Chapter Eight

Vito's father had been a strong believer in the power of family, so Vito waited to discuss it at family dinner before he came to a decision. As Vito expected, Bekah was way more alarmed than Jekio when he revealed the alleged plot. In fact, Jekio seemed weirdly fascinated with the aspect of a war on the horizon. The thought of the Crimson Tides ruled by Jekio was truly a terrifying thought.

"How can someone be so arrogant to think they could conquer and maintain leadership over the entire row?" Bekah asked with a note of disbelief.

Vito shrugged. "From how he was described, he seems to have a God complex. One district isn't enough for a heavenly kingdom, it seems."

"And how are we sure we can even trust this Kaida's word? She could be the mastermind herself, looking to use this Lafon figure as a distraction to attack our turned backs with her specialized unit. Her timing is very convenient after all."

Hades nodded from next to Vito. "It's a possibility too detrimental to ignore."

Vito thought of Kaida, with her youthful face yet interrogative eyes and the passion with which she spoke of the rebellion and their efforts. "I don't think that's the case. Of course, we should keep an eye on them, but we should approach this Lafon fellow as the real deal."

Bekah rolled her eyes. "Another one of your feelings? Back in the day, you were the overanalytic one, searching for each consequence or chance of failure with a strictly pessimistic attitude that the worst may happen. That's what made you so good at games - exploring every possibility."

"The stakes are higher now; this is no longer a card game," Vito said. "To take no risk is to be stagnant, and the vulnerability that creates makes it the most risky of all."

Jekio sighed loudly. He'd been quiet because he was stuffing his mouth with his third helping of mashed potatoes, but the plate was once again empty. "Now you've upgraded from reciting father's quotes to creating your own."

The room went quiet after that. Even Jekio looked like he regretted the words that had come tumbling out of his mouth before he could constrain his tongue. A side effect of drowning in alcohol earlier, Vito presumed.

Thankfully, Hades was there to break the awkward silence. "Do you already have Kaida under surveillance?" he asked. Vito could tell he was unaccustomed to being kept out of the loop and Vito felt a slight pang of guilt.

"I do," Vito said with a nod. "I also asked Millard to notify me of any arriving peculiar characters, whether they have sufficient paperwork or not. Though if Kaida was planning to smuggle in people, she'd likely have done it before she made contact with me."

"Also, I think it's important that you remember Zliksay hinted at outside interest long before this revelation," Hades added.

Vito had indeed forgotten, given the string of events keeping his mind occupied since then. It was intriguing to consider how Zliksay could have known.

"He could've been referring to this Kaida girl. If I remember correctly, he was very vague on what exactly this outside interest might be," Bekah said.

"True," Vito replied. "Perhaps a visit back to his castle should be added to the schedule at some point."

"Don't leave me behind this time," Jekio said with a wide grin. "I've always wanted to brawl a werewolf."

Vito chose to ignore his comment rather than point out the stupidity of that wish. "So...we all agree that allowing the rest of this rebellion into our midst tomorrow is the correct course of action?"

Jekio nodded, and Bekah took a couple of seconds before nodding, albeit stiffly. "I hope this feeling of yours that you find so reliable doesn't get you killed, Vito," she said.

"It hasn't failed me yet."

"Hopefully it stays that way," Hades offered.

A few minutes later, both of his siblings had left the dining hall. Jekio was like going on a night expedition at the casino or one of the many places that offered alcohol, and Bekah would probably be in her room, reading one of those romance books she loved so much.

"I'm ready, Hades," Vito announced quietly. Hades cast a questioning look his way but waited for him to finish. "The armory."

Hades adjusted his glasses, and the shadow of a smile decorated his face. "Are you positive?"

Vito didn't bother putting on a tough act, instead, he shrugged. "I figure I don't have much choice. My father dedicated a large portion of his life to doing his part to ensure no district war happened, as did the bosses before him. It's my responsibility to do the same, and that'll mean potentially dirtying my hands with more than relatively harmless shapeshifters."

"Very true." Hades stood, clasping his hands behind his back as he usually did. With his spotless suit and dignified demeanor, the gargoyle looked like a five-star waiter waiting to serve. "For what it's worth, Vito, I think you're doing a great job stepping up and taking over your father's vacancy, given the circumstances."

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For just a split second, Vito allowed himself to be a kid again, and for Hades to be the godfather figure who played a vital role in raising him. He imagined that he was praising him for something as simple as winning his first card game or shooting down his first pigeon from the sky. It was a freeing feeling, lifting a weight from his shoulders that he hadn't even realized was there until now.

It was also a dangerous feeling.

One that was so intoxicating, responsibilities started to feel like they could function as background noise, and the pleasure of being free was made to be at the forefront.

He erased the smile that had materialized. He couldn't disrespect his father's memory like that. Not when a war was potentially brewing.

Vito stood, retrieving his suit jacket from its perch on his chair and pulled it on with purpose. "We'd better get going then."

The armory had been the favorite place of Vito's father, hence his avoidance of the room until now. It was located in an underground bunker under the manor and Vito had only been inside the room once in his lifetime.

He felt a sudden warmth as memories came flooding back and threatened to overwhelm him as he walked down winding stairs behind a sure-footed Hades. Finally, they reached the floor,

The room was lined with gleaming white walls that might've reminded an escapee of a mental asylum. There were no markings, wallpaper, or paintings defacing these walls that locked in rows of agents of violence inside. Instead, there were shelves as far as the eye could see, almost reaching the roof like some sort of long-lost historic library - only there weren't books inhabiting these shelves, but various weapons.

The first few meters down the path split in between the shelves revealed modern weaponry. Some would be unidentifiable even to the most educated gun enthusiasts because there were prototypes that shot out energy beams, rather than actual bullets. They were mostly works in progress, but that didn't mean they couldn't cause serious damage.

Deeper down the path came weapons of the more medieval variety: swords, maces, spears, and these happened to be the real treasures of the armory. They weren't simple antiques to symbolize a time gone by, but functional weapons with rare traits. Some were even legendary weapons, surrounded by replicas that didn't quite live up to the original's standards. These legendary weapons were thought to be weapons enchanted by a divine figure so that the human race wouldn't be extinguished by the supernatural.

One such legendary weapon was the sword of Arifueta, which allowed for the user to trap souls in the scabbard, at the risk of corrupting the soul of the wielder. Frankly, Vito thought that only a corrupted soul would make a habit of capturing the souls of mortals.

If people knew the sheer destructive force that was down here, they'd probably think that the Crimson Tides were the ones preparing to start a district war.

However, this was all far from Vito's mind at the moment. He passed through row and row of weaponry and felt a cold numbness enveloping his skin, not because of the tools of murder in front of him, but he felt like he could almost taste his father's presence.

This had been his sanctuary - not because he was some military enthusiast - but because it was the most secure place in the entire district. A place where he wouldn't be disturbed and the noise that accompanied the Boss couldn't penetrate. Only Hades was allowed to accompany him during these hours that he went missing.

"What did he do here?" Vito asked finally, his voice hoarse with emotion.

"Train mostly," Hades responded with a sigh. "Not with these weapons, that wasn't his style. He'd exercise within these walls, a way to clear his mind, he said. Then he'd ask me to tell the story of the weapons he chose at random and ask me to demonstrate how they were used."

"I thought he just came here to sleep without mother and us nagging him," Vito commented.

Hades chuckled. "Hm. He was never the idle type."

Vito looked up at the white roof and imagined his father staring at it as he did a set of sit-ups. "What do you think he'd do right now...if he were still here and was the one facing this Lafon business?"

"Something rash; perhaps along the lines of sending a note to Lafon's front door warning him that he was coming to get him and to repent. Sometimes it felt like he was trying to make situations harder than they need be, if only to feel more fulfilled when he prevailed."

Vito smiled. "You're as blunt as ever."

"I'm not finished. Events would then happen that made me realize it was some sort of psychological tactic to get into Lafon's head, using some personality trait or weakness against him, which contributed to making some elaborate trap easier." As he talked, Hades smiled warmly, his eyes unfocused as he likely recalled multiple moments like it. "If you're asking for advice, I'd say you were chosen as his successor in his will for a reason; you have the same ability to use your head as the most dangerous weapon amid conflict. So don't think of what your dear father would do, trust in your own abilities to create victory, or be content with your effort in the sting of failure."

"How can I be content if I fail?" Vito asked with a frown. "Everyone I'm responsible for will suffer if I do."

"To succeed means opening the door to failure. You can't fear it, just like you can't fear death in a swordfight and hope to perform at the best of your abilities. You must understand that one failure will not spell the end of our people, as long as you showcase the resilience you expect from them. Allow yourself to feel the weight of failure and lift it with your will to succeed. That is what a leader does."

Vito nodded, feeling the wisdom of the man's words. "I'll try my best."

"That's all that can be asked."

Vito walked over to his target at the very end of the armory. The last shelf was not filled with weapons, but rather various articles of armor. He picked up the Aegis armor and caressed the light, gritty fabric with hesitant hands. He had promised Bekah he'd wear the armor and had meant it, but when the time came, he couldn't bear to commit to the act.

His father had never needed the protection of such armor. He was massive, with matching combat skills that almost overshadowed his great reputation. That was the only representation of a leader Vito knew of, but it was time for him to admit that was not him, and perhaps that would be okay.

Still, he couldn't hope to stay within his previous limitations. Before, Vito had clung to guns because it was the most impersonal act of murder that allowed him to delude himself that it was somehow less gruesome and inhumane, but the time for such immature justifications was well past.

Vito eyed the various weapons, thinking not only of their visual appeal but also the probability he could handle them well in the heat of battle. Finally, his eyes landed on a rapier.

He pointed at the sleek rapier with a crimson red jagged blade. "Tell me about this weapon."