Finale: Earth's Last Murder

Secrets Unraveled: Blending In

“Is that… a dead body?”

Claire and I exchanged glances. It couldn't be. They were probably carrying some weapons in there — or so I thought until the person carrying the black bag at the front let it slip by mistake, revealing a hand — a very, very pale hand.

Oliver, Claire, and I shared a look. I thought they would hurry to hide the hand so no one would see it. After all, murder wasn't normal, right? But they didn’t. In fact, another group of fighters in black robes casually walked past us and the pale hand without so much as a glance or a pause. It was as if murder was just another day at the office.

None of us had said a word yet, stunned by what we were seeing. I caught glimpses of fear and disbelief in my friends' eyes, as expected. Claire's usually steady demeanor faltered. Finally, she spoke.

“Um, guys, remember that guard back in level one who told us to try not to die today?” She paused, her voice trembling slightly. “I don't think he was kidding.”

"No way.” Oliver still looked like he had seen a ghost. I reckon it was his first time seeing a dead body—or even a body part. “Don't tell me murder is a normal occurrence here.”

I couldn't wrap my head around it. If murder were that common, the big death-indicator globe would be blinking red constantly. Something was off. Had the Eclipse Legion found a way to bypass it, or was Borga ignoring it on purpose? Either way, I didn't want to find out.

"We should probably head in to avoid any suspicions,” I said as I walked forward. They both trailed behind me, their thoughts weighing heavily on them, on all of us, as we entered the compound for fighters. The Eclipse Legion's fighter compound stood in stark contrast to the rundown structures that dotted Borga's fightercamp.

Its outer walls were high and formidable, constructed from reinforced stone and interlaced with steel to ensure durability and security. A tall gate, adorned with intricate carvings depicting battles and warriors, served as the primary entrance, guarded by stern-looking sentinels in dark robes. In it’s middle was the crescent symbol of the Eclipse Legion. They had definitely taken their time making this.

As we walked into the compound, filled with people clad in dark robes moving around, the atmosphere was equally imposing. The layout was symmetrical, with a broad central corridor leading to various training and assembly areas. The flooring was smooth stone, polished to a high sheen, and each step echoed with a sense of authority and discipline. Tall torches lined the corridor, their flames flickering but steady, casting a warm, golden glow that illuminated the compound without losing its sense of mystery.

To the left of the corridor, a long wall displayed an array of actual weapons, meticulously organized and displayed. Swords of various sizes and shapes, from long, slender rapiers to broad, heavy broadswords, hung from sturdy iron hooks. Spears, halberds, and other polearms were aligned in neat rows, their tips gleaming under the torchlight. Each weapon was polished and maintained with care, a testament to the compound's focus on readiness and combat prowess.

Alongside the weapons were shields of different sizes and designs, each bearing the Eclipse Legion's emblem—a dark crescent moon against a field of pitch black. The emblem's stark black-and-gold contrast was striking against the otherwise earthy tones of the compound. This visual consistency reinforced the Legion's identity and unity, signaling their commitment to their cause.

Further down the corridor, training rooms branched off to the sides. These rooms were spacious, with high ceilings and large windows that allowed natural light to stream in during the day. Each room was equipped with a variety of training dummies, targets, and other combat aids. The air was filled with the sounds of training—clashing steel, grunts of effort, and the rhythmic thuds of feet against the floor. It was a place where fighters honed their skills with precision and intensity.

Overall, the Eclipse Legion's fighter compound was a well-built, meticulously maintained fortress—a place that exuded strength, discipline, and a readiness for battle. It was a stark reminder that while Borga might be rough around the edges, the Eclipse Legion was a force to be reckoned with, dedicated to its cause and prepared for any challenge.

We all decided to go to the first room we saw by the right, were people had gathered, spectating a fight going on, between two individuals. Unlike the fighter camp back in Borga which had the stage in an arena like setting that we had to walk down to, here we had to look up to an elevated stage where the fight was taking place.

We pushed and shoved our way to the front to get a better view. Everyone in the crowd had their hoods up, except for the two fighting. The one who was dominating had a bunch of scars on his face, while the other person, who was struggling, had green hair tied into a ponytail. She was smaller and faster than her opponent, but there was only so much she could do with her smaller body.

Oliver leaned in to whisper to me.

"Did you notice?" he said. "The girl is using a spear, and the guy is using an axe."

I did notice. The weapons looked quite real and lethal too.

"Don’t freak out, but I think they fight to the death here," Claire, who was standing right behind us in the middle, whispered into my ear. If that was true, then the dead person we saw earlier might have been a casualty of a match like this.

I didn't have time to reply to either of them because the battle ended—gruesomely. I glanced at my friends, and it took all of Oliver's strength not to throw up. Claire, however, maintained a straight face, showing no weakness at all.

The battle on the elevated stage ended in a horrifying spectacle. The guy, who had been taunting the girl for most of the fight, smirked as he took a few steps backward, pretending to stumble. It was a well-timed trap, and the girl fell for it, lunging forward with her spear. But as she came within striking distance, he shifted his stance, and swung his axe with brutal force, first breaking her spear, then breaking her.

The blade sliced cleanly through her neck, sending her head tumbling off the edge of the stage. Her body, without support, followed almost immediately, collapsing in a heap. Blood slowly spread on the floor. The entire crowd stood in silence, and no one flinched at the gruesome sight. It was as if this kind of violence was expected, accepted, and perhaps even relished.

"You two, pick it up and dump it with the rest," said one particularly large, well-built figure as he stepped forward, motioning to two hooded students. It seems he was the Major Crossfow of the Eclipse Legion, though a lot bigger and even more intimidating. They immediately got to work, as if they had done this many times before.

One of them picked up the girl's head—her green hair now streaked with dark red—while the other dragged her body into a black bag. They walked out of the room with the bag to dispose of her.

Soon enough, another person in a black robe came in with a mop and a bucket, and before long, there was literally no evidence that someone had died, fought, or even climbed onto the stage.

That's all for today," he said, and I thought he was going to dismiss the class. But then he started walking slowly toward us. My heartbeat quickened—did he already know we were imposters? I inched back a bit as he walked forward. I bet Oliver was drenched in sweat, too. Claire clenched my arm so hard that I couldn't feel the blood flow to my wrist. He then raised his right index finger menacingly, and I got ready to draw my shadow sword.

“You,” he said, pointing to my left, at Oliver. “And you.” He pointed behind me, at Claire. “Will fight the day after tomorrow. Get your preferred weapons ready.”

"Class dismissed."

With that, he turned and left the room.

Everyone followed and then dispersed to their various homes around the island. Claire, Oliver, and I exchanged a brief glance, dumbfounded.

“So, tomorrow, one of us has to kill the other? I’ve never killed anyone in my life!” Oliver said as we all walked out of the compound toward our secret hideout.

“Mouse, I don’t think any of us has,” Claire replied, surprisingly relaxed.

“How can you be so calm?” I asked.

“I know we’ll find a way around it. We always do.”

The walk to our hideout was quiet. We each had a lot of questions racing through our minds. Sparring against each other was one thing, but fighting to the death? We needed to find a solution, and we had less than twenty-four hours to do so.

We finally reached the hideout, expecting Car and Riya to be there, but they weren't. My heart raced for the second time today. Knowing that fights here were to the death instead of the usual spars unsettled me. Why were they late? Did they have to fight? Were they okay?

"Kai, calm down. They'll be okay," Claire said, patting my back as she noticed wisps of shadows escaping from my body—a sure sign that I was losing control. But at that moment, they both walked in. Riya looked a bit roughed up, while Caramel seemed just okay.

“What happened to her Car?” I asked Caramel, a bit too harshly.

“Kai, I’m fine. I had a fight with a psychic mage. I won, but I couldn’t possibly kill her!” Riya broke down crying, and I rushed to her side, kneeling down to comfort her. Soon, Oliver joined us, then Claire, then Caramel, and before long, all five of us were kneeling together, comforting one another. It had been a really tough day.

We slowly stood up and then burst out laughing. It felt good to release all those pent-up emotions. Oliver and Caramel sat down simultaneously, each letting out a sigh as they settled into their chairs.

“So, anyone want to talk about their day?” Riya asked, wiping a tear from her face and taking a seat as well.

“Well, Claire and I have to fight each other to the death tomorrow. How about you?” Oliver answered casually, as if it were just another ordinary fight for him.

“What?” Riya and Caramel said in unison, glancing back and forth between Oliver and Claire. Claire just shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

“Yeah, we have to come up with a solution to that —and very fast.” I said, “How about you guys? How did it go?” I asked my sister and Caramel.

They started talking over each other, but Caramel paused to let Riya recount their experience. They had wandered into a classroom setup similar to ours, with people gathered around a central elevated stage. On that stage stood a girl with a third eye in the center of her forehead. As soon as they entered, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Archmage Aurelius pointed at Riya and beckoned her to climb onto the stage. It turned out that this woman was not Aurelius, but his twin sister, Astra Stormweaver.

When Riya climbed onto the stage, she expected a normal sparring session. However, her assumption was quickly shattered when the girl in the center of the stage accessed Riya's mind, causing intense pain. Within seconds, blood began to drip from Riya's eyes, nose, and ears, the result of a brutal migraine attack. The agony was almost unbearable.

Desperate to shield herself, Riya quickly set up a light barrier, hoping to deflect the mental onslaught. Surprisingly, it worked. The intense waves of migraine energy rebounded off her barrier, halting the girl in her tracks. With a momentary advantage, Riya conjured a stream of blinding physical light that erupted toward her opponent, knocking the girl off the stage. The crowd gasped at the sudden turn of events, stunned by Riya's magic type and raw power.

The girl climbed back onto the stage, regaining her composure, and launched another wave of migraine-inducing energy toward Riya. Riya, already on edge, quickly raised her light barrier to block the attack, then countered by summoning a massive ball of intense light. The flash was so bright that it blinded the girl, even through her three eyes. Disoriented and staggering, the girl struggled to regain the use of any of her eyes, and of the fight.

The scene grew tense as Archmage Astra, who had been observing from the sidelines, shouted at Riya to end it— to kill the girl. Riya froze in her tracks, her body rigid with uncertainty. How could she kill someone? She couldn’t even bring herself to harm a fly, let alone take a human life. The audience murmured in confusion, wondering why Riya hesitated. But for her, the command to kill seemed impossible, an unthinkable act that contradicted everything she believed in. She stood there, the ball of light pulsating in her hand, yet her resolve wavered as she grappled with the morality of the Archmage's command.

Astra stormed onto the stage, her expression cold and disapproving. With a quick flick of her wrist, she conjured a sharp blade of pure flame, extending it from her index and middle fingers on her right hand. Without a word, she walked past Riya, her eyes narrowing as she moved toward the psychic girl who was still stumbling, struggling to regain her sight through her three blinded eyes.

The crowd fell silent as Astra raised her hand, the fiery blade glowing ominously in the dim light. Riya felt a chill run down her spine as the Archmage's judgment became clear. In one swift, decisive motion, Astra brought down the blade, cutting cleanly through the girl's neck. The psychic's head fell to the stage with a dull thud, her body collapsing lifelessly beside it. Riya stood frozen, her light barrier flickering and fading as she struggled to process what had just happened.

Riya immediately bent over and threw up, the violent sight too much for her to bear. Caramel, watching from the sidelines, squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to look at the grisly scene.

Astra, with a look of disdain, addressed the crowd as she stepped off the stage. “We don't need weaklings here,” she said sharply, her voice echoing through the room. Her cold gaze fell on Riya, who was still struggling to steady herself.

“You,” she pointed at Riya with a harsh gesture, “The Great One will see you tomorrow. Be there.” With that, Astra walked off the stage without another word, her footsteps fading as she disappeared.

“Class dismissed,” she announced, leaving the students in a tense, uneasy silence. The atmosphere was heavy, and no one dared speak as the weight of Astra's brutal actions settled over them. Riya stood there, shaking, the reality of what had happened slowly sinking in.

“Whoa. That’s intense,” Oliver said, breaking the stunned silence.

“So, Mouse and Claire have to fight to the death tomorrow, and my sister has to meet the leader of the Eclipse Legion too,” I muttered, my eyes fixed on the jagged ceiling of the cave. It was hard to believe that all this could happen in just one day. How could we possibly stop one of us from dying tomorrow and the other from becoming a killer? Sending Riya straight to the leader of the Eclipse Legion? It felt like sending a lamb to the slaughterhouse.

I rubbed the corners of my eyes with my palms and let out a weary sigh. Claire placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and spoke softly, “I know we’ll find a way around it. We always do.”

Her words offered a small flicker of hope, but the situation was dire. Our world was spiraling into chaos, and the stakes were higher than ever. I knew we'd need more than luck to navigate the trials ahead and keep each other safe. But Claire was right. We'd faced impossible odds before and found a way through. Now, we had to do it again.