Icarus The Hero

Gabriel trembled under the weight of the prince's intent. He had his head lowered as his knees threatened to buckle, reminding him how ill-fitted he was in actual combat scenarios.

A flash of pain suddenly coursed through his every nerve, accompanied by a metallic tang that flooded his taste buds.

He had bitten his lower lips in hopes of gaining control of his body again, but just then, the prince's suffocating presence suddenly vanished alongside his regal figure.

Gabriel darted his head about searching for him, but the prince Icarus was nowhere to be found.

There was this creeping sensation that lingered though—like unseen fingers tracing his spine—still setting his nerves on edge, albeit mildly.

His instincts flared again in warning, but Gabriel was far too slow to react. Before he could turn, Icarus was already there, standing right behind him.

Too close.

"Easy there," Icarus said, raising his hands as if to calm him. His grin disarming, almost friendly. "Didn't mean to spook you."

Gabriel didn't relax, more like he couldn't. "You didn't."

Icarus chuckled as he spoke. "Oh? I'm sure I didn't, soldier. After all, what could possibly frighten a ghost?..."

Gabriel didn't answer, his hands still rattling as the adrenaline flooded his bloodstream.

His intuitions were still tolling bells, but Icarus wasn't acting like a beast about to rip out his throat. If anything, he looked amused.

So Gabriel feigned composure as he assumed a much more comfortable stance. Then came his salute.

"Your Highness."

He said, not daring to look the prince in the eye.

"Please, please. At ease, soldier."

Icarus said with a sigh, and Gabriel was quick to respond.

"I apologize for my little indiscretion. I was merely curious about the extent of one of your... special traits. So I decided to test it out for myself."

"I hope my performance pleased his highness."

Gabriel said, his expression failing to reveal his distress.

"You were sharp. A bit sharper than I anticipated, but when has that ever been an issue..." Icarus said with a smile as he tilted his head. He let his cold blue eyes linger on Gabriel for a bit before speaking again. "I heard you can sense danger from far away before it's even anywhere near you... and I hear that's not all."

Gabriel didn't reply for a while as he considered Icarus's words and their intent. He and the prince had not worked at the front lines together in fact, the few times they had met, was during the war councils– and only on mission briefings he was directly involved in.

The true extent of his capabilities had always been kept a secret from his pairs and even high-ranking officials. The only members of the war council that had sufficient information on his capabilities were the prime minister and Gabriel's Handler– the late minister of defence, Miss Amadala…

Icarus had been kept out of the loop, much to his distaste, but there wasn't much he could do about it. As powerful as he was he couldn't have possibly dared to defy the entirety of the war council… at least at the time and certainly not because of him.

Still, Icarus wasn't the first member of the war council that had tried to bring Gabriel under their camp, knowing how invaluable his abilities could be in political warfare.

Fortunately, there were laws that protected him and his interests. But how useful were laws against men like Icarus? 

"I can recall reading your file, and I can't deny that I was fascinated enough to wish you joined my company. We'll be more than welcome to have you."

"... My ability isn't as useful as it seems sir. And... I plan to retire from active duty as soon as possible."

Gabriel stated firmly. He knew what he was passing off– the wealth, the power, but the mere thought of what he would have to do in exchange made his stomach churn.

'Never again.'

He wasn't going to let anyone use him as a tool ever again.

"Retirement? Huh." Icarus finally said as his grin slowly faded into something more professional. The prince now seemed a bit more rigid, locking both hands behind his back.

"Well, it's a shame. As you would've probably noticed, the capital is in a bit of a peril. Your services would've been very much appreciated."

"Unfortunately sir an attack this deep in the government district is something even my intuition couldn't have predicted."

Gabriel replied.

"How do we know that for sure if we are yet to try?... Tell me Ghost, your little sister back at Pogswood, if she had a knife to her neck right this moment do you really doubt you'd be able to tell?"

Gabriel turned to face the prince then his expression sour. 

"Why stand in the middle of nowhere, when there are funeral preparations to attend to Prince Icarus!"

A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind. When Gabriel turned he could see the overly robust minister of internal affairs struggling to make it across the hall.

"Minister Doku."

Icarus smiled as he received the minister's hand.

Gabriel stared at them both with furrowed brows. It was a stretch, but a vile suspicion had begun to take root in his mind.

"Well then Ghost. I hope you reconsider before next we speak."

Icarus said as he walked away with the Minister at his side.

Dammit!

Gabriel cursed silently as he watched their departing backs. They seemed too close, how hard would it be for Icarus to convince the minister of internal affairs to falsify land documents?

Certainly, not hard enough.

But could the prince really have done something to delay the redemption of his badge of valour? 

Since only soldiers on active duty are allowed to redeem their badges. Delaying his could prevent him from wanting to retire at least until he had chosen to serve under Icarus.

But why would the prince go out of his way to preserve his servitude, if the war was truly over, and it really was… no soldier who had witnessed the war's conclusion harboured a shred of doubt.

Then there was the death of Minister Amadala and that eldritch beast appearing in the government district.

Something doesn't smell right. It was subtle but even now, his intuition couldn't quiet down.

The prince was gone and yet, Gabriel could still feel danger lingering around… just like it had been before he spotted the giant centipede on his way here.

The Sovereign Hall was awfully crowded today. Stuffed with all sorts of dignitaries. The longer he stood, the quicker the hall got filled up. 

It didn't take too long before he found what was causing his intuition to scream in distress, but Gabriel couldn't care less. 

He had decided long ago that he wasn't going to play this game any longer.

Gabriel clenched his fists as he turned for the exit. He had more important things to worry about—like the orphanage that should have been his by now.

But just as he descended the Sovereign Hall's outer steps, a beautiful young lady draped in all black had begun to ascend the marble steps with two young girls following closely beside her.

Gabriel recognized them to be Minister Amadala's sister and her nieces– the late minister's kids. 

He watched them silently as they reached the first landing, mixing in with the crowd as they entered the building. They were young girls barely at double digits. The minister's younger sister meanwhile looked much older– albeit not much older than Pearl looked. 

The minister's death must have hit them hard, even now, they moved with little orientation, their eyes bleak and sullen.

For whatever reason Gabriel couldn't get the young girls out of his mind, knowing that they were stepping blindly into danger.

What sort of demon would he be if he left them there to die without even lifting a finger?

Dammit!

Gabriel cursed as he halted his steps. He turned to face the building and then with a sigh proceeded to climb the steps once more.

"Damn it. Let's just have a quick look around… what could possibly go wrong."