*BANG!*
"OPEN FIRE—!"
The boss watched as volleys of bullets tore through the warehouse, sparks leaping from concrete and steel as Enark burst through the exit and vanished into the streets beyond.
"HE'S MOVING—GO, GO, GO!"
The Enforcers surged after him, boots pounding the ground as they spilled into the night.
"Tch—he managed to get away after all…" the boss muttered, jaw tightening.
"Kirsty. Kirsty, are you alright?"Landon spun around, tucking his gun into its holster as he reached his daughter's side.
"I'm okay, Dad," she whispered, wiping away the tear threatening to spill from her eye. Her voice trembled, but she stood her ground.
"I'm glad you're safe now, miss."The boss stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder for a heartbeat.
Kirsty glanced up at him over her shoulder. Fear sank cold and heavy into her chest. She knew—knew—that if she said the wrong thing, if she even hinted at the truth, they'd both be dead by daylight.
The boss seemed to savor that fear, meeting her gaze with eyes steeped in quiet iniquity before withdrawing his hand.
"Sorry," Landon said, turning back to him. "I didn't catch your name. I'll need it for my report on what happened here."
"Victor. Victor Grant," he replied smoothly.
Landon nodded once, committing the name to memory.
"That guy in the blindfold," Landon continued, glancing at the unconscious men scattered across the floor, "he's a Conjurer, isn't he?"
"Yeah," Victor said. "Could even be the one behind all those incidents lately."
Landon's jaw clenched."And he set his sights on my daughter as his next victim…" Landon agonized over the thought
"Did he have any partners?" Landon asked.
"Not that I'm aware of," Victor replied. "We found him here alone."
"That wasn't a lie." The thought echoed in Victor's mind.
"'Shadow Mask' has only just awakened as a Conjurer, but I've heard rumors of him long before today. He was the one who interfered with our operations down at the docks, the ones that 'nobleman' had overseen. He definitely has skill... could he be... " Victor thought coldly.
"Whatever he is… I can't allow him to continue."
"Detective," Victor said aloud, his tone dropping, deliberate. "Though he's a Conjurer, and I might be out of my league saying this to a professional like you… I fear that isn't all he is."
Landon's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying?"
"His movements. The way he fights. His attire," Victor said. "He doesn't strike me as an ordinary Conjurer."
"So you're saying he's more than what meets the eye?" Landon asked.
Victor nodded slowly."I've had my fair share of studying history, collecting knowledge wherever I can. Information passes around quite easily and quietly. Especially in the Undercity. Stories of an organization that exists purely in shadow…"
Landon's eyes widened.
"You… you're not saying he could be—?"
"It's just a hunch," Victor said carefully. "But there's a chance he could be one of them. One of the Concord of Shades."
The remaining Enforcers froze at the mere mention of the name, boots still, weapons hanging uncertainly in the air.
Landon exhaled slowly."I'm not deeply versed in the subject," he admitted, "but even I know Caldonia—Xiphonos as a whole—hasn't crossed paths with the Concord in nearly all recorded history. Not since the contract our Goddess signed long ago."
"Even if he isn't one of them officially," Victor said, "you saw how he moved. He could've been trained by one."
Silence settled between them, punctuated only by the soft echo of footsteps outside.
Landon's gaze drifted to one of the unconscious men sprawled across the floor.
"A Shade of Caldonia…" he muttered under his breath, jaw tightening. "The press would lose their minds. This would be our first record of a Shade on Xiphonian soil."
He turned back to Victor. "I appreciate your cooperation. We'll find you if we have any more questions."
"Glad to be of service." Victor bowed slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
His eyes flicked briefly toward Kirsty, still trembling where she stood, and he allowed himself a ghost of acknowledgment before turning away.
Victor made his way to the exit, but not before subtly signaling five of the Enforcers in the room to trail him without drawing attention.
Outside, in a nearby alley, he turned to them."Kill those guys who were with me. All of them. But cautiously—no witnesses. Mr. Ghoul's orders."
"Understood," one replied, before retreating toward the warehouse.
Victor muttered to himself, "Now… It's time I finish my job."
He manipulated his own Prime Energy, which he had been masking from the other Enforcers. By concentrating it around his brain, he was able to sense Enark's energy signature even as he was being pursued several blocks away.
With a single, fluid leap, he vaulted to the top of the building and dashed over the ocean of rooftops.
He paused atop a nearby roof, watching Enark prepare to clear a massive gap between the buildings.
"It's a shame… dying on the day you were born anew as a Conjurer,"he thought.
"But branding you as the culprit behind our work should stall Landon and his Enforcers. For now… at least."
He smiled faintly. "I guess this is goodbye."
*click-clack*
"See ya later, Shadow Mask."
*BANG!*