Prolouge

The shadow had no plan. Since the sun had set he’d gone about different play by plays with ideas running a marathon in his brain. There was no easy way to kidnap somebody. In difficult situations, he had found that no plan was often better than an intricate blueprint. His flying skills were rusty, but this wasn’t a race. Sure, the fate of his homeland depended on him- patience was a lesson worth learning for most.

“Here’s the deal, Reaper.” Flash always began missions with the same catch phrase. It had always been ‘here’s the deal’ when it really came down to business. With Flash it was always time for business – never too late or too early to earn a living.

Reaper’s superior scratched the side of his nose and snapped his fingers. “Hey, listen.”

“I am.”

“Okay, these people are loaded and sit really high with the Emperor.” Flash’s eyes shifted, as if he suspected some unwelcome ears were listening.

“Continue already,” Reaper barked. “I thought they called you Flash. We haven’t got all night.”

To this, the shorter and slightly older young man rolled his eyes. “I am Flash. These rich folks, they have a safe in their attic. They also happen to know more about us than they should. The mister of the family is an Officer and apparently has been spying on us. Which probably hasn’t been hard considering how sloppy you and Kloute have been recently.”

Reaper glared at the thought of being compared to Kloute. A bag of oats being compared to Kloute was understandable. Anything else was just insulting. The bag of oats may even be insulted after such a statement. Not worth the effort of bringing it up to Flash.

Reaper was nearly through with this whole shah-bang. He found it sickening being told what to do, especially by Flash. It was humiliating being pushed around by someone he grew up with.

“What’s the job?” Reaper asked, growing impatient with his childhood friend.

“The boss wants you to climb up the railing to the attic of their house, pick their safe open, and get back down. Basically, just do your thing. I, on the other hand, am going to set fire to their little library, where Daunch keeps his investigation files.” Flash grinned as he lit a match and watched it burn to nothing with perverse pleasure.

The grin reminded Reaper of a squash carving. He could tell detailed stories of how his friend had lost each tooth. It gave him some satisfaction to recall he had knocked one out himself after Flash ruffled his feathers the wrong way.

“Easy, right?” Flash snorted, reminding Reaper it didn’t take much for his friend to irk him. Reaper bit his lip until it started to bleed, staring cold and hard at the pumpkin face. “What? Don’t you play your ice-stare card with me. I’m on to it. Let’s get movin’. Mica said she had something special planned for me tonight.”

Reaper did nothing.

“I said get your ass in gear.”

“No.”

Flash’s lips thinned for a moment, but he soon began to laugh. It was an abrupt laugh, like one of a Doberman dog on a chain three feet too short. “Funny.” He gave Reaper a shove, looking more serious. “Let’s go.”

“I said no.”

“What the hell is wrong with you? You goin’ soft on me?”

“Look. There are more important things. There’s a little kid in that house, I saw him when I was making rounds earlier. What’s that kid gonna do after we burn his house down? I could go in there, steal his dad’s life savings. I do it everyday, big deal.”

“It’s not a big deal. That’s just it. You’re the one who decided to be a Blade, buddy.”

“You say I’m standing for independence as a Blade, but I’m not.” His throat stung with each word that slipped out of his mouth. “I’m just taking orders from some fat guy who happens to think we’re ‘talented’ enough for him to pay us. I have more independence on my own. I quit.” He glared at his old friend for one more moment and slowly walked away.

Each step was like a challenge for Flash to follow, argue, pull out his blade and throw it at him. Flash did nothing but light another match and gaze at the fire with distant eyes.

Years ago the shadow would have scoffed at working for the Emperor, but now he took whatever job he could take. Royalty paid more than he would ever earn doing a simple job for the Blades. He didn’t know why he never realized that before but figured being older and wiser had something to do with it.

How strange the lights were here. They were white and not the dim rusted color he was accustomed to. There were so many of them. And bizarre moving things, zooming at speeds he’d never seen things on wheels reach before.

They didn’t use Dust.

All of the houses looked the same.

At first he assumed it was the night darkness that made the dwellings appear similar, but once the sun had risen there was little difference.

The shadowed figure twirled a spiral notebook in his hand. He didn’t envy its original owner. No, not in the least bit. Tonight was the night. It was time to find the Crescent and see once and for all what the big deal really was.