Embers of the Holy War

Into The Twilight Zone

With their appointment with Lord Janus scheduled tomorrow, Guang and Jin immediately set out to Notitia City. Notitia City, otherwise known as the City of Information, is home to the Twilight Tower, where the Ministry of Intelligence is located.

As it was located nearer to the mountains, Notitia City was bone-chillingly cold, eerily shrouded in thick mist. Jin had wrapped himself up in thick, warm clothing, with gloves and earmuffs to go with it, and had insisted Guang do the same. Resisting the urge to laugh at Jin's puffed up look, Guang had refused to, only because he can heat himself up with his fire powers.

While Guang and Jin wandered in the streets of Notitia City, Guang noticed that, unlike Starlight Metropolis, Notitia City wasn't big, bright and lively. Perhaps because of the mist, the city appeared less populated and darker. There weren't many people out and about, but when Guang spotted some, they were always grouped together like a school of fish; talking in hushed voices and extremely cautious of their surroundings, as if it was them against the world. Police officers were populous, crawling like ants around the city. No matter where Guang looked, there would always be a police officer on duty, overlooking the citizens like a watchful hawk.

As visitors, Guang and Jin attracted many gazes. Whether it was the way they talked, the way they walked or the way they looked, it seemed that every citizen and police officer had picked up that they were not locals and were watching them closely. Their gazes were like lasers, painfully searing themselves into Guang's body. The air was dense, squeezing him from all directions, choking him, like a giant serpent constricting its prey. It was so bad that Guang struggled to breathe.

What surprised Guang was that Jin was fine. In fact, Jin seemed completely unperturbed by the pressure of the environment, which flabbergasted Guang. How could he ignore the laser-like gazes of every single person within the vicinity?

The moment they arrived in their hotel room, Guang moved to lock the doors and draw the curtains. Only then did he collapse onto his bed, letting out a breath of relief.

As Jin wandered around to check the room, he questioned offhandedly, "What's wrong?"

"The city is what's wrong!" Guang groaned. "Did you not feel it? The way everyone was watching us?"

"Yes."

"How are you not creeped out by it?" Guang whined.

"If they don't bother me, I won't bother them."

To be able to say such words with total nonchalance! Guang wished he could have an attitude like Jin's. Try as he might, it would still bother him. In the end, he just wouldn't be true to himself. Guang buried himself under the blanket, where, hopefully, no watchful eyes would reach him.

"I wanna go back."

Cruelly, the blanket was ripped off of him. Blanket in one hand, Jin was scowling like the criminal he was. "You were the one who wanted to meet Lord Janus, so stop whining like a child. If you want to go back now, just cancel the appointment."

"But that'd be rude," Guang pouted.

"Exactly. So own up to your own decisions."

Dramatically turning on his heels, Jin left, leaving Guang to his own devices. Guang fell back onto his bed once more. He wasn't exactly serious when he said he wanted to go back. Sure, the city gave him the heebie-jeebies, but it wasn't enough to quell his determination to try to change the law. Yes, it was crazy, and he probably wouldn't succeed. But in order for things to change, someone needed to get the ball rolling. He had decided the day he visited Sister Rachel and Jason's graves that if Valerie wouldn't be that person, then he would.