Radiant Age, Spring, 1127
My night was peaceful, at least to me. When I woke up my pillow was deflated and full of claw marks from my nails. These terrors were relentless but, in a way, they brought me a semblance of who I am.
"Hm, it's time for me to get going."
I untied my bounds and fixed myself up. My mission was to get this investigation over with so I can live in solitude like yesterday. How peaceful it was.
"Wish me luck, Maxwell."
I said to nobody as grabbed my jacket and katana. I stepped out the doorway and made my way to the Radiant City.
As I walked along the grassland towards the city, I reprimanded myself for allowing my creed to be so easily shaken. With all the people that's been associating themselves with me, living in the shadows had become much harder.
I felt as though Maxwell was over me, shaking his cold head in disappointment. He gave me the tools to live, and I needed to take them more seriously.
"Huh?!"
The sky lit up a horrid white. A shockwave rippled across the land as the ground shook like thunder rolling under my feet. This didn't just happen once, two more came in rapid succession from the Radiant City.
"Explosions?"
Black smoke rose from the city.
"Another bombing?!"
I jogged to the capital's gates. When I reached the west gates, less than half of the number of knights stood to watch for beasts. The scene looked as though the knights were in disarray.
"Hurry, we need more people!"
A commander ordered. More troops rushed inside, leaving a skeleton crew of men and woman outside. The black smoke was thicker the closer I got.
"There were three of them this time!"
A knight said, talking to her follow soldier.
"I can't believe they're making the rest of us stay here. A psycho is going around bombing places and we're stuck at the gates?"
Another angered knight kicked the wall in frustration.
I rushed to the gates.
"Hold it!"
A knight stopped me.
"Oh, wait you're Feodora, the one working with Jade Opal, right?"
"Eh… yeah."
Coyly, I nodded.
"If you're looking for her, Jade's heading the investigation on the bombings that happened moments ago. You can find her near the north of the gates."
"Thank you."
I rushed past the knights and ran into the city.
People were being evacuated to the east, from the north. I jogged to the north, passing crowds going against me. As I got closer, the black smoke became heavier.
"Ah?!"
Buildings were on fire, a few crumbled from the blast shockwave. Victims were laid about on the ground, crying and groaning in pain.
"This is horrible."
"Feodora!"
Jade shouted from the distance. She ran at me and came to a stop at my feet.
"Change of plans, you're not investigating the missing people case today. We have priority to look into these bombings now."
Before I could open my mouth, she pushed a device into my hand. It was rectangular, and I instantly knew what it was.
"Is this a phone thing?"
I asked, knowing the answer to my own question.
"I'll need to contact you on the regular now. It already has my number on it."
I fidgeted with the phone for a second before looking back at her.
"Now, your orders, look around the area and try to help survivors, Feodora."
As quickly as she came, she raced off into the black smoke. There I stood with a new phone in hand. But at the time, I couldn't let that distract me. People were hurting. So, I put it in my pocket and looked about the area.
"Help someone."
There was a meek voice calling out.
I looked around to see where the person was. With haste, I rushed over to see a fallen establishment. The canopy reminded me of the bakery from the other day so I assumed that must have been it.
The baked goods sign was laying on its side as the building slanted pitifully. The establishment crumbled as the roof was on the ground now. The sight was depressing.
"What's going on?"
I asked an older white-haired man who was on one knee.
"My daughter is trapped in the rubble. Even with all the knights around, they are having trouble getting her out."
The father was sobbing as he pleaded with me for help. A knight already at the scene approached me.
"She'll be out soon. A few earth vessels are on their way to help move the pile of debris."
I looked at the destruction and thought about it. Enough objects were blocking out the sunlight underneath. That alone gave me the unique chance to help out whoever was down there.
"No need, I'll get her from under there..."
I bent down and touched the shadow and melted into the bakery. When I appeared, the entire place was dark, and the woman was huddling under a table. She likely couldn't see because it was pitch black, but I had no problems.
"Ma'am."
I reached out my hand, touching her shoulder. Before she answered, we appeared in the shade of a burnt tree. Just as we did, a few knights, likely earth vessels, rushed over and attempted to use their spectrum to push the debris around to get her out.
"T-Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The woman wept and gave me a hug.
The knights turned to me, I could see the frustration on their faces.
"Dad!"
With one last glance of appreciation, the woman ran to her father and cried in his arms. Luckily, they both were safe.
"And who are you, lady?"
A knight came up to me and put his hand on his hips. I was apprehensive he'd arrest me for some unwarranted reason.
"Ah, I'm Feodora Cicer, an assistant of Jade Opal."
I could see all of their shoulders relax as relief came to their faces.
"Ah, if you're working for Jade, that's all that matters. Go on with your duty then."
The group of knights went over to the woman and her father and started taking statements. As I looked around, there were a lot of knights doing the same. There had to be hundreds here and that was reasonable seeing the damage here.
"Who did this?"
This was the second bombing event that I witnessed here. Even though this probably wasn't part of the missing people investigation, the fact of the matter is, someone dangerous was going around doing this and I was a consultant of Jade.
As long as she needed me, I was stuck with whatever job she had for me. This bombing event had slowly made itself my problem too, as callous as I made that sound.
I glanced back to the daughter and father.
"I have to help these people though."
I murmured.
"Feodora Cicer…"
A knight approached me.
"Oh, y-yes?"
The sudden attention caused me to back up a little as a group of knights formed around me.
"We have this section covered. In the lower quarters of the city nearby, there are a lot more people trapped under rubble that will take time to get to. Would you please go aid the knights there instead?"
The knight explained.
"The lower quarters?"
I was unsure where that was and to my appreciation, he pointed down a pathway. It was partially destroyed, likely from the blast.
"The housing is tighter because it's more poverty-stricken. Because the houses and businesses were closer together, the bombings had a greater impact over there and more people are trapped."
Another knight chimed in.
"With your unique skills, we figured you'd be a bigger help there."
"Oh sure, I guess."
At their order, I rushed over and down the steps. As I traveled in the direction they instructed, I saw a major change in the streets. The sun didn't reach the pathway due to the tall buildings.
I entered a tunnel and when I came out of the cave-like exit, I appeared in another side of Radiant City. The streets were broken up, and dirty patches were all around. Houses weren't as nice as the other parts of Radiant City for sure. These were the poorer portions of the city as the knight explained.
"So, these are the lower quarters of Radiant City?"
"Ohh! Feodora!"
Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Vivian Heart screamed my name as she ran up to me. The white bunny hopped around me momentarily before coming to a stop and straightening her back.
"Are you here to help with the rescue too, Feodora?!"
She was dirty, likely from digging around and helping the people here. I nodded to her as I looked about.
"Yeah, Jade and the knights asked me to help. I heard more people were trapped down here."
Roofs were caved in, and people lay on the side of walls as black smoke protruded to the sky. The ground was almost black. This had to be one of the blast zones or ground zero in this case.
"Hm?"
Vivian looked at my back pocket and her eyes lit up.
"Whaaa?! You got a phone without me?!"
I tapped my pocket as she reached out, trying to take it from me.
"Eh, no, Jade gave this to me…"
Vivian puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms.
"That's super mean, Feodora! I was going to pick you out the coolest because you are the coolest!"
The white bunny kicked a pebble.
"Arrrgg, well, I can't worry about that right now. We need to save these people! I need help over here, Feodora! Come with me."
She pulled me along, and we made our way to a pile of broken-down houses. Knights were removing people from within as others were spraying water at the fires that were still roaring.
"When the explosion happened, a few places built on bad foundations caved in, Feodora. Knights are having trouble getting that low in the ground, and people are stuck down there."
Vivian explained.
"I did it before. I can shadow-walk down there and see if I can pull the people back to the surface."
"Ohhh! That's super smart!"
The bunny jumped.
"I should think about ways to use my holy spectrum right now too. C'mon, a superhero wouldn't falter! Think, think!"
I tapped her on the head.
"Don't think too hard about it, Vivian."
I looked at the wounded who were being taken out by the knights. They were so busy, many of them had to be left to the side and their wounds weren't being tended to immediately.
"How versed in the water spectrum are you, Vivian?"
I asked, causing the white bunny to hop up in excitement.
"I can treat wounds if that's what you want, Feodora!"
She exploded with vigor, ready to spring into action.
"How about you use water spectrum and treat their wounds, for now, Vivian?"
I suggested.
"Yes! Will do, Feodora!"
Vivian jumped around like a rabbit with too much energy. She raced over and did just as I instructed.
"Now then."
I walked over to the dark spot of a fallen building. I calmed my mind and closed my eyes.
Just as I did at the bakery before, I looked about the dark spots to see a good place and shadow-walked there. The shadows were tight, but I could see four or more people stuck under the dirt. There was a space underneath, just enough to fit me in, so I appeared inside.
"Oh? Who's there?"
A weak masculine voice asked as I touched their shoulder.
"Don't worry. I'll get you all out of here one at a time."
I did just that.
One at a time, I brought out each of them to the surface. When I appeared with them, the white rabbit would run over, take them by the hand, and begin healing their wounds using water spectrum as I instructed. This went on for a bit until I finally got everyone out.
"Thank you, ma'am, thank you."
They praised and reunited with their loved one.
"What a mess."
When I turned around, the psycho named Eve walked into the scene. She held her head and crushed a pot under her feet as she made her way to me.
"Any ideas on who did this, Eve?"
I questioned, earning a shrug from her.
"No idea. I'm on medical duty, Jade told me. I'm just as lost as you are, I guess, Feodora."
"Where were you when the explosion happened, Eve?"
She bit her lip and gazed away from me.
"Dangerously close… Let's just say that. I was following a lead. While I was down here in the lower quarters, this bombing happened."
Midway through her explanation, she walked over to the group that Vivian was healing.
"Oh, Eve! Good to have you! Did I do well?!"
Vivian asked.
"You did as good as you could, Vivian. Not being a water vessel that is, kid. But I'll take it from here."
She did just that as she poured her healing spectrum on the injured. I heard sighs of relief as their pain started to go away. With a bit of downtime, I decided it would be best to start investigating too. Jade mentioned she was suspicious of both Eve and Vivian for a reason so, I figured they might be the best place to start.
"Vivian, where were you during this explosion?"
I asked.
The bunny hopped up and saluted me.
"I was on a mission, so I didn't get here until much later."
"A mission?"
I probed.
"Yes, it's confidential, but I had to gather some important intel. I felt the three shockwaves, however."
Vivian lifted her arms to the sky, simulating a big boom.
"But I couldn't abandon my job. A few moments later though, around fifteen-minutes or so later, Eve called me to get here."
"So, you weren't one of the first responders, Vivian?"
"Sadly, no."
Dejected, she put her shoulders down.
Eve was in the vicinity of the explosion, but she wasn't harmed during the blast. Vivian didn't come racing to the bombing sites because she was in the middle of a "mission."
But as she was still doing her job, she was forced to come over and help because Eve called her. I closed my eyes and thought about it. Something felt off about Vivian's testimony.
"Isn't that a little strange, Vivian?"
I questioned, looking at the bright-eyed wonder.
"Oh, what's strange, Feodora?"
"That you, a heroine of justice, wasn't one of the first responders here? You're faster than anyone I know yet you didn't race to action when these explosions happened?"
She smiled brightly and tilted her head.
"Oh, do you think I had something to do with the bombings? Is that why you're interrogating me? I swear that I'm innocent!"
She chided me, almost mockingly.
As if just to play with me. Vivian didn't seem upset that I was suspicious about her in the slightest.
"No, it's not that, Vivian."
I lied as I reformulated my question.
"I'm just curious why you didn't think it was important to race to such a large explosion."
The bunny put her hands behind her back and paced for a bit. With one finger in the air and a tilt of her cute head, she explained.
"Because the mission I was on was a top priority from the Light Camp."
"What is the Light Camp, Vivian?"
Vivian perked up as her eyes shined.
"You've never heard of the Light Camp, Feodora?"
Vivian asked.
"Can you tell me a little bit more about the Light Camp, Vivian?"
I asked.
"Oh, are you interested in us?"
She giggled.
A wide grin came on her face, and she put another finger in the air like a professor teaching a lesson.
"We are a group who are like family. We do odd jobs in the Radiant City to collect money to sustain our village miles away from here. That's the simplest explanation I can give you."
Vivian excitedly announced with a click of her feet and her hand to her heart.
"I was assigned to help Ms. Jade Opal and the other knights of Radiant City. That's partly why I'm part of Ms. Jade's investigation team."
Excitedly, she raised her head like a proud puppy.
"The Light Camp's orders are first. And they told me that Jade's command is law."
Vivian is only listening to Jade because the Light Camp gave her those orders. That in itself was suspicious in my eyes.
"But it was Eve who called you, right?"
I asked.
She turned back to me and shined her bright eyes my way.
"Yes, I don't have Jade's number, so any information given from someone else is by proxy, Jade to me. So effectively, Eve was Jade, meaning my orders became absolute."
I still found it odd that she, the heroine of justice, wouldn't drop all orders and come to help. But then again, if her job is that important, she might not have the freedom to do that.
"I see, thanks for answering my questions, Vivian."
Vivian sounded open and honest. I felt a tad guilty doubting her now.
"Well, what about you, Feodora?"
The bunny grinned as she looked me up and down now.
"How do I know you aren't the one who caused this? Or maybe my heroine is actually working with the people who did this?"
She wasn't wrong to bring that up. All I did was shrug in response.
"You don't."
I played into her accusation.
"For all we know, these bombs were on a timer and that would give anyone an alibi. We don't have the information to know who did this."
The white bunny agreed with a nod.
"I at least know you were outside of the town gates when the explosion happened. So effectively, I'm your alibi too."
"Huh?
Curious, I titled my head.
"How did you know that, Vivian?"
Vivian put her finger to her lips and smirked.
"Because I like you, and I was watching you! I always have to keep an eye on my heroine, don't I?"
Cutely, she approached me.
"I mean, what if you did something super cool and I missed it?! I'm like your biggest fan, you know?"
Her sweet breath trickled along my cheek as she whispered.
"I'm always watching you, Feodora~"
She got closer to me, backing me to a wall. Vivian moved her lips close to mine before lightly pushing my chest away.
"Hehe."
Vivian giggled.
"You like teasing me, don't you?"
"Who said I'm teasing you?"
Vivian touched my chest and drew a small heart with her finger. With a kiss on that very finger, she put her arms behind her back and stepped away.
"If you have no other questions, I'm going to keep helping the people here. Bye, bye, Feodora!"
Vivian hopped away to the next wounded person she could find. I rubbed the back of my head.
"That girl is a lot to handle, isn't she?"
I know that Vivian knew my location during the explosion. Meaning whatever "mission" she was doing, it took her to the west gates of Radiant City. I was curious about what that "mission" could have been.
By order of the Light Camp, Jade's order is the law to Vivian. But that would actually mean Vivian is only following those laws because they came from the Light Camp. If her camp had never made those orders, Jade wouldn't have had any authority over her actions.
"So, who is actually directing you then, Vivian?"