The car pulled up at Shadowpaw's workshop, in the Red Desert. The structure, worn down by the unforgiving elements, stood alone atop a never-ending sea of crimson. Lucius cut the engine, and we exited with the stolen Best Blood containers. The workshop door creaked open, and Shadowpaw appeared, hood casting shadows over his face.
"Favorite group of thieves, I presume?" he said.
Lucius gestured toward the tote, and Shadowpaw's eyes gleamed.
"Hand it over," Shadowpaw said, extending his paw. Lucius passed him the tote, then casually placed his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, observing as Shadowpaw sifted through its contents.
"So...?" Lucius inquired with anticipation. "That enough?"
Shadowpaw withdrew his hand from the bag, nodding with a sly grin. "Yes, this'll do. It's gonna take me some time to finish the device, but that's all it'll be - finishing. Once it's perfected, I will send an Avian Sylvari."
Lucius chuckled. "You still haven't bought a phone, old dog?"
Shadowpaw clicked his tongue. "Ah, well, you see, Lucius," Shadowpaw explained, his yellow eyes gleaming mysteriously. "Avian Sylvari don't spy on me."
Lucius scoffed, shaking his head. "No, I think that you think that we don't know what we're doing. Don't worry, Shadowpaw, the Kaizer Project has its own private server. We know what hackers can do; trust me, we got one." He gestured to Zachary, who waved sheepishly, appearing a bit nervous in Shadowpaw's presence.
Shadowpaw's shoulders rolled as he let out an unimpressed, but amused, "Hm."
Lucius grinned and extended his hand to the dog-man. "Pleasure doing business, Shadowpaw. I can't thank you enough for all your help. It still bewilders me that you're doing us this service for free."
Shadowpaw let out a hearty, chilling laugh. "No, Lucius, I just said I didn't want your money," his gaze shifted towards me. "Nothing comes without a price. Just think of it this way: I'm putting it on your tab." I couldn't help but feel a bit of unease as he kept his gaze on me.
Shadowpaw seized Lucius's forearm, like a Spartan, and they exchanged a firm handshake, both sporting confident smirks. Shadowpaw then pivoted to enter his workshop, while Lucius redirected his attention towards us.
"We'll give him some time. In the meantime, you guys up for grabbing a bite to eat?" Lucius suggested.
Zachary wasted no time responding, "Yup, you said it, everyone was thinking it, I'm starving. Getting in the car now." He promptly opened the backseat door and closed it behind him.
The four of us exchanged glances, and Lucius chuckled, gesturing for us to follow suit. "I think Zach is a little intimidated by Shadowpaw. Don't tell him I said that though; he'll get in his feelings. Vampires have insecurities too."
Iris giggled, and I couldn't help but smirk.
Isyra chimed in, "Shadowpaw is kinda scary, you have to admit."
To that, we all shrugged and nodded in agreeance.
"Just kinda?" Lucius said, grinning. "He's older than all four of us combined. There's no telling what he knows. That's what scares me."
We climbed into the car, and Lucius took the driver's seat, steering us back to New Sanguine City. As we landed in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant, Lucius grinned.
"NightBite Delights, anyone?" Without waiting for a response, he drove through the convenient drive-through.
At the illuminated intercom, Lucius leaned out of the car window, squinting up at the menu. "Alright, what's everyone in the mood for?"
As I glanced at the menu screen, it revealed a diverse array of options tailored to the supernatural inhabitants of New Sanguine City. Vampires had the most abundant selection, with Crimson Delights, Truffle Blood, Stalactite Nectar, and many other options. Elephas could indulge in Ivory Elixirs or Leaf Bowls, while Dark Elves had the mysterious "Shadowsilk Soup...?"
Whatever.
Trolls could savor stews made for them, and Beastmen had meat-and-vegetable-filled wraps. Human choices, though more mundane, included classics like the Mortal Burger, or well-balanced plates with things like chicken, vegetables, and seasoned rice. As I pondered the possibilities, the intercom prompted us to place our orders.
Zachary chimed in from the passenger seat, "I'm feeling some classic Blood Burgers, extra rare!"
Iris added from beside me, "I'll take a side of Cryptic Crunchies with a Bloodshake."
Isyra, ever the elegant Serpentine, requested from my other side, "I'd like the Sanguine Salad, please."
Lucius smirked, "And for me, let's go with a Midnight Muncher Meal."
Obviously, I couldn't eat with them.
Lucius pressed the intercom button, "We've got a diverse order coming your way, get ready." He repeated the order.
The intercom crackled to life, "That's two Blood Burgers, extra rare, Cryptic Crunchies, a Bloodshake, a Sanguine Salad, a Midnight Muncher Meal. Will that complete your order?"
Lucius, grinning, responded, "Yup, that'll be it, thank you. And hey, throw in a few extra Cryptic Crunchies. I got a car full of starving monsters."
The disembodied voice replied, "You got it. Your total is 47.95 Bluds. Pull forward to the next window."
Lucius wasted no time in pulling up to the next window. He chuckled, "Alright, here you go," handing a sleek black card to Isyra in the back seat. She leaned forward, presenting the card to the cashier at the window. After a quick transaction, the aroma of freshly cooked Vampire-friendly fast food wafted through the car as we received our order. The NightBite Delights bag was handed over with a smile and a "Thank you, and enjoy your meal!"
We grabbed our meals and went back to Lucius's house, where we huddled on Lucius's couch, flipping on the T.V.
Laughter filled the room as we kicked back, enjoying the satisfying meal. It was a brief escape, a pause before diving back into the challenges waiting for us. But in that moment, surrounded by good company and good food, everything felt oddly normal.
Over the next few months, my life settled into a peculiar rhythm within the walls of Lucius's home. With Shadowpaw working diligently on the device, the urgency of our mission took a temporary backseat, allowing me to adapt to my new existence.
Lucius and Isyra welcomed me into their unconventional family with open arms. I acquired my own set of wheels, a sleek vehicle from the Subterranean Bazaar that navigated the city's labyrinthine streets with ease; the tricked-out Sedona. The thrill of driving through the darkened avenues brought an unexpected joy to my nights. I even made a side hustle out of participating in street races.
Lucius, always the gracious host, allocated a room for me. It became my sanctuary, a space to shed the weight of my past and embrace the possibilities of the present. A place to just... be myself; dance around, sing my heart out, cry my eyes out, or dream about being with Kaizer again.
The walls witnessed a transformation of my wardrobe, a departure from the medieval attire into something more contemporary, courtesy of Lucius and Isyra's thoughtful guidance.
We explored the city, its markets, and its eccentricities, taking breaks from the serious business of tracking down Kaizer to indulge in the simpler pleasures. Yet, beneath the surface, I remained vigilant, gathering intel on my mother's movements and The Cauldron's members. Images of their faces flashed in my mind as I went over them.
I learned that King Aster, my father and The Cauldron's leader, mastered Black Magic. His white hair swayed, and his red eyes and confident smirk seemed to taunt me in my mind's eye.
Leon Ludwig, a Mix-blood member, the only other Mix-blood besides Zachary, specialized in Ice Magic. He donned black hair and deep crimson eyes, and he looked so full of himself. From what I could recall from the memories I once shared with Kaizer, Kaizer and Leon had a bit of a history. They apparently took combat classes together.
I also learned of Torn Drakon, a warrior with Earth Magic; a Cauldron member as well. With spiky, red hair, crimson eyes, and a thick, red, braided beard, the guy looked tough, that's for sure.
And Seraphina Solstice, formerly a teacher of Shadow Mastery at the Academy, and The Cauldron's most potent magician, commanded all but Faith Magic, whatever that was; apparently, Faith Magic had something to do with the workings of cosmic creatures far beyond our world; Angels, Isyra called them. Seraphina's blue eyes shined behind long, wavy bangs of black hair.
Then Evelyn Ecrist, Thalia Ecrist's great-grandmother, supposedly a practically omniscient mastermind. Yeah, okay, whatever. I will say, however, that although she's literally one of the first Noble Vampires to ever exist, she didn't look a day older than 24. She carried the signature traits of Noble House Ecrist: chestnut-brown hair and crimson eyes, and deep dimples.
And Cassandra Nighthaven, who excelled in telepathy and mind control. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Lucius, Isyra and I considered that she might be the one behind the forgetfulness of Vampire Society. After all, Kaizer was a well-known figure at the Academy, and not just because he was believed to be a Human capable of magic, but also because everyone knew he was my mother's pupil. It's odd that only a select few people, the ones who had close encounters with him, remembered him.
Then there was Ignatius Emberforge, a former Cauldron member, alchemical genius, and professor at the Academy, now deceased, due to Kaizer smashing his head in with a sledgehammer. I knew that already, though.
And finally, Lucas Vain, Lucius's father, served as The Cauldron's official historian. Interesting. He looked like an older version of Lucius if he had kept his hair blonde and grown a mustache.
Suddenly, darkness swept over my mind. The sensation of awakening washed over me as Shadowpaw's voice resonated in the black void. "It seems we've pretty much—how do I put it—caught up with the present, Darcia. I think I have all I need. I applaud you for being brave enough to share this with me."
He presses his finger to my forehead, and suddenly, we're back in the chairs, in Shadowpaw's hotel room.
I sprang up from my chair, my focus on the Chrono-Disruptor. Shadowpaw chuckled, rose from his seat, and placed the device in the same tote that once housed the Best Blood containers. Offering it to me, along with the data chip, he said, "Here."
I accepted them both with care, holding the tote close as if it were the most precious treasure in the world, and slipping the data chip in the pocket of my jacket. Taking a cue from Lucius, I grabbed Shadowpaw's arm, and we shook firmly.
"Thank you, Shadowpaw. For everything," I expressed with conviction.
Shadowpaw responded with a genuine smile. "I only help because it gives me something to look forward to: a world like this, with Kaizer running around wreaking his usual havoc? Now that I'd like to see. Sounds like it could be fun... and lucrative," he added with a chuckle.
Grinning in return, I said, "Next time you see me, I'll have Kaizer with me."
Shadowpaw nodded his farewell as I headed for the door. "Looking forward to it, kid."