Episode 31

She'd always worked alone, never being one to join forces with others. She'd seen time and time again how depending on someone else had been detrimental to others. So, she had never risked placing too much trust in others. But that also meant she never had anyone watching her back. It meant she was disposable.

Things were different now. She'd found herself an unexpected ally. One who'd stood by her when he didn't have to. And she knew that he would continue to do so. For the first time since her uncle passed, she had someone watching her back.

She couldn't quite explain her trust in him. Perhaps it was because of their journey here from the inner workings of Llygredd. Or maybe it was the look in his eyes when he gazed at her. Regardless, she had come to see that this man, born among cannibals in the dark, had more honor than most could hope to have.

The two walked in silence for quite some time, weaving through the crowds and down alleyways. Scarlet continued to garner stares, followed by hushed comments. But she was too focused on her current mission to care.

They'd made their way to a fairly seedy part of Llygredd Grand, and it didn't take long before a trio of prostitutes tried approaching Helfeirch. Two of them each grabbed one of his arms while the other tried slithering up behind him.

Before Scarlet could turn to shoo them, Helfeirch's hand shot out with the speed of a snake's strike, catching the wrist of the woman behind him. In her hand, she held one of his knives, which he quickly pried from her fingers.

"Where I come from, thieves have their hands cut off." His voice was calm and yet incredibly menacing, causing the womens' already wide eyes to swell further. With that, he released her, causing her to stumble backward. Seeing things had resolved, Scarlet began leading the way once more.

"I think it's safe to say that no one else will try to pickpocket you around here," she finally said. "Do you all really cut off the hands of thieves?"

"Yes."

She wasn't sure how she felt about that, given that she was basically a professional thief.

"Are we far from the meeting spot?" he then asked.

"It's not much farther."

They were soon making their way around the back of a building to a hidden entrance. Scarlet gave the metal door three loud bangs and waited.

"Who's the man?" Came a voice over a speaker.

"Can't you tell? We're Siamese twins joined at the hip," Scarlet quipped.

Another moment of silence passed before a noise came from the door as it unlocked.

"Enter," the voice on the speaker commanded.

Pulling the door open, the two entered, only to be greeted by two armed guards. "Leave your weapons here."

Scarlet took out the one firearm she'd brought and placed it on a table by the guards.

"Knives too," one guard demanded.

Scarlet simply stared at them.

"I said knives too."

"You seriously expect me to walk in here with nothing while you all have these?" Scarlet stated as she prodded at the gun he was holding, causing the guard to tense up.

"It's fine. Let them in." Came the voice of a man further in the room. "Scarlet's a thief, not a warrior." Scarlet's eyes narrowed at the condescending tone in the man's voice.

"Channer," she greeted as she walked past the guards, Helfeirch close behind her.

Sitting in what was the nicest chair in the room was a man with platinum hair pulled into a low ponytail with eyes of the same color, made so through enhancements. He wore a finely made crème-colored suit, which made his skin look greyish and sickly. Black, fitted gloves hid his mechanically enhanced hands which sat laced in front of him.

"My, my. How different you look now," Channer commented upon getting a closer look at Scarlet. "And who is this handsome man with you? I don't believe I've seen him around before."

"He's with me."

Channer's eyes curiously roved over the pair before him. Scarlet imagined they were the most interesting thing the man had laid eyes on in some time.

"I didn't know you kept anyone with you. As I recall, you work alone," Channer continued to prod.

"He's the exception." Scarlet made sure her eyes never left Channer.

"I see. Well, it seems we have a lot to catch up on. But first things first…" Suddenly, the two found themselves encased in a cylinder-shaped force field cage. "We need to know why you're really here… People don't just come back from the dead on their own."