Chapter 62 - Shadow Guard

  Caelan and Keira sat in the silent interrogation room. The air was heavy, but neither of them looked bothered.

  Mark went to speak, but Keira held up a finger without taking her eyes off Caelan.

  “No. Let him finish.”

  Caelan looked up at the ceiling casually. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, sis.”

  Keira kicked him in the leg. “Tell them or I will.”

  Fiona rolled back in her chair. “Will you two children make up your minds? Honestly, the pair of you.”

  Caelan and Keira locked eyes.

  “You’re not remembering it correctly,” Caelan said calmly. “It never happened.”

  “Oh, it did happen,” Keira replied instantly.

  Caelan smiled with confidence. “Fine. Well, let Marcus decide.”

  They both turned toward Marcus. He sat with his notepad resting over his knee, looking at them with no emotion.

  “Does it really matter at this stage?” Marcus said flatly. “You’ll tell us what you want when you want.”

  Keira smiled widely at Caelan.

  “Don’t you dare…” Caelan warned.

  “Well…” Keira began.

  Commanders remaining: 867,271,857,722 Followers remaining: 953,999,135,809 Days elapsed: 8,297 Eliminated: 25,950,489,878

  Meanwhile, at the northern gate, Solara and the others returned from their time away.

  “Lumi, where did you actually learn to make all those outfits?” Bella asked.

  “I thought having cool original outfits would make me friends growing up. Turns out…” Lumi replied.

  Veyra adjusted Lumi’s oversized wizard hat. “No, Lumi. It was never the clothes. You are just a weird person.”

  “Kei-Kei, they are—”

  Lumi walked straight into Keira’s back.

  Keira and Solara had stopped in their tracks, staring over the city.

  Mynxi, sitting on Solara’s shoulders, looked around. “Auntie, where is everyone?”

  “I don’t know, Mynxi,” Solara said shortly. “Maybe we can go find your dad. He might know.”

  Braen, pulling the cart stacked with cases, stopped beside Elyria. “I hope they’re all alright.”

  “I think they are. For now anyway,” Elyria replied.

  Lyra stood between them, shaking her head. “I wonder if we’ll get time to say goodbye.”

  Solara started walking faster toward the city gates.

  Keira chased after her.

  Elyria suddenly realized and ran after Solara. “Remember, you can’t kill him! You can only beat him near elimination!”

  Solara stormed through the northern gate. Two guards were half leaning against the wall, asleep on their feet.

  “GET BACK TO WORK!” she shouted as she passed.

  The guards jolted awake and snapped to attention. “YES, MA’AM!”

  Keira walked a few feet behind her, smiling brightly. “You boys might want to send security to the Beech & Ember. It’s going to get ugly.”

  Solara stepped carefully over bodies laid out across the city streets.

  Mynxi bobbed side to side on her shoulders.

  Keira giggled quietly. “This is going to be so good.”

  They reached the gate to the Beech & Ember.

  From the garden, Solara could hear Caelan’s voice.

  “You know what, Rexybaby, you’re actually sound as fuck, man. Like when I first met you, I wanted to punch that face so bad. But you know what? I may be only thinking that a quarter of the time now.”

  Aurex laughed loudly, swinging a bottle. “Ahhh, drop the act, Caelan. We’re just two hard-working commanders keeping our little boats afloat.”

  “And would you believe Mr. Pael wouldn’t let us turn the plaza into a pool? Why do you let him push you around like that?” Caelan replied.

  “Well, first, we already have a sick pool right here. And second… Solara.”

  Caelan leaned over, grabbing a couple of beers. “I’ll drink to that. Wait… how many days has it been?”

  Aurex cracked open his drink. “Relax. You know it’s not like she’ll do anything.”

  Solara cleared her throat right beside them.

  Both Caelan and Aurex slowly turned.

  Mynxi sat atop an in-progress exploding volcano feature in the garden, grinning and waving.

  Solara stared down at them.

  Aurex leaned slightly toward Caelan. “Do you think she’s seen us?”

  “If you don’t move, she can’t see you. We can just wait it out,” Caelan muttered.

  Solara’s voice was calm. “First. What is this?”

  “Oh, Mr. Pael said I wasn’t allowed a pool again,” Aurex explained quickly. “So Caelan made me this.”

  “You two look ridiculous. And why are you both in it?” Solara asked.

  “Just a couple of bros chilling, bud. Want to get in?” Caelan offered.

  “Oh, silly Dad,” Mynxi said cheerfully.

  Behind Solara, Keira clapped her hands softly.

  “Yehhhh.”

  Elyria came running in as Solara stood completely silent.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Solara slowly turned toward Elyria, her voice unsteady. “Sergeant… what do you make of all this?”

  Elyria looked around calmly. “Looks like it was a good time, actually.”

  Solara leaned in slightly. “What happened to you? Never mind… You know what? I’m going to lie down. I think I need sleep before I deal with this.”

  She gently lifted Mynxi off her shoulders and set her down.

  Mynxi wobbled slightly, then started splashing the water in the small pool. “Dad, can I get in?”

  Caelan winked. “Well, this one’s Aurex’s, little one. So good thing your dad made one for you too.”

  Mynxi’s eyes lit up. “Can we get it now, Dad?”

  “Grab your dad and Aurex a few towels, please, little one.”

  Mynxi ran past them shouting, “I’ve got a pool! I’ve got a pool!”

  Keira crossed her arms. “No. No, no, no. Explain. How did you do that? I was ready for you to be eating dirt. This? No. I don’t get it.”

  Elyria tapped a finger against her lip. “Welllll… she’s probably going to process this before—”

  A window upstairs opened.

  Solara stood there, utterly still.

  “What have you done?” she asked slowly.

  Caelan straightened slightly. “Well, I told you I would clean up.”

  “You know what you did.”

  Keira slowly turned toward Caelan. “You didn’t… did you?”

  She burst out laughing. “I mean, we dreamed of it, but you crazy bastard, you actually did it.”

  Solara stepped out of the window, sword in hand. Her neck cracked slowly.

  Elyria sighed. “I think you'd better— oh. He’s already gone.”

  Caelan was already sprinting toward the front gate. “But it was a mess!” he shouted back.

  “MY BATHROOM WAS JUST FINE, CAELAN! IT WAS ONLY A FEW CLOTHES!” Solara yelled as she chased after him.

  Keira watched with a grin. “Now that’s more the reaction I expected.”

  Aurex scratched his head. “Do you think he’ll be alright?”

  Milo fell out of one of the trees and hit the ground.

  Elyria started to bend down to heal him.

  Keira caught her wrist. “No. Leave them. It’ll be funnier this way.”

  Milo rolled onto his back. “Hey sis… how was the new base?”

  “Honestly? Too quiet,” Keira replied.

  Caelan ran down the street in nothing but shorts, stepping around the passed-out bodies.

  He ran past the rest of the girls. “Hey girls, catch you later!” he called with a smile.

  “EVERYONE BETTER CLEAN THIS PLACE UP NOW!” Solara shouted.

  The streets instantly came alive as drunken bodies scrambled to their feet and started cleaning.

  “1000 LAPS! IF YOU STOP, I’LL BEAT YOU, CAELAN!” Solara yelled while chasing him.

  Braen blinked. “Huh. Must be real bad.”

  Veyra’s eyes widened. “Oh my god. He actually did it.”

  Bella gasped and sprinted toward the Beech & Ember. “Oh my god, a second bathtub. Finally, I’m first!”

  —

  Cut to Solara’s spotless en suite.

  Keira was already in the bath, buried in bubbles.

  Bella stared. “No. Get out. You share a bathroom with the Captain.”

  Keira turned slowly to Veyra with a smug look. “Veyra?”

  Veyra rolled her eyes. “She’s doing it because she can.”

  Back in the interrogation room, Caelan shook his head.

  “I can’t believe you just told them that.”

  Keira smiled. “Tell them what you called it, bro.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  Caelan sighed. “The Great Empty.”

  Fiona laughed. “How did you ever get anything done? Plus, not going to lie, I’ve been to my fair share of empties. Can’t blame you.”

  Mark looked at her. “They said the days were twenty-eight hours, remember? Also, can I please ask my question before she does whatever that was again?”

  Caelan shrugged. “Shoot your shot, bud.”

  Mark leaned forward. “These fog monster things. Are they made of the same thing that sword was made out of?”

  Even Marcus lifted his head slightly at that.

  Caelan squinted, thinking. He held up a finger. “Sort of. I think.”

  Marcus spoke calmly. “Why do we need to know these matters anyway, Caelan? If the monsters were exclusive to the war, why would this be information we need?”

  Keira took a sip of her hot chocolate. “Do it.”

  Caelan shook his head. “No.”

  “You promised.”

  “No. Sis, you know how he gets. Not here. Of all places.”

  “You promised.”

  Caelan let out a long groan. “I really didn’t want to pull this yet.”

  He sighed. “Corporal… Corporal.”

  Milo and Aidan walked into the room.

  “I thought we got over this. You need to add our names,” Aidan said.

  “With the amount of hits to the head he’s had, it can only have gotten worse,” Milo added.

  Caelan looked at them flatly. “Ha. Ha. Not you two.”

  They looked at each other, confused.

  Caelan suddenly shouted, “FRANK, MOVE YOUR FUCKING ARSE.”

  The temperature in the room dropped.

  A golden fog figure stood in the room.

  Milo and Aidan reached for their weapons.

  They were already gone.

  A shockwave hit the building.

  The figure’s fist stopped inches from Caelan’s face.

  Caelan sat there with his arms folded.

  “Sorry, Frank.”

  A Revolutionary Army jacket formed around the figure.

  “Asshole,” Frank said. “You told me you’d wake me the moment we got here. The fuck?”

  He turned and pointed at Keira. “Oh bitch, is that that hot chocolate you’ve been talking about?”

  Keira grabbed a cup from the stack and held it out. “For you, babe.”

  Frank sat between Caelan and Keira and took a sip.

  He paused. “Girl. You need better taste.”

  Caelan rolled his eyes and handed him a coffee. “Drink this. You’ll like this.”

  Frank took a sip and nodded. “Actually… not too bad, Captain.”

  Marcus sat stunned.

  Fiona looked between them. “Is this one of the… what is it? The fog?”

  “Yeah,” Milo said. “I’ve got questions too, Captain.”

  Aidan pointed. “Yes. Massive question. First— what the hell, Captain?”

  Caelan waved it off. “Long story. Honestly, this is Frank. Corporal of the Revolutionary Army.”

  Frank bumped shoulders with him. “And your bodyguard.”

  “Will you stop calling it that?” Caelan muttered.

  Keira looked at Caelan. “Captain. Brother dearest. The Lieutenant.”

  Caelan pouted. “I know. I know.”

  Frank leaned back slightly. “Well, maybe best I begin. So what has the knucklehead over here not told you?”

  Keira scoffed. “Anything really.”

  “I. Am. Loving this,” Frank said. “Alright. So. Where to start?”

  Mark raised a hand slightly. “Why the gold colour?”

  Frank pointed at him. “For you, my angel, I’ll explain that. Each of us is created by the Goddess. We don’t directly meet her, but our power is directly reflected off your banner, if you get my drift.”

  Mark blinked. “I didn’t understand a single bit of that.”

  Caelan rubbed his face. “Make it simple. There’s a lot to unpack here.”

  Frank thought for a moment. “Gold strong. Black weak. Everything else in between.”

  Marcus leaned forward. “Nice to meet you, Frank. May I press a little further on that?”

  “Sure,” Frank replied. “There are ten tiers of creatures a god can create. Each tier can ascend by being passed on from a higher tier. The highest tier leads the ones below to ascend over time. They mostly just look like better versions of me. Doesn’t mean they’re stronger.”

  Fiona leaned toward Mark and whispered, “Where’s its face?”

  “I could have a face if I want,” Frank said calmly. “But that goes a bit deeper than—”

  Caelan waved a hand. “No, no. It’s fine. You can explain it.”

  Frank shrugged. “Alright. I’m guessing this world has had a few religious icons over the years. What you’re seeing now is my pure form. I was created by the Goddess outside of the Immortal Emperor War. Creations like me are placed within worlds to shift them in certain ways. Sometimes small tasks. Sometimes advanced ones. Emperor class like me? We’re sent to change the fate of planets within a single lifetime, never truly knowing a difference between our lives and yours.”

  Marcus’s eyes widened. “Are there more of you? Are they on Earth?”

  Frank smiled slightly. “Don’t worry. This universe hasn’t used them much. You’re likely fine. It would’ve been a long time since any were spawned for that purpose.”

  Fiona blurted out, “Are you Jesus?”

  Keira grinned. “Do it.”

  “Don’t you fucking dare,” Caelan snapped.

  Frank raised both hands. “Calm down, children. I’m not deciding until I’m ready. I only get one shot at that. And someone said I can’t copy them.”

  “Because it would be too weird, okay? We’ve been over this, Frank,” Caelan muttered.

  Milo frowned. “So is he like a pet or something?”

  Aidan slumped into his chair. “Please tell me you can’t make more. That would be too much. Even for me.”

  Caelan sighed. “First, not a pet. Just weird as hell. Second… I wish. Would fix a lot of problems real quick.”

  Frank looked around the room. “So what are we doing anyway?”

  Keira answered brightly, “Telling stories about the old days.”

  Frank leaned forward. “So what are we telling next? I love these old ones.”

  Caelan pointed at him. “First, you sure as shit better hold off on the questions. I swear to god.”

  Frank crossed one knee over the other and leaned in, blinking slowly at Caelan. “I promise I’ll be good.”

  “Second, if you spoil anything, I’ll tell the Lieutenant about that diary you keep.”

  Frank stiffened. “Oh bitch. That’s fighting words.”

  Keira stamped on his foot.

  He let out a grunt and tried to hide it.

  “Play nice with him,” Keira said. “He did pull some strings for you.”

  Frank folded his arms. “Fine. But I want the first question. Right? You all hear me? I’m taking the first question.”

  Mark looked around the room. “This is nothing like the monsters he described.”

  Fiona tilted her head at the three of them arguing on the sofa. “Worst part is he seems the most normal.”

  “OH. REVOLUTIONARY DAY,” Keira suddenly shouted.

  Milo and Aidan groaned together. “Not that one again, sis.”

  Frank clapped his hands once, smiling. “Oh, please, Captain. Please do that one.”

  Caelan bit his lip. “That’s not got anything to do with—”

  Frank and Keira were suddenly right in his face.

  “Pleeease.”

  Caelan mumbled, “Sorry, guys. I’ll be quick. I promise.”

  Milo and Aidan laughed as they walked out of the room.

  Caelan watched them go, annoyed. “Fine. We’ll do this one then. You all need to sit through it again.”

  Frank and Keira flopped back onto the sofa.

  “We’ve heard it a million times,” Keira said.

  “See, I do love the old ones,” Frank added, “but Captain, you’ve told me at least ten times about your first war.”

  Marcus leaned forward. “Can we skip to that?”

  Caelan pointed at him. “Eh, eh, eh. We have a deal. Quickly do Revolutionary Day, then…”

  A slow grin spread across his face.

  “…our first war.”