The Silver Seer

Chapter 11: Blooming Hatred

Reyes silently stands next to the flagpole bearing Switzerland's flag, thinking about Felix's words. According to the young man, as far as he knew, there were absolutely no mechanical soldiers in Switzerland. The whole reason Reyes wandered deeper into the nation in the first place was the rumors of a single soldier left alive.

The soldier who plunged their sword through two screaming, pleading, begging bodies, drenching the blade and the ground beneath them crimson. Leaving a young boy to weep and swear revenge on them, and all the mechanical soldiers to ever exist.

He relentlessly trained, day after day, night after night, through painful memories, scarring injuries, and endless suffering. Reyes persevered through it all for the sake of revenge. And now, to know he may be here for nothing... It infuriates him. There has to be a mechanical soldier here- there is- else the teenager has no more leads, and their revenge grows ever so bitter and stronger with no satisfying end in sight.

Around him are snowflakes, floating onto the already white ground, and lighting up the faces of everyone who passes by the teenager. Was it snowing when his parents died? He does not remember- a detail so small was forgotten when vengeance began to consume him.

It drives him. It is the sole reason why he's living. Once he kills the soldier who murdered his parents, what will he do? What purpose will he find in life? Is there a way he can return to living a normal, quiet life, or will he forever be haunted by the death of his parents and the heartlessness of the soldier who caused him so much suffering?

The teenager closes his eyes and takes a breath, only to be irritated by the cold bite of the surrounding air. His exhale comes out as a visible white puff before disappearing, and he allows himself to sit on the ground, sinking only inches into the snow.

Unsheathing his rapier, he sets it horizontally across his lap, running his right index finger across the flat of the blade. Snowflakes flutter onto the blade, but quickly disappear as they melt away on the cool metal.

The only time the blade warms is when the teenager summons the white flame. No matter how hot the blade becomes, it never loses its shape, allowing for the young man to constantly hone his skills- skills Felix called magic.

Reyes never stopped to consider why he was able to summon a white flame. He just accepted it and used it to improve his talents and get closer to his long-awaiting revenge. Revenge he should be able to achieve any day now. He just needs to look for a soldier with red eyes and drive his rapier straight through their head.

If it was magic, did he have more abilities or tricks he could do besides the summoning of a flame? Maybe, just once, he could ask Felix about it. That is, if he didn't find the soldier first.

The teenager picks up his rapier and stares at the hilt, admiring the black and red pommel and golden knuckle bow that protect his hand when wielding the weapon. Four rings- white, red, black and gold, slowly revolve where the hilt gives way to the long, sharp, silver blade, each giving off a slight glow that the boy can see in the fading sunset from where he sits.

Crunching in the snow alerts the young man to someone approaching him from behind. He grows rigid and raises his shoulders, knowing it's a complete stranger, as Felix left for Russia in order to apparently negotiate terms for peace between Switzerland and Russia. He didn't give away any further details, but the teenager never bothered to ask. A possible war was not his concern unless the opponents were mechanical soldiers, and he doubts Russia has the technology or the knowledge to create the soldiers that killed his parents.

"Hey, aren't you cold out here in the snow, all alone?" A figure appears out of the corner of Reyes' left eye, bending down to look at him, before their eyes widen in realization. "Oh, are you that newcomer General Adelric mentioned would be staying with us for a few days? Nice to meet you; I'm Elena. I serve as assistant to my twin, Emilia, in the nearby hospital." The woman pushes herself up and extends a hand to help the teenager up, but he dismisses it and raises to his feet.