3rd POV. Garden, Heat Haze Palace.
Klaus already informed Lamplight about their next mission.
The team shall be split into two and it is an assassin hunt.
Klaus notified them that he will choose the four strongest in Lamplight to come along with him to hunt the assassin named Corpse.
Caelus was an exception among the four strongest members of Lamplight as Klaus finally assessed that with his level right now, he is about to be as strong as Ember during her peak.
His mission is to provide intel and back up to all the groups as per instructed by Klaus and Grete.
Caelus also used the intel he had gathered against Corpse which lead to the completion of the plan. This even surprised Klaus and Grete as to how much information Caelus acquired in such a short time.
However, Caelus decided to revise the plan just a little bit. This even surprised Grete and Klaus during their strategy meeting.
Klaus: Are you sure about this, Caelus?
Caelus: Yes. Don't worry, we'll follow as per Grete's orders. Besides, Teach, you're the only one who can do it.
Caelus: As on my level right now.....
Caelus: I won't be able to fulfill that particular task. Not until I can finally perfect Ember's swordsmanship.
Klaus: If that's how it's going to be......
Klaus: Magnificent.
Right now, the plan is set in motion.
Caelus and the rest of Lamplight are just waiting and making for their preparations.
Caelus was done with his preparations, he's just biding his time. As of now, he's currently in the garden, practicing his swordsmanship.
The Academy where Caelus graduated had a special training class that was reserved to those with special skills.
One of them was swordsmanship.
But in a world where guns are mainly used, no one really bothered training swordsmanship, but instead turned into marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat.
But when Caelus found out he has a knack for swordsmanship, he took the swordsmanship classes and was the only student.
It definitely made sense to Caelus as to why he got a feeling that wielding the sword is natural to him, his mother turned out to be the strongest swordswoman in the history of the Din Republic.
Caelus draws the Blue Rose Sword from its sheath, gets on his stance, and began his practice swings. His movements are graceful and refined, yet they contain accuracy and discipline.
His sword attacks created a flower pattern, a rose pattern, in memory of the previous owner of the sword, his mother.
Caelus: But if I have to surpass my mother one day, I have to create my own swordsmanship. I don't want to walk on my mother's shadow.
Caelus: Besides, all I know about her during her time as a spy, is much more different from what I know her as my mother.
Caelus: But......
Caelus: Now that I knew that my mother walked on this path, all I have to do......
The image of his family flashed through his mind.
Caelus: Is to do right by them as long as I live!
Caelus: Mom, Olga......
Caelus: I promise, I will find Dad.
Caelus: And I'll make sure!
Caelus: To create a world where children won't cry!
Caelus: In this world awash in pain, the children have more than any right to be happy!
All while Caelus was practicing his swordsmanship, Thea was watching him, still trying to perceive his heart, but once again, all she can see is an ice cold mist that obscures her vision.
Thea: How? I still can't?
Klaus: Are you still trying to perceive his heart?
Thea: Teach?
Klaus: Do you even know the reason why you can't even see what is inside his heart?
Thea: It's because he's not open to any of us? He would rather keep everything to himself.
Klaus: That is because his heart is drowning in pain.
Thea: Drowning in pain?
Klaus: Yes. It is not because he's not open to Lamplight.
Klaus: It is because the pain in his heart wouldn't allow it to be opened. It is a lock.
Klaus: An impossible lock that no one can unlock.
Thea: A lock? Teach, how did you even read Caelus?
Klaus: I didn't read him. If it is by fate, that through him, I learned what happened to an old friend of mine. You do know who am I talking about at this point?
Thea: An old friend? Ms. Hearth?
Klaus: No.
Thea: An old friend of Teach.......
Thea gazed upon Caelus once more as she tries to figure it out.
Thea: I still can't figure it out.
Klaus: Ember.
Thea: !?
Thea: The mysterious member of Inferno......
Thea: Wait, Teach......! You're not suggesting that Caelus is—
Klaus: ...
Klaus: Do you know the Blue Rose Sword?
Thea: The signature weapon of Ember. The very sword that struck fear across the Galgad Empire, the sword that Ember used to committ massacre towards the imperial soldiers and spies of Galgad.
Thea: *gasp*
Thea: Just like Ember who goes by many codenames, the sword was also named as....
Thea: The Sword of Blood and Ice
Thea: Sword of Cruel Requiem
Thea: Death's Thorny Embrace
Klaus: That even made Ember became a blur between reality and fiction.
Klaus: But as a member of Inferno, I witnessed how Ember cut through our enemies with that sword.
Klaus: I believe you saw a glimpse of that during our Impossible Mission.
Thea: Yes. How Caelus severed Mr. Guido's arm.
Thea: It's scary how that sword cleanly cuts through.
Klaus: A sword that was refined over and over. Made out of diamond, ice, and titanium.
Klaus: That sword will never break, such is the wielder's heart.
Klaus: A sword that cuts through everything, just like the resolve in every swing.
Klaus: And a rose that will bloom with dignity.
Klaus: That is the Blue Rose Sword. Only Ember was worthy of wielding it, until Caelus arrived.
Thea: Teach, I have a secret.
Klaus: A secret?
Thea: Yes. I know Caelus.
Klaus: You know him?
Thea: Yes, this was actually the second time that I met him.
Thea: But first, let me tell you what Ms. Hearth told me about her visit to an old friend.
Klaus: Wait, Boss, does she knew?
Thea: Ms. Hearth said that her old friend retired because of an injury. According to her, when she finally managed to track her friend down, she was surprised to find that her friend was taking care of a young boy, she said that boy was probably around my age.
Thea: Ms. Hearth called that friend as Nastya.
Klaus: Nastya, only the Boss called Anastasia in that manner.
Klaus: Boss and Anastasia were polar opposites. The Boss can be ruthless and she burned her opponents to ashes.
Klaus: While Anastasia was just pure ruthless, and the moment that she surpassed all of Inferno was the moment she was able to massacre an entire battalion of imperial soldiers and tortured the emperor.
Klaus: That was also the first time that the Boss and the rest of Inferno felt fear.
Klaus: Anastasia was very difficult to read, we can't get through her intentions, even the Boss herself can't even perceive what is on Anastasia's mind.
Klaus: A shadow amongst shadows.
Klaus: *sigh*
Klaus: Still, to think that Anastasia decided to settle down. It makes me wonder what is Anastasia doing right now.
Thea: That's the thing, Teach. I have a dreadful feeling that it has something to do with Caelus' dark secrets.
Klaus: What do you mean?
Thea: You said that Caelus' heart is drowning in pain. What if her mother, Ms. Nastya had something to do with that?
Klaus: Then, are you suggesting....
Thea: It's the only conclusion we can draw into, Teach.
Thea: Now, as to my first encounter with Caelus, it was when he was transferred to the same academy where I was attending.
Thea: He was alone as he had no friends. I tried to approach him but everytime I tried, he just disappears.
Thea: And then everyone began to not care about him as he is too gloomy.
Thea: But there was one time......where I saw a different side of Caelus.
---------------
Flashback. Thea's POV. A few years ago.
It's our break, I wonder what am I going to do today?
Then out of a sudden, I saw something I can't believe. I saw Caelus helping a girl looking for her mother.
As much as I wanted to help, he'll just disappear.
So I decided to watch over them and tried to be a look out if I ever found the girl's mother.
It's also amazing how Caelus was able to calm the girl down just by patting her head and telling it's going to be all right.
Caelus eventually got to reunite the mother and daughter.
Mother: Thank you so much, young man!
Girl: Thank you, big bro!
Caelus: No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job.
Caelus bid farewell to the mother and daughter but he looked back at them.
And I know for certain.....
I saw a look of sadness in his eyes.
Somehow, I can't help to think.....
Thea: Why? Do you look so sad?
Until.....one day, he got transferred into another academy as he was falsely accused of sexually harrassing a female student.
I tried to defend him by taking the blame that I was the one who seduced Caelus but no one believed me.
So, Caelus was forced to transfer.....and I never saw him again....
Yet for some reason, I can't help that whenever I see his eyes....
My heart just skips a beat for no reason at all.
-------------
Back to the present.
Thea finished her story.
Thea: And that was also the beginning of how I became a washout. I seduced men and women, I wanted to be kicked out of the academy so that I may able to track down where Caelus went.
Thea: But.....
Klaus: It seems like fate granted your wish.
Thea: Teach, how can I even win Caelus' approval? No matter how much I seduce him, it never works.
Klaus: You can't even seduce me, and now you're aiming for Caelus.
Thea: That's.....
Thea: *sigh*
Thea looks at Caelus who was performing elegant sword strikes, and she was in awe of Caelus' beautiful swordsmanship.
Klaus: Magnificent.
Thea: Eh?
Klaus: Caelus doesn't want to dwell on his mother's shadow.
Klaus: Caelus is his own person.
Klaus: That is the reason why I can guarantee that he will surpass Ember.
Klaus: Thea, this is my advice to you.
Klaus: Your vision is not clouded by mist.
Klaus: You have to clear that mist in order to find your answer.
Klaus left Thea.
Thea: But how am I supposed to clear that mist?
Thea: If everytime I tried to clear it......
Thea: That mist will get thicker as if it is protecting something.
Thea shakes her head.
Thea: No! I have to! No matter what it takes.
Thea was about to approach Caelus when she saw Lily casually approaching Caelus.
As for Lily, since she almost got in the way of Caelus' training, the tip of Caelus' sword was mere inches to Lily's throat.
Lily: A-Ah! Caelus! It's me! Your cute leader, Lily!
Caelus: .......
And Caelus was not impressed.
Caelus: You're in the way. Get out of my sight.
Lily: Hey! That's—
Caelus used his authoritative voice.
Caelus: I said, move aside.
Caelus: Peasant.
Lily: !?
Lily couldn't help but be shocked.
Even Thea became worried as the situation was escalating when it shouldn't.
Thea: I have to call someone to stop them—no, to stop Caelus if he decides to kill Lily!
But then, Lily, out of fear....
Just walked away, it is clear on her face that she was hurt by Caelus' remark.
Thea didn't let this slip by and she marched towards Caelus.
Thea: Hey! Caelus! That wasn't—
Caelus: And for how long are you going to stalk me?
Thea: !?
Thea: He knows!?
Thea: I.....
Caelus turns around to face Thea.
Caelus: Just go back to your own business. The mission is about to begin, you should better not waste your time dilly dallying when you should be preparing.
Caelus: The enemy is not a joke. We're going after an assassin. If you continue to be like that.....
Caelus: Then everyone will die.
Caelus sheathed the sword and walked past Thea.
Caelus: No matter how much you read into my heart, it is only nothing but an empty void.
Thea: !?
Thea looked at Caelus only to find that he's gone.
Thea: He also knew about how can I see through people's hearts?
Thea: .......
Thea: Caelus......
Thea clenches her fist....
Thea: Then......what is that mist that stubbornly protects it?
Thea: I swear......I will find a way to reach your heart.
Thea recalls the face that Caelus made when he helped that mother and daughter.
Thea: I will make you happy. Because you deserve it.