*It was the next morning and Jin was in his bed sleeping before the alarm on his clock went off. With his eyes still closed, Jin grumbled and rolled over to his clock to turn off the alarm. Once the alarm was off Jin rolled back the other side to continue sleeping only for the alarm to go off again. Jin rolled over once again to turn off the alarm by reaching out his hand only to feel the touch of silk fabric. Jin opened his eyes and looked up to see Alita staring down at him with a scowl. Jin screamed at Alita’s presence and fell out of his bed panicking as Alita stopped making alarm sounds*
(Alita): Good morning, Jin.
(Jin): Alita! What are you doing here?
(Alita): I have come to retrieve you at the request of the others. We have an emergency meeting.
(Jin): Okay.
*Jin got up and looked around before he realized that Alita was in his house*
(Jin): Wait, how’d you know where I live? How’d you even get in my house?
(Alita): Amarti was kind enough to give me your address. As for how I got in I picked the lock on your front door and walked in.
(Jin): You broke into my house? You didn’t think to ring the doorbell and wait for me?
(Alita): I did. However, Dust told me that I would get better results if I showed myself in and woke you up directly. It appears that he was right.
*Jin just sighed and went to the bathroom to get dressed and brush his teeth*
***
*After twenty minutes, Jin and Alita left his house and made their way to the Internal Affairs building. As Jin and Alita made their way to the building they could see construction workers and knights hard at work repairing any damage from last night’s riots and blackout. Once Jin and Alita made it to the building they took the elevator up to the next level and entered a conference room where everyone from Shadow Eye was already there including Hibana*
(Dust): Hey there rookie, glad you could make it.
(Jin): Yeah, thanks for the wakeup call.
(Dust): My pleasure. I figured you would like being woken up by a pretty girl.
(Jin): I would prefer if she didn’t break into my house first.
*As Jin looked around the room and took a seat at the large table in the middle he saw Morgan and Jade sitting in the corner with disgruntled looks on their faces*
(Jin): What’s wrong with those two?
(Gael): Oh they’re upset because they failed.
(Jin): Failed at what?
*Everyone tells Jin what happened at the museum last night*
(Jin): Blood Moon took the Blade of Aitana?
(Amarti): Yes. This whole riot and blackout was all devised by them to free their brothers you imprisoned a few months back and get the blade while everyone was distracted. It worked to perfection.
(Jin): How’d they escape the Red Knights?
(Raika): They used the sewer tunnels to escape. They dug up an alternate route in the sewers which led them to a different exit unknown to the Red Knights. By the time communications came back it was too late.
(Sanada): We must have just missed them after we restored power to the kingdom.
*Jin lowered his head feeling bad that they let Blood Moon slip past them just as Morrison and Rika entered the room*
(Morrison): Don’t be too hard on yourselves. Nobody could have seen this coming. The good news from last night is that aside from the warden at the jail no citizens or knights were killed. A few injured but they’ll recover. Take pride in the fact that you all accomplished your duties as knights and protected everyone in the kingdom.
(Zia): How are the demihumans reacting to the news of the blade being stolen?
(Rika): It’s been mixed. Some are happy it was taken by Blood Moon and some are upset. They’re saying we didn’t put up much of an effort and allowed Blood Moon to take it.
(Morgan): Who can blame them? In their eyes we took what rightfully belonged to them and had it snatched away from us.
(Morrison): What matters now is getting it back. The problem is we don’t know where they would go with it.
(Gael): I know where they went. The Blood Moon HQ in Carnivale.
(Jade): The kingdom of the demihumans. Makes sense they’d head there. So where’s their hideout?
(Gael): I don’t know. I’ve never been to it myself. I just know that’s where the HQ is located.
(Morrison): Then that will be our destination for this mission. I want half of you to journey to Carnivale, find Blood Moon, and retrieve the Blade of Aitana. I don’t know why they went through so much effort to get the blade but the fact that they did all of this to get it can’t be good. As for the other half, I have another mission for you that involves working with the Red Knights. Rika.
(Rika): Along with members of Blood Moon escaping, the Hargus soldiers also escaped. They took advantage of the mayhem and used the tunnels to escape as well. The Red Knights have launched a wide area search for them and they want Shadow Eye’s help to find them.
(Hibana): Well I don’t feel like traveling so I guess I’ll stay behind and see what I can track with my drones.
(Amarti): I’m sure the local mercenaries know of areas to hide. I will ask them what they know.
(Raika): I’ll stay behind and do some scouting as well.
(Sanada): As will I.
(Gael): Well I’d love to stay and help you bro but I think the Carnivale team could use my help.
(Ryuuji): I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re still in no condition to be traveling.
*Ryuuji points to Gael’s missing arm*
(Ryuuji): Also, if they see you they’ll know something’s up. It’s best to go with people they haven’t seen yet or aren’t familiar with.
(Dust): Then that would be me, Ryuuji and rookie here.
(Jin): Hey, they’ve seen me.
(Dust): You really think they’re going to remember the face of a rookie knight? You’ll be fine. Besides, I think a change of scenery will do you some good.
(Morgan): I’ll be going as well. It’s my fault the blade got stolen. I won’t let those scoundrels take a piece of history and use it for their selfish reasons.
(Jade): Same here. That blade is very important to me. I will retrieve it.
(Gael): Important to you? Since when are you a preserver for history?
(Jade): Because the blade originally belonged to me.
(Jin): Belonged to you? That’s impossible, that blade belonged to Aitana. Unless, are you her descendent?
(Jade): No, I’m not her descendant.
(Morgan): You might as well tell them Jade. You can trust them.
(Jade): *Sigh* I’m not a descendant of Aitana. The truth is my real name isn’t Jade Xochitl it’s actually Aitana Quetzalcoatl.
*Jin and Gael stared at Jade in silence*
(Gael): Okay, you’re messing with us.
(Jin): Yeah, you seriously expect us to believe that you’re one of the Eight Legendary Heroes who saved the world over three hundred years?
(Jade): Yes. My grandma would always bitch about me not being ladylike and said I should settle down and find suitors so that I could continue the family line. Apparently, polygamy was popular back then.
(Jin): Prove it.
(Dust): What’s to prove? You get to marry multiple people.
(Jin): Not that. Prove to me you’re the real Aitana. Out of all the heroes she was the one we have the fewest records on. So what proof do you have that you’re the real Aitana?
(Jade): Well, I guess I could show you a photo. Come on, let’s go to my place.
*Everyone besides Morrison and Rika left the room and headed toward the elevator*
(Morrison): They reacted to that a lot better than I thought.
(Rika): Well you can’t blame them for being skeptical. Even I found it hard to believe when she first told us. To think, one of my idols was standing before me.
***
*Sometime later Shadow Eye made it to Jade’s temple where she pulled out a black box she had hidden under a wooden plank. She pulled the lid off the box and pulled out two scrolls. One was red the other was green. She sat the scrolls down on the floor in front of Jin and Gael where she untied them and they came undone each showing a colorless picture. In the red scroll was the picture of Jade as a child with short hair, wearing a long dress and sandals. She was sitting in the lap of a wolf demihuman who was female. She had braided twin tails, was smiling happily, wore a long dress and was sitting in a chair. Behind the female wolf demihuman was a male wolf demihuman who wore a ceremonial headress and sleeveless toga showing his muscular arms. His right hand was gripping the chair and he gave a soft smile. In the green scroll was Jade much older and taller still having short hair, wearing a top that showed off her midriff area, spats, and sandals. In the picture with her were seven other people. The first one was a female human who wore glasses, long pants, a long sleeved buttoned shirt, gloves, glasses, and was holding a spear. The second was a dark-skinned man holding a bow and arrow. He wore armguards, pants, and a vest with a hood. The third was a female elf with her hair tied in a topknot and wearing a samurai kimono similar to the one Sanada wears with a sword hanging by her waist. The fourth was a was a woman wearing a witch hat, long gloves, long stripped socks, a skirt, and a three buttoned-down top that stopped short of her midriff area. The fifth was a tall male merfolk who wore a monk’s robe, with beads around his neck, and was bald. The sixth was a short human man with medium length hair. He was shirtless showing his muscular physique and arm tattoos and wearing shorts all while smiling and winking. The final person was a dark male elf with long hair holding an axe while wearing a robe with a hood. Jin and Gael analyzed the photos where they quickly recognized the legendary heroes and Jade along with them*
(Jin): I don’t believe it. That’s you!
(Gael): And with the Legendary Heroes. Holy shit!
(Jade): Yeah, told ya. I traveled with these guys and saved the world.
(Gael): But that was almost three hundred years ago. Only an elf could live that long. How are you still alive?
(Jade): Let’s just say a god owed me one and made me immortal.
(Jin): I don’t believe this.
(Morgan): Neither could I when we first met her. I watched her get shot, pierced through the stomach, thrown off a cliff, and shot out of an exploding building. Yet she gets back up like nothing happened. She’s immortal.
(Jade): Although if it’s any consolation. All that stuff hurt like hell.
(Jin): I. . .just don’t know what to say. I can’t believe that all this time I’ve been working beside the legendary hero Aitana.
(Gael): I can’t believe I actually received training from her as well. It’s a huge honor.
(Jade): Stop, you’re going to make me blush. I retired the name Aitana years ago. Just keep calling me Jade from now on.
(Gael): You got it.
(Dust): Also, I don’t think I need to say this but-
(Jin): Don’t worry. We won’t say anything. I’m sure you have a reason as to why you’re keeping your identity a secret.
(Gael): I’ll carry this secret to the grave.
(Jade): Thanks guys. I knew I could trust you. Now that that’s taken care of, let’s get ready to head out to Carnivale. Time to put an end to this organization I started.
(Jin): You started Blood Moon?
(Jade): I was the one and only member of the group. In the past, demihumans were being captured and sold off into slavery. So I created Blood Moon as this mythical figure of justice to save them. Years later once the slave trading had died down, some demihumans adopted the Blood Moon name and used it to start preaching justice for demihumans. At first, I didn’t mind, but once their actions started turning to violence and terrorism I started taking offense to them.
(Jin): Well that explains why you’re always ready to tackle cases involving them.
(Gael): So, any idea what they want to do with your blade?
(Jade): I don’t know. The blade was a gift from my dad. Told me it served as the key to our greatest treasure. Never told me what it was.
(Amarti): The fact that Blood Moon took it makes me believe they know or have a general idea of what it is.
(Zia): You’ll have to ask them directly when you find them. Although I doubt they’ll be too keen to tell you.
(Jade): Yeah. But I know someone who might know what it is, Andrade Vanquez.
(Ryuuji): I recognize that name. He was the leader of Blood Moon before Silas.
(Jin): I remember that name too. Saw him on TV doing a number of speeches as a kid.
(Hibana): The guy still works in politics in Carnivale, but what makes you sure he’ll want to speak with us.
(Jade): Oh, he’ll talk to me.
(Dust): Well, now that we know where we’re going and who we need to see, let’s go and get ready.
(Jade): I’ll be ready to go shortly. Just got to put these away.
*Jade carefully rolls back up the scrolls as everyone was heading out. As Jin left he looked back and saw how Jade was being as careful as ever not to damage the scrolls. It was the first time he had ever seen Jade be so careful with something in all the time that he knew her. Once he was outside he remembered a lesson his grandfather taught him about wolves: they tend to bury what they value and treasure the most to preserve them*
***
*A half hour later, Dust, Jin, Ryuuji, Morgan, and Jade were loading up the van and getting ready to take off as Amarti, Zia, Sanada, Raika, Hibana and Gael were seeing them off*
(Gael): Are you guys sure you don’t want me to come with you?
(Morgan): We’re sure. After all, your skills in tracking will be necessary to find those Hargus soldiers. Your talents will be better used here.
(Ryuuji): Alright. That’s everything. We’re ready to go.
(Alita): Shotgun.
*Everybody stared at Alita who was sitting in the front seat*
(Dust): Uh Alita what are you doing?
(Alita): Taking my rightful seat. I called it after all.
(Amarti): I decided to let Alita go with you. We don’t know what kind of dangers you’ll be facing, so it’s best to have an extra fighter to go with you.
(Alita): Road trip. Woohoo.
(Jade): Is she strong?
(Sanada): Strong enough to take down a whole group of Eclipses single-handedly.
(Jade): Good for me. Let’s roll.
*Jade, Morgan, Ryuuji and Jin hop in the back while Dust takes the driver’s seat*
(Dust): Alright little lady, you’re my navigator, so try not to get us lost, alright? If you do I’m putting you in the back.
(Alita): You can try, but I calculate a 98% chance that you will fail.
(Dust): And the other 2%?
(Alita): I break your arms.
*Dust remained quiet for a second*
(Alita): That was a joke. One that Jin taught me. Was it funny?
*Dust looked back at Jin who was snickering and doing his best to suppress his laughter. Dust quickly pieced together why Jin did what he did*
(Dust): Be sure to sleep with one eye open, rookie.
*Dust turned back around and started the car. The group was on their way to Carnivale not knowing what awaited them down there or what challenges they would be facing*
To Be Continued
Author’s Notes: And thus volume 2 of Shadow Eye comes to a close. Did everyone enjoy this volume? Thank you all so much for taking the time out of your busy day to read. We’re ending this volume on a major cliffhanger with the team splitting up to take on separate missions and we get a huge shock by finding out Jade is one of the Legendary Heroes who saved the world. How did she become immortal? You’ll have to read the next volume to find out which is set to come out next year. Look forward to it. Thanks again for reading and I’ll see you next time.