Essence of Quinn Parts 3 & 4: Papa IV Era & The Main Event - Fate Breaker (MxM)

Sunshine and Shadows

If you'd like to know what happened inside of the building, hop over to my Nameless Ghoul story and read the chapter entitled 'The Belly of the Beast' for Itzal's POV.

Enjoy 🖤

Secondo updated Air and Water via their comms. link and told them to be on the look out for Itzal. They also had an update of their own. Santos’ sister Lucia, who had been sighted during their reconnaissance mission a few days ago, had left around half an hour previously. As instructed though, the ghouls had merely observed and not engaged with her, keeping well out of sight in one of the patches of long grass that surrounded the place.

They loaded up their equipment into several of the Clergy’s vans and cars and set out towards the outskirts of the city. Earth drove one of the bulletproof SUV’s carrying Secondo, Quinn, Fire and Seren. Terzo’s ghouls had been left behind to oversee security and prepare the cells for potential prisoners.

They stayed quiet during the drive and the mood was tense. Quinn hoped that Itzal had indeed stuck to the plan. The updates from Air and Water that they heard through their earpieces confirmed that despite his outburst, Itzal had checked in with them first before ghosting towards the building.

Earth parked up around a mile away and set up their main meeting point out of sight of the road.

The ghouls in attendance stuck to their own packs and waited in nervous limbo for news. They hadn’t been there too long and had almost finished unloading when Itzal reappeared on the ground in front of Secondo.

He was badly shaken up, hunched over on all fours in the grass, barely managing to contain his rage and his fear. Quinn held back his soothing magics for now because he didn’t want Itzal’s senses to be subdued any for what would inevitably have to happen next.

They stood back and let him be. The young ghoul retched and vomited up the food that Omega must have persuaded him to eat before they got ready to leave.

Secondo sighed and his ghouls all took an involuntary step back.

Itzal dragged his sleeve across his mouth and turned his head to look up at Secondo. His eyes were glassy and fire burned in them.

“How is she doing?” Secondo asked gently.

Itzal whined but he didn’t speak. He must have sent what he’d seen to Secondo, mind to mind, as the human shook his head sadly and tutted. He approached Itzal and carefully laid a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t seem to notice that he was being touched, either that or he accepted the comfort that it offered.

He climbed to his feet ungracefully and tried to compose himself.

“We will have her home before you know it,” Earth said in Ghoulish.

Itzal’s eyes flicked to his and he shivered.

“She...” Itzal whined again, his voice breaking. He took a shuddering breath. “She’s not great. They’ve taken her blood and it looks like she fought them.”

The others growled and Secondo squeezed his shoulder before stepping back and running a hand down his paint free face. He was dressed the same way as the ghouls were and his gloved hands came to rest on his hips as he sighed.

“The device is in place, si?” he asked Itzal.

The shadow ghoul nodded.

“Y-yes. I... I hid it behind some crates. I ghosted along the edge and kept to the shadows. Sunshine knew I was there, but the others didn’t.”