Cards Of The Silent King-Chapter 35: Orion’s Hunt

The rain did not fall. It drove horizontally. It hit the concrete. It sounded like gravel.

Kaito ran. His boots splashed in the puddles. The Grey District was empty. The streetlights flickered.

He did not chase a crack. He chased a trail.

It was invisible to most people. It looked like heat shimmer. It smelled like ozone and old blood.

Kuro said: "You are losing the scent."

Kaito said: "No."

Kuro said: "It is fading."

Kaito said: "It is hiding."

He turned left into an alley. The wall was brick. The mortar was cracked. The trail stopped here.

Kaito stopped. He breathed. The air was cold. His lungs burned.

He looked at the wall. The shimmer was not gone. It was buried.

Kaito said: "Come out."

Silence. The rain hit the ground. A car passed on the main street. The sound was distant.

A figure stepped from the shadow. It was not a shadow entity. It was solid.

He wore a long coat. It was grey. It blended with the rain. He held a bow. It was black metal. No string.

Orion said: "You are loud."

Kaito said: "You are hidden."

Orion said: "I am hunting."

Kaito said: "I know."

Orion lowered the bow. He looked at Kaito. His eyes were gold. They did not blink. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Orion said: "You have been following me for three blocks."

Kaito said: "You left a trail."

Orion said: "Intentional."

Kaito said: "Why."

Orion said: "To see if you could keep up."

Kaito said: "And."

Orion said: "You can."

A sound came from the wall. A scrape. Like claws on brick.

Kaito turned. His hand went to his pocket. The cards hummed.

Orion said: "Do not summon yet."

Kaito said: "It is coming."

Orion said: "It is a scout."

Kaito said: "Hunger Born."

Orion said: "Second generation. Adaptive."

The wall bulged. The brick cracked. A hand pushed through. It was grey. It had no fingers. Just claws.

Kaito said: "Plan."

Orion said: "I shoot. You seal."

Kaito said: "Agreed."

The entity pulled itself through. It was large. It looked like a wolf made of static. It shook the rain off its back. The water sizzled.

It saw them. It growled. The sound was digital. Distorted.

Orion drew the bow. The string formed from light. He nocked an arrow. It was pure energy.

Orion said: "Down."

Kaito dropped. The arrow flew. It hit the entity in the chest. It did not burn. It pinned the entity to the wall.

The entity shrieked. It tried to pull the arrow out. It could not.

Kaito stood. He pulled a card. The Ace of Spades. Kuro.

Kaito said: "Kuro. Bind it."

Kuro emerged. He was shadow. He wrapped around the entity. He squeezed.

The entity dissolved. It turned to smoke. The smoke went into the card.

Kaito lowered the card. The glow faded.

Orion said: "Efficient."

Kaito said: "You tracked it."

Orion said: "Across three dimensions."

Kaito said: "Why here."

Orion said: "They are converging."

Kaito stepped closer. The rain hit his jacket. He did not feel it.

Kaito said: "Explain."

Orion said: "The Hunger Born do not wander. They scout. They map resistance. They report back."

Kaito said: "To whom."

Orion said: "The source. The one who pushes them."

Kaito thought: Vortelius.

Kaito thought: Or the Architect.

Kaito said: "How many."

Orion said: "Fifty in the city. Maybe more."

Kaito said: "Purpose."

Orion said: "To find the weak points. To test the seals."

Kaito said: "They found them."

Orion said: "Yes. That is why the intervals are shortening."

Kaito felt the weight of the information. It was heavy. It changed everything.

Kaito said: "You want a contract."

Orion said: "I do not want a master. I want a partner."

Kaito said: "Difference."

Orion said: "A master gives orders. A partner shares the hunt."

Kaito said: "I hunt alone."

Orion said: "You are failing."

Kaito did not argue. The numbers in the notebook proved it. The cracks were opening faster. He was tired.

Kaito said: "Terms."

Orion said: "I join the deck. I track. I shoot. You seal. We split the lore."

Kaito said: "Lore."

Orion said: "I know where they come from. I know where they go. You need that."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Orion held out his hand. A card formed. It was brown. It had a target symbol on the face.

Orion said: "Take it."

Kaito took the card. It was warm. It vibrated. It felt like a heartbeat.

Kaito put it in the deck. He slid it next to Sakura.

Orion faded. He became the card. The card settled in the pocket.

Kuro said: "He is useful."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Kuro said: "He is arrogant."

Kaito said: "He is right."

Kaito turned. He walked out of the alley. The rain was lighter now. The street was quiet.

He checked his phone. One message.

Jin said: "Pattern updated?"

Kaito said: "Yes."

Jin said: "Send data."

Kaito said: "Later."

He put the phone away. He started walking home. The cards were heavy in his pocket. Sixteen now.

He thought: Fifty scouts.

He thought: They are mapping us.

He thought: They know where the seals are weak.

He reached his building. He climbed the stairs. He unlocked the door.

The apartment was dark. He turned on the light. He took off his jacket.

He laid the deck on the table. He spread the cards. He counted them.

Sixteen.

He picked up the new one. Orion. The target symbol glowed faintly.

Kaito said: "Report."

Orion said: "The scouts are returning."

Kaito said: "Where."

Orion said: "To the center. To the school."

Kaito froze. His hand stopped over the cards.

Kaito said: "Kurenai Academy."

Orion said: "Yes."

Kaito said: "When."

Orion said: "Three days. Maybe less."

Kaito thought: Hana is there.

Kaito thought: Ryota is there.

Kaito thought: Jin is there.

Kaito said: "Why the school."

Orion said: "There is a ley line under the foundation. It amplifies the cracks."

Kaito said: "They know."

Orion said: "They know."

Kaito gathered the cards. He put them in the deck. He put the deck in the pocket.

He walked to the window. He looked out. The city was dark. The school was visible in the distance.

It was quiet. It looked safe.

Kaito thought: It is not.

He thought: I have three days.

He thought: I have to move them.

He thought: They will not leave.

His phone buzzed again. He picked it up.

Hana said: "You home?"

Kaito said: "Yes."

Hana said: "Safe?"

Kaito said: "Yes."

Hana said: "Good. Sleep."

Kaito put the phone down. He did not tell her. He did not tell anyone.

He stood at the window. The rain stopped. The clouds broke. The moon came out.

Kuro said: "You are planning something stupid."

Kaito said: "I am planning something necessary."

Kuro said: "They are civilians."

Kaito said: "They are targets."

Kuro said: "You cannot fight fifty scouts alone."

Kaito said: "I have sixteen cards."

Kuro said: "It is not enough."

Kaito said: "It has to be."

He turned away from the window. He walked to the desk. He opened the notebook.

He turned to the latest page. He wrote: Day 51.

He wrote: Orion joined.

He wrote: Target: School.

He put the pen down. He stared at the words.

The ink was wet. It reflected the light.

Kaito thought: Three days.

He thought: I will be ready.

He closed the notebook. He turned off the light. The room went dark.

He sat on the edge of the bed. He listened to the city.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

Kaito said: "Orion."

Orion said: "Yes."

Kaito said: "Track them."

Orion said: "Always."

Kaito lay down. He closed his eyes. He did not sleep.

He waited for the sun. He waited for the count to drop.

Three days.

Seventy two hours.

Four thousand minutes.

He would count every one.

The cards hummed in the dark. They were ready.

Kaito was not.

He would be.

Morning would come. School would start. Hana would smile.

Kaito would watch the doors. He would watch the windows.

He would wait for the scouts.

He would kill them all.

Before they could report back.

Before they could open the gate.

Before they could hurt them.

He closed his eyes.

Sleep did not come.

The hunt had begun.