Lumi narrowed his eyes. He personally didn’t mind that a request was being made, he welcod it in fact. Still, he couldn’t seem too eager, so he held up a hand and asked sternly. "What condition?"
"When the schism cos- and after what you’ve revealed, I know it will co, I want to be there. Not free, I understand that’s not in my control. But alive and able to act to serve her personally when it matters most."
Lumi glanced at Divan, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. "If you are as cooperative as it seems you will be, that can be arranged. After all, we have conflicts with the Dark One, not Lady Twilight."
"Right..." Afton trailed off, going into thought. "She’s not your enemy."
"Indeed." Lumi replied. "Now, let’s see if the information you have will help."
"Oh, it will." Afton said with a ghost of his forr pride. "You all may think I’m a fool. Perhaps that’s true, I won’t debate that. But if I am a fool, I’m an observant one. I know where seventeen safe houses are located. I know the rotation schedules for Wing operations in four kingdoms. I know which nobles are compromised and which are rely sympathizers. I know Beryllium’s favorite suppliers for exotic materials and more."
The guards straightened their backs unconsciously. This was beyond what anyone had hoped for.
"And," Afton added, his eyes eting Lumi’s directly. "I know where Beryllium keeps his personal research notes. Everything makes so much more sense now. I had simply assud he had a passing interest in puppeteering, or simply wanted to experint on his enemies. I never expected he wanted to turn Lord Dawn into an android under his control. No wonder, no wonder..."
Divan actually stood at that, his professional composure cracking slightly. "You read them? What did they contain?"
"He worked with a surprisingly high amount given his position." Afton explained. "I had assud he respected to an extent. After all, due to my knowledge, my intellect, anyone would want to work with . Whether he truly respected , perhaps he did, perhaps he didn’t. However, I see why he cared about puppeteering at all now. So he could integrate technology and puppeteering."
"What did these notes contain?" Lumi pressed. "Be more specific."
"They were about creating the perfect android." Afton spilled confidential information freely. "That’s what his main notes regarded. The perfect android. The whole thing regarding puppeteering was frad as an unimportant side project. Now I see they were never disconnected at all. The two were one and the sa. I have to tell Lady Twilight. She has to know!"
Lumi’s mind flickered with a glimr of recognition. Afton was assuming things. Yes, Beryllium’s main goal was his plans for Lord Dawn. But it was foolish to assu that was everything. Beryllium had plans, many plans. To assu he only had a single idea was folly.
That ’perfect’ android would indeed co one day. Unlike his plans for Dawn, that android would use a regular human boy as base material.
It could be said to be a prototype for his plans for Dawn, but that wouldn’t be entirely accurate. A regular boy has no power to fight against or innate abilities that may interfere. It was truly just an android, using that boy as simple raw material.
That android would be known as Equinor. He never understood the specifics of the how or why, but it quickly went rogue and joined the Resistance. The very sa resistance he wasn’t fond of, over in Entei.
Equinor...
He didn’t end up being very relevant in the grand sche of things. I wonder if he can do more in this life...
But that requires information I don’t have... but I have an Afton S. Crow on our side this ti!
As Afton continued to grow more agitated still, Lumi focused back on Afton as the puppeteer continued. "Lady Twilight! She will be discarded once she’s no longer useful. Just another failed experint in Beryllium’s grand design." Afton’s hands clenched into fists. "I’ve been such a fool. Such a blind, devoted fool."
"But no longer." Lumi said firmly. "Now you have the chance to truly serve. To provide the information that might save her."
Afton nodded slowly. "Then let’s begin properly." He then began spilling information blatantly, every secret he had been entrusted with.
Nearly every secret. He still had Lady Twilight in mind, after all, and wouldn’t say anything that he considered would possibly ’endanger’ her.
Regardless, this was the biggest win against the Wings of Darkness in decades.
As the puppeteer began to systematically destroy the Wings of Darkness’s operational security, Lumi sat back and observed. Behind him, Divan wrote furiously, capturing every detail. The wardens maintained their vigilant watch, but their posture had shifted from suspicion to protective intensity. This information was too valuable to risk losing.
Afton revealed supply routes, communication protocols, financial networks, and personal weaknesses of Wing commanders. He exposed corruption in three noble houses and rchant guilds that had been thought loyal. Not rely in a single kingdom but globally. He detailed Beryllium’s increasing paranoia and the scientist’s private army of modified constructs.
And through it all, Lumi guided him with subtle questions and gentle encouragent.
By the ti exhaustion finally forced a halt, Afton looked more alive than he had when they’d started. Perhaps he had been broken and shattered, but he went from a brainwashed fool for the Wings of Darkness to a brainwashed fool for the Aria Knights.
Not that Lumi had lied to him. In truth, he wished to recruit Lady Twilight as an ally as well. However... that was easier said than done.
"There’s more." Afton said as the guards began to lock his cell once more. "So much more. Years of observations, of patterns noticed but not understood. I’ll tell you all of it. Every detail that might help her."
"Rest first." Divan spoke to him, standing. "Tomorrow we’ll continue. I assu you have no issue talking to us instead of him?"
Afton shook his head. "No issue, no issue."
Lumi paused. "Afton?"
The puppeteer looked at him with eyes that held mixed emotion.
"You’re serving her better now than you ever did before. Rember that."
As they left the interrogation chamber, Divan pulled Lumi aside. The Chief Knight’s usual composure was cracked, revealing sothing like awe underneath.
"That was..." he paused, searching for words. "I’ve seen master interrogators at work. Professionals who’ve broken the strongest wills. But what you just did..."
"I told him the truth." Lumi said simply. "Sotis that’s the cruelest torture of all." He shook his head. "Still, this would only work on soone like Afton. Others wouldn’t believe . And no one else would be so obsessed with a woman they’ve never t."
Divan thought things over. "Everything he just revealed, everything you spoke of, and he confird or elaborated on, everything... internal divisions, competing agendas, this Beryllium, it changes everything. Our entire strategic approach needs revision."
"Then revise it as you will." Lumi said.
Divan gave a sigh. "Still. What Twilight did to us all those centuries ago won’t be forgotten. Nor what her brother did."
"That’s fair." Lumi accepted. "I can’t tell you how to react. But I have trust in Grand Tactician Azir."
"Him." Divan thought for a bit, and nodded. "Indeed. He is..." He gave a small pause, trying to find the right words. "Very resourceful."
"Still," Divan shook his head slowly. "To turn a fanatic into an asset in a single session... rath wasn’t exaggerating about you."
They reached the upper levels of the palace, afternoon light streaming through tall windows. The normalcy of it felt surreal after the intensity of the interrogation chamber.
"What happens to Afton now?" Lumi asked.
"He’ll be treated well." Divan assured him. "The information he’s providing is too valuable to risk losing through mistreatnt. And if you’re right about this schism, having a forr Wing leader who chose to defect could prove invaluable."
"He didn’t defect from Lady Twilight." Lumi corrected. "He defected to her. In his mind, he’s more loyal now than ever."
"A useful distinction. Still, enough of this talk, not out here." Divan paused at a junction in the corridor. "Your companions have been asking after you. Knight Gabriel has been keeping them entertained, but I suspect they’re eager to finally et the Empress."
He gave a gentle laugh. "Gabriel. Much easier to say than what it used to be."
"Yeah." Lumi gave a small laugh in return. "We can have strange nas. Well, then I shouldn’t keep them waiting." Lumi said. "18:00..." He nodded to himself thinking of how much ti he had.
The interrogation had gone better than he’d dared hope. Not only had they gained invaluable intelligence, but they’d also gained a powerful ally.
His thoughts went back to the past. His previous life.
Beryllium turned Dawn into his living weapon in secret and nearly killed Twilight. She completely went rogue after that. But being against the Wings of Darkness didn’t necessarily an that she was on the side of the Alliance.
Still.
No matter how exactly it went, the endless possibilities ahead, now there was the very real possibility of Twilight standing much closer against evil rather than with evil.
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