Nightwatch - The Fading Light

The stranger at the Door

Mathew flipped the hood up, casting his face in shadows. He held his katana, which he had named "Resolve", in his right hand. As the man in front of him burst apart into cubes of neon blue, Mathew began to smile. It had been a week since Christoph took him in. The older man had driven him home a few nights ago, and, much to Mathew's surprise, packed nearly everything within the house. The day after the house had been put up for sale. The alleyway around him faded back into the blinding white room it originally was, prompting Mathew to attempt to pull the hood further. He was done training for the day he decided, walking into the elevator. Pressing the button to the first floor, he reached under his shirt and pulled out a circular locket. Pressing a button on the side, it opened to reveal a picture of Robert and a young Mathew at a birthday party on the outer half of the locket. In the background was a small cake, with a blue candle shaped like the number 5. On the inner half of the locket was Robert with a woman Mathew had never seen before, but had heard so very much about. Viktoria Lyn Marshalls. His mother. The two had taken the picture during their Normandy honeymoon. Mathew let out a chuckle at that bit. His father had always been quite the history buff, even going as far to mod historically inaccurate video games for no other reason then "Just cuz."

He closed the locket, placing it back under his shirt. The elevator opened to the first floor of Christoph's enormous mansion. Exiting the elevator, Mathew made his way through the floor. After seemingly hours, which was in reality mere minutes, the boy had found the kitchen, where Christoph's butler Monty had already set up the breakfast table.
"Ah, sir Mathew. Take a seat." The British man said, pulling a chair out for Mathew. The butler, who Mathew only now had the opportunity to get a good look at, was a tall, and abnormally thin man of a Caucasian complexion. His deep green eyes bore into Mathew's own silver ones as he poured the boy a cup of tea, before tipping his bowler hat. Across the rectangular table was Christoph, who was sorting out paperwork, and signing documents with only his left hand, and devouring a plate of bacon, eggs, and grits with his right hand.
Christoph perked up as Monty approached, but payed Mathew no heed.
"The orphan girl," The silver haired man began to whisper; "Monica, I believe he called her...find her. He'll be lonely with only the staff and us." Monty nodded, leaving as Christoph finally directed his gaze to Mathew. "You've trained hard the past week. Unfortunately, I don't think you have enough time to continue training. Tomorrow we start searching."

"For what?"

"The will to fight a force we may not be able to defeat."

< * >

Monica sluggishly lifted herself from the couch, searching for any excuse to not answer the knock at the door that had oh-so rudely interrupted her. She let out a hiss as her bare feet hit the tiled floor. "Ducking...cold..."
Slowly approaching the door, she opens it.

"Forgive me for intruding madam, but I'm under orders to find one "Monica Briar". Mathew Marshalls is waiting for her."