The mercenary from the future
Sitting at the café.
Evelyn Arcasai took a sip of her apple tea and looked out over the street. It was a few hours before dusk would arrive, so it was not empty by any means. However, this portion of Concord was a bit calmer than most. She wasn't sure why though. For all intense and purposes, it appeared not too different from the rest of the Concoridan Districts. Nor did it appear that new either and from what she had seen of the most recent city maps, it had appeared around two decades ago.
"I really hope our contact will be here soon," said a deep voice. Evelyn turned her gaze towards the source. The forest green Battlebred sat on his chair on the opposite side of the table, drumming his fingers against the wood. Odin had been in a sour mood the entire day, though that too Evelyn was unsure of why. Maybe it was just one of those days. But he was right. Their contact had set a time, place and date for their new meeting and so far only two of them had been correct. She would lie if she wasn't a bit irritated too.
"You want some more coffee?" Evelyn asked. Odin fixed his cap hat so that it did better to shade his eyes from the sun and nodded.
"That would do well. Even if the guy does not show up, at least we discovered this nice café, right," he said, raising a thick finger in the air towards one of the waiters behind Evelyn's back.
"Too bad our District is several hours away from here."
"I am sure there exist some shortcuts from here to there. I mean, can you not technically just travel to any of the wannago places, and make way to our District from there? How long would that take? Two hours, maybe two and a half?"
Evelyn frowned and did the math in her head. Befuddled, she put the teapot down. "Then why did we spent nearly half the day getting here?"
"Because we had time. You had been given the day off after all. And it is always nice to wander Concord. You always see something new here. Besides, it is not like we wanted any unnecessary shadows."
"You think we were followed? Is that not a bit paranoid?"
"This is Concord. I would say it would be a bit naivé to not at least suspect you were followed. At the very least it makes things more exciting."
"I think this city is exciting enough as it is, Odin. But I guess I should not argue. You at least have the experience in that sort of thing, do you not?"
"Well. I guess," Odin said, fixing his cap hat once again almost by pure instinct. "But, were you not a solider too, where you come from?"
"Not exactly. The group of Red Witches I was a part of had the duty of making sure the number of Raw Vesen was low in the region, since it was suspected that it had a permanent Mist Gate. Lots and lots of those abominations there, I'll tell you ... Sorry, you probably do not know what I am talking about."
"Well, not exactly," Odin confessed as the waiter came with his coffee. He nodded thank you as the waiter filled his empty coffee mug, before walking away with the pot. Odin put three sugar cubes in the black liquid and stirred with a spoon, before taking a sip. "But I can guess. And I am sure Apteron could bring back a book about all that next time he ventures into the Great Archive."
"No, that will not be necessary," said Evelyn, shaking her head. "I could just explain them if you wanted. Takes a shorter time too."
"Be my guest. It would make time fly by faster too, I reckon. If the memories of the past do not bother you too much, that is."
"No. After Astiri came to join us, it has gotten a lot easier to speak about home. It feels better too, if I am to be honest. Maybe you should give it a try sometime?"
Odin shook his head. "My past is a bit darker than yours. What you know of it is only the tip of the iceberg, and I would like the majority to be obscured underneath the waves."
"That sounded rather poetic. Have you talked to Dhelian much recently?" Evelyn half-joked.
"He and I might share some things in common, yes. And his poetry is not all to bad, once you manage to see between all that purple prose —"
"I take your word for it," Evelyn mumbled, taking a sip from her tea.
" — Anyway, you were going to explain the ... Raw Vesen? And such?"
"Right. Hm. Let's see. I guess I should start with the Mist Gates ..."
"I really hope our contact will be here soon," said a deep voice. Evelyn turned her gaze towards the source. The forest green Battlebred sat on his chair on the opposite side of the table, drumming his fingers against the wood. Odin had been in a sour mood the entire day, though that too Evelyn was unsure of why. Maybe it was just one of those days. But he was right. Their contact had set a time, place and date for their new meeting and so far only two of them had been correct. She would lie if she wasn't a bit irritated too.
"You want some more coffee?" Evelyn asked. Odin fixed his cap hat so that it did better to shade his eyes from the sun and nodded.
"That would do well. Even if the guy does not show up, at least we discovered this nice café, right," he said, raising a thick finger in the air towards one of the waiters behind Evelyn's back.
"Too bad our District is several hours away from here."
"I am sure there exist some shortcuts from here to there. I mean, can you not technically just travel to any of the wannago places, and make way to our District from there? How long would that take? Two hours, maybe two and a half?"
Evelyn frowned and did the math in her head. Befuddled, she put the teapot down. "Then why did we spent nearly half the day getting here?"
"Because we had time. You had been given the day off after all. And it is always nice to wander Concord. You always see something new here. Besides, it is not like we wanted any unnecessary shadows."
"You think we were followed? Is that not a bit paranoid?"
"This is Concord. I would say it would be a bit naivé to not at least suspect you were followed. At the very least it makes things more exciting."
"I think this city is exciting enough as it is, Odin. But I guess I should not argue. You at least have the experience in that sort of thing, do you not?"
"Well. I guess," Odin said, fixing his cap hat once again almost by pure instinct. "But, were you not a solider too, where you come from?"
"Not exactly. The group of Red Witches I was a part of had the duty of making sure the number of Raw Vesen was low in the region, since it was suspected that it had a permanent Mist Gate. Lots and lots of those abominations there, I'll tell you ... Sorry, you probably do not know what I am talking about."
"Well, not exactly," Odin confessed as the waiter came with his coffee. He nodded thank you as the waiter filled his empty coffee mug, before walking away with the pot. Odin put three sugar cubes in the black liquid and stirred with a spoon, before taking a sip. "But I can guess. And I am sure Apteron could bring back a book about all that next time he ventures into the Great Archive."
"No, that will not be necessary," said Evelyn, shaking her head. "I could just explain them if you wanted. Takes a shorter time too."
"Be my guest. It would make time fly by faster too, I reckon. If the memories of the past do not bother you too much, that is."
"No. After Astiri came to join us, it has gotten a lot easier to speak about home. It feels better too, if I am to be honest. Maybe you should give it a try sometime?"
Odin shook his head. "My past is a bit darker than yours. What you know of it is only the tip of the iceberg, and I would like the majority to be obscured underneath the waves."
"That sounded rather poetic. Have you talked to Dhelian much recently?" Evelyn half-joked.
"He and I might share some things in common, yes. And his poetry is not all to bad, once you manage to see between all that purple prose —"
"I take your word for it," Evelyn mumbled, taking a sip from her tea.
" — Anyway, you were going to explain the ... Raw Vesen? And such?"
"Right. Hm. Let's see. I guess I should start with the Mist Gates ..."
Meeting the Contact.
The contact arrived around half an hour later, and by then Evelyn had long since explained the Raw Vesen and Mist Gates. She had followed up by talking about Trolls as well as a bit about the various magical phenomena that existed in her world. And sure enough, it made the time fly by faster. Odin listened quietly, only rarely asking a follow up question. It felt nice — if a slight bit sad — to talk about her home with someone who came from a completely different world, with different creatures, magical rules, and phenomena. It made her see her home from a slightly different perspective.
"So the Ice Spiders are not actually real spiders?"
"Well, there are some who think so. Hence one reason for their name. But no, they are just strange magical phenomena. Beautiful in their own way, I would say."
"And you do not have giant spiders where you are from?" Evelyn shook her head. "Well, then I envy you. They are not nice to stumble upon, I can tell you that. Though they are useful in their own way. For example, their spider silk is very tough and flexible. I know of regions back home that farmed spider silk and made clothing out of it. Very lucrative. And then we have the poison, which can have various effects depending on their age, and most are incredibly potent."
"And let me guess: Spider eggs are a delicacy?"
"Only in some parts. But if prepared correctly, they taste amazing. I think there is —"
Odin was interrupted when a tall man sat down at the only other free chair at their table, without so much as a word. Evelyn managed to contain her surprise — same as Odin, it appeared — over how silent the man had been. He was dressed in a neatly blue shirt underneath a white west with copper buttons, dark pants, and simple shoes.
"Well. Aren't you late," muttered Odin and leaned back in his chair.
"My apologies. There were certain ... complications that came up and I needed them taken care of before I came here. But you two appear to have taken no harm from it."
"What sort of complications?" asked Evelyn, ignoring his last question and gave the impression of professional relaxation. She did, however, take a loose grip around the cool sun within her. At the moment her mental fingers touched it, it flared up slightly. Eager to be let loose on one command.
"None that is of concern for you. Shall we get to business?" Evelyn shared a look with Odin and nodded. "Good. This assignment will be a little different from the others that my superior has given you. It is highly likely that you will encounter fierce resistance, from multiple adversaries. Your target is a paranoid one and slippery as an eel. Multiple times we have tried to catch him but to no avail."
"A name would be nice, as well as information about these adversaries," Evelyn pointed out.
"Your target is a high positioned member of the Phasma Ecto Cult who goes by the name of Eyrin Werkmon, a human. The assignments you have been given before were designed to weaken him and the operation of his cell. Something that has gone well, according to our sources. Unfortunately, they also say that he has gotten anxious and that it is highly likely that he will go into hiding for an uncertain amount of time after dusk. Today."
"And, how good are your sources now again?" asked Odin.
The man eyed Odin for a second before saying anything. "Have they ever been wrong before?"
"No," the Battlebred said shortly, clearly irritated over the fact.
"And aren't we all glad for it. It is what has kept you alive, and we wish that that remain so for the foreseeable future. Now, can we continue or do you have anything else you want to be said?" None of the two mercenaries said anything, and the man continued. "Preferably, we would like you to take Eyrin Werkmon alive. But if that is not achievable, then his dead body will do just fine. No matter the outcome, his cell will be disbanded and I and my associates will then take care of the cleanup."
"And what happens if we fail and he manages to escape in the end? If we fail our assignment? Will we still get paid?" asked Evelyn.
"My superiors wish to keep our relationship on good terms. However, there needs to be a line. You will get paid. But only a third of what was agreed upon. Due to the nature of the cult, you will most likely find quite a lot of valuables that the Concordian State will pay handsomely for."
Evelyn was silent for a moment, thinking it over. The Phasma Ecto Cult usually dealt with highly advanced technology, and if it was of a certain sort then it would always be confiscated by the City Guard. The reward for finding a cache containing future tech of that caliber was not always worth the trouble of getting one's hands on it. Especially if it was used against oneself.
"I must confess, that does sound fair. Or what do you think, Odin?"
"It is not like we will allow this guy to escape. If he is to escape anywhere, it will be to the Great Darkness. But I have to agree too. That does sound fair."
"Well. That settles it. We accept your assignment."
"Excellent. The cell of Eyrin Werkmon is located near the southern fringes of the Doctors Conclave, at 21 Cluodwipp Street. Not too far from your own District, correct? And taking a shortcut through the Blank Spaces would not take too long. Especially if you know your way around the City." He gave Odin a knowing look and was only given a questionable raised eyebrow in return. "Well, well. It was pleasant meeting you two again. Hopefully, all goes well and we will see each other again when this is done. Oh, and feel no need to pay the waiter. The refreshments are on me." With that said, the man stood up and left the café, with the gazes of both Evelyn and Odin on his back.
"So the Ice Spiders are not actually real spiders?"
"Well, there are some who think so. Hence one reason for their name. But no, they are just strange magical phenomena. Beautiful in their own way, I would say."
"And you do not have giant spiders where you are from?" Evelyn shook her head. "Well, then I envy you. They are not nice to stumble upon, I can tell you that. Though they are useful in their own way. For example, their spider silk is very tough and flexible. I know of regions back home that farmed spider silk and made clothing out of it. Very lucrative. And then we have the poison, which can have various effects depending on their age, and most are incredibly potent."
"And let me guess: Spider eggs are a delicacy?"
"Only in some parts. But if prepared correctly, they taste amazing. I think there is —"
Odin was interrupted when a tall man sat down at the only other free chair at their table, without so much as a word. Evelyn managed to contain her surprise — same as Odin, it appeared — over how silent the man had been. He was dressed in a neatly blue shirt underneath a white west with copper buttons, dark pants, and simple shoes.
"Well. Aren't you late," muttered Odin and leaned back in his chair.
"My apologies. There were certain ... complications that came up and I needed them taken care of before I came here. But you two appear to have taken no harm from it."
"What sort of complications?" asked Evelyn, ignoring his last question and gave the impression of professional relaxation. She did, however, take a loose grip around the cool sun within her. At the moment her mental fingers touched it, it flared up slightly. Eager to be let loose on one command.
"None that is of concern for you. Shall we get to business?" Evelyn shared a look with Odin and nodded. "Good. This assignment will be a little different from the others that my superior has given you. It is highly likely that you will encounter fierce resistance, from multiple adversaries. Your target is a paranoid one and slippery as an eel. Multiple times we have tried to catch him but to no avail."
"A name would be nice, as well as information about these adversaries," Evelyn pointed out.
"Your target is a high positioned member of the Phasma Ecto Cult who goes by the name of Eyrin Werkmon, a human. The assignments you have been given before were designed to weaken him and the operation of his cell. Something that has gone well, according to our sources. Unfortunately, they also say that he has gotten anxious and that it is highly likely that he will go into hiding for an uncertain amount of time after dusk. Today."
"And, how good are your sources now again?" asked Odin.
The man eyed Odin for a second before saying anything. "Have they ever been wrong before?"
"No," the Battlebred said shortly, clearly irritated over the fact.
"And aren't we all glad for it. It is what has kept you alive, and we wish that that remain so for the foreseeable future. Now, can we continue or do you have anything else you want to be said?" None of the two mercenaries said anything, and the man continued. "Preferably, we would like you to take Eyrin Werkmon alive. But if that is not achievable, then his dead body will do just fine. No matter the outcome, his cell will be disbanded and I and my associates will then take care of the cleanup."
"And what happens if we fail and he manages to escape in the end? If we fail our assignment? Will we still get paid?" asked Evelyn.
"My superiors wish to keep our relationship on good terms. However, there needs to be a line. You will get paid. But only a third of what was agreed upon. Due to the nature of the cult, you will most likely find quite a lot of valuables that the Concordian State will pay handsomely for."
Evelyn was silent for a moment, thinking it over. The Phasma Ecto Cult usually dealt with highly advanced technology, and if it was of a certain sort then it would always be confiscated by the City Guard. The reward for finding a cache containing future tech of that caliber was not always worth the trouble of getting one's hands on it. Especially if it was used against oneself.
"I must confess, that does sound fair. Or what do you think, Odin?"
"It is not like we will allow this guy to escape. If he is to escape anywhere, it will be to the Great Darkness. But I have to agree too. That does sound fair."
"Well. That settles it. We accept your assignment."
"Excellent. The cell of Eyrin Werkmon is located near the southern fringes of the Doctors Conclave, at 21 Cluodwipp Street. Not too far from your own District, correct? And taking a shortcut through the Blank Spaces would not take too long. Especially if you know your way around the City." He gave Odin a knowing look and was only given a questionable raised eyebrow in return. "Well, well. It was pleasant meeting you two again. Hopefully, all goes well and we will see each other again when this is done. Oh, and feel no need to pay the waiter. The refreshments are on me." With that said, the man stood up and left the café, with the gazes of both Evelyn and Odin on his back.
Thoughts before going.
"There is something about that man that just feels ... strange," Evelyn said, shaking her head slightly. "Maybe knowing his name would help. We have seen him five times now, and I just know him as the Contact."
"I call him White West Man. Since he never appears to change clothing."
"Speaking from experience, are you Odin ? Besides, if there is one thing I have noticed with City of Concord over the years, is that everyone appears to own very few sets of clothing."
"Yes, well, it is Concord. Everyone is a bit odd here," he said with the shadow of a laugh on his lips. "So what do you think of this assignment?"
"That it sounds dangerous, for one. And I am not sure how to feel about the short timetable they have given us. I mean, dusk is only about four hours away, right? I wish he had given us more time. And to be frank I kinda wonder if we would be enough to take care of that place."
"If you feel worried, we could always ask for assistance from the local Knight-Captain. We would need to contact them anyway, due to the nature of the cult."
"Maybe. Or maybe their presence would just make things more complicated. And who knows, maybe they have a mole inside their ranks that is connected to the cult."
"Isn't I supposed to be the paranoid one? But you do bring up a good point. Better to be safe than sorry. And we are two of the best in the field, after all."
"Yes, well I wonder if we maybe should have brought Ha'ak Thaal with us. A Fate Reading would probably ease my nerves."
"You do know that his Fate Readings are much fuzzier when it concerns those who are from Mésvéstell, in contrast to those from Miand'Més, right?"?
"And do you know that those from my world have a lot more clearer Fate Readings than those from Mésvéstell Prime or Epsilon?" Evelyn countered.
"Huh. That I did not know. Why is that so?"
"How am I supposed to know? I am not a Omnicologist. Though, Thei said it had something to do with Väes, or some such thing. Apparently he had read a bit in that field."
"So, if you do not mind me asking, what did the Fate Reading show you?"
Evelyn took a sip of her tea. It had started to get cold."... Uncertainties. Just because it was clearer than most did not mean it wasn't foggy. If Ha'ak had interpreted it all correctly, I would stay in the City for a while longer. I wonder if he might have seen more and just was not willing to speak them. As if telling me I would never come home again would make me hate him, or hurt him, or ..." She took a breath. The cool sun within her had flared up a bit more as her mental grip around it had tightened.
Cool down, cool down ye burning sun and lay on the thick, cold ice. Illuminated by the moon and stars, ye brethren and friends of a long time past...
"Evelyn, are you feeling alright?"
Evelyn opened her eyes she had not realized she had closed and gave Odin a questionable look. "Sorry I just began thinking in bad circles again."
"No, I mean, your horns. They are ... burning."
"What?" She lay a hand to her left horn and felt the magical flames that had engulfed them. Drawing a quick breath, she looked within herself and gripped her inner sun hard. Forcing it to shrink and cool down. With something akin to a whimper, it obeyed. "Are they gone?" she asked; looking down into the contents of her teacup in embarrassment.
"Yes. That was quick. Though they are still giving off red smoke."
"That will go away soon. Are many staring?"
"Staring? Evelyn, you are a nearly two-meter tall woman with blue reptilian skin and two red-shaded curved horns. Your kin is not exactly a common sight here in the City and you stand out like blood in the snow regardless. Flaming horns would be one of the least eye-catching things about you. I thought you did not care for people staring."
"Sorry, " she took a breath and raised her gaze, doing her best to show away the anxiety in a far corner of her mind. "Spontaneously igniting your horns is ... not looked upon with approval where I am from. It is a sign of poor self-control. And for a Red Witch of my rank, that is just unacceptable."
"But you have ignited your horns before, and you haven't reacted like that then."
"Because those times are not spontaneous. It is a good trick to do, especially when it is dark and you want to read something."
"Alright. Let me then say this. This is Concord, not your home of origin. Here, people will not care that you spontaneously ignite your horns, even if some others in another world would deem it unacceptable. Here, magic is a bit confused and no one would blame you for having it difficult controlling it from time to time. So. Done."
Evelyn signed. "Thanks, Odin. I guess. I ... By the Red Witch Twins, I think we should go. The faster this whole ordeal is done, the faster we can go home."
"Sounds good," said Odin and finished his mug of coffee in one swell sweep. Evelyn rose up, taking her satchel she had placed leaning against the table leg and took a look inside. Among her potent energy potions, her lockpick-kit and a package of dried bacon, her stranmys weasel Almond was curled up like a ball, sleeping and quietly snoring. She gave her a warm smile and placed the satchel-strap over her shoulder, before going on her way with Odin tight on her heels.
"I call him White West Man. Since he never appears to change clothing."
"Speaking from experience, are you Odin ? Besides, if there is one thing I have noticed with City of Concord over the years, is that everyone appears to own very few sets of clothing."
"Yes, well, it is Concord. Everyone is a bit odd here," he said with the shadow of a laugh on his lips. "So what do you think of this assignment?"
"That it sounds dangerous, for one. And I am not sure how to feel about the short timetable they have given us. I mean, dusk is only about four hours away, right? I wish he had given us more time. And to be frank I kinda wonder if we would be enough to take care of that place."
"If you feel worried, we could always ask for assistance from the local Knight-Captain. We would need to contact them anyway, due to the nature of the cult."
"Maybe. Or maybe their presence would just make things more complicated. And who knows, maybe they have a mole inside their ranks that is connected to the cult."
"Isn't I supposed to be the paranoid one? But you do bring up a good point. Better to be safe than sorry. And we are two of the best in the field, after all."
"Yes, well I wonder if we maybe should have brought Ha'ak Thaal with us. A Fate Reading would probably ease my nerves."
"You do know that his Fate Readings are much fuzzier when it concerns those who are from Mésvéstell, in contrast to those from Miand'Més, right?"?
"And do you know that those from my world have a lot more clearer Fate Readings than those from Mésvéstell Prime or Epsilon?" Evelyn countered.
"Huh. That I did not know. Why is that so?"
"How am I supposed to know? I am not a Omnicologist. Though, Thei said it had something to do with Väes, or some such thing. Apparently he had read a bit in that field."
"So, if you do not mind me asking, what did the Fate Reading show you?"
Evelyn took a sip of her tea. It had started to get cold."... Uncertainties. Just because it was clearer than most did not mean it wasn't foggy. If Ha'ak had interpreted it all correctly, I would stay in the City for a while longer. I wonder if he might have seen more and just was not willing to speak them. As if telling me I would never come home again would make me hate him, or hurt him, or ..." She took a breath. The cool sun within her had flared up a bit more as her mental grip around it had tightened.
Cool down, cool down ye burning sun and lay on the thick, cold ice. Illuminated by the moon and stars, ye brethren and friends of a long time past...
"Evelyn, are you feeling alright?"
Evelyn opened her eyes she had not realized she had closed and gave Odin a questionable look. "Sorry I just began thinking in bad circles again."
"No, I mean, your horns. They are ... burning."
"What?" She lay a hand to her left horn and felt the magical flames that had engulfed them. Drawing a quick breath, she looked within herself and gripped her inner sun hard. Forcing it to shrink and cool down. With something akin to a whimper, it obeyed. "Are they gone?" she asked; looking down into the contents of her teacup in embarrassment.
"Yes. That was quick. Though they are still giving off red smoke."
"That will go away soon. Are many staring?"
"Staring? Evelyn, you are a nearly two-meter tall woman with blue reptilian skin and two red-shaded curved horns. Your kin is not exactly a common sight here in the City and you stand out like blood in the snow regardless. Flaming horns would be one of the least eye-catching things about you. I thought you did not care for people staring."
"Sorry, " she took a breath and raised her gaze, doing her best to show away the anxiety in a far corner of her mind. "Spontaneously igniting your horns is ... not looked upon with approval where I am from. It is a sign of poor self-control. And for a Red Witch of my rank, that is just unacceptable."
"But you have ignited your horns before, and you haven't reacted like that then."
"Because those times are not spontaneous. It is a good trick to do, especially when it is dark and you want to read something."
"Alright. Let me then say this. This is Concord, not your home of origin. Here, people will not care that you spontaneously ignite your horns, even if some others in another world would deem it unacceptable. Here, magic is a bit confused and no one would blame you for having it difficult controlling it from time to time. So. Done."
Evelyn signed. "Thanks, Odin. I guess. I ... By the Red Witch Twins, I think we should go. The faster this whole ordeal is done, the faster we can go home."
"Sounds good," said Odin and finished his mug of coffee in one swell sweep. Evelyn rose up, taking her satchel she had placed leaning against the table leg and took a look inside. Among her potent energy potions, her lockpick-kit and a package of dried bacon, her stranmys weasel Almond was curled up like a ball, sleeping and quietly snoring. She gave her a warm smile and placed the satchel-strap over her shoulder, before going on her way with Odin tight on her heels.
A talk with the Doctor.
It will be interesting to see what we find there, regardless of how it goes. Would you not agree."
"Well, maybe there is something in there that can fix my gun? It is not as deadly as when I first found it."
"You have had that gun for what, seven years now? I think it is amazing it has not broken down already. Maybe we can ask one of the survivors to take a look at it. Maybe Eyrin Werkmon himself. Or you could just take a new gun from one of their dead bodies. I am sure the City Guard would be key with that, considering your reputation."
"It is made of sturdy material. Whoever built it wanted something that lasted. It will probably take at least a few more decades before it breaks down fully, at least without maintenance. And I do not think any of the cult members would like to help me after we have killed their comrades. They would likely make it explode the next time I fire it. And no, I will not abandon it for something newer. We two have a history, this gun and me."
"I am surprised you have not given it a name yet," Evelyn mumbled, taking a bite of her pie.Taking the path through the wannago places, Evelyn and Odin arrived at their destination about two hours after leaving the café.
As they got closer to the Doctor's Conclave District, the leaves on the trees became orange, yellow and red, the wind picked up and the temperature got lower. With dusk being so close, it all was reminiscent of a cool afternoon day in the middle of autumn. Quite a contrast against the early summer that their own district was in.
The autumn weather matched well with the distinct gothic architecture of the buildings and streets, the latter of which was lined with already gaslit streetlamps in wrought iron, benches and stone statues, most of which were depicting either plague doctors or shadow hooded Angels with scythes. It all certainly gave the District it's own distinct feeling.
The cobblestone street they now walked upon was mostly empty, though a few Concordians still walked about. Evelyn could also see one or two Plague Doctors, dressed in their standard gentlemen attire, top hats, and distinct plague masks. Something about them unnerved Evelyn; maybe it was the fact that one could not see their faces and that their eyes were hidden behind black-tinted glass. It was somewhat similar to how she felt when talking to Leno, though his friendly behavior did much to disperse that uneasy feeling.
The building that was their true destination was just up ahead. It did not appear to be guarded, but appearances could often be misleading. Any of the nearby people could be a cult member, with a concealed plasma gun on their person.
Evelyn and Odin stopped by at a nearby food stall to buy a mincemeat pie each since they might as well get something to eat while they made themselves ready to storm the place. No need to enter a battle on an empty stomach.
"It does not look that distinguishable, if I may say so myself," Evelyn mumbled, taking her pie and following Odin to a nearby bench.
"Hm. They are not exactly the most appreciated group in the City, so it is understandable," Odin said, sitting down on the bench. Evelyn took a quick look at the plague doctor statue on the bench right side, before following suit. "Their other safe houses do not look out of place either," Odin continued, taking a bite of pie and nodding satisfactorily.
"True. I guess it is just that the knowledge of they being within that house's walls and surrounded by top tier technology makes me think of it all differently. So how will we go about it all?" Evelyn asked and started to eat on her own pie. It was surprisingly good.
"First, we need to know which are which out here. Then do some reconnaissance around the block and look over any possible escape routes. And then I say we take out the guards and finally storm the building. The element of surprise is our greatest weapon I reckon. It would of course help if we knew of how many there was inside. And how large that building is on the inside."
"Sounds like a plan. It isn't like we have any good alternatives. We just need to adapt and overcome. And if enough of ruckus is made, the City Guard will mostly likely be mere minutes away. And, well, the inside cannot be worse than the Inn's Basement; at least I hope so. It would not be fun otherwise. Do you have any suspects so far? My eyes are one that tall human standing near that fruit stand, with the basket and leather jacket."
"Yeah, me too. And possibly also that vampire leaning against that Reaper statue in front of their house. With the pipe. You see him?"
Evelyn raised her gaze and looked towards the sun that had begun to go down in the west. About three thumps length and closing. In the corner of her eye, she could make out Odin's person of interest. She nodded, taking a bite of the pie. "Yeah."
"Ah, isn't this unexpected. Odin Mountain Eye, it has been too long," said a sudden voice on Evelyns right, startling her. The slice of pie ended up in her windpipe and made her cough violently. When she had managed to get it into her gullet and finally swallow it, she gave the newcomer a dark eye. It was one of the Doctors of Barron. Where had he come from exactly?
"Are you trying to kill me?! Do not sneak up on people like that!" Evelyn could sense that she had ignited her horns again, but frankly, she was too angry to care.
The Doctor gave a short bow. "My greatest excuses, miss. I promise you, it was not my intent." The voice of his was slightly muffed by the mask.
Evelyn signed. "Apology accepted." She gave the Doctor and Odin a quick look. "You two know each other?"
Odin frowned slightly and stared intensely on the Doctor. "I am not sure. You do sound somewhat familiar, but I cannot quite figure it out. You mind refreshing my memory, Doctor?"
"Of course. And I do not blame you for not remember me. People have a hard time doing that, especially after five years. Allow me to reintroduce myself as I once did; I am Doctor Konklave."
"Wait. Wait, yes I remember now. It was after that horrible massacre incident that occurred in this District, right? With the Bloody Mary Assassin."
"Yes. Unfortunately so. That was a dark day for our Guild. And the woman was a rogue Bloody Mary who did not act on the behalf of the Coven of the Bloodied Marias. A lot of people appear to have an annoying habit of forgetting that important detail."
"Was she really a rogue though? I thought one of your members had been targeted?"
"Yes, that is true. But she also went against their Creed and killed innocents. Something that, I think you can understand, is not tolerated among them. Even if they have a good cause for it. Which this rogue Bloody Mary did not have.
"Wait a second here. Odin, you have never told me that you were part of that incident?"
"In the sense that he assisted in hindering the rogue assassin from continuing her rampage, yes," the Doctor answered.
"It did not exactly feel that important to mention," Odin said, his gaze becoming hard.
"What? Odin, that massacre was a subject of discussions for months! Even today, people sometimes mention it. It reignited the stale reputation of the Coven over a night. Literally. It is one of the main reasons why the Bloody Marys are so respected and feared."
"Painful memories may be difficult to discuss, miss. And that is not entirely true. The Coven of the Bloodied Marias has always been respected and feared. The massacre only remembered people why that was. It is just so sad that the innocents needed to die for it to occur."
"Ah, sorry, it was not my intent to be disrespectful, Doctor."
"None taken. But perhaps we should not linger on this dark subject. May I ask, if you are here on business?"
The two anvilites shared a look. Odin was the one who answered a low tone. "We are here for a human male named Eyrin Werkmon. He is a member of the Phasma Ecto Cult, who apparently has a cell of theirs active within that house over there; 21 Cluodwipp Street."
The Doctor did not turn around to look at the house. "Ah, yes I have been aware of them for some time. So far they have not done anything that validates their instant removal, at least as far as I am aware. And I must admit that they fascinate me."
"Fascinate you?" Evelyn asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course. Do they not fascinate you, as well? Do you not wonder how they acquire their advanced technology so frivolously? Most of it is from Mésvéstellian Futures after all, and for obvious reasons. Let me ask you a question, miss; how many people have you seen milling around the City that might have come from a Future Era of Mésvéstell?" He did not give them time to respond, but it wasn't like it would have mattered. "And yet here we have an organization that appears to be made up of a majority of people from the Future Eras of Mésvéstell. How is it that they have managed to breach the Time Zone time and time again? Nobody but they seem to know this, hence, why they are an anomaly."
"Are you implying that you do not want us to get in there and do what we have been paid to do? Are you going to try to stop us?" asked Odin, with only a hint of threat in his voice.
Evelyn gave the Doctor a more inspecting glance; he did not look intimidating, nor did he carry any visible weapons. But he was a Doctor after all and they had a reputation of being fierce opponents. But together both she and Odin would be most likely be enough to take him down. But that would also leave them open to attack by the cult members who guarded the hideout.
"No no. Not at all. In fact, I am happy that you are here to take care of them. I do not approve of their practices. And I do think that what exists in the future should stay in the future. We will catch up with her in due time, so no need to hasten things unnecessarily." He was silent for a second. "How do you plan to do it? Just take the guards out and storm the place? You might have the element of surprise on your side but they have both the numbers and hardware to make themselves a mighty difficult enemy to handle."
"We know how to handle ourselves, Doctor. This is not the first time we have been up against bad odds," Odin said. "And the only thing that matters to us, is that we get our hands on Eyrin Werkmon."
"That does not mean we would thank no to some assistance of course. The capabilities of the Plague Doctors are known throughout the City. Frankly, I am a bit surprised Eyrin Werkmon took up residence here of all places. And even more surprised you haven't done anything about their presence."
Doctor Konklave stood silent for a few seconds. When he began talking his voice did not sound as joyous as before. "We have been a bit preoccupied with a few problems of our own these last few months, and we are still recovering from that raid by the ... Goblins last year. And as I said before, they have not done anything particularly bad and been very calm over the last few weeks. We did not even know they had set up residence there at first, which was a bit ... disconcerting."
"How exactly did you become aware of their presence? I do not blame you for not noticing, they have after all perfected the art of moving about unseen. And some of their advanced technology certainly help I assume," Evelyn said.
"You are correct. But that does not make me feel better ... I should have been more alert, no matter the circumstances. And it was actually the goblins that made us aware of them. Or one specific one. We call him Billy. Always cause for trouble, and one day he was discovered carrying a plasma rifle that was twice as large as himself. When asked about where he had found it, he answered 21 Cluodwipp Street. And I have had an eye on them ever since."
"Huh. Billy sounds a lot like our Jimmy," Odin remarked, taking a big bite of what was left of his pie.
"Every District has their own Jimmy or Billy, believe me," the Doctor said, moving his hand as if to scatter flies, his joyous tone returning. "Though most are only known within their own little bubble. And not talked about that often. I think you understand why."
"Oh, absolutely," Evelyn said with an exasperated sigh. Odin nodded in agreement. "So, about that possible assistance; you do not happen to have a guess at their number?"
"I do have a good estiamtion of their numbers. I at least hope so, otherwise I will be very disappointed in myself. Excluding the three guards outside, I would say they are around thirteen in number. Maybe one or two is out in buissnes in the City."
"Wait, three guards? Who is the third? We have noticed the vampire leaning against the Reaper statue and the human standing near the fruit stand." Evelyn nearly pointed directly at them but managed to control the impulse.
"And the lovely woman who sits on the bench behind the previously mentioned Reaper statue. "Are you implying that you remember every single one that has stepped foot in the District?" asked Odin doubtfully and took a bit of his pie. "You would be surprised. You are from her Anvilites District, correct?" "Maybe..." Evelyn said. How could he know? They did not exactly have uniforms, and they were newcomers to this District after all. "You have that well distinct smell about you. And it is not every Battlebred that owns such a distinct weapon. Nor Is it not every day you see a Red Witch Loerder. Evelyn raised her eyebrows in surprise. "How did you know I am a red witch?" "Would you believe me if I said I could smell it?" The Doctor gave a short laugh and shook his head. "No. I just noticed your Chakrams, your red eyes, and your burning horns and made a good guess. Those are rather distinct characteristics after all, and isn't Omikron the Mésvéstell Alteration where your species did not die out?" The Doctor became silent, took a step back and made a deep blow. "Ah, that was unbecoming of me to say. It was not my intent. Please, accept my deepest apologies." Evelyn took a quick breath and repeated the mantra her mother had taught her in her head. Cool down, cool down ye burning sun and lay on the thick, cold ice. Illuminated by the moon and stars, ye brethren and friends of a long time past... Her inner sun struggled against her mental grip, angry over what the Doctor had said. It wanted to hurt him. Burn him to ash. Evelyn grimaced and put every inch of her mental strength to quench it into submission, encasing it in a temporary prison of ice. She could let it let out some steam on those cult members soon. "Your apology is ... accepted. Sorry about that." "No no, You should not be the one to apologize here. Besides, those burning horns are rather hot if I say so myself." Evelyn could not do anything but stare. Really? A pun. And not even a very good one. But for some reason, it made a tiny smile appear on her lips. And finally, it transformed into a laugh. "That. ... was so bad, that if you tell another one I will burn your hat." "But not the plague mask?" the Doctor asked, a hand on his hat. "I would not like to know what is behind that mask, thank you very much." "So what is it that you are here for? I hardly think it is for the pies, even if Miss Jarmira makes some of the best in the City." Evelyn felt she had to agree with that statement. This was some mighty fine tasting pie, even if it had almost choked her to death. "So, perhaps I can be of some assistance to you?"
As they got closer to the Doctor's Conclave District, the leaves on the trees became orange, yellow and red, the wind picked up and the temperature got lower. With dusk being so close, it all was reminiscent of a cool afternoon day in the middle of autumn. Quite a contrast against the early summer that their own district was in.
The autumn weather matched well with the distinct gothic architecture of the buildings and streets, the latter of which was lined with already gaslit streetlamps in wrought iron, benches and stone statues, most of which were depicting either plague doctors or shadow hooded Angels with scythes. It all certainly gave the District it's own distinct feeling.
The cobblestone street they now walked upon was mostly empty, though a few Concordians still walked about. Evelyn could also see one or two Plague Doctors, dressed in their standard gentlemen attire, top hats, and distinct plague masks. Something about them unnerved Evelyn; maybe it was the fact that one could not see their faces and that their eyes were hidden behind black-tinted glass. It was somewhat similar to how she felt when talking to Leno, though his friendly behavior did much to disperse that uneasy feeling.
The building that was their true destination was just up ahead. It did not appear to be guarded, but appearances could often be misleading. Any of the nearby people could be a cult member, with a concealed plasma gun on their person.
Evelyn and Odin stopped by at a nearby food stall to buy a mincemeat pie each since they might as well get something to eat while they made themselves ready to storm the place. No need to enter a battle on an empty stomach.
"It does not look that distinguishable, if I may say so myself," Evelyn mumbled, taking her pie and following Odin to a nearby bench.
"Hm. They are not exactly the most appreciated group in the City, so it is understandable," Odin said, sitting down on the bench. Evelyn took a quick look at the plague doctor statue on the bench right side, before following suit. "Their other safe houses do not look out of place either," Odin continued, taking a bite of pie and nodding satisfactorily.
"True. I guess it is just that the knowledge of they being within that house's walls and surrounded by top tier technology makes me think of it all differently. So how will we go about it all?" Evelyn asked and started to eat on her own pie. It was surprisingly good.
"First, we need to know which are which out here. Then do some reconnaissance around the block and look over any possible escape routes. And then I say we take out the guards and finally storm the building. The element of surprise is our greatest weapon I reckon. It would of course help if we knew of how many there was inside. And how large that building is on the inside."
"Sounds like a plan. It isn't like we have any good alternatives. We just need to adapt and overcome. And if enough of ruckus is made, the City Guard will mostly likely be mere minutes away. And, well, the inside cannot be worse than the Inn's Basement; at least I hope so. It would not be fun otherwise. Do you have any suspects so far? My eyes are one that tall human standing near that fruit stand, with the basket and leather jacket."
"Yeah, me too. And possibly also that vampire leaning against that Reaper statue in front of their house. With the pipe. You see him?"
Evelyn raised her gaze and looked towards the sun that had begun to go down in the west. About three thumps length and closing. In the corner of her eye, she could make out Odin's person of interest. She nodded, taking a bite of the pie. "Yeah."
"Ah, isn't this unexpected. Odin Mountain Eye, it has been too long," said a sudden voice on Evelyns right, startling her. The slice of pie ended up in her windpipe and made her cough violently. When she had managed to get it into her gullet and finally swallow it, she gave the newcomer a dark eye. It was one of the Doctors of Barron. Where had he come from exactly?
"Are you trying to kill me?! Do not sneak up on people like that!" Evelyn could sense that she had ignited her horns again, but frankly, she was too angry to care.
The Doctor gave a short bow. "My greatest excuses, miss. I promise you, it was not my intent." The voice of his was slightly muffed by the mask.
Evelyn signed. "Apology accepted." She gave the Doctor and Odin a quick look. "You two know each other?"
Odin frowned slightly and stared intensely on the Doctor. "I am not sure. You do sound somewhat familiar, but I cannot quite figure it out. You mind refreshing my memory, Doctor?"
"Of course. And I do not blame you for not remember me. People have a hard time doing that, especially after five years. Allow me to reintroduce myself as I once did; I am Doctor Konklave."
"Wait. Wait, yes I remember now. It was after that horrible massacre incident that occurred in this District, right? With the Bloody Mary Assassin."
"Yes. Unfortunately so. That was a dark day for our Guild. And the woman was a rogue Bloody Mary who did not act on the behalf of the Coven of the Bloodied Marias. A lot of people appear to have an annoying habit of forgetting that important detail."
"Was she really a rogue though? I thought one of your members had been targeted?"
"Yes, that is true. But she also went against their Creed and killed innocents. Something that, I think you can understand, is not tolerated among them. Even if they have a good cause for it. Which this rogue Bloody Mary did not have.
"Wait a second here. Odin, you have never told me that you were part of that incident?"
"In the sense that he assisted in hindering the rogue assassin from continuing her rampage, yes," the Doctor answered.
"It did not exactly feel that important to mention," Odin said, his gaze becoming hard.
"What? Odin, that massacre was a subject of discussions for months! Even today, people sometimes mention it. It reignited the stale reputation of the Coven over a night. Literally. It is one of the main reasons why the Bloody Marys are so respected and feared."
"Painful memories may be difficult to discuss, miss. And that is not entirely true. The Coven of the Bloodied Marias has always been respected and feared. The massacre only remembered people why that was. It is just so sad that the innocents needed to die for it to occur."
"Ah, sorry, it was not my intent to be disrespectful, Doctor."
"None taken. But perhaps we should not linger on this dark subject. May I ask, if you are here on business?"
The two anvilites shared a look. Odin was the one who answered a low tone. "We are here for a human male named Eyrin Werkmon. He is a member of the Phasma Ecto Cult, who apparently has a cell of theirs active within that house over there; 21 Cluodwipp Street."
The Doctor did not turn around to look at the house. "Ah, yes I have been aware of them for some time. So far they have not done anything that validates their instant removal, at least as far as I am aware. And I must admit that they fascinate me."
"Fascinate you?" Evelyn asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course. Do they not fascinate you, as well? Do you not wonder how they acquire their advanced technology so frivolously? Most of it is from Mésvéstellian Futures after all, and for obvious reasons. Let me ask you a question, miss; how many people have you seen milling around the City that might have come from a Future Era of Mésvéstell?" He did not give them time to respond, but it wasn't like it would have mattered. "And yet here we have an organization that appears to be made up of a majority of people from the Future Eras of Mésvéstell. How is it that they have managed to breach the Time Zone time and time again? Nobody but they seem to know this, hence, why they are an anomaly."
"Are you implying that you do not want us to get in there and do what we have been paid to do? Are you going to try to stop us?" asked Odin, with only a hint of threat in his voice.
Evelyn gave the Doctor a more inspecting glance; he did not look intimidating, nor did he carry any visible weapons. But he was a Doctor after all and they had a reputation of being fierce opponents. But together both she and Odin would be most likely be enough to take him down. But that would also leave them open to attack by the cult members who guarded the hideout.
"No no. Not at all. In fact, I am happy that you are here to take care of them. I do not approve of their practices. And I do think that what exists in the future should stay in the future. We will catch up with her in due time, so no need to hasten things unnecessarily." He was silent for a second. "How do you plan to do it? Just take the guards out and storm the place? You might have the element of surprise on your side but they have both the numbers and hardware to make themselves a mighty difficult enemy to handle."
"We know how to handle ourselves, Doctor. This is not the first time we have been up against bad odds," Odin said. "And the only thing that matters to us, is that we get our hands on Eyrin Werkmon."
"That does not mean we would thank no to some assistance of course. The capabilities of the Plague Doctors are known throughout the City. Frankly, I am a bit surprised Eyrin Werkmon took up residence here of all places. And even more surprised you haven't done anything about their presence."
Doctor Konklave stood silent for a few seconds. When he began talking his voice did not sound as joyous as before. "We have been a bit preoccupied with a few problems of our own these last few months, and we are still recovering from that raid by the ... Goblins last year. And as I said before, they have not done anything particularly bad and been very calm over the last few weeks. We did not even know they had set up residence there at first, which was a bit ... disconcerting."
"How exactly did you become aware of their presence? I do not blame you for not noticing, they have after all perfected the art of moving about unseen. And some of their advanced technology certainly help I assume," Evelyn said.
"You are correct. But that does not make me feel better ... I should have been more alert, no matter the circumstances. And it was actually the goblins that made us aware of them. Or one specific one. We call him Billy. Always cause for trouble, and one day he was discovered carrying a plasma rifle that was twice as large as himself. When asked about where he had found it, he answered 21 Cluodwipp Street. And I have had an eye on them ever since."
"Huh. Billy sounds a lot like our Jimmy," Odin remarked, taking a big bite of what was left of his pie.
"Every District has their own Jimmy or Billy, believe me," the Doctor said, moving his hand as if to scatter flies, his joyous tone returning. "Though most are only known within their own little bubble. And not talked about that often. I think you understand why."
"Oh, absolutely," Evelyn said with an exasperated sigh. Odin nodded in agreement. "So, about that possible assistance; you do not happen to have a guess at their number?"
"I do have a good estiamtion of their numbers. I at least hope so, otherwise I will be very disappointed in myself. Excluding the three guards outside, I would say they are around thirteen in number. Maybe one or two is out in buissnes in the City."
"Wait, three guards? Who is the third? We have noticed the vampire leaning against the Reaper statue and the human standing near the fruit stand." Evelyn nearly pointed directly at them but managed to control the impulse.
"And the lovely woman who sits on the bench behind the previously mentioned Reaper statue. "Are you implying that you remember every single one that has stepped foot in the District?" asked Odin doubtfully and took a bit of his pie. "You would be surprised. You are from her Anvilites District, correct?" "Maybe..." Evelyn said. How could he know? They did not exactly have uniforms, and they were newcomers to this District after all. "You have that well distinct smell about you. And it is not every Battlebred that owns such a distinct weapon. Nor Is it not every day you see a Red Witch Loerder. Evelyn raised her eyebrows in surprise. "How did you know I am a red witch?" "Would you believe me if I said I could smell it?" The Doctor gave a short laugh and shook his head. "No. I just noticed your Chakrams, your red eyes, and your burning horns and made a good guess. Those are rather distinct characteristics after all, and isn't Omikron the Mésvéstell Alteration where your species did not die out?" The Doctor became silent, took a step back and made a deep blow. "Ah, that was unbecoming of me to say. It was not my intent. Please, accept my deepest apologies." Evelyn took a quick breath and repeated the mantra her mother had taught her in her head. Cool down, cool down ye burning sun and lay on the thick, cold ice. Illuminated by the moon and stars, ye brethren and friends of a long time past... Her inner sun struggled against her mental grip, angry over what the Doctor had said. It wanted to hurt him. Burn him to ash. Evelyn grimaced and put every inch of her mental strength to quench it into submission, encasing it in a temporary prison of ice. She could let it let out some steam on those cult members soon. "Your apology is ... accepted. Sorry about that." "No no, You should not be the one to apologize here. Besides, those burning horns are rather hot if I say so myself." Evelyn could not do anything but stare. Really? A pun. And not even a very good one. But for some reason, it made a tiny smile appear on her lips. And finally, it transformed into a laugh. "That. ... was so bad, that if you tell another one I will burn your hat." "But not the plague mask?" the Doctor asked, a hand on his hat. "I would not like to know what is behind that mask, thank you very much." "So what is it that you are here for? I hardly think it is for the pies, even if Miss Jarmira makes some of the best in the City." Evelyn felt she had to agree with that statement. This was some mighty fine tasting pie, even if it had almost choked her to death. "So, perhaps I can be of some assistance to you?"
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