Lucian had only seen Diavol once or twice around his father, a man who walks slowly and had a bent back, gaze as silent as those dark caves which tame beasts inside them and sometimes Aureil remind him of Diavol.
He knew his father will go for him and although Amaya had told them everything, there's no way his father had given all the information in the letter. Over these all years he had seen his father move the pieces of his scheme into positions but this time he won't be a mere spectator.
He knew his father will go for his prized possession, he had heard stories about someone who was known as the shadow of the First General which always lurked in darkness like he was meant to be there and that's why his father always called Lucian his younger son.
"What are you trying to find ?", Aureil asked while walking
He was going through every book in the library he can lay his hands on, every map that he can find about the white fortress with a lamp in his hand.
"Map of White Fortress and whatever information I can find about that piece of land. "
Auriel was walking around the table with a frowned expression on his face. He put his one hand on the brim of the table. "I'm worried about her. I know she will insist on coming with us."
"You? Worried about someone. That's nice !"
Aureil directed his furious gaze towards Lucian. Definitely a mighty glower.
Lucian had developed this habit of teasing him in most stressed time.
"Here it is".
"Where is Amaya ?"
"She's in the next room, she has been crying for a while and fall asleep.", Aureil replied.
"We need to move as soon as possible. Ryujin's security will be hard to breach and I don't think finding a boat on the coast will be hard then we have to sail to North."
"Fine."
Lucian was holding a small heap of books and few parchments which had structural drawings of various buildings and white fortresses. They were walking through the galleries of the libraries, the wooden floor was creaking because of the load he was carrying. The library had been built to look like a maze so even corridors had stacks of books on both sides with a lantern in the middle of the corridor.
Although Lucian was trying to focus on detail. He was scared this time, he knew even though he didn't have any order but he was defying his father.
They were on their way when Lucian heard a symphony being played, a low pitched and slow sound piercing through his ears. He can't say if he liked it or not but the melody was getting closer with every passing second.
Auriel was standing silently with a pale face, his eyes were dilated with a huge thud his body fall on the ground. Lucian leapt to hold him.
"Aureil, What happen ?"
"It's my head, It's throbbing."
Lucian can see veins on the side of his temple pumping. He held him by his hand and helped him to walk, with every step Aureil's screech was increasing and he hasn't seen him like this ever, he knew Aureil can handle pain.
"What's happening ?"
"This melody. It's hurting..."
"Holy fucking sages. What's happening ?", he swore.
He was not concerned about Aureil's health, he knew he will heal in no time. The only concern currently was that there was no time, they all were supposed to leave this night from Ryujin and he wanted Lucian at his best. There's no way they will be able to cross even a single gate with Aureil's condition and this melody was also creating an eerie feeling inside him, something like a presence that wants to be hidden, something frayed and raw.
He limped towards the door with Aureil's arm over his one shoulder. He entered the door and saw Amaya standing silently ...
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A shadow was standing at the top of the spire of the temple, wind from the nearby harbour along Ryujin was bringing the smell of the sea, ruffling his dark stray hairs. His cloak was as dark as the night can be and was the reason why he had chosen this day to come back to the place which had created him. The dark clouds shadowed the moon and he was just a shadow that can be anywhere anytime at least that was what the world knows about the name Damon Staghorn.
The symphony from his flute was a plain melody in these silent nights. He jumped and landed in front of the main gate with a flute and a smirk that people rarely live after witnessing. He was as silent as a predator crouching for his prey, his skills as an assassin always came in handy. He leapt from one roof to another crawled through walls of dormitories and classes until he was standing in front of the only library of the Ryujin. He knew she will be here, he can sense her presence.
Gently, Damon drew two climbing spikes from the pocket of his quilted vest and wedged first one and then other between the bricks of the wall as he hoisted himself higher until he was at the second story of the library and hoisted himself onto the window ledge just wide enough to perch on.
He crossed a slender set of doors and stepped onto the balcony from where he can see her sitting reading and taking notes. He knew her since she was a child, every habit that she was accustomed to he knew, he had followed her family for years till that day when he murdered her mother but he was not able to get what he went for.
"Whose there ?", Amaya asked with a tense voice waiting to get a response from the dark deserted space in the library.
Damon never understood how this girl was able to sense his presence, he didn't have sent and he was more silent than wind. He was aware of the fact that she has Fern blood in her veins and will inherit the key to the Symphony.
Amaya rose from her chair and narrowed her eyes to adjust her focus to the darkness when she felt something cold on her neck, "Till when you'll save the secret Amaya ? I'm here and he's too", asked Damon.
She can feel his presence, his tall figure and his gloved hands which will tear her neck apart in a blink. She recognised the voice, that's him the man who killed her mother. Amaya has been running since her mother was killed. Her father did everything to make sure Damon didn't find her until he sends her to Ryujin which was one of the safest places in the nation but who else is here, about whom he was talking about.
"Deep inside you know your destiny girl", Damon whispered in her ears.
She closed her eyes as tightly she can and was standing there silently waiting for him to slit her throat when she heard a voice from behind a harsh male voice.
Damon knew he can kill anyone but he felt something, he looked in the direction from where someone was calling her name and realised along with the voice something else was accompanying him, brewing darkness similar to his. Damon wanted to know what was so cold about this presence but he didn't want to destroy the chance he has been waiting for this long.
"Amaya!"
Lucian was shouting from behind and was holding Aureil, who was trying to squeeze his head with his both. She ran towards him and put one of his arms around her and lay him on the table.
Lucian stepped back from the table while Amaya was trying to understand what was happening with Aureil.
"I think it may have something to do with the melody that was being played."
"A melody ?"
"Yes. we hear something in the hall and after that, he screeched out of pain in his head."
She was quick enough to join the dots but this time was not right to tell them anything about Damon. She needed to focus on Aureil, she held his palm in with both hand when Aureil made a sighing noise and was trying to open his eyes.
"What has happened ?", he enquires while trying to open his eyes.
"You fell", replied Lucian.
"I'm aware of that part. What was that melody?"
"I have no idea, just it affected you more than anyone present here."
"Ok, I think we should prepare to leave as soon as possible."
"I think that's the better idea we have the whole voyage to think about what has happened here."
Aureil tried to walk away from the table when she dragged Amaya's hand with him. Amaya has been holding his hand tightly with both of her hands and he didn't realise but he almost squeezed her's unconsciously seeking comfort which her touch gave to him.
Amaya released her hand with a bit of shock, she almost forgot she was holding him.
Lucian also focused on the way trying to ignore what has happened.
"Amaya, we'll discuss-plan and the findings that you and I have," said Lucian while walking towards the main door.
Aureil checked his leather packs for his knife and then followed their trail.