Chapter 48: Twin Trouble
February 10, 9:36 AM
"The intensity and number of the attacks has increased," Zoe said, wiping the sweat off her brow, "meaning that the bounty must have changed too. Probably to an irresistible amount of money to properly draw in all types from the underground."
"Five attacks in the last three hours," Lars said, sheathing his naginata blade back into its handle. "Respectfully, what the hell? We've barely advanced at all. At this rate, we're going to get there tomorrow instead of today."
"As long as Lord Cedric arrives in one piece," Fani sighed, retracting her hair, "that's all that matters."
"Hey, this one's still conscious," Theresa said, the referred-to bandit squirming under the clutches of her Artemis Cage.
"Then let's make him useful," Lars smirked, walking up to the bandit and putting a finger on his forehead. "Mind Magic: Subjugation."
The bandit's eyes dimmed as the effects of the spell took hold, and his struggling stopped, his head falling onto his chest.
"First question," Lars said in a business-like manner, "what's the new bounty on Lord Cedric's head?"
"110 million yul," the bandit murmured. Everyone there's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"That's life-changing money for a lot of people," Theresa said. "Even if you split the bounty between a group of, say, 20 people, that's 5.5 million yul for each (assuming it's shared equally, of course), which is still a very sizable amount of money."
"Only a higher ranking noble family, like mine or Fani's, could pay off that kind of money. Or an assassin family like the Hansen's…" Zoe said, her eyes narrowing, but Lars interjected, thinking of his blue haired comrade.
"Come off of it, Halcourt. Besides, the bounty could have been set by someone who doesn't necessarily have the money to pay it off," Lars said. "And I'd love to continue the speculation, but we need to get moving if we want to reach the Royal Capital by the end of February."
"A-agreed," Lord Cedric said, who had been shivering under a pillow on his palanquin in fear when he heard the bounty on his head. "Get moving, peasants!"
"Next time, we'll leave him behind," Lars muttered to Theresa, who chuckled.
…
Two twins trailed the convoy, keeping a wide enough distance to remain undetected by Lars and his companions. The midday sun filtered through the dense canopy above, dappling the forest floor with patterns of light and shadow. The twins moved with practised ease, their steps quiet but purposeful as they navigated through the undergrowth. Despite their identical green eyes, their appearances and demeanors set them apart starkly.
Alecto was lean and wiry, her auburn hair cropped short and tied into a small bun that barely peeked out beneath her hood. Her face bore a perpetually serious expression, her thin lips pressed into a line as if every step forward required calculated precision. Her dark, practical attire blended seamlessly with the forest, and the gloves on her hands were caked with dirt from her magic.
Achilles, on the other hand, was bulkier, his frame built for confrontation. His sandy-blonde hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, and his face held a cocky smirk, as if he found amusement in everything around him. Unlike his sister, Achilles wore his confidence as boldly as his bright teal scarf, a sharp contrast against the muted tones of his gear. His hands twitched occasionally with restless energy, conjuring faint swirls of wind that he quickly dissipated when Alecto shot him a glare.
"You need to stop doing that," Alecto muttered, crouching low and placing her palm on the ground. A faint tremor rippled out from her touch, her Earth Magic extending like an unseen web. "If they pick up on even a hint of your magic, we're done."
Achilles leaned casually against a tree, plucking a leaf and twirling it between his fingers. "They're not going to pick up on anything, sis. You're paranoid." With a snap of his fingers, the leaf sharpened into a spinning blade of air. He tossed it lazily at a nearby tree, where it embedded itself with a satisfying thunk.
Alecto straightened, brushing dirt from her gloves as she shot him a look of pure exasperation. "Paranoid? No, Achilles. I'm cautious. There's a difference. One of us has to be, given your complete inability to take anything seriously."
Achilles retrieved the leaf-blade with a grin. "Oh, come on. You think they're going to stop and sniff out a little breeze magic? Relax. We've got this. Besides, you're the one doing all the sneaky ground stuff. My part comes later."
Alecto crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "That 'sneaky ground stuff' is the only reason we're still undetected. If you had your way, we'd be stomping through the underbrush like a pair of drunken boars."
"Hey now, drunken boars might be a little quieter than you think," Achilles quipped, raising his hands defensively. "And besides, it's not like they're moving fast. Five attacks in three hours? They're practically crawling. We've got all the time in the world."
Alecto crouched again, her fingers brushing the earth as she activated another spell. "Earth Magic: Silent Trail." The soil beneath their feet softened, dampening the sound of their movements.
"You're wasting time, Achilles," she groaned. "They'll reach the Royal Capital eventually, and once they're within city walls, it's game over. We need to strike before then."
Achilles sighed dramatically, falling into step behind her. "Always with the plans, sis. Plans, plans, plans. You know what happens to plans in the heat of the moment? They go up in smoke. Or wind. Or dirt."
"And what happens without a plan?" Alecto shot back, not even turning to look at him. "Chaos. Failure. Death. I don't intend to let you drag me into any of those."
"Harsh," Achilles muttered, though his grin didn't falter. "But you love me, so you'll deal with it."
Alecto finally turned to glare at him. "I tolerate you. Barely. And only because you're my brother."
"Aw, you're such a softie," Achilles teased, the wind swirling faintly around his fingertips. He snapped his fingers, and the gust dissipated with a quiet sigh.
"Keep using magic like that, and we'll see how soft I am when they spot us," Alecto muttered, crouching again to check their progress. The vibrations from her Resonant Pulse revealed the convoy's position. "They're not moving as fast as I expected. Could be another skirmish."
"Could be," Achilles agreed, leaning lazily against a tree. "Or maybe they're just tired. I mean, hauling around some pompous lord in a palanquin all day? Sounds exhausting."
Alecto ignored him, focusing on the vibrations. "They've stopped. Again. This is the fifth time in—what? Three hours?"
"Guess the bounty on Lord Cedric's head is really doing the rounds," Achilles said, his smirk widening. "110 million yul. That's enough to make anyone stupid enough to try their luck."
"Then we'll be dealing with competition," Alecto said grimly. She stood, brushing dirt from her gloves. "Which is all the more reason to focus."
Achilles tilted his head, studying her. "You're worried."
"I'm cautious," she corrected sharply. "This isn't a game, Achilles. That bounty is enough to attract not just petty thieves, but seasoned killers. If we're not careful—"
"I'll handle it," Achilles interrupted, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Anyone gets in our way, I'll take them down. You just focus on getting us into position."
Alecto blinked, momentarily taken aback. Then she nodded, her expression softening just a fraction. "Just don't overdo it."
"Me? Overdo it?" Achilles grinned, the wind picking up slightly around him. "You wound me, sis."
She sighed, shaking her head as she turned back toward the convoy. "Come on. We've wasted enough time."
Together, the twins resumed their careful pursuit, their squabbling softened by a shared determination. They were an odd pair, their differences often putting them at odds, but their bond—and their shared goal—always brought them back together. The bounty on Lord Cedric was theirs for the taking, and neither sibling intended to let anything stand in their way.
…
February 10, 1:55 PM
"I sense rats," Zoe hissed, taking out her paintbrush. "Fani, could I please ask you to guard Lord Cedric while I intercept these interlopers before they cause serious damage? If you just release a bit of your mana, I'll be able to find you."
The hair mage nodded, activating Tangle Barrier once again.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going too," Lars said. "I can't guarantee that she doesn't use Abyssal Canvas again and knock herself out."
"I was low on mana," the ink mage snarled.
"Doesn't change the fact that I'm going with you," Lars retorted.
Zoe growled, but obliged. Truth be told, she needed a "heart to heart" with Lars. She had a lot on her mind.
As they stepped out of the cocoon of hair, Lars's eyebrows raised as he saw two figures standing on top of the hill they had just descended. "Who are you guys supposed to be, and how did I not detect you?"
"Guess you're losing your edge, mind mage," the girl smirked. "Feeling tired?"
"Well, course I am!" Lars yelled, pissed off. "I've been fighting brainless lackeys like you guys all day and night without a wink of sleep, and the bloody 110 million yul means there are more than enough weak idiots who would try their hand at fighting us for life-changing cash."
He exhaled, then smirked, a wild glint coming into his eyes. "That's why I'm going to enjoy beating down strong opponents like you. A reprieve from the weaklings crawling through the woodwork. To come with only two people means you must be confident in your strength. Zoe, you take the guy. The girl is mine."
"No objections," the ink mage said, drawing a thin line of ink on the air. "Ink Magic: Piercing Shadows!"
The thin strands of ink hurtled towards the male mage, who simply smirked, raising a hand. "Wind Magic: Gale Fangs!"
Many daggers made out of compressed air formed and rushed at Zoe's attack, the two colliding in the air with a bang.
"Before we duel, could I have the privilege of you telling me your name?" the guy smirked.
"I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries with interlopers," Zoe replied, her grey eyes piercing.
"Ooh, cold," Achilles smirked. "Luckily for me, you're just my type- oof!"
Zoe sent him sprawling with a Severance Slash, wrapping her coat around her shoulders in disgust. "Pervert," she hissed.
Achilles groaned, holding his head as he got up. "Noted - she's touchy."
"Achilles, be careful!" Alecto yelled more out of anger than concern. "Your recklessness could cost us the money!"
Suddenly, she dodged nimbly out of the way of an upward swing of Lars's naginata handle.
"Take your own advice," Lars smirked. "Mind Magic: Telekinetic Sweep!"
The rend of mind energy hit Alecto squarely in the belly, and she gagged, flying backwards. Snarling curse words to herself, she got back up.
"Impressive," Lars said. "Out of the 80-odd people we've fought, none of them have been able to tank a Telekinetic Sweep yet, so I guess you're the first." He got into a fighting stance.
Alecto, meanwhile, took out two scimitars, their blades gleaming spectacularly in the morning light. "My mother always said I was… more resilient than others."
"Respectfully, I don't give a damn what your mother said," Lars remarked cooly. "Mind Magic: Homing Blade!"
The naginata blade glinted as it soared toward Alecto, moving unpredictably as though it had a mind of its own. Alecto's eyes widened, but she kept her composure, twirling her twin scimitars defensively.
"Earth Magic: Stone Veil!" Alecto yelled, slamming one of her scimitars into the ground. A wall of jagged stone erupted between her and the incoming blade.
The naginata wove around the barrier as though mocking her attempt, forcing Alecto to leap back. She crossed her scimitars, blocking the weapon's trajectory, but the mental energy imbued in it sent a shockwave rippling through her arms.
"Tch, annoying!" she hissed, parrying the weapon and sidestepping its next strike.
Lars extended his hand, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "The more you try to block it, the faster it gets. Why not just stand still and save yourself the effort?"
Alecto didn't respond. Instead, she shifted her stance and pressed her palm to the ground again. "Earth Magic: Quicksand Snare!"
The earth beneath Lars shifted, turning into a spiralling vortex of sand that threatened to suck him down. His footing faltered for a moment, but his grin didn't waver.
"Nice trick, but I've got plenty of those myself. Mind Magic: Resonant Concussion!"
A translucent barrier formed around Lars, pulsing outward with a deafening hum. The burst of telekinetic force shattered the quicksand vortex and sent ripples of mana tearing through the ground. Alecto was forced to leap back again, her stance faltering as she struggled to maintain her footing.
The naginata blade, still under Lars' control, swerved toward Alecto once more. This time, she didn't dodge. Instead, she swung one of her scimitars in a wide arc.
"Earth Magic: Scimitar Slash!"
A blade of compressed stone energy extended from her weapon, intercepting the naginata mid-air and finally knocking it to the ground. Alecto didn't hesitate, charging forward with both scimitars glowing.
Lars caught his weapon with a telekinetic tug and spun it in a defensive arc. The clash of steel against the naginata echoed in the clearing as the two exchanged rapid blows. Alecto's strikes were precise and unrelenting, her movements calculated. Lars, on the other hand, relied on his agility and strategic use of magic.
As the duel intensified, Lars felt a surge of adrenaline, his frustrations from the day bubbling to the surface. "You're tough," he admitted, "but let's see how you handle this."
He leapt back, creating distance between them, and slammed the base of his naginata into the ground. "Mind Magic: Stress Output!"
The earth cracked beneath him as waves of mana ruptured outward, creating jagged fissures that erupted in bursts of violet energy. Alecto's eyes widened, and she dodged quickly, leaping from one crumbling platform to the next.
The air buzzed with tension as Lars adjusted his grip, his mind racing. Alecto was formidable, her resilience and focus making her one of the most challenging opponents he'd faced. But Lars knew he had more to give.
He took a deep breath, channelling his mana into his next spell. The air around him seemed to vibrate with invisible pressure as he raised his hand high. "Mind Magic: Kraftvoller Gedankenstoß!"
Alecto barely had time to react as a massive blast of concentrated mental energy surged toward her, the sheer force of it distorting the air. She crossed her scimitars, planting her feet and bracing herself as the wave of energy crashed against her.
The explosion sent shockwaves through the forest, uprooting trees and scattering debris. When the dust settled, Alecto stood panting, her scimitars trembling in her hands. Despite the damage, she remained standing, though cracks ran through her weapons and armour.
Lars twirled his naginata and took a step forward, grinning despite the exhaustion etched across his face. "Still standing? You really are something else."
Alecto smirked through her laboured breaths. "You talk too much."
She lunged at him again, her scimitars glowing with renewed energy. Lars met her head-on, the clash of their magic shaking the air around them as the battle continued.
Achilles rolled his shoulders, his grin still plastered on his face despite the sting of Zoe's earlier strike. "You're feisty. I like that. Let's see what else you've got!" He extended his hand, and the air around him began to swirl violently. "Wind Magic: Cutting Tempest!"
Blades of compressed air shot forward, slicing through the forest like invisible knives.
Zoe scoffed, her paintbrush already sweeping through the air. "Ink Magic: Paint It Black!"
As the wind daggers approached, thick streams of ink shot out in jagged arcs, engulfing the blades mid-air. The wind dissipated as the ink consumed it, leaving only faint splashes of black residue on the grass.
Achilles blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "Huh. That's a neat trick. But you can't just paint over everything I throw at you!"
"Watch me," Zoe replied coldly, her voice dripping with disdain. Her hand moved quickly, her brush flicking precise strokes into the air.
The kanji for fire shimmered as it materialised in the air, glowing a deep crimson. Suddenly, flames burst forth, roaring to life in front of her. The heat distorted the air around them, and Achilles stumbled back instinctively.
"Fire? Really?" Achilles muttered, squinting through the blaze. "What's that supposed to do against—oh."
Before he could finish his thought, the flames licked upward, feeding on the gusts of wind his magic had inadvertently created. The fire surged higher, turning his own magic against him.
Achilles cursed, whipping his arms in wide arcs. "Wind Magic: Gale Barrier!" A shield of swirling air formed around him, keeping the fire at bay for now.
Zoe didn't relent. Her brush moved again, more kanji appearing in quick succession.
The kanji for weight shimmered in the air before sinking into the ground beneath Achilles. The earth seemed to groan as a sudden, oppressive force bore down on him. His knees buckled slightly under the unexpected weight.
"What the—?!" Achilles grunted, his usual cockiness giving way to panic. He struggled to keep his footing, the pressure throwing off his concentration.
Zoe didn't give him time to recover. She advanced, her brush a blur as she painted another symbol mid-stride, and the kanji for shadow shot forward, sinking into the ground at Achilles's feet. Dark tendrils erupted from the shadowy ground, twisting around his legs and rooting him in place.
Achilles tried to summon more wind, but the oppressive weight and the encroaching shadows made his movements sluggish. His teal scarf fluttered weakly as he strained against the magic binding him.
"Getting tired?" Zoe taunted, her grey eyes cold and merciless. "Don't worry. I'll finish this quickly."
With a sweeping motion of her brush, she cast another spell. "Ink Magic: Severance Slash!"
A jagged wave of ink shot out from her thin paintbrush, slamming into Achilles and sending him sprawling backward. He hit the ground hard, coughing as the wind was knocked out of him.
Zoe stood over him, her expression unreadable. She raised her paintbrush, ink dripping from its tip like venom. "You talk too much."
Achilles groaned, attempting to push himself up, but Zoe wasn't finished. She flicked her brush downward, ink splattering across his chest. The ink hardened instantly, forming shackles that pinned him to the ground.
"You don't deserve this power," Zoe hissed, her voice trembling with suppressed rage. "All you do is waste it on pathetic attempts to show off." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "People like you make me sick."
Achilles opened his mouth to retort, but no sound came out. Zoe had already painted a line of ink across his throat—a silent warning that one wrong move would seal his fate.
"I should end this here," Zoe said, her brush hovering over his heart. For a moment, the air was thick with tension, her anger crackling like a live wire.
Then she sighed, standing up straight. With a flick of her wrist, the ink shackles dissolved, leaving Achilles gasping on the forest floor.
"Consider yourself lucky," she muttered, turning away. "Next time, I won't be so generous."
Achilles remained on the ground, too dazed to respond. He could only watch as Zoe walked away, her paintbrush spinning idly in her fingers, the fire in her eyes burning brighter than any flame she could conjure.
"And would you look at that," Lars smiled to Alecto, his eyes landing on the defeated form of Achilles. "We're done here."
Alecto snarled at Lars. They were currently locked in a clash of weapons, but the green-eyed girl leapt back, her eyes also falling on her twin
Zoe's final blow had clearly done the trick, and Achilles was no longer a threat. Alecto's grip tightened around her scimitars, but she couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in her gut.
She glanced between Lars and Achilles, then back at Lars, whose smirk was still in place as he adjusted his grip on his naginata. The battle had been fierce, but now, the tide had shifted. Achilles was out of commission, and with him, their chances of winning the fight had diminished.
She sheathed her scimitars with a sharp snap and moved toward Achilles, who was still sprawled on the ground, groaning as he tried to sit up.
"Get up," she barked, hauling him to his feet. "We're leaving."
Achilles winced but managed a weak grin. "You're so bossy. No wonder nobody likes you."
Alecto rolled her eyes, gripping his arm tightly as she steadied him. "Shut up before I change my mind about dragging your sorry ass out of here."
Zoe watched the exchange from a distance, her expression unreadable. Her grip on her paintbrush loosened slightly, though her stance remained ready. "Are we letting them go?" she asked Lars, her voice devoid of emotion.
Lars tilted his head, considering the question. "Yeah, let 'em go. They've learned their lesson." His gaze flicked toward Alecto. "Besides, they're not our real enemies. Just bounty hunters looking for a payday."
Zoe narrowed her eyes. "You're too soft."
"Maybe," Lars replied with a shrug, his smirk returning. "But I'm not wasting energy on people who've already admitted defeat. Let's save the big guns for the real threats."
Alecto shot him a sharp look but said nothing as she helped Achilles limp away. Before they disappeared into the trees, she glanced back one last time, her piercing green eyes locking with Lars's. "This isn't over," she said, her voice low and menacing. "Next time, we won't hold back."
Lars chuckled, leaning casually on his naginata. "Looking forward to it."
As the two bounty hunters disappeared into the forest, Zoe relaxed her stance, her paintbrush returning to its holster. She turned to Lars, her grey eyes hard. "You're reckless."
"And you're ruthless," Lars shot back, twirling his weapon. "Guess we balance each other out."
Zoe huffed, crossing her arms. "Don't make a habit of underestimating people. It'll get you killed."
"I could say the same to you," Lars replied, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "That Achilles guy wasn't half-bad. If he'd been a little more focused, you might've had a harder time."
Zoe's expression darkened, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned and began walking back toward the cocoon of Fani's hair magic, her coat billowing behind her. "Let's get back to Cedric. We've wasted enough time."
…
February 10, 9:19 PM
"We used to play out in the rain, your mother scolded us, she said that we were bad…" Lars sang to himself. He had once again volunteered to go on night duty for the while, and was using Infinite Thought Shield to stop the raindrops from falling on the palanquin, and more importantly, on his friends (even Zoe).
Speaking of Zoe, the Halcourt came up to the mind mage, a common look of disdain on her face as she looked at the half-asleep Lars. "Please stop singing, I'm trying to write."
"This is how I'm gonna keep myself awake, Zoe, and protect us from any further attacks. If you're the one who wants a sleepless night, then by all means, go ahead!" Lars said, his voice rising to a shout. Somehow, no one stirred.
Zoe flicked her hair in contempt, but sat down nonetheless. There was silence between the two before Lars finally spoke.
"Y'know," Lars said, taking out his naginata blade from its sheath and starting to polish it, "this whole mission is strange. All of it. The bounty, the constant attacks… it feels like we're being messed with… but hey, that could just be me reading into this a bit too much."
"That's a stupid theory," Zoe scowled. "Why would anyone go out of their way to mess with you, of all people?"
"It couldn't just be about me," Lars replied. "It could be you, or Fani, or even Theresa."
"A stupid theory nonetheless," Zoe replied, turning her head away from the mind mage, though she did feel kind of proud at Lars's notion that someone had orchestrated this whole mission just to mess with little old her. Lars, on the other hand, was sleep deprived and frustrated, and that finally boiled over.
"Why do you hate me so much?!" the Mertens exclaimed, facing Zoe. "Every single fucking day, it's always, Lars is so stupid, Lars is incompetent. Why? What did I do to you at that ball that made you set your heart on hating me ever since? Please, answer me!"
The rain continued to drum against Lars's Infinite Thought Shield, the soft patter filling the silence between them. Zoe, her hand still gripping her brush tightly, turned away from him, her stormy grey eyes unreadable. For a moment, Lars thought she wouldn't reply, that she would retreat into her silence as she always did.
Instead, her voice broke through the quiet, low and measured, though trembling at the edges. "Do you know what it's like to be invisible, Lars?"
Lars frowned, his brows knitting together in confusion. "Invisible?"
Zoe let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "You wouldn't. People like you don't know what that means. No matter how much the Mertens name has fallen, you still walk into a room, and people see you. They look at you and think, 'There's Lars Mertens, from a once-great house. Maybe he'll bring his family back to glory.'" Her grip on her brush tightened, the ink at its tip trembling, threatening to drip.
"That's not how it feels from my side," Lars said softly, unsure if she even wanted to hear him.
"Well, from my side," she snapped, her voice rising, "it feels like no one ever sees me. I walk into a room, and all I hear is, 'Did you know Anastacia Halcourt just led another mission for the Crimson Lion Kings? Isn't she so impressive?' Or, 'Florian Halcourt? A genius tactician, destined for greatness in the Golden Dawn.'"
Her hand swept through the air, ink trailing like a shadow. "And then there's Zohava Halcourt, the youngest sibling, the failure. The disappointment. The one who's too rebellious, too unrefined, too... different. Do you have any idea what it's like to grow up knowing that's all anyone will ever see when they look at you? That no matter what you do, you'll never be enough?"
Lars felt like the air had been knocked out of him. Zoe's words hit him like a blow, her voice raw with emotion, with pain she clearly wasn't used to sharing.
"Zoe..." he started, but she wasn't done.
"And then, at the one event where I thought I could prove them wrong," she continued, her tone trembling, "at the ball where I thought maybe—maybe—I could show everyone that I wasn't just a shadow of my siblings, you laughed at me. You and your sister."
Her voice cracked, and Lars's heart ached at the vulnerability she was trying so hard to hide.
"Zoe, that wasn't—"
"Don't," she interrupted sharply, turning to face him. Her brush was raised, trembling in her hand. "Don't deny it. I saw it. You looked at me like I was a joke, and so did she. That night, I went home and listened to my parents talk about how embarrassing it must've been for Anastacia and Florian to see me like that."
Lars took a step forward, his voice gentle but firm. "I swear on my life, Zoe, I wasn't laughing at you. I—"
"Stop lying," she said, but her voice lacked its usual edge, as if even she wasn't entirely convinced of her own accusation anymore.
"I'm not lying," Lars insisted, his blue eyes locking with her grey ones. "I laughed because Frida—my sister—she said something cruel to me. About how I was a disgrace to the Mertens name. She's always been like that, tearing me down when she knows I'm trying my best. I laughed it off because if I didn't, I would've lost it in front of everyone. It wasn't about you. It never was."
Zoe froze, her breath catching. She searched his face, looking for a crack, a sign that he was lying. But all she found was sincerity, a softness that caught her off guard.
"I... I don't believe you," she muttered, but her voice lacked conviction.
Lars stepped closer, cautiously, as though approaching a wounded animal. "Zoe, you're incredible," he said, his tone unwavering. "Your Ink Magic? It's brilliant. You're brilliant. I don't think you're a shadow of your siblings at all. In fact, I think you shine brighter than they do."
She let out a harsh laugh, her eyes narrowing. "Don't patronise me."
"I'm not," Lars said firmly. "I mean it. You're strong, determined, and talented. Honestly? You scared me when we first met."
That made Zoe pause. "Scared you?"
Lars rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah. You're... intense. Confident. And you don't take anyone's crap. I admire that about you."
For the first time, Zoe seemed at a loss for words. Her brush lowered slightly, the ink no longer dripping so furiously.
"And I'm sorry," Lars added quietly, his voice heavy with regret. "For whatever I did that night to make you feel like I was against you. That wasn't my intention. But I understand now why you felt that way, and if I could go back and change it, I would."
The rain continued to fall, the world around them silent save for the steady rhythm of water hitting his shield. Zoe looked away, her jaw tightening.
"I... I don't know if I can forgive you," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lars nodded, a small, sad smile on his face. "That's fair. But I hope, someday, you'll see that I mean it. I don't see you as a shadow, Zoe. I see you."
Zoe didn't respond immediately. Her grip on her brush loosened, and for the first time, she looked vulnerable. The wall she had built so carefully around herself had cracked, and while it wasn't gone, it was a start.
"Go back to your post," she muttered finally, turning away. "I'm still trying to write."
Lars chuckled softly but didn't press her further. "Goodnight, Zoe. And for the record, you're the most refined person I've ever met."
She didn't reply, but as he returned to his spot, he thought he caught the faintest glimmer of something in her expression. It wasn't a smile, not yet. But it was something. A crack where light might eventually shine through.
A/N: Best girl finally gets redeemed
and we know why she's the way she is
But at least we have an insight