I sat on a sofa in Xander's office as Angelica relayed all the information she knew of Baron Liam Xu, as well as his properties and main sources of income. I was quite surprised when I heard Simon had let her live after the discovery of her betrayal, but when I leave for the military in four months, he will have to make his own decisions, so I left him be. I listened intently about all of Liam's properties; he has already made his move; now it was my turn to retaliate. Baron Liam's main sources of income came from two industries. The first of which was his business within the rift weaponry industry, and the second was his less-than-legal dealings of Black Euphoria, a highly illegal opioid made from a poisonous rift beast known as the euphoric toad. Their poison was an airborne powder that caused euphoria and hallucinations, making them highly dangerous foes to face.
"Angelica and Simon, your task is to burn down his warehouses and factories for the rift weapons. Do it discreetly; by no means must it be traced back to us." While listening to her explanation, I had begun to formulate a plan of action. "I will personally handle his underground accomplices." My tone made it clear there was no room for argument. There were many reasons why I sent Angelica on this mission when her loyalty was questionable. The first of which was to test her skills, as much as it pained me to admit this, I was sorely lacking in manpower. I needed more reliable tools for my purposes, and if she can prove useful, I won't kill her just yet. I sent Simon along as my executioner in case she attempted to return to her former employer; he needed to learn the harsh lesson that nothing in life comes without cost. Actions have consequences. I have no use for weak-willed fighters amongst my inner circle.
Regarding the underground syndicate that I would be taking down, that was a different story entirely. Even if I had all the proof in the world tying Baron Liam to the trafficking of Black Euphoria, the police had already been bought off long ago. So nothing would come from going to the authorities. What I had to do instead was to slowly dismantle it. Like a surgeon cutting out a tumor, it required precision and careful consideration. No one else but me had the capacity to do such work; it was yet another burden for me to bear. Smoke curled in the air like a snake as I took another drag of my pipe. The world would soon burn, and I would watch in silence.. A habit I never would have imagined I would pick up. But ever since my awakening, I have remade myself; I have been born anew. This was but one of the many changes I have undergone.
—-
Deep within the inner city of Pretoria, I walked with a hoodie covering my masked face. Giving me some semblance of normality while traveling through the city on foot. I had Elijah drop me off near the city center about twenty minutes ago and began the long trek to my destination. Entering one of the apartment complexes that were common in this part of town, I ascended the elevator to the top floor. I walked through the hallway, only stopping when I reached room number 304. Knocking lightly on the door, I waited for the resident inside to open. I did not have to wait long at all, as an ebony-skinned woman with strange, grey, almost white eyes opened the door. Her hair was cut short, almost close to her scalp. She wore simple clothing, but she radiated wisdom and hidden strength.
She looked at my masked face in confusion. "Who are you?" She asked as her aura began flaring up a little.
"Is that any way to greet your cousin after so long?" I smiled underneath my mask as I looked towards my eldest cousin, Zanele. Her name meant we are enough, a fitting name for someone with her strength. She was a powerful Sangoma, but after she was caught dabbling in witchcraft, she was banished from the tribe.
"Omtwana, is that really you?" There was a slight quiver in her voice as she spoke, her unsettling blue eyes never leaving my masked face.
"In the flesh. Are you going to leave me standing here all day, or are you going to let me in?" I tried to speak with kindness, but my voice only made it sound strange.
"My, my, demanding aren't you?" She said with a smile as she allowed me inside. Her apartment was… Cozy was the best way to describe it. It was a two-bedroom apartment with a bathroom, kitchen, and living room. She led me towards some comfy armchairs. "Would you like some tea? I just boiled the kettle." She asked as she moved towards the kitchen.
"Some tea would be lovely, thank you." I looked around the room as she made the tea; it was very bare inside. Comprised only of the most basic necessities, things were clearly not going too well with her financially speaking. Before my mind could dwell on the thoughts further, she returned with two cups, putting one down on the table in front of me. She took a seat.
"So tell me what prompted you to honor me with your presence today? A better question would be how you even found me." There was an underlying seriousness in her tone as she spoke.
I gave her a flat stare before responding. "I have known of you since the moment you entered my city." I paused to take a sip of my green tea. "Who do you think ensured that the local gangs left you be?" She tensed slightly at the mention of the gangs, but relaxed after a while.
"That answered only one of my questions." She said with a raised brow.
"As impatient as ever I see, I was getting to that if you had only given me a chance." Taking another sip of the tea, hmmn, quite good if I do say so myself. "There are two main reasons as to why I am here. The first is that I require the help of someone with your… capabilities." My tone was slow and deliberate as I spoke.
"And what would this help entail?" Her tone had shifted from informality to a professional business tone of voice.
"I need a hex placed on someone," She tensed even more at my words, her aura began to flare again. But I quelled it with a little of my own aura, and the lights in the room began to flicker in protest. "But before that, let me speak of my second request."
Her eyes studied me seriously. "And what would that be?" She was clearly on edge because of something. I noticed it when she first opened the door; she used to be just as bubbly as Simon, but now she was strangely quiet, as if afraid of something. Her eyes kept darting to the door as if anticipating someone to barge in.
"Look, Zanel, I will not pretend to understand what you are going through. But you are family, and family looks out for one another. Join me, I need people I can trust close to me. And someone with your skill would be an invaluable asset." I laid my cards on the table, waiting for her answer.
She bit her lower lip as it began to quiver slightly. 'Bang,' the front door burst open as a tattooed man kicked it down. He looked like a generic-looking thug, with more brawn than brains. He wore a white wife-beater with grease stains and dirty blue jeans. The moment I laid eyes on this cretin, my anger flared. Who dared act this brazenly in front of my family. Before the man could even react, I created a spear of soul mana that pierced his skull within a few seconds of his entering the apartment. A small ember of blue and black flame fell onto his dying body, as the flames began devouring the last vestiges of life force in his body. It withered and dried, his skin cracking before it turned to dust. Zanele just sat there staring at the pile of dust on the ground in shock.
A sense of euphoria, unlike anything I had ever experienced, passed through me like a wave. This was only the second person I had ever killed. The first was the assassin in my hospital room, but I was in a strange state of melancholy then, so my actions had not fully registered. But now, wow, that felt exhilarating. Zanele's eyes met my own with both fear and silent thanks within them. "I am still waiting on an answer." My inhuman voice felt even more melodic with the last vestiges of euphoria still pumping through my veins.
Her eyes were slightly dazed as if her thoughts were far away when she snapped out of her stupor and looked at me with new eyes. "What happened to you, omtwana?" She spoke with sympathy in her voice that only sought to irritate me. But I reigned myself in; she was not speaking from a place of pity. But of genuine concern.
"Far too much," I said with a tired sigh. "Pack your bags, we are leaving within twenty minutes," I spoke with an authoritative tone as I got up from the armchair and moved to close the front door.
"But, I have not agreed to your proposal." She spoke with a challenging tone.
"From my perspective, you don't have much of a choice." My eyes trailed down to the pile of dust on the floor. Zanele just sighed and reluctantly agreed.