Elira Voss woke to the faint scent of antiseptic and the quiet whir of the ceiling fan overhead. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, the world blurry around the edges. Her limbs felt heavy, her chest sore. A bandage tugged at her temple, and a blanket rested loosely on her shoulders.
She groaned softly, pushing herself up on the cot with a wince.
"Well. The Sleeping Beauty finally rises."
The voice was far too cheerful for her current mood.
Gavin stood leaning against the doorway, arms folded across his chest, a smirk tugging at his lips. Her ever-charming partner in the Hexguard, smug, and clearly enjoying himself.
"You know you got carried off, right?" he said. "By an Inquisitor, no less. That's not exactly an everyday thing."
Elira glared at him. "Shut up, Gavin."
"No, really. You were out cold, limp as a rag. He just set you down and vanished. I didn't know whether to be impressed or incredibly jealous."
Elira groaned, dragging a hand over her face. "It was a mistake alright."
He arched a brow. "A mistake that got you laid out by a bunch of thugs. Just what were you even doing in that cursed shop by yourself?"
"I had to check something," she muttered. "And for the record, the curator is not as dangerous as people think he is. Just... weird."
"Still... I'm very impressed," he said, shaking his head. "Gotta admire your guts. Your brains though? It's a little questionable."
She yanked off the blanket and stood up, reaching for her uniform. "I'm fine okay. And I'm not spending the rest of the day in this bed."
Gavin raised both hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just making sure the princess is well-rested after her royal escort."
An hour later, they were back on the cobbled streets of Amberhold. The castle's spires pierced the golden afternoon sky in the distance, and the streets shimmered in the sun's heat.
This time, they were heading east, toward Vendell District.
"Why the change in route?" Elira asked, pulling her coat tighter.
"Well," Gavin said, "I figured you'd had your fill of curses and creepy shops. Thought we'd try somewhere with a little more colour."
"Colour?" she repeated, deadpan.
He chuckled. "Livelier I mean. You'll see."
He wasn't wrong. Vendell was alive with noise and motion. Market stalls spilled into the streets, their fabrics flapping in the breeze. The air was thick with the scent of fresh bread, roasted meat, spices, and coal smoke. Children darted between stalls, laughing and chasing each other, while vendors shouted over one another.
That's when they saw him.
A man stood near a sweets stall, tall and neatly dressed, his black hair slicked back and a faint, unwavering smile on his face. He chatted with the vendor in a warm, easy tone, pointing thoughtfully at a few wrapped candies.
When he noticed Elira and Gavin watching, he lifted a hand in a calm, polite wave.
"Well," Gavin murmured, "someone's eager in making friends."
The man approached, slipping through the crowd like water between stones. His presence was oddly calming. Even the noisy merchants seemed to quiet a little as he passed.
"Good day, officers," he said. His voice was smooth, measured, soft and pleasant. "I hope I'm not in your way?"
Elira narrowed her eyes. Nothing about him seemed suspicious... and that was the problem.
"Just a routine patrol," Gavin said. "Are you new here?"
"Very," the man replied with a nod. "I'm just passing through. Lovely city isn't it."
"What's your name?" Elira asked, ignoring his earlier remarks.
"Luci," he said with a relaxed smile. "And you are?"
"I'm Gavin, this is Elira," Gavin said easily. "Well, Luci, enjoy your stay. Try not to get into trouble."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Luci said, chuckling softly. "Be well."
And just like that, he turned and walked away, blending into the crowd with unsettling ease. Within seconds, he was gone.
Gavin watched him vanish, then let out a low whistle. "Charming guy, don't you think?"
Elira didn't answer right away. Her eyes lingered on the spot where Luci had stood.
"There's something off about him," she said finally, more to herself than him.
"What, you didn't fall for that smile?" Gavin teased.
Elira shrugged. "Maybe."
"Oh, come on. You totally did."
They both laughed, their boots echoing softly as they moved on.
High above them, Callum's clones watched it all.
One perched on a rooftop, gaze fixed on where Luci had disappeared. He tapped a finger to the earpiece tucked behind his collar.
"Yeah, uh... Definitely not normal," the clone whispered. "Following for now."
A soft vibration replied. Two more clones, scattered through the crowd, subtly adjusted their positions, forming a ten-meter perimeter.
But Luci had vanished.
One clone rounded the same corner just seconds later, and found nothing. Just brick walls and the fading scent of cinnamon.
"I lost him," he murmured. "Check the surroundings."
Fortunately Luci hadn't gone far.
He reappeared quietly, a block away, walking toward the slums with a bag of sweets in one hand, his pace slow and steady.
The district changed quickly. Bright stalls gave way to crooked alleys and rusted fences. Smoke curled from barrels, and children with dirt-streaked cheeks played in the shadows.
When Luci entered, the area stilled, not in fear, but in peace.
He knelt beside a small group of kids and offered them candy from the bag. At first, they hesitated. But his smile never wavered, and his voice was soft, gentle.
One by one, the children reached out, taking the sweets, thanking him quietly.
"You're all very brave," Luci said, brushing a lock of tangled hair behind a girl's ear. "The world is cruel sometimes. But not always. Things change. Especially when they must."
Above, a clone crouched low, watching through narrowed eyes. He lifted his hand to signal the others.
And froze.
Luci looked up.
Right at him.
He smiled.
A simple, pleasant smile.
The clone blinked, and Luci was gone.
No sound. No flash. Just... absence.
The clones leapt to the ground, searching. Nothing. No heat signature. No scent. No presence.
Only the dark stretching between crumbling buildings.
...
Later that night,
across the rooftops of the city, Callum received the memory feed from the network.
"He vanished just like that. Should we pursue further."
Callum sat on the edge of a rooftop, chewing a piece of licorice thoughtfully.
"Not yet," he said, voice low. "Let's just watch a little longer."
But below, in the bones of Amberhold, Luci strolled through the darkness, still smiling.
"The world really is cruel," he murmured to himself. "But I can be crueler."