MLIV C2, P3- "Deceiver And Deceived"

"Deceiver And Deceived" is the third Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's second Chapter.
It was released on 24.05.2022.
== Plot ==
Adam and his allies are forced to face a small group of what seems like outlaws who are loyal to... a more sinister force. A note found in the pocket of their leader indicates that the evil sorcerer may be involved in the murders that are shaking everyone to the core.
Having wisely decided to dedicate their time in Duskwood to visit potential suspects who have been discovered by Adam's investigation and question them for their possible involvement in this endless manhunt, the three heroes make their way past the half-finished town, jumping from door to door to find out the truth.
And yet, there is one person who has been hiding from the law for too long. A culprit who hid the evidence needed to expose him in a clever way, eventually allying himself with a man who fueled his mad plans and made them even worse. One who is not intending to give up anytime soon and use the night to his own advantage.
But such recklessness often leads to one's downfall. So, the real question is- Will Adam and his allies take advantage of the villain's mistakes before the candle of villainy completely burns out?
== Story ==
As Adam sits down on one of the chair provided for him, he stares at the butcher, looking for clues that might raise suspicion toward him. He knows that everyone is innocent until proven otherwise, but still has the right of being supicious of him.
"I have heard a few things about you."- He says to him, trying to strike a friendly conversation- "You must be an old campaigner. Hunting wild animals and turning them into consumable food must have been quite... perilous for you. Did you have any trouble gathering your materials during those dark times?"
The butcher smiles and shakes his head.
"Oh, everything has been terrible."- He replies- "Not only the creatures in the woods ran away because of those no-good dark warriors, but my customers have been getting lower and lower since the start of the invasion. Bad for business, you know. And life itself, too."
Akira sighs.
"Yeah, right."- She mutters- "Blame it all on Darkthrop's people, instead of the one who's been scaring the entire town."
Unlike Akira, Emela seems to believe this. In the years when she was like Adam, she was naive enough to trust the people whom she, Mardek and Deugan met. She understood how they felt and tried to help, only to get stabbed in the back. And it seems like her kind attitude never left her entirely.
"How many years have you been working as a butcher?"- She asks, curious- "Did you have a parent who participated in the same profession as you do now?"
The butcher nods.
"Well, this ain't no secret. I've been working for 30 years, and I'm still counting 'em. The nicest times were during the beginning of my job, but I've had quite a lot of... happy moments afterwards."- He says- "As for the one who showed me the ropes, it was my papa. Worked for more than 40 years before he had to retire due to his old age. In his time as a butcher, he also served as the town's hunter. Took care of annoying wild animals that wandered their way into this place, in return for using them to make high quality food products. He had an iron will, always striking fear and punishing those who would resist the call of nature. Real man, he was. When I was young, he taught me how to use the cleaver to my own advantage- as a tool for creation and destruction. He told me that I shouldn't be afraid to use it, no matter what I'm forced to do with it. Those words've been sticking to the core for a long time, burning in my mind even nowadays. Being a butcher has always made me feel like I'm one with nature itself and it's no different now."
Emela nods.
"And you approve of the slaying of innocent creatures?"
The butcher shrugs.
"I'm forced to do so."- He says- "When I started this job, I felt sympathy toward those whom I had to kill. A sign of weakness, if you ask me. But, as the years passed, I managed to get over it. Everything became so natural and I became neutral of what to do next. I learned to supress my emotions, to understand that killing animals is just making a living. This is the life that I chose, that will stand with me until the end of the days."
He turns toward the whistling tea kettle and pours some water into it. Then, he picks up a packet of herbs from a nearby shelf and mixes them into the water, forming a greenish substance.
"Since you came all the way here, why don't you take a sip of my herbal tea?"- He asks our heroes- "I can tell that you're people of action. Fighting, travelling and all. My tea can ease the minds of those who drink it, so maybe you will need it more than my... other customers?"
This entire situation is quite suspicious. How did the butcher know of Adam and his allies, even though they did their best to hide their true occupations? Did he expect their arrival, setting up the whole event just to have them on the right spot, at the right time?
But then, he could just be an unusually friendly butcher, willing to accept his visitors with open arms. 
As Adam and his allies ponder whether it is wise to trust this complete stranger or not, they see silhouettes lurking in the shadows. Their faces are not visible in the dark, but their eyes betray an unnerving amount of cunning and evil.
"I know that I say this very often, brother."- Akira whispers to Adam- "But I've got a bad feeling."
Adam nods.
"I understand the feeling. This place feels a little ominous and I want to move on as soon as possible."- He whispers- "Do not lose faith, Aki. We are going to get through this. I just need a little bit more time."
Akira nods.
"Count on me."- She says- "I'm working on it."
She stands up and stands next to the butcher.
"Excuse me, kind sir."- She says, looks at a shelf and picks up a packet of herbs of her choice- "When you started making that tea, you missed a key ingredient."
The butcher raises his eyebrow.
"Did I?"- He asks- "Oh my. It seems like I've been getting quite... lenient lately."
Akira smiles serenely.
"Fortunately, my grandma taught me this special recipe. I knew where to look for it."- She says- "May I receive the permission to add the last bundle into your... umm... wondrous substance?"
The butcher, friendly and helpful as always, decides that there's nothing wrong in receiving help from someone else. He respectfully takes a step back and bows.
"Please. Be my guest."- He says- "I'd be honored if you did that."
While the man is distracted Adam and Akira sneak further into his shop, unnerved by the numerous animal carcasses displayed on the walls.
"Ugh. This is traumatizing."- Emela whispers- "Seeing the true residents of Nature, slaughtered in such a bloody way for the consumption of our voracious human race, makes me want to... to... "
She looks down and starts to vomit, but Adam acts quickly, patting her on the head and assuring her that they will limit the senseless slaughtering of animals as much as possible after the criminal is discovered. 
Fortunately, this manages to calm her down. A little bit.
"You know. Gloria felt the same way when she saw the butchers of Canonia slaughter animals like those. Since she was connected to the nature, the death of every innocent animal that eventually ended up on the shelves was like cutting her own heart in half with a giant axe. In other words, truly painful."- He says- "At that time, I also lived in Canonia. As I lived a relatively meat-free life ever since I lived with my parents and Akira and have been a friend of animals ever since a child, seeing those poor creatures slaughtered in such a brutal way saddened and angered me. After a mutual agreement between me and her, we made the decision to ban butchery in the settlement and forced the butchers to work elsewhere. It was pretty cruel, I know, but the balance must be kept at all costs. Disrupting the natural way of life would lead toward chaos and rebellion, and we did not want that to happen. Plus, Nature would never help us if we do not help it first."
He looks at Emela.
"But what about you?"- He asks her- "I heard that you used to eat a lot of meat when you were my age. Why do you feel so... disgusted by this?"
Emela sighs.
"And I really regret ever doing that. It's horrible to know that those creatures used to be alive and happy like us before someone decided to make them into a light meal."- She says- "But that's just me, I guess. Life in the Water Temple while serving as its Guardian made me into a sentimental shell of a woman. I'm not quite the same Emela that used to travel with Mardek and Deugan during the time of Moric's invasion. Life squeezed out my resolve like a fresh lemon and turned me into a sympathetic warrior, always on the side of mercy and justice."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"And you think that this is a weakness?"
Emela looks at him.
"Umm... I beg you pardon?"
Adam smiles.
"Being sentimental toward someone is not a flaw. It is one of the principles that Nature itself wrote into the scrolls of our very beings, staying there even after we were brought into our world."- He elaborates- "There are many who would throw those forms of law away, just to express their thought and possess the ability to do whatever they want. But that is just an act of chaos. Whoever thinks this way often finds out that they will be proven wrong, either in a peaceful or violent way."
Emela nods.
"So, this means that I'm... still myself?"
Adam smiles again.
"You are my savior. My guardian angel. The guiding light that illuminates my path toward world peace. You chose to be."- He says- "I know not of what you might have been before we met for the first time. But that is of no concern to me. Things like those are best left in the past, the only place where they truly belong. What truly matters to us is the past and present. Our souls adapt to them in a bizarre (and, sometimes, strange) way. Unlike many of the ones whom we had to defeat, you have managed to maintain your own humanity and be yourself. For that, I will always love you."
Emela smiles. Tears form in her eyes as she finally realizes that Adam truly cares about her.
However, her sense of duty is still present. She stands up, now more confident than ever, and nods toward a nearby door.
"Umm. Can we leave this small talk for... another day?"- She says and smiles sadly- "We need to investigate a little further. So, let's go."
Having said that, she takes another step forward, getting in front of Adam so he does not see her flustered face.
Adam looks back at the animal carcasses and sighs.
"And this is why I am a vegetarian."
Unseen by the butcher or the creatures hidden in the darkness, the two of them sneak into the man's inner chambers.
There, they realize that things are not quite as horrifying as they imagined. Bloody aprons, stained with old and dried blood, lie on the racks around them as some of the butcher's washed clothes are left to dry at the window. The bed and wardrobe are relatively clean, suggesting that he does not use them often.
But this does not explain the man's calm and composed demeanor. If he does not use them too much, then where is he going? And, most importantly, what is he doing?
"I hate to barge into a person's personal space, but we have to discover what is going on."- Adam says and takes a step forward- "Those murders were left unanswered for too long. We must bring the servant of darkness to light with the power of justice."
Emela nods.
"And this involves... entering the room of a man who slaughters animals and stain yourself with their blood?"
Adam sighs.
"Every hero must take risks, if they want to excel at finding and purging villainy."- He says- "Just follow my lead. I will handle everything else."
As Adam gets further into the room, Emela looks at him, shocked and amazed at the same time.
"It seems like the little child that I took in years ago has finally grown."- She says to herself- "He's not the scared, insecure kid who constantly asked me for advice. Now, he is the one who gives it."
Adam finds a small letter, wedged into one of the drawers of the butcher's cupboard. He tries to pull it out, only to realize that it is stuck.
"Miss Emela!"- He says- "I need some help over here!"
Emela nods.
"Here I am, dear."- She says as she approaches him- "Stay calm. We can do this."
Together, they work on freeing the glued drawer with their magic while weakening its hold on the letter.
Finally, the wooden monster finally relents, it lifts itself forward, allowing our heroes to retrieve what was inside.
As Adam breaks the letter's seal and tries to read the paper within, Emela inspects the drawer. Once she is close enough, she sees some blood and looks away, alarmed.
"Looks like the butcher has some very dark secrets."- Adam says- "Take a look at this."
Both him and Emela read the contents of the paper, shocked to find out that Darkthrop's people have contacted him.
"Hold on."- Emela says- "If Darkthrop gave this letter to the butcher, then does this mean that he, you know, is not quite what he pretends to be."
Adam sighs.
"I knew this from the very start."- He mutters- "And yet, I am still unsure how to react to this. Knowing that my worst fears have unfolded is bad. Very bad."
He turns to her.
"Miss Emela."- He says, worried- "It looks like we found the person responsible for those murders. Or, at least, one of his accomplices."
Emela nods.
"But what can we do?"- She says- "I'm good at dealing with monsters, but actual people? Maybe it's best if we just let the authorities do their job."
Adam looks around, making sure that nobody has followed them into the room. Then, he leans closer to her.
"I have a plan for situations like those."- He whispers to her- "Just provide me with cover and I will do the rest."
Emela looks at the door and nods. She points her staff, eager to protect her student.
"You got it, child."- She says- "I will stand by your side."
Adam sits on a nearby chair and pulls out his phone. He dials a long number and waits for them to respond.
"Yes?"- A familiar, male voice answers and says- "What is it?"
Adam nods.
"Mr. Braveheart, we found some valuable evidence toward Darkthrop's crimes and the murders in Duskwood."- He says- "Now, listen closely. I want you to do as I say."
He whispers something in a slightly lower voice, loud enough for James to understand it. The explanation goes on for about a minute, but they soon come to an agreement."
James makes a reassuring noise.
"Dark alley and no lit street lamps, you say? Sounds like the typical case of a mysterious maniac."- He says- "Okay, then. I'll be on my way. Please, keep Akira safe."
Adam nods.
"Of course we will."- He says- "This criminal is not going anywhere."
After ending the call, he turns to Emela.
"We're going to receive help, in a dark place like this?"- She says- "It's not a dream, right?"
Adam smiles.
"Once again, hope is on our side."- He says- "Now, there is only one thing left to do."
He dramatically takes a step forward.
"Survive."
Meanwhile, Akira looks at the table behind her and notices that Adam and Emela are gone. She turns back to the butcher and notices that the tea is ready.
"Since you were such a helpful, little maiden, I want you to be the first who tastes my tea."- The butcher says and hands her a cup- "Want a sip?"
Akira shakes her head and smiles.
"No, sir. I am completely energized and ready to resume my duties!"- She says- "Helping you prepare this tea was more than enough to invigorate me."
The butcher scowls at her.
"It was not a request, girl."- He says and shakes his head- "Now, drink it. It's for your own good."
When she kindly declines again, the man forcibly pushes the cup toward her lips. 
Soon, a single stream of tea is poured into her mouth.
"Guh."- Akira says and smiles as her eyes start to close- "That's some good stuff."
The butcher smiles serenely.
"See?"- He says- "I told you that it's for your good. So, please, feel free to take a nap... "
As she lays on the ground below, he grins.
"... forever!"
Suddenly, the door to the butcher's bedroom is knocked open. Adam and Emela emerge, their weapons drawn.
Adam notices that his sister is lying on the ground and glares at the butcher.
"You monster!"- He yells- "What have you done to her?!"
The butcher smiles.
"She volunteered to try my new blend of tea."- He says- "It was very effective."
Emela angrily points her wand at him.
"I swear to god, if she never wakes up again, then I will make sure to blast your head open personally!"- She yells- "Did you hear that, you treacherous imbecile?"
The butcher smiles.
"I'm not afraid of you."
He looks back.
"Not when I have all of them to protect me."
Suddenly, a large group of darkling and human bandits emerges from the shadows and surrounds them.
"So, this was a trap!"- Adam exclaims- "I knew that we should not have trusted you!"
The butcher smiles.
"But, in the end, you did."- He says- "You did this to yourselves. Don't pretend like I'm the bad guy."
Emela glares at him.
"You're the worst kind of troublemaker that I've ever met!"
The butcher chuckles.
"That's the least powerful insult that I've ever received."- He says- "You wanna hurt my feelings? Try harder, please."
Emela clenches her fists.
"Why, I ought to... "
Adam shakes his head and motions for her to stand back.
"Do not move, Miss Emela."- He whispers to her- "This is the time when our allies arrive... "
The butcher chuckles.
"Do you really think that anyone can save you? Out here?"- He continues with his meaningless rambling- "I chose this place because it was too shrouded in mystery. Only the foolhardy would dare to step in here. And, once you're inside, there is no going o-- "
Suddenly, the entire front section of the butcher shop is blown open. A massive tank drives through the wreckage, crushing ten of the darklings that dares to stand close to it.
"Wait. What?"- The butcher says and looks back, alarmed- "But... this is impossible!"
Suddenly, James emerges from the opening of the tank, aims his gun and smirks.
"So."- He says- "What were you saying about being hidden and mysterious?"
As James advances toward him, a large group of rangers enters the shop, firing their rifles at the bandits as they try to fight back.
Now that their cover was blown, the butcher is completely terrified.
"Oh, mighty Darkthrop! Give me your power!"- He says- "Save me from a fate worse than death!"
James shakes his head and aims his gun at him.
"Your acts of tyranny have gone for too long, you vile fiend!"- He yells- "Darkthrop or not, you shall be forced to face justice- either here or in the underworld!"
The butcher shakes his head.
"You'll never take me alive, Braveheart!"
Having said that, he pulls out a small glass orb, filled with black smoke.
"No!"- Emela yells- "Stop him!"
Adam lunges forward, attempting to shove the orb out of the culprit's hands, but the man is too far away to be reached in time.
As he smashes the orb into the ground, a cloud of black smoke fills the room. Everyone struggles to see into the dark as the man pushes a hidden button on a nearby wall and tries to climb a nearby staircase.
"Oh, no!"- Adam mutters- "You are not going anywhere!"
Having been trained in resisting the dark influence of clouds of mist like this one, our hero is well-aware of what the villain is going to do. Unbeknownst to him, he sneaks behind him as he flees, shielded by the dark mist as his allies continue to fight the bandits.
As the butcher climbs toward the top of the shop, the smoke clears, revealing a rather pleasant rooftop. He tries to run further, only for a massive wall of rock to form in front of him and make him bump into it.
Trying to regain his senses, the man is too busy to see Adam jumping forward... until he is on top of him.
"Let me go, you insolent child!"- He yells.
Adam shakes his head and draws his sword.
"I will not let you hurt innocent civilians ever again, you monster!"
While the two of them brawl, the butcher tries to punch Adam in the stomach, only for the young hero to retailiate and strike him in the chest with a fireball.
Wincing back, the man nearly falls from the rooftop, but manages to regain his balance in the last second.
"Not yet."- He mutters as he stands up and wipes the blood from his mouth- "I've been executing unworthy fools like you for years. You're no different, I assure you."
He swings his cleaver menacingly.
"So, make your move!"
Adam clenches his fist.
"I will make you pay for your crimes!"- He yells- "Killing all of those innocent people was horrible, but laying a hand on my poor sister is where I draw the line!"
He enchants his sword with the power of light.
"I am done with trusting people like you!"
As Adam prepares to cast another spell, the butcher lunges forward and surprises him. He tries to stab him in the neck, but our hero parries the attack with his sword.
Moments later, the two of them reach the end of the rooftop.
Suddenly, the butcher gets the upper hand. He knocks Adam to the ground and pushes him closer toward the ledge.
"Well, kid?"- He says as he watches him struggle to free himself- "How does it feel to be at the bottom of the food chain?"
Adam clenches his fists.
"I still have more energy left!"- He says- "Once I get the chance to act again, you will not be so confident!"
The butcher chuckles.
"Oh. I'm sure you do."- He says- "But there won't be anything left, once I- The Deceiver- am done with the likes of you-- "
Suddenly, he hears the sound of a gunshot heading toward him. By the time he has the chance to do anything, it is already stuck in his head. Literally.
Since he died instantly, his grip lightens the moment when he falls.
Adam considers throwing him off the building. Then, he wisely reconsiders it and pulls him back.
"This is not the right way."- He says to himself- "Even monsters like him do not deserve to be humiliated like this."
When he looks at the person who just saved him from certain demise, he is surprised.
It is Akira.
However, she is just standing there. Shocked. Terrified. Looking down at the ground, as if she just committed a sin.
"Aki, you did it."- He says and hugs her- "You saved my life!"
Akira hugs him back, but the terror in her eyes does not fade away.
"Adam, I... I just killed a man."- She says, barely believing what she is saying- "I... took away someone's life."
Adam stands up and shakes his head.
"I am sorry that it had to happen, sister."- He says- "However, it was necessary. This person was too dangerous to be kept alive, let alone to remain with us. He had to be taken care of and we both know it."
Akira nods.
"But... I've never imagined how painful it could be."- She says- "When I killed my stepfather, I vowed never to kill a living person. Sure, I've killed many during my time with you, but this one... it's just too much for me."
Adam sighs and pulls her away.
"It is best to leave the sleeping demons lie."- He says- "The deed has been done. Fate cannot be changed. We must move on."
Akira looks down.
"I... guess."
As the two of them regroup with the rest of their allies, Emela approaches and hugs them.
"Oh my. Thank goodness!"- She exclaims- "You're both alright!"
Adam looks back at his sister and sighs.
"Not... not all of us."
Emela looks at Akira, who is still looking down.
"I took a man's life, Emela."
Emela shakes her head.
"Come on, Akira. You can't really feel remorse for this vagabond, can you?"- She says- "That man has killed so many people. Ruined so many families. And you feel remorse about ending his pitiful existence?"
Akira sighs.
"I... just don't know how to feel."- She replies- "Not anymore."
James looks up at the rooftop and sees the butcher's corpse, surrounded by vultures. He looks down at Adam and pats him on the shoulder.
"Well done, children! That was a good hunt!"- He congratulates him and the others- "Thanks to you, Duskwood may finally rest well again!"
Adam smiles sadly.
"It was our pleasure, sir."- He says- "Helping people is our duty, after all."
James nods.
"In addition, we managed to capture a laege amount of the bandits, plus a high-ranking Darkthrop official."- He says- "Perhaps we can discover the truth behind the murders after all."
He and his rangers prepare to leave.
"If you need anything, feel free to come to my office."- He says- "Don't hesitate to ask. I am, of course, eager to help with anything that's on your mind."
He waves at them.
"See you soon!"
Having said that, he and the rangers leave our heroes alone.
Adam turns to Akira and sees that she is still sad.
"So."- He says- "Do you want me to... take you for a walk? Let out some of the steam within you and enjoy the beautiful sights of this town?"
Akira looks up. She smiles sadly and nods.
"Well. It's better than staying here and blaming myself for something that was inevitable... I guess."- She says- "Alright. Let's enjoy some time together."
== Trivia ==
* The title of this Chapter is meant to represent the two elements that meet in the ensuing confrontation. However, their roles are reversed as the plot goes on, Adam and his allies becoming the deceivers and the Deceiver himself becoming the deceived.