The cold night air hit me as I stepped out of the tower. I left close to last, still at the back of the party. The wind felt like frost brushing on my legs, which were still stiff from all the walking and running. Speaking of, my whole body was sore, though I shouldn't really complain. Afterall, I did almost die… A lot… I would've been worse too if I didn't…
I could feel my face becoming pale. "Yeah…" I muttered, "I mean, he was going to die anyway… so…"
I tried to shake off this lingering feeling of something crawling on my back. Just when the commotion finally died down, I realized just how much mana I'd burned through. That's probably contributing to my fatigue and aching. My arms throbbed too, since the sleeves of my turtle-neck had been ripped apart or burned. Faint but visible burn marks stained my pale skin a purplish color where the lightning wrapped around my arm.
Tilting my head back toward the stars, I sighed, "God, I can't wait to crash in my own bed…"
"...I still can't believe that fight," Orin muttered, flicking a few flecks of blood off his sleeve. "A kelpie in a D-rank tower? And you—how did you even—?" He cut himself off, eyes wide as he gestured at me.
I gave a weak laugh, rubbing the back of my neck as a shiver ran through my shoulders. "Honestly? No clue. Just got lucky, I guess. Electricity and water don't exactly go together. There's no way I could've pulled that off normally…"
Orin frowned, "You know you don't have to lie to me, Tristan. I was with you when we fought the hellhounds…"
I didn't respond immediately, my thoughts wandering. The street lamps cast long, uneven shadows over the cobblestones, and my vision kept flicking to the faint, lingering bloodstains on my clothes, the memory of heat and pain crawling back in tiny flashes. My hands itched—not from the cold, but from the memory of the boy's warmth, the taste of it still sharp in my mind, making my stomach twist.
Orin shifted beside me, the scrape of his boots against the stone loud in the quiet night. He glanced my way again, brow furrowed, but didn't push. I could feel his patience, the weight of his unspoken question pressing against my chest, and I swallowed hard, tasting iron in my own mouth.
Finally, I shook my head, forcing a laugh that cracked halfway through. "It… It's just a lot to process," I admitted, rubbing my arms absently. "I-..."
I swallowed my throat, feeling a knot in my mouth. I hate this so much… Then, suddenly, movement caught my eye—a wave of flashing lights down the street, sirens cutting through the dark sky. My chest tightened. "Orin… do you see that?"
"Oh my…" Orin flinched, stepping back as the lights grew closer. "Yeah… that's… that's a lot of cops…!"
Before I could answer, a dozen officers appeared, forming a tight circle around the whole party. "Tristan Bao," one barked, voice sharp and authoritative. "You are under arrest. Do not resist."
My stomach plummeted. "Wait—what?" I flinched back, looking to Lotus Fang and Orin for any answer, even though I knew they obviously didn't have one.
Orin's voice rose, trembling with alarm. "Tristan, what—what is happening?!"
"I-I don't—!" I stammered, stepping back, my voice cracking.
Through the quiet night, I could hear the Lotus Fang reacting in scattered murmurs.
Juliet's sharp voice carried clearly: "Why are the cops here? This doesn't make sense…"
Karlton's low tone followed, measured but cautious: "Stay calm… something's off. Just… watch for now."
Orin's voice trembled beside me, almost a whisper: "Tristan… what's happening? Why—why would they—?"
Even from a distance, I could catch the mix of confusion and suspicion in their words, echoing my own panic. "Stay calm," I muttered under my breath, trying to keep my composure, though my heart raced.
Handcuffs clamped around my wrists, cold and biting. Orin's protests rang in my ears as they read me my rights. "They… they can't do this—" he sputtered.
I couldn't respond. My throat felt heavy, my stomach twisting as the inevitable pressed down on me. Even from inside my head, I caught the faint, distant tones of the Lotus Fang—their disbelief, worry, and a thread of suspicion threading through the night air.
The ride was nothing short of uncomfortable—the back of the police car smelled faintly of wet leather and bad cologne, and every bump on the road rattled my already aching limbs. My cuffs chafed, sharp and cold against my skin, and my mind wouldn't stop racing. Why the hell are they arresting me? I didn't do anything… Maybe they think I… My stomach twisted again, bitter and uneasy. Memories from that night… clawed their way up my throat… Axel's pale, limp form, the warm, metallic taste still lingering on my tongue… They can't know… they can't, right? I pressed my forehead against the cool window, watching the city lights smear past, and tried—tried—to make sense of what was happening while my pulse hammered like a warning drum.
They led me into a room that was cold, sterile, and quiet, except for the soft hum of the ventilation. The walls were an unwelcoming shade of gray, which made the fluorescent lights overhead feel harsher. I sank into the chair, hands resting on my knees, shoulders hunched slightly, bracing myself. I'd never been arrested before— especially not right after a tower raid. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant, the kind that clung to your nose and made it hard to breathe normally.
Then she entered. Immediately, I could feel the pressure of her presence. It felt composed and calm but heavy and oppressive. Her smooth, fair skin had an inherent warmth, and her hair was striking: silky black, incredibly long, worn down, the sleek curtain brushing near the middle of her spine. She moved with measured grace, her long, slightly rumpled trench coat in a muted dusty tan swaying with her steps, the hem brushing past her knees. Beneath it, a dark charcoal gray vest was fastened over a crisp white shirt with small, round silver buttons, and a deep amethyst purple silk scarf was knotted neatly at her neck. A wide-brimmed fedora of matching dark gray felt sat low on her head, the band accented by a slender silver clasp, while her practical black leather oxfords bore a subtle silver buckle on the strap. Her whole aura made my heart skip a beat.
She set a file down on the table between us with quiet authority, the soft thump of it echoing slightly in the otherwise silent room. My pulse quickened as I stared, trying to gauge her intentions, my mind spinning with questions and dread.As my stare lingered, I suddenly recognized her face… that hair… But- No… It can't be… She is the Ballerina's Blade.
Oh shit.
I could feel her eyes on me, sharp as daggers, calculating my every breath. I hadn't noticed until now that she is so tall, imposing even seated, with that quiet authority only S-rank defenders carried. Beads of sweat traced down my temple as I sat there guarded, bracing for whatever she had on me.
I kept my hands still, forcing myself not to fidget with the chains at my ears. She opened her notebook, pen in position. "Tristan Bao… you were apprehended after leaving the tower a few hours ago. I need to ask you some questions regarding recent… events… particularly about a certain rogue monster and other strange activities in Tenshiro."
I blinked under the fluorescent light, my eyes widening. Rogue monster? That sounded dangerous. "Rogue… monster?" I echoed, frowning. "I don't… I mean, I don't think there were any outside the tower. Monsters usually—" I shook my head, trying to sound convincing. "They turn to dust when they leave. I've never seen otherwise… I guess I also never saw them even try to leave…"
Claude chuckled in the back of my mind, his voice as mocking and smooth as ever. "Yes. After all, I am a vampire, not a monster."
A shiver went down my spine. Wait- I'm pretty sure that vampires are monsters… right? I'm a monster… but- doesn't that mean that we're a monster that left the tower? No- maybe Cladue is right, and we aren't monsters? Shit- why am I even lumping him with me, we are two separate beings… I think… UGH! I tried to force the thought away, clumping my hands into fists.
No- I need to calm down. No matter what reason that I was put in here for, I need to look innocent. I can't worry about something that doesn't even revolve around me.
Her pen hovered over the notebook. "That's consistent with what we've believed. However, we found a man named Axel Gi-oen. He looked as if he'd been mauled… It was strange, fang marks and the other wounds suggest a mix between a spider monster and a hellhound. Though, a monster would've eaten the whole body, which makes me… curious."
My jaw tightened. My fingers twitched slightly at the chains, but I forced them to stay still. "Axel?" I said cautiously. "No… nothing like that. I didn't… I didn't see any monsters or anything." I almost slipped, hearing about Axel…
She leaned forward slightly, tone firm. "Tristan, I need you to be completely honest—but if you have any information about unusual monsters or perhaps cult activity, it's important. Lives may depend on it."
I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair. I wanted to say something, anything, but I knew better. "I—look, I don't know about cults, and I definitely don't know about any rogue monster. Other than the tower raid, I've been at home for the past week or so."
She scribbled in her notebook, watching me closely. "Are you sure you haven't seen a rogue monster? We did find your old defender ID in a pool of blood at the crime scene."
I felt my heart tighten as did my fist. For a moment, my gaze flicked to the far corner of the room and back. "Wh-what…" My voice cracked.
"Tristan." Her tone was calm, even, but there was a hint of warning. "If you know something, you need to tell me now. This isn't about blame — it's about stopping whatever is out there before more people die."
I swallowed hard. My gaze flicked again toward that corner, half-expecting something to be there—but there wasn't. I shook my head, trying to focus. "I told you," I said hoarsely, "I don't know anything about a rogue monster or cult. I'm not lying."
The chains clinked as I shifted slightly, my hand drifting unconsciously toward my mouth. My chest felt tight, and my thoughts were racing. The silence stretched, heavy and brittle. I couldn't really focus as I just tried to look like I didn't know anything. But- the only thought in my mind was that they knew I was involved with Axel. I'm the rogue monster they are looking for…
She set her pen down. "All right. Then I have nothing else to ask for now." Those words gave me relief. So, they probably either suspect I actually don't know or am too weak to do anything like that. Just as I was thinking, she slid a small card across the table. It had a phone number on it. I stared at it, suspicious. Why would she need me to contact her? I put it in my pocket so as not to look suspicious.
She rose from the chair, calm and deliberate. "This won't be the last time we speak. I still have more questions, but I can tell you need rest."
I nodded, forcing my expression neutral, though a little of me relaxed. Rest sounded nice…
"I expect a call from you within a week," she said, turning to leave, her silky hair tossed behind her.
As she left, a few other officers came in. "Mr. Bao, we will escort you out." Stated one of the officers. His tone is as thick and stiff as his dark beard. Definitely looks like a cop, that's for sure.
I took a deep breath before standing up with the officers. I'm so glad that she didn't accuse me of anything… Maybe I can hide before they do find any evidence against me? Or I could try to get strong enough to not need to hide? Wait- no- she is literally an S rank… I'm so dead….
My thoughts are rambling… I take another deep breath as the officers walk me out. However, before I could celebrate, I saw a familiar face.
"T-Tristan?"
"...Kel?" I almost whisper as I stared back at him, our eyes both as wide as they can be. Not even giving me enough time to really process seeing him, Kel ran up and gave me a large hug.
"Uh-! Kel?!" I was about to push him off of me, but… I couldn't…
"Ahem!" The officer with the thick beard coughed for our attention. Hearing that, it seemed to bring Kel back to reality. He backed off of me and awkwardly chuckled, noticing the officers.
"Alright," the bearded cop sighed, "You can have your little reunion outside."
"Right… heh…" Kel nervously chuckled again, "C'mon Tristan! I see we got a lot to talk about!"
After we left the police station, Kel insisted that we went to his place to discuss everything that was going on. He was pretty vague, but I knew what he was talking about. At least, I thought so.
As we were in Kel's car, on the way to his place, he couldn't help but ask, "so… how is everything?"
I couldn't help but cover my face, "I…" I took a deep breath in so I could regain my composure. "I'll tell you everything when we get there. It's… not been great…" I found myself staring aimlessly, my mind wandering, as I spoke.
"..." I could tell Kel couldn't think of anything to say either. After all, it was pretty quiet until we stopped at this impressive looking house.
The house was a more modern style house, at least having two floors. The outside being as if it was brand new. On the side of the house, encased with a small white fence, was a little garden. On the other side, where Kel was pulling in, was the garage. While the outside was a pristine pearl white, the inside is steel. It's obvious this garage hasn't had much going on as it looks as clean as if it was new.
"This…. This is your place?" I ask Kel, still looking around.
"Well, technically it's one of my parents' city homes, but they prefer the countryside." Kel said as he parked and then went to open my door for me.
"... One of?..." I echoed, staring at Kel in awe.
Kel winced slightly, scratching his cheek. "Uh… yeah... My parents travel a lot." He paused, then added quickly, "They're almost never here, I practically live alone!"
"Uh huh…" I nodded, pretending to understand.
He led me inside, the door clicking shut behind us. The interior was so, bland? I'm not sure how to describe it honestly. White walls, dark wood floors, minimal furniture, nothing I would've expected from someone like Kel. It felt less like a home and more like one of those modern houses you'd only see in a magazine.
"Make yourself comfortable," Kel said, gesturing to what looked like the living room. He kicked off his shoes and placed them on a small shelf by the door.
"oh!" After I did the same, Kel looked at me again, "You're probably thirsty-! I'll get us something from the kitchen!"
"Actually-" before I could really finish, Kel went off toward the kitchen. I sighed, dragging myself to the couch. As soon as I sat in it, I sank in. I let out a large exhale, feeling the cushions under me, which are a lot softer than I expected.
As I took in the room around me, I noticed it smelled faintly of citrus cleaner… and, what is that other smell? Cheese? And like- a weird other smell. My eyes drifted to the coffee table in front of me. Kel apparently got back when I was focused on how comfortable the couch is. He had set down a small charcuterie board. Crackers arranged neatly along with slices of cured meat. A little bowl of olives.
How- Who just… has a charcuterie board ready like that?
Kel put down two glasses of water next to the charcuterie board. One by him and the other by me. "I hope this is alright, I couldn't really find anything else in the kitchen…"
"... It's… fine…" As I said it, I almost instantly realized I sounded ungrateful. After all, it didn't look appetizing to me. Not that it didn't look pretty, just, I guess it's my appetite…
Kel smiled, relieved, and sat next to me on the couch. "Good! I mean- uh-! You can have as much as you'd like! I just figured… you probably haven't had anything in a while."
"Yeah…" I murmured, eyes still on the board. My stomach twisted. Though, it's not like I was hungry.
I didn't realize it, but I reached for a cracker out of habit, fingers hovering just above it.
And stopped.
My chest tightened more as I gulped. I felt like something was crawling down my back.
"…Tristan?" Kel's voice cut in, concerned, "You okay?"
I pulled my hand back slowly, curling it into my lap. "Yeah. Sorry. Just… not that hungry… and I'm kinda tired…," I said quickly, forcing a weak smile. "Long few days… plus, I was just on a tower raid earlier…"
Kel nodded, his gaze landing on me for quite a long time. An awkward silence filled the room. I tried to stay relaxed through this strange nervousness I was feeling. I took a deep breath and leaned back into the couch, trying to relax.
Suddenly, as I closed my eyes, a flash of Axel's bloody face appeared in my mind. I quickly shot my eyes open and sat straight up. I couldn't exactly hear my heart race like I felt like it was, but I was suddenly painfully aware of Kel's heartbeat.
I swallowed.
No… Don't think about that…
I could feel my breathing quicken as I tried to gulp it down. There's nothing to be nervous about… right?
"Tristan!" Suddenly Kel had his hands on my shoulders. "Tell me what's wrong."
"Uh-!" I startled at the contact, my breath locking as I looked up at him. Kel's hands were warm… and as soon as he realized I was back to reality, he slid his hands off and sat back next to me.
"Hey, it's okay," he said quickly, voice low. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to... I just…" He hesitated, jaw tightening. "We've been through a lot and I'm worried about you… "
"I…
yeah…" I sighed, "a lot has happened…" I took a deep breath and looked Kel in the eyes. If there is any time to do it… now is the time… "Kel… I have… to tell you something."