Eclipsed

Chapter 69

The scene shifted to a large dining hall inside the castle. Aiko sat at a worn wooden table, her fingers absently tracing the edges of her plate. Across from her, Quinn quietly nibbled on his food, his young face lit with curiosity but tinged with concern as he noticed Aiko's distracted state.

The atmosphere in the room was calm, a gentle hum of activity in the background as servants moved about, delivering meals and tidying up. The room was large but cozy, with arched windows that allowed the soft glow of the sun to filter through, casting long shadows across the stone floor. A soft breeze stirred the curtains, and a few scattered banners swayed lazily from the walls. It was one of those spaces that felt both homey and distant, like it belonged to someone else entirely.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and two figures entered the room. The first, a boy with dark hair, moved with purpose, his eyes scanning the room. Scythes hung at his waist, their polished blades gleaming ominously, catching the light with each movement. His confident stride matched the weight of the weapons he carried. Beside him, a girl with blue hair walked gracefully, her features sharp and alert. She carried herself with quiet elegance, her expression unreadable as her eyes flicked over the room, landing briefly on Aiko and Quinn.

As they approached the table, the boy spoke first, his voice cutting through the ambient noise of the room. "Hey, the name's Kael. This is my sister, Alina."

Aiko blinked, unsure how to respond. She hadn't been expecting company, especially not anyone who seemed so... intense. After a beat of awkward silence, she finally spoke up, her voice uncertain. "Umm... hi?"

Kael gave a small smirk, though there was no malice in it. "I heard you used to travel with Ren before coming here."

Aiko stiffened, her jaw tightening. The mention of Ren made her uncomfortable. She wasn't sure how to respond, her mind racing with memories of their time together. "I did... I don't have to answer your questions now..." she replied, her tone defensive.

Kael raised an eyebrow, unfazed by her response. "Well, no. It's not that. We used to travel with that bastard too." He said the word casually, but there was a bitterness in his tone.

Aiko's face froze. That bastard... She felt her heart tighten as she glanced at Quinn, who had stopped eating, his gaze now fixed on Kael and Alina.

"What? Really? What did he do to you?" Aiko asked, now more curious than defensive. Her eyes flickered between Kael and his sister.

Kael let out a small, dry laugh, leaning back in his chair. "Well, it wasn't so much that he did anything. We figured out he was the son of Yoruzen... which the bastard was hiding from us. And well, I tried to kill him. Like you did," Kael said with a slight shrug, as if the attempt on Ren's life was just another part of the journey.

Aiko's eyes widened. She wasn't the only one who had tried to kill Ren? "Wait, you tried to kill him too?"

Kael nodded, his face stoic. "Yeah. It didn't go well." He glanced briefly at Alina, who sat silently next to him, her gaze fixed on Aiko.

Alina chimed in, her voice soft but sharp. "We were also traveling with someone else while we were with Ren. Goes by the name Valen."

Aiko's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Valen. Her mouth went dry. "Valen... I know who he was."

Kael's expression darkened. "That sick bastard was also with Ren. His excuse was to take out these disciples. Hell, I remember Ren going crazy about them, using that as a reason to justify them being pure evil."

Aiko felt a pang in her chest. She knew exactly what Kael meant. But there was something in his words that made her pause. Evil? She didn't think it was that simple. She swallowed, trying to collect her thoughts.