Alex, The Lantern's 2nd Shadow

Jumping up, I feel my wounds close. Touching my stomach, I turn to my savior only to see Amber. "What are you doing here?" Telling me that's her question, she tries to ask me if I'm feeling any discomfort or pain. But I'm too shocked to be healed.

Standing up, I see Alice behind Amber holding our things. "Alice" Running up to her, I wrap my scarf around my head. "Thanks, but where did you find these things?"

Pointing to the hall back, they tell us how they escaped and how few people they found.

"Well maybe if someone's idea of a smooth break out wasn't breaking everything in his way, we could have gotten out smoother." Looking at Edward, he tells me to not be too mad, because he just saved my life. Waving my hand, I start to walk out of this weird ceremonial room.

"Where are you going?" Alice yells. "Home, does anybody have any idea how long we've been gone?" Looking at each other with no answer, I curse. "great, so it could have been weeks, and Amber could have already had a national funeral."

Kicking a pebble, I suddenly hear the sound of running water.

"Do you hear that?" Turning to the others, I ask them if they also hear it. They look around the room only to nod. "Water, aren't we underground?" Edward asks, getting a nod from the girls. Amber tells him that they haven't seen a single window throughout this whole facility.

Starting to hear the water get louder, my eyes go wide. "They're trying to flood us in!"

Starting to run in the direction of one of the halls, I run into some double doors. Jumping to the side, Edward breaks them down and takes the lead.

Spotting a map on the wall, I quickly read through it. [Supply depo]

"Edward! Right!" Doing as I say, he takes a sharp turn, we enter what seems to be a warehouse, I spot a large garage door. "Edward!"

Not needing further instructions, he tears them down.

"AH!" Seeing a huge water pump attached to the ground probably pumping water into the lower levels. "Shoot them!" A man in a yellow robe yells. "Jesus how many of these fucks are there?"

Jumping into a moat. Edward runs at the black-robed shooters and proceeds to absolutely rip them apart, being joined by Amber and Alice in the ditch, I joke.

"Welcome to Verdun! Haha!" Having a bullet fly through my hair, I duck down.

"STOP!" Hearing a man yell, I peek from behind the cover fully expecting to be shot at, but instead, I see him. The dictionary definition of a Playboy. Brushing his red hair back, he shows his sparkling white teeth.

"Boss, but-" Reaching into his yellow suit, the red-haired man pulls out a pistol. *Bang * "Shut up, you banana-looking bastard." Putting a bullet through the yellow-robed cultists, he fixes his yellow tie and walks to our moat.

"By the shadow, I promise not to harm you, Raven!" Hearing my name called out, I see Edward standing outside switching between me and the red-haired man. Turnign to my side, I see, Amber and Alice hyping me up.

Taking a deep breath, I climb out. Standing face-to-face with the red-haired man, I introduced myself. "I'm Raven, Crime Lord of the South." Throwing his pistol from hand to hand before holstering it, he smirks. "I'm Alex, The 2nd Shadow of The Lantern. I'm here on [His] Order to negotiate an end to this bloodshed."

Ordering his men to lower their weapons, I reply. "I accept, but first, I'd like to know what time it is?" Looking at his watch, he tells me that we've been in there for 16 hours.

"But don't worry, Amber has been excused by one of you noble cultists, but the rest of you.... Well, you have none who could worry for you, so that's that." Resting his arms, a car arrives at the top of the mountain.

"Well I believe we should talk somewhere more comfortable, so I reserved a 5 star restaurant. While Amber already having enough adventures today, jumps into the car. The rest of us still keep our guard high.

The next one to join Amber is Edward. Getting in the redhead Alex, singles us to sit.

"I don't trust you." Being joined by Alice who shares the same thoughts. Alex sighs and tells me that he wants to keep it, but oh well.

Throwing me my cane, I finally gain enough trust to join them in the car. Sitting down, Alex sits in with us and signals the driver to drive.

"I don't know how you do it Raven, but if you want to we can discuss everything right hear in the car." Seeing the other's hungry faces, I sigh and tell him that we will wait till the restaurant.

Nodding his head, he spends most of the ride in silence. After all, there's a thin barrier of ice that stops everyone from talking. Arriving beneath a large skyscraper, Amber immodestly singles to everyone that she knows the place.

Starting to treat it as a school trip, I wonder if I should be impressed or mortified by her bravery, or foolishness. Stepping out of the vehicle, the receptionist bows to Alex.

"Good day, boss."

Waving her off, Amber jumps to his side and starts to question him about the hotel. "Can't that girl have just a little bit more self-respect?" Entering an elevator, we ride to the top floor.

A large dining table overlooking the evening city is filled with food. While everyone else goes to take a seat, I turn to Alex. "I presume you have a separate table for the three of us?" Looking at Alice and me, he nods his head to a table overlooking the outside balcony.

Walking up the stairs, we take a seat at a nice glass table.

Reaching into his yellow suit for a folder, Alex gives us a gleaming smile.

"Before we start, I think we should introduce ourselves, but I already know everything about you two, but you know nothing about me. I'm Alex Ahmed. My father is a powerful Arabic oil baron and my mother is a French model."

Posing his jaw, we tell him to just get on with it.

"I get it you're not interested in me. You can only be jealous of my beauty!" Standing up, I pat his cheeks. Clapping my hands together, a cloud of white dust flew into the air. Crouching down in front of a plant, I proceed to lift it and move it to the side.

"Ah, sorry, I just needed some chalk to lift this heavy thing. I hope you don't mind me using some of yours that you had on your face." Alice covers her mouth to hide the fact that she's about to laugh, but Alex just laughs it off.

"A man of jokes! I love it!" Telling me to sit back down, he takes a napkin and wipes the remaining makeup off his face. "Anyway, let's get to business. On [His] behalf, I Alex am here to negotiate with The Crime Lord of the south, Raven. And his lady Alice.

Spitting out my drink, I begin to cough like crazy. Almost choking on it, I wave my hand. "We're not together." Alex's eyes go wide as plates and looks at Alcie, but upon seeing her expression. His composer returns. "I see, that means I'll still have a chance with a beauty such as herself."

Starting to rub my forehead, I ask him if we're to exchange pleasantries or talk about a truce.

Taking a deep breath, Alexes' demeanor changes. Getting serious he speaks.

"When fighting you, we lost. 156 Normal cultists, 3 High ranked shadows, 2 Human weapons, and 2 Wing leaders. Although one of them was barely possible as a wing leader."

Both probably thinking about the snake guy, I nod my head. If he was anywhere near Oswald's level, none would have made it out alive. I got seriously injured only because I started to take the fight as a joke in my head. A big mistake which almost cost me my life.

"Anyways, Raven, the cult's demands are simple. I will be stationed in Aquaria to make sure that you will no longer interfere with us." Looking at me for confirmation, I reply.

"You don't mess with me, I don't mess with you." Nodding his head, Alex continues.

"Funnily enough that's what the cult's elders deemed as enough, but [He] is interested in far more."

Closing my eyes, I know that this is where the real negotiation starts