Glory and Gore

Chapter 21:The Man in Gray

EVERYONE know the distinction between good and evil; a hero and a lost cause. But the truth is, it depends on who's telling the story.

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"Sir, he's here." a man informed Valinor.

"Let him in."

A man in all gray stepped into Valinor's office. His hands were shackled in front of him. He had a scarred face with bandaged leg, which he received when he got himself blown up.

"Take a seat." Valinor instructed mildly.

The man took the empty seat in front of Valinor's desk rather forcefully.

"You are Dimitri Gabinski, are you not?" Valinor begun in interrogating manner.

"I am." growled Gabinski. "And you are the leader of the military elites. I can't see a reason why you want to meet me."

The side of Valinor's lips rose slightly.

"I'm not particularly interested in you, but with your recent activities, I am." Valinor stated plainly. Menace reflected from his gray eyes.

Gabinski frowned. After being on the verge of death, Gabinski was surprised that he survived what the Gallow had done at the Doom Hall. What surprise him more is that the second powerful figure of the country wanted to talk to him. The reason? He had no idea.

"It says here that you were a permanent resident of Asmaria. Is it true that you're from the west?" Valinor inquired.

"Well, yeah -"

"So what are you doing in Kestramore, Mr. Gabinski?"

The air was caught on Gabinski's chest. So, this is what it's all about, he thought.

When Valinor assumed that Gabinski had no intention on answering his question, he spoke.

"You see here, we have a record of who crosses the border. The fact that your name wasn't on it means you crossed the Mist through illegal means and is punishable by law. It is not my place, however, to impose judgement upon you." Valinor pressed on.

"As you are aware, we are strict in terms of letting people in and out of Kestramore to prevent the enemies invading the land. Unfortunately, one of our healer has been abducted only recently - these activities was made by none other than the Aldanors."

"What's that got to do with me?!" Gabinski shouted suddenly, feeling enraged. "I am not an Aldanor nor interested with people like...like you!"

"People like me..." muttered Valinor.

A crimson-coated man standing by the door made a sudden hand gesture which subdued Gabinski's emotion. Gabinski, in return, was confused by the sudden changed of his own emotions.

"I understand." Valinor stated subtly. Gabinski cannot seem to understand whether the man he's talking to was convinced at all. This made him mildly annoyed and suspicious.

"Do tell, Mr. Gabinski, do you have any accomplice on your journey across the Mist?" Valinor asked again, his cold gray eyes met Gabinski's.

A cold sweat trickled down from Gabinski's forehead. He shifted to his seat uncomfortably. The question made him think longer than necessary. Gabinski felt like he was being torn between two powerful men he knew.

Gabinski thought about it with extreme difficulty. He glanced up at Valinor's direction. The man appeared to be someone you cannot fool. It seems like whether Gabinski tells about the Gallows or decided not to, this shadow man will know eventually.

But if he tells him about the Gallow's involvement, they will be brought in the same prison as him. This thought torment Gabinski. The thought of him sharing the same place with Mordova will definitely be the end of him.

But then again, Gabinski reasoned, if this is going to be his end, then he might as well drag them with him.

"If...I tell you, will you do me a favor?" Gabinski spoke with all his courage. At this moment, he had no choice but to plead for his life.

"That..." said Valinor, "will depend if it's within my power."

Gabinski hardened his expression and said, "I'll tell you who they were if you can send me back to Asmaria. I swear not to come back here, I promise!"

A long, awkward silence followed. All of a sudden, Valinor stood from his seat and strode across the room. He stopped right next to Gabinski.

"Tell me their names." he spoke in undertone that only two of them can hear.

Thinking that his request has been granted, Gabinski blurted out their names without hesitation.

"Mordova, Alphonse Mordova. That's the name of their leader. He was with two other people, I think their names were Zeya and Wallace. I'm not really sure about the other two."

"Alphonse Mordova..." Valinor repeated darkly. Did he heard this name before? Or maybe not...

He strode past Gabinski, his head held high.

"Are you sending me back to the west, then?" Gabinski called upon him.

Before Valinor could stepped out of the threshold, he muttered something.

"I will...on my own way."

The door behind him closed. Gabinski was now all alone in the office with mild confusion.

"What's with that guy..." he mumbled to himself.

He felt something cold beneath his feet. As Gabinski looked down the floor, he was startled by the black smoke encircling him from his feet. It moves in spiral motion like a snake coiling itself to its prey.

"Hey, Mr. Shadowman!" called Gabinski in panic. His chest pounding furiously against his ribcage.

The darkness - cold and absolute - was slowly engulfing him until his vision was blocked by nothing but black. He gasped for breath desperately and moved around, trying to get away from the darkness. But it only made his situation worse. He held his throat and made a choking noise. He tried to scream for help, but words failed him. His eyes rolled heavenwards; His body began to tremble uncontrollably as if he's having a seizure.

A loud thud was heard behind the closed doors of the room; The man inside was dead before he hit the floor.

"Take that man to Asmaria, like I promised." Valinor instructed his men.

"And find Alphonse Mordova."