Kael's fingers tightened around the ring. His breathing became uneven.
Noticing this, Lix floated upward and immediately transformed back into a silver coin.
The coin landed neatly in Kael's palm, and he gently brushed it with his thumb. The faint warmth somehow comforted him.
Kael opened another document. This time, it was a message, most likely from the Hunter Association personnel who once owned the ring.
"Brother, I leave this ring to you. I don't have solid evidence, but I strongly believe that Hunter Kael Solace was one of the Gifted chosen by the gods. You know The Watcher's Guild, right? It was established with the support of both the military and the Hunter Association.
"Hunter Kael Solace and Hunter Zachary Blackwood created this guild after agreeing that an organization exclusively for hunters was necessary. Chairman Roger Blackwood, who gathered the first hunters and named them the 'Special Army,' allowed the two heroes to form the guild so newly awakened individuals would not hesitate to declare themselves hunters and sign up to protect the nation."
"Brother, this is the truth. The grandfather and grandson had an ideal relationship. For the sake of Hunter Zach, Chairman Roger stepped down as Commander-in-Chief of the Special Army and established the Hunter Association instead. Most members of the Special Army joined The Watcher's Guild, while some remained and became part of the Hunter Association. Eventually, the 'Special Army' was disbanded."
"Brother, I may not have been part of the Special Army, but I know many of them were strong and has probably been chosen by the gods. This information was strictly guarded within the Hunter Association. The Chairman ensured it remained confidential. But somehow, we have a traitor among us. He exposed this information to Hunter Zach. And he killed Hunter Kael and the other members of the Special Army to gain control of their gifts."
"Brother, if I go missing or die mysteriously, I want you to keep this ring safe. I do not have enough proof that Hunter Zach directly killed Hunter Kael. But I know he also killed Hunter Theresa. She was a hunter who could control the wind. She could also manipulate water and fire. I kept a video of her demonstrating her extraordinary skills in controlling the elements of nature to the Chairman. Days after her death, I saw and recorded Hunter Zach using the same abilities and admitting that he killed her to obtain her gift."
The ring indeed contained a video of Theresa displaying her incredible powers in the Hunter Association's training room. She caused the ground to crack, lifting massive rocks like boulders. With sharp blades of wind, she shattered them into debris, then washed them away with a tidal wave. She summoned lightning within the water and hurled a ball of fire at a metal gate.
In the next video, Zach used the exact same abilities.
He stared at his hands and laughed in delight as he watched the elements bend to his will.
"This ability is incredible! With this, how can that old man dare to stop me from doing what I want?"
"I may not have obtained the gift I truly desire, but this will do. Theresa, that fool, how could she trust me so easily? Hahaha! Women are indeed weak. The moment I told her Kael was under attack, she rushed straight into the trap I set."
Zach stood above the seawater, his feet not touching the surface as he skillfully used Theresa's abilities to keep himself afloat.
Just watching him made Kael's heart pound. Hatred, grief, and a deep seated grudge surged within him.
Kael had known Theresa personally. In fact, they both know her.
She had been a sweet sixteen - year - old girl who followed them around with a bright, cheerful smile. She knew she was strong, yet she was never boastful. She remained kind and humble, always willing to help those in need.
Kael dropped the ring. The screen displaying Zach's video vanished instantly.
He slumped into his seat, silent.
Theresa's voice from years ago echoed faintly in his ears.
"Brother Kael! Brother Kael! Wake up! Wake up!"
Kael has just been stabbed right in his abdomen. The poison from the sword is seeping slowly into his blood, killing him slowly.
"Who did this to you!!" Theresa screeched.
If only Kael was strong enough to fight the poison. If only he did not let the pain of his flesh and bones melting win over him. He could have warn her. Told her to run. That Zach was a traitor and he killed everyone.
The last thing she saw was Zach cutting her neck. Her expression was still in shock. And he knew that feeling all too well.
....
If she had not died back then, she would be in her twenties now. She might have married, settled down, and left the hunter world behind.
For a long time, Kael did not move. His head hung low, his vacant eyes staring into nothingness. His fingers absentmindedly flipped and twirled the silver coin.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his hand, pulling him from his daze.
"Clyde, how are the restoration going?" the Guild Master asked, followed by an impatient emoji.
Kael glanced at the time on his phone and froze.
The twenty - four hours he had negotiated were almost over. He only had two hours left.
He picked up the fallen ring and returned it to the drawer.
Not yet.
I can't dwell on the past.
I need to focus on the task at hand.
Kael lightly slapped his cheeks and took a deep breath.
The remaining documents in the drawer were mostly business proposals and contracts belonging to his sister's husband. With no further leads, he left the room and went to find Kyle's bedroom.
There were times when Kael lost track of time. He sometimes found himself sitting in a corner, staring into space until he suddenly realized how much time had passed.
Kyle's room was at the end of the hallway. The double sized bed was messy, with worn clothes and freshly washed laundry mixed together. Textbooks were scattered unevenly across the desk.
Kael wasted no time and began searching through everything.
When he opened the boy's closet, he noticed something unusual, a rectangular outline running along the wall.