey, Captain! We’re all set!”

  The captain smiled and started yelling at his crew to prepare the ship. A banshee materialized beside the captain, likely to create wind for the sails.

  “We don’t need to notify anyone?” Cassius asked.

  “Nah. Rhodan will know one way or another.”

  Cassius and Katarin headed into the small space beneath the deck while the crew set the sails, and saw a folded piece of paper fall onto the ground.

  “Guess these are the directions. Thanks, Persephone,” Katarin said as he bent down and picked up the paper. He opened it and his eyes widened. “ ‘Exact location: Skartica...’ ”

  “The capital?” Cassius asked quietly but incredulously. The last time a mission to the capital of Frikalt had been issued was when the male leader of the Silhouette Knights disappeared. The man commonly considered to be the strongest knight in Solumina.