Cards Of The Silent King-Chapter 11: Second Wave

Rain fell again. Harder this time. It hammered against the rooftops of the Grey District. Puddles formed in the cracks of the asphalt. Oil slicks shimmered under the streetlights. Kaito stood in the alley behind the old textile factory. His breathing was steady. His heart rate was not. Two nights. Three entities. Last night, one Wanderer near the station. Tonight, two here. Something was pushing them. Herding them. The air smelled of sulfur. Wet wool. Burning hair.

Kuro’s voice was sharp. Alert. Kuro said, "They are learning. Moving in pairs. Flanking patterns. This is not random drift."

Kaito held the Seven of Hearts. The card pulsed. Orange light leaked through the edges of the paper. Warmth spread up his arm. Kaito said, "Ready."

Kuro warned, "Do not let her burn the building. Last time she got excited, she melted a fire escape."

Kaito said, "Control."

Kuro said, "You say that. She hears something else."

The shadows at the end of the alley moved. Not one. Two. Wanderers. Humanoid shapes made of static and jagged edges. They stepped over the puddles without rippling the water. They floated inches above the ground. They hissed. A sound like steam escaping a pipe. Kaito did not wait. He flipped the card.

Kaito said, "Ember."

The card burst into flame. Not hot fire. Soft fire. Like a candle in a draft. A figure formed. Small. Humanoid. Made of low orange fire. She hovered above the wet ground. Steam rose where her feet touched the puddles. She flickered. Bright. Dim. Bright.

Ember’s voice sounded like crackling wood. Cheerful. Curious. Ember said, "Hi! Are these the bad ones? They look spiky."

Kaito said, "Focus."

Ember spun in the air. Her hair was made of sparks. Ember said, "I am focused. They smell like old dust. I hate dust. It gets in the flames."

The Wanderers lunged. Ember did not move. She opened her hands. Walls of fire erupted from her palms. Orange. Blue. White. The Wanderers hit the wall. They screamed. The sound was high. Piercing.

Kaito stepped forward. He drew the Ace of Spades. Kaito said, "Too bright. Dim."

Ember’s fire flared hotter. The alley walls blackened. Paint bubbled. Ember said, "But I am helping. Look. They are cooking."

Kaito slashed. Kuro’s shadow extended from the card. It wrapped around one Wanderer. It crushed. Static exploded. Kaito said, "Cooking is later."

One left. The second Wanderer dodged. It moved fast. Jerky. Like a film skipping frames. It aimed for Kaito. Ember moved faster. She became smoke. She flowed through the air. She reformed behind the entity. She wrapped her arms around it.

Ember said, "Got you."

The entity glowed. Red. Then white. Then nothing. Ash fell to the ground. Washed away by the rain. Ember floated back to Kaito. She flickered rapidly. Happy. Excited.

Ember asked, "Did you see? I hugged it. It popped."

Kaito said, "Good."

Ember asked, "Can I keep one? As a pet?"

Kaito said, "No."

Ember asked, "Please? It was shiny."

Kaito said, "No."

Ember dimmed. She looked like a disappointed candle. Ember said, "You are no fun. Kuro is no fun. Everyone is no fun."

Kuro’s voice came from the card in Kaito’s other hand. Kuro said, "Do not include me in your arson hobbies. I am a sovereign of shadow. Not a babysitter."

Ember flew around Kuro’s card. She left a trail of sparks. Ember said, "You are grumpy. I am warmth. I am light."

Kuro said, "You are a hazard."

Kaito sheathed the cards. He slipped them into his pocket. The heat lingered. His jacket smelled like smoke. Kaito said, "Home."

Ember pointed at the street. Ember said, "Already? But the city is awake. Look. People. Lights. Cars. We could say hello."

Kaito said, "No."

Ember shrank. She became a small flame. She dove into the Seven of Hearts. The card cooled. Ember said, "Rude."

Kaito stood alone in the alley. The rain washed the ash away. The scent of burning remained. He leaned against the wall. His legs shook. Just slightly. Three entities in two nights. Wanderers did not hunt in packs. Something was directing them.

Kuro’s voice was quiet. Kuro said, "You are slowing down. That last move. You hesitated."

Kaito said, "Tired."

Kuro said, "Sleep then. But do not die while sleeping."

Kaito pushed off the wall. He walked out of the alley. He kept his head down. He kept his hands in his pockets. The streets were empty. The city slept. He reached his apartment. He climbed the stairs. He unlocked the door. Inside, he did not turn on the light. He walked to the desk. He fanned the cards. The Seven of Hearts glowed faintly.

Kuro said, "She likes you. Do not let it distract you."

Kaito said, "Know."

Kuro said, "Entities get attached. They forget their place."

Kaito said, "Friends."

Kuro said, "Weapons do not have friends."

Kaito said, "Changed."

Kaito sat on the bed. He did not take off his jacket. He closed his eyes. He slept for four hours.

The alarm beeped. Kaito silenced it. He stood up. His muscles ached. Deep. Bone-deep. He showered. The water was cold. It woke him up. He dressed. Black clothes. Jacket. Cards. He walked to school. The sky was grey. The rain had stopped. Puddles reflected the buildings.

Ryota waited at the gate. He held two umbrellas. He looked worried. Ryota said, "You are late. Ten minutes. You are never late. Did you die? Did you oversleep? Did you get kidnapped by vending machine gangs?"

Kaito took the umbrella. Kaito said, "Traffic."

Ryota opened his umbrella. He walked beside Kaito. Ryota said, "Traffic. At six in the morning. On foot. Sure. You look bad. Like. Really bad. Dark circles. Pale skin. Are you sick? Do I need to call Hana? She has soup. She makes soup when people are sad."

Kaito said, "No soup."

Ryota said, "Okay. No soup. But you should eat. You look like a strong wind would break you. Actually. No. You look like a strong wind would blow you away and you would not care."

Kaito walked. He focused on the pavement. One foot. Then the other.

Kuro muttered, "He notices too much. Tell him to stop looking."

Kaito said, "Fine."

Ryota stopped. He grabbed Kaito’s arm. He forced him to stop. Ryota said, "Seriously. What is going on. You have been gone for days. Not literally. But mentally. You are here. But you are not here."

Kaito looked at Ryota. He saw the concern. Real. Unfiltered. Kaito said, "Work."

Ryota said, "School work? Or secret work? Because you look like you are fighting wars. And you are eighteen. You should be fighting math. Not whatever this is."

Kaito pulled his arm away. He kept walking. Kaito said, "Math."

Ryota followed. He sighed. Ryota said, "You are a terrible liar. But okay. I will drop it. For now. But Hana will not. She is smarter. She sees everything."

They reached the classroom. Hana was at her desk. She looked up when they entered. Her eyes widened. She stood up. She walked over. She did not smile. Hana said, "Kaito."

Kaito said, "Hana."

Hana said, "You missed the study group. Again."

Kaito said, "Know."

Hana said, "And you look... Did you sleep."

Kaito said, "Some."

Hana asked, "Four hours?"

Kaito said, "Maybe."

Hana lowered her hand. She looked at Jin. Jin was reading. He looked up. He nodded. Once. Jin knew. Hana suspected. Ryota worried. Kaito sat at his desk. He put his bag down. He put his hand near his pocket. The cards were warm. Ember was awake. She flickered against his ribs. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Ember’s voice was sleepy. Ember said, "The girl smells like rain. And soap. Can I say hello?"

Kaito said, "No."

Ember said, "She looks nice."

Kaito said, "Later."

Ember said, "You always say later. Later never comes."

Kaito opened his notebook. He picked up his pen. The teacher walked in. He started talking. Kaito listened. He wrote. His hand shook. Just once. He steadied it. He looked out the window. The sky was clear. No shimmer. No cracks. For now. But the count was rising. Forty-eight. Forty-nine. Fifty. The waves were coming faster. He turned the page. He wrote the date. He survived the night. He would survive the day.