Chapter 25: [23 – responsibility; his right hand man]

"I'll handle the rest." said the teenager cooly, his eyes carrying a frightening sense of commanding serenity.

Not long after Raphael and Soren's breakthrough had Damien arrived in the place, his hair blown wildly by the wind which made him seem younger and more like the person who he was.

His eyes had lowered at the scene, taking everything in without a word, blood splattered against his cheek as if it were decoration.

Whatever state Tonio was left in, he'd likely be begging for death. Soren wasn't scared of dying, but the pain of death was something he knew better than any other.

Being stuck on the frail string between life and death, unable to decide which side to fall on as an everlasting pain burrowed into your bones — it was pure torture. Though he couldn't day Tonio didn't deserve it; that man deserved it very much.

Even Soren could sense Damien's bad mood washing over everything in a gloomy mist.

Raphael held onto the child in his arms. "This boy was quite the brave one. Do you recognize him?"

It was impossible for the fox to not, with an excellent memory and an addiction to observing. Damien stared at the sleeping child and brought him into his arms. "They'll be taken cared of. After all, they are my people."

"You'll bring them back on your own?" asked Soren on the side, facing the litters of bodies, both alive and dead.

"Are you offering help, master?" Damien's tone was both familiar and unfamiliar, carrying a detached sort of arrogance.

Soren nodded plainly. "Yes."

"It is unnecessary. I have made the necessary arrangements to deal with this situation, so won't you stay out of it?"

Unlike Soren's questions, which were more statements than questions, Damien's were genuine, even in this moment. He was giving Soren a choice to say yes or no, to deny or accept.

Actually, Soren's aim had been filled. The children, most of them, were still alive and breathing, a vast difference from the ending in the novel. Since his aim was completed, it wasn't necessary for him to meddle any longer.

However, before he could agree to minding his own business, Raphael decided to meddle.

"We will stay."

Soren looked at him. "There is no 'we'."

Raphael raised a brow and looked at him in false surprise. "Using me then throwing me away? That's a pretty scum move, even for you, little prince."

"It can't be called using you if you weren't useful."

"....." Raphael was a little speechless. After all, didn't they just cooperate to fight, even though they were partially competing? He'd definitely fought as much as the other did, no doubt about it.

However, Soren dismissed his expression shamelessly. Did he ask for help? No. Therefore, it was unnecessary help and deemed useless. The way the prince's mind worked was certainly unique in ways that Raphael very much didn't appreciate.

On the other hand, if Soren could think in such a ridiculous manner, Raphael could do the same.

"We're staying." repeated Raphael slowly, "If not, then I'll go have some fun with your brothers. I think they'd be curious as to where you are."

Damien watched and felt a strange sense of deja vu. Didn't his master threaten people in a similar manner to get them to do as he pleased? It was karma, really.

Or to Soren, it was unfortunate luck.

Of course, Soren didn't doubt Raphael's words. He was a hero, but that didn't mean he was innocent or overly nice, especially since Soren seemed to annoy him so often. Although Soren doubted his siblings were interested in him enough to come this way, it was also a little annoying in the off chance that they decided to come over and discovered Soren's intentions of running away. 

While they wouldn't care if he disappeared, he figured, the issue of royalty disappearing wasn't exactly a simple manner.

Brioc Laurier was an example of that, his kingdom spreading news far and wide, searching for him while he wandered in plain sight. Although even if somebody had tried to stop him from leaving, they'd probably only have ended up with a cast on their arm.

Soren cast a bitter look at Raphael, who only smiled in return. How much suffering had he been through because of this prince? It was only fair that he could return the amount back.

Damien regarded them with a little interest, though most of his laziness had been swallowed by the seriousness that had come with Tonio's betrayal. The foxes, while the most tricky and secretive of the tribes, were also the closest. Betrayal was something none of them could've imagined. 

He pulled the sleeping child in his arms into a more comfortable position and nodded to the door. "Very well. Follow me."

When they exited the building, there were two people waiting outside. Though the term 'person' wouldn't have been the most accurate, it wasn't false either. They immediately straightened their backs upon seeing Damien, though their eyes cast a dim light after seeing the bruised child in his arms.

A woman stared at the boy with furrowed brows. "Leader, that is..."

"What do you think?" asked Damien, gazing at her with a frighteningly calm expression. "It is the work of Tonio's betrayal."

Anger flickered across her face as she clenched her teeth. "That bastard..."

The man beside her pulled her in and patted her back. "Calm down. Don't lose your cool in front of the Leader and his guests." After comforting the woman, he smiled at Soren politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Sage and this over here is Hazel." 

Soren nodded back. "Soren."

Raphael grinned and stretched out one hand. "It's Raphael."

"Will you two be returning to the base with us?"

Damien answered in their steed authoritatively. "They will be our guests, prepare a room. Has Tonio been locked up as I had ordered?"

"Yes, Leader." said Sage immediately.

Raphael was watching Damien with a similar interest in how Damien watched other people. It wasn't that he didn't know of the boy's true identity after speaking with Vincent, but it was still a strange sight to see. A sixteen-year-old with the maturity of somebody much, much older, commanding a group. 

Damien looked at the pair. "Will you cause trouble?"

"I don't plan to, no." 

"No."

"Then, follow Sage. I'll deal with this matter first. I believe this boy might want to meet you when he awakens." said Damien gloomily, shifting his sights around with his piercing stare, carrying no traces of false politeness any longer.

Soren almost thought it was a pity — without the facade, Damien certainly wouldn't help Soren with tasks that he felt lazy to complete. In reality, however, his tone hadn't changed too much. There was still a hint of curiosity to his words, and an indifferent, gloomy touch. It was only more oppressive now.

Not that it really mattered.

Sage directed Soren and Raphael to the base, taking many twisting turns and entering all sorts of dark and hidden spaces. He didn't slow his speed either, fully expecting Soren and Raphael to keep up. 

Had it been a normal person, Sage would've already found himself at the base while the person following would be lost in the endless curves of the path.

When they neared, Sage apologized. "Our base cannot be known by people, so we go back in a complicated manner to throw off pursuers, or so that nobody can remember the way."

"I see." said Raphael after a moment before looking at Soren, then back at Sage. "If you didn't want us to remember the way, you could've walked in a straight line and he wouldn't be able to get back. Don't worry."

Soren paused. "....."

"What's up, little prince? I'm just trying to reassure him, can't you tell?"

Even Soren couldn't say anything to that. If there were two things he couldn't refute, it was his lack of directions to the point it almost seemed to be on purpose, and his penniless bank that was so empty not even dust wanted to enter.

Suddenly, the prince turned to Sage. "Where's Tonio?"

"Oh." Sage walked slowly through a forest — which forest, it was hard to say after seeing several along the way. "I'll tell you when we enter the building.”

After another minute, a tall building stood in their path. It merged with the forest, melding with deep green vines that crawled up the walls, while roots pierced through gaps in the building. There was a gate surrounding it, seeming to be infused with a dangerous energy. 

Upon seeing the two’s look at the gate, Sage quickly explained. "It's to keep intruders out. It also hides the base, so that nothing can be seen from the outside. You can only see it now because the Leader left traces of his magic on you, allowing you to bypass the permissions."

"Oh." Soren lowered his eyes at the gate, then took a step past. 

As soon as he did, the overwhelming aura of power flowed past him, like a fan at high speed. In the building he thought he could see several glowing eyes of many different colours, watching him from the depths of the building.

"It's creepy." said Soren bluntly as he stared back at the eyes with his chilling blue eyes. A few of the fox tribe members who had been watching even had to look away, losing at their own game.

Raphael told him patiently, "You shouldn't call them creepy."

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"And you shouldn't lie."

"I didn't say they weren't." said Raphael. "I just didn't say that they were, either."

Sage laughed. Guests were rare to begin with, although it did happen occasionally, but he'd never seen guests who acted so relaxed within the fox tribe's territory. There was also the fact that these two seemed like friends who had known each other for years, but also enemies that shared a mutual dislike. 

An amusing combination, thought Sage. He could understand why the Leader stayed around them for so long, and even trusted them to come back to the base. 

"Apologies for interrupting, but would you like to see your room first, or discuss the situation with Tonio?"

Soren turned his head. "The room is already prepared?"

"Yes, there were other members trailing us from the shadows so they headed back in advance."

"Oh."

"Let's talk about the situation, I have several questions to ask." interrupted Raphael cooly. The trafficking of children was no small matter, and it was one that he was certain Vincent would be curious to hear about.

Although he'd leave out the part about Soren's involvement and mysterious knowledge — that was a secret between the two of them for now.

Tonio nodded before Soren raised his hand. "I want to go to the room."

Raphael looked at him with exasperation. "Are you just trying to go against me?"

"No." Soren denied it. "I want to sleep."

"It's daytime."

"Sleeping isn’t bound by time."

Such a fancy way of making an excuse — it was pretty incredible. Well, he wasn't wrong either. However, Raphael sighed and shrugged. "Then go on then, let the adults talk."

"....."

Sage seemed a little helpless and walked off to a room that they could talk, with Raphael walking by his side casually. Soren turned his head, then stopped and turned back. He wasn't one to listen to others, petty as he was, but the protagonist had a way of being an additional splash of annoying with every word spoken.

A simple insult that could be as vague as air was amplified into a storm.

When Raphael looked over his shoulder, he saw a white mop of hair trailing behind slowly, looking a little tired. Soren probably hadn't lied when he said he was sleepy, since that prince seemed to be the type to follow healthy habits quite regularly, despite how he acted. 

The past while had been chaotic, to say so in the least, so Raphael couldn't blame him for being sleepy. He even almost felt guilty for purposely riling Soren up — almost. There was still a lot of suffering to make up for in order for Raphael to feel completely guilty.

In the end, Sage walked around the building and found a quiet room, away from prying eyes. He guaranteed that none would dare listen in on the guests of the Leader in Sage's presence.

Raphael was curious. "Are you and Hazel the right and left-hand people of your leader?"

Sage nodded. "Yes, that' s correct."

"Were you aware of Tonio's strange actions?"

There was a pause before Sage continued, a little guilty. "I... As somebody the Leader trusted, I should've been able to handle it. Tonio's words were persuasive, and he whispered lies in the weakest of our members, while also reaching out to other sources outside of our tribe."

"He was a powerful member, so the things he did could go unmonitored by many. For a while, it did, and before I knew it, he'd started acting like the new leader of the tribe. With our Leader's long absence, many didn't know what to do and allowed for it."

"Hazel and I realized something was wrong, but we couldn't find any proof. They weren't subtle and left traces, but no proof large enough to prosecute them."

Raphael shook his head. "Then it can't be your fault. There are limitations even the powerful can't cross, even if you want to."

Sage smiled sadly. "That's true."

"Why didn't you contact Damien?" asked Soren suddenly, destroying whatever mood was starting to simmer in the air. 

"He left us strict instructions not to contact him unless it was absolutely necessary. We didn't think that such a horrible situation could be happening."

Raphael seemed to suddenly understand something and leaned forward on the table. "Didn't you realize the children were going missing?"

"We did." admitted Sage. "But we didn't think it was because of problems in the tribe. We have a lot of enemies, so it would've made sense for it to be one of them."

As a group of creatures that comitted many crimes, both good and bad for the sake of money, holding mountains of secrets on even the most noble of people, anybody could try to mess with them. People who wanted revenge, who wanted to use them or many other reasons.

Raphael sighed. "It's an unbelievable situation."

"It's the most tragic for the parents." said Sage, leaning back in his chair with a dazed expression. "The person they trusted the most was the one to steal their children right under their eyes."

Indeed, many would blame themselves for not being alert enough, or not being careful enough. It was one thing to have your child stolen away, but knowing that you opened the door for that kidnapper and let them walk away — that was the most painful thing. 

In fact, there were likely some who blamed Damien for leaving in the first place, living to the beat of his own drum. But the boy was never bound to begin with, breaking free of his shackles with his own two hands.

Damien might've never intended to become the leader, burdened with expectations as a teenager despite his only curiosity being observing his surroundings. 

He wasn't a sensitive nor emotional person, but at the same time, he understood other's emotions the best. It was also in understanding himself completely that he was able to make all his decisions without regretting.

Except,

[For the crafty fox leader, Damien was the sort who never regretted his choices.  No matter the consequence, he would not falter.

But those countless of lives lost because of his selfishness,

...that alone became the teenager's shackles.]

Although it wasn't something one person could prevent, with connections from everywhere that even Damien couldn't find, he still blamed himself. For the simple reason that it could be prevented. 

Soren stared at the table, while Raphael looked somber. As another person who understood emotions well, he could empathize the emotions of those affected. 

"And what happened to Tonio?" asked Raphael after taking a moment to steady his emotions. 

"He's locked underground at the moment, by the Leader's request."

"Is he still alive?"

"Yes, he is."

Although he was barely hanging onto a thread, he was alive enough, and would likely stay that way until Damien was satisfied with his vengeances. The life of all the children would be repaid, in blood of something equivalent. 

For a while, they discussed minor issues and the overall plan before separating, Raphael and Soren being shown one room.

Soren blinked. "It's one room."

Raphael narrowed his eyes. "Are there no other rooms?"

Sage shook his head awkwardly. "We don't have many extra rooms to begin with, only one for guests."

"....."

"....." 

Finally, Soren said, "...ok." 

He looked somewhat disgusted as he stepped through the door, which only further offended Raphael, who didn't really want to share a room with this suspicious character either. 

He sighed and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Click.