Cipher Code {complete}

Chapter Sixty Five: Missing.

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There was a time when Esau's arms shook whenever he held a weapon. Without moving an inch he would already visualize his opponent's screams. Even with nothing to attack, he would see red. He would see blood dripping off his blade and splashing on his skin.

He never could handle the thought of fighting. When he was younger the thought made his stomach churn to the point where he got physically sick. It was the main reason why he stayed indoors with his mother and played around with herbs and remedies while she worked.

But Ma still had her daggers.

Usually, he would watch as she trained Edythe, glancing out the window of the kitchen. Lacau was a hunting town after all, and their father didn't hunt, he was a researcher.

One day his Pa had presented him with two options as a choice of weapon, the pistol or the bow. Esau could use neither but already the thought of ending a life with just a pull of the trigger made limbs weak and eyelids heavy.

No one could just pick up a bow and maim a target. The arrow would fall short, or it would miss completely. Everything about it was hard, not like a sword or gun where a stumble could ruin everything.

Back then the choice had been simple, the bow distanced him from the result of his actions.

Or at least it did.

Esau released one arrow, already nocking the second as he squinted through the fog and watched it soar towards Edythe.

He watched his sister stumble out of the way of the projectile and his stomach dropped. Now the arrow would hit the house.

Did she really want him to burn it down? Was that the only way to lure out the beast from wherever it was hiding?

The second arrow flew and once again Edythe failed to catch it. That was the signal, Esau squared his shoulders and released a volley of arrows at his childhood home as Edythe sprinted to the trees for cover.

A bitter smile sat on his lips as he watched her approach him and a part of him wondered if ash could still catch fire.

"Esau!" Edythe hissed as her brother slowly made his way down the tree. "Stop hesitating, there's nothing left in that house to save."

The nine year old girl was covered in soot and scratches, and her skin was flushed. Even though her clothes were torn in places, her azure eyes brimmed with grim anticipation, flickering occasionally to a steady yellow as her emotions fluctuated between determination and concern.

"Ma and Pa aren't in there." She reminded her brother softly, just as the arrows scattered around the perimeter of the house sparked and ignited the grass around it.

Esau gulped, knowing that there was no going back now. The workshop had been burnt down too, so if they failed there was no where for them to hide. "You're right." He gripped his bow tightly then flashed her a weak smile. "This is the beginning-"

". . . of the end." Edythe replicated his smile, a complicated look on her face as she watched the flames spiral out of control.

Footsteps hurried in their direction and the twins looked back to see Issac and Philip rushing towards them, their hostage hanging limp between the two soldiers.

"Sorry that we're late," Philip sucked in a deep breath, exhaustion written clearly on his face, "setting those things wasn't as easy as I expected."

Issac only scowled, his eyes now fixed on the burning house. "What is with you kids and fire?"

Before Esau could answer him, a pained roared erupted from the house. It seemed to vibrate through the earth, sending the trees trembling and the beasts in the forest howling.