Shadows of Redemption

Arthur's home was the complete opposite of Theo’s, Elena noticed. Theo’s home had been sparsely furnished, with simple and practical items. It had given off an air of abandonment, like a place that was merely occupied, without ever being lived in.

Arthurs estate, by contrast, was a museum. Old, ornate furniture dominated every space, exuding a sense of history and grandeur. Ancient pottery, bones and artwork was displayed throughout the rooms with the kind of reverence reserved for sacred relics. Elena even spotted photographs of Arthur with groups of students, likely taken during excavation trips, a reminder that he wasn’t just pretending to be an archaeologist—he truly was one.

She drifted toward a glass cabinet filled with artifacts, her fingers hovering over the cool surface as she peered inside.

“Do you see anything interesting?” Arthur’s voice broke through her thoughts. Elena turned to find him standing in the doorway, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his coat.

"Hi, I was just admiring your collection."

Arthur offered a small smile. "It’s good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"

Elena hesitated, offering a faint smile in return. "I’m... okay. Just a little overwhelmed, to be honest."

Arthur nodded knowingly. "Yes, I imagine discovering... all of this can feel like a lot to take in."

She glanced away, gathering her thoughts. "Dr.Grey, thank you for everything. I don’t know what would’ve happened if—"

Arthur waved away her thanks. “Please, call me Arthur, and there’s no need to thank me. It’s no trouble to have you here, and it was Theo who watched over you until you were well.”

Elena's chest tightened at the mention of Theo, their earlier confrontation still fresh in her mind. She could almost feel the echo of his touch, the intensity in his gaze that had left her both unsettled and wanting.

Arthur seemed to notice the change in her expression, his brows knitting together with a subtle curiosity. He paused as if waiting for her to speak, but when she remained silent, he took a step closer, his tone shifting to something more gentle. “I know Theo can be... difficult at times but he means well.”

Elena hesitating for a moment before asking. “ Arthur, how did you and Theo actually meet?” She tried to keep her tone casual, but there was an undercurrent of genuine curiosity and a desire to understand the man who had become so entangled in her life.

Arthur’s expression grew distant, a shadow crossing his face before he turned to a faded tapestry on the wall. “I met Theo when he was at a very dark point in his life,” he said, his voice quiet with the weight of memory. “He had lost everything that mattered to him, and he had no one left to turn to. I was rather in a dark place myself and I suppose, in a way, I needed someone too. We helped each other get through a difficult time.”

Elena’s brow furrowed as she studied Arthur’s face, trying to piece together the history that lay hidden beneath his words. “What happened to him?”

Arthur hesitated, his gaze never leaving the tapestry’s intricate patterns. “Those aren’t my stories to tell, Elena,” he replied softly. “What I can say is that Theo’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. He’s carried more than his share of burdens.”

Before Elena could press further, she felt a soft pressure against her leg. She glanced down and found herself looking into a pair of familiar eyes.

“Charlie!” she gasped, surprise lighting up her voice.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she bent down to scoop the black cat into her arms. The tightness in her chest seemed to ease slightly as he purred, pressing his warm body against her, his nuzzling bringing a moment of comfort amidst the turmoil.

“Looks like someone missed you,” Arthur remarked with a small smile, his voice lighter than before.

Elena’s laugh came out as a soft exhale. “Yeah, I think he did.” She glanced out the large windows that overlooked the estate’s courtyard, her gaze drawn to the shifting shadows of the evening.

Arthur followed her gaze to the window, his expression turning thoughtful as they looked outside together. Through the dimming light, two figures emerged from the far end of the courtyard, their shapes familiar even at a distance. Elena’s grip on Charlie tightened slightly, her breath catching as she recognized the figures. Theo and her brother, David, approached the entrance side by side.

David’s pace quickened as he spotted Elena and Arthur waiting at the front door. His expression, a mix of relief and worry, softened as he came closer. “Elena, thank God you’re safe!” he called out, his voice rough with emotion.

For a moment, Elena thought David might pull her into an embrace, but he stopped short, looking slightly on edge, as if uncertain whether to cross that invisible line between them. His hands hovered near his sides, the urge to reach out evident, but he held back, respect for their distance tempering his relief.

Elena blinked, caught off guard by his presence. “David, what are you doing here?” she asked, still processing the sight of her brother on Arthur’s doorstep, alongside Theo of all people.

David met her questioning gaze, and for a moment, a flash of vulnerability crossed his face before he quickly masked it. “I was looking for you. Emily and I were worried something might have happened to you. I ran into your... friend here at your apartment.” His eyes shifted toward Theo.

Elena’s cheeks flushed at the unspoken implications, and she glanced at Theo before responding. “You didn’t have to come looking for me, David. I was—”

“I did have to,” David interrupted, his tone sharp. “You disappeared, Elena. No calls, no messages. What was I supposed to think?”

Elena crossed her arms, an edge slipping into her voice as she met David’s gaze. “Oh, so you don’t like it when someone just up and disappears on you, huh?” The words were meant as a playful jab, but a trace of pain lingered beneath them, cutting through her attempt at levity.

David’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair, clearly thrown off balance by her words. His expression softened for a moment, regret flashing in his eyes. Before the silence could deepen into something more uncomfortable, Theo cleared his throat, stepping between them, his presence a deliberate interruption.

“Arthur,” he said, drawing the attention back to the matter at hand. “This is David Carter, Senior Field Officer of the Watchers... and Elena’s brother.”

Arthur’s gaze sharpened with interest as he studied David, a thoughtful glimmer in his eyes. He extended a hand, his movements precise and polite, like a man well-versed in diplomacy. “David, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard of the Watchers, though I never expected to encounter one.”

David hesitated for a beat, then took Arthur’s hand, his grip steady and firm. “The pleasure’s mine. Though I didn’t expect to find my sister caught up in... whatever this is, either.”

Arthur led the way down a long corridor, guiding them to a large room with a long wooden

table placed in the center. He motioned for them to take a seat, settling himself at the head of the table. The air in the room felt heavy with unspoken questions, a tension that crackled between the four of them like an electric current. For a long moment, no one spoke.

It was Arthur who finally broke the silence. “David, you mentioned that you’re with the Watchers. It’s a name I’ve come across in ancient texts, but all I’ve found is that they were a group of human priests who vanished centuries ago. Who are the Watchers, truly?”

David took a deep breath, his gaze dropping to the table as if gathering his thoughts. When he spoke, his voice carried the gravity of a history long kept hidden. “The Watchers were once a group of priests, but they were much more than that. The original order was small and made up of only the descendants of the creator.”

“How is that possible?” Elena cut in. “ The creator’s son was killed. He never had children.”

“No, the first son did not, but the second son did. Few people know this, but there are ancient scripts that mention a second son - a brother. While the first son went on to sacrifice himself for the good of mankind, his brother was fated to have a family. It is from this second son that the original Watchers descended from. It’s from this bloodline that we descend from Elena.”

Elena took a long moment to take that in but she could see from Arthur and Theo’s faces that this was not news to them.

“The order was tasked with protecting certain... divine objects,” David began, his tone grave. “Among them, one stood out—a stone tome, said to be a key of sorts, capable of opening different realms, including the Creator’s kingdom.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed, leaning forward with intense interest. “And what became of it?”

David’s expression darkened. “The temptation to unlock the Creator’s realm was too much for some. A group of priests attempted the ritual in secret, hoping to find paradise. But instead of a gateway to the Creator’s kingdom, they opened a realm of darkness. When their actions were discovered, the tome was shattered, its pieces hidden away. But it was already too late. The darkness that seeped out corrupted those who had tampered with it, transforming them into the shadow creatures you’ve encountered. We call them Noctarchs.”

Arthur’s expression turned grim as David continued. “The Noctarchs hunted down the remaining Watchers, forcing the order into hiding. We’ve remained in the shadows ever since, trying to prevent the spread of that darkness while keeping the artifacts safe from those who would misuse them.”

“So, these, Noctarchs are after me because I have a part of this key?” Elena asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“Yes,” David confirmed, his expression earnest. “But don’t worry, I can take the artifact to my regional commander and place you under our protection.”

Arthur went tense and the room grew colder then, something heavy and suffocating seeming to press down on them.

“Arthur,” Theo murmured, as if in reminder. The heaviness lifted almost immediately.

“Thank you for the offer, David,” Arthur replied, “but I think the artifact may be safer with us. There is a vampire hunting for it, and I don’t think the Watchers will be able to deal with him.”

David bristled, his jaw tightening. “We can handle ourselves just fine. Besides, I still have to take the artifact. I wouldn’t want anyone to accidentally bond with it.”

“What do you mean, bond with it?” Theo asked, his voice sharp with sudden interest.

David hesitated, glancing between them. “These divine artifacts can bond with their users—usually through the use of blood. Once that happens, it only responds to that person.”

Theo’s face paled. “Is there a way to undo the bond?”

David’s eyes turned grim. “Yes. You kill the person it’s bonded to.”

Theo stiffened, his expression stricken. Arthur closed his eyes, a shadow crossing his face.

“Which one of you has bonded to it?” David demanded slowly, his tone turning icy.

Silence fell over the room and Elena’s insides twisted. She could feel what was coming before anyone even spoke.

“Elena…” Theo began, his voice strained, a tremor betraying the struggle within him. “There’s something you need to know. About the artifact... and what happened on the hill.”

Elena frowned, confusion tightening her features as she met his gaze. “What do you mean?”

Theo swallowed hard, looking down at his hands. “After... after you passed out, I went to retrieve the artifact. I didn’t realize that I had your blood on me, and when it touched the artifact, something... changed. It reacted to your blood, glowed—like it recognized you. And then it burned me.”

The words took a moment to settle in, like a heavy stone sinking into deep water. “What... what are you saying, Theo?” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Theo hesitated, struggling to find the right words. “You’re bonded to it, Elena. The artifact—it’s connected to you now, through your blood. I am so sorry.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep her thoughts from spinning out of control. She swallowed hard, fighting back the sting of tears that threatened to break free. She knew what this meant.

“ Excuse me. I need some air.” she managed, her voice tight. Before anyone could respond, she stood from her seat and slipped out of the room, she could hear their urgent whispers as she went.

The cold air hit her as she stepped onto the porch, and she inhaled deeply, letting the chill bite into her lungs. She gripped the railing with trembling hands, her knuckles turning white as she tried to steady herself. A few tears slipped free, trailing hot and unwelcome down her cheeks.

Why was this happening? She wasn’t meant for this—this strange, otherworldly path that had been thrust upon her. Anger bubbled up alongside the fear—anger at herself for ever finding the artifact, for ever getting involved. Anger at Theo for keeping this from her, even if he hadn’t meant to.

But as the anger simmered, it couldn’t hold back the sorrow that followed, a deep ache that she couldn’t quite name. She pressed a hand over her mouth, stifling the sob that tried to claw its way out. The tears came in slow, quiet streams, slipping past her control, a release she hadn’t realized she needed.

She took another breath, trying to gather the strength she knew she would need when she walked back inside. But for now, she allowed herself these few moments of weakness, letting the cool night air wash over her as she whispered, “Why me?” to the uncaring darkness.