Book Four – Interlude – Part One – The Captain’s Elegy

“Hey! Good morning, Captain Fisher! How was the investigation?” said an excitable Mire, who was talking to the receptionist Roland about a few things. He looked up from a document to raise a friendly hand. The scars on his face and hairless head hinted he was quite the adept fighter.

Or at least he was in the past.

“Mire, Roland, good morning,” replied Fisher, who had just walked right into the headquarter's lobby. He wore his signature black armor, but looking at the scratched-out name didn’t cause him as much pain as it used to do. He rubbed his chin and slightly grunted from a dull ache.

“You alright there, captain? Did you get hurt?”

“I did, but not by who you think,” Fisher answered Mire’s query. “I haven’t seen my daughters in a while, and I didn’t get back until late… And well… They didn’t like the fact that I chose not to tell them I was home, even though it was past their bedtime. This morning, they rushed into the room, jumped on the bed, and I took a flying knee to the chin.”

“Permission to laugh, sir?” said Mire, who was already giggling. Her pearl-colored hair danced atop her head. Her desert sand-colored ears were slightly tinted red from the laughter.

The invincible Justice Captain wounded by a little girl? It’s almost too funny to be true.

“Yeah… Sure… Go ahead. But to answer your question, I didn’t find anything. Even searched around and walked the entire crater but couldn’t come up with anything interesting. Found a few people lounging around, but they didn’t have much to say. Well, they weren’t in the mood to talk at all,” Fisher replied.

“It sure is mysterious. With something that big, it almost makes you think there’s a giant monster nearby,” said Roland. “Oh, Captain Fisher?”

“What is it?”

“A letter came for you late last night. It's from the governor. They’re going to be here in about forty minutes for a meeting. Did something happen? I heard something about a small disturbance yesterday. Three of our junior guards didn’t show up for the changeover.”

“It’s probably about that.” Fisher sighed.

Mire tilted her head and crossed her armored hands across her breastplate. It was slim and form-fitting, the perfect shape to suit Mire’s boyish chest. What she lacked in feminine aspects she made up for in her long legs, which were covered by lightened steel and prioritized maneuverability and speed. The sword dangling at her hips was just a plain metal blade with nothing special about it.

“I’ll explain it later. You two see Tim anywhere?”

“He’s down on prison duty. Oh… OH! Captain!!!” Roland suddenly stood up and slammed his hands down, causing his cup of coffee to fall all over his pants. After calling him down from expletive-filled tirade, Fisher demanded to know what had made him so heated.

“It’s Jeri and Sea! I wish there was an easy way to say this, but… They passed away in their cells while you were off at the crater.”

“What?!?!” Fisher slammed his two hands on the counter, causing Mire to hop back in fright. Even Roland, an experienced veteran, felt the fear of an angry Fisher suffocating his lungs.

Fisher bolted off like a lightning storm, rushing off through the early morning, empty hallways. He dodged left and right, even slipping on a wet puddle that hadn’t been cleaned up. When he reached the door leading into the prison, he tumbled down the steps like a newborn fawn trying to walk.

Tim was yawning, but seeing his captain crash land hard jolted him awake. He drew his club and activated Pulmoni Oxygeni. His lungs circulated inside his scaled body, granting him increased stamina and strength for as long as he could endure the increased oxygen flow.

“Tim! Where are Jeri and Sea?!” demanded the captain. He slapped both hands on the desk beside Tim, causing it to break and shatter, something he didn’t mean to do.

“Sir… Did Roland not tell you? We discovered their corpses a few days ago.” He calmed down, canceled the innate ability belonging only to Koena, and sheathed his weapon.

“How?! Explain!”

“The medics did an autopsy and concluded that they must’ve bitten their tongue. With no way to stop the bleeding, they died from blood loss… I’m sorry, sir…” Tim sheathed his weapon and looked upset. He didn’t have that much affection or even friendliness for the two of them after they turned their blade against Canary’s citizens, but he had worked with them before. If only barely.

“Show me the visitor’s log,” Fisher said. Tim reached down into the bundle of wood that used to be a table and pulled out a small leather-bound book. Fisher took it, then read through it.

What?! There’s nothing here! Only Sea's mother came to visit, and I was down here with her!

Captain!!!” cried Mire, who finally caught up. She used her naturally given Elven ability to hop down the steps and dashed over to the captain. She gasped when she saw the broken table.

“Did they eat their food?!”

“Yes, they did. But only once. And I prepared the meal myself,” Tim replied. “Captain, forgive me for failing you! They died under my supervision!”

“No, it isn’t your fault.” Fisher closed the book and handed it to Tim. “Dammit! I’m heading to my office to think this through. Mire, come get me when it’s time for the meeting.”

“Sir, yes sir!” saluted the eager Elf. It was a weak one since she had never seen her captain lose his cool like that in a situation that didn’t involve training. As he darted up the stairs, Mire turned to Tim and noticed he was trembling in his armor.

“Are you okay?” she said.

“Mire… It felt like I was staring death in the face… I really thought he was about to end me…” Tim let loose a big sigh, then fell to his knees. “I’ve never seen a face look that…angry or upset before… I’ve failed him…” He was a Koena that was big on duty and pride. For him to have given his word to Fisher the day before left and then to have failed him just a few days after? It hurt him a lot.

“Tim…” Mire crouched down and placed a hand to his shoulders. “No, you didn’t fail him. Not at all. No one could have predicted they’d take their own life… They might’ve acted a bit nutty in the head, but neither showed any kind of behavior that would suggest self-harm or suicide.”

Tim sat down, and Mire followed. She hugged her knees to her chest and listened to Tim speak about his past before the guard. Mire then spoke up and reminisced about her training. “It certainly was hard, wasn’t it? Enduring a month of that hell. Captain Fisher taught a group of Rank 10s, and I heard he didn’t go easy on them… Hey, did you break down when you killed your monster? You know, to graduate into being a full-fledged guard?”

Tim nodded. “I did. Every part of my body was shouting that it needed rest… Even my scales started to chip in protest, but I knew that if I let my guard down, that flying beast with the sword stinger would have spelled the end of me… When my weapon ended its life, I didn’t know whether to be happy, sad, or upset at the captain for nearly killing me… And you know, I soon myself wanting to thank him… I was just a brat that wanted to fight, and he forged me into someone actually respectable. I’ve never told anyone, but my mother was always ashamed of me… She told me I would never amount to anything… But look at me now! I’m someone the captain wants to rely on! I was happy to tell my mother with pride that I’m responsible for keeping my family and this city safe.”

“How…did she react?”

“She called me ‘my son’ for the first time in years… What about you? Did you cry?”

“I did. For a couple of hours, actually. I was so sore I couldn’t even twitch my ears, and I was so bloody… It was hot, and I was emotional… That’s all I really remember. Don’t even remember the fight, but the captain told me I was victorious.”

“When you joined the guard, did you do it for yourself? Or for your family, like me?”

“I…don’t have a family anymore. I was part of Warden for about two and a half decades, but I never took it seriously and always found an excuse to bail at the last minute. My family was my party. My dad, my mom, my sister… And then me—the youngest of the bunch. We… We…” Mire scrunched her face, producing a melancholic expression similar to the death of the setting sun, and Tim placed a hand to her shoulder. He knew whatever must’ve happened wasn’t the kind of memory to be reflected upon more than once.

“You don’t have to say anything else. I can infer from the rest.”

“Then you can imagine why I dropped out of Warden… Even walking by the place makes me sick and reminds me of my failure. But I joined the guard for me… I just had to get stronger, and when you hear about the Justice Captain… Well, you have to see him for yourself… How odd he was called that while still just a lieutenant. I guess it meant he was just right for the job.”

Tim lightly chuckled. “Seems like we both owe him for our friendship.”

"I guess we do.” The room became quiet. Mire shifted her weight and stood up, dusting off her armor while stretching her arms up. Turning back to look at the grey Koena, she lent him an open hand. “There’s supposed to be a meeting soon, so let’s get prepared for it," she said.

Tim nodded and took the assistance, rising to his feet a moment later. “Hey, thanks for speaking with me.”

"Likewise. I enjoyed our little break. Now, we’ve got a meeting to attend, so we might as well get prepared. If you can go unlock the room on the second floor, I’ll go grab the captain.”

“You got it. See you in a little bit.” Tim patted Mire on the shoulder as he walked by her. Her eyes followed him up the stairs, and she smiled and skimmed a hand to the spot he touched.

I’ve never been one to talk so much about myself… But I just felt comfortable with Tim… We have been working together for about a year… Leaving my family to die… Does a wretched one like me deserve to feel this way about someone…? Especially a Koena…

“Captain, since this meeting is important, I hope you don’t mind if Tim and I attend it,” Mire said when she walked into Fisher’s office. The door was open, so she helped herself in. He was in the midst of getting a cup of coffee to his mouth while his eyes scanned over the first of what would be many, many reports. Even if he was away for a week or so, these were just too many.

“That’s fine,” he said, setting the report down on the pile of documents. “Did you get someone to cover his guard duty?”

“I did. Before I came here, Roland met up with me and said the governor is already in the meeting room on the second floor.”

With a sigh, Fisher stood up and downed the rest of his morning drink. It was pure coffee with no milk, cream, or sugar. Right after learning the bad news, he went straight to the canteen to whip up something bold since he knew he would need it to get through the day.

“It’s a bit early, but I suppose we can’t keep him waiting,” replied Fisher. He strolled out first, with Mire trailing behind. The walk to the second floor was deathly silent. From behind, the curious Elf tried her best to read Fisher, but it was like he had a mask of stoicism.  Yes, he had changed since Lieutenant Arnold had passed away, but even during his funeral, which didn’t include a body since it couldn’t be found, the captain kept a stern gaze.

Shit… I couldn’t come up with anything… Maybe the governor has... When this meeting is over, we can bounce off ideas and try to get to the bottom of this…

When they reached the meeting room, Fisher expected to see at least six people max, maybe seven, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for more than that.

At the rectangular table, Governor Blasé obviously sat at the head. Blasé's black suit was standard for a man of his position, yet his hair had been combed over to the side. To his left was Eina, who wore the appropriate outfit of someone in a secretarial role. Her body thoroughly filled out that white button-up blouse, which was tucked into a short pencil skirt that didn’t even reach her knees. With a black tie, black heels, and a sporty pair of glasses, she certainly looked like she was a secretary and not someone merely pretending to be one.

Anyone with half a brain in their body could have seen they were twins. They shared the same golden blond hair, though Eina had hers in a sporty ponytail, and the same ocean-blue eyes. Even amongst nobles and royals, they were handsome and gorgeous.

Tim was there as well, sitting three seats to the right of Blasé. He was fumbling with a cloth to polish his cheek scales. To the side of Tim heading away from the governor was Jimmy and his goons. Behind them stood three men, and it didn’t take long for Fisher to realize it was their fathers. He did only figure it was Jimmy because of their wounds. They perfectly matched the ones he inflicted on them the day prior.

But they’re nobles? Couldn’t tell from the armor, but those clothes and watches are not something commoners owned. And why is he here…?

The man Fisher referred to was one Nicholas Constantius. Dressed in his best robes, he sat beside Eina with his hands folded on the table. When the captain walked in, the bishop was the first to turn around and smile at him.

With him and Mire being the last ones to arrive, Fisher and his subordinate took their places at the two seats between Blasé and Tim, with Fisher taking the one closer to the governor. It was only proper that the ones who held more political power sat close to the head of the table. That wouldn't always be the case since it depended on the attendees themselves. Take, for example, someone like Eina. In reality, she was the daughter of Emperor Keywater, and through some sort of means, was given control of Canary along with her brother. Fisher knew he wasn’t her political equal, but it was verifiable she held some power since she was partly responsible for Canary’s well-being.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m here, captain. I had a few questions for the governor about unrelated matters, and he offered me a chance to sit in on this meeting. Depending on the situation, perhaps I could offer my thoughts or advice?” Nicholas said. He touched a hand to his necklace, which displayed the church's symbol.

“I am glad for your advice, bishop,” replied Fisher. He kept a faux professional tone. If he’s here, then this situation had to be about Jimmy and not Jeri and Sea.

Blasé waited a second longer to see if anyone else was going to be joining them, then decided to get the meeting started after taking a breath. Like Fisher, he was forcing himself to put on a false display. But his struggles came from the physical sense and did not have anything to do with the state of his mind.

Between the crater and Arcton, I haven’t had a wink of sleep in two weeks. Father’s asking for updates every day, these damn nobles are greedy with their demands for the proper locations for their festival stalls... And not to mention the struggles of running a town! Gods, it’s times like this that I wish I could go back to Warden… But mother… I’m—Qina and I are doing this for you…

Blasé slightly tensed when he felt his sister nudge him in the shin with her foot. Her eyes seemed to deliver a message to get things started, and he returned the playful nudge. Then after adjusting his tie, he began the meeting. It was good he did so since the unbearable void of silence was growing all the more uncomfortable.

“Listen up. I take complaints against the guard as seriously as I would threats against my family because they are the force that protects this fair city. We have a case of alleged assault. Mr. Wihos, Jimmy Wihos’s father, states that you attacked his son and friends. He also wishes to clarify that his son and friends—Fisher Jin’s junior guards—are only just that. Junior guards. Am I correct this far?” Blasé said. Presiding over what looked to be a standard court case wasn’t what he had on the menu.

“You damn right I am!” barked Mr. Wihos. “I want his ass to rot in a cell for hurting my son! His brutish behavior has scarred my boy for life!” Fisher listened to his ramblings, keenly nothing that the two men standing beside Jimmy’s father refused to say anything. They were trying their hardest to avoid staring at the suspect of this case.

“Mr. Wihos, I have to ask that you calm down and lower your voice. Being loud does nothing to help your case.” Blasé raised a hand. “Fisher, it is time for you to speak. You have a chance to tell your side of the story.”

Fisher nodded, thanked the governor for the chance, and spoke about what happened while keeping Myil’s name and gender hidden. He had his total privacy in mind and didn’t even reveal he was a Koena. And as he expected, one individual allied with the church had immediate problems with a specific incident.

Forgive my butting in, but is that true? Did you free a slave?” asked Nicholas. His face looked visibly distressed, almost as if he couldn’t believe freeing one was even remotely possible. His age and experience kicked in, though, eliminating the worry and anxiousness from his face. Fisher nodded, verbally confirming it a second time. “Captain, forgive me for being brash, but did the story I shared with you go in one ear and out the other?”

“Bishop, it is my job to protect Canary and its people.”

“Captain, property is not a person,” Nicholas argued.

“I do not agree with that statement,” Fisher fired back.

“Then I’ll say it again. Property cannot be a person. If a slave is considered property, and it is, then it stands to realize that every enslaved being is equal to property. It is easy to understand, you see?”

“If your church was on fire, and I could save either your book and scepter or a slave, what would you want me to do?”

“I’d hoped you have enough sense to save my items. In terms of value and prosperity, they will add far more to the world than a simple slave. And my items, captain, are irreplaceable. Should a slave die—as weak as they are—I can only just go purchase another one.”

Eina felt sickened to her stomach, but she knew that being upset as his words meant she would have to turn the proverbial dagger back on herself. Blasé shared his sister's sentiment. They had ‘helplessly’ stood by and watched as a slave was executed right in front of them by a disgusting noble, and yet they couldn’t do anything because he was their client. Going directly against one would be terms of immediate demotion, and at that point in their lives, they needed the experience.

Even if it meant purposely allowing an innocent child to die for the sake of meeting their mother…

Was it worth it…? To be promoted just a little bit faster…? Blasé tossed away those thoughts for the time being. They’d have a place to be spoken during the dinner he and his sister would share, and the current situation was not suitable to bring those concerns to the forefront of his mind.

“In a crueler world, someone like me would have stood off to the side and let both the slave and your precious items burn to the ground. But as for me—in the now...” Fisher tapped the table with an armored finger, causing five sets of eyes to cast themselves down. “I have a duty to save the slave. Bishop, a book does not need to breathe. It is nothing but paper bounded together with leather. Your scepter is metal. I’m sure you're aware of this, but metal items do not require nourishment. They cannot drink. They cannot eat. Those qualities alone promote this ‘slave’ from mere property into a person.

“Then again, these hypotheticals are not needed because I did buy the slave for 500 dupla. They were my property, and I was fit to do as I pleased. And in that very moment, I was well within my rights to grant them their freedom.”

“Freeing the weak-willed will only hamper the quality of prayers sent to the Heavens Above.”

“I’m sorry, but that does not concern me. Bishop, I do hope you realize that the church does not make the rules. At least not in Canary. There is nothing legally preventing me from buying a slave and freeing them in the next second. Besides, these ‘qualities of prayers’ are not my concern. I am tasked with protecting this city and its people and doing what it needs to grow and thrive. Can’t you see? I saw someone in need of assistance, and I helped them. It’s as easy as that.”

Nicholas subtly growled, his anger growing hotter by the second. “Fine, where is this slave? I need to confirm with it that what you say is true.”

“Don’t you mean ‘them?’ I am not obligated to tell you their location. That information just isn’t relevant to this discussion.”

The case regarding Fisher and his treatment of his junior guards had been so tossed to the wayside that it wasn’t on the agenda anymore. Mire and Tim, in particular, were taken back slightly, and it was then that they realized they knew absolutely nothing about their captain.

Even the governor and his secretary were alarmed, and like Mire and Tim, the respect they had for the enigma known as Fisher Jin grew.

“Then how about this? Can you produce the deed? Where is this slave’s contract of ownership?” Nicholas argued back. Fisher froze, then cursed himself for ripping it up.

“I ripped it. You tear up and throw away things that aren’t needed, right? A free slave doesn’t need that constant reminder they were once property.”

“Isn’t that a coincidence? If you cannot produce a contract for this slave, then we have no proof you bought it. As far as I am aware, you saw your junior guards doing what they were legally obligated to do, and you intervened to steal away their property for your own desire. Then upon them refusing, you inflict merciless pain upon their growing bodies to bend them to your will.” Nicholas had taken off the gloves of respect and went straight for the jugular.