The Moros Murders

Medea

I’d arranged for us to meet at the old docks. Them being abandoned made them the perfect place for a private meeting. In my message, I’d spoken as though I might have changed my mind about his proposal. I hadn’t, but I knew that would get him there, hopefully without company. I made my way to the end of the pier and rested my arms on the bannister at the end. Shockingly it held as I lent my weight against it.

They call this place the graveyard because fifty years ago, a fire had scorched the entire place killing hundreds and destroying tons of boats. There was too much damage to rebuild so they moved the docks to the middle side of polar city. The fire was long over, yet the air here was thick, not stale, with the smell of wet wood and burnt soil. There was an ever-lingering taste of ash and charcoal on the tongue. People may have begun to forget what had happened here, but the docks never would.

A salty sea breeze whistled through the dry wooden hulls like a ghostly, mournful song of death, never stopping. Now the once bustling docks were lifeless and cold, every so often, the silence of desertion was broken by the creaking and cracking of wood, the groaning of old boats slowly being destroyed by the salt air. The ships loomed around me like shadows grabbing for their castor. Some ships had hulls of pumice stone, blackened by fire, others were skeletons of muted greys, an oxidised ash in the night.

I clenched my fist the second I heard footsteps on the battered wooden slats of the docks. I didn’t turn to look at him. I couldn’t sense anyone else, to my surprise Tarin was alone. I stood at the end of the peer, leaning over the bannister, watching the waves. Cassius was in raven form atop the mast of a broken ship. Yes, I said raven form. He’d informed me after I’d sprung him from the ball that he was a class A shifter. It was the first time I’d ever met another class A before. Perhaps that was why I couldn’t kill him.

“You wanted to see me?” Tarin asked smugly, imitating my stance and leaning on the bannister next to me.

“I’ve been thinking about your offer,” I said, not moving or turning to look at him.

“You’ve changed your mind?” he asked.

I turned and looked him in the eyes, “How did you know that my parents were assassinated?”

“What?” He looked a little taken aback.

“You said that you’d help me find the assassin, I never told you they were assassinated, I never told anyone. Other than the people involved, I was the only one who knew.” I was cornering him with words, and I’m sure he gathered that I suspected him. He probably thought that he could convince me that he was innocent.

“What are you insinuating Medea?” he questioned me with a scowl.

“I know what you did Tarin,” I said matter of factly.

“I know you’re upset about your family, but I’m not just anyone, you can’t just go making accusations,” he said as if I was joking.

“It’s not an accusation if it’s true Tarin, It’s just a fact,” I stated.

“You know Medea, everyone said that you’re nuts, but I always stuck up for you because I care about you. Maybe they were right.” Tarin spoke.

“People with power and a respected family name often think they’re untouchable. No one’s untouchable Tarin, no matter how much power you have, there will always be someone with more. Powerful people are well protected, but nothing lasts forever. One day they might find themselves alone, without their high walls to keep out the danger, without their guards to take the bullets. You’d be surprised how often powerful people find themselves alone. Inside their houses they think they’re safe, but getting in is the easy part. You see assassins like the one you hired to kill my family, have no problem getting inside manors and palaces. A guild like the Syndicate runs the underworld because of reputation. If they’re hired to kill someone, that someone dies. Wealth and power cannot protect you from assassins like Sicarius. That’s his code name isn’t it? His real name’s Cassius, you can say hello to him Tarin. He’s around here somewhere. You see Tarin, I win.”

Tarin looked around anxiously before bursting into a fit of laughter. “I knew you were good, Medea. But I have to say, I underestimated you. I know you think that you’ve won, but you’ll never beat me. Not even with Cass’ help, you two are no match for me.” His hands began to glow, smoke came off of them and the air seemed to stifle. He turned towards me, his amber eyes glowing red hot. “I can melt diamonds, imagine what I could do to you.”

I didn’t flinch at Tarin’s threat. Instead, I took a step closer to him, my deep cocoa eyes fixed on his. “You may have the power to melt diamonds, but you don’t have the power to intimidate me,” I said calmly. “I’ve been through worse than you can imagine, and I’m still standing. You can’t break me, Tarin, no matter how hard you try.”

Tarin’s face twisted with rage. “You think you’re so tough, don’t you?” he spat. “But you’re just a weak little girl. You’re nothing compared to me.”

I didn’t respond, how could I have put up with this misogynistic prick since I was a kid? Rage coursed through my veins as I stared at him. I was seething with anger; my fists were clenched so tightly that the muscles in my arms trembled. He thought he could get away with this, but he had no idea who he was dealing with. I would make him pay for what he had done. My entire family was dead because of his petulant tantrum and there was no way I was going to let him get away with it, even if it cost me my life.

“I’m going to end you Tarin. You went too far. I don’t often say that people deserve to die, but you old friend, you do.” I spoke sternly, indifferent to the fact that I was about to kill someone I had been friends with since childhood.

Tarin’s hands began to glow brighter, the smoke rising higher as his anger built. “You’re going to regret ever crossing me,” he growled.

Tarin roared fiercely as he unleashed a torrent of molten lava towards me. I scrambled out of the way with just seconds to spare, feeling its scorching heat searing my skin. I was unable to get any closer, a scorching heat like no other radiated from Tarin’s form.

I decided to try to find a way to get him into the water. My weapons wouldn’t be of much use, they would sizzle and melt away like snowflakes in the sun the moment they touched him.

I glanced around and spotted an antiquated pulley system atop some corroded metal beams, suspended a few metres above the docks. A large container, covered in a patina of rust, swayed gently from the fraying rope.

I dodged another one of his attacks and in a single motion, I pulled my knife from the sheath at my belt and hurled it expertly at the rope suspending the heavy cargo container above him. The blade sliced through the fibres just as Tarin went to throw another lava stream, and the box crashed down on him with a deafening thud.

For a moment, there was nothing. After a harrowing silence, a sudden, searing heat filled the air as the metal of the container began to glow red hot and warp, melting. The docks shook as liquid metal spilled everywhere, crystallising into strange shapes. Once the steam had cleared, where the container had fallen, stood Tarin, not a scratch on him. Fury emanated from his tense body.

I stared at him in horror, unable to comprehend how he had survived the impact of the container. The ground around him was still bubbling, the metal of the container having melted on impact with Tarin. He advanced towards me, his hands still glowing with an intense heat.

“You can’t kill me, Medea,” he hissed, his eyes fixed on me. “No matter how hard you try, I’ll always come out on top.”

I shook my head, refusing to believe him. “You’re wrong, Tarin. You’re not the only rogue in Polaris. And you’re forgetting something, I didn’t come alone,” I said, my voice firm.

Tarin didn’t respond. Instead, he flicked his wrist and flames erupted from his fingertips, shooting towards me like a deadly missile. I dodged and weaved, barely avoiding the flames as they licked at my skin. I could feel the heat from Tarin’s attack, the air around us shimmering with its intensity.

As he prepared to launch another molten ball of fire, an ear-splitting scream ripped through the air. Too quick for the human eye to catch, a great black dragon appeared out of nowhere at breakneck speed. It released a bolt of emerald energy with incredible force that sent Tarin flailing off his feet. The dragon disappeared in a blur before my eyes. When Tarin had been knocked off his feet, he’d lost focus and was temporarily his usual self again. This was my only opportunity – I had to act.

I took a deep breath and charged towards him, parkouring across the molten wreckage, my heart was pounding in my chest. Tarin regained his footing and turned to face me. But I was ready for him. I used a block as leverage to gain air as I jumped and kicked him in the chest. I landed on my side and quickly leaped up and slashed him across his stomach with my knife.

Before I could hurt him more, he seemed to regain his focus and heated up again. I backed off, putting distance between us, dodging his attacks.

“You’re not as invincible as you think you are!” I yelled, my hands clamped tightly around my dagger. “You can’t even control your own power. You’re a danger to everyone around you!”

Tarin’s eyes blazed with anger as we circled each other waiting for someone to make the next move. “I won’t let you kill me, Medea!” he snarled, his hands beginning to glow again.

I laughed maniacally before regaining my composure. “You don’t have a choice,” I said calmly, my tone even despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. “You killed my family, Tarin. You’ve crossed a line that can’t be uncrossed, and you’re gonna pay for it.”

Again the dragon descended with a furious shriek, sending Tarin reeling with an almighty crash before he could even twitch. I leapt into action, giving Tarin no time to recuperate and retaliate. But when his wrathful gaze fell back upon me, he raged in fury and spat out fire that lit up the sky, it was liquid lava. The red-hot liquid showered down on the docks and me, hellbent on incinerating all in its wake.

As the lava streamed towards me, I heard a sharp screech and saw the black dragon soar through the air. Its massive wings spread out to embrace me as it descended, rolling us into the cool depths of the ocean. The dragons glowing green eyes pierced the darkness like burning emeralds allowing me to see a familiar scar on its neck - one I’d seen on Cassius before. At that moment, my life was safe from the scorching river of fire.

“Cass?” I asked softly. He was smaller than I’d expected, with sleek black scales that glimmered against the light of his wide eyes that sparkled with curiosity. He didn’t want to hurt me; in fact, there was almost a certain innocence in his expression that made him seem almost...cute.

The dragon didn’t answer but he tilted his head sideways, like a dog cocking its head. It was a sweet gesture that made the dangerous creature seem harmless. He tightened his grip on me before leaping from the water. The docks were stifling, pungent heat radiated from the scorched wood and cooled volcanic rocks that littered them. Despite their charred state, they still stood strong, a testament to their durability. Cass held me by my arms and placed me gently on the docks before making himself scarce.

Tarin slowly turned his gaze towards me, and I could see the anger in his eyes. He surveyed my battered body, taking in every inch of my injuries. “Why won’t you just die?” His voice was filled with a palpable rage, like a hurricane brewing on the horizon. In an instant, he flung molten lava at me with all the force he could muster. Instinctively, I dodged his attack, barely escaping unscathed.

As we were about to take another step forward, a thundering voice pierced the air. “Stop!” It was like icy daggers slicing through us as we both spun around to see Katia Toran standing in the shadows. As she stepped into the light, her face glazed with burning rage. Every word that followed should’ve felt like a blade against Tarin’s skin, if he wasn’t a complete psychopath that is. “You’ve gone too far this time, Tarin.”

I noticed that she wasn’t alone, Danny followed behind her clad in a brown leather jacket with some sort of makeshift axe weapon strapped to his back.

“Oh come on Katia, how long have we known each other?” Tarin complained, irritated by the inconvenience.

“Not much longer than I’ve known Medea,” Katia replied with her best reasoning voice.

“Yes, but she’s one of them, filth,” he spat.

“If I remember correctly, Tarin, you wanted to marry that ‘filth’,” Katia said.

“You’re going to side with them over me?” he asked incredulously.

“Of course she’s gonna side with them, Tarin, you’re a complete psychopath,” Danny interrupted, with a surprising level of valour.

Tarin glared at him, “O’Reilly? Don’t you have drugs to score or something?” Danny scoffed and Tarin smiled but before he could snap back, Katia spoke up again.

“You really haven’t left me much of a choice Tarin, whoever I knew is clearly a fake. You’ve shown your true colours when you thought no one was watching. I’ve known you for a long time, Tarin but you’re not my sister,” she said, looking at me with a smile.

Katia held out her arms and clouds started to form over the clear night sky, obscuring the moon. Thunder rattled the battered docks, and the sea started to churn. Small water droplets began to drop from the dark clouds, and a harsh gust blew back her skirt. “Best wrap up warm Tarin,” she spoke surely, “there’s a storm coming.”

The winds began to howl, and I could feel the electricity in the air. The storm was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before, and I knew that it had been summoned by Katia’s powers. Tarin looked up at the sky, his eyes widening in fear at the sight of the brewing storm.

“You think you can scare me with a little rain, Toran?” Tarin sneered, but I could see the fear in his eyes. He backed away from Katia as she raised her arms skyward, the lightning crackling around her.

“I’m not trying to scare you,” Katia said, her voice ringing out over the sound of the rain, “I’m trying to stop you.”

Tarin recoiled from her, his hands beginning to glow with an intense heat. He launched a blast of fire at her, but it was quickly absorbed by the swirling vortex of wind and rain that surrounded her. The storm grew in intensity, the waves crashing against the docks and buckets of water began draining from the sky.

The water weakened Tarin but it wasn’t enough to take him down completely. He stood his ground, gritting his teeth against the lightning strikes and gale-force winds. His eyes blazed with fury as he raised his hands, channelling all his power into another attack.

Before he could strike, I put two bullets in him. He cried out in pain but before I could shoot a third, he threw a torrent of smoking lava at me forcing me to roll out of the way of the oncoming heat.

Whilst he had been focusing on me, he hadn’t noticed Danny advancing on him, his makeshift axe glinting in the stormy light. Danny swung the weapon with all his might, the flat of the blade struck Tarin’s head with a sickening thud. Tarin crumpled to the ground, but he was still kicking.

An explosion erupted from his palm, hitting Danny directly in the chest, propelling him to the other side of the docks. I screamed his name as I watched my noble friend crumple against a bare brick wall.

Rage fuelling my movements I lunged forward, brandishing my dripping dagger as I weaved around his attacks. When I got close enough, I dropped to the ground, sliding past him, swiftly slicing his ankles with razor sharp precision. Before he could turn to face me, I sprung back up, driving my blade deep into his back. Tarin’s agonised scream filled the air as heat surged through my weapon. Unsheathing it from his flesh I stepped back, a cruel smile crossing my lips.

He turned to me, his skin sparking as the rain ran down his face. The water boiled the second it touched his flesh evaporating into thin air. Around me, the rain drops turned to steam. As he turned to face me, his skin seemed to smoulder in the rain and tiny sparks danced along its surface. His flames devoured the oxygen around us, creating a hellish vacuum.

This was my last chance. I let out a loud roar, my veins bulging with rage as I drove towards him. The heat around me faded to nothingness as I gripped the hilt of my blade and mercilessly plunged it deep into his stomach. Again and again I slashed until my blade twisted and bent with the fury of my attack and the heat of his body. With no remorse left in my heart, I raised the red-hot weapon high above my head, then struck down hard, its razor tip bit through flesh and bone to reach his beating heart.

The unbearable heat became worse as Tarin smiled at me. “I win,” he said, surprisingly chirpy for someone who only had a few seconds left of life. Something was wrong though.

A savage heat rose around me, emanating from Tarin’s chest and licking my skin like an unwanted caress. I felt the hilt of the blade in his chest burn through my glove, scorching my palm. Panic churned my stomach as I realised there was nothing I could do to stop what was about to happen - Tarin was going to combust with me, Katia, and Danny standing in the direct vicinity. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and embraced death.

I was torn from my peace when a ragged scream of agony ripped through the docks like a lightning bolt, making my eyes widen in awe. Cassius lunged forward with a roar and snatched Tarin from my grasp with his claws, his touch burning the dragon’s skin and sending him into a frenzied rage. His wings beat against the smoke filled air as he leaped off the docks and plunged into the sea below, dragging Tarin down into an abyss of darkness.