The Templar

Alena bolted toward Lily.

"Lily!" she yelled.

Suddenly, the entire HQ shut down. All the power went out, leaving the base cloaked in darkness like the night sky. Thankfully, Alena's enhanced vision allowed her to see somewhat clearly, though it was still difficult.

SYSTEM REBOOTING... ACTIVATING BACKUP POWER SYSTEM...

Dim emergency lights flickered to life, casting faint glows along the halls—better than nothing. Alena dropped to her knees and cradled Lily in her arms. The younger girl's eyes were wide, terrorized, as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Lily, are you okay?" Alena asked, her voice laced with concern.

Lily stammered, "I... I don't know. I heard a voice, then everything went black... and then—" Her eyes trembled, filled with confusion and fear. "Then all I felt was pain."

Before Alena could respond, Lily's eyes rolled back and she collapsed unconscious in her arms.

The entire HQ went into lockdown. No one was allowed in or out for the next several days. The main generator had gone completely haywire, and it would take time for Dante and the engineering team to repair the damage. Lily was carried to her room to rest and recover.

Alena now sat in the lobby, waiting anxiously for an update. Her fingers tapped nervously against her leg, fidgeting with her hairpin

Right on cue, Ezra appeared from the hallway,y putting the hairpin back in her hair

"How's Lily?" Alena asked, rising to her feet.

Ezra folded his arms. "Her mind was completely overwhelmed. That virus crash nearly fried her brain. But she'll be fine—just needs a couple of days of rest."

Alena sighed in relief, but couldn't shake the unease in her chest.

"This isn't good," she muttered. "No one outside the Empire, the Kings, and higher-ups even knows about this organization. Once the higher-ups find out, they might force us to relocate."

Ezra sat aside from Alena. "You probably haven't heard yet, but... I got word from the higher-ups. We were supposed to be getting a new member for our group soon, but after the higher-ups find out, they will probably postpone them."

"Alena leaned back in her chair, "probably so.

As dusk deepened into night, a peaceful silence settled over the HQ. Everyone was fast asleep—everyone except one.

Alena quietly slipped into her uniform, pulling her mask up over her face. With a soft whoosh, she slid her door open, peeking each way before stepping out. She moved like a shadow, silent and deliberate, slipping past Ezra's and Lily's rooms, careful not to wake anyone.

The lobby was dim, lit only by the faint red glow of emergency standby lights. She moved to a concealed panel, feeling around with practiced fingers until she found the hidden spot. Pressing her palm against the board, a soft click sounded, and a secret compartment opened.

She reached inside.

"…Nothing?" she thought, eyes narrowing.

A sudden sip broke the silence.

Her head snapped toward the sound—Dante.

He leaned casually against the wall, sipping coffee from his chipped metal mug, his gaze cool and steady as it met hers.

"Why are you up so late?" he asked, voice low but calm.

Alena froze. Her mind scrambled for an excuse. "I... was hungry. Just going to grab a snack."

Dante raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "In full uniform? And with your mask on?" he continued, "you know me better than that, you are going to have to try a little harder to convince me."

He took another sip.

"Or," he said slowly, "you were looking for something."

He held up a keycard—the very one she had stashed inside the compartment.

Alena's expression changed instantly. She didn't bother hiding it.

Judging by the look on your face, I'm right on the mark," he continued. "You know it's against protocol to leave after curfew when not on a mission. Especially when we're on lockdown. If you're caught… You could be discharged. Or worse."

Alena squared her shoulders, her voice even. "So what are you going to do now?"

Dante tossed the keycard at her. She caught it mid-air.

"You're a dear friend to us, Alena. And I know you have somewhere to go" he said, pushing off the wall. "So as far as I'm concerned? I didn't see you. You were in your room. Asleep."

And with that, he walked past her, finishing the last of his coffee.

Three hours later.

The motorcycle engine quieted as Alena arrived at her destination. She removed her helmet, her white hair catching the pale moonlight as she parked the bike near the desolate remains of a place that caused…so much pain

Before her stood the charred skeleton of what was once an orphanage—now reduced to ash and blackened timber. The faint smell of burnt wood still lingered, even after all this time.

Off to the side sat a lone gravestone, weathered but still standing. On it, one simple name was engraved:

Kai

The sight triggered a flood of memories. She could still hear his voice, his laughter, and feel his warmth beside her. Her mind drifted back to the weeks before his death.

It was a quiet afternoon at HQ. The mission was over, and Alena and Kai sat together in the lobby, resting. Alena leaned comfortably against Kai's shoulder as he absently scrolled through a tablet, switching between different apps.

Alena peeked over, noticing the screen. "Political Overview?" she asked with a teasing grin. "Didn't know you were the politics type."

Kai set the tablet aside and sighed. "I'm not. Something just caught my attention."

He grew quiet for a moment, eyes drifting to the ceiling. "Sometimes I wonder why we keep doing this. We risk our lives every day… any mission could be our last."

Alena lifted her head slightly, her voice calm but steady. "Because it's to repay the Organization—for saving us from the Order's experiments. And because it's the right thing to do. Helping others, even if it costs us our lives… that's what makes it worth it."

Kai smiled softly. "You're right."

Then, out of nowhere, his tone shifted.

"If I ever die…" he paused, voice suddenly distant, "I'd want my grave to be here. At the place where we first met."

Alena's heart skipped slightly at his words. A flicker of worry crossed her mind, but she brushed it aside, choosing instead to rest against him in silence.

Standing there now, in front of his grave, those words echoed painfully in her mind. The wind whispered through the broken remains, carrying the memories with it.

Alena knelt, gently brushing some dirt off the gravestone.

She broke into tears, her body trembling as she leaned her head against the cold, weathered gravestone. Her voice cracked, barely able to form the words through her sobs.

"I miss you so much…" she whispered, her breath hitching with every word 

She broke into tears, her body trembling as she leaned her head against the cold, weathered gravestone. Her voice cracked, barely able to form the words through her sobs.

"I miss you so much…" she whispered, her breath hitching with every word.

Memories flashed before her eyes — the time they spent together, the pain they endured together, and the precious, fleeting moments of happiness they shared. Every laugh, every tear, every quiet moment replayed in her mind, each one tightening the ache in her chest. Then another memory surged to the surface — sharp and clear.

"His tablet!" she gasped, her eyes widening with sudden clarity.

She dropped her tanto dagger, the blade clattering against the ground. Her heart sank as she stared at it, realization crashing over her like a wave, the wound from her neck bled.

"I... I almost..." she gasped, her voice shaking. "He... he wouldn't have wanted this. He didn't give me such a gift just for me to throw everything away."

Alena stood up, wiping away her tears and taking a steady breath.

"Kai was always smarter than even his Mythical ability…" she whispered. She paused, brushing the remaining tears from her cheeks.

"He must have prepared something—he knew his fate. The present, the political overviews, the way he acted in the weeks before his death... There has to be more."

She quickly sheathed her tanto dagger, spun around, and ran back to her motorcycle. Sliding on her helmet, she started the ignition and roared off into the night.

An hour and thirty minutes into the ride, the peaceful city passed by in a blur under the moonlit sky. But Alena didn't slow down—she couldn't.

There must be other hints in Kai's room, she thought, gripping the handles tighter. I have to get back to HQ.

— Click.

A faint sound caught her attention, followed by a sharp, powerful bang. The high-pitched whistle of a sniper round cut through the air.

She braced herself.

The bullet struck her front tire with perfect precision. The wheel exploded into shrapnel, sending the motorcycle spinning wildly out of control. She clenched her body, then launched herself from the bike just before it erupted into a ball of flames behind her.

Rolling across the ground, she sprang to her feet in one fluid motion, unsheathing her wakizashi blade and ripping off her helmet.

— Click.

Another sharp whistle filled the air. She twisted her body just in time as the next bullet narrowly missed her.

Alena's sharp eyes darted across the rooftops and surrounding buildings—nothing. But then she closed her eyes for a brief second, focusing all her senses. She listened.

— Whistle.

Another shot rang out, and she dodged again.

"Found you," she whispered.

She pinpointed the sniper's exact location.

Another whistle.

This time, she spun toward the source, yanked her helmet, and hurled it toward the oncoming bullet. The round struck the helmet dead center, shattering it into countless pieces mid-air.

The sniper paused, scanning the area—only to find nothing. Silence. Then suddenly—

Alena appeared behind him, her blade slicing toward his neck. Reacting just in time, the sniper blocked with his long rifle, pushing back as the two separated.

They locked eyes.

Alena's eyes narrowed as she raised her blade toward him. "You're that Templar…" she muttered, recognizing the distinctive red and black armor, the white cross etched into his chestplate, the red hood, and the black mask. Just as the reports described.

The masked Templar stood silent for a moment, then quickly reached for his sidearm.

— Bang! Bang! Bang!

The muzzle flashes lit up the night, but to Alena, the world slowed.

One of the unique aspects of her Mythical ability allowed her to perceive incoming threats in slow motion. Every bullet spiraled toward her like drifting embers. She swung her blade, deflecting the bullets with sharp, controlled strikes.

Wow, this blade is extremely sharp, she thought, as she parried the rest of his shots with precision, the steel ringing with every deflection.

Alena rushed forward, closing the distance in a burst of speed. The Templar quickly holstered his handgun and drew his second sidearm along with a combat knife, slipping into a firm, well-trained stance.

More shots fired.

— Bang! Bang! Bang!

Weaving, twisting, and blocking, Alena danced between the bullets, her blade flashing like a silver streak. In the blink of an eye, she was in his face, slashing toward him.

But once again, her blade met resistance — the Templar blocked her strike with his knife and raised his handgun directly in front of her face. She could hear the faint click of the trigger being pulled a split second before the gun fired.

In one swift motion, she shifted to the side, the bullet grazing her cheek by mere centimeters.

Each of her strikes was met with calculated parries. Every time she found an opening, he countered, always repositioning his handgun at point-blank range. And every time, she narrowly dodged, moving with razor-sharp reflexes as the barrel chased her.

— Click. Click. Click.

"He's out of ammo," she thought quickly.

Seeing her chance, Alena pressed the assault, driving him back with a flurry of strikes. But even now, the Templar displayed impressive precision, his training evident with every movement. His defense was solid, never leaving himself fully exposed.

He retreated a few steps, holstered his empty sidearm, then reversed the grip on his combat knife with a smooth, practiced motion.

Now, the Templar went on the offensive.

He lunged toward her, slashing rapidly with a flurry of attacks. Alena blocked and parried, but the pressure mounted. His strikes were fast, heavy, and unpredictable, constantly shifting grips to change angles mid-swing.

He suddenly paused, placing two fingers to his ear as if communicating with someone. Without a word, he sheathed his combat knife, turned, and sprinted away.

Alena froze for a split second, surprised by the sudden retreat.

If I can capture him, we could finally learn more about the Order, she thought. She immediately took off after him, leaping across rooftops, chasing him through the maze of the city skyline.

The Templar quickly reloaded his gun, firing a barrage of shots behind him.

— Bang. Bang. Bang!

Alena weaved through the bullets, her body moving with precision as each round narrowly missed. The two reached the edge of a building, the next rooftop far too high to reach by a normal jump.

The Templar pulled a gadget from his belt, firing a grapple hook that shot upward at great speed, pulling him toward the upper structure.

Alena skidded to a stop at the ledge, then immediately leapt, grabbing onto the railing of a fire escape. She quickly climbed after him, not losing pace.

Seeing an opening, she unsheathed her tanto dagger and hurled it toward the Templar.

Without even turning, a red figure suddenly appeared behind him—blocking the blade with a swift motion before dissipating into glowing particles.

His Mythical Ability?! Alena's eyes widened.

He was gaining distance again, but she refused to give up. Snatching her tanto from where it had fallen, she pushed forward, continuing the relentless pursuit.

The chase carried them higher and higher, reaching a level where falling would mean certain death. The wind howled around them, the city lights now far beneath their feet.

The Templar grabbed hold of a conveniently placed fire hydrant and, without hesitation, reloaded his weapon.

Then—he jumped.

Alena followed, leaping after him into the open air, her heart pounding.

As they fell, the Templar spun in mid-air, tossing the fire hydrant and taking aim with deadly precision.

— Bang!

The bullet struck the hydrant, causing it to explode mid-air.

— Kaboom!

The blast caught Alena off guard, throwing her off balance and halting her momentum. She crashed into several metal pipes and scaffolding, each impact sending sharp pain through her body.

Finally, she slammed into the cold, hard ground, her body wracked with bruises. Dizzy and disoriented, she forced her eyes open.

Through blurred vision, she saw the Templar land gracefully nearby. He calmly approached, standing over her as he aimed his firearm directly at her.

For a moment, he hesitated.

Then, slowly, he holstered his weapon, turned, and walked off into the night—disappearing into the shadows.

Alena's vision darkened as she lost consciousness.

Alena woke up in a frenzy, her breathing heavy as her eyes darted around the unfamiliar room. Her head pounded, and every inch of her body ached. She was strapped to a life support system, wires and monitors surrounding her.

As her vision cleared, she noticed Ezra sitting nearby, casually peeling an apple with a small knife.

"Mornin', beauty," he greeted with a small grin.

"Don't call me that," she muttered weakly.

At that moment, Dante entered the room, holding a tablet, his expression serious. His eyes met hers.

"Alena," he greeted.

"Where am I?" Alena asked, her voice hoarse.

"You're back at HQ," Dante replied. "Ezra found you barely alive and carried you back. We also recovered what was left of your motorcycle."

She groaned, laying her head back against the pillow, a sharp wince of pain shooting through her body. Even sighing hurts, she thought bitterly.

"Several fractures across your body," Dante continued. "You've been out for a week. Honestly, it's a miracle you're still alive. You're going to be bedridden for quite some time."

But Alena forced herself upright, despite the pain. "I can't… I don't have time to rest. Kai... The Order... The Templar—"

Ezra suddenly raised his voice, uncharacteristically stern. "No."

His sharp tone silenced her.

"You need to rest," he continued, his voice firm. "I was lucky enough to convince the branch commander to keep you from facing punishment for breaking protocol."

He let out a heavy sigh before delivering the next blow.

"I've spoken with the branch commander," Ezra said firmly. "Effective immediately, your rank as Captain is being revoked — temporarily — until you recover, and until you finally accept that Kai is gone and get your head together."

His voice softened slightly, but the weight of his words still pressed down on her like a vice. "The Order is rising, Alena. And we can't afford you getting yourself killed chasing ghosts."

He paused, then added with a colder edge, "Without proper evidence against the Order, there's nothing we can do; even so, we are not allowed to intervene with the politics of the empires."

Alena clenched her fists, her teeth grinding in frustration, her entire body trembling with restrained emotion.

Soon after, she was escorted back to her room, her mind spinning with anger and grief

Alena still wore a brace on her right arm, but that didn't matter. She wasn't going to sit here and wait while the Order moved in the shadows.

She clenched her fist. The captain's rank means nothing. The answers are in Kai's tablet. There has to be something... something about the Order.

"He definitely left hints," she muttered to herself. "If only they would listen to me! No one knew the Order better than he did."

Determined, she pushed herself off the bed and staggered slightly. The pain was still there, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through. She grabbed for the door handle—locked.

"They locked my door?" she whispered in disbelief. "They're house-arresting me... afraid I might do something reckless again." She sighed, frustrated.

Her eyes scanned the room, desperate for any way out. Then her gaze landed on the bed. With her good arm, she shoved the bed aside, revealing an old maintenance vent beneath it. She gripped the sides of the vent cover, yanking with everything she had. The bolts popped loose, and she carefully slid the frame aside.

Being small had its advantages—she squeezed her way into the vent and crawled slowly, her injured arm aching with each movement. The narrow tunnel eventually led her directly above Kai's room.

With a final kick, she dislodged the vent cover.

— Crash!

Alena dropped down into the room, landing with a wince. She stood still for a moment, memories washing over her. The room was just as he had left it — clean, organized, silent.

Stay focused.

She searched the drawers, the shelves, and his closet. And there—resting carefully inside a locked compartment she managed to pry open—was Kai's tablet.

"Finally!" she whispered.

But her excitement faded as she powered it on.

"You've got to be kidding me..." she groaned.

A password screen stared back at her.

She paused, thinking quickly. "Lily... she can hack into this."

Without wasting time, Alena jumped back into the vent and crawled through the network of ducts, inching her way toward Lily's room. Reaching her destination, she kicked down the vent cover and dropped inside.

Unsurprisingly, Lily was awake, playing a video game. The younger girl glanced over and instantly closed her game, clearly startled.

"Ah—Captain!" Lily said with surprise, still unaware of Alena's demotion.

"Lily, I need you to do me a favor," Alena said urgently.

"What is it, Captain?"

Alena pulled out Kai's tablet and handed it to her. "Can you hack into this for me?"

Lily took the tablet, her eyes narrowing as she examined it. "Yeah... but it'll take some time."

"Good. And Lily—don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

Lily blinked, a little confused, but nodded. "Okay."

— Knock knock.

The door slid open. Without hesitation, Alena scrambled back into the vent, locking the frame in place just as Ezra stepped in.

"Oh, hi Ezra!" Lily greeted, quickly hiding the tablet behind her back.

"It's Captain now. I'm acting as Captain while Alena is under house arrest after... making a dangerous decision." His tone softened slightly as he looked her over. "I came to check on you. How are you feeling?"

Lily nodded, smiling slightly. "I'm feeling much better. Just a few headaches now and then."

Ezra smiled back. "Good. Anyway, I need to check up on Alena."

"Wait!" Lily blurted, stopping him for a moment.

Ezra paused. "Yeah?"

Lily stammered, quickly trying to keep his attention while Alena made her way back through the vent. She moved quickly, sliding back into her own room, replacing the vent cover, and shoving the bed back into place just as the door opened.

Ezra stepped inside.

Alena sat on the bed, faking a sulky expression. "What is it?"

Ezra stared for a moment, "…Nothing," he finally said before turning and leaving.

As soon as the door shut, Alena exhaled in relief.