Chapter 9

-Xen-

This wasn't going well. We had very few people on our side and the Dragon's lair was large. It was easy to track Ash's smartwatch using her phone that she left in the safehouse. Dag and I had to be separated as we used similar methods, despite being incredibly different in physique.

I went around the back whilst those who were stronger (such as Dag and Stone) went around the front. I had my hood up and a mask covering my face, only my eyes visible to the naked eye. It was night-time, adding to the camouflage.

Ellsworth wasn't joining us, something I highly disagreed with. He had an issue with Jain, apparent in his attitude and the notes he made on the organisation. He should have come and buried the hatchet, somehow.

Our main target was getting Ash out of there alive. My second was to make sure Eir was alright. I didn't tell anybody this, but she fascinated me. Her sarcastic attitude and persistence drew me in like a moth to a flame. I wanted to get to know her.

I shook my head and focused on the mission. My thoughts were irrational either way, there's no reason why we should get to know each other. She'd much rather slit my throat.

The Dragon's lair was exactly what it pounded like, a very fancy mansion with many doors and windows. I stuck my back to the wall like glue and faced the open training field. Two large dragons guarded the back door, though they had seen better days. Some teeth were missing and the one on the right was minus a horn. They still did their job to represent the people inside; vicious, merciless, and ready to strike at any time.

I entered the mansion and was surprised to hear that no alarm bells chimed. There weren't any lights on inside the mansion, it was late enough for most people to be asleep. There was no reason for lights to be on, at least Mother Earth wasn't one of Jain's enemies.

I shook my head and focused. If I were an evil mastermind, where would I put my victims? Not in my house...there goes the relatability that we may have. Ash's watch said that she was here so she must be somewhere in the building. The closest you could get to not inside the house is the back garden. Something which could be outside and inside could be..

I didn't get any answers by thinking. I would get answers by searching.

The halls didn't live up to my expectations; it was bare and grey. I could barely see a foot in front of me, but I didn't bump into anything. The doors themselves nearly blended into the walls.

I rounded a corner and stopped in my tracks. Dag and Stone were fighting someone and making a lot of noise. I adjusted my grip on the dagger in my hand and waited for them to settle down again. I prayed that they didn't wake anyone up.

It was too late to pray as a voice came from above me, "Who's there?" A large light illuminated the room, causing my eyes to tear up. "Stone?" a male yelled in surprise and anger. "Intruders!"

I cursed under my breath and turned around, searching for any clues as to what was in these rooms. They didn't seem to be bedrooms. If that were the case, I'd be dead. I started to barge through the doorways, seeing what could be on the other side. I got to another corner when someone bumped into me.

I dodged their attack and punched where I approximated their head to be. I heard a familiar grunt as my blow landed.

"Great start," a voice, which sounded suspiciously like Ash, said. "You got punched not too steps away from the door."

"Ash?" I asked, still holding my fist in the air.

"Xen? What the fuck are you doing here?" Ash asked and enveloped my fist, lowering it. "Who else is here?"

"Quite a lot of people," I muttered. My eyes shifted to Eir. She was staring at me, but she didn't look angry. She looked like she couldn't believe her luck, whether it be negatively or positively.

"Ellsworth!" a man's scream echoed through the hallways.

I froze before looking towards Ash. "No, it wasn't planned." I didn't wait for her answer before running towards the shout.

"Someone's gonna die," Eir muttered from behind me. Surprisingly, she caught up to me without any issues. "Thanks for the attempt."

I shrugged and stayed focused. I ran back to the corner where I was originally, facing the front door and leaning against a grand staircase. Dag looked towards me from where he was on Ellsworth's right. His eyes were wide and questioning.

I shook my head and observed Ellsworth. His usual camo trousers and grey vest were replaced with a black robe embellished with red thread. It looked padded, similarly to the jacket I was wearing. It was comfortable, but very firm to the touch. I didn't know what kind of material it had been stuffed with, but it was certainly armour. My trousers were of the same material too, yet I could bend my knees incredibly easily. All of my clothes were black, as were Dag's, Stones, and everybody else who came to the Dragon's lair. The only Stranger not in this sort of armour was Ash.

"Jain. It's been a while," Ellsworth said. "I feel like we have both done things which should be rectified." His hands were behind his back, but he had a sword at his waist.

"Ellsworth, I wished we would not meet in this lifetime," a deep voice replied. It was the same voice as I heard earlier, it must be Jain.

"I cannot say the same," Ellsworth replied. "I held hopes of forgiveness. Although I know it would take many years."

"My dad's uh...very angry," Eir whispered from behind me. "He's speaking in a normal tone. What happened between these two?"

I shrugged. "We're about to find out," I muttered. This did not bode well. There would no doubt be a fight.

"Forgiveness?" Jain repeated, almost with a laugh. "Why would there ever be forgiveness in my heart for you? You stole all from me."

"I did not steal," Ellsworth denied. His voice was getting harsher. The hostility in the air thickened. "She was not an object. Your envy-"

"Envy?" Jain stretched the word as far as it could possibly go. "I had no envy. She was mine, then you came." Heavy books echoed in the hall, making the wall vibrate.

"And yet, you were the one who killed her." Ellsworth's eyes lit with a silent flame. He reached for his sword and unsheathed it. Eir's hand was suddenly in my own. Her hand was cold but sweaty. Her grip was tight, as though she was clinging to reality. "I also see that you moved on. So why still hold this hate?"

"Fair words, for a man with a drawn sword," Jain responded and lunged.

A flash of white and black was all I could see of him. His white hair ran down his back similarly to Eir's, but his was curly as opposed to her straight hair. The two grown men danced with swords, filling up the entire passageway.

"Fight!" Jain commanded.

More sets of footsteps pounded down the stairs. Dag and Stone were the first targets; being right in their line.

I leaped out of the shadows and tripped one of them. They stumbled to the floor, a perfect opportunity for me to hit their head hard enough to knock them out. I still wasn't planning on causing any fatalities.

"Grow up, girl," Ash huffed as she followed me into the fight. I ignored her and continued towards my fellow Strangers

"Who are we fighting?" Eir asked. The question surprised me greatly..

I was stumped, whose side was she actually on? "Anyone who swings at you," I answered.

"So, everyone? Wonderful," she commented. I caught a glimpse of her smirk before joining the battle again.

Jain and Ellsworth were the centrepiece though, they were the ones who would decide the outcome of the battle, despite the number of lives lost on either side.

The Dragons fought fiercely, several landed blows, most of which hindered my ability to fight. Though, I did have the support of Ash and Eir.

I was aware that my experience in battle was limited to fighting Eir and training, so I let the more experienced fighters do more of the action.

The problem was most of them were already injured.

Eir had moved away from me as we fought, I couldn't concentrate on her too much, and I was certainly aware of the fact her loyalties were not with the Strangers.

I couldn't tell the difference between each Dragon, most of which wore masks over two thirds of their face and stood at similar heights. I had a slash on my cheek, a few gashes on my legs, and a pain in my stomach which grew with every move I made.

"Father!" Eir suddenly shouted. The yell was so loud and heart-wrenching, the Dragon who I was fighting dropped his knife. I quickly punched him in the face and turned, running towards Ash, Dag, and Stone, who were standing a few feet away from the two men.

A circle of darkness formed around the two men, as did a pool of blood. Eir's back was to me, her knuckles as white as her hair. I couldn't see her face, so I tried to move away, only for Ash to lock my wrist in her hold.

"How long?" Jain asked weakly. His voice broke and his hand shook. "Twenty years?" He coughed, adding to the pool of red surrounding them.

"Thirty-four," Ellsworth responded, just loud enough for me to hear. "I didn't know you had a daughter."

"I wanted a son," Jain admitted with a laugh. "I didn't know you had a daughter."

Ash's grip loosened, allowing me to pull free and walk beside Eir.

Ellsworth looked up at us for a split second. "She doesn't either," he said.

I choked on saliva. Ash's hand was replaced with Eir's, but it was a different kind of touch. Ash's was protective and restraining, this one was comforting. I wasn't comprehending what Ellsworth was saying, and I was hoping that I was just overthinking.

"Understand, understand." Jain coughed again. "You beat me after so many years of rivalry. I didn't last too long here."

Ellsworth shook his head. "It's been a vacant and useless fight." He sounded as though he was scolding Jain. A single tear ran down his cheek. "We were so close."

"And then you went to ruin it," Jain spoke with a laugh. He raised his right hand and patted Ellsworth's shoulder. "I held it against you this long, I can stop now."

I was still trying to figure out what Ellsworth meant by his daughter not knowing who he was, he looked directly at me, he stared straight into my eyes as he said those words. He couldn't be my father.

Ellsworth hung his head and gasped. Jain's other hand moved from his chest, holding a small blade.

"No," I said without comprehension. My legs grew weak, and I fell to my knees.

Footsteps and my heart pounded in my ears. There was an arm wrapped around my shoulder and a pale hand within the corner of my eye. I crawled to Ellsworth and held his hand, but it was starting to get cold. He wasn't breathing. Nor was the man next to him, but I wasn't concerned with Jain right now.

Ellsworth had just left me more confused than I had ever been in my life. The man who brought me up and taught me everything that I know has died after defeating his enemy of over thirty years. He didn't look content or at peace. The lifeless face of unwilling acceptance was all I could see.

I may have found and lost my father within two minutes.