98 - Shadow and Silence

"Argh...HH,"

Muffle grunts escaped as Cassandra woke up from her slumber. The weight of the cold night, guilt and a loosing battle clung to her mind heavy. The events of the night had shaken her more than she would like to admit.

As the pain dispersed, the world around her cleared.

Her eyes snapped opened as her thoughts caught with her instincts. She sat up in a hurry, her hand reaching for her sword. Yet the her hand found nothing. She clearly startle, scanned her surrounding.

A normal room, a bed, study table, empty bookshelf and a wardrobe. The room was unnaturally mundane. However, the wall glowed with warmth. The light made her feel as if waking to the morning sun.

There were no windows.

She tense nerves however could not relax. She threw the thick blanket away and jumped to her feet. Her eyes found her sword leaning next to the table. Her dress was unchanged. She tied her sword to her hip and scanned the room for another of her items.

Yet it was only her sword that was present. All her arsenal had vanished.

She touched her nose and cheeks, the soreness spoke of truth. She was in the enemies cave. She need find a way out. She hurried to the door, it clicked open. What met her was an empty corridor.

The air in the corridor was cold, the blue light a bit ominous. She felt like the walls were alive, glowing faintly with neon blue. They offered no comfort.

Her instincts told her to be alert, to keep moving and ready for all situations. She didn't know where nor why she was? But the man who took her had reasons. She canned both ways, leading somewhere unknown.

She took right,

Her steps light as she moved like a shadow in the shadowless corridor. The familiar weight of her blade assured her, her hands constantly hovering above her hilt. Despite her years of training, her breathing lost rhythm.

The lingering guilt creep its head up amidst the silence. Yet what followed was the annoying teasing of that wolf man. Her hand left her hilt to touch her sore nose. She hated it. Even her father had never been able to play with her like that.

Following the corridor, she soon arrived at the edge of an open space.

The atrium open up before her, vast and natured, basking clear moonless sky. The ceiling towered above with an expansive view of the sky, starlight filtering through the translucent stone. The floor was covered with green and exotic plants. Nature grew unkempt and free. Floral scent filled the space, making one feel intoxicated.

She halted, her sharp eyes scanning the room of any incongruities.

Ans that's when she saw,

A figure sat silently among the shadows, cloak in darkness. The shadows seem to blend towards her, wrapping her in their embrace, shielding her from light. Her hood pulled lower to hid her face, yet Cassandra could made out the round shape of her features. Her pale hands resting on a book.

The girl was one with darkness, if not of the red glint of the gem she wore, Cassandra wold have easily overlooked.

Cassandra's body tensed, this girl was no ordinary. Her presence exuded power, a deep and unsettling force that resonated in the air. The feeling was twistedly familiar. Dangerous. Without thinking, Cassandra's hand jumped to her blade, the cold steel offering her sense of control. Her muscles coiled, ready to strike if necessary, her eyes locked with the girl across the room.

However, the girl did not move. She sat silently, her gaze hidden beneath the shadow of her hood. Her presence blending with darkness. Yet, Cassandra could feel the gaze locked on her. There was no motion of aggression in her posture, only a calm stillness that unnerved Cassandra even more.

The tension continued as the two stayed silent, filled with unspoken intent. The world seem to shrink, the edge of the atrium fading away, their attention solely focused on one another.

Then without warning, the girl stood up, her moment rigid. Cassandra tensed, her heart racking as the grip on her blade tightened.

The girl approached, stopping a few feet from her. The tension between them thickened. For a heartbeat, neither moved, the silence of the atrium pressing on all sides. The girl acted slowly, her hand moving to remove the hood and reveal her face.

Dark hair cascading her grey face, Her bright violet eyes stared into hers. Her eyes filled burden resonated with hers. The girl took another step, her eyes never leaving Cassandra's. There was no fear in her gaze, nor a challenge.

It wasn't an attack, It was a gesture. A gesture of trust. She was... like her.

A silent conversation, one Cassandra could understand. For the first time, the silence of their conversation spoke louder than any words could. The girl was speaking to her without a word uttered, communicating something deeper.

Caution.

Wariness.

Pain, perhaps. And something else, something familiar.

Guilt.

Her breath caught in her throat as the realization settle in. This girl knew. She understood what it was like to carry the burden of life taken, to fight against something darker within herself.

The guilt, doubt and unanswered questions gnawing at her soul—it all reflected in the girls bright eyes.

The girl stood mere steps away, her gaze steady as she spoke her silence. For a moment, Cassandra wondered if she would say something. But instead, the girl reached out, her finger moving slowly, cautiously, as if testing the boundaries of trust.

Cassandra flinched at the movement, her body reacting before her mind could stop it. Her hand shot up, gripping the hilt of her blade. Raven froze, her hand suspended in the air between them, her violet eyes widening ever so slightly at the sudden movement.

For a tense moment, neither of them moved. The silence stretched thin, teetering on the edge of violence. But then, slowly, Raven withdrew her hand, letting it fall back to her side. Her eyes softened, and she stepped back, offering Cassandra the space she needed.

The tension eased, but it didn't disappear entirely. Cassandra's heartbeat slowly returned to normal as she loosened her grip on her weapon. She hadn't meant to react that way, but the instinct to defend herself was too deeply ingrained.

Still, the girl hadn't pressed her, hadn't provoked a fight. She had simply... stopped.

Cassandra took a breath, her eyes still locked on hers. The quiet between them was thick with understanding now, a bond forged not through words but through the shared weight of their burdens.

Without a sound, the girl turned and walked toward the center of the atrium again. She didn't look back, but she didn't need to.

Cassandra watched her go, the cold air of the castle wrapping around her once more. She let her hand fall away from her blade, the tension in her shoulders finally releasing. The silent conversation had ended, but something had shifted inside her.

...

"Nion, kidnapping children is bad," Harley chided, resting her head comically on Nion's as they peeked into the atrium, their heads stacked like a totem pole.

Nion scrunched his face in disgust. "Woman, you have no ground to chide me."

"But why are we spying on children?" Ivy questioned, her head resting on Nora's.

"To make sure that Cassandra doesn't harm Rachel," Nion replied, his gaze focused on the two girls in the atrium.

"I could've done it without looking like idiots," Ivy remarked dryly.

"It wasn't my idea," Nion shrugged.

"Look, they're staring into each other's souls," Nora whispered with awe, her head still perched on Harley's. "I hope they become friends."

"Nah, I bet the new kid is going to beat the old one for dominance," Harley grinned wildly.

Nion yanked her ponytail. "Rachel can sense emotions, and Cassandra can read people through their actions. I'm sure they understand each other in silence better than through words."

Harley bit the top of his head. "But kidnapping kids is still bad, Nion. What if their parents are worried?"

"Trigon would be furious now that he's lost his connection with Rachel, and the League of Assassins is probably hunting David Cain," Nion's eyes gleamed red for a moment as he added, "Besides, both of them are premium A-holes. Trigon literally imprisoned Rachel in hell, while Cain robbed Cassandra of her voice so she could only communicate through body language."

The group exchanged knowing glances. They all shared Nion's sentiment, silently vowing to protect the children if their fathers came knocking. It wouldn't be pretty for the father's of course.

"Looks like we're all villains now," Nora sighed.

"Don't lump me in with your villainy," Nion retorted, crossing his arms. "I've done nothing of the sort."

"Conquered two races, killed hundreds on live broadcast, threatened world leaders with death," Harley listed his exploits. "I'm pretty sure that makes you a villain."

"Wah wah wah," Nion mocked, imitating her. "Get a grip, woman. I'm more of an anti-hero."

"Hey, hey!" Nora tugged at their hair. "Look!"

Their attention snapped back to the atrium. Rachel had taken a step toward Cassandra, her hand extended. But Cassandra gripped her sword tightly, her body rigid with tension, eyes darting between Rachel's hand and her face. The team watched with bated breath, Zion and Ivy ready to intervene in an instant if things went sideways.

Rachel, sensing the unease, slowly lowered her hand and stepped back. The tension immediately eased, and Cassandra loosened her grip on the sword. After a long moment of silent staring, Rachel returned to her post on the bench.

Rachel, satisfied with the outcome, picked up her book, resuming her quiet reading.

The group above exhaled in unison, the potential conflict diffused without bloodshed.

"Aww, I wanted to see a showdown," Harley pouted.

Zion gave her ponytail a hard yank, causing her to yelp and pull his hair in return. "Rachel can't use her magic right now, and Cassandra's too skilled with a sword. It would've been one-sided."

"Then why did you restrict her?" Nora asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For my privacy," Zion muttered, scrunching his nose. "Certain annoying people keep walking into my room!"

"Ooooo, was it a girl?" Harley teased, her grin returning.

"Woman—"

"MEOW!"

A loud meow interrupted their conversation. The group turned to see a white and grey Kucing cat with stripes lazily strolling toward them, its eyes demanding attention. They weren't the only ones to notice it.

Rachel and Cassandra turned just in time to see the group's heads collapse into a heap. Zion quickly caught himself, standing up straight while Harley rolled on the floor in laughter. Ivy and Nora remained steady. Zion coughed into his hand, pretending he had just arrived.

"Eon, what brings you here?" Zion asked dramatically as he picked up the cat.

"Meow," came the cat's nonchalant reply.

Zion fished a treat from his inner pocket and waved it in front of Eon. "Hungry?"

"Meow!" Eon snatched the treat and darted towards Rachel, running past Cassandra, who had now drawn her sword, eyeing Nion suspiciously.

The cat leapt into Rachel's lap, dropping the treat in her hands with a satisfied meow. Rachel smiled faintly and unwrapped the treat, feeding it to the feline, who purred contentedly.

"That traitorous cat," Nion grumbled as he walked toward Cassandra.

Cassandra immediately raised her sword, her stance perfect, ready to strike. Without waiting, she lunged at Nion, her blade cutting through the air. Nion simply flicked the sword aside, disarming her effortlessly. The sword clattered into the overgrown garden nearby.

Weaponless, Cassandra raised her fists, her small frame trembling with determination. Nion looked at her, unable to suppress a smirk. She reminded him of a ferret standing on its hind legs, trying to look fierce.

With a swift motion, Nion pinched Cassandra's nose between his fingers, giving it a playful shake. She yelped in muffled protest.

"Aren't you just adorable?" Nion teased, swinging her lightly by her nose. "You're way too cute when you try to look menacing."

He released her nose and ruffled her hair, thoroughly messing it up. His eyes shifted to Rachel, who hid her nose behind her book, clearly wary of receiving the same treatment. He chuckled. These kids were too adorable. It was like he had adopted three cats.

Turning his attention back to Cassandra, Nion's expression grew serious. "You'll stay here until your training is complete. Same as Rachel. Once it's done, you can leave."

Cassandra glared at him, rubbing her nose. Her defiance only made her look more adorable, much to Nion's amusement.

"Alright," Nion said, his grin widening. "I think it's time for you both to see where you are."

Proverbs 18:10

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

His eyes twinkled with mischief as he prepared to lead them further into the castle.

...

Isaiah 41:10

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."