Chapter 3: 3. Alicia: Old Friends and Burning Papers

Alicia walked from the drop off area with her arms filled with a variety of used textbooks needed to be checked for if they were good for resale. She worked at the local university’s bookstore. It was always busy at the beginning of a semester but as the weeks went along it died down enough for employees to actually enjoy their work. She was currently making her way to where they kept all the required textbooks in two small rooms at the back of the store. To most people it was a strange place; it felt almost sterile, like a hospital but for the dusty air from the yellowed pages of used books, which were popular among the students.

It was a good barrier from the outside, a place where Alicia could rest her tired senses. She was constantly straining them to catch any sign of trouble. Her past loomed over her just out of reach, poised to strike, and every step she knew could reveal her to the hunters. Here in the half subterranean store, she only had to watch one entrance, but she could take any one of the many fire exits. It was the ideal location to be for most of the day. She was usually alone or with one other co-worker so if there were to be any trouble it wouldn’t draw too much attention.

Alicia dropped off her stack and got busy cataloguing and ordering books for the next semester coming up in January. Carrie, the only other person in today, was on her lunch break, leaving her in complete silence. Alicia was halfway into a large shipment of English 115 books when she heard footsteps coming down the steps in the front room. She looked up from one of the stacks to watch a mirror in the top corner of the room which pointed in that direction. Her eyebrows creased.

A large man was walking through the shelves, stopping every few meters to check the books, looking as though he was on a mission to find something specific. A warning in Alicia’s head sounded; there was something odd about this guy. He was large; though she couldn’t tell whether it was fat or muscle under the full business suit he wore, sans tie. Alicia couldn’t make out much about his facial features, besides that his thick dark brown hair was pulled back into a sleek wolf tail on the top of his head, and that his eyes were deep set. Another younger person walked down the stairs and joined him. They spoke for a few seconds then looked toward the other room where she was and nodded.

Alicia didn’t wait to make her way to the employee break room making sure Carrie wasn’t there. Despite not knowing the first man she had definitely recognized the second person. They held themself tall with their shoulders squared up. Short white hair with bangs hanging to one side framed their sharp, feminine face. They also wore a full suit to match their partner, but also wore bright red gloves and tie.

As carefully and quietly as possible, Alicia shut the door behind her and went to her handbag, which lay on a table on the far side of the room. She pulled out her phone and tapped in the code to unlock it. Nervous, she glanced over to the door before opening her messages and navigating to her texts with her husband.

‘Works busy, be home late. Take kids out to Dinjrr.’ Alicia tapped out as quickly as possible, making sure everything was spelled correctly before hitting send.

This was the moment she’d dreaded. Not one to be caught unprepared, she had planned for this eventuality. Alicia hoped the Order hadn’t figured out how Natasha fit into their plans. Maybe she could buy her family time to get at least off the island; to get a head start. If Alicia was lucky the Order would still be searching for the names of the Shards.

‘Make sure Sasha has the necklace.’ She hit send before turning the cell completely off and tucking it into her bra before the two intruders barged through the door.

“There she is.”

Alicia stood her ground as the dark haired man held the door for his partner to pass through. Before shutting it he spoke a locking incantation and placed his hand on the latch. It shone bright white until the door clicked, then turned black. Alicia knew the trick; it was locked until the key word was spoken from the inside. She was trapped in a windowless room. There was no point in fighting until that door was open. She straightened herself and nodded to the two of them.

“You know, it has a bolt lock,” She said, shaking her head.

“Just in case,” The man replied, his voice deep and gravelled.

Alicia scrutinized the pair. She still couldn’t decide what to make of the bulkier man. His clothes strained under the massive bulk underneath. His square jaw and flat face added to his menace. Bright hazel-green eyes shone from under his thick eyebrows. He cracked his knuckles and Alicia quirked a smile. She would not be so easily intimidated. He didn’t look like a fool but he was no comparison to the one who stood next to him.

“Ventus,” Alicia said, inclining her head toward them. “I didn’t expect you to be the one coming for me.”

“Who else would it be?” Ventus’ voice was soft verging on a whisper. “I hunt deserters and traitors. You happen to be just that.”

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Coupled with Ventus’ papery skin and white blonde hair their eyes looked all the more soulless and unnaturally clouded. The subtlety of their actions and intonations reminded Alicia of an oncoming storm; like the quiet rumble of far off thunder before the clouds peaked over the horizon. It had been so many years and she couldn’t recognize them beyond the familiar appearance. They seemed dead inside. Alicia took a step forward into their buffer space and put on a mock face of confidence. She hadn't sparred in too long, and she knew it, and she was taking too long to gather energy for a blow.

“I thought you worked alone?” Alicia asked. “Or was I too much of a tough target for you?”

“Richter?” Ventus took a step toward her as well, shrugging. “I didn’t need him but the order insisted.”

Alicia was close enough to Ventus’ face that she could’ve decked them right in the jaw; but she held off to keep Richter, who hovered behind them, in mind.

“Hm, they need’nt have worried,” Alicia said with a lilting tone. “I’m a bit out of practice.”

“I’m sure—it’s curious, though, you’re the first target they want brought in alive.”

Alicia looked away. She knew they’d want her alive. Information was more important to their end goal than another dead deserter.

“You know I have some important information locked up in this dome.” Alicia offered a small smile and pointed at her head.

Bemused, Ventus paused for a moment, scrutinizing her face. There was a quick flicker of the person Alicia had known once. They clicked their tongue and sighed with displeasure.

“Enough small talk, Ventus.” They broke eye contact with Alicia as Richter grabbed their shoulder. “Time to go.”

“He doesn’t understand the concept of ‘knowledge is power’.” Ventus shook their head glancing up at Richter. “Well, sorry but we have to break this, uh, compelling discussion short.”

Alicia took the small distraction as a chance to make the first move. She pulled at her stored energy, manifesting it along her arm and out into a long fiery whip. With an ear splitting crack she lashed at her enemies. Richter held up an arm to block the blow, pulling Ventus back, and was burned on the face and arm. Ventus side stepped out of the way in time.

“I’m not going down easy, you have to know that,” she said, whipping again at Richter who held his place. “Hope you came prepared to fight.”

“I'll take that into consideration.” Ventus stepped back to a corner of the room creating as much space as they could between Alicia and their partner.

Richter shot into a run at Alicia at a tremendous speed for his bulk. She flung her arm forward and let the whip explode like a firecracker between the two of them. With a burst of heat and light the break room was engulfed in flames. Ventus wasn't able to step out of the way this time and Richter stopped mid stride and took the full brunt of the blast with a grunt.

The flame dissipated leaving the walls charred and the dry papers packed in cubbies around the room alight and raining down around them.

“You'll regret that,” Richter growled, blistered from severe burns, yet somehow he managed to crack a wide grin.

He muttered another incantation under his breath and clawed the full length of his arm with sharp, talon like nails that appeared with his words. The arm reacted to the wound and glowing glyphs appeared like lights strobing under his skin. Alicia stepped back in disgust and raised her hands willing the fire around her to grow. Ventus moved in counteracting her by instantly withdrawing the air feeding the flames. Alicia’s shield was broken and she was distracted enough to miss Richter plunging his glowing arm at her. Managing to recover just in time she caught his hand and held it for a second before deflecting it to her left.

It wasn’t enough however as her arms trembled in pain. She looked down to see that the symbols had transferred to her hands where she’d touched his arm. As the glowing receded, slashes appeared like several invisible knives had sliced into her arms and shoulder. Alicia swore. Blood splattered to the ground as she tried to move but Richter took the chance to attack again. He threw a left hook then a right straight to Alicia’s stomach. She used her arms as much as possible to protect herself but both hits landed hard. With a sickening sound Alicia felt a rib break.

She felt as though her whole body was on fire aching from within. She tried to pull from that heat and from around her into a counter but her mind was still swimming. She couldn’t manage to concentrate. Her legs crumbled, and the rest of her body followed. She shuddered under the pain of the runic cuts. Richter wound up for another blow but Ventus stopped him.

“Enough.” They placed a hand over Alicia's head. “I want to make sure she makes it back to the magistrate alive.”

“Damnit, Ventus,” Alicia managed as she gasped.

The air over Alicia's body cooled rapidly and she felt her lungs empty with a wheeze. She tried to suck breath back in but she was too weak to fight back the spell. How had she let them get the upper hand so quickly. Ventus kept their hand in place as they slowly suffocated Alicia. She felt like she was floating but still tried to fight to stay awake. Grabbing Ventus’ arm she tried to remove his force with the last dregs of her power. She couldn't see through the tunnel vision but heard a cold laugh from Richter.

“Ven— you don’t know the truth,” she mumbled, trying her best to pull them back from the darkness they’d lost them to. “Please.”

“Shhhh, traitor. Count your blessings,” Ventus said with a hint of disappointment. “We'll at least see each other again.”

Alicia lost consciousness.