"GildedCalm, please wake up," Codex-7's voice said.
Cassia sluggishly opened her eyes, exhaustion clinging to her like a shroud. "Maybe today," she murmured, forcing herself out of bed.
The search for the one she called a friend, the one still missing, fueled her dwindling faith. The Argent Bastion was her only hope for finding him.
"Good morning, GildedCalm," Codex-7 chirped. Cassia ignored the greeting. She sat in silence, then rose and walked towards the sanitation room.
Afterward, she donned her uniform. Stepping onto the balcony, she gazed upon Argentus, the Capital Plane, as the sun painted the glass structures in vibrant hues. Spheres, cubes, pyramids, and other geometric shapes spiraled upwards, casting intricate shadows. Each spiral formed a district, each building conforming to its designated shape.
Yet, the city's beauty no longer warmed her heart. Donning her mask and activating her flight Runes, she launched herself towards her destination.
Arriving at the Intelligence Corps district, a collection of spherical buildings, she deactivated her powers. Her goal was the Argent Bastion.
She sought the help of an old acquaintance, someone who still owed her a favor.
Guards stood at the entrance, their gazes filled with a familiar pity and disdain. "I'm looking for Commander Haira," she announced, unable to use Codex-7 due to the Argent Bastion's restrictions on technology.
"She's not here," the lead guard replied curtly.
"But-"
"GildedCalm, please leave."
"Dammit, Garrus! I know she's here!"
He returned her glare, his expression hardening. "ShadowOne is dead. Please accept that."
The words, like a punch to the gut. Cassia had no time for arguments. "Haykel," she said before leaving, "Does Mella still enjoy long walks alongside creeks?"
His pity morphed into rage. She grinned, donned her mask, and leaped away, leaving him to stew in his anger.
As she flew, memories of her old job as a Handler surfaced. The Silver Tower, despite its name, descended miles below the surface, a tube connecting Argentus to the Argent Bastion nestled within an Alkahest-created chasm near the planet's core. This was the Aggregate's most secure location, where operatives on missions communicated with their supervisors, delivering reports, receiving orders, and sharing vital intel. Tens of thousands of communication operatives, mostly Abyssal, facilitated these real-time trades via the Akashic Records. Cassia had once been one of them, analyzing information, monitoring teams, and guiding their actions.
A figure appeared ahead, floating in her path. Clad in white, with a bleak mask and a missing right arm, he stood out against the blue sky. She prepared to alter course, annoyed by the inconvenience.
Then, a voice echoed in her mind: "I know where ShadowOne is."
Confusion gave way to disbelief. "You are sane," the voice continued. "I wish to talk, Cassia."
It was not her imagination. But how? How could he communicate without a Mind-Lace? She sped towards him, her curiosity piqued. They hovered face-to-face, miles above the ground.
"How did you speak to me without a Mind-Lace?" she demanded, her professionalism momentarily forgotten.
"I just can," he replied, his voice deep and calm.
"Are you mocking me? Which Corps do you belong to?"
"I thought you'd welcome a conversation if it meant finding Saix Varr."
He knew ShadowOne!
"Naturally."
How? An Ace?
"No. I am not." He paused. "I just can."
Cassia took a deep breath, trying to assess the situation. He was playing mind games, using ShadowOne to grab her attention. She activated Aura-Sight, but to her astonishment, he had no Sigil, no StreamBreath signature. Was this an illusion? A Phantasm? Was she still dreaming? She needed more information.
"Codex-7!"
"I've scanned him and the area, GildedCalm. I have no answers."
"Useless as ever. Record the encounter." Cassia's experience told her to treat him as a potential enemy. "You win," she said, lowering her guard slightly. "Let's start with the basics. Who are you?"
"I cannot tell you."
His tone suggested a hidden smile.
"I'll humor you. If you can read my thoughts, you know what I'm thinking."
"I do."
"So?"
"So, what?"
He was enjoying this. A spark of interest ignited within her, the first in a long time.
"Which method did you use to trick my mind?" she asked, a grin tugging at her lips beneath the mask.
He chuckled. "Being in your mind is... interesting. However, I prefer spoken words. Isn't that how you like to communicate?"
She cringed, realizing he was toying with her. "Fine," she conceded. "How can you use your powers without StreamBreath or Runes?"
"I just can."
Her patience wore thin. "I thought you wanted to chat?"
"I do."
"Then answer me!"
"I am answering you."
Cassia was about to leave, deciding to let Intelligence handle this enigma. "I have no time for this," she declared.
"I apologize," he said, his tone suddenly sincere. "I'm not as good with words as I used to be."
Cassia paused, surprised by the shift in his demeanor. "Even though our encounter was brief, I enjoyed our... chat," he continued, slowly raising his gloved hand to remove his mask for a fleeting moment, revealing a glimpse of his face. His right eye was closed, but she noted his white eyebrows and lashes before the mask returned.
"It was no chat. It was awkward," Cassia admitted, her guard lowering further. "Alright, you seem harmless, but that doesn't change the fact that you know about ShadowOne. Tell me where he is."
"I already answered that. His location is Exegis classified. That's why you haven't found him. Even with information of equal value, they wouldn't trade it for him, or for you. So, I gave it to you."
His calm demeanor remained, yet his words held a weight that stunned her. He was right, but what was he talking about? She had not received any information.
"But you did," he said gently. "Exchanging the memories of our encounter is worth extracting the Exegis classified information you seek. You only want coordinates, so your mind won't be damaged."
Cassia burst into laughter, the absurdity of the situation hitting her. She had not laughed this hard in decades. He tilted his head, observing her amusement.
"A fool, perhaps," he said. "But I, the fool, want to see which path you choose. And what lies beyond that choice." He vanished before her eyes, leaving her alone in the vast expanse of the sky.
Cassia froze, his words echoing in her mind. If true, she would be sacrificing information of paramount importance, branding herself a traitor, and risking her life. But she would finally save ShadowOne.
"A fool left me in a dilemma!" she laughed again, hysteria creeping into her voice. This decision would change everything. With a deep breath, she made her choice, activating the Akashic-Key Rune.
In a flash, she found herself back in the sky, the rising sun painting the horizon. "What am I doing here? I should be with my squad! Codex-7, what happened?"
"I detect data loss relating to the last seven minutes and thirty-six seconds," Codex-7 replied.
"What? Are you malfunctioning?"
"Negative. It seems you made a trade, erasing those memories and data."
"A trade? To get what?" Suddenly, she knew where ShadowOne was, the exact coordinates imprinted in her mind. But how? And what would she do with this knowledge? The Aggregate would surely brand her a traitor. Then, a thought struck her: "I can still use this."
She leaped towards the Royal Palace, excitement warring with apprehension. She had found him, but navigating the consequences would require careful planning. "I'll borrow a page from your playbook, ShadowOne," she thought, plotting her next move.
Arriving at the Palace's western entrance, she hovered above the sprawling complex. Unlike Argentus's glass structures, the Palace was built from white and black limestone, a traditional design favored by the King. The buildings and gardens were arranged in a circular pattern around a central garden, a stark contrast to the organized chaos of the capital.
She scanned the security measures, noting the impenetrable spherical Aegis-Veil generated by Dragons and the guards constantly utilizing Aura-Sight and Mind-Lace. The King had made Argentus and its Palace virtually impenetrable, especially with the presence of at least one FirstBlade, the strongest Aces, within his vicinity. He was most likely in the central garden, surrounded by his Harem.
"Codex-7, connect me to Echo," she requested, hoping to open a normal audiovisual link. Fortunately, technology was permitted within the Palace.
"Hey, Cassia! Long time no see!" Echo greeted.
"Corvin, I need a favor."
He hesitated. "Anything for you."
"Thank you, I owe you one."
"Tell me what you need."
"I want an audience with Vexia."
"What? That's impossible!" he chuckled.
Cassia knew reaching the High Regent, the King's sister and elected ruler, was no easy feat. But Vexia was the only one who could grant her an audience with the King.
"Tell her I have her brother's word."
"Are you serious? You never mentioned this!"
"I never told anyone. Just tell her that."
Echo fell silent for a long moment. "I'll try. Wait for me."
After an agonizing wait, Codex-7 announced, "Echo requests to speak with you."
"Put him through."
"GildedCalm," Echo said, using her CallSign, a clear indication of official business. "You are ordered to meet with your squad. Your request is under advisement."
As expected, Vexia had refused. She knew Cassia wanted to see the King and always denied such requests, especially due to her brother's behavior in times of peace. Despite Vexia's efforts to mitigate the damage to his image, it was a lost cause.
Yet, Cassia knew the man behind the lethargy, the hero who discovered the Fuse, BlackStone, and founded the Aggregate. She knew why he had become this way, and she intended to use that knowledge to her advantage.
She had to see him. His word was still law.
Anxiety gnawed at her, but a flicker of hope remained. "I hear you, Corvin! Thank you!" she replied, cutting the connection. Activating thirteen Runes at once, she prepared for the inevitable consequences.
"I don't need my Soul-Sever. I have one second before they come for me," she thought, knowing the King was heavily guarded, surrounded by his Harem and the ever-watchful FirstBlades. "One second for one word. That's all I need."
Using Acuity, she located the King, asleep under the cherry blossom tree in the central garden, surrounded by his concubines. Extending her left hand, she leaped towards him at full speed, dissolving the protective Aegis-Veil around her arm as she pierced through it. The impact shattered her arm, but she ignored the pain, her focus solely on reaching her destination.
Landing near the tree, she scanned the area, her senses heightened. He was there, the Dreaming Monarch, looking frail and youthful despite his age. Primal, the Second FirstBlade, lay beside him, her lap serving as his pillow.
"Aethel!" She screamed.
Neither they nor the other concubines reacted to her intrusion. They remained motionless, unfazed by her audacity. Had he not heard her?
Within seconds, guards surrounded her, Echo at the forefront. He slammed her to the ground, his weight pinning her down as four guards pierced her limbs with their Soul-Sever swords.
Pain lanced through her. Echo's pressure on her head was firm but controlled, protecting her from a fatal blow. He wanted her to speak, to give the King a reason to honor his word.
"GildedCalm! Why did you do this?" Echo shouted.
"I'm here to see the King. He owes me. He gave me his word," Cassia responded, her face pressed against the ground.
Silence descended, thick with tension and uncertainty. No one dared to move or speak.
"Everyone leave," Primal commanded, breaking the silence. "Everyone but this woman."
"But-" Echo began.
"Scram," the King hissed.
"Aye, Sire," the guards and concubines replied in unison, quickly departing. The swords remained embedded in Cassia's limbs.
She had achieved her goal, but the hardest part lay ahead. Fear of his CallSign, Silent-Death, gnawed at her. It was synonymous with terror. His Heretic's Rune remained a mystery, its abilities classified as Terminus.
"This is most certainly a first, my King," Primal remarked.
"If one lives long enough, one..." the King trailed off, his eyes closed. "What was that saying again?"
"Sire, I believe it's not a saying you're thinking of."
He turned his head towards Cassia, his grass-green eyes piercing through her. "I don't remember you, nor do I recall giving you my word. Did I trade that memory?"
"Sire, that's not how the trade works," Primal interjected.
He turned to her. "Ah, yes, you're right." He looked back at Cassia. "I can forgive your actions, but not the use of that word in my presence." His voice was calm, devoid of anger, yet his words held a chilling weight.
Cassia had anticipated his lack of recollection, but Silent-Death always honored claims of a given word. She was about to exploit this, using knowledge gleaned from her past.
"You promised to fulfill any wish if I helped with the cleaning efforts after Aethel's death," she said, her voice steady despite the risk. The King's expression remained unchanged.
"What do you want?" Primal inquired.
"With your permission, I will Mnemonic-Transfer it."
Primal activated Mind-Lace and Mnemonic-Transfer, as did Cassia. She shared everything she knew about ShadowOne's case, including his location and her ignorance of how she acquired it. She pleaded for their help, ready to face the consequences of her actions, but never revealing her deception.
Primal deactivated the Runes, her expression unreadable. She activated Accelerate-Mind briefly, and then deactivated it. "My King, this woman acquired Exegis classified information to find a lost friend," she reported. "She wants us to bring him home."
"A reasonable wish," the King said. "Woman," he addressed Cassia, "I like your resolve. I will grant it."
Relief and joy washed over Cassia, tears streaming down her face. "I am eternally grateful, my King."
"May I recommend someone for this mission?" Primal asked. "Kyra of the Tenth Spire, CallSign FarSeer."
"The Tenth Spire?" the King mused. "One of your Houses."
"Yes, my King."
He sighed. "Still playing the court's games, I see."
"Always do."
"The new days are dull."
"If you say so, Sire."
"Why FarSeer?"
"Her eyes perceive excellence with ease. She commands a group of six of the SixOriginals, personally selected and led with skill."
"She must be unique to earn your recommendation."
"She is. And I'm quite fond of her, despite her stiffness."
"I trust your judgment. Summon her. I will give the order myself."
"As you wish."
"Primal," the King whispered as he drifted back to sleep, "discipline this woman as you see fit."
"I will, my King. But Vexia would prefer to handle this herself."
He offered no response, slumber claiming him once more.