The landscape was frosted ever so slightly, a gentle white pallor kissing every tree, sapling and blade of grass. It was the first ice of a new season. Rose red blood splattered the dirt with flourish, as if the crimson droplets had been arranged intentionally, an explosive pattern spraying outward from the corpse of the murdered man. The sun rose over the beautiful but chilly landscape, bringing a warm yellow shine to an otherwise chilly day. Nearby, a fox had been spotted, trotting between trees in search of prey.
Ia focused on the cruelly destroyed body. It was strange to her. Not because of the dead body, that was a sight she had seen many times. As a medium, she was quite used to the brutality of death.
No, what struck her was the lack of brutality. The body before her was different. She felt as if it fit in with the natural surroundings, arranged almost seamlessly with glory and awe of a bright, crisp winter morning. The feeling made her uncomfortable.
"Your presence is appreciated, Ia." The voice of a man called for her attention. Nearby stood Shen, the Eye of Twilight. He was the leader of the Kinkou order, and his invitation had brought her here.
"Are you still able to communicate with the corpse?" Akali asked. A much younger member of the Kiknou order, she was famed for her deadly skill with blades. She was nearly twenty years younger than Shen, and her face betrayed an eagerness that she failed to hide.
"With the -person-, yes. His corpse cannot speak." Ia corrected her. Though not angry, Ia was a little upset about having her abilities mislabeled. No one can speak to corpses. They're dead.
"Our apologies. We meant no offense." Shen bowed politely. "If you can speak with him, we would be indebted to you."
"Of course I can." Ia replies. She knelt next to the corpse, lifting her skirt muddying her knees. Gently, she shook the arm of the corpse with one hand, grabbing the attention of the dead man. He noticed, returning from the afterlife for just a second to see what had bothered him. Ia could feel his connection growing weaker by the second.
"Hey there. Sorry to bother you." Ia smiles. "I need to ask you some things. I'll try to be brief. I know you have places to be."
"It's no problem, child. I'll help if I can." The man replied.
"Is it working?" Akali interrupted the spirit, unaware he was speaking. Ia shushed her, and Shen laid a hand on the young assassin's shoulder, attempting to calm her. Akali pulled free of her master's grasp impatiently. Ia continued to speak with the spirit.
"Um, how are you?" Ia asked.
"I am quite well. It's not so bad, dying."
"So I've been told. Um, if you find a Lamb, it's best to go with her." Ia advised the spirit solemnly. "You won't like the alternative."
"Can we focus?" Akali impatiently jumped in.
"Silence." Shen ordered. Akali sneered at the older man. Ia ignored them both, speaking to the spirit.
"We were hoping you could tell us about the man who took your life." The spirit, being a spirit, had no body. But it still somehow sighed deeply.
"Yes, that was tragic." The spirit offered. "The man was at least polite about it I suppose. Nice fellow, very professional."
"What did he look like?" Ia asked.
"Oh, quite strange. He was tall and gangly, a bit awkward. He wore a cream coloured shawl and carried the most gorgeous of weapons. A firearm of Ionian make. Almost as good as my work. But you know, the strangest thing was his mask. He had an ivory colored mask, very beautiful… but very cold."
Ia's heartbeat quickened. She recognised the description.
"Oh, well, thank you. Anything else you could tell me would be helpful." She remarked. The spirit's connection to the material world grew weaker and weaker, and Ia would not, as a matter of principle, keep him longer than necessary.
"He thanked me." The spirit paused, collecting his thoughts. "That's very strange, isn't it? To thank someone you murdered? He said I had been a lovely canvas for his brush."
"Yes, very strange." Ia confirmed, feeling the last of the spirit begin to slip away. "Goodbye." She said.
"Goodbye." Came the whispered reply.
"Well?" Akali demanded.
"He's gone. Moved on." Ia confirmed respectfully, bowing her head.
"Obviously." Akali said with a scoff.
"What my companion means to say," Shen broke in, ever cool and calm. "Is that as soon as you're ready, tell us what you learned." Ia paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts.
"He was murdered by a polite man in an ivory colored mask. The man carried Ionian firearms, and thanked his victim for being a 'canvas', whatever that means." Ia repeated everything back to the two ninjas. Shen was stoic.
"Khada Jhin." He spoke evenly.
"Damn," Akali spat. "We should've known after the first two. What's the pattern?" She asks.
"People of unique talent. You are correct. We should have seen this sooner. A dancer, a healer, and now the third victim, a bladesmith. These are people well known in Ionia, important people."
"There's going to be a fourth, right?" Akali asked. "There's always a fourth."
"Yes." Shen confirmed. He seemed disturbed, the only emotion he'd displayed since Ia arrived. She felt no need to intervene in the conversation, and knelt quietly as the two companions spoke.
"It's been all men so far." Akali continued. "So likely another man."
"No." Shen disagreed. In deep thought, he paced back and forth.
"No? It's not his style to switch things up."
"The fourth will be special. It always is. A woman is more likely."
"A woman, then. With unique talents, and famous in Ionia. So what do we do? Tell every talented woman in Ionia to be careful and lay low?" Akali groaned in frustration.
"Sona!" Ia broke her silence, standing to her feet in excitement. The Kinkou eyed her curiously.
"She'll be in Vlonqo tomorrow evening! That could be his next target." Ia smiled sheepishly, wiping dirt from her legs and straightening her skirt. "I've got tickets."
"Alright, a probable target then. We'll call off the show." Akali said. Ia's smile dropped. She was sad, but she understood why it had to be canceled.
"No." Said Shen. "I can keep Sona safe. She will lure him in." Akali nodded in agreement, but Ia protested.
"You can't let her die!"
"She will not die." Shen turned to walk away, and Akali stopped to explain.
"He's got like, a Ki shield thing. If he knows an attack is coming, there's a good chance he can protect her." Ia wasn't satisfied with the answer, her eyes still wide with worry.
"Hey, don't worry. We'll let her know what's going on. I won't let the big guy use her as bait without her permission." Akali smiled, then followed Shen. Ia sat with the man for a while, keeping his body company until his family came.
"Akali!" Ia called out, waving her hands in the air. Across the crowded room, the Kinkou ninja held a finger over her lips, trying to silence Ia. It was intermission at Sona's show, and the crowded theater bustled with Ionian theater lovers. People hurried to the restroom, eager to return to their seats once the intermission concluded. The young Demacian woman was enrapturing to watch, and hundreds had poured in to see the event of the season. Her melodies could move the soul, as some had said.
Akali moved closer to the young medium, whispering in a hushed voice.
"Don't draw attention! People around here know about you… and your abilities. I'm trying to lay low. That's why I'm dressed like this."
"Like a sushi chef?"
"Yes." Akali looked around the room warily. "Have you seen anything suspicious?" The young assassin asked.
"Just you. Where's Shen?"
"Backstage. It's the best way to keep Sona safe. I'm surprised you came." Akali said. Ia shrugged.
"Wouldn't miss it. Besides, you said Shen would do his Ki thing. Did Sona agree to be bait?"
"Yes. She knows she's a target. Sona is very brave. I just have to find our guy."
"Aren't the rest of these people in danger?" Ia glanced around the room. Every inch of floor was trod by the sandaled feet of finely dressed Ionians citizens. Akali shook her head, replying with confidence.
"Four targets, four bullets. He hates to reload until the job is done. He'll save that bullet for Sona. No matter what."
"Oh. Okay. Where do you think he is?" Ia asked curiously. Akali sighed with frustration.
"No clue. I've ruled out balcony and mezzanine. The other shots were with his pistol, not his rifle. Pistol's too close range for those locations. I'm thinking he'll be close to the stage, but I've searched the first few rows…"
"Orchestra pit maybe?" Ia suggested. Akali nodded intensely. The lights began to dim, and a shuffle of feet could be heard as attendees returned to their seats for the finale of the performance.
"Good thinking." Akali replied. "Stay safe, kid." Akali slipped away, blending into the crowd and heading back into the auditorium.
Ia hesitated, thinking. No balcony and no mezzanine, because his pistol is too short range. He'd want to be somewhere that's a clear shot. Suddenly, it occurred to her.
"Catwalk!" She called for Akali, but the ninja was already gone. Inside the auditorium, music had begun to play again, and Ia knew that disturbing the performance would blow Akali's cover, giving Jhin a chance to escape. Without thinking, she darted backstage, searching for a ladder.
Dodging past stage hands, she located the catwalk access and began to climb. She could hear the beautiful, calming music of Sona's etwahl, but her adrenaline would not allow her nerves to steady. Below her, she caught a glimpse of Shen, standing just off stage, hands twisted into some sort of channeling position, his eyes intently focused, waiting for Jhin's move.
She reached the top of the catwalk as the music began to swell, moving, growing and changing, almost as if the instrument itself was alive. Pushed forward by curiosity, Ia dodged around pulleys and through the backcloth, spotting her quarry. He slumped on the railing lazily, eyes closed as he listened to music. In one hand he held a pistol, masterfully crafted and dutifully cared for. In his artificial hand, he clasped a cold but beautiful ivory colored mask. Ia approached cautiously.
His face looked normal.
Khada Jhin swayed rhythmically to the music, humming along in sheer ecstasy. Ia thought to run, but remembered what Akali had said.
"You can't hurt her…"
Jhin's eyes opened slowly as Ia spoke, and he looked annoyed to have been interrupted.
"... And you won't hurt me." Ia concluded. The man looked at her, his countenance completely neutral, even bored.
"Oh?" He said.
"You've got one bullet left. You'll only shoot your target. So I'm safe." Ia nodded backstage, toward where Shen stood.
"And he's protecting Sona. So she's safe." Ia asserted confidently. Jhin smiled.
"The problem with perfection is the predictability of it." He replied. "You are correct. I will only fire on my perfect subject." He leaned on the railing again, closing his eyes to listen to Sona's music. Ia was confused.
"So that's it? You're giving up?"
"Each bullet is a piece of my soul. Each shot is a piece of me. I will not waste it. But I have time yet to enjoy the show. You're welcome to join me." Ia watched a moment longer, intensely vexed by the strange man. She could not make sense of him, and decided she didn't have to. Slowly, she began to move away, planning to fetch Akali.
"Before the finale," Jhin cut in. "Humor me. How did you know where to look?"
Ia knew better. She had found him. It was time to get help. But she couldn't help herself. Something about him was appealing, and drawing her curiosity.
"Akali said your pistol was too short range for the balcony or the mezzanine so..."
"Not in the auditorium, child, in the world. This show, this stage, how did you know?" He seemed frustrated for a second, but it quickly passed. Ever curious, Ia answered him.
"Uh, well, you killed three guys. All of them were famous and uniquely talented. Akali and Shen deduced your final target would also be someone with talent and renown, but probably a woman. Because she'd be the fourth. The fourth is always special to you." Jhin smiled, gently moving side to side with the melody of Sona's music. Ia finished explaining.
"...We knew Sona was performing nearby so we figured…" She said.
"Yes, talented detectives, those Kinkou buffoons. I have a special performance planned for them." He replied. "All correct of course, except on one minor count." Ia tilted her head, still curious.
"Oh?" She asked. "What's that?"
"I confess I would never perform with this last bullet, save with my own perfect, beautiful subject…" He clasped the pistol affectionately, coddling it. He then leveled the barrel at Ia.
"...A young woman, one well known for her unique talents."
Sona's crescendo covered the sound of the gunshot.
Sharp, piercing pain exploded through Ia's chest. She fell against the railing of the catwalk, struggling to breath. Blood poured from the wound, spurting on the clothing of the man who caught her. Not a plain or boring man, but a cold, beautiful, ivory colored man.
"I could not live without those like you. And for that, I am grateful." Whispered Jhin. Ia felt cold. The bullet had been guided truly, and she was already faint from blood loss. She tried to cry for help.
"Don't speak dear, you'll ruin my performance." Jhin lifted her gently, draping her twitching form across the rails. Some blood dripped down, running the height of the catwalk and falling to the stage below.
"Her art is so beautiful. I could never destroy that. Even now, the audience shows their adoration."
The crowd began to shower roses on to the stage as Sona's performance ended. The musician smiled and waved, but had to stop. A single red droplet splattered onto the casing of her Etwahl. She looked up.
"I should show mine as well." Jhin gave Ia a shove. "A masterpiece, Sona, from us both!"
Ia spun through the air, her blood swirling around her, fanning out and filling the space above the stage. There was a certain beauty to it, she realized, watching the crimson of her blood fall to the stage alongside the roses from the crowd. She really did see the beauty.
Everything went black with a crunch.
