Ignite the Sun
Chapter 55: The Pit (4)

Chapter 55: The Pit (4)

"Oh, miss Captain, how nice of you to join us!"

Kalim was a sleazy looking guy in his 30s with a tanned skin and lithe build, his dark brown hair and beard were neatly styled, just like his rather expensive looking clothes.

He was standing in the middle of the office with a warm smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, twirling a large dagger in his hand completely unbothered by the intrusion.

The Boss sitting behind a shoddy desk had a very different reaction - he shot up from his position and started yelling:

"Who are you?! How did you even-"

His tantrum was cut short by a blade that lodged itself in his forehead.

"I’m sorry Mitch, but I’m afraid you’re no longer useful."

Kalim swiftly retrieved the large dagger, wiping most of the blood and brain matter on his former associate’s clothes, and then smiled at the trio, settling on the desk.

"Now we can talk in peace, how about that?"

Instead of answering, Alison swung her sword right at him - only to be blocked by an invisible wall.

Kalim sighed.

"You’re always the same Alison, people try to talk to you and you try to kill them, honestly it’s quite disappointing."

"I have nothing to say to a murderer." She gritted her teeth, still pressing on the force field in front of her.

"Maya my dear, if you could talk some sense into your girlfriend I would be eternally grateful." He addressed the other guard.

"Piss off Kalim." Maya placed her hand on Alison’s shoulder. "Ally, you won’t break that, and you don’t have to, the bastard is trapped."

The capitan reluctantly disengaged and lowered her sword, all the while still glaring daggers at Kalim.

"Thank you kindly, we may now proceed with the discussion."

"Why on earth would we talk with you?" Cassian asked.

Kalim looked at him like he just noticed he was there.

"Oh? A newcomer? How nice, I get to make new friends!" The man bowed theatrically. "I’m Kalim, but you probably already know that, may I ask for yours?"

Cassian didn’t respond.

"Strong and silent, huh?" Kalim shrugged. "To address your question, I was under the impression that you were here to interrogate me, is that incorrect? Since I’m feeling generous today, I’ll allow you to ask two whole questions - am I not benevolent?"

"Why are you even here? The Decay didn’t work the first time, so why would you try do the exact same thing again?" Maya crossed her arms.

"This little drug scheme? It was meant to be a diversion from the real show happening far, far away - guess I’ll have to come up with something else now."

Kalim clearly wasn’t planning on elaborating, so Cassian asked the next question:

"What did you tell Konrad that convinced him to mess with the main array?"

"Konrad? Konrad..." The shady man tapped his chin in fake thoughtfulness. "Ah, the mage boy! I simply told him a fairy tale, and the naïve child belived it - not my fault that he tried to recreate an ancient ritual with materials of dubious quality."

Kalim took a ripped paper out of his breast pocket and placed it on the desk.

"Here, you can check what I gave him yourself if you don’t believe me - once I’m out of here of course."

"You’re not going anywhere but the prison." Alison growled.

"Oh please, do you really think I have no way out? That it’s the first time I’m in a situation like this?"

He approached a wall and stabbed it with his dagger - instead of getting stuck in the wood, the blade sunk in up to the handle.

"It was a pleasure meeting you all, but I’m afraid I have to go, See you some other time!"

Kalim pressed the knife down, and it cut the very space as it moved, creating a dark doorway.

When he stepped through, Cassian felt like something has changed - guided by nothing but instinct he hurled his sword at the disappearing criminal.

The blade soared past where the barrier once was, and grazed Kalim’s hand at the last moment, making him drop the dagger in surprise. They might have lost their target - but they did gain something interesting.

"Good job Cassian."

Alison smiled as she eyed the bloodstained dagger lying silently on the floor.

***

"...son of bitch!" Kalim yelled as he emerged from the portal.

He inspected the ugly cut on his palm - it wasn’t a life threatening injury, but it will scar.

After all the work he put into his perfect image!

"You failed." A cold voice came from the darkness.

"Oh give me a break, it’s not like you had many successes lately." He snapped.

"My plans are long term schemes involving multiple moving pieces, it is impossible to tell whether they succeeded or failed this soon." The voice paused. "You however indulge in brief and pointless acts of chaos that barely advance our cause."

A figure came from the darkness, a tall and regal looking Blightborn dressed in dark gray robes. On his chest was a place for a pin, which was visibly missing.

"We might have to reconsider our deal."

"Lay it off Torrath, you say that at least twice a year and yet nothing ever happens." Kalim rolled his eyes. "You need me as much as I need you, I’m the one who can actually get inside cities."

"But not Mountainfall after what you’ve done."

"Ugh, don’t even remind me... will you be able to recreate it?"

"Yes, but it will take time." Torrath sneered. "And you won’t be able to step foot in Mountainfall ever again."

***

Maya was inspecting the now clean dagger, while Cassian and Alison were studying the paper Kalim has left behind.

On one side it depicted a clearly incomplete magic circle, and the other had five words hastily scribbled on it.

"The Birth of the Eclipse...?" Alison read aloud. "What the hell is that?"

"An old myth about the Sun God and the Moon Goddess, I think it was about resurrecting someone? Isa or Ellie would know better, we should ask them when we go back." Cassian answered.

"And the magic circle?"

"No clue, all I know about spellcasting is what Cal mentioned in passing, and I can’t even read runes - but if I had to guess, it’s probably related to the story."

"Yeah, sorry to spoil your book discussion club but we still have to deal with the actual drug." Maya interrupted.

"Right." Alison nodded. "Leave the destroying to me, you’ll deal with the aftermath."

She pocketed the note, and after a quick check that they didn’t miss anything important they left the office.

***

Soon they were once more standing in front of the main lab, weapons in hand.

Alison kicked down the door - again - and announced to the room:

"Everyone stop what you’re doing and surrender, if you cooperate you might just survive."

Unsurprisingly, the unarmed and rather anemic ’scientists’ immediately froze upon seeing three people with weapons, ready to cut them down.

"You!" Maya addressed the nearest goon. "Where’s the drug?"

With a shaking hand the man quickly pointed at a set of boxes sitting in the middle of the room.

"Alright, move away if you don’t want to get cut in half!" Alison announced.

She grabbed her sword with both hands, and closed her eyes.

From the handle of the weapon midnight blue whips rose, covering the blade in a sinister flame-like aura.

Alison drew her sword back, and then performed a single horizontal slash.

A beautiful yet terrifying arc of pure power traveled across the room, severing everything it touched and setting it on fire.

’So she hasn’t quite mastered it.’ Cassian thought.

When an aura slash was properly performed nothing was left on its wake, but it left no trace - only a smooth cut, far too large amd precise to be made by a regular weapon.

The dark flame dancing around the scene was a proof that Alison wasn’t able to fully direct her aura, at least yet.

Still, it had achieved what it was supposed to, the boxes of drugs were now little more than a pile of ash.

Alison’s knees buckled, and Maya ran up to catch her before she could hit the floor.

"Are you alright darling?"

"Uh-um" The capitan confirmed.

"Let’s get you out of here."

"What about them?" Cassian gestures at the cowering criminals.

"Leave them, their boss is dead and we can’t even try them since we just destroyed the evidence of their wrongdoings."

"I suppose we got what we wanted..." He reluctantly agreed.

"Great, now come help me transport her, not everyone has superhuman strength like she does."

They decided that Cassian would give Alison a piggyback ride, since it would be the quickest and free Maya to deal with any potential dangers on their way back.

"Should we go into that private place until she can move on her own again?" He suggested.

"If you don’t mind, I would rather get out of here as soon as possible." She looked at the unconscious girl. "Let’s get her home."