Between Black and White

When Cale wakes up, his head is throbbing. It's an intense pain right at the back of his head, as though he had been knocked out from a heavy blow. He's lying down on something scratchy, which he recognizes is hay based on the smell. It's hard to see where he is at first, due to the dim light, but he guesses it's an abandoned stable or warehouse.

He can't remember what happened in the hours that led to this situation. As Cale shuffles, he finds his wrists and ankles bound tightly.

Has he been kidnapped?

For the first time in a long while, Cale can't hear the voices of the Ancient Powers. No matter how hard he tries, he can't use any of the powers, not even his shield. He doesn't hear anything, and he seems to be alone. In a way, it's a good thing, because it means no one else has been captured. Choi Han and the others must be searching for him.

Cale lies there, breathes, and tries to get his wits about him.

When it comes to the list of suspects who might have done this, it's incredibly small. Really, who else has it out that bad for him other than that damned—

At the moment, the door creaks open. Light floods into the small space, stabbing Cale's eyes with its intensity. He jolts and squeezes his eyes shut, grimacing when his head flares up in a worse pain due to his movement. God, he hates pain so much.

"You're awake."

The voice sounds way too pleased for Cale's liking.

"Should I go back to sleep?" He would rather do that than deal with this.

White Star's low chuckle bounces off the walls of the tiny space. He sounds closer than he should be. Cale feels like a comedian whenever he's around White Star because the asshole always laughs at his words.

The door finally closes, and Cale opens his eyes again. He stares at the smiling face of his enemy, wishing he can throw a sucker punch into that smug face.

"Don't do that, Cale Henituse. I've been so bored waiting for you to wake up for three days."

That explains why Cale feels famished. Three days. If he can steer the flow of the conversation well, he might be able to gather more pieces of information. Cale hates how chatty White Star is, but his particular personality trait can be helpful.

"So? Is it my job to entertain you?" Cale scoffs sarcastically, receiving laughter once again. What a terrible sense of humor this guy has. "Is that why you've captured me, just because you're bored? You need to get a life."

Then again, White Star has gotten several lives, reincarnating again and again.

"Oh, Cale. You're so cute," White Star croons, shaking his head fondly. He laughs even harder at the disgusted expression Cale pulls, slapping his knee in amusement. "There are many reasons to capture you, don't you think? You've always been the thorn in my side, cleverly disrupting my plans. If those brats lost their commander, they'll be scrambling like bees who have lost their queen. Furthermore, as I've told you, I plan to make you into the next dragon thatcher."

"No thanks," Cale rejects.

White Star is underestimating them. Even without Cale around, there's still Alberu Crossman, who's capable of leading a kingdom, and Rosalyn, who's a former princess and the current leader of the Magic Tower. In the original story, Cale wasn't even around, and yet the party of heroes still managed to fight their way through each and every ordeal. If it's them, they'll be fine even without Cale's help.

"Come on, Cale," White Star says, tone cajoling as though coaxing a little child, "You can have anything you want. Power, fame, riches... I'll give you anything if you work for me."