Kael's Gift

As I waited in front of the tent, a familiar voice startled me.

"I can give you better items."

"Kael!" My heart dropped. "Someone might see you!"

Kael ignored my warning and wrapped a necklace around my neck. The necklace is elegantly simple just a delicate chain with a small circular red pendant at its center.

"It looks good on your new outfit," he smile.

My face grew hot but I quickly regained my sense.

"What is this?" I asked suspiciously. "I don't want anything shady from a demon anymore!"

"Ah, about that…"

He reached for my fragmentor bracelet which then shattered and fell from my wrist. "You don't need that anymore."

"Wha—?"

Before I could finish, Caleb stepped out of the tent.

"Kira," he called.

I turned to Caleb and quickly looked back, Kael had vanished.

"Were you talking to someone?" Caleb asked.

"No, just… talking to myself," I lied.

"You bought another gear?" Caleb asked as his gaze landing on the necklace.

"Yeah… just because it's pretty," I just quickly finding an excuse.

"Alright, we're done packing," Tahlia announced, followed by Garis and Arlen who were carrying their gear. "Let's head out."

We managed to reach the settlement in a short time. I quickly put on my cloak.

Around 50 tents were scattered across the area.

Caleb scanned around. "Each tent looks like it can hold five or six people, but most seem empty. Only two or three people are around. It seems they rotate shifts for their tasks."

As expected from Caleb.

I nodded.

"Excuse me, where is everyone else?" Tahlia asked a woman standing outside her tent.

"You must be new here," the woman replied.

"Yes, we were recruited just yesterday," Tahlia lied smoothly.

"Ah, that makes sense. Most went to the industrial area to find the antidote."

"Industrial area?" Garis asked.

"Yes, it's about two hours west of here by vehicle. The area is heavily poisoned so only a few can go. A single Light Mage can heal up to ten people at most. I assume your Master hasn't explained this yet?"

Ha.. they're calling their Light Mage 'Master'.

"No worries, we'll ask him for details later," Tahlia cut the conversation short and turned back to us.

"We need to follow them tomorrow," Caleb said.

"There's no way. They're using vehicles," I pointed out.

Suddenly the hum of an engine drew our attention. A Light Mage wearing a white robe with golden patterns stood aboard a vehicle resembling a boat.

"Where's the other group?" the Light Mage shouted.

A man rushed toward him. "They've all been poisoned since yesterday. Only I remained. Please, can you come to heal them?"

"We're busy heading to the industrial zone. There's no time for that," the Light Mage replied coldly.

"Please!" The man grabbed the Light Mage's robe.

The Light Mage shoved him aside and turned to the crowd. "Is there anyone else who can go?"

Caleb raised his hand.

"Caleb!" I whispered urgently. "You know my cloak won't last more than 50 minutes!"

"Didn't I say I'd protect you? Trust me," he reassured me.

"You, blue hair. Where's your Master?"

"We were just recruited yesterday," Caleb said casually. "Our Master left with the others earlier."

I almost chuckled hearing Caleb's lies.

"Alright, jump in."

I hesitated but decided to follow.

Once on board, the previous man pleaded with the Light Mage again. "Please stay for a moment!"

"Shut up!" The Light Mage snapped and extending his light string and wrapped it around the man's neck. The man collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Everyone gasps but no one dared to speak.

"What did you do?" Tahlia shouted.

"Did you forget why we're here?" the Light Mage snarled, not even glancing back at her. "Focus on the mission, or you'll meet the same fate."

"You—!" Tahlia growled but Caleb gently held her arm.

"We understand," he said.

"Good. Now go," the Light Mage ordered as the mecha started the boat.

I felt nervous along the journey. My cloak's timer ticked down. Caleb stood nearby but he looks focus on something.

The timer ran out.

"Stop!" the Light Mage suddenly raising his hand.

My breath caught as he turned toward us.

"I sense something—" he started, but before he could finish Caleb's blade sliced through his neck in a single swift motion.

"CALEB!" I shouted.

The remaining group, a mix of mages and assassins hissing and drew their weapons.

"You've lost your Master. You're no longer connected to his catalyst now. Leave, or face the same fate," Caleb said coldly.

They hesitated before leaping off the vehicle and disappearing.

The mecha stood and ready to flee. Caleb grabbed his shoulder. "You stay with us."

Silence fell over our group. I stared at Caleb in speechless.

I guess I never truly knew what kind of person Caleb is.

"Let's get back now. We'll wait until the next shift heads to the industrial zone," Caleb gave us his orders.

***

We stood by near the settlement the next morning. Around fifteen groups had already departed when Caleb nodded toward the last one preparing to leave.

"That must be the last group," he said. "Let's go."

The mecha guy powered up the boat. We followed the group from a safe distance to keeping just out of sight. Garis wore the light mage robe we had taken from the slain mage the previous day as disguise.

The last group led us to a sprawling industrial factory. The building was surrounded by a massive steel fence. Rusted machinery and scattered debris lay outside the main gate of one of the building where the group entered.

I stayed back with the mecha guy in the boat while the others slipped inside the factory.

"So, what's your name?" I asked, realizing we hadn't spoken to him since kidnapping him.

"Lucan," he replied.

He looked to be around my age with short brown hair and glasses.

"Okay, Lucan. I'm sorry you got dragged into this, but we're not bad people," I offered awkwardly and unsure how to explain our situation.

"You guys just killed my Master yesterday," he said bluntly.

"Well, you've got a point there," I admitted then deciding to leave it at that.

"But I'm glad," he added, surprising me.

"Huh?"

"I always felt something was wrong with them," he explained.

"Then why were you with them in the first place?"

"They promised protection," he said. "But they couldn't even protect their own group from poisoning and they won't heal them."

I nodded. "I understand…"

Perhaps that's why Caleb hadn't hesitated to act either.

The conversation shifted after that. I peppered Lucan with questions about what mechas did, how they built their inventions, and even who came up with the ridiculous usernames on the store. Time passed quickly that we hardly noticed how long we'd been waiting until a loud CLANG echoed from the back of the factory.

I snapped to attention, throwing on my cloak and hurrying to check the source.

Behind the building, I saw nearly twenty figures climbing out through broken zinc sheets scattered on the ground. At first they looked like participants, still wearing suits and even jumpsuits from Arkanova. But as they moved closer it became clear they were no longer human.

Their bodies were grotesque. Their arms were unnaturally long and twisted into claw-like shapes resembling feet that forcing them to hunch as they walked. Their faces were covered in green boils, their hair fell out in clumps and their bulging eyes seemed ready to burst.

I felt a wave of nausea. They were mutated participants.