The silence thickened until it was almost tangible. Yam looked up with the feeling that he had misheard."How did you just call me?" he whispered, incredulous.
Asher watched him without blinking, with a calm that felt like an imminent failure."Yam Tarnished. You killed your father. Your brother, Dum Tarnished, declared three years ago that he was the one who murdered you."
The air seemed to freeze in Yam's lungs. He tried to speak, but the words refused to come."That…," he stammered, unable to finish.
"I know what you are," Asher continued, not granting a pause; his voice, measured, grazed the paternal. "And I'm intrigued why a being like you would save my daughter. If it weren't for that, you would already be dead, Yam."
Yam remained motionless, counting each breath as if a single syllable could decide his fate. One wrong word and everything could be lost.
"Relax," Asher said, loosening his expression just slightly. "I do not intend to kill you. In return, you will serve humanity… and you will work for me. I need someone willing to get their hands dirty where others fail."
The offer hung between them like a dagger wrapped in silk. Yam did not look away."Who are you, really?" he asked, his voice restrained.
Asher gave a smile that looked practiced. He spoke of his name, the family that supported him, and the organization he had built: the Reicas. Each word stitched an invisible net around Yam; each sentence was a thread that tied him to the man before him.
"And what is the Reicas' goal?" Yam finally inquired.
"To find the origin of your kind… and eradicate it at the root." His tone left no room for doubt. "I will do whatever it takes to achieve it… you would not be the first Bearer in my ranks. Not everyone knows, and it must remain that way. Only a few know the truth."
Yam regarded him with a furtive calm."I suppose it would be stupid to refuse. But… what do I gain from all this?"
Asher narrowed his eyes as if offering a cold, clear bargain."I offer you information, training, lodging… and, most importantly: I spare your life." Asher stared at him more intensely. "For now. In return, I give you purpose."
Yam let out a dry, joyless laugh."A purpose, huh? Fine. I have no choice. I will work for you."
Asher nodded with contained satisfaction."Tomorrow you will train with one of my best men. In less than a year you will be ready… and you will know what you need to know."
Yam accepted his fate with the resignation of someone handed a sentence and drinking it in sips. While pacts were quietly woven in the mansion, far from there another young man prepared his.
"Another surprise?" Dum asked, a gleam of curiosity in his eyes.
"Yes. There's a place we must go," Aiden replied.
"What are you plotting now?"
"You'll know when we arrive."
They walked along a narrow path between blackened crags. As they drew closer, the air took on the scent of iron and coal; the distant murmur of a river accompanied their steps, and a metallic, rhythmic, dry tapping grew clearer with every meter. Soon they reached the mouth of the cavern that housed the forge: heat and smoke exhaled from it as if a dragon's breath escaped its throat.
Aiden stopped and laid a hand on Dum's shoulder."This is where the first Tsunkyos were forged. Congratulations, Dum… today you will have yours."
Dum froze."Are you kidding? You know I'm not a Starker yet."
"What are you saying? You're the youngest Koen in history. You only lack experience," Aiden smiled. "Besides, it's Asher's order. He wanted to be here, but an urgent matter came up."
"Still, I don't feel ready…"
"You'll do fine. Believe in yourself. Leave the nerves outside."
Inside, the air spun in whirlwinds of fire and sparks. The smith looked up from the anvil: an enormous man, rough-bearded, with arms tattooed in runes that seemed to vibrate with every hammer strike. He was missing an eye; in its place, a crystal reflected the light with a strange coldness.
"Ha!" he grunted without stopping. "Another brat hungry for a sword, not knowing if his hands are fit to wield it. What do you bring me, Aiden? A warrior or a dreamer?"
His voice had the edge of steel. It was Darek, the One-Eyed: legendary in the Reicas for the quality of his weapons and for that tongue capable of shattering wills. Aiden greeted him with respect and shoved Dum forward."This boy is the rising star. Asher chose him personally. He will be the first Koen to bear a Tsunkyo."
Darek snorted and spat on the floor with disdain."Pfah! I'll decide if this kid has the mettle. What's your name, lad?"
"My name is Dum," he replied, trying to sound firm.
Darek set down the hammer and leaned toward him; the crystal of his eye returned the nervous image of the boy."Tell me, do you think yourself worthy to carry what I will bring forth from the metal?"
The silence thickened, broken only by the crackle of flames. Dum held his gaze. He said nothing, but the tremor in his breathing seemed to betray him.
The master smith showed a crooked smirk, as if enjoying the tension. Without waiting for an answer, he returned to the anvil."Be that as it may," he said aloud, "Tsunkyos are not forged by hands; they are forged with fire, steel, blood, and destiny. They need part of a Bearer. It must be kept alive until its ashes bind with the steel."
"Wow…" Aiden sighed.
Darek raised an eyebrow."You didn't know?"
"Sounds like a problem," Aiden said, taking a breath. "What are my options?"
"Two," the smith answered. "Cut off a limb from one of the Bearers held at headquarters… or capture one yourself."
Dum stepped forward, as if determination had solidified in his chest."The answer is obvious. I'll capture one."
Darek smiled, sharp."Good choice, boy. Now get out of here. I've got fire to feed."
The next day dawned heavy and gray. The team set off in a van toward a valley half a day from the headquarters. With Aiden and Dum rode three Soldats: Keld, a giant with a deep voice and short patience; Ona, a very talented young woman with a sharp gaze; and Chloe, an archer with a serene look, steady hand, and deadly accuracy. They were heading to investigate reports of a Bearer that had left more than eight victims in the area.
"And how are we supposed to capture it?" Keld asked quietly.
Aiden, with the confidence of someone who had foreseen everything, explained the plan and the tools they would use.
The sun was dying when they reached the place. The wind carried an unbearable stench: rotting bodies and torn flesh. The group moved in silence, each step full of tension; they followed an obvious trail: trees ripped from their roots, prints sinking into the mud, skinned corpses and others almost entirely devoured.
Following that trail they entered the valley. There, by the river, was the creature: a Bearer sipping the water with a bifid tongue that seemed endless. Its face, half-melted, showed the lunar matte of the skull and strands of muscle that throbbed with each breath; from its mouth sprouted small appendages, a multitude of tiny arms like those of a newborn writhing around the tongue. The spawn's skin, grayish and wet, covered a body only slightly larger than Keld's.
Aiden whispered,"Change of plans. Chloe, climb the tree and wait for my order. The rest, positions."
The timid sun reflected on the current; their shadows offered camouflage. They could not fail: the creature had to be taken alive.
Aiden raised his hand."Now!"
Three arrows whistled. The hollow tips released an acidic sedative into the Bearer's flesh. The beast roared and hurled earth, furious.
Keld ran with a runed chain, coiled it around a viscous arm and pulled with all his strength. The creature yanked him, nearly dragging him into the mud, but Keld planted his heels like anchors and resisted.
Ona threw vials that released a thick smoke to confuse. The creature, dizzy, lashed at the air; its shrieks were a shredding chorus that scraped the ears.
Dum, stealthy, advanced with a device: a net woven from fibers that tightened on contact. He waited for his chance.
Aiden took advantage of the confusion and, with a precise slash, lacerated one of the Bearer's hocks, bringing it down to its knees. "Dum, now!"
Dum threw the net; the device flashed as it deployed and wrapped the humanoid body. The more the spawn fought, the tighter the net became.
"The seals!" Aiden ordered.
Five iron stakes drove into the creature's flesh, binding the net and symbols in a aligned glow. The chains tightened until it could not move.
The valley fell, suddenly, into absolute stillness. The creature on its knees: exhausted from the poison, wrapped by the net. It still breathed violently, but it could no longer flee. In its eyes there was hatred and, surprisingly, a vestige of human pain that pierced the hunters.
They had triumphed.
On the van ride back there was a mix of pride and fatigue. Dum smiled."Hey, Chloe… I heard you know Nil. What's he like?"
"Nil…" she said thoughtfully. "He's difficult. He can be apathetic and very egocentric… but he saved my life. Since then I admire him a lot. He uses two weapons: a pistol and a revolver; one of them is his Tsunkyo, but I couldn't say which. Why do you ask?"
Dum nodded, intrigued."I was just curious. I met Gael and wanted to know what Nil was like."
"You met Gael?" Chloe widened her eyes.
"Yes. He's… peculiar. From the stories I expected a giant, but he's someone short; his face looks like the most harmless person in the world; his pale pink hair… fell over impossible sky-blue eyes. The most striking thing is his manner: kind, attentive, even funny. But there's something about him… it's a bit hard to describe. He's…"
As Dum spoke, memory carried him back to the moment he met Gael. Aiden tried to calm him."Relax, Dum. He's a good guy, you'll see."
"I can't calm down. I'm going to meet the Reicas' legend and I'm not even an official member!"
"Today you will be," Aiden said with a smile. "Look, here he comes."
Two figures appeared on the horizon: a giant with a hard expression and, at his side, a boy just a little taller than Dum, who was nine then.
"Is that Gael?" he asked, incredulous. "He looks foul."
Aiden smiled.
"Is this the new one?" the giant grunted arrogantly, trying to intimidate Dum.
Surprisingly, the small boy beside him jumped and smacked him on the head. "Where the hell are your manners, idiot?! First you greet!"
"Sorry, sir," the giant said, rubbing his head.
Gael smiled and extended his hand. "Ignore this blockhead. My name is Gael, his is Keld. You must be Dum, right?"
"Y-yes, sir. A pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine. I've heard of you." He winked. "And don't worry, I don't bite."
Gael's energy was contagious; before he knew it, Dum relaxed. The way the boy spoke and gestured made anyone forget their nerves.
"Hey, Aiden, long time," Gael joked. "You look more ripped."
"If that came from anyone else, I'd think you're teasing me."
"Me? Never." He laughed. "Although with others… depends on the day."
Then his face filled with concern. "I'm sorry for what you went through, Dum," Gael said seriously, with a genuine gesture of understanding. "I heard about your mother; when I can, I'll go visit them. For now, I welcome you to the Reicas. I hope to work with you soon. Well, I'm off… try not to die; if I find out you did… I'll kill you."
"He's… a very nice guy," Dum said, returning from the memory with a smile.
"Well, I didn't picture him like that," Chloe replied, astonished.
"I guess no one expects someone so strong to be so… human," Dum added.
"And that's why Nil is more interesting," Ona interjected. "Gael is too immature."
Aiden raised an eyebrow."You only say that because Nil is your—"
"I've been on missions with both," Keld interrupted. "Nil is cold, calculating… you feel like when he looks at you he's scrutinizing your soul. But Gael… Gael is truly terrifying. Behind that innocent face there's a beast. He treats Bearers as if they aren't a problem, and I can assure you he's the only one who can hunt them completely alone. Also… he hits very hard."
The van stopped. "Guys," Aiden interrupted, "sorry to ruin the chat, but we're here. Time to lock this thing up."
The group fell silent. Dum took his sword."Let's go."
With the Bearer captured, only Darek's hands remained. The rest would be done by metal, fire, and that alchemy that turns steel and ash into Tsunkyo.