Disciple of Madness

Adrian slowly opened his eyes.

Soon, sounds of approaching footsteps echoed through the barren area. Peeking out from behind the tree, he saw the odd pair of assailant and his captive passing by him, their emotions in contrast to each other.

'So he plans to kill and dump him in the house huh?'

As soon as they passed by him, he sneaked behind them and syncing his own footsteps with Sykes's footsteps, he was able to go right behind his back without making a noise.

The blacksmith of course noticed him approaching.

The poor man was just having a regular day at his shop when all of a while, this blonde broke through his counter and dragged him out. He was so confused back then.

All his efforts to save himself seemed for naughty as nobody approached to help him.He had almost resigned himself to his fate... until now.

When he saw the black haired man come out from the back of a tree, he was about to shout in surprise but then noticed the stranger putting his index finger on his lips, indicating him to remain silent and gesturing he was there to help him.

The blacksmith went silent, his eyes lighting up with hope.

Having reassured the blacksmith, Adrian lunged with a lightning speed and before the yellow boy could even comprehend what had happened, he fell unconscious.

Adrian then slung the sword from the back of the boy, while the blacksmith muttered hastily.

"T-thank you...you really saved my life here, lad. I shall def---mmph!!"

His sentence was cut off as a momentary scream rather tore through his throat. His eyes widened when the same curved sword struck deep in his thigh, his screams muffled by the forceful hands of the black haired stranger.

The stranger whom he had just thought to be his saviour, looked at him in the eyes.

Those eyes looked so blank.

That only made the blacksmith shudder more in fear.

The black haired boy or rather Adrian took out a shard of glass from his robe, and showed the man his own reflection on it.

Then he spoke slowly, his words almost a gentle whisper.

"Do you see your face right now? Tell me, is it the same as the fear striken face the girl had that night?"

The blacksmith felt himself still at those words. His eyes bulged to impossible levels as the meaning of those words dawned on him.

"Yes, I know you were behind that assault on that little girl. She was just a child....and yet, you didn't leave her."

Growling in pain, the man whimpered in tears, "Please... p-please let me go. I-i swear I will hand myself over to the guards. P-please..."

"How many times did that girl tell you to let her go! Did you even hear her plea once, did you show sympathy to her? Did you even feel guilt over your actions? So,tell me...

why...should...I...show...you...any...mercy?!"

Before the blacksmith could even reply, Adrian struck him with the hilt of the dagger, making him go unconscious as well.

He no longer wanted to hear excuses rolling from that vile tongue.

A week ago, a girl of just 7 years old, had gone missing. 2 days later, her body was found or to be more precise what was left of her body.

Adrian had watched the funeral, her parents howling and clinging to each other, not in any state to accept the reality.

Adrian himself wasn't a good man, not at all. But even if it might be misguided, he could never let go of few things...He told himself it was justice, even if it was delivered by hands as impure as his.

Standing up and dusting his clothes, he finally turned towards the unconscious boy.

It was none other than Leonard...or that is, the face and the figure of the boy was atleast the same as Leonard.

Adrian stretched his hand towards him and the next moment, a translucent cloak shimmered just above the unconscious body before it flapped and reached Adrian.

Where there was Leonard a few seconds ago, now there lay Sykes.

He had been under the effects of the cloak -- The Protean Veil, and before he could enter the view of the public, Adrian had snapped his fingers and changed the man's entire body to that of Leonard.

Unfortunately Sykes could never notice the change.

It wasn't that the man was a complete idiot but rather the cloak was a Stage IV weapon.

As if that was not enough, the cloak could also store things in it. Just how Adrian took out an ID from the storage of the cloak.

It was Leonard's ID.

Back an hour ago, when Adrian had integrated the cloak in Sykes's body, he had stored the ID inside it as well.

And from far away, he had been simply ordering the ID to come out the cloak and into the public's eyes.

The saviours weren't simply chasing him thinking of a hidden quest, but rather due to the fact that they had seen the ID. Leonard's ID.

Adrian smiled knowingly.

Not only had he sealed the fate of Sykes but he was also about to bring justice to numerous victims of both Sykes and the blacksmith.

Most importantly, he would be able to escape unscathed.

'The only variable is Nyx...'

*

The next morning had quickly arrived and with it came chaos. News spread all over Trios about the yellow haired boy who had kidnapped the blacksmith the day before.

They said that he was located by three Saviours.

However what truly interested the people was that a mini-battle had broken out between the boy and the three Saviours which ended up with the death of all three of them.

Many of them ran towards the slums in order to see the man who had dared to hurt the saviours, even wgile being aware of how that would earn the wraths of the Entities.