The Devil's Crown

LXVII Trap Card.

“Because you gave me strength, Jake.”

“What the hell…?” Jake mumbled under his breath.

His eyes were fixed to the safe’s door with a secure lock, that door weights almost a ton and it was thick with metal layers keeping the ‘core’ inside. And yet, Jake heard an answer to a question that he mumbled under his breath.

Did they take part of his brain away with the treatment? He had to wonder as he eyed the sealed door.

“What nonsense…” he cursed, digging his hands in the pockets of his white trousers.

“You are not mad don’t worry,”

Jake jolted and stumbled as he scanned his surroundings, the researcher was still treating him like air and there was no one within earshot. “What the hell is that…”

“It’s your donor,” Helios finally introduced himself, happy that he finally got his senses back after all this time of being partially deaf.

Jake fixed his stance as he came to the conclusion that his mind was completely intact. “How am I hearing you right now?”

“Because you have got my blood coursing in your veins,” said Helios. “I believe you can feel my presence somehow.”

Jake was silent as his question was finally answered, ever since he was in his room he couldn’t rest his body was forcing him awake with a sensation so foreign to him.

 “So you are in my head?” Jaked asked.

“No,” he chuckled. “I’m on the other side of this wall. Your senses are just more than that of a human that’s all.”

“O-oh makes sense,” Jake stated, wondering if indeed he thought this makes sense. But it wasn't the issue so far, nothing that has happened to Jake made sense. All that is required is playing along, at least he is not insane.

“Let me ask you something,” said Jake, sliding down on the wall to sit on the floor thankful for the invisible treatment.

“Go ahead.”

“Why did you thank me?”

Jake heard a faint chuckled before he got the answer that he searched for, though he couldn’t decide if it was the one he needed. Helios found comfort in watching him in the capsule, he was something that took his mind off the miserable state he was in. He was curious about what he felt inside that green glass with not even air to breathe.

“So you were worried about me?” Jake said, sounding like a question rather than a statement of fact.

“You could say that,” said Helios.

“How long have you been here?” Jake jumped into the next question. “Wait…no need to answer this isn’t an interrogation.”

“How long have you been here?” Helios returned the question.

“5 years,”

“I have been here for 5 more,”

Jake was shocked to the bone with the answer, the image that he saw inside the safe was tainting his vision. This being was locked inside like nothing more than a beast for 10 years. 10 years of captivation inside a metal box, continuous drugs injected to keep his already tired body still. He never could help but wonder, how did these 10 years feel like to an intoxicated body?

“I know that you are pitying me and I tell you don’t have to,” Helios stated, an invisible grin formed on his pale lips.

“F-For those past 10 years…have you always been like this?”

He heard a tired sigh with the weight of the chains and the captivation holding him down. “Yes, I have been like this.”

Jake felt himself about to puke as he pulled his knees to his chest, covering his mouth as he felt the disgust eat away at him from the inside.

 “I-I’ve been the cause of your…all this…” his voice faded but it was enough for Helios to pick up the feeling of guilt inside that young man on the other side of this big chunk of metal.

“There is no need to dwell on mistakes that aren’t your own,” Helios uttered smoothly, he had the urge to comfort that young man but the shackles held him down. “You didn’t know the truth, and even if you did…there was nothing you could have done…there was nothing I could have done.”

“D-Don’t you feel disgusted seeing…I mean hearing my voice?” Jake was puzzled as he ran a hand through his brown hair.

“You know the answer, can’t you feel it run in your veins?” Helios pointed out. “You and I now share the same blood, bonds of blood are the most sacred to us elves. I can’t help but like you even if I didn’t want to.”

“Then you didn’t want it?”

“I ‘m not exactly sure of my own wanting's with my mind,” said Helios. “However, I don’t think that I hate it.”

Jake could almost picture that pale tired face smiling as he uttered those simple words. The words gave him comfort beyond his own imagination. He never cared about what others thought of him, but when it came to him…he couldn’t help but care. He carried the responsibility of his torture, and no words could talk him out of it…but hearing the reassuring words from this elf made him feel a little less guilty.

“I owe you one,” Jake finally broke the silence as his head rested on the hard metal. “I know that you have seen nothing but betrayal by humans but…I’m selfishly asking you to trust me. One day for sure I will return the favor.”

“Helios, my name is Helios.”

“Helios…such a mystical name for a mystical being,” Jake chuckled lowly. “Ironic.”

“I will patiently wait for your promise to be fulfilled, Jake.”

Jake felt the smile creep on his face, the lights of the lab started to dim as researchers started to return to their beds. For a moment Jake thought of doing the same but, he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to feel that unease from being away from Helios again.

He liked the way that his blood finally settled. His eyelids were heavy and easily shut feeling the comfort of being close to one his blood called for.

“Good night, Blood of my Blood…” Helios whispered hearing the slow breathing.

Jake never slept so peacefully before…

~~~~

“WEST!” Allen ran through the warehouse. “West where are you!?”

He struggled to push his glass up before they fell off his nose bridge while balancing the laptop at the same time. The others in the warehouse stayed clear of his path as they shook their head ignorant of West’s whereabouts.

“West!”

“We…”

“Allen stop it!” Scarlet popped out of nowhere, grabbing Allen by both shoulders. “West is in his office. But what’s…”

“His office…Thank you, Scarlet!” He interrupted before turning on his heels and headed towards the office.

He sloppily opens the door with his elbow as he bumped it with his shoulder to open. “West! There you are!”

“Knocking, Allen,” West breathed out, startled from the sudden appearance.

“S-Sorry wasn’t freehanded,” he mumbled fast as he kicked the door shut.

“What is it?” West breathed out, tossing the paper in his hands aside.

“I have found it!” Allen exclaimed. “It’s hard but I have found the perfect target for the weapons!”

West leaned forward, his curiosity was poked by the words already. “Show me.”

Allen placed the laptop in front of West and pointed to the screen. Pictures of heavy trucks filled the screens. “We have noticed a movement from the Shaw mansion, they look as if they are moving out to someplace else. Our scouts saw them move out almost everything.”

“By everything…”

“Weapons included.”

It was indeed a catch however, it was Shaw Gothom they are talking about here. It might be harder than the heist on the Hotel. “Anything else that is less risky?”

Allen sighed. “I knew that it’s hard but none is available! The nobles are securing their perimeters hard. Especially with the way things are now.”

West sighed, it was their fault that things are hectic and he can’t say that he hated it. Nevertheless, he had to deal with the consequences that he caused.

“Do you have some sort of idea how we are going to do this?” West asked. “Which truck is the one that we need? How many men are there?”

“Knowing which truck is not the problem, however…the number of men that was recorded is…unsettling,” Allen paused as he changed the screen to another photo.

“Are you kidding me?”

Allen shrugged his shoulder.

West’s eyes darted back to the screen filled with men dressed in black, all guarding the mansion and the trucks. “Their numbers is double of ours…if not more,” West sighed, running a hand through his golden hair.

“We can’t do this we are already shorthanded and unequipped,” West stated. “This is a suicide mission.”

Allen dropped his head, West was right. However, there was one solution that might make it possible.

“Samael,” said Allen. “Do you think that Samael would be willing to help us again.”

West understood where Allen was coming from, Samael might be the only man capable of doing such a thing but, how was he going to get to him? Samael said that he would appear when he is needed, West was an i***t to believe those shallow words. They are impossible.

“We don’t have any contact with him, Allen,” said West, his voice was desperate. “We are to wait for him to resurface first.”

Allen nodded silently. “Then what are we to do?”

“Keep searching,” said West. “Till we see if indeed our little trap card was a magician.”