Messenger

The underground lab was once again illuminated, however this time it was not through the radiance of electric fury but the bright yellow glow of raging fires. The swords encircled Arthur's body, leaving the area where he stood the sole sanctuary of their tyrannical heat. 

The Red Tigers equipped with cybernetic armors attempted to flee the blast area but were unable to outrun the flames. They frantically raced in random directions as they were being burned alive. Just a few seconds later, two charred corpses wearing steaming armors fell onto the alloy ground. 

The two espers were far more fortunate… If only by a little. 

They were engulfed by the raging flames too, however unlike the mundane Red Tigers they had the ability to heal fast enough to outpace the scorching of their flesh. Such a thing was not painless. They suffered the fate of being burned alive yet were unable to receive the mercy of death. 

And so for an unknown time they burned, and burned some more, until their attacker decided that they had enough.

Once that time came, both espers were barely holding on to their lives. 

Kenneth Blake laid sprawled onto the ground, unmoving. He was not dead, his chest rising steadily every few seconds. His entire skin was burnt off, the muscle underneath charred. Steam was simmering from his body, clouding his figure somewhat.

His low pained groans could still be heard if one cared enough to listen. However, Arthur's eyes had but a single focus. That of Wilson Francis. 

Wilson was in bad shape also, yet he was significantly better off than his red tiger head. He was still mostly upright, knelt on one knee. His skin was seared but mostly intact. Steam also rose from the surface of his flesh. His breathing was heavy and full of agony. His elegant temperament was entirely gone, leaving only a pair of furious eyes glaring forth from within a scorched, trembling body. 

The sight seemed to be amusing since Arthur's lips soon curled into a smirk. 

"Already back on your knees, do you like looking up that much boss?"

He mocked, before leisurely closing the distance between them. As he moved, so did the swords which circled him. They hovered over to surround Wilson's singed body. Upon reaching before him, Arthur's glowing blue gaze examined Wilson once more from head to toe. He chuckled.

"So flames are too much for living clothes to recover from huh? What a disgrace, cover yourself up boss." 

Arthur said. 

Prior to this, Wilson's clothes had recovered from the lightning attack he suffered. The same went for the attacks which Dominic suffered as well. Such was the utility of buying living clothing, yet even that technology had its limits. 

The result was that the elegant figure, the powerful boss of the notorious Red Tiger Gang, was knelt, defeated, charred, and utterly naked. 

It was a scene too unthinkable for Arthur not to mock. 

Of course it helped that Wilson's lips had yet to fully heal, thus robbing him the privilege of a verbal spar. 

"Do you get it now? The difference between esper stages? You can't win Wilson. Not against me here, not without a third stage esper around or at least a larger group…" 

He gave the exit door a glance, his smirk only rising. 

"Ah but you have more men don't you? Are they all waiting for me to attempt my escape? Is that what you are betting your life on? Heh-heh, how naive… Even now you remain a fool." 

Returning his focus upon Wilson's furious glare, Arthur continued. 

"The person who taught you about espers, did they explain what Concept Accommodations are? Hah-hah if they did, would you be surprised to hear that I have one?" 

Wilson raised a brow— Or at least tried too, he currently lacked a brow to raise. Still Arthur caught on to his expression and chuckled. 

"So they did explain it… How interesting. It seems this new partner of yours is rather honest. Anyways, as I was saying, even though I am a Third Stage Esper I have access to a Concept Accommodation, and it's rather good for making escapes." 

Arthur knelt down to meet Wilson's vengeful gaze head on. 

"I could kill you here but that is not why I fought. I wanted some fun, and I wanted to give you a final memory of me to keep. Luckily for you Wilson, I'm rather generous and kind. Not only will I show you mercy as an apology for my deceit, but I'll even tell you something about that new partner of yours…" 

Arthur pointed at his eyes. 

"One of the aspects of my Concept Accommodation lets me see what I dubbed the Fog of Mysteries. It lingers on all those with ties with the supernatural. If I so wish I can even peer into the fog and receive revelations regarding the specifics… Guess what Wilson, the fog is thick around you. Whoever this new person is, they have deep ties with the supernatural. Hah-hah, of course that is just a guess, want me to take a look and give you some details? As a sign of good will of course." 

Wilson did not answer, he couldn't. However, It appeared that Arthur was curious enough himself to do so anyways. 

The blue glow of his eyes shifted into a slight purple, its surface turning illusory as a fog appeared behind his eyes. It swerved around slowly at first, then it raged. From the outside, one would think that the fog wished to pop Arthur's eyes open before fleeing, yet in the end his eyes sustained no damage and the fog soon retreated. 

What was left behind was only the clear shock upon Arthur's expression. Then came laughter… 

"Hah-hah-hah-hah, How unexpected! Hah-hah-hah, Wilson you seem to have bad luck when it comes to encountering a certain type of the supernatural! Hah-hah-hah!" 

Arthur laughed so deeply that tears began forming at the corner of his eyes. The melody of his delight only ceased after an entire minute passed. 

"So The Fool graces us with his presence at last. After three damn years no less… I wonder, has he chosen to keep that wretched identity or abandoned it the way we all have?" 

Arthur said, clearly speaking his thoughts out loud. He then returned his focus to Wilson. 

"Wilson, you can speak again right? Enough with the mute act, I have a question for you." 

Seeing Arthur's dismissive demeanor towards him, Wilson felt nothing but simmering fury. However, he was not in a position to protest anymore.

"W-What… I–Is it?"

He asked with a horse, stuttering voice. 

"By chance, Is your new partner's name Ciel Adams?" 

Wilson did not answer immediately, nor did he need to. His surprise was obvious for Arthur to see. Arthur's brows furrowed slightly. 

"So he has chosen to keep that identity after all… That might be troublesome." 

Arthur returned to ignoring Wilson's presence entirely as he entered into deep thought. Only after two dozen seconds passed did he speak once more. His lips curled with dark amusement. 

"Do me a favor Wilson, be my messenger. If you do that then I'll spare your other tiger head as well." 

Arthur gestured towards the still burnt Kenneth Blake. A single jagged sword moved to hover above the injured esper's head. He did not wait for Wilson to agree before he continued. 

"Tell Ciel Adams that The Hermit awaits him in District 4. If he can seek me out, then I'll show him a gathering." 

Saying nothing more Arthur stood. He then began walking away. However, it was not towards the exit door, but rather the door which led to his personal room within this underground lab. He arrived before it and its metallic door slid open. 

Only then did Arthur spare Wilson a look over his shoulder. 

"I lied a lot, but I told plenty of truths as well. One of them is that the Green Python Gang really does have another rogue mystic researcher. If you want to replace me, that's your best bet… Now then, goodbye. May we never see each other again." 

Arthur stepped forth, the steel door closing behind him. Immediately after, the hovering swords seemed to lose all of their mystical power as they fell onto the ground with metallic clanks. With his restrictions gone and his rage soaring, Wilson stood with some difficulty before limping over towards the closed entrance.

He pressed the command for its opening before then— Halting where he stood. 

When the alloy door slid open, what awaited him was not the expected room, but instead darkness. No— It was not darkness, rather nothingness. 

It seemed that Arthur Cole had escaped, taking with him his entire room. 

The realization made a shiver of terror travel down Wilson's back. He did not understand most of that last exchange between the two of them, however he now had a keen understanding of something. Arthur Cole and Ciel Adams were dangerous existences. 

Staring upon the void before him, Wilson sighed.

"Just what kind of monsters am I getting myself tangled up with?"