The Dark Before The Light

Acacia's gaze remained fixed on Vincent as he melted back into the dispersing crowd, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Edwin observed, his tone laced with curiosity.

Acacia shook her head slowly, her eyes still distant. "Follow me." She turned abruptly and re-entered the ruined house, the heavy door swinging shut behind her. Edwin exchanged a puzzled look with Fafea before quickly following Acacia inside. Once the door was closed, Acacia turned to face Edwin, her expression serious.

Edwin crossed his arms, one eyebrow arching in question. "Explain."

Acacia took a deep, steadying breath, her gaze unwavering as Maximus approached, his expression mirroring her concern. "I don't trust Vincent and his group. There's something deeply wrong."

"Is it the eyes that have you so on edge?" Edwin sighed.

"Partly," Acacia conceded, her brow furrowed. "Elric knew Vincent and mentioned him being in the South. Yet this 'Vincent' also claims to be from the South but doesn't recognize Elric and has distinctly different eyes."

"Perhaps something… changed him in the South?" Edwin mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "He did mention their group being attacked by monsters. Maybe some sort of… mutation affected their eyes?"

"If that's the case, why the complete lack of recognition for someone he seemingly knew? And why share the same looks and name? Furthermore," Acacia pressed, her voice sharp with suspicion, "how did they manage to travel all the way from the South to here so quickly without any cars or means of transport? He looks completely fine with no injuries and the same goes for the rest of his group."

Edwin stroked his chin, his gaze distant in thought for a moment before he turned to Fafea. "Fafea," he began, his voice carrying a new weight of suspicion, "after I… vanished, how did you manage to find your way here?"

"I managed to tame a rather temperamental flying beast," Fafea replied, a hint of pride colouring her voice, "and scoured the land from above. There were… detours. I lost my way at one point and had to continue on foot, asking for directions from anyone I encountered, engaging in a few necessary skirmishes, and even taking shelter beneath the earth when needed. Sometimes, to make better time, I would dig through the ground. All in all," she concluded, her gaze firm, "I believe it took me several long months before I finally reached this place."

"All that arduous travel, with no guarantee I was even alive…" Edwin sighed, a wave of weary gratitude washing over him. "My journey was far less… directed. I simply commandeered a winged creature and allowed it to carry me wherever its instincts led. Time became a blur, but it certainly wasn't a swift trip." He took a deep breath, the weight of his experience evident.

"If Elric recognizes him, the likelihood of him originating from Flow is quite high," Acacia stated, her mind already piecing together possibilities. She placed the heavy monster encyclopedia on a nearby table with a decisive thud. "I need to do some discreet investigation. For now, act completely normal around Vincent and his group, no suspicious glances or behaviours whatsoever." She looked pointedly at Maximus and Edwin. "I'll question Elric first, try to glean whatever information I can. Then, I'll have a separate conversation with Vincent and compare their accounts. In the meantime, everyone needs to be vigilant. Keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary."

"Actually," Edwin interjected, a glint of determination in his eyes, "I'll speak with Vincent. We will get answers more quickly that way. Fafea, keep a close watch on our surroundings."

Fafea immediately bowed her head in acknowledgement before snapping back to attention, her gaze sharp and focused. "Esa, Sì Mala," she affirmed resolutely, before swiftly exiting the building.

"Alright," Acacia conceded to Edwin, her expression serious. "If you're going to talk to Vincent, make sure you get his full name, his age, what he did before… all this, and a very detailed account of exactly what transpired in the South."

"Consider it done," Edwin nodded confidently. Acacia returned his nod, then turned and headed towards the room where Elric was being held, Maximus silently falling into step beside her. They both paused just outside the door, a shared sense of apprehension hanging in the air.

"Stay here," Acacia instructed quietly, and Maximus responded with a low grunt of acknowledgement. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it firmly behind her. Her gaze fell upon Elric's still form. She rested her hands on her hips, a calculating look in her eyes, before deliberately raising her foot and placing it squarely on his untreated leg wound. A strangled cry ripped from Elric's throat as his body arched off the floor. Acacia shifted her weight slightly, maintaining the pressure. Beads of sweat immediately sprang to his forehead, his knuckles white against the restraints, before his eyes snapped open, filled with pain and fury.

"Good afternoon," Acacia said as she removed her foot from his injured leg, offering him a saccharine smile. "How are we feeling?"

"What?" He blinked, his eyes darting around the room in momentary confusion before hardening into a glare. "I could teleport back to Flow right now—"

"Oh, I wouldn't advise that," Acacia interrupted, shaking her head gently as she leaned against the wall. "From what I gather, returning to Flow at this precise moment would likely paint you as… a suspect."

"A suspect?" He shifted uncomfortably on the floor, his gaze fixed on his bound wrists.

"It's a rather tedious and convoluted tale, one I have little interest in recounting at the moment. What does interest me, however, is everything you know about Vincent." Acacia's smile vanished, her tone becoming sharp and direct.

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"...and why would I do that?" Elric spat, a fleck of saliva landing near Acacia's boots. "Just get it over with. Kill me. I'm not telling you anything."

Acacia stared down at him for a long, silent moment, her expression unreadable before she spoke, her voice dangerously low. "Then I'll kill Erla."

His eyes snapped wide, his body instantly stopped writhing against the floor. "Wait! I thought… you said you didn't know her."

"I don't," Acacia confirmed, a cold glint in her eyes. "But there was a girl with blonde hair clinging to you earlier. Erla, you called her? I deduced she must be… important. She's currently residing in another room, rather uncomfortably bound. I even took her dress. Thought it might suit me, but alas," she gestured dismissively at her own somewhat dishevelled attire, "it seems a bit worse for wear now."

"I don't know how you're still breathing, but if you lay a hand on her, I swear—" Elric began, a raw fury flickering in his eyes.

"Your empty threats hold no sway over me," Acacia interrupted with a dismissive shrug. "Simply tell me what I need to know about Vincent, and your precious Erla remains unharmed. Your forgiveness is irrelevant. Choose wisely."

Elric's gaze flickered away from Acacia's, fixating on a dusty patch of the floor. His face was a shifting landscape of fear, anger, and a desperate internal struggle. Small droplets of sweat escaped his brow and splattered onto the rough wood, mirroring the dark circles etched beneath his eyes. The stale scent of dust and aged wood hung heavy in the air.

"I see," Acacia said softly, she pushed herself off the wall and turned towards the door, her hand reaching for the latch.

"Vincent Arlo," Elric blurted out, his voice low and strained. Acacia froze, her hand hovering over the cold metal. "He's… he was my colleague at Flow. He was part of the group sent south, along with others, to reinforce our commander there. He's a magic user and specializes in ice magic. Not the most gifted, perhaps, but… competent enough in battle."

"Are you certain," Acacia pressed, turning back to face him, her gaze sharp, "that the man you encountered outside was the same Vincent Arlo you knew?"

"Yes… I think so. I… I don't know anymore," Elric stammered, shaking his head in confusion. "But the Vincent I knew… he had a distinctive frostbite scar. It ran across his back and chest."

"How old is he?" Acacia asked.

"Twenty-nine years old," Elric answered.

"Thank you for that information, Elric," Acacia said, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Rest assured, Erla will remain unharmed… for now. As for you, if you manage to free yourself, feel free to depart. Just be aware that your 'little friend,' as you call her, isn't being held in this building. You're welcome to abandon her to whatever fate awaits, should you choose to flee." With that, Acacia opened the door and exited, the heavy wood slamming shut behind her, leaving Elric alone with his conflicted thoughts.

Maximus's gaze was intense, his silent concern palpable. Acacia offered him a small, reassuring smile and a gentle sigh. "I'm alright, truly. I just need to find Edwin." She patted his massive shoulder reassuringly before turning and walking away, exiting the ruined house and stepping onto the cracked and uneven street. Her eyes scanned their surroundings as she strolled.

'Perhaps I should give Edwin a bit more time to speak with Vincent,' Acacia mused, her gaze lingering on a crumbling wall. 'In the meantime, I can observe the others and try to get a better sense of them.'

'Are you not concerned that you might be overreacting to this situation?' Daemonis's voice echoed in her mind.

'I doubt it,' Acacia retorted internally, a prickle of unease still nagging at her. 'There's a disquieting feeling I get from them, something that doesn't sit right.' Her attention then caught sight of Jahir and Kel engaged in conversation near a partially collapsed corner of a building. She walked towards them, raising a hand in greeting, which Kel returned with a friendly wave.

"You seem troubled, Acacia," Jahir observed, his keen eyes noticing her subdued demeanour.

"I've just been… preoccupied with our new arrivals," Acacia admitted.

"Oh?" Kel prompted, tilting his head slightly, his curiosity piqued.

Acacia glanced around them once more, ensuring no one was within earshot, before leaning in and lowering her voice to a near whisper. "Elric… he knows Vincent. From Flow."

Jahir's eyebrow shot up, a flicker of concern crossing his features. He straightened his posture and subtly scanned their surroundings. "So… we've potentially brought an enemy right into our midst?"

"I'm still not sure about that," Acacia replied, a fleeting image of Jia's innocent face flashing through her mind, adding another layer to her unease.

"Hey, you were the first to meet them," Kel interjected, draping an arm casually around Jahir's neck, his voice low. "Did you pick up on anything… suspicious? Anything out of the ordinary? Trust your gut."

Jahir gently removed Kel's arm and considered for a moment. "Nothing overtly threatening, to be honest. They were… odd, perhaps a little too eager, but not in a way that immediately screamed danger. The only truly strange thing I recall was their fervent belief in some deity I've never encountered before."

"A deity?" Acacia's interest sharpened. "Which one?"

"I believe it was… Ciflith," Jahir said, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow as he tried to recall the name accurately.

"Ciflith? Doesn't ring a bell at all," Kel commented, scratching his head. "Think it's a god from a different culture, maybe?"

'Kill them!' A sharp, stabbing pain lanced through Acacia's head, and she gasped, instinctively gripping the crumbling wall for support. A frantic voice, alien yet somehow familiar, shrieked the command within her skull. Kel and Jahir exchanged worried glances, their attention immediately drawn to her distress.

'Stop it!' Acacia winced, her fingers tangling in her hair as she squeezed her eyes shut, the insistent voice finally receding. She gasped for breath, a cold, wet sensation trickling down from her nose.

"Acacia! You're bleeding. Are you alright?" Kel asked, his voice filled with concern. She felt something cool and metallic brush against her upper lip. Raising a trembling hand, she touched her nose, pulling her fingers away to see them stained a shocking crimson.

"I'm… fine. Just a bit tired," Acacia mumbled, her brow furrowed in confusion and a growing sense of dread.

'You need to eliminate them immediately!' Daemonis's voice hissed urgently in her mind.

'Control your volatile emotions, Daemonis. I can't simply slaughter people without cause. It would arouse suspicion,' Acacia retorted mentally, a shiver running down her spine despite her attempt at composure. She felt Behemoth stirring, a tiny weight shifting on her scalp before he tumbled down, landing gently on her palm and beginning to delicately lick the blood from her fingers.

"Let's all just remain extremely vigilant, okay?" Acacia said, her gaze sweeping over their surroundings, and both Jahir and Kel nodded in earnest.

"They do seem particularly loyal to Vincent," Jahir added, his eyes thoughtful. "And the only other thing I've really noticed is how easily they seem to ingratiate themselves with people. They make friends quickly." Acacia's grip tightened slightly on Behemoth, her senses on high alert.

'Why did you react so violently just now?' Acacia questioned Daemonis internally, her mind still reeling from the sudden pain.

'It's… complicated. That so-called god they mentioned, Ciflith, is a fabrication. I don't know the specifics of their connection, but it's important that we sever their ties here before their influence spreads further,' Daemonis responded, his mental tone laced with an urgency that mirrored Acacia's own growing unease.