Chapter 25 - Whispers of a Scarred Past
The midday sun filtered through the tall windowpanes of the ward room, its warm light spilling onto the polished wooden floors. The light danced across the cream-colored walls and flickered gently over the occupied beds. Dust motes hovered lazily in the air, giving the room a strange sense of stillness despite the quiet shuffling of feet or the occasional clinking of utensils from the hallway beyond. The scent of medicinal herbs mingled faintly with fresh linen and warm food.
Raymond leaned against the wall, arms folded, as Joel gently placed a cup of water on the nightstand beside Kaido. The young man was dozing uneasily, his brows furrowed, chest heaving in shallow breaths. Tayla, arms crossed, stood near the window with concern etched into her features.
"Raymond..." she called, her voice soft but firm.
He turned slightly, sliding down to sit on the floor with one arm lazily draped over his knee. "Yeah?"
Tayla's gaze didn't waver. "Kaido's been mumbling things in his sleep. Weird things."
Joel added, "I noticed it the other night too. He's been talking in his sleep more lately... muttering stuff."
Just then, Kaido stirred, a low groan escaping him. "Mmph... no... don't do it..."
"See?" Tayla said quickly, eyes wide.
She stepped closer. "You've been with him longer than any of us, Raymond. You know something, don't you? About his past? Elias said Kaido's attitude and strength probably came from something… harsh."
Raymond exhaled deeply. He stood and pulled a nearby seat to himself, resting into it with a long sigh. The room was quiet save for the occasional creak of wood or the rustling of the bed linen.
"Some wounds aren't meant to be opened," he said quietly, his gaze falling on Kaido.
"Is that metaphorical? Or literal?" Tayla asked, raising a brow.
He smirked, but it faded just as fast. "Metaphorical."
He rubbed his hands together, as if bracing himself. "It happened six years ago. Exactly six years. Kaido was only nine."
Tayla and Joel leaned closer as the light outside shifted slightly, casting longer shadows across the room.
"There was a terrorist attack in his town—General Iven's hometown, in fact. Kaido... lost his mother. And two siblings. A little boy and a girl."
Raymond's voice softened as he looked down at his hands. Tayla bit her lip, glancing at Kaido, who now turned in his sleep, clutching the pillow tighter.
"I can't believe that happened to him," Joel whispered, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.
"That's not even the worst part," Raymond said grimly. "He nearly killed the lady that he attacked back at the sub urbs... . She was paralyzed by her own toxins. And he stood over her, blade raised, blood all over him. About to strike."
"That's awful… but what does that have to do with now?" Tayla asked gently.
Joel moved beside Kaido, brushing his hair aside soothingly.
"I think something she did… the woman he fought… it triggered that memory in him. I saw the look in his eyes. There was no emotion—just pure rage. He was like a monster."
Raymond's voice cracked slightly. "He watched them die, you know. He saw the massacre with his own eyes. When I got there, he was passed out from blood loss. Barely alive."
Joel turned away toward the window, tears glinting in her eyes. Outside, the sun blazed defiantly, but the chill in the room said otherwise.
"Why didn't you tell us this?" Tayla asked, almost accusingly.
"Because knowing it would break him again. You confronting him… might have pulled the scab off an old wound. I didn't want to risk it."
Raymond stood up, straightening his coat.
"We have to head to the council meeting now. Joel's staying here with Kaido until he recovers," he said as he took out a card key and held it firmly.
---
The stairs leading up the skyscraper spiraled around a sleek glass core. Hover cars hummed outside in their designated spots. Security personnel stood upright, clad in chrome armor and bearing sigil-embedded spears and firearms. They were assigned to various nobles, each guard exuding quiet menace.
"Hope we're not too late," Tayla murmured.
They approached the main entrance, displaying their Adventurer Licenses. The guards scanned them while holographic boards shimmered before highlighting their names in bright cyan.
"Raymond?" Tayla asked.
"Yeah?"
She hesitated. "Back then… when you saw that woman. Did you feel like killing her on the spot?"
He paused. "Yeah. I did. But she was already too broken. Wouldn't have been right."
They moved past a receptionist who gave them a nod, entering a circular lift encased in crystalline panels. The interior glowed a soft azure, with shifting patterns resembling constellations and rune-carved designs across the floors. A voice softly announced their ascent, ambient music playing in the background.
"Seen your sister yet?" Raymond asked.
Tayla folded her arms. "Not since she got back. We talked over the line, though."
He smirked. "What's that grin for?"
"She sounded… needy. Honestly, I thought she was gonna crawl out of the screen."
Raymond chuckled. "She is your sister after all."
The lift slid open with a soft hiss. The floor before them was draped in velvet-blue carpeting, trimmed in silver. Nobles conversed in low murmurs around a room built like an arcane courtroom—sleek but with towering pillars and golden motifs. Tall windows let daylight pour in, filtered through pale drapes. Bodyguards lined the walls, some armed with archaic blades, others with plasma rifles.
"Ahh, they finally made it," came a voice.
Approaching were four individuals—a demi-human serpent woman, two humans, and an ogre. One human bore twin javelin hilts strapped to his back.
"Uh…" Tayla blinked.
"We haven't met, have we? You must remember us—the other adventurer group. We were brought in for the cult case... or was it experiments?"
"Scott, don't tell me you forgot," the serpent lady cut in with a teasing tone.
"Of course not," Scott replied quickly.
Raymond extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you all."
"We're not all here," Raymond added. "Some of us are handling other matters."
Yeah...Scott replied
That I know....Linda.....heard a bit of the situation from Elf lady's dad...Scott added
"That Kaido kid," the young human girl said faintly, "he sounds like a real wild card."
"He's not a wild card," Tayla shot back. "He's a core member."
Scott held up a hand. "She was joking. No offense meant."
"No worries," Raymond replied.
Suddenly a voice echoed, "Tayla!"
A tall female elf burst from the crowd—Laura, her older sister.
"Here we go again," Tayla muttered.
"Are you okay?! Any injuries? Did those bastards hurt you?" Laura said, practically disassembling Tayla in her inspection.
"For Kiirgons' sake, Captain, don't dismantle your sister," said a man stepping forward. He had flowing, silky black hair, and weary eyes darkened with sleeplessness.
"I'm fine, Laura. Let's not make a scene."
As the room quieted, a man in pristine white robes approached the center stage. The room began settling into silence as nobles, adventurers, and knights took their seats. Among them stood General Iven Augustus, flanked by White Knights.
Raymond and Tayla sat near the front. The air was thick with tension, the kind that came before a storm.
And in that moment, the battle for truth—and for Kaido's future—was about to begin.
(To be continued...)