ONE
Sweat trickled down his face and mingled with the blood, creating rivulets that gently dripped onto his black training robe. Gan ignored it and focused on the man who stood before him who was shifting his position and stepping away. Rafael took off the jacket to his dark gray suit and placed it on a railing near the wall. A silver tie offset the crisp white shirt. He loosened it and then tied back his black hair, which had hung loose to his shoulders. His coal-black eyes never wavered from Gan as he stepped across the floor to assume a defensive stance.
The training hall in the Gray headquarters was small. The hardwood floor in the center dominated the space. Around them, weapons of every kind adorned the walls. Both men were unarmed.
“Tell me, Rafael, how long?” Gan asked, clenching his jaw. “How long has Regional known?”
“Regional is aloof, not blind, Ganriel,” Rafael said. His voice, a deep baritone, echoed throughout the space. “We allow you a certain latitude, but things have gotten out of hand.”
“Is this an official visit?”
“Not yet it isn’t,” Rafael said. “I’m here to inform you of the threat she poses and I hope you’ll listen to reason.”
“The artifact,” Gan whispered. “That’s why you’re here.”
Rafael nodded, his face grim. “They’ve noticed and are coming for it,” he said. “It’s not just me. You know that.”
Ganriel slid forward and closed the distance in a split second. His hands pulsed violet with power as he lunged forward with a straight fist. Rafael twisted around the strike and slashed across with a spearhand. Gan stopped the slash with an open palm inches from his neck.
“Your stonehand is as fearsome as I remember,” Rafael said. “It’ll be another twenty-four hours before Regional even knows I’m here.”
Rafael feinted to the left and stepped right. Gan dodged left and struck right. Rafael slashed down and blocked the incoming strike. Gan allowed the momentum of the block to pull him down as he twisted around and elbowed Rafael in the ribs. Rafael grunted in pain as he slashed forward, shredding Gan’s robe as his fingers cut through the fabric. Gan stepped back and looked at the tattered remains of his sleeve.
“It seems the years haven’t dulled your bladehand,” Gan said. “This was a new robe, a gift.”
Gan ripped off the sleeve and let it fall to the ground.
Rafael gave a small bow as he smiled.
“I’ll replace it, old friend.”
“If Regional didn’t send you, then why are you here?”
“Velos is being sent to your city, along with the rest of his group.”
“The Hand of Regional led by Velos?” Gan said. “He’s a madman. It will be a massacre.”
“An efficient madman who gets results, which is all Regional cares about,” Rafael said. “He’s been tasked with retrieving the artifact.”
“You mean killing Sepia.”
Rafael looked away. “Yes,” he said. “I doubt it can be removed by extraction of the gem.”
“Just say what needs to be said,” Gan answered. “No need to sanitize.”
“Ganriel, the artifact needs to be removed and destroyed. The loss of one Hunter is an acceptable cost to preserve the rest of this city.”
“I find that cost too high.”
“We don’t,” Rafael said. “The Hand was chosen because it is effective and efficient. He will remove the artifact and we can destroy it.”
“Don’t you mean removed and harnessed?” Gan asked. “Since when is the Order in the business of relinquishing power?”
“This artifact is different, it’s Unholy, and we don’t want a repeat of what happened last time.”
“And you can’t control it,” Gan said. “Say it.”
Rafael sighed. “And we can’t control it,” he whispered. “It’s better destroyed.”
“Typical Regional response,” Gan answered, his voice cutting through the room. “You don’t understand something, can’t control or manipulate it, so it’s better to destroy it.”
“Don’t you even care for her?” Rafael shot back. “This artifact will transform and twist her into something malevolent. It won’t be her! She already wields a dark sword—the only Hunter to do so without ill effects.”
“That belonged to her mother,” Gan answered. “And it chose her.”
“Exactly my point,” Rafael said. “The fact that she hasn’t been turned by it, this doesn’t surprise you? That eye of hers that glows like a goddamn Nightmare beacon—that is normal?”
“What are you saying?”
“If you really care for her, really love her as a daughter, then death is the best and only thing you can give her right now.”
Gan flexed the muscles of his jaw as he looked at his friend.
“I care,” Gan whispered. “In honor of our past friendship, I’m going to let you walk out of here without breaking both your legs.”
“I’m sorry you can’t see what needs to be done here, but that’s always been your weakness,” Rafael replied. “Your emotions cloud your judgment.”
“Thank you for your candor,” Gan said, his voice tight. “I think you need to go.”
“I leave tonight. Don’t fight us on this one, Gan. They will crush you and still go after her.”
“Velos is no match for me or any Hunter with a named blade for that matter.”
“You still don’t understand what’s in play here,” Rafael said. “Regional released one of the dark blades. They know she wields a dark weapon and felt this was the appropriate response.”
“Impossible—no one in Regional is that insane.”
“No, not impossible,” Rafael said. “Velos is holding a dark blade and is bonded to it.”
“A bonded dark blade?” Gan asked incredulously. “They must be desperate, crazy or both. How did you let that happen? You know the power those swords possess.”
“They’re scared, Gan, and people don’t behave rationally when scared. Especially people in positions of power. I couldn’t stop this even if I wanted to—and I don’t. She needs to be stopped.”
“I won’t let you kill her,” Gan said. “She’s too important to me.”
“The artifact is more important,” Rafael said. “It’s too great a threat to leave in the hands of class-two Hunter wielding a dark blade. Doesn’t matter who her mother was.”
Gan rubbed his face and pulled a towel from the wall. He wiped the bloody sweat from his eyes and smiled at Rafael.
“Gan, no,” Rafael said, shaking his head. “I know that face but you can’t win this. Let it go. I know you, the ties you have, but you have to understand she’s already dead.”
Gan grew serious. “Rafael, the only way you get to her is when I stop breathing.”
“What is the value of one Hunter—ex-Hunter—against the entire Order?” Rafael asked. “If you take this position, they will kill you both and rip the artifact from her.”
“How?” Gan asked. “We don’t even know how it merged with her.”
“Do you think for one second that matters to Velos or Regional?” Rafael asked. “All they look at are the results.”
“You want to know the value?” Gan turned and walked across the floor to leave the training hall. “To me, she’s priceless.”
“I’ll make sure to engrave that on your tombstone,” Rafael answered. “Did you forget what happened to the last person who held that artifact?”
Gan stopped walking and let out a long breath.
“This conversation is over.”
“They’re coming for the artifact and you can’t stop them.”
“Watch me,” Gan said. “Make sure you don’t get in my way.”
“Gan, I’m sorry, it’s just that you can’t win this time,” Rafael said as he stepped close to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t make the same mistake he did. He couldn’t control it and neither can she.”
“Goodbye, Director,” Gan said as he removed Rafael’s hand from his shoulder and left the training hall.
