Fang and Claw (Part 2)

Lilac stood on the air bus platforms, waiting for her ride to come.

The wind blew, dragging small leaves and bits of paper along the ground.

Suddenly a young man rushed through the crowd, cutting through the other people waiting.

“Out of the way!” the man yelled.

Before Lilac could react, the man ran into her with a force that almost knocked her off her feet.

“Watch it!” the man shouted before continuing to run.

Dazed, Lilac shook her head. Then a piece of paper floated before her, gently landing by her feet.

Picking the paper up, she looked around for anyone nearby who seemed to have lost something but found no one. It may have been dropped by that young man who bumped into her.

She glanced at the paper. It was folded into quarters neatly and creased at the edges.

Carefully opening the paper, she saw a string of letters written in pencil running on the centre of the page.

Bqlbkbxxnm Stsm HodofdudcY

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lilac mumbled, looking at the gibberish scribbled on the paper.

“Next airbus arriving now, please stand away from the edge,” announced the radio. Hearing this, Lilac re-folded the piece of paper, putting it in her pocket.

In Menagerie…

“Wrong pose!” said Bodhi.

Teal sighed and adjusted his leg position, while Bodhi nodded.

“Open Fan!” his master commanded as Teal obeyed.

“Step forwards!”

“Raise Arm!”

“And slice!”

An energy slash was fired forwards by Teal.

“Don’t look down!”

Teal looked up.

“Again!”

Teal closed his fan and retraced the series of movements he just went through, creating another slash cutting through the leaves nearby.

“Good. Again.”

Bodhi watched Teal perform the last move he was taught, sitting on an oak chair.

“Stop for now,” Bodhi finally said, “have a small break.”

Teal took another swig from his bottle, wiping his mouth afterwards.

“Master,” Teal began, “you seem worried.”

Bodhi frowned, “I’m always worried, you know that.”

“Yes, but you’re looked more worried lately.”

“Beacon fell,” Bodhi sighed, “The world is changing too fast. Whatever’s going to happen next, it’ll happen soon.”

“What do you mean?” Teal asked, puzzled.

“The Turn is coming soon,” continued Bodhi, “when the world is in chaos, this kind of stuff always happens, without fail.”

In Neozane…

The fish swam gracefully in the stream, undisturbed.

Sen thrusted his Pan-Long into the water, piercing a couple fish swimming by with its blade.

Sen rarely used his weapon in spear form as he was untrained with it.

He put the fish in the basket and aimed for another thrust at the fish. Lifting the spear out of the water, he shook off the fish he caught. Just when he was about to go back he stopped as he noticed a paper bag in the middle of the path.

Picking up the bag he opened it. Inside there was a piece of paper and a white bishop chess piece.

He read the piece of paper; it was written in some sort of code and was addressed to A Sky. Realising who the letter was addressed to; Sen gave it to his “Carer” Armand immediately after he put away the fish.

Armand read the paper, with a start he re-read it again before slumping back on his chair.

“What is it sir?” asked Sen, confused.

“The end, Sen,” replied Armand, “the end of everything we know.”

A. Sky:

Fzhelmyhtv Oywv Drnbdeymy

Your friend, B.Gilford

“The passcode is Armand,” Armand mumbled, rubbing his creased forehead, “always me…”

Sen looked at the piece of paper again, its message still seemed like a string random letters to him.

Elsewhere…

The Commissioner ate his sandwich, listening to some music he downloaded on his scroll before Vale’s tower fell.

A violent banging on his office door could be heard. Annoyed by the interruption of his lunch break, he grumbled and asked the visitor to come in.

The door swung open as Phoenix entered, with an angry look on his face. He walked up to the Commissioner’s desk and sat down.

“I want all the information I can get on the CLAW!”

