Threads of the Soul

Chapter 465 - 465: Old Friends

After nearly an hour of silence, the door to the Captain's private sanctuary finally opened. The Russian strode out of the room of worship with his head held high and quickly pulled the door closed behind him with the arm that had been previously missing.Unlike some others who lost their limbs, the Captain had regenerated his arm, or more accurately he was given an upgrade. For the arm that was intertwined with his flesh was not the one that had previously been there.

Instead, his skin turned to deep purple scales where the arm had previously been torn off. The scales covered the entirety of the arm, as if it had been donated from some kind of lizard. His hand had the same amount of fingers as previously, there was no fingernails on this hand.

It almost seemed as if what had grown the new hand was doing so from a poor drawing that didn't both with such details. Although it had the right amount of fingers, they were thick and clumsy.

But for some, that was better than nothing.

Waiting outside of the chapel was his Second Lieutenant, a man who looked like the box standard of a soldier. Square jaw from clenching it into a serious expression, muscular and firm with brown hair that was trimmed short. Second Lieutenant Viktor, otherwise known as Brick.

Brick did not change his expression when the Captain left his strange chapel, nor did he even so much as glance at the inhuman arm that now decorated his superiors torso. Brick did as he was trained to and kept his eyes facing directly forwards.

In his hands he held a new shirt of the uniform the Captain usually wore, as well as a Knowledge gift that contained all the relevant reports that he had missed over the three weeks of absence.

Without a word, the Captain snatched the report with his new hand and began to stride down the corridor without another word, as Brick stepped into stride behind him. His footsteps matched the Captains so perfectly, it sounded like only one person was walking.

As the Captain flipped through the report idly, taking a few breaks to flex his stiff and uncoordinated new fingers, he flipped to a specific page and paused in his stride.

Even with his sudden pause Brick still kept the same pace, as if he had been expecting it the entire time. Without even showing Brick the report in question, the Captain stared at the page with an incredulous expression and asked,

"Is this true? Someone took this picture recently?"

"Yes sir." Brick answered matter-of-factly, his eyes never leaving a spot on the wall straight ahead,

"It was taken at the tournament, during one of the beast tournaments. When you didn't return, I thought to compare it to the picture within your office to confirm but I couldn't find it. But you are here now."

"Yes... I am." The Captain muttered, manipulating the picture within the mystical knowledge gift. Transferring pictures and information between the communicator and the knowledge gifts was childs play. They even came with their own transfer cables, such as the silken book mark within Seth's journal.

With a pinch of his fingers, as if he was controlling a tablet, the Captain zoomed in on the picture that had drawn his attention.

It was a picture taken by a pair of girls, showing them celebrating the latest treats they had gotten in the shape of a badger. What the Captain was interested in was not the girls, nor the badger treats.

Instead he zoomed in on the face of an older gentleman that had been caught in the background. Just like Brick, everything about this man's demeanour screamed military, especially down to his impressive build and crew cut grey hair.

"Seems you got rusty after spending all those years in your hovel, old man. The man my great grandfather knew would have never allowed such a rookie mistake."

The Captain mused to himself as he studied the familiar face, one that hadn't aged a day since the last time he had seen it.

"Send some agents over, have him followed immediately. I need to know where he goes, no matter what."

A slight smile tickled the edge of the Bricks usually stoic expression.

"I expected you would say as much sir. I have a pair of agents already following him as we speak."

***

Director Zero let out a contented sigh as he waited for his latest treat to be prepared. Although at first he had only given his staff the day off to start with, that day had turned into weeks of vacation for himself.

He didn't force them to go back to work, although some did go back anyways. Until the tournament and all of its festivities were over, he was content will simply relaxing and enjoying the environment, which is exactly what he did.

It had been... far too many years since he had enjoyed a festival like this. More years than a man should ever go without enjoying himself. But even then, the festival he remembered was nothing compared to that.

It was simply a tiny, yearly festival in his quaint little town. If he had known that one was going to be his last, then he would have enjoyed it much more.

But things changed. Towns burned down, people moved on. He got married, enjoyed a fruitful life and then one day everything changed once again. He, along with a group of people, stumbled across a secret that had been held from humanity ever since its discovery.

Until that boy came along and took over like he owned the place.

He should have been mad, but honestly... It was a weight off of his shoulders. Perhaps he could even count himself lucky that he made such a discovery when he was younger. Apparently, since he had taken that job so many years ago, there had been a few wars that he had missed out on.

His thoughts were interrupted by the lovely woman running the stall handing him one of those delicious sweet treats shaped like a badger. He didn't understand that part, but they were too delicious to resist.

He eagerly thanked her, paid for the treat and strolled away with another contented sigh. Completely oblivious to the pair of figures following him at a distance through the crowded streets of Ravenkeep.