Chapter 3

The Crystal Bearer - Chapter Three

New Arcanum pulsed with the familiar rhythm of controlled chaos that Kaine remembered from his years in the Temple's service. Hover-cars wove between crystal-powered street lamps while vendors sold everything from enhancement potions to basic weapon crystals on every corner. The city had grown in the three years since he'd left—new skyscrapers stretched toward the clouds, their surfaces gleaming with embedded crystals that regulated temperature, lighting, and security.

Kaine checked into a modest hotel in the merchant district, far enough from the Convention Center to avoid suspicion but close enough to move quickly when the time came. His room overlooked a busy street where crystal-enhanced performers entertained crowds while pickpockets with stealth crystals worked the edges. It was exactly the kind of anonymity he needed.

But first, he needed information.

The Gilded Serpent hadn't changed much in three years. Hidden beneath a legitimate antique shop in the old quarter, it remained New Arcanum's premier information broker for those who operated in the shadows. The entrance was still through the back alley, past the dumpster that reeked of failed alchemical experiments, down stairs that creaked with deliberate warning.

The main room was a study in controlled chaos: crystal screens displayed shifting information feeds, while booths lined the walls where deals were made in whispered conversations. The air was thick with smoke from burning sage crystals, meant to confuse telepathic surveillance. At the center of it all sat Madame Vex, her multiple eye crystals glowing softly as she processed information from a dozen sources simultaneously.

"Well, well," she purred as Kaine approached her elevated platform. "The Temple's lost lamb returns to the fold. Though I heard you'd found religion... or at least a schoolteacher."

Kaine slid a credstick across her desk. "I need information about Senator Vance's security detail for tomorrow night's rally."

"Straight to business. How wonderfully predictable." Her main eyes focused on him while her crystal-enhanced peripheral vision continued scanning the room. "That's expensive information, darling. The kind that gets people killed if it falls into the wrong hands."

"Five thousand," Kaine said simply.

"Make it eight, and I'll throw in the real-time updates during the event."

He nodded, transferring the additional credits. Madame Vex's crystals pulsed as she accessed her network of informants throughout the city.

"Senator Vance has spared no expense," she began, her voice taking on the businesslike tone she used for serious transactions. "Approximately two hundred and thirty security personnel, ranging from standard bodyguards to crystal-enhanced specialists. But the real threats are the three individuals handling personal protection."

A holographic display materialized above her desk, showing three dossiers.

"First, we have the Kellerman Brothers—Marcus and Viktor. You know them, of course, from your days with the Temple's special operations. Marcus manifests insect swarms through his Hive crystal, while Viktor controls plant growth and toxins via his Flora crystal. They've worked as a team for eight years, never taking separate contracts."

Kaine studied their images, remembering a joint operation in the eastern provinces where they'd worked together to eliminate a crystal smuggling ring. The brothers were methodical, professional, and had a reputation for avoiding close combat whenever possible. They preferred to overwhelm opponents with environmental advantages—Marcus's insects providing reconnaissance and distraction while Viktor's plants created barriers and traps.

"Interesting tactical choice for bodyguard work," Kaine observed.

"Indeed. Most would expect more direct combat specialists. But then, their reputation speaks for itself—they've never lost a client." Madame Vex's expression grew more serious as the third dossier appeared. "Which brings us to the mystery woman."

The image showed a young woman with short black hair and pale skin, her crystal configuration obscured by specially designed clothing that blocked detection. She looked to be in her early twenties, unremarkable except for her eyes—cold, calculating, and completely without fear.

"Goes by 'Shade,' though that's certainly not her real name. No verified history before eighteen months ago, when she suddenly appeared on the mercenary circuit. But the rumors..." Vex leaned forward conspiratorially. "They say she single-handedly took down a Temple strike team in the northern territories. Six fully augmented operatives, all found dead without a mark on them."

"Cause of death?"

"That's the interesting part—crystal feedback. As if someone had overloaded their enhancement crystals from the inside. But such a thing should be impossible unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless she has access to some form of nullification ability. There are theoretical crystals that could disrupt others' powers, but nothing's ever been confirmed." Vex dismissed the holographic display. "All I can tell you is that the smart money says she's the real threat. The brothers are excellent, but predictable. Shade is an unknown quantity."

Kaine absorbed this information, his mind already working through possible approaches. Two hundred and thirty guards meant a frontal assault was out of the question, even with his enhanced abilities. The Kellerman Brothers would be expecting tactics from his Temple playbook, which gave him some advantage. But Shade...

"Any information on her crystal configuration?"

"None verified, but there are theories. Some say she has a Void crystal—pure nullification energy. Others claim she's got multiple abstract crystals like yourself. There's even a rumor that she's not entirely human anymore, that she's undergone some kind of experimental enhancement."

As Kaine prepared to leave, Madame Vex called out to him one final time.

"A word of advice, darling. Whatever the Temple is paying you for this job, it's not enough. Senator Vance didn't hire those three for a simple political rally. She's expecting something, and I'd wager she knows exactly who's coming for her."

Back in his hotel room, Kaine spread the intelligence files across his bed and began planning. The Convention Center was a fortress of crystal-enhanced security, with multiple entry points but only a few viable escape routes. The brothers would likely position themselves to control the environmental factors—Marcus's insects patrolling the air while Viktor's plants monitored the ground approaches.

But it was Shade who presented the real puzzle. If she truly had nullification abilities, his Power Ghost might be useless against her. Worse, she might be able to disrupt his crystals entirely, leaving him as vulnerable as any baseline human.

The fear blade rested on the nightstand beside him, its surface rippling with contained nightmares. Even if his other abilities failed, the weapon would still cut, still inspire terror in those it touched. But one blade against two hundred and thirty guards...

Outside his window, the lights of New Arcanum painted the night in shades of blue and purple, crystal energy flowing through the city's veins like blood through a living organism. Somewhere out there, Senator Vance was probably reviewing her speech, unaware that tomorrow night would determine not just her fate, but the future of crystal technology itself.

Kaine closed his eyes and reached out with his Soul crystal, feeling the city's spiritual energy—the dreams and nightmares of millions of people, all compressed into a few square miles of urban density. Tomorrow, he would either add one more death to that psychic weight, or find some way to break free from the cycle of violence that had defined his entire adult life.

The Power Ghost stirred within his crystal, twelve souls united in their eagerness to serve. But as Kaine drifted toward sleep, he found himself wondering if the ghosts he'd gathered were really servants, or if they were witnesses to what he was about to become once again.