Chapter 54: Firefly

Chapter 54: Firefly

We avoided street parties and the siren call of pub music. At one point in our journey, a sea of lights rose into the sky to join the stars. A hundred thousand paper lanterns, carried by little candles, they floated to the airthen they were caught by the winds and went out towards the ocean, marking the apex of the Lantern Festival. From here, things would only degrade and degenerate as weariness and bad decisions erode peoples sensibilities.

At the end of the journey, we came across a gated property in Seaside.

I took a long moment to stare at the house worth at least two to three million spirits chips. Kayson triple-checked his phones information as we looked at the manor. He seemed as confused as me before confirming that, yes, this is where the Lieutenants of the Fourth Division were instructed to appear.

Bruno gave a slight whistle. I was flabbergasted by the pristine white walls and the three-story high rise. Past the gate, there was a decadent pool lingering. The property was complete with a roundabout drivewayyou know, in case you were too lazy to walk from the garage or had a driver to drop you off.

Numbly, I lit a cigarette. What was this place, and why the hell would the Lieutenants be meeting here? Back when Tristan led my squad, he had us meet at parks or businesses, paying the Brass Kings protection. Well! Its certainly something, but not the biggest! Bruno bellowed, reaching for my cigarette pack.

Well? Anything? Kayson asked Eve.

Place has got to have security all overI can see a camera right there. I dont break into places like this, okay? Way too fucking dangeroushell, I bet the lock on the gate is a bitch and a half to crack. Even after that, Id bet we get busted a few fucking minutes in. I might be quiet, but I cant turn us invisible. She said.

My Thread Spinner can weave webs over the cameras to obstruct their view or pull them to look in the wrong direction. They might not expect anyone given its the Lantern Festival. But, the rest of the security might prove hard to deal with.

Its a horrible idea, Eve said firmly. Sects get a whiff? Well be swarmed and outnumbered by cultivators strong enough to kill us by flicking us on the head. Can you even imagine what sorta shit is in a fancy place like this? New idea, we go stake out the trap, see what happens when we dont show up

Id like to point out that we already busted into a Sect today. Kayson shook his head.

My Soul Seed pulled at me. A horrible but strong urge told me that if I had any chance to walk the path I wanted out of this mess, it would start here. We were staring at those formidable walls. I knew. This was the place we needed to be. Eve, ya can do this. We need to get in.

Kayson gave me a funny look, and Eves frowned at me. If I fuck up, were all fucked. This is a bad idea, and as much as I want to sneak in and take some rich persons shit, I dont want to be the reason we all end up before a judge.

I have a feeling, alright? We gotta do this. Theres no other choice but thislisten, I cant explain why, but I know it. Why would Tristan be here regularly?

Our Lieutenant dispersed his spidersa handful of them scattered past the gate. A minute later, he flinched. Formations too. A couple died to them. He took a long shuddering breath. Enough of my threads made it past. I think we can get by the obvious traps. Luca, are you sure about this?

Yea, I am.

Unlock the gate, Eve.

We made our way room by room, Eve only opening doors after careful inspection. Half of them seemed pointless or redundant. A home theater, two games rooms, a craft roomguest rooms, multiple gyms, hell, some I didnt even understand a purpose for.

Eventually, we reached Tristans bedroom, which was locked. But Eve picked it open. There were no pictures of him or his family; instead, the most significant clue we had that it belonged to him was the Brass Kings Lieutenant jacket displayed on the wall and the array of memorabilia of fights, broken watches, teetheven the Captain Tills bracelet. His desk was littered with glass bottles, some filled with pills, others empty. Books lay strewn about, marked up with highlighters. A glance revealed they contained information about strategy, warfare, and the history of the Sects on this continent.

The conclusion I reached about the room was that it wasnt really lived in. The bed was madeand the pictures of Captains and Knights hung up and pinned with attached strings, far more like some detectives office than someones home. The obsessive degree of attention left me flailing to wrap my head around it and gave me shivers. I even saw my own photomy face circled with a red marker and the question Soul Seed? written under it.

Fucking nutter. Divine above, Luca, you worked for this guy? Eve said, scrunching her face as she peeked under the bed.

Kayson paged through the photos on the desk.He keeps meticulous notes. Background checks into every person under him, and performs extensive research into those above.

Whats this? Eve said, face laced with curiosity; before either of us could react, she pulled out a board from underneath the beda false cavity, and fished out a worn journal. She tossed it to Kayson.

Kayson began to go through the journal, his face growing darker by the second until he set it on the desk. Luca, look at this. There was a page with my name as the header, underlined.

I skimmed it, heart racing at the level of details taken. Hed gotten my birthday, the address of my home, and a candid timeline of my schedule. Even a small section with questions about my father and Uncle. Including a theorization of my ties to the Segreto. All of it framed in a clinical way of an academic at a university studying for an exam. At the end was a short conclusion about my unpredictability and disobedience, which labeled me as an unstable element needing elimination.

My heart beat in my throat, and I flipped through the rest of the book, unable to see that page for much longer. The other pages varied in the detail of information, sections on different Brass Kings, sects, businessmen, and even a section dedicated to an investigation of the Brass King himself. Years worth of notes. What the fuck is this?

Kayson shook his head. I misjudged him. I thought he was just clever and playing for power. But no, this is something else. He has an obsession with control. He doesnt want to rise in the Brass KingsI think he wants to control it, down to every man, and then leverage that into more.

That aint possible

Were cultivators Luca. Willpower lets us defy the heavens. Kayson folded his arms over and took a long look at the room of a mad man. At some point, we stop planning on a mortal scale, we pursue our dao, and our concepts transcend what they think. Do you even know what his Soul Seed is?

No? I was still paging through the journal, a sick sense of horror at the meticulous details of Brass Kings lives.

Then we cant truly know his aims, aside from the clear desire of control. Kayson took the book back, and I didnt protest, not wanting to look through the freakshow anymore. My skin was pale, and I shook slightly. Id called the guy a psycho before, but this was far past that. But, we do have an answer.

Answer to what? Eve asked as she popped open more drawers. I didnt even know where the tiny girl was stuffing away all the shit shed stolen from the house tour so far. She didnt even pause as she asked, knowing wed be out of here soon enough.

An answer of how to draw him out. Take away his control, show him we have something exposing him. He tapped the book of notes. This will draw him out more than the Alchemist ever could. He had contingency plans to deal with that? But this? Its years of research and time. He plans to become the Brass King. If he finds out, we have this and are threatening to bring it to light? All that control will vanish, and hell panic.