Chapter 56: Shadows and desire!
It was the next day after a day of battle and a night of peaceful rest. The early morning air was cool, the sky still dim with the blush of dawn. Ecdy moved quietly through the trees, rubbing his belly, his destination the only secluded patch of bushes that offered him the privacy he needed.
The forest was peaceful, the only sounds being the occasional rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds greeting the new day.
"Finally," he muttered to himself as he crouched down, letting out a sigh of relief. A warrior's life wasn't all glory and battle; even heroes had to take care of business.
He was just finishing up, feeling quite accomplished, when something shifted in the air. A strange, unsettling chill ran down his spine, freezing him in place. He blinked once, twice—and then from the shadows, like a ghostly apparition, Ikehara appeared.
"Well, isn't this awkward," the shadow of the sun god said, his voice dripping with amusement.
Ecdy froze, wide-eyed and mouth hanging open. "You—where did you—" He stammered, scrambling up quickly. "What do you want?" he snapped, desperately hoping he hadn't humiliated himself in front of this weirdo.
Ikehara's lips curled into a sly grin, his eyes gleaming with self-satisfaction. "Oh, relax. I didn't come to catch you in such a... compromising position." He gestured lazily at the bushes. "Though, I must say, it would've been quite the sight if I'd arrived a minute earlier."
Ecdy, now standing stiff as a board, clenched his fists, his face flushing in embarrassment. Thank the moon he was done. If Ikehara had shown up any sooner, everything inside him might have flushed out from sheer shock.
"What do you want?" Ecdy repeated, his voice now steady but still on edge.
Ikehara waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing much, just a little conversation between two... men. You see, I've noticed something. You like Tessa, don't you?"
Ecdy's body tensed at the mention of Tessa, his mind flashing to memories of her smile, her power, and... Adrian always being in the picture. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's it to you?"
Ikehara stepped closer, his movements smooth and calculated, like a snake slithering toward its prey. "I also see that Adrian's standing in your way," he continued, his voice in tune with the rythm, "but I can help you with that."
Ecdy's hand instinctively reached for his spear, his eyes blazing with anger. "Help me? Why would I need your help?" His voice was sharp, ready to strike.
Ikehara chuckled, raising a hand as if to calm him. "Oh, Ecdy. Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm not here to fight." His eyes glinted with amusement. "If I wanted you dead, you'd already be lying face-down in those bushes."
Ecdy tightened his grip on the spear, but his mind hesitated. Something about Ikehara's calm demeanor made his skin crawl, like he was playing a game only he knew the rules to.
Ikehara continued, his tone shifting from amusement to indifference. "Let's be clear: I'm wary of Tessa. Adrian, though, he's... a problem, but still manageable. You, on the other hand?" He looked Ecdy up and down, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "You're less than nothing. I could kill you with a snap of my fingers, so behave... or else, when my patience runs out, so will the breath in your nostrils."
Ecdy's heart skipped a beat as the full weight of Ikehara's words settled on him. He knew Ikehara wasn't bluffing. The man might be delusional, corky, and absurdly full of himself, but his power was real. And Ecdy... well, he wasn't eager to test just how easily Ikehara could make good on his threat.
He lowered his spear, his gaze still hard, but his muscles relaxed, just a little.
"Good," Ikehara said, pleased with Ecdy's submission. "I knew you were smarter than you looked."
Ecdy clenched his jaw, holding back a retort. He wasn't about to give this creep the satisfaction.
Ikehara then reached into his cloak, pulling out a small, intricately carved wooden flute. "Take this," he said, tossing it to Ecdy, who caught it instinctively. "If you're ready to take my deal, make a sound with this flute. One note, and I'll know. I'll come to you, and together, we'll deal with your little Adrian problem."
Ecdy stared at the flute, his mind racing. Was this some kind of trap? But before he could ask, Ikehara turned on his heel and vanished into the shadows, leaving Ecdy standing there, still holding the flute, bewildered.
He looked at the flute, then back at the empty space where Ikehara had disappeared. "What the hell just happened?" Ecdy muttered to himself.
As he trudged back to camp, he stuffed the flute into his belt, unsure what to do with it. His mind was filled with doubts, questions, and, embarrassingly, a lingering sense of relief that Ikehara hadn't arrived earlier.
One thing was for sure—he was going to stay far away from bushes for a while.
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About an hour later, Tessa spotted Ecdy returning from the woods, his shoulders tense and his steps oddly hurried. She waved at him with her usual bright smile. "Morning, Ecdy! Where have you been?" she asked cheerfully.
Ecdy froze, his face flushing crimson. The question hit him like a slap—how was he supposed to tell her he'd just come from the bushes, doing his...business? His mouth opened, but the words refused to form, his embarrassment choking him. Before he could say anything, Adrian, standing nearby, crossed his arms with a knowing smirk.
"Oh, he was just... attending to some private matters in the bushes," Adrian said with a wink, his voice dripping with amusement.
Tessa raised an eyebrow, quickly catching on. She glanced back at Ecdy, her expression soft with understanding, though a slight smile tugged at her lips.
Ecdy, realizing Adrian had spilled the beans, felt his stomach flip. He couldn't let this stand! Without thinking, he rushed at Adrian, fists clenched, aiming to pummel the smug grin off his face.
Adrian, cocky as ever, sidestepped effortlessly, dodging each blow with fluid grace. "Easy there, big guy," he laughed, effortlessly avoiding Ecdy's wild swings, "you might hurt yourself."
Tessa sighed and shook her head, watching the scene unfold. She could see why Ecdy was upset; there were some things no man wanted a woman to know about. And Adrian, with his teasing nature, was pushing all the wrong buttons. But she had no romantic feelings for Ecdy. Sure, Adrian had hinted that Ecdy might like her, but she only saw his actions as deep loyalty, not affection. Still, she could appreciate how embarrassing the situation was for him.
Once Ecdy gave up his futile chase, his breath coming in ragged gasps, the group gathered around. Nyala joined them, her sharp gaze moving between the three of them, clearly noting the awkward energy but saying nothing. They stood together as the leaders of their ragtag team, ready for what lay ahead.
"Alright, no more distractions. We're going on the offensive this time," Tessa said, her voice firm and resolute.
Nyala nodded, crossing her arms. "The SSG base is well-guarded. But if we strike at the right time, we can catch them off guard."
Adrian leaned in, his confidence palpable. "And if anyone gets in our way, well... they won't know what hit them."
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SSG Base
At the heart of the SSG base, Andrew Marshall sat in a dimly lit room, facing Ms. Caldwell across a chessboard. The sound of pieces being moved was the only thing breaking the silence. He eyed her thoughtfully, his admiration hidden beneath a mask of concentration.
He couldn't explain it to himself, but there was something about her—her resilience, her fire—that drew him in. But he would never admit it, not yet.
Ms. Caldwell, on the other hand, was puzzled. For someone who had imprisoned her, tortured her, Marshall was behaving...strangely. He had grown softer, more considerate. Why? She glanced up at him, her brow furrowed.
"Why are you being so...nice to me all of a sudden?" she asked, her voice low, cautious.
Marshall moved his knight across the board, carefully placing it before looking up at her. His face remained neutral, but his heart raced. How could he explain it? He couldn't. Not now. "Let's just say... I have my reasons," he muttered, avoiding her eyes.
Ms. Caldwell frowned, sensing something more, but she couldn't pin it down. There was a tension in the air, one she didn't trust. Before she could press further, Mr. Thompson entered the room, his eyes darting nervously between the two of them.
Andrew Marshall had given them some level of freedom and as long as they don't misuse it, he allows them some space to move around and some leniency.
Andrew Marshall had granted them a certain level of freedom, as long as they didn't abuse it. He allowed them some space to move about and exercised leniency where he could.
Mr. Thompson had been with them earlier, taking turns at the chessboard. After stepping away briefly to relieve himself, he returned to sit by Ms. Caldwell's side.
"Be careful," Mr. Thompson said quietly to her, his voice barely above a whisper. His face was lined with concern. "I... I don't know what's going on with him, but just...be on guard."
Ms. Caldwell looked at him, her confusion deepening. "What do you mean?"
Thompson hesitated, glancing over at Marshall, who was focused on the board but clearly listening. "I can't explain it now, but something doesn't feel right. Just...stay sharp."
Marshall's eyes flickered up, meeting Ms. Caldwell's for a brief second before he moved his queen. "Checkmate," he said calmly, though the tension between them was palpable.
Ms. Caldwell's eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure what game Marshall was playing, but she intended to find out. And soon.