Book 3 | Agent 34 and the Storm of Darkness

Chapter 3 | Sercon

Agent 34 bowed to Lord Thad. He had been granted access to the use of Lord after Braunick was killed in the Battle of Brothers. Although Agent 34 calls it the Battle of Brothers, everyone in the Zena and all throughout Renya call it the Battle of Urania.

"Why did you wish to see me, Lord Thad?" Agent 34 asked.

Thad had a face of displeasure on his face. "Well, I know there's something you aren't telling us. Would you like to tell us before I make you?" The guards who were guarding the door hit the ends of their swords against the door to strike fear into Agent 34.

"What do you mean, Thad? I have nothing to hide." Agent 34 was filled with confusion.

"Is that so? Hm, a few, uh, sources have told us that you are related to Braunick in a way that is threatening. Is that true?" Thad clasped his hands together, leaning forwards slightly.

"Who might these sources be?" Agent 34 asked, fear rising. He hadn't told anyone he was Braunick's twin brother yet. Not even Marque or Arenia.

"Fáolar says Braunick told him everything about his plans and why he is doing it. Due to a curse he put on Fáolar though, he cannot tell all of Braunick's full plans. What he did tell us though, is that you are in Braunick's bloodline, and very close to him in fact." Thad looked slightly amused.

"I–" Agent 34 was starting to stutter from fear. "I-I—Okay, listen. Hear me out," 34 said to Thad, the guards in the room coming closer to Agent 34. "I only knew of my relationship to him during the Battle of Bro–Urania. He told me then and there. I would never have known if he didn't tell me. I didn't tell anyone because I would've been looked at as dangerous and hurtful, which I do not want."

Thad sat up and put his hands on the arms of the throne. "Throw him in the dungeon."

Agent 34's face filled with horror as the guards grabbed him by the underarms and picked him off the ground. He kicked and flailed his legs, trying to break free. The guards clasped their hands on tightly, and Agent 34 couldn't get away from them as he was carried down to the dungeons.

The guards opened the cell nearest to the stairs and threw Agent 34 in. He hit the ground and tumbled forward in a heap of limbs. He picked himself up quickly and ran to the door of the cell, but the guards closed it before he could get out. 

"Hey! Wait! Don't leave me here, I did nothing wrong!" Agent 34 called. "I wouldn't have killed my twin if I didn't believe in the Zena!" 

"We know you didn't," a voice said from the end of the room. Slowly, the source of the voice approached from the shadows and revealed himself.

"Hey! I've seen you before!" Agent 34 said behind the bars.

The man chuckled. "And I've seen you before as well, Agent 34. You've probably seen me around before, and if you haven't then I am Sercon, Thad's second in command. I recently got promoted after the fall of Braunick, so you'll start seeing me around more."

Sercon grunted, then seriousness was splashed onto his face. "Listen. We know you haven't done anything wrong, but we put you here to see if you will or not. If you are like Braunick, you will do the thing we are looking for. If not, then you're perfectly fine. I cannot say what we are and aren't looking for. But what I can say is, you are in a little trouble because you didn't tell us."

Agent 34 clasped his hands on the cool metal bars. "I did it to protect myself."

"We know it isn't the right move to tell all of the Zena. We would only need to tell everyone who needs to be told, like the rest of the Destigems, and a few high-ranked soldiers, like myself. Either way, you will most likely be sent to Urania or another city to announce that Renya is now in possession of the Zena as punishment for that." Sercon explained, shifting slightly.

"I would do that even if I didn't have a choice," Agent 34 said. 

"New punishment then," Sercon said. "Tomorrow. Me and you will go undercover here in the Zena to uncover a secret branch of spies that Braunick places before his downfall. They are planning an assassination and we cannot behead them without full proof, which will be us. We need to prove they are planning an assassination before it happens or Thad can be killed."

"Does Thad know of this?" Agent 34 asked.

"No. It has to be secret. He will just command them to be killed, which isn't the right move, it's bad publicity for the Zena. There's only rumors that they are spies anyways. We have no factual evidence yet, which is why I'm commanding you to help me." Sercon states.

Agent 34 stared at him for a minute, then said, "Doesn't my command overrule you?" He asked.

Sercon sighed in annoyance, placing his hand on his forehead and slowly sliding it down his face. His shoulders heavied as he made his way out of the room full of cells.

Agent 34 only chuckled to himself as he sat himself down in the cold corner of his cell and fell asleep.