𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐌 ⸻ argentum chronicles

𝟎𝟑, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

STANDING AT the corner of the backstage, she silently thanked that the shadows concealed her face. Adin Aulus didn't have to know that his fate was in her hands, and if this went according to plan, he wouldn't know. Glancing at her accomplice from the corner of her eye, she saw that he was nervously pacing around.

"Stay in the shadows, you idiot," she hissed, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him behind the stack of equipment.

"We're in the equipment room, for God's sake! No one will find us here," he retorted. "Better safe than sorry," she snapped.

And when he rolled his eyes, she scowled. "What's wrong with you?"

He shrugged carelessly, trying to look convincing. "Just hoping that everything will turn out the way it's supposed to."

"Oh, it'll be fine," she said, "for us, I mean. But I can't say that it'll be the same for your little friend."

And he ignored how she spit out the last three words as if they were poison.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

ADIN PEERED at the crowds between the curtains. Almost immediately, he spotted Maverick in the crowds, enthusiastically reading the program. But then he noticed the large number of people that were eagerly waiting for the show to begin.

"You ready?" asked Chris. He placed a hand on Adin's shoulder encouragingly.

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Adin said, struggling to keep the quiver out of his voice.

"Come on, calm down." Chris grinned. "Everything'll be alright." And without any warning, he pulled back the curtains and shoved Adin onto the stage.

Adin regained his balance before the cameras and spotlight could focus on him and instinctively, he plastered a wide smile onto his face and stepped into the light. The avid crowd burst into cheers and applause, leaving Adin's ears ringing even after silence ensued.

"Welcome to Aulus Demos!" Adin said. "Thank you for taking time out of your day to come tonight."

Knowing that he had the crowd's attention, Adin continued. "Generations have changed, and naturally, machinery will evolve, too. Like my father always told me, improvements in inventions are imminent and consistently happening around us." Adin immediately knew that he had evoked his own tears and swiped at his cheek, erasing all evidence of fallen teardrops. "Several years ago, we conjectured that paralyzing bullets were impossible to make, but tonight, you'll realize that the formula is both simple and feasible."

A compartment rose from the ground with the Paralyzer gun and two clear vials laying inside. "The idea for the bullets was derived when I watched the live interrogation of the authoritative figure of A.U.R.U.M. He revealed the formula of their Paralyzer bullets, which had severe after-effects. However, my alternative version is much friendlier and is made by integrating two ingredients." Adin held up the two vials from its holder in the compartment for the crowd to see and quickly set the vials back down before he could drop them.

A hand shot up in the air. "Can you please do a demonstration? You can do it on my pig," he offered. "C'mon, please? You did it last time for the Owletele!"

Adin hesitated. But it was something about the eager expression on the kid's face that reminded Adin of himself as a kid that made him agree. He pursed his lips. "Alright, bring your pig up here. But I'm warning you now that days will elapse before the victim is returned to its original state." It was audacious, but surely it wouldn't hurt to modify what he had planned, would it?