Twilight Of The Echo Bearer

Kaelith leaned over the map, her finger tracing the intricate lines representing the streets of the city. The dim glow from the oil lamp flickered as she began to explain the power structure of Arthuros’s organization.

"Arthuros runs this city like a king," she said, her voice steady and matter-of-fact. "He’s bribed the constable-general and almost all of the constables. That’s why they don’t bother him, no matter how much blood is spilled in the streets. They look the other way because he’s made sure their pockets are lined well enough to keep quiet and don’t report what happened in this city."

Her finger moved toward a cluster of buildings on the map. "His grip on the city is tight, not just through fear, but through control of the law itself."

Lux remained silent, watching her as she continued.

"And the Supernatural Hunter guild?" Kaelith scoffed. "Most of them don’t even try to challenge him. He’s too strong and too dangerous. They pretend they’re keeping the peace, but in reality, they’re afraid. They just killing small fry Supernatural outside this city’s wall. They’ve seen what he can do and know they don’t stand a chance." Her tone was filled with disdain, clearly bitter about the cowardice she saw around her.

Lux’s gaze didn’t waver. "What about his power?" he asked with calm voice. "What makes him so strong?"

"He’s got a lot of people under him," she began. "His gang is big, but it’s the inner circle that matters most. He have four lieutenants, all Vampires. They enforce his rule and they’re all powerful in their own right. But Arthuros…"

She trailed off, her eyes darkening. "He’s on another level. Rumor has it he has immense strength and a healing ability that’s almost impossible to overcome. You could tear him apart, and he’d still pull himself back together.” She look at him. “And there’s more. He can conjure arcane attacks."

Kaelith glanced at Lux, waiting for a reaction — some sign of surprise, or at least concern. But Lux remained unfazed, his expression flat and unreadable.

He nodded, absorbing the information as if she were telling him something as mundane as the weather.

"That’s good to know," Lux said simply. "Keep going."

Kaelith blinked, momentarily taken aback. She had expected at least a flicker of shock or doubt, but there was none. Her eyes narrowed, studying him more closely.

"You don’t look shocked," she said, her voice edged with curiosity. "Most people would be, after hearing all that."

Lux shrugged. "I guessed that much," he replied.

Kaelith frowned, her sharp eyes locking onto him as if trying to read deeper into his soul. It was hard to tell if Lux was just ignorant — some amateur young Hunter who thought he was strong enough to take down a Vampire Lord without fully grasping the danger, or if he really was as confident and strong as he appeared. Either way, he wasn’t scared and that’s a good start.

Kaelith straightened up from the map, her eyes glinting with determination.

"Alright, my plan is simple," she said. "We kill his lieutenants first. Without them, Arthuros’s grip on the city will be weakened. We move fast, and maybe, just maybe, we can take them out before they even realize what’s happening."

Lux nodded, his expression still unreadable but clearly listening. "Makes sense," he said. "Tell me about the lieutenants. What are we dealing with?"

Kaelith crossed her arms, her tone turning serious as she began listing their names. "There are four of them, each with their own territory and strengths."

She pointed to the map again, this time marking out different areas of the city. "First, there’s Varin. He controls the northern district, where most of the black markets and smuggling rings operate. He’s a brute, strong as an ox and twice as stubborn. He prefers direct confrontation and relies on his physical strength. But don’t underestimate him. He’s fast for his size and has a habit of crushing his enemies before they even realize they’re dead.

Lux’s expression didn’t changee at all, he remained silent.

"Next," Kaelith continued, "there’s Selene. She runs the eastern district, where the elite and the wealthy reside. Don’t let her looks fool you. She’s manipulative, cruel, and she can get into people’s heads, literally. Her power lies in mind control. She can twist people’s thoughts and turn them against each other, making them her puppets. Taking her down will require more than just brute force."

Lux nodded thoughtfully, already formulating ideas.

"Then there’s Darios," Kaelith said, her voice dropping slightly. "He’s the lieutenant in charge of the western district. The slums. He’s ruthless and has no qualms about using any method to get what he wants. But his real strength is his mastery over blood magic. He can drain the life force out of his enemies and use it to heal himself. The more he fights, the stronger he becomes. He’ll be tough to face."

Lux’s eyes narrowed. Darios sounded like a serious threat, but still, Lux didn’t react outwardly.

"And lastly, there’s Myra," Kaelith said. "She’s stationed in the southern district. She’s the most elusive of the four. She prefers the shadows and always moving in silence. She’s an assassin, highly skilled with blades and poison. You won’t see her coming until it’s too late, and she never fights fair. She’ll strike from a distance or in the dark, always choosing the perfect moment to kill."

Kaelith finished her explanation, stepping back from the map and watching Lux closely, waiting for his response.

Lux absorbed everything, his gaze scanning over the map again. After a moment, he looked up at Kaelith.

"That’s good information," he said, his voice calm. "We’ll need to take them down quickly, one after the other."

Kaelith nodded, but her eyes still held that hint of doubt, as if she were trying to figure him out.

"You’re not worried about any of them, are you?" she asked, her tone more curious than accusatory.

Lux shrugged slightly. "I’ve dealt with worse."

Kaelith smirked. "Really? Huh, wel… We’ll see." Then, after a moment, she added, "I’m still not sure when to move though."

“Tomorrow,” Lux said.

Kaelith give him a look of surprise. This man didn’t waste time at all.

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