“The devil was a monster, but I would become his nightmare.” ― Kerri Maniscalco, Capturing the Devil

  * * * *

  It is getting late.

  Tiara has no idea what time it is, but judging from the hunger pains that she is feeling, she is sure that it must be well past ten in the evening by now, if not later.

  She leaned back into her chair, eyes gazing upwards at the ceiling, just willing herself to take a short break for just a few moments. For the past year and a half, it has been like she is being pulled into several different directions. And yet with each year that passed her by, it seems like the hunters only gained more power and influence, with the ESA’s influence and power waning.

  If this goes on, it honestly won’t be long before the ESA will just become a puppet of the hunters.

  “…Maybe you were right after all, child…” Tiara murmured, recalling the last time when she had actual physical contact with her own blood relative. The last surviving one.

  …What even would her brother and sister-in-law say to her if they knew that their last wishes for their only child weren’t followed? Tiara is almost certain that both of them would be waiting by the sides of the Goddess to exact vengeance on her once her time in this world is up.

  A very distinct chime from her cell phone echoed around the silent office just then, startling Tiara out of her thoughts. She immediately reached for her spare phone that she’d tucked in her bag, answering it, but not removing the phone from her bag at all.

  Pretending to be busy reading some reports even as her eyes flickered towards the surveillance camera in the corner, Tiara made sure that those reports were concealing half her face.

  “Sera? Is that you?”

  There was silence for several moments.

  “Yeah. It’s been a while.” There was a slight pause. “Are you alone?”

  “Yes, I am. I’m at headquarters, though.”

  There were the sounds of a light chuckle on the other end of the line. “I should have expected this from you. I met Karl awhile back, and he told me that even he’s finding it difficult to get in contact with you.”

  Tiara hid a smile. “I’m doing what I can, and fighting in my own way. Just like you and Karl both.” She let out a sigh. “I never did believe that you were dead, even when news about Zephys and Blade reached our ears. I knew that you were still alive, somehow.” There was silence on the other end of the line. “…I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to do anything.”

  There was a sigh. “I said from the start that you were on a sinking ship. The ESA isn’t what it once was. You have to play by the rules of the hunters. It’s not what you wanted to do when you first took on that post. I told Elijah and Taylor the same thing years ago when they first told me they intended to join the ESA to find their answers. And I’m telling you this now. We can’t use the democratic way anymore to fix things.”

  “I know.” Tiara let out a sigh. “I tried. I did. But you were right. Karl said the same thing to me back when he turned in his agent pass after…everything. I think that despite everything, the path that this country—civilians, Normals, and even Gifted alike will follow, is going to be your path, Sera. I know that you’re behind Aegis. And I got an idea what you’re planning to do.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “You’re not going to try to stop me?”

  Tiara chuckled. “Will you listen to me if I do?” There was silence. “I thought not.” Tiara turned around in her swivel chair in such a way that her back was facing the surveillance camera. “Probably because I went through that war, and even the subsequent fights that followed that I’m tired now. I went the democratic way because I didn’t want to see any more bloodshed in this country. I still have nightmares from the time when I went to bust down the facilities of the Nonary Project. If there truly is evil in the world, then that is it. But I think in the end, it is violence and bloodshed that is the answer to freeing Eldario from the grip of the hunters, and giving us back our pride and freedom. If you need to shed blood, and possibly the lives of people to wake the sheeple from their dream, then so be it. There will always come a time and a day when we need to face up to our own fears and demons, find the path that we believe in, and walk it to the end, regardless of the outcome. And the people of Eldario? I think they’re living in a beautiful dream for long enough. It’s time to face up to reality.”

  “Auntie, when I was a kid, one of my very first memories is when my father read me a fairytale long ago. In it, I remember there was a hero who slewed the Demon King. But I think real life isn’t that simple. Heroes are people too. They become heroes because they kill the bad guys. The world isn’t always fair. Especially in Eldario. And people like me—like us? We don’t get good and happy endings. If I’m going to go down either way, I’ll do it my own way. Even if the world curses my name for generations to come, I’m going to walk the path I believe in, and make the decisions I believe are right, regardless of the consequences.”

  “Yeah, you do that. Your father—Eugene did the same thing, too. He doesn’t care if he has to die for his convictions and beliefs. As did your mother. I honestly shouldn’t be surprised if you’re going to do the same thing.” Tiara gave a small smile. “Our family aren’t cowards.”

  “That we aren’t.” Sera agreed. She was silent for several moments. “You have my apologies in advance. I’m most likely going to make things difficult for the ESA going forward.”

  Tiara chuckled. “No, I expected it when Aegis first made their appearance,” she reassured. “I can’t do anything for the Gifted in the country. But you… Maybe you could.” There are times when Tiara envies Sera for the life she is living. She might be technically wanted by the hunters and even the ESA. But unlike Tiara, she had freedom. She isn’t shackled by restraints for the life that she wants to live. “Off the record, I permit you to do what you must. Not all the ESA agents are loyal to me. I knew from the start even from my time as an ESA agent, that most likely, hunters have infiltrated the ESA. And with the amount of influence and power that they have right now as an independent organisation…” She trailed off slowly.

  “I know. I’ll be careful.”

  Tiara was silent for several moments.

  “You’ll regret this one day, Tiara. I know you will. I am choosing to leave before I do something I’ll regret, and which I’ll be unable to face myself for. And if I’m you, I will do the same thing before you’re in too deep to leave.”

  Karl’s words from so long ago echoed in Tiara’s mind. Not for the first time since her old friend had turned in his agent pass and had chosen to be an informant, Tiara wished that she had the guts to follow him back then.

  “Don’t get caught, Sera. The Goddess be with you.”

  There was no reply, and Tiara knew that Sera must have cut the line.

  Encrypted calls or not; even Tiara knew better than to stay on the line too long with Sera.

  Sighing, Tiara finally got to her feet, picking up her bag with one hand, and picking up her coat with the other, leaving her office without a second glance back. With the late hour, Tiara wasn’t surprised that the building was relatively devoid of agents outside of those currently on patrol or watch duty.

  Finally, Tiara only found herself relaxing when she was in her car, having locked the doors.

  She then reached into her bag once more, drawing out a cream-coloured envelope, and sliding out the letter from within. She had likely read it multiple times since she’d received it three days ago from a runner within the underground, and Tiara could likely recite the words in her sleep by now.

  Even still, she still took some comfort in the words written by Karl.

  This might be the last letter I’ll be writing to you, Tiara. Take care of yourself. And Sera, too. If I don’t come back, I’m asking you to take over for me. We fought decades against the hunters. An invisible war, in a sense. But in the end, it amounted to nothing.

  Our enemy is too powerful, and we’re fighting within the rules back then. I think it might be the reason why we never managed to get one up on them.

  But Sera and her group? Her generation? They don’t play by the rules. And for the first time, I’m seeing hope in them. It is my belief and my hope that they can end this cancerous tumour that has taken root in Eldario for generations.

  Our pride and our freedom. I want that for our people and our country—for a country that has long forgotten what it means to live life on their own terms and to make their own judgments and decisions.

  I’m willing to fight to the death if that is what it takes. I think that this old body of mine can handle one more fight. One more war.

  Eugene died for his beliefs and conviction. And I will do the same. To the death if necessary.

  ~Karl

  Tiara sighed, kneading her forehead with her knuckles. “Don’t you die on me, you old pervert,” she murmured, already seeing her vision blurring before she hurriedly blinked her tears away. She then tugged at the silver chain around her neck, opening the silver locket to reveal a photograph within. A photograph of a much younger Tiara, a handsome man with raven locks and mismatched eyes, and even that of a baby who looked very similar to the man. Tiara felt a lump form in her throat. “Brother… Watch over Sera,” she whispered.