Page 38 of Raijin

RAIJIN

“You were attacked.”

Was the first thing Raijin said, when he arrived at the headquarters. It wasn’t anything fancy, more like an apartment building that had been given to them. The building boasted ten apartments, three meeting rooms and a garage.

No matter how Raijin, had told Tiller he’d prefer separate housing he’d been forced to occupy this place. It was both a way for Tiller, to show his authority, and also to keep him and the others under watch.

Entering the meeting room, he watched as Malcolm stomach lost the purple bruising. The man was wolfkin, healing from such a wound was easy, but the fact that there was such a wound in the first place was troubling. He turned his attention to Alek, as Malcolm eyes were closed, and body covered in sweat as he focused on healing.

“What happened?” He demanded.

Alek shifted; his expression troubled a rare sight on the vampire. “We were questioning the Butcher; he’d moved his project closer to the rim of the city. It was a standard questioning, but he was being more difficult than usual. He wouldn’t answer any questions about the witches.”

Raijins brow creased, “He refused to answer?”

“Tsk, that’s rare.” Castian said, speaking Raijin’s thoughts aloud. “He usually folds after one punch.”

“I should have known something was different when he didn’t this time,” Alek explained, staring at the floor. “He appeared almost shaken that we were looking into the missing witches. His advice was to stay out of it.”

“Wow,” Castian exclaimed chuckling, as he walked over to the table, and plopped down in a seat, “That’s the first time a criminal tried to warn us off. So, who attacked you?”

“That’s the kicker, hah,” Malcolm panted, his eyes squinted as he looked at Castian, “It was either an Unseelie or an Elf.”

Raijin stiffened Malcolm’s words.

“That’s not possible,” Castian exclaimed, staring at Malcolm in disbelief. “One, elf’s are forbidden from ever returning to this and the human realm. It’s been that way since the Council came into existence and two; Unseelie? Are you kidding me, they don’t exist if they did—?” He wordlessly shook his head. “They just can’t.”

That was true, Unseelie were terrifying not only because of their power but because of what that would mean for all Beings including humans. The unseelie were like the ultimate boogey man, having once ruled over all Beings as masters at one point. A history wiped form the minds of humans. Their cruelty was legend and their ruthless rule, a mar on Being past in the time before when the Veil was known as the shroud and no anchor like cities existed.

In the first war their kind was slaughtered and erased from the face of the earth. In later years the Council had come into existence.

“Even if, and this is a big if; what would they need with witches?” Castian mused aloud, “There is nothing I can think of, that a witch could provide to them.”

“Exactly,” Alek said pushing off the wall, “The Unseelie were one of the most powerful Beings in the past. Why would they need a Numb Witch?”

All four of them became silent, Raijin became lost in thought.

“This changes thing the witch who’s been cursed needs to be taken somewhere safe.” Malcolm said, no longer panting in pain and his color returning. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, “We can’t keep playing the “bait” game with her. Not if the Unseelie are involved”

“You’re right,” Raijin, acknowledged, “I will go to Tiller to request she be put under our watch, and your three will help Castian get answers from our friend in there.” He motioned his chin to the box, that sat on the table in front of Castian. Leaving he spoke over his shoulder, “Our biggest worry now, is between an elf and an Unseelie which is the worst enemy?”

* * *

When Raijin wentto speak to Tiller, he wasn’t expecting the man to invite him to the upper floors. Where the Council were holding a forum, standing in the shadows he stared down as he watched the fat carcasses speak below.

“How can you expect us to care for those who live beyond the rim, when our own people are suffering from starving and lack of jobs.” This was said, by a reed thin man. His purple eyes, and dark green hair, denoting him a Being of water. His robes were blue which signified he’d only been on the Council for a year. He glared at his opponent, “Tiller, your wish to assist those less fortunate is admirable, but Veil city has already lost money in the many ventures we’ve put into Unders at your request, and what came of it? Nothing.”

Those in the audience like Raijin grumbled in agreement. All eyeing Tiller, like he’d personally taken the money and ran off with it.

For his part, Tiller expression remained coldly amused. It was his signature look, in Raijin’s opinion. “Do you think that it was the Unders who lost that money?” He asked, as he tapped his podium with a single finger. “If I recall, the money for that project was siphoned off to assist your party members to build another fancy road in the Hills. I also remember having to put in a request that the funds for the Unders stop being put into Magic Waste sites, after all we have a contract with the human city to use their waste sites, and only had to pay them a small share for using them.”

Tiller feigned innocents, widening his eyes at the other man. His ears flicking back and forth, “tell me, Damian. Did your fellow members tell you everything, before they sent you out here like a sacrificial lamb for the slaughter?”

“Enough,” the sound of a gavel hitting the podium had Raijins eyes moving to the three elders who presided over the Council. The one in the center. With deep brown eyes, and golden hair lopped up, and over a hair pin until it created a bun was the oldest in the room.

“Legolas.” Raijin hissed out the man’s name. His eyes narrowing on the golden bastard, the very man who’d assisted in his imprisonment so many years ago. He’d stared down at him with contempt, as he’d been dragged to the center of the floor below by chains. His feet bare, and hands still slick with the blood.

When they’d finally caught up with him in 1816 he’d been standing amongst a pile of dead bodies in a back alley of Edo before it was later called Tokyo. His mace covered with fleshy debris and bone matter. Raijin had been asked at the time to clean up some unsavory gangs in the area. Not that he’d done what he’d did for a good reason, he’d simply stuck with what he was familiar with. Carnage and the heat of battle. He could still remember staring up at the moon wondering if destruction was all he was meant for. Even though he’d still had the energy to keep fighting he’d allowed himself to be arrested and escorted to Veil City to be imprisoned by Legolas.