Confliction

It was five o’clock in the morning.

Hints of the early-morning sun broke through the distant horizon, illuminating Seren Forest from its prolonged pitch-black darkness.

Rustle...! Chirp-chirp-chirp!

As their instinctive nature kicked in, various animals proceeded to announce the new day. The birds were chirping in song, the rodents and critters were rustling through the trees and bushes freely, and mammals and reptiles were shifting groggily to commence their morning routine. It was an average day for the local wildlife of Seren Forest. However, for the Cobalt Family, it was the bane of their existence.

All three family members desired nothing more than to sleep, wishing to find any signs of Zaron and Veena’s eventual return to the surface. They had awaited all-night for news of the Draiken pair’s success, anticipating the reveal of the Dragon’s Eye emerging from the cave’s entrance.

However, as the hours passed, their anticipation morphed into agitation. The last time they had communicated with the Draiken was when they confirmed they were leaving for the surface, informing them that they would be delayed due to the unexpected ‘extra baggage’ joining them on their return journey. The proclaimed ‘baggage’ was the source of heated discussion amongst the family trio throughout the early hours of the night.

***

“Fine. If you can get her back to the surface, I’ll see what I can do.” Lucas confirmed to the two Draiken through the speaker, feeling wary of the unexpected development underground.

After he closed off communication, he switched to face his two sons – both staring at him in distraught.

“What are those two even thinking?” Marc questioned in bewilderment. “Why should we help her after all the bloodshed she’s caused?”

“For once, I’m with Marc on this!” Tobi added in shock. “Did they somehow forget she attempted to assassinate Zaron three – count them, THREE – times now?!”

Lucas glanced at the twins with a raised brow, expecting the backlash yet also shocked to see them in total agreement. Although he agreed with the twins’ concerns, he decided to reserve his opinions until the group had finally reunited. Furthermore, he held faith in Zaron and Veena’s unexpected decision, believing there was context the Cobalts had neglected to consider.

“Those two have been through enough down there.” Lucas excused casually, considering the pair’s efforts. “Whatever the case, what matters right now is that they’re alive and safe.”

Hearing his father’s answer, Tobi swayed his head as he considered the response. On the other hand, Marc was not convinced.

“Aside from their health and wellbeing, they should start thinking about growing spines.” He muttered in spite, finding his father’s sentiment abhorrent and wishy-washy at best.

He then stepped forward to communicate through the speaker, feeling a necessity to convince the Draiken pair against the absurd idea. However, as he leaned in to speak to them, Zaron’s voice echoed back unexpectedly.

“…She gets one chance.”

At that moment, Marc halted himself from speaking into the mic, feeling a sense of hesitancy bind him. Lucas placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, expressing his understanding on Marc’s frustration yet proving their decision was expected.

“Neither of those two are ready to take that plunge.” Lucas informed directly, shaking his head in the process. “Ending a life is a lot harder than you think. Even when that ‘life’ is a despised enemy, acting out an execution would haunt you for the rest of your days.”

Marc glared at his father with a conflicted expression, assuming his statement was from personal experience. He could imagine a complicated history in his father’s eyes, the caring yet odd, deadpan expression holding years of decisions and actions that forever loomed over him. Finally, Marc yielded, feeling it was pointless to dispute.

“Tsk-! Such a pain…!” He groaned with a click of his tongue, veering away from his father irritably.

Observing the two in conversation, the anxious Tobi decided to add his own suggestion.

“Why not just leave her there?” He wondered with a shrug. “She's not our responsibility, so ... why go to the lengths of bringing her back?”

Hearing the question, Lucas let out a slight chuckle.

“I was actually thinking about that, as well.” He admitted, crossing his arms. “But, it seems our Draiken companions are more pure-hearted than we give them credit for. So, we’ll just have to hear them out when they reach the surface.”

***

Present Day...

The three waited as they watched the night transform to day. Lucas listened closely to the radio transmitter, consuming his eighth coffee of the night from his thermal flask. He had bags under his eyes and a desperate desire to sleep, believing it was an entire day since waking up from his last nap. With the sun rays breaking through the tree canopy, he was left squinting irritably. Nearby him was a struggling Tobi, his head leaning back against the nearby tree as he battled the temptation to lose consciousness. With his eyes glazed over and head drooping forward, it was only a matter of minutes before his dreams consumed him. Finally, perched in the distance on his lonesome, Marc had fallen into a trance as he listened to the music beating through his earphones. With his eyebrows furrowed and mood soured, his patience was close to breaking point.

And then, as he popped an earbud out from his ear, the agitated Marc glanced over to his fellow family members.

“If you think we should’ve taken turns waiting for them ... say ‘I'.” He called out groggily, hoping to spruce up the boring atmosphere.

Both Lucas and Tobi answered respectively, their words slurred.

“Ditto...”

“...Yeah...”

Marc glared at the two in judging silence, feeling dejected by such failed responses.

“...You both suck.” He then murmured in displeasure.

“Oi...! Come over here and say that to my face, dick-weed.” Tobi responded with a half-hearted taunt.

“Tch...! How about you get off your lazy ass and come to me instead?” Marc snapped back abruptly; his patience passed the threshold.

“Children...”

Lucas warned the two directly in an irritable groan, preferring to avoid parent-mode whilst suffering from his sleep deprivation.

Step, step, step...

Just then, Lucas' ears perked up, hearing the familiar sounds of footsteps echoing from the cave entrance. Tobi also heard the sound, straightening up with a reignited grin.

“...How’d we miss that huge opening?”

“I don’t know! I'm sure that wasn't there when we first went down.”

The all-too-familiar voices approaching the entrance were gossiping, acting without a care in the world.

“About damn time.” Marc sighed out in relief, rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes.

As expected, Tobi was the first to move, leaping up on his feet ecstatically as his prior sleepiness dropped in a heartbeat. Lucas was the next to move, rising groggily as he felt the stiffness in his joints. Finally, Marc nudged from his seat to be in eye-view of the cave entrance, feeling it unnecessary to waste his remaining energy over the trivial matters.

And then, as they emerged from the cave, the two Draiken stepped before the open forest.

“Oh man, I forgot what the sun looked like.” Zaron admitted in awe, squinting at the bright morning sun rays splintering through the canopy.

“We haven’t been down there that long, Zaron.” Veena corrected him, giggling amusedly before reconsidering his words. “At least, I don’t think we were...”

As Tobi approached his two friends eagerly, he was taken aback abruptly by the sheer state of their rough appearances. Both Zaron and Veena appeared as though they had endured a war. Their attire and overall appearance were dishevelled and ripped up significantly. An example was Zaron’s shirt, torn to shreds and attached only by the magnetic weapon holster strapped across his body. Additionally, their expressions were void of energy, acting as though it was an effort for then to show emotion after all their energy was spent retrieving the Dragon’s Eye. Zaron was sweating excessively, his ruffled black hair was soaked and matted. On the other hand, Veena's long crimson-red hair was wild and unkempt. Finally, as they switched to Tobi, the context to their dishevelled appearance was on full display.

Upon Zaron’s shoulder sat the Dragon’s Eye, clasped firmly by his arm. It was apparent that the Eye weighed him down considerably, placing extensive strain on his body over the course of his journey to the surface. The enlarged jewel shimmered beautifully from the gleaming sunrays, emulating an elegant, refreshing aura upon basking in the natural light after so many years. Switching back to Veena, she was drained after carrying the unconscious Crimson Mantis on her back. Although it impossible to determine through her helmet’s thick black visor, her body's lack of movement and limp limbs were enough to determine she was out cold. With the plethora of extra baggage burdening them, Tobi could only imagine the nightmare they endured to reach the surface.

“Do you mind helping us out here, Tobi?” Veena requested lightly. “We’re on our last legs.”

“Oh! Right. Got you.” Tobi responded as he snapped back to reality, realising he was losing focus due to his own fatigue.

He received their backpacks from them, lifting the weight off their shoulders. At the same time, Lucas stepped up before the two.

“Well now, did you two have fun down there?” He wondered teasingly.

The two Draiken glared at him exhaustively in unison, wondering – and hoping – he was just joking with them.

“Hahaha...! Okay-okay. Now’s not the time for jokes.” Lucas then admitted, playing it off to save face. “Veena, if you come with me, we'll sort out our assassin friend. In the meantime, Zaron and Tobi, you two can head over and secure the Dragon’s Eye in the truck. There should be some large cloth and ratchet-straps in one of our bags.”

Zaron and Veena both nodded without saying a word, both far too tired to make a vocal response. However, Tobi glanced back at his father with a wary expression.

“You better keep your promise, old man.” He warned amusedly, his gaze switching between his father and the unconscious Mantis.

Lucas sighed out in annoyance as he rolled his eyes.

“Yes, I'll let you know when we remove her helmet.”

“Yesss....!”

Tobi hissed in excitement before switching for the truck.

Zaron followed Tobi’s lead, unable to hide his amused yet awkward smirk.

“Is her face reveal that important to you, Tobi?” He asked Tobi with a tired yet curious expression, catching up to walk beside him. “You’re acting a little creepy, don’t you think?”

“Of course it’s important, man! And no ... it's not creepy to look behind our enemy’s mask.” Tobi responded, feeling insulted by the accusation. “We have every right to see her identity after everything she's done during the past few weeks. And besides, if she starts being difficult again, we can simply tip Nightshade on her identity. I’m sure those guys would love to know after the incident back home.”

“I see...” Zaron then murmured quietly, feeling Tobi had a hidden motive behind his innocent appearance. “...Still sounds creepy to me.”

Nudge!

“Ngh-?!”

“More importantly, you need to tell me everything that happened down there.” Tobi then demanded slyly, nudging his friend to shift topic. “I need to know all the details.”

The unexpected jab to his ribs caused Zaron to jolt, almost losing his grip on the Dragon’s Eye in the process.

“Well ... I almost died at one point, I guess.” He answered in a fluster, realigning his grasp on the gem.

“I already know that bit!” Tobi sighed out casually, waving off the event like it was insignificant. “It’s pretty much one of your defining character traits at this point.”

Zaron tense up reactively, feeling attacked by his friend’s brutal comment – even though he admitted internally that there was some truth to the claim. Upon reaching the family truck, Tobi threw the backpacks into the boot and laid out a large, expanding tarpaulin onto the ground. Zaron placed the Dragon’s Eye on top of the tarp carefully, ensuring not to drop the jewel on his own foot in the process. Staring at the hefty red gem in awe, Tobi felt the need to speak his mind.

“Man ... if we can strike a deal with Queen Sera, we’d be beyond loaded by tomorrow.”

Stretching out his arm in relief, Zaron switched to Tobi with abrupt confusion.

“W-wait ... what’re you implying?”

“We will not be haggling Her Majesty!” A familiar, moody voice then called out.

Zaron and Tobi turned to see Marc approaching them casually, his uncaring eyes only half-open and hands in pockets as he was increasingly grouchy.

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“Tsk! Why not?!” Tobi snapped back reactively to his twin, prepared for the typical argument. “After the nightmare we've been through trying to get this damn thing, asking for a bit on compensation would be more than reasonable. And besides, if this is going to be our career-path, we need to start bringing in the funds somehow.”

Zaron and Marc gazed at Tobi with questioning expressions, wondering how he contextualised the ‘we’ part of the argument and the subject on their career-path.

Regardless, Marc was swift to respond.

“Because she’s the Queen, you numb-nut.” He reiterated in an agitated groan. “We're already on thin ice. If we started hustling for the royal's cash, we may as well just ask for directions to the nearest prison cell.”

However, hearing his brother’s doom-and-gloom, Tobi continued to hold ground.

“But that’s exactly why we should take the risk!” He exclaimed. “Queen Sera always obsessed over the Dragon’s Eye – you know that. So, surely it wouldn’t hurt to ask for a small fee for our services.”

As the two continued to bicker, Zaron was left standing between them in absolute boredom. He felt as though he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to escape the mental torture.

In the distance, Lucas and Veena laid the unconscious Mantis on a secured ground mat, preparing for the upcoming medical treatment.

“What ... are they talking about?” Veena wondered curiously, glancing over in their direction.

“I swear, those two can make an argument out of anything...” Lucas sighed in response, refusing to acknowledge his two sons bickering as he focused on Mantis. “Anyway, ignore them. Let’s get this done so we can finally rest up.”

Veena nodded back in acceptance, taking one last glance at the trio as she felt apologetic for Zaron’s unfortunate inclusion into the mix. She then proceeded to assist Lucas in setting out the medical equipment, placing them down in an orderly fashion at the older Cobalt’s request. Finally, they knelt either side of the assassin, their muscles tense as Lucas retrieved the recognisable elixir vial.

“Just so we’re certain: are you sure you want to go through with this?” Lucas questioned her with a tough glare, assuring the decision would not end in regret.

“...”

After a moment of hesitation, Veena answered.

“Yes.”

“Fine.” Lucas accepted sincerely, relaxing his shoulders before calling out for the trio in the distance. “BOYS! WE’RE READY TO REMOVE THE HELMET!”

Fwip!

“SHOW ME!!!”

Immediately after Lucas' call-out, Tobi was already kneeling alongside them with beaming eyes, fidgeting on the spot as a burst of excitement engulfing him. The unexpected appearance caught both Lucas and Veena off-guard, Veena almost drawing her Kurama blade on Tobi instinctively.

“...Okay.” Lucas breathed out as he allowed his racing heart. “Tobi, there’s a time-and-place for the over-excitement – and now isn’t one of them.”

However, Lucas' meaningful words of wisdom simply flew over Tobi’s head, his eyes far too fixated on Mantis’ visor to care. They were soon joined by Zaron, who acted subtle over his underlying curiosity. And so, Marc was left alone with the Dragon’s Eye, uninterested in the reveal of their adversary’s identity. Instead, he preoccupied himself with examining the hefty jewel, searching for hidden secrets to the jewel yet to be discovered by the human populace.

“Now then ... the moment of truth.” Lucas announced to the group with a calmed breath, reaching for the visor with the elixir in his other hand.

The three observers peered in: Tobi anticipating the reveal of the assassin’s identity; Veena fidgeting on the spot as she felt conflicted on the idea entirely; and Zaron loomed over in wary silence, reaching behind for his Artoria blade gradually. Although acting disinterested in the event, the distant Marc peeked over his shoulder curiously. In that moment, he noticed an occurrence oblivious to the rest of the group: the assassin’s hand had clenched up.

He shot up in abrupt horror.

“WATCH OUT!!!”

FLASH!

SWOOSH! SLICE-SLICE!

A sudden flash of light consumed the entire forest, blinding everyone in its wake. The sound of blades followed as they swung into action – and yet, no clash could be heard. Marc closed his eyes reactively, shielding himself as the blinding flash engulfed his vision. His heart and breath raced as his fears became a potential reality.

(No! NO-NO-NO!!! I warned them! I warned them something like this would happen!)

The blinding flash then subsided, allowing the dazzled Marc to return his vision in desperate haste. He blinked rapidly as he stumbled forward to the scene – hoping for the best yet expecting the worst.

“DAD! TOBI!”

He yelled out in terror, only able to see silhouettes as he struggled to readjust.

Skid...!

And then, he halted on the spot. As his eyes adjusted, his gaze widened in shock. The first image that caught his eye was the edge of Mantis' arm-blade touching his father’s throat, causing a trickle of blood to form from the small cut produced. Shifting his gaze, he then noticed two more blades – Artoria and Kurama – aimed millimetres away from Mantis' own neck, preventing the assassin from fulfilling her action without suffering the same fate. After that, Marc witnessed the situation in its entirety.

“You really think you can keep this up? In your condition?” Zaron warned his adversary in a restrictive growl, his once-green eyes now glaring gold with serpent-like irises. “You don’t even realise how lucky you are, do you...? So, don’t you even dare think about taking it for granted.”

He was holding a tense, intimidating stance with his blade aimed at her throat, ready to finish the job at any given opportunity. The assassin glanced at him cautiously through her unreadable visor, frozen in place. As she heard his words of warning, she then veered to Veena gradually – who was silent and focused as she aimed her Kurama blade at the assassin. Mantis could read Veena’s thought process through her expressions, noticing the Draiken girl was hopeful that the assassin would accept Zaron warning and relax her arm-blade. However, Veena was also determined to follow through with her retaliation if required.

Amongst the stalemate, the cautious Lucas and Tobi watched on. Feeling the deadly sharpness of the arm-blade grazing his throat, Lucas was frozen solid. He dared not flinch nor gulp. However, he was oddly calm, acting as though a blade to the throat was a regular occurrence for him. Overall, it was clear that Mantis was at the mercy of the Draiken.

“What’s it going to be, Mantis?” Zaron then growled, pressuring her to act. “You’d best make a decision soon, because ... my patience’s running out.”

In that moment, Mantis lowered her arm-blade begrudgingly, accepting her loss. However, neither Draiken lowered their weapons.

“Here’s the plan...” Zaron informed her carefully, bearing his fangs as he growled. “We’ll heal you up, and then ... you scram. You’ll leave us all alone and we never cross paths again. Do you understand?”

Refusing eye-contact, Mantis nodded in silence. With her confirmation, both Zaron and Veena lowered their blades warily.

“Good.” Zaron then breathed out, feeling the immense fatigue draining him mentally. “And, on that note ... I'm hungry.”

Clipping his weapon onto his back, Zaron directed his attention to the large cool box near the truck.

“Oh, Zaron! Whilst you’re there, grab something for me!” Veena then called out hastily, hoping to fill the empty pit in her stomach.

Hearing her request, Zaron returned a thumbs-up as he fixated on the cool box – along with the desirable contents that awaited him. Tobi, Lucas, and Veena watched him dive headfirst into the cool box, amused by his lack of care in gathering the copious quantities of snacks and drinks. On the other hand, the ever-silent Mantis was staring vacantly at the floor, feeling humiliated. Switching her sights, Veena noticed the assassin’s defeated slump.

“It may not seem like it, but Zaron and I are grateful that you helped us down there.” She admitted to Mantis earnestly. “Without your help, we would’ve struggled fighting the crystal Guardian ... and we would’ve lost.”

Mantis' helmet twitched, listening to her words out of silent curiosity.

“It feels weird for me to say this, but ... thank you, Mantis.” Veena then admitted awkwardly, grinning earnestly at the assassin.

Mantis turned her head and stared silently at the female Draiken, taken aback by the genuine gratitude.

“...And now I feel disgusting.” Veena then murmured revoltingly. “Enjoy it whilst it lasts, because I’m never doing that again.”

***

During the next hour, Lucas and Veena tended to Mantis' wounds, handing her the elixir vial as they cleaned up any open injuries. They shooed away the loitering Tobi, finding his insistent attempts to peak under the assassin’s helmet irritating and evasive. As Tobi left with a disappointed pout, Lucas and Veena were forced to turn a blind eye as Mantis downed the vial, respecting the assassin’s request after she stared at them intimidatingly. Although apprehensive at the idea of showing their back to the assassin, they were relieved to find she had no ill intention.

Meanwhile, Zaron lifted the covered Dragon’s Eye onto the boot of the family truck, ensuring no part of the jewel was left exposed. At the same time, he wolfed down on a rich green apple, attempting to multitask. Tobi assisted however he could upon his arrival, shifting any objects obstructing the jewel’s ideal position. It was a challenge, yet the two succeeded after a few adjustments.

As the two sides were busy at work, Marc observed from a safe distance. His arms crossed and bloodshot eyes glaring at Mantis anxiously, he had no intention of relaxing. He watched her gulp back the elixir vial, tensing up in disdain as one of their precious, rare elixirs were wasted willingly on their troublesome enemy. Furthermore, the thought of trusting the assassin sickened him, feeling the group was too lenient on her considering she had attempted to kill his father not too long ago. With her back to the entire group, Marc had no clear visual of Mantis as she adjusted the helmet to consume the vial. However, he noticed a hint of fair skin and a tuft of short auburn hair break through, causing him to lean closer as he peered curiously.

“Oi, Marc! Are you just going to just stand there and look useless, or are you going to help us out?”

Suddenly, Tobi's obnoxious voice echoed out to Marc, forcing him to break away in an instant.

“Y-Yeah ... I'm coming over.” He then responded with a low grumble, lifting to his feet.

After one last glance at the assassin, he shifted his attention and joined Tobi and Zaron reluctantly.

***

Before anyone realised, it was already midday. With tasks completed and the Dragon’s Eye secured, the group designated shift patterns for sleep. Zaron and Veena took priority in the shifts, both acting dead inside as they entered their designated tents. In the meantime, the three Cobalts were tasked on observing Mantis, nibbling on their sandwiches casually as they watched the assassin squirming on the mat.

With the elixir in full effect, Mantis was struggling to contain her sanity as she tossed and turned, attempting to scratch through her suit to no avail. She was silent as she endured the torment, struggling to restrain the yelps, grunts, and groans with every jolt of her body.

***

Finally, it was the late afternoon. As they emerged from their tents refreshed after a few hours of rest, Zaron and Veena switched with the Cobalts to observe Mantis – who was found unconscious once more after experiencing the elixir’s brutal healing process. The pair perched close to her, both digging into their own lunches they had the chance. Additionally, they placed their weapons in arm’s reach, ensuring they were prepared for another attempted surprise attack.

“I wonder what her past was like.” Veena murmured curiously, sipping away on her fizzy drink.

“I’d rather not know.” Zaron responded bluntly, shrugging at the thought. “I’d assume it’s probably unpleasant.”

“Aren't you curious?” She then questioned him directly. “Maybe with a little digging, we’ll see her in a new light.”

Zaron stared at Veena in confusion.

“You’ve lost me.”

“Okay ... think of it like this: What if – hypothetically – she was forced to be an assassin against her own will?” Veena then elaborated, emphasising possibilities behind the assassin’s origin. “What if she never experienced the joys of a normal life?”

Zaron was silent momentarily, swaying his head as he considered her words.

“It’s possible, I guess.” He then commented, understanding her point of view yet also reserving judgement “On the other hand, maybe it’s not that deep. Maybe she just chose to be an assassin on her own will.”

Veena sipped her drink as she murmured lightly.

“Perhaps...”

The two fell silence.

The silence was therapeutic, both Draiken enjoying the comfort sounds of the surrounding nature whilst appreciating the other’s company. With the late-afternoon sun breaking through the tree canopy; the sounds of birds twittering throughout the forest; and the luscious, gentle breeze brushing passed the natural green: it was the perfect opportunity to sit back and reflect on their experiences so far - if not for Mantis’ existence.

“Do you regret giving her a chance?” Veena then wondered cautiously, breaking the silence between them.

Zaron tensed, uncertainty seeping from his expression.

“There's no point in having second thoughts at this point.” He admitted in a low murmur. “We’ve made our decision … and I intend to stick by it.”

Veena grinned at him slyly.

“I see. Well, I guess that makes two of us.”

Rustle...!

Just then, the pair noticed Mantis shifting, indicating she was waking up. They watched the assassin warily, their hands hovering over the hilts of their blades as the prepared for the worst.

...Slip!

Jolt!

However, as Mantis shifted to her knees, the strength in her arms subsided and caused her to slip.

“Ah! Careful!” Veena gasped out.

Both Zaron and Veena lurched forward instinctively. However, just as they reached out, Mantis caught herself before hitting the ground, saving herself from embarrassment.

“Take it easy. You're still recovering.” Zaron informed her hesitantly.

Holding herself on her hands-and-knees, Mantis swatted away the pair’s offer to assist her groggily. She then proceeded to kneel shakily, her stronger arm pushing herself up as she was wary of using her previously damaged arm.

“How’re you feeling?” Veena asked the assassin curiously, ignoring the caution signs in her mind.

The dazed Mantis neglected to respond, staring towards the distance blankly as though deep in thought. Veena glanced over to Zaron awkwardly, realising she was clueless on how to approach the assassin. In response, Zaron glanced back with an oblivious shrug. And then, upon switching back to the assassin before them, they noticed she was on her feet already. The two shot up reactively, feeling on edge due to her unpredictable movement.

…Step, step, step…

In that moment, Mantis swivelled and walked away from the two Draiken, acting as though she was blanking them purposely.

“Wait, Mant-!”

However, before Veena could call to the mysterious assassin, she noticed Zaron stepping forward with a cold expression.

“Will you keep your promise?” He questioned in a severe tone, his piercing gaze locked on the assassin intensely.

Mantis froze in her tracks, peering back at the two silently upon hearing his question as though contemplating her answer. She then reached into a hidden side-pocket of her battle-suit, retrieving a mysterious, luminous item.

Rustle…!

Zaron’s brow furrowed, his body tensing up as he expected the unexpected from the assassin.

Whoosh…!

Just then, Mantis flung the small item at Zaron’s direction, causing him to catch it in a swift, reactive motion. After glaring at Mantis momentarily, Zaron lowered his gaze to the item in his hand.

And then, his eyes shot wide open. Noticing his reaction, Veena peeked at the palm of his hand.

“No way…!”

Her reaction matched his own, shocked at the sight of the item in question: it was his mother’s emerald pendant.

“W-why…?” Zaron breathed out, his face contorting into a furious snarl. “Why’d you have this?!”

However, as he – along with Veena – switched back to Mantis, she was gone.

“MANTIS!”

Zaron yelled out in a burst of confused rage, desperate for clear answers. At that moment, he felt Veena suddenly grab his arm to prevent him from chasing her down.

“Zaron, let her go.” She suggested calmly, feeling his frustration yet knowing it was wasted effort to chase after her. “I don’t think we’ll get anything else out of her. And … she at least kept her side of the deal.”

“…Fine.”

Zaron yielded bitterly, relaxing his stance as he grumbled to himself. He glanced upon the reclaimed emerald pendant; his eyes entranced by its familiar, gleaming beauty.

“What’s with all the commotion?” A familiar voice then wondered, yawning away sleepily. “I’m assuming our guest scurried off?”

The two Draiken switched to voice’s owner in surprise, noticing Lucas approach them whilst rubbing his aching temple.

“Yeah … she ran off the moment she regained consciousness.” Zaron admitted with a single nod, breathing out to simmer his frustration.

“Sorry, Lucas. Did we wake you?” Veena apologised swiftly after Zaron’s answer, noticing the state of the man before them.

With bags underneath his eyes and clothes ruffled, Lucas was far from recovery of his sleep deprivation. From the timing of his arrival, Zaron and Veena assumed he was woken up by Zaron’s outburst.

“I’ll be fine.” He mumbled in response, brushing aside the needless inconvenience.

He then glanced at Zaron’s closed hand, noticing the thin chain hanging from the gap in his fist.

“I’m assuming that’s the cause of the outburst?” He assumed with a crafty smirk.

“I’d be lying if I said: ‘it wasn’t’.” Zaron confirmed as he opted to pass the pendant.

“Heh…! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this.” Lucas then chuckled as he examined the emerald. “I wonder why Mantis held onto this.”

Both Zaron and Veena nodded in agreement, the same question lingering in their minds. After appreciating the pendant in its full glory, Lucas returned it to its rightful owner.

“You'd best keep it safe.” He warned. “I don’t think Terra would appreciate you losing it.”

Zaron jolted as he heard those last words, reflecting on the initial spark that kickstarted the chain of events the past month.

“Y-yeah ... I'll keep that in mind.”

With a nervous chuckle, he slipped the pendant into his jacket’s inner pocket. Lucas watched him blankly, confused by the odd response. On the other hand, Veena turned her head away from Zaron and Lucas subtly, her body quivering as she held back her desperate giggles.

“Anyhow ... with her gone, we can finally celebrate our success before we hit the road tomorrow morning.” Lucas then informed them casually, pepping himself up. “We're far from finished.”

The two Draiken gazed at him blankly upon hearing his words. At the same time, Lucas stepped towards his truck with a sly grin strapped across his face.

“Hold up, Lucas. Are we not heading back to the house?” Zaron questioned him, following his lead alongside Veena.

“Of course not.” Lucas answered with a casual chuckle, waving off the idea. “Heading home would be foolish right now. Just because Mantis isn’t giving us grief anymore, doesn’t mean her contractor’s thrown in the towel.”

Zaron nodded in understanding, realised the older Cobalt was raising a valid point. He remembered the assassin was not the true source of their grief, instead she was merely a pawn to the nameless contractor who desired his death.

Click!

“And besides…” Lucas continued nonchalantly, opening the truck’s boot to show the concealed Dragon’s Eye in the process. “We need to get this beauty to its rightful owner.”

Veena’s eyes widened in an instant.

“Wait, you mean-?!” She gasped out.

Lucas switched back to the two Draiken with a haughty smile. At the same time, both Tobi and Marc emerged from their tents drowsily, overhearing the conversation with curious eyes.

“That’s right. Tomorrow morning … we’re heading to the City of Aeris.”

End of Volume 1.