Chapter 4: Caden

　　It had taken him forever to gather the skills and resources necessary to investigate his sister`s death through the Order. The last step was being allowed out on dawn patrol. The Crusaders had ruled her as a traitor and claimed the vagrant militia was behind her demise. He knew she betrayed nobody, but if it was the militia, he would find their leader and interrogate them.

　　He needed to uncover Pyromancers who aligned with that group; it was his only lead. Isabel`s body was found near many scorched buildings, so it must have been a Pyromancer who killed her. But he needed to follow the rules because that`s what good men do.

　　The next day, he went on his first patrol, and the city of Belmire looked no different. The place was a vast array of square houses and buildings that all looked the same. Each structure was layered with bricks and flat rooftops; some had multiple stories. The main pathway cut through the city like a plus sign. The palace was the centerpiece of Belmire, with the four barracks connecting to a wall around it. From each barracks, one could enter the main pathway.

　　He stepped through the portcullis, following his squad. It was like the barracks buildings were sliced in half - with two doors to each separate side and a pathway that led directly to the palace through the vertically closing gate. The latticed metal grille provided comfortable protection to those in the barracks. However, lifting it up and down each time they wanted to leave was a pain. It was left open most days.

　　"Elwin," said Vance, "You take the lead here today. I`ve got to keep my eye out for her."

　　"Yes sir!" Elwin saluted, then took off down the main path.

　　Kaelea slid up next to Caden, "You think the assassin`s going to be out this early?"

　　"Don`t ask me. I know nothing about the Lady of the Stars."

　　Vance took up the rear of the patrol.

　　"You think she`d attack us?"

　　If she did, I`d kill her, thought Caden.

　　"I heard she only comes out on night patrols," called Elwin. He turned around, walking backward, "Besides, she`s not that formidable. We should focus on the task at hand. We got to show Nuff here the ropes, right?"

　　"True," said Kaelea, "I`m not afraid or anything." She waved her hand in the air. "I`m just curious. You`ve heard the stories, right?"

　　"Sure Kae," Elwin said. "You`re not afraid of some assassin. You know, I heard she fought off two Crusaders at once and won."

　　Caden stopped listening.

　　Elwin turned around and led them through some twists and turns of Quadrant Four. Finally, he stopped in front of a bunch of stacked boxes. The place was in an alleyway far from the main path, perfect for an unmarked hovel.

　　"Here," said Elwin. He paused in front of the boxes. "Captain, would you mind?" He gestured to the snuffed torches above.

　　Vance nodded and snapped his fingers. The torches burst into flames from nothing.

　　Pyromancy, thought Caden. He glanced up at the fire. Despite the many users of the magic, he didn`t actually know what it was - just that the Elite had it. Although Caden had his own magical ability. He had discovered it six years ago while attending the academy.

　　While there, he and his classmates were tasked to run around the entire wall of Belmire. It was said to build endurance, but he knew it was to divide the weak from the strong. As the clouds faded, he was left behind. Lost and hopeless, he scoured the city`s perimeter for the gate. However, the night was so dark Caden couldn`t see his own hands. He thought he was going to die at the time.

　　Something saved him. He wasn`t sure if it was the Crown or something else, but the world lit up around him. In pure darkness, he could see perfectly. He could access a tiny spark of power within himself, and ever since that day, he used it to his advantage.

　　Even now, he pulled on the magic he called his Defiant Flame. The nickname was chosen due to the fact it probably wasn`t Pyromancy. If it was, he`d be able to cast more spells, right? So because he couldn`t, the flame was defiant. He reached inside his mind, tapping power he barely understood. The world lit up around him. He could see in the dim light perfectly.

　　Elwin had found a small trapdoor underneath some boxes, and he and Kaelea were now moving them away. It must be a vagrant hovel they`ve uncovered.

　　He stopped pulling on the Defiant Flame, and the world darkened once more. It was a small spark, something he could only use sparingly.

　　"Just as I thought," said Elwin, "vagrant hovel, and it`s loosely covered." He smiled and placed his hands on his hips. "To be fair, if either of you had been looking, you wouldn`t have found it."

　　Kaelea snickered, "Did you actually find something? Very impressive." She clapped sarcastically.

　　Elwin flushed, "I`m fantastic at finding things," he pointed at the hovel.

　　"Are you sure that`s not a fluke too?" Kaelea snickered.

　　He threw his hands up in the air and approached Vance. "Captain, sir!" He saluted.

　　Caden glanced at Vance. He had his eyes trained on two of the torches above. They had spontaneously gone out. He snapped his fingers and re-lit them and finally turned.

　　"Speak, knight," he said.

　　Elwin paled but nodded, "Unmarked hovel, sir!"

　　He sighed, "And what do we do when we find unmarked hovels?"

　　"Explore them?"

　　Vance massaged the bridge of his nose, "Yes. Precisely. Now, did you check if the hovel was marked or not?"

　　Elwin vanished, sprinting back to the hovel and checking it thoroughly. "There are no markings. I was right!"

　　"Very well," said Vance.

　　"Are you sure?" asked Kaelea, "It could be a -"

　　"If you say fluke, I`m going to kick you in the fluke!" Elwin exclaimed.

　　Kaelea laughed wildly.

　　"Captain, sir," said Caden, "Please, allow me to investigate today. I will not let you down."

　　Vance studied Caden up and down, probably scanning every fiber of his flesh for some kind of lie. "Take the squire," called Vance. "He needs experience. Besides, I need to discuss her schedule adjustments for the visiting princess." He pointed at Kaelea.

　　Elwin frowned, "With all due respect, wouldn`t it be easier to just have us go?" he gestured to Kaelea, "He`s a squire. He shouldn`t even be out here yet. What if he messes it up? Or vagrants escape?"

　　Kaelea sat on one of the boxes, unhooking her lantern from her belt and placing it on the ground. "I don`t care who goes in," she said, "I mean, we still get paid either way. Let the kid try. It`s his first patrol, after all."

　　Caden smiled. Finally, some action.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

　　"But isn`t that why he`ll mess everything up?"

　　"Didn`t he just beat you in training this morning?" Kaelea snickered.

　　"You know that was only a -"

　　She raised both her eyebrows, which shut him up. She mouthed the word fluke, and Elwin growled and turned away.

　　"Just take the kid," said Vance, "If you`re so worried about him messing things up," he glanced at Caden, "then if you do, I`ll put you on Twill`s night squad. You want a chance to prove yourself? Here it is; go for it."

　　Caden shuddered in his skin but nodded. If I can pull this off, the Order might get off my back long enough to let me investigate. On top of that. . . he stared at the hovel trapdoor. If there is a vagrant in there, I can interrogate them.

　　Elwin opened his mouth to argue further, but a look from Vance shut him up. He relented, "Come on, Nuff, let`s go."

　　Caden walked over to the cellar. With Elwin on one side of the entrance and him on the other, they collectively pulled open the large metal door. He unhooked his lantern from his belt and peered down below. The hovel was cut into the ground, with stairs that led to a dark room.

　　"Come on, stop wasting time," Elwin pulled Caden by the sleeve and down the stairs. He followed along, taking a few deep breaths as he entered the cavern. Then, once more, he activated his Defiant Flame. The entire room burst to life as they made it to the bottom.

　　The cavern was cut into the ground, the walls made of dirt and stone. Unlit torches were scattered along them. Four doors led to rooms further in. Smoke pooled at the ceiling, and there were no vents to pump out the waste. How could anyone survive long down here? Blankets were scattered in corners, and children`s toys were spread along the floor. Cloth dolls, shiny rocks, and wooden carvings of people.

　　People were just here, he thought. Or they were still here. Perplexed, Caden followed Elwin`s gesture and explored the left side of the room. He turned off the Defiant Flame, and the world darkened once more.

　　"If you run into any vagrants, call me over immediately," Elwin said. For once, he sounded serious. Vagrants really were bad news.

　　He glanced back at Elwin, who had his weapon drawn. Sweat beat down Caden`s face, and he swallowed harshly. He unlatched his sword from his belt but kept his weapon sheathed. He placed it under his arm and opened the door slightly. With his scabbard in one hand and his lantern in the other, he used his foot to slowly push the door all the way open. It swung, revealing a bedroom.

　　He relaxed his shoulders. This place was similar to how his room was at home. A bed, nightstand, a torch simmering with smoke, and clothes scattered over the floor. He felt a chill go down his spine. Someone must still be in here. He took a few silent steps forward, scanning his surroundings.

　　There was a wardrobe at the back of the room. It was large enough to fit a grown man, perhaps even hold an escape tunnel. He reached his hand out to open it.

　　The scream stopped him. A shrill wail echoed from behind him - a woman screaming something illegible. Caden sprinted for the door and watched as Elwin chained up a vagrant with wide, terrified eyes and cheeks stained with dirt.

　　"Vance! I got one! Requesting assistance, she`s half-crazed, I bet."

　　Caden shook his head. That didn`t look like a monster; however, she didn`t look human either. Her nails were practically claws, and her eyes were bloodshot and furious. She was thrashing and fighting all the way up to the surface. She babbled nonsense. Maybe they were all evil.

　　"Come on, lady! You`ll be rehabilitated in the sanctuary; I don`t want to hurt you!" Elwin said, pushing her up the steps. Silence followed, and Vance came down moments later.

　　Vance entered another room. The main cavern burst to life with Pyromancy. He must have gotten impatient.

　　Caden would have time to search this room and possibly interrogate whatever vagrant lay within. He approached the wardrobe, convinced some evil devil would jump out and bite his neck. He positioned himself with his sword and lantern in front of him to look more intimidating, then opened the wardrobe.

　　There was a teenage girl - around the same age as Caden, if not younger. She looked. . . normal and very much like him. Dark skin, hair, dirty clothes, leather gloves, and boots. She stared up at Caden with wide, intense eyes. Her hair was long and knotted; she didn`t move a muscle. Her eyes were normal, not crazed. He was surprised at how human she looked. . .

　　"Hello," said Caden. Would she even know the answers he sought?

　　No reply.

　　"You`re a vagrant, right?"

　　"You`re a knight, right?" Her voice was so soft.

　　He nodded.

　　"Are you here to take me?" She brought her knees up to her chest. She was trying to look small.

　　"No," he lied. "I have a question."

　　She visibly relaxed and moved her hair from her face.

　　"The militia," Caden said, "Do you know of it?"

　　She nodded.

　　"Do you know of any Pyromancers among their ranks?" Caden said, recalling the black-stained alleyway he found Isabel in.

　　She shook her head no. "My mom, but she`s sick. . . her Pyromancy is evil. She`s not a militia, though."

　　Caden sighed at the lack of answers, "And, their leader, who are they?"

　　"The one with most power?" she asked.

　　He nodded.

　　"The Lady of the Stars," she whispered so softly. "She`ll save us all. She`ll save me. She`ll kill you and save me. You`re an enemy."

　　Caden was shocked, "I`m no enemy. I`m a good guy. You`re the -"

　　Tears stained the girl`s cheeks. How could she possibly be an enemy?

　　"Lady of the Stars," she whispered over and over again. "Please save us."

　　"She runs the vagrant militia?" he asked.

　　The girl nodded.

　　That doesn`t make any sense. She`s just a vigilante; how could she be involved with them? Or Isabel`s murder? At the very least, she could tell me about the Pyromancers in their ranks.

　　"Does the name Isabel Arkell mean anything to you?"

　　The vagrant shook her head.

　　Caden cursed under his breath, "Alright, well, come with me. I`ll take you to safety."

　　Her eyes went wide, "No!" she shouted, "You said you wouldn`t! You promised!" The girl kicked him, and he blocked it with his sheathed sword.

　　"Quit it, come on, it`s okay. I`m not your -"

　　She kicked him again, this time hitting him in the face, "Liar!"

　　Caden was stunned for just long enough for the girl to leap from the wardrobe and sprint past him right out the door and into the center room.

　　"Hey! Come back!" he shouted, chasing her down. The girl was on the floor in front of Vance. She was frozen in terror.

　　Vance sighed, "It looks like Elwin was right about you," his voice was terrifying, "You went off to interrogate this thing? Come on, she doesn`t know anything about your dead sister."

　　Caden clenched his jaw.

　　"You`re off the squad. You`ll be joining Twill tonight. And since you care so much for this precious vagrant. . ." he paused and bent down, lifting the girl up to her feet by her shirt. In an explosive move of speed, he slammed her against the wall.

　　"Hey!" shouted Caden, "Why are you -" he paused, frozen in place as his Captain began to choke the life out of her.

　　"You still fail at every chance you get. You know the rules about vagrants: you don`t speak to them; they make you crazed, and when that happens, we have to send you to the sanctuary, too. They are all insane, don`t you get that?"

　　That`s not true. There are no rules against speaking to vagrants. Caden thought. Those were only stereotypes, not rules; he didn`t break any rules.

　　The girl struggled, swiping at Vance with her hands and kicking her legs against his armor. Her efforts were useless, and she was gasping desperately for air. Tears fell down her face.

　　I`m not your enemy. Caden thought. A dilemma, two people in front of him, both not his adversary. One is going to die; one is going to live. He couldn`t do anything. What did the Order say about this? What should he do? Vance would never kill her, right?

　　"Captain, sir," he said. "The girl, she can`t breathe."

　　"Get the hell out of here before I hurt you. I expect you to escort Felisha`s companion once we get back to the barracks, and you`ll be given many extra tasks as well."

　　Nobody in this entire world deserves to get hurt. Isabel`s mantra echoed in his mind. Now, he was going to break a rule.

　　"Stop," he said softly. At that word, something within him gave him strength. His Defiant Flame boiled to life unlike ever before.

　　"What did you say?"

　　Caden glanced at the girl, the vagrant he had labeled as good. It was against the rules to kill vagrants. It was forbidden. He could hurt her, but her movements were slowing. She was going to die; that was against the rules. Without thinking, he lashed out.

　　"I said stop!" he shouted, taking a formidable step forward. His lantern clattered to the floor as he began to draw his sword. "That`s enough!"

　　All the torches in the room went out. Darkness surrounded them, but Caden watched perfectly in the dark as Vance dropped the girl. She crumpled to the floor, alive.

　　His Captain snapped his fingers, and the room lit up once more. The vagrant was gasping for air on her back, one hand on her throat, another on her chest. She didn`t run.

　　Caden didn`t move.

　　"Are you giving me orders?" Vance asked.

　　He sheathed his sword, and the red-hot flame died down. He paused, thinking of an answer. "No. No, sir."

　　Vance punched him in the face and sent him hurtling to the ground. "Report to base, now. You will attend to Felisha`s companion, you will be on good behavior, you will join Twill`s squad, and tomorrow morning, you will meet with me on the training ground."

　　The pain ripped through his face. He clenched his jaw and scuffled to his feet.

　　"Now, get out of here." Vance lifted the vagrant girl to her feet, chained her up, and brought her out of the hovel.

　　Elwin came sprinting down the steps, stopping in front of Caden. "Nuff," he said, "Did you just stand up to Vance?" He reached out his hand for him to take.

　　Caden ignored his gesture and stood. He put his scabbard back onto his belt, "Yeah," he said, "I think I did."

　　"Metal," Elwin said, "Not even I`d try that one. You`re pretty stupid, huh."

　　"Yeah, guess so," Caden said, eyes wide.

　　Vance had beaten squires for simply breathing in the wrong direction. How am I alive? He thought. What was his play? Why is he so interested in me? How did those torches go out? He wondered if he had done it and again felt the same way he did that night the building lit ablaze. Unbridled rage flowed through him.

　　He shook his head and sprinted up the stairs out into the alleyway. He passed Kaelea and Vance and dashed toward barracks four. He said nothing, but he did look back, just once. The vagrant girl on Vance`s back mouthed: Thank you. Despite all that had happened, he felt he had taken ten steps back and now had no time to continue his investigation.

　　However, he did learn one thing. . . the one who ran the vagrant militia, the one who may have the answers he seeks. . . the Lady of the Stars. Someone who only came out in the blackest part of the night, and he was going to find her.