Email: kanon_luces@endoftheline.chaosdeathfish.com
Little is known about Kanon as a person as he tends to keep to himself, but he is based in a small complex in Union territory, a short ways from its borders with the Pantheon of Discord. As a member of the Honourable Company of Associates, he leads a band of rogues for hire. The Union keeps him around because he gets the job done, but he makes some members uneasy due to the way he has been known to casually treat life and death. However, he seems happy with the freedom his position in the Union has allowed him so far, and does his part if they are ever threatened.
As an odd side note, if he is ever mentioned to members of the Glorious Equation, they tend to go unusually quiet until the subject is changed.
Following the disbanding of his mercenary group, Kanon stays with Miranda and Persephone, dropping off all the interesting parts and devices he has acquired at Hawkins' Laboratories. Kanon mostly keeps to himself, but attempts to convey his gratitude in his own way. In the coming weeks he sets up a school of swordplay at the location of his old mercenary group, and teaches his eager students how to fight. Kanon is a harsh teacher, and occasionally lets his temper get the better of him, but his students learn how to cope with their master, and a few, only a few mind eventually master four scimitars Kanon style, the ultimate in Kanon's defence course.
Not content with merely teaching, Kanon also takes to the streets to dispense his own brand of justice on the criminals he finds, with the help of a series of devices provided by Miranda. While many hate him for it, seeing him take the law into his own hands, he never yields, and always continues to do what he believes is the right thing to do. Occasionally aided by the council and bizarrely CAT, god of cats, Kanon hunts down the scum in the city, dedicating his righteous destruction to Architect, whom he still worships and passes his stories on to his students. Kanon continues to train and fight, preparing for his promised battle with Raednagh.
The murderer runs through the back alleys as if he were pursued by all the armies of the world; no, faster even than that. Little does he know that half of the force chasing him got distracted by a flock of birds a few minutes ago, and forgot about the pursuit. No, even if he did know he would run this fast, if not faster. That man is perhaps even more terrifying when there are no other witnesses. The murderer turns a corner, only to run into the man he was dreading to see: Kanon Luces. Actually, a false description has been made. In actuality, both of the people here are murderers. Kanon grins, and says “Keep running.” He clearly hasn't had enough fun yet tonight. The first murderer sprints off while the second merely laughs to himself: it is always the most satisfying when they think they can escape. He draws his swords and continues the pursuit.
Ten years have passed since the City moved to the moon and broke down the barriers between it and the rest of the multiverse. The Hall of the Gods lies ruined and forgotten on the planet's surface, its gleaming marble and gold surfaces covered in ivy and lichen. As the sun rises over the eastern horizon, a small airship flies down from the skies above, scorched from crossing the planet's barrier. Coming to a halt over the most intact section of the Hall, a hatch opens and a single figure leaps down - Kanon Luces, grasping his scimitars close. The airship flies up, its occupants wanting to watch but afraid to stay close.
Kanon walks through the ruins, looking around for his opponent. Soon, he sees him - leaning against a pillar, tossing his great axe nonchalantly into the air and catching it again, is the crimson God of Justice, Raednagh. Long seperated, the two of them spend a few moments sizing each other up and noticing differences. Raednagh has a rougher edge to him, the look of a life spent with no fixed abode and constant vigilance. Kanon, on the other hand, looks older and more disciplined; the intervening decade have taught him control and tempered his rage into a precise weapon. Having got the measure of the other, both step into the wider, ruined plaza and draw their weapons.
Raednagh goes into the first exchange tense, expecting the frenzied flurry that characterised Kanon before. He's taken by surprise when Kanon instead tests Raednagh's defences with a series of needling strikes before puncturing his guard with two scimitar slashes either side of the god's axe. His blow slices a ragged cut through Raednagh's right arm, and the god curses as he disengages to regain distance and repair.
For all his newfound precision, Kanon knows that Raednagh has the advantage in range and power. Gritting his teeth he vaults over a ruined pillar, trying to close quickly. The god has spent the decade fighting far faster foes that Kanon, however, and spins round his axe to slam the flat of the blade into Kanon. The blow sends Kanon flying back into one of the walls, cracking ribs and leaving him gasping for air. The fighter picks himself up from the rubble, sending a backup pair of scimitars orbiting by his side, and launches himself again at the god. Raednagh steps forward and redoubles his grip on his axe. Both are wearing expressions of complete joy.
The fight becomes a blur of blades and motion as whirling axe and dancing scimitars clash between the combatants. The airship crew spectating from above lose track of the blows avoided and struck, the movement of the two fighters kicking up dust and rubble. Before they can tell what's happening the fighting has stopped and both fighters are kneeling, exhausted and bleeding. Raednagh pulls one of Kanon's swords out of his shoulder and, wincing, hands it back to him. Kanon resets a dislocated shoulder with a swift tug, and with a pained smile tossed the God of Justice some bandages. The two of them limp from the ruins back to the airship, holding each other up.
“So, the person we’re after this time is a member of the Inheritors,” Kanon stated to his companion. He was currently in CAT’s makeshift temple, with the god of cats sat on the floor, half listening, half playing with the piece of string Kanon had brought as an offering.
CAT said nothing.
“He’s not too high up, but the Council won’t be happy with us for this one,” he continued, “Are you alright with that?”
“Yes Mr. Kanon,” CAT replied distractedly, still pawing at the string.
“Are you even listening?” Kanon asked exasperatedly.
“Yes Mr. Kanon!” CAT wasn’t even making eye contact, preoccupied as he was.
He was clearly enjoying his little gift too much to pay attention, so with practiced ease, Kanon snatched the piece of string away from the cat god. Immediately, CAT lashed out in an attempt to reclaim his toy. He failed, but his clawed fingers caught Kanon on the arm, scratching his wrist and drawing blood.
Kanon did not react immediately with pain. He was used to such behaviour from his part-time partner in crime-fighting, and quickly pulled out from one of his pockets a bandage he carried for such an occasion. As he wrapped the wound, CAT appeared entirely unrepentant of causing him pain. Truth be told, this was one of the traits he liked about CAT, but it couldn’t half be a pain when it was directed at him. Still, at least he had his attention now.
“Look, I’ll make this quick and easy,” Kanon said, trying to keep the condescension out of his voice. “We’ll be going after this man in his manor in the canopy. We’ll sneak in after dark, and while I keep the house staff… occupied, you go into this man’s room and play with him for as long as you can.”
“But Mr. Kanon, couldn’t you just do this on your own?” CAT asked. Kanon recognised the mood the minor deity was in, most likely torn between the desire to sleep and to inflict grievous bodily harm on some unsuspecting helpless citizen. Fortunately, Kanon knew just how to sway him in this situation. “How about,” he started slowly, “if you can get through this with no foul ups or distractions, I’ll take you out for sushi on the Floating Market. My treat.”
The change in expression was brief, but Kanon was sharp eyed enough to notice CAT’s ears perk up momentarily on hearing this, before an almost adorably serious expression replaced his excited one. “You should keep your word, Mr. Kanon,” he said sternly, “if you don’t, I’ll have to chase you. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
Kanon laughed out loud, and CAT looked as if he wasn’t sure whether to laugh along or act affronted. He fell somewhere in between, wearing a vaguely bemused expression, probably chosen for requiring the smallest amount of effort on his part.
“Don’t worry CAT,” Kanon reassured once he was back under control, although still smiling widely, causing his facial tattoos to become distorted, “I’ll keep my word. Now come, it’s almost sundown, and we wouldn’t want to keep your new playmate busy, would we?”
==
The next day, two figures could be seen on some of the Floating Market’s outdoor seating, soaking in Great Sawa’s rays. One was wolfing down the largest plate of sushi you’d ever be likely to see, whil the other smiled almost affectionately over the morning newspaper he held.
The article he was reading detailed the death of an important member of the Inheritors, along with all the live in staff in his manor. The live in staff had been found scattered liberally over the grounds of the mansion, with a mismatch between the numbers of limbs present preventing the authorities from knowing the exact number of victims. The master of the house, meanwhile, was reported to have been barely recognisable, his face clawed off by what was reported to be a wild animal. Hardly front page news given the usual state of affairs in the City, but notable enough that the article had enough descriptive detail to coax an amused chuckle out of this particular reader.
While he may not be the same wild and crazed man he had started life in the City as, Kanon Luces would always appreciate a job well done.