"I've always thought there was something strange about you. Even now, I don't trust your way of thinking," Zeid muttered, his brow furrowed as he glared at me.
"This isn't the time to second-guess working with me. Just give me the information, Captain Chen, so we can get this over with," I said with a sigh.
He didn't respond for a few seconds. Instead, he walked to a shelf and pulled out a box, then laid out several scrolls and books.
"This is all the intel we've gathered from spies, mercenaries, and expedition teams. One thing connects them all—a group called the 'Black Trio.' They move between villages and districts in different cities, but no one knows their identities. It's linked to incidents like what happened yesterday in Artrias Village. The reports all mention the same thing—a curse. But what kind of curse? The details vary depending on the location. In Artrias, the 'curse' was the systematic killing of anyone who opposed the Black Trio. No one dared speak of it." He showed me a letter filled with nearly illegible writing. My eyes widened slightly. How did he even read this?
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts, and crossed my arms.
"Wait, so you have spies in Artrias?"
"Once the Captain-Commander learned about these reports, he immediately dispatched spies to villages the group might target. That's how we got this intel," he explained.
I picked up a scroll and unrolled it, only to gape at the messy handwriting again.
"H-How can you read this scribble?" I asked in disbelief.
"Tsk. I'm just smart," he replied, instantly grabbing my attention. My gaze sharpened.
"Oh, so you're saying I'm stupid because I can't read it? Listen here—"
"I never said that, woman," he cut in with another tsk. Why does he always seem so irritated around me?
I exhaled sharply and forced myself to decipher the scrolls. After a few minutes, my patience was wearing thin, but I managed to make out some words. Maybe my eyes were adjusting.
"Like you said, they all mention a 'curse.' But it's probably not a literal curse, right? Unless one, two, or all three of them are magi—" I paused. Zeid's eyes locked onto mine. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Do I look like I share a brain with you?" he snapped, though it was obvious we'd reached the same conclusion. Ignoring his tone, I grabbed a sheet of paper from his desk and started sketching diagrams and notes. He watched silently as I worked.
Soon, I finished and showed him.
"Captain, look at this." I pointed to the words Magician/Sage/Witch/Sorcerer. "Let's assume there are three of them, based on their group name. No 'Trio' would have four members, right? So I think one or two of them are magicians, sorcerers—whatever you call them. The others might be support or skilled fighters. They wouldn't last this long if they were easy to catch. Meaning, they're strong."
"We already considered that. But what's the significance?" he asked impatiently.
I slapped my palm on the table.
"Don't you get it? This ties into the artifact in the White House—"
"We know that. Tsk."
"—And me," I added, finally grabbing his full attention.
"What do you mean?"
"I'll explain later. But I'm your key to drawing them out. We'll make a plan." I grinned.
---
"You're crazy," Zeid muttered, shaking his head. The lieutenants and other captains gaped at my proposal. "This is exactly why I hesitated to let you meet with the captains."
I raised my hands to stop their reactions.
"Wait, wait—hear me out. First, does anyone have a better idea for catching the Black Trio?" I scanned their faces.
Captain Kiro raised his hand. "Seers and magicians have tried locating them, but none succeeded. Their ability to conceal their auras or spiritual energy suggests they're highly skilled."
I nodded. "Exactly. In short, you have no other leads." I crossed my arms.
"But your plan is suicide, Ms. Nyssa. Only a fool would willingly walk into the enemy's hands. If we fail to rescue you in time—if they succeed—you'll have helped them," Zeid argued, his voice tense with disapproval.
"Personally, I support Ms. Nyssa's plan," Captain-Commander Hiro interjected.
All eyes turned to him. His gaze was firm.
"You don't just resemble Mira—your spiritual energy is identical. If we didn't know she died years ago, we'd think you were her." He addressed the room solemnly. "If this is our only option, I authorize it. Do everything in your power to ensure the mission's success. Lives depend on this—not just Ms. Nyssa's, but countless others. I expect your full cooperation."
With that, he stood and left.
Lieutenant Eisha looked worried, but I gave her a reassuring smile. If I didn't do this, their atrocities would continue. But I had to be careful—they couldn't capture me, no matter what.
Because my instincts screamed this was dangerous.
"Then let's do what needs to be done," Captain Peira said, standing.
I smiled. "I'll give it my all. But I'm counting on all of you too."
As we filed out, someone brushed past me.
"Just don't die..."
I turned to see Zeid walking away, Lieutenant Ren beside him. Ren gave me a nod and a small smile.
I won't die… Not today.