TSC - Chapter 4: Tangent (6) - The Cost of Sight (2)

When Chloe awoke she found herself in a patch of tilled soil. She lay next to the wooden box, which was nestled in plants similar to the one she had found outside Mezzo. She tried to stand up but was instantly dizzy, it was obvious that whatever had just happened it's effects were felt long after. She tried to fix her gaze upon the sky, or at least something above her so that the world would stop spinning. Between her and the clouds was glass, from what she could tell and probably over two feet thick. The glass was dome shaped, with each segment being a very slightly arching triangle fixed between sturdy metal supports. As she lowered her sight, in hopes to find where the glass met the ground she now stood on, she saw woodland at all sides. She looked around the garden and the clearing she stood in. The crystal screen displayed the destination was reached. Two thoughts now ran through her mind. Could she be followed, and the plants that grew here were a probable threat to her.

This lead to a rather rash set of actions; she destroyed the farm, ripped the plants from their roots. She noticed during the destruction, that the roots were bound around an glowing white orb, with its centre a spherical void which the roots disappeared into.  She then proceeded to try to find the irrigation. She decided her best course of action was to start walk towards the base of the dome. It was close to where the clearing was, and the curvature of the glass seemed to capture the arch of the sun above. The dome was affixed to a wall which grounded the metal framework. Along this wall ran a pipe about ten foot across and rusted. Its segments bolted together end to end with rivets.  She could hear the water flow underneath but she couldn't gauge how much water was flowing. She blasted a shard of amethyst at the top of the pipe, slicing off a small portion. Water gushed out, the pressure screaming to escape. The flow, eventually started to subside, with the ground now soaked and its puddles rising. She grabbed a broad leaf from one the shrubs that grew beneath the trees, held it over the gap and plated it. The hole had been sufficiently patched, or so she hoped. If she was to flood this place, she could do it but needed a way out first.

She retraced her steps back to the garden, and then followed the cables that ran like a network under the now dead plants, back to their source. A broken and moss covered cabin came into view between the trees. The cables, twisted and knotted, ran upwards and into the smoking metal chimney. The plants around the house were tended for, there was even a few sprouts of the plants she had destroyed. If someone was home, to Chloe at least, they must be able to let her out. Without much care, she waltzed over to the cabin and slowly opened the door. Inside looked more like a plant nursery than a home. All varieties of vegetation grew from varying receptacles from ceramic  pots, to wading boots, to even a pieces of Numenera. A grey bearded man stood over a stove with his back to her. Chloe noticed that the cables were running out of the furnace grate. She realised that he was cooking something, but she couldn't understand how there was a fire in the furnace, or if there was one, why the cables hadn't melted. She coughed and the old man almost fell onto the stove. He turned and carefully put on his glasses. Chloe joked to herself that they were as thick as the glass above their heads. His first words sounded like he was almost accusing her of not being one of Silus'. She didn't understand what he was saying, she looked back in response blankly. His eyes then showed that he was processing thoughts, with his nods giving the impression there was some positive logical thought. After a few moments of silence, he turned back to the stove, poured the contents of the pan into two bowls and invited her to sit and eat. Confused even further, she sat.

He was happily tucking into whatever had been served to her, but Chloe was definitely not eating it.  She cautiously brought out the box and put it on the table. His demeanour instantly changed. He aggressively called her out as one of Silus' and asked her to leave. She protested, partly because she didn't know anything, and partly because  that he presumed to talk to her in that tone. To that aggression he was instantly tame, timid almost. She asked him who Silus was. His reply was quite simple. Silus had a dark heart. He was known to all officially Uncle Silus and for his years of loyal service, the old man had locked at the top of the spire. He carefully chose his words, trying not to tell her anything important, including his name, Professor Mellevile. She asked why he was here, and he showed her the plants around him, some similar to the ones she had seen on the plant from the rock garden.

She mentioned to him that she had no understanding of how she came to be here, and what exactly this place was. It was an arboretum, a green house, his life's work and his tomb. That last description haunted Chloe, she now wanted nothing to do with him or this place and tried to change the conversation to her leaving. Time slowly passed and the Professor's light conversation stayed clearly on his plants. Eventually the meal in front of him grew cold and the Professor now reacted with disgust with his next spoonful. That taste seemed to jog him forward. He grabbed hold of a few books, most soiled, a few rolls of parchment and a rose. He shoved the books and the parchment into a canvas bag and handed them to Chloe. The rose's  stem was growing tendrils that wrapped around a marble sized white light. He grabbed hold of the box and quickly ran his thumbs over the interface. The ceramic needles darted out into the stem. As he removed his hands he examined the blood stained prints and with regret and instant fear he gave the box straight back to Chloe. He told her to take his research to someone important, someone with a future. She told her to stay away from Uncle Silus, otherwise both he and her would end up dead. His words faded like the world around her as the twine wrapped around her wrists. When Chloe's vision returned she found herself trapped. She was on her side curled around the bag, still clutching the rose and the box. Any movement hurt her, bashing into what seemed like solid metal. There was a pinprick of light coming from one of the apparent sides. It seemed mechanical and complicated. She knew she could not get out. She grew angry and the old man's betrayal and panicked by the restrictions. The fear she now felt grew in her chest and then nearly burst when she heard a woman scream.

TSC - Chapter 4: Tangent (4) - The Deposit

Once inside both Neave and Styenbeck confessed that they had not been in the Tangent Bank for quite some time, and it was more than likely that the tower would have reshuffled and changed doorways. The octagonal room had but only two features, each wall was a mirror, and the floor below and the ceiling above were made from white marble. The room was illuminated in various hues of gold to white, with each individual's movements somehow changing the colour. Neave told the group that it was possible that these mirrors were the new doors, or perhaps even the floor. Styenbeck unhelpfully added that it could even be that the rooms were linked by the light, the laws of the world outside were nothing in here. Both Lily and Eryn took to opposite mirrors. Lily pushed her blade through, with a corresponding angry shout from Eryn on the other side. Three out of the eight mirrors lead to another room, four more lead back inwards, while the last being solid glass. Styenbeck mentioned that there was usually a guide to take them to the top, a notion concurred by Neave. The fact they had no conceivable direction was starting to leave them both visibly slightly panicked. This unsettled Eryn who saw both of them as the only protection against the city. Shroud walked around the edge of the room, tossing his ingot into the air. His attention was drawn to the way it shone in the light, almost like a mirror in itself. He mentioned that perhaps they keys were the clue to the right direction, everyone remarked that the metal was plain as can be. That was apart from Lily, who noticed a pattern in the reflections of her's. She didn't know if what she saw were just scrambled letters, a code, or perhaps words she had not learned but she tried to read them to the group. N SEW NESE SE NW. After she had repeated them aloud the light from the ingot blinded her eyes. She stumbled backwards, dropping the ingot and Zarik's ashes onto the floor.

The remains of Mephisto's brother crawled like mites across the floor to form a line pointing at the mirror next to Styenbeck. He reminded them that this mirror lead to another room, and before they could react, passed through. The surface of the mirror turned to liquid as he passed through, like a drop of water on a puddle.  This process of Zarik's ashes was repeated again. This time however, the mirror that the ashes pointed to, lead back into the room they were  wanting to leave. Eryn walked back through the previous mirror and was relieved to see the markings on the floor. When he returned, he mentioned that perhaps the ashes did not provide a direction, but rather a point of reference. He remembered that the Iron Wind was caused, at least in part, by a unknown force that could attract certain metals. Perhaps the floor had the same property, attracting the ashes. With no sense of direction he told the group that the 'N' should be taken as where the ashes pointed at. The rest were subsequent directions, presumably a form  of magnetic direction. Styenbeck sighed with relief, mentioning that he was on the edge of breaking down due to a fear of being trapped.

Eryn had worked out, by luck according to Lily, that the code was in fact a set of eight directions. The fourth from last leading them to a room with a metallic obelisk in the middle. Lily could smell the distinct aroma of decay and ventured over. The surface of the object was covered in tiny mechanical insects; worm like, with countless legs. They seemed to be dragging metal from other rooms and attaching it to the obelisk. She reached out to touch it, a golden spark jumped from her to it and it started to light up with glowing veins across its surface. Styenbeck, followed quickly by the rest of the group, ran the next two rooms. They were greeted in the penultimate room by more of the insects , a group effort, carrying the metallic end and stopper to a quill and ink pot. As the group passed through the final mirror Styenbeck proclaimed, quite loudly, that he had found it easy to reach the reception of the famous Tangent Bank. The receptionist, a demure and unfashionably dressed woman, hurried over to apologise for the lack of service. She offered him food and drink before turning to the group and unfortunately realising  that she was going to be serving more than just one pot of tea.

She asked for them to sit down while she found a fellow member of the bank and their refreshments.   She disappeared into the mirror to the left of her desk, which was set back from the centre of the room.  From the right a tailored gentleman, with thick rimmed glasses and slicked back, black hair, walked into the room and at once recognised Styenbeck. He referred to him as his favourite doctor, before they both laughed. The man put his arm around Styenbeck's shoulders before they both walked through the mirror he had just come from. The receptionist, followed by another similarly dressed girl appeared with a small, but amicable spread of breads, cheeses, dried meats and tea. The girl, upon noticing Neave immediately sat down with her and both ended up in incomprehensibly fast dialogue, much to the exclusion of Shroud. Styenbeck returned moments later with his back hunched forward and his hands in his pockets. He mentioned that if he was going to be of any use to them, his debts would need to be cleared, and perhaps a little silver would help. Eryn, upon realising his true intent thumbed over the remaining two coins from the Silver Palm. With only a few seconds to deliberate, he tossed over a coin, commenting on how many packs of cigarettes this was worth. Almost surprised, Styenbeck hopped back through the mirror.

Neave chirped up, after finally coming to the end of what Shroud perceived to be an exhausting conversation. She offered the potential of getting into the Mirror Vaults, if Styenbeck failed them, by using Valma as a deposit. This idea was instantly shot down by Lily who demanded why she would even want to take Valma. The air was starting to become heated. Shroud, hoping to fix the situation interrupted, offering the artefact he had got from Dehart. Perhaps, if Neave was convincing enough, the bank might believe it was valuable and that she was still working for one of her former employers. With a little coercion to Neave's apparent friend, she accompanied her  through the mirror in the same direction as Styenbeck. Before she had left, Shroud had placed a mental link on both Eryn and herself in case they were to be separated and the plan was to go awry. Shroud was comforted by her humming, something she did in the real world, and as well as in her head. A couple of minutes passed with nothing of interest. Eryn's thoughts were a little harder to suppress than Shroud had realised, and in trying to block those thoughts out, he heard Neave scream. Eryn shot up like a bolt and Shroud ran for the mirror. Lily was left there clueless as both men disappeared.

TSC - Chapter 4: Tangent (5) - The Cost of Sight (1)

The hallway past the mirror from reception that both Eryn and Shroud had entered to was similar to that of reception. The walls were mirrors, the floor was marble, however this room was a box, rather than an octagon. Along the surface of the mirrors on either side were cracks, fault lines in the glass heading down the corridor. Shroud had no idea what had happened Neave but this certainly wasn't a good sign. Moments later Lily entered the corridor and caught up, and had finally successfully talked Valma into sleeping. The next room was pitch black, the two glowglobes the three of them carried illuminated the dark for only a few feet. The Mirror Vault is exactly that, a vault lined with mirrors, but in this darkness they took on another form. They seemed to be a sheet of deep water, or oil reflecting in tones of blue. Towering mirrored cabinets, holding the precious and the valuable, stood as imposing pillars. There was no sound, no light nor wind. Shroud used his mental link with Neave to try to locate her, but she wasn't responding. The group split, trying to cover as much ground. Lily's eyes were used to darkness but this was something that she had not encountered, no grave or tomb was this still. To her this was not just the absence of light, the darkness  was its own presence. Eryn on the other hand, could happily see in the light. He almost revelled in the fact that he could do something the group could not but then immediately regretted it. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something moving in the mirrors. It seemed to be causing ripples on the surface. He didn't want to believe what he saw; a writhing mass of flayed flesh and sinew, dripping in blood.

Shroud had barley seen Neave's glowglobe on the floor. It was fading into watery ink of the dark, smashed into pieces. The light was fractured against the shattered glass on the floor. Neave's shadowed figure lay in-between. There was the same horizontal fault lines in the storage pillars with what could only be described as downwards claw marks in the fault lines towards Neave. Shroud cradled her, and in the fleeting light noticed the bloodied edges of the glass on the floor. Neave was slowly loosing consciousness.  He tried to heal her wounds, only for Eryn to step in and bandage up her cuts and lacerations. He then asked Shroud if he had heard him, about what was in here with them. Shroud did not react, he was still focused entirely on Neave. It  was then that Lily screamed. A sound the rest of the group had not heard, and so became instantly frightened She too now saw the flayed flesh in the mirrors, twisting and thrashing towards them. She saw more than she would ever wish upon her enemies. At the centre of the creature was an eyeball, the size of child. It was the colour of gold, with a halo of burnt orange around the pupil. Veins, the with width of straw, pulsed with its twitching movements. It did not blink.

***

Across the city Chloe had found herself on the rock garden outside Mezzo. She dared herself to look over the edge, and was nearly sick into the horizontal waterfall. She slowly stepped backwards, edging towards the centre of the boulder. Her heel clipped something and nearly tripped off the edge. It was a wooden box, and with a few knocks, apparently hollow. It had a oval crystal to top of one of the broader sides. Above on the adjoining face of the box to the crystal was, what she presumed, to be a hatch. She held the box now with both hands,  with the crystal facing towards her at the top. There were too bloodied handprints on either side, which had now soaked in. She placed her hands over the prints and could feel that the wood under her thumbs was different to the rest. She gently moved them and the crystal became opaque. With this transition it now displayed text, a list of flowers. Some were common ones that Chloe knew well . Others, she remembered her childhood, with the rest being either too exotic, or too complicated to pronounce. She moved her thumbs again and different flowers, in turn became highlighted. She picked a flower, a type  of blossom and moved her thumbs again in hopes to continue.

The next screen then displayed with a proximity value. It showed a number incredibly close to zero. She looked down and rock garden and to her surprise, the bouquet plant  had that flower. She looked at the box and then back at the flower, trying to understand how something that normally grew on trees could grow on a  garden plant. She moved the box closer, the value  now reaching zero. There was then a display of multiple warnings before the box rattled and out from the slot fired two ceramic needles, tied to what appeared to Chloe as common twine. The sensations under her thumbs changed and so too the screen, now displaying a sets of strings of numbers and letters with multiple periods punctuating the lines.  Chloe wheeled through them, selecting a string that gave her a good feeling. The colour of the blossom changed from a pale pink to a vibrant blue. She was then prompted to select if she was sure she wanted to establish a connection.  Without hesitation she selected 'yes'.  Without realising, the box had now tethered her wrists with string. The world slowly began to sink into darkness. The city became shapes, that became blocks of colour, until that faded into grey and then black. 

TSC - Chapter 4: Tangent (3) - A Quiet Meal

With Styenbeck seemingly unaware of her espionage, he encouraged her to go back to the other side. He asked if she had found anything while she was exploring and agreed that the old woman was possibly the key holder. He did mention that it was unusual for all eight aspects of the key holder to be on one floor. When he heard of where they were found by Lily he seemed almost sympathetic, and mumbled to himself about shadows. In the afternoon light the crowds were slowly clearing giving way to a surge of Purple Order Monks who came to examine the changing glass fronts of the shops. The pair was stopped by the synthetic childlike voice of Valma, who still adorning the red and orange hues, was now spinning behind to the side of them. Lily turned and noticed, sitting outside a restaurant smoking a cigarette  was Eryn, with Mephisto sitting opposite. Styenbeck sighed and grumbled about laziness and ignorance. Eryn called Lily over, offering Styenbeck an already lit cigarette. As they sat down Styenbeck noticed that the metallic pyramid creature seemed to be more interested in talking to him than anyone else. With a closer examination he was able to remember some fragment of information he had in trade from Jyrek. There were sentient creatures that were employed all over the Steadfast by dignitaries, royalty, powerful people with great  threats. These creatures were a repository of their knowledge, however dim-witted their personalities were. When it initially retains information it needs to actively engage with the language it is learning to consolidate its information. To that effect it would constantly ask to play, or learn new things, or try to garner attention. Styenbeck had never seen such a creature and seemed more preoccupied in it that the others at the table.

With his attention now distracted, Eryn now discussed why they had sat in this restaurant. Of course the primary goal was food but the second was perhaps a piece of orchestrated good luck. He had noticed that Shroud was carefully scoping out the Tower, or so it appeared. He had been sitting with Neave when Eryn had noticed her, however he seemed strained, almost like he didn't even see Eryn sit down near him. This fact now came into view as Eryn showed Lily where Shroud was sitting. She noticed him twinge a little, a slight movement even the man himself probably didn't notice. From inside came a crash of plates and shouting. A man inside was screaming about murdering generations of people, permanently turning them back to what they were, restoring the natural material of life. He shouted he could neon green and started to foam at the mouth. The notice grew louder from inside, with chairs and tables smashing, drinks spilling, women shrieking and children crying.

There was now a small rush to leave, with some people still interested in watching whatever mayhem was going on inside. Lily noticed Shroud's face change, he did not move, nor did he even acknowledge what was going on. She pointed this out to Eryn, who at that moment caught Shroud's eye. Shroud immediately stood, and hurriedly brought Neave over with him. He rushed their greeting and asking if they knew what was going on inside. Styenbeck answered first wondering who this gentleman was. Shroud wasn't able to give a reply because he was then interrupted with him explaining they should perhaps leave; as Styenbeck had noticed the restaurant entrance was now turning into a mad dash to leave. Shroud almost instantly agreed, not allowing anyone else at the table to suggest or comment. He keenly gestured for all of them to stand up and to leave, all but Mephisto did without much resistance. He was still waiting for his meal and was insisting he'd wait for it. Eryn pointed out what was going on inside and a few moments later, he decided that the food was probably going to be spoiled by the violence and so agreed to leave.

 As they walked, Mephisto talked in depth with Styenbeck at the back of the group, while Lily was at the front directing them to museum. They all seemed more taken with the exhibit, than the fact of a woman who had been split into seven more copies but when they all saw them eating together around a small table at the back of the museum they all reacted the same as Lily. That was apart from Styenbeck and  Neave. It was in fact Neave who was the first to approach the ladies and to put her hand inside the bag. She shook the hand and withdrew a small ingot. Styenbeck repeated, along with Mephisto and Shroud. Eryn too shook the hand and was quickly reminded of the stone wall that pulled him through. He looked over at Lily for answers, but she quickly evaded his gaze.

It was from this point Neave took over directions. She explained as part of her previous services that she had been in charge of visiting the bank for certain reasons for her employers. It was possible that with entry to the bank she might be able to abuse those connections with the staff and perhaps gain access to the Mirror Vault. Some of the lockboxes in there are bound by mechanisms that she could unlock, if she was given enough time. Her plan was to use the money to gain what she and Shroud needed to get to the top of the city, since they had never expected to meet back with the group. Eryn was a touch surprised and on some level a little hurt. Neave showed the group an inconspicuous broad leafed plant but with each leaf having a singular hole in the middle, its edges the splitting of the vein.  She passed her ingot through the hole and waited. Roots from under the platform stretched out in front of her, grasping the rock gardens that lay in-between the outer ring and the doorway to the spire, creating a river of vines and garden islands. She effortlessly glided along to the door. Eryn attempted to step without passing his ingot through. The vines  reacted by pulling themselves apart at the bottom while reaching out trying to pull his foot downwards to the void below. He quickly retracted his foot and passed the ingot through the leaf and preceded. The rest followed suit, apart from Mephisto, who protested about the lack of railings and the high probability he would lose his balance and fall. He out right refused, trying to mask his fear with the offer to stand guard. He offered that since his brother was dead, he would have no fear of heights and offered his ashes to Lily who, slightly confused, agreed.

TSC - Chapter 4: Tangent (2) - Uncle Silas

Inside the Museum was a recently opened exhibit by Shadowcaster Orae. The display cases were filled with items from a collection called 'The Heard'. On entering Lily had been given a thick brass bar. As it came into the vicinity of an artefact, sculpture or painting, it's surface would become etched in relevant details, the turning on the brass object itself scrolling the text. She tried to seem convincing interested as she moved from piece to piece. Such curiosities included a wooden mosaic of a black hand, carved into a diameter of a tree. A sculpture of a cliff face with tendrils coming up from its shadow, and a still functioning carrousel that created morphing shadows of beasts on its crystal screen.  To the left of the carrousel exhibit Lily caught the distinctive hunched figure of the old woman. She had scurried over to a crowd that had gathered in front of a painting by an unknown artist. It depicted a silhouette, a black bastion with an army pouring fourth, while it's shadow was the detailed reality, of a stronghold under siege.

Lily carefully approached, trying not to disturb the crowd. However as she drew nearer she noticed she was a good foot in height above the crowd. The old woman shuffled forward a little to get to the front and pushed several of the others out of her way. There were various complaints but all in the same voice, overlapping. One stumbled backwards and bumped into Lily. She looked up, revealing her face to be the that of the old woman, and then howled. The group all turned, six more faces, exactly the same. Lily, confused and potentially outnumbered slowly stepped backwards. The one she had been following approached her and smiled. She explained that she, as a child, grew up in the villages in the pastures and countryside of Thaemor on these fairytales. She pulled out a large sack, supported by her seven copies, the sack and it's opening was now comfortably large enough to step into. The old woman offered Lily to put her hand inside. Thinking this was probably for the best, she stuck her hand out as far away as she could from her rest of herself and reached into the unknown.

As she felt around she could imagine some metallic sculptures, a box or two, something definitely with scales and then something soft.  She cautiously stroked it, skin. A few light touches more, the skin of a hand, an old hand. The woman smiled at Lily as her eyes darted to her. She was considering whether to grab hold of it, when it tried to grab her. The brief handshake reminded her of the hands she had felt pulling her through the stone brick wall. Her mind started to make sudden and terrifying connections, with facts based in fear. She ran out as fast as she could, almost falling off the edge of the platform outside. She grasped her chest with her arms and tried to calm herself down. Perhaps her blind hearted confidence was cracking, that or long forgotten fears were resurfacing. She straightened herself up, refusing the help of passersby, who most ended up leaving muttering how they nearly helped an undistinguished servant. She tried to focus on something else, Styenbeck. Her eyes darted across the crowds on the opposite side. He was stood outside a bookshop talking to what she presumed to be the old woman, or a version of her. He seemed a little annoyed, while she seemed worried.

They quickly departed around the promenade. Purposely walking into the dense crowds. Lily strained her eyes, she could barely make out their position, and there was a walkway that lead off from there, nearly directly across from her. She couldn't let them escape so she took a running jump to leap across. Her jump seemed to be to the more observant, a throw. Two flesh stripped hands had risen up from the floor and hurled her heels. It was silent, and un-dramatic. Her arrival however, was unfortunately unsubtle. She had landed gingerly on a table outside an tavern, somehow not knocking the cups off the table. The crowd around her seemed more impressed than shocked ,with most carrying on, seeing it as another one of the numerous street performers trying to garner attention.

Lily leapt off the table and tried to follow her quarry. They too hadn't noticed her jump and fortunately were nearly turning the corner when she landed. Lily checked her surroundings before following. 

The walkway was empty, bar two back entrances on either side, to the spires. To the right she could hear a bolt locking and voices being raised. She traced the outside wall trying to listen in. The old woman was arguing with Styenbeck. Floorboards creaked and a door  was slammed shut. Lily moved around the back to under a window. The glass here was fractured, encased in layers of dust and grime. Styenbeck mentioned  that Uncle Silas was in the city, all reports were to go through him now. She protested, scared about what her failure would mean. There were heavy footsteps next, even the wall Lily leaned upon felt their tread. A door creaked open and both Styenbeck and the old woman seemed to bow to a rotund figure barely short enough to fit through the doorway.  The man spoke plainly, as if he had learned the truth from the countryside. In fact, some of his references revealed to what was possibly a farming background. He threatened to slaughter the old woman and send her to the butcher if she was not careful, it had taken a lot of time and care to put her in the position she was in. The old woman bowed to the point of grovelling. Her snivelling thank-yous were soon silenced by a broad handed slap. Styenbeck stepped back and tried to calmly report a successful assignment. The man replied that his success would be measured if the crop would provide a yield and told them both to leave his sight. Lily carefully and quickly walked around the opposite side of the building to the door to join the crowds. Her eyes adjusted to Styenbeck's arrival back into society and then she  bumped into him.

TSC - Chapter 4: Tangent (1) - Phases

The trip to the tenth level entrance of the Tangent Spire was unsurprisingly quiet. Now with Chloe gone, the two hardly spoke to each other. The only conversation that sparked up was between Mephisto and Styenbeck. Eryn was keeping track of the movements of the people around him, trying to observe some small fraction of life that would give him and advantage later on. For all of his searching he did not see the small child right in front of him. He was dressed in pressed trousers and shirt, with plain metal earrings and bracelets. He tugged on Eryn's clothing and he looked down with a nervous smile. He remembered the last time he had been around children and it did not go well. In the child's hand there was piece f parchment as well as white leaf. The boy urged Eryn to sign it, as an autograph. The first thought in Eryn's mind was the paper itself, if he did sign it, would he be signing something else away? With careful checking  he then preceded to thought two, Arden. Either he hadn't dissuaded his students about the heroism, or he was now even more determined to tell everyone. As the boy waited his eyes started to grow larger, his outstretched arms started to tremble. For the first time Eryn could clearly see the emotion of doubt without any other facets. He tried to smile to the boy, hopefully not scaring him. He took the stem of the leaf and tried to write with it. The boy turned the leaf upside down, using the point. The white hue was drawn by the paper as he signed it, till the leaf was just a skeleton. The boy happy as could be skipped off to a bunch of friends who seemed to celebrate the signature. What Eryn had failed to realise was that the boy had planted a note in his pocket. The green wax seal drawing his attention. The impression on the seal was a claw holding an eyeball.  He tentatively broke the seal and opened the message out. It was a summons by the Hawk-Eyes, with no name, no place or date. This could either be a fake, a trap, or the truth, his dawdling had put him behind the group and pressed on through the crowds.

The Tangent Spire was brought into being around four hundred years ago. An Aeon priest had decided to try and replicate the structure of the Obsidian Spire  in a larger fashion, as to provide housing indefinitely. He experimented with various artefacts, trying to replicate the growth that the spire exhibited when new heights in the city was reached. He could unfortunately not get the stone to grow. His overzealous use of magic and artefact reacted. He had only been able to manage to create one floor, in hopes of it growing. It now, however, was replicating. Sparks of golden electricity bounced between the mirrored panels of the octagonal room. Some passing through, like drops of water. The Aeon priest started to phase in an out of existence, his body constantly being struck by the sparks. The spire grew, room upon room, level upon level appeared from thin air, dissolving into view. Some refused to stay put, swapping levels, or phasing back out. The forces involved caused disruptions on a citywide scale, each shift or phase arcing sparks across the city. The priest was removed from his post and eventually became replaced with a family from House Narrkonis. They interfaced with the residual artefacts the priest had used, and after some time, eventually calmed to process. The Metricious bought the building soon after they had moved into the city, an ever shifting design made the best defence for their vaults. To this day there is no singular layout of the spire, after each shift, guides are sent through to reach the top, marking the quickest travel.

Styenbeck, after reaching the Spire, announced he had business to attend to and that the group should attempt to find a key. After each shift a new guard is assigned, they are charmed by the spire and become replicated seven times over. They wander the levels surrounding it, only offering a key to those who recognise them. Styenbeck had no idea who the most recent key giver was, and could only give a vague attempt at advice. He told them that they would look out of place and offer something worthless, and then looked at the group, the key holder wouldn't be the only one.  He was adamant though, that they searched the other side of the ring around the Spire. He suggested asking around at the many inns, museums, entertainment halls and market stalls. Eryn and Mephisto immediately walked off, driven more by hunger than anything else. Lily on the other hand was not impressed. Styenbeck seemed to be slowing down on purpose. Perhaps he had a reason he didn't want to get to the bank, or perhaps he was to inform another party of his or their whereabouts. She let him drift into the crowd in hopes he wouldn't notice her.

With her eyes solely fixed on Styenbeck she ignored the foot traffic in front of her and bumped into a haggard old woman, her shawl, stick and sack dwarfing the rest of her. In a sweet, almost crow like voice she asked if Lily wanted to buy some flowers  she declined but the woman brought them out regardless. They were dead, some partially alive but slowly rotting. Lily moved the old woman aside so she could keep up with Styenbeck.  The woman then attempted to sell the flowers to Eryn, who was too intrigued by the new tobacco that was being sold and Mephisto sneezed, destroying the dead bouquet . The old woman pressed onwards to the Tangent Museum and hobbled in. She then arrived again, and again, and again, in total seven more times. Lily's attention by this point had now been drawn away from Styenbeck, she was too intrigued by the old woman and within those moments Styenbeck was lost in the crowds.

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (10) - Styenbeck

The merchant sat and stared. Lily walked over and inspected him before she plunged the knife into his back. With a slight twinge from the merchant, the blade bounced off a few inches from his body. She repeatedly tried to attack him but to no avail. He faintly smiled and introduced himself as Doctor Styenbeck, although the doctor part was mealy a facade to help sales. He looked into her eyes, there was anger, resentment and frustration, which could only mean desperation, and desperate people were not logical. To Styenbeck this meant that her recklessness could mean his death if he did not at least give her something tangible. Cautiously ,he asked what she wanted from him, what information could she possibly need? In return she heated the knife a little longer to ensure it was white hot before she attempted to inflict pain. Lily then decided to try different approaches, angles, pressure points and temperatures to try to make her way through whatever barrier he had in place. All the while he attempted to make light conversation, to which she completely ignored, he tried to insult her, she ignored, compliment, she ignored. He mentioned that if she was so resolved to harming him, then he was not afraid, as his life, regardless of the information, was forfeit. With her resolve nearly at an end she came to the conclusion that perhaps this barrier was not something she could physically pass, perhaps she could draw upon the deceased and blast him with their conjured energy. She placed her hand into the pool of blood on the floor beneath her and concentrated on Styenbeck. A flash of bone glinted in the slithers of light from the window, before the hand grappled onto his head and shattered into dust. In that brief second Eryn caught something out of the corner of his eye. There were two layers of dust. One on the floor and one an inch or two from it, next to Styenbeck.  However his guilt over the situation had rendered his perceptions silent. Lily continued to volley necromantic attacks followed in combination with that of her heated blade but to no avail. The man was simply shrugging it off, even making jokes about how ineffectual her practices were.

It was at the moment Lily's rage was about to froth from her mouth so Styenbeck stood up now unbound and confident. He introduced himself formally, and then asked what Lily wanted. She was taken aback, and returned with an aggressive stance. He reassured her that on any less of Metricious would have succumbed . She told him of the word 'Tangent',  it now tasting bitter. He simply stated was that was the Metricious bank, only members and high ranking citizens are allowed an account. She asked about the guild itself. He replied that tt was formed by the first traders to ensure their survival against the black market, specifically the Silver Palm. He continued that the guild tries to legislate trade in the face of the threat from the Foundations. The city is also in the best position for trade across the steadfast, and that position must be protected. She then brought up that she was guided by the symbol of the golden beetle, and what that meant to him. His answer was tinged with trepidation. He told her that the Metricious have a working relationship with the Whisper Network, secrets from customers are traded for protection. Anyone could be working with the network, all are puppets, sometimes with no knowledge they are being used. Sometimes the pressure point is blackmail, the lure of status and wealth or perhaps a simple request from a friend or lover.  You only know you work for them, if they want you to. Lily now realising the methodology, now wanted the name of who ran the network. Styenbeck could only say that the network was set up around the same time that a few new families moved into the city. Most of them are now prominent members of the court or higher social circles, only one has stayed relatively humble, Lyathra.  There was one complication however, he motioned to them, which was one of funding. The network was unfathomably vast, and obviously supported by a large amount of resources, something that the family historically could not provide. He admitted to Lily he was clutching at straws.

With her rage now subsiding, Styenbeck turned to the blood on the floor and the trail from the window. He asked who the blood belonged to and Mephisto replied. There was a emptiness that now swelled in Styenbeck, he couldn't tell if it was regret, guilt or grief. He could have spoke up earlier, acted faster, been less selfish. He resolved to at least make a difference. He looked down at the red mark on the windowsill. It was a bloody handprint, presumably from Zarik. Styenbeck brought Mephisto over to see if this was likely his brother's hand. The pollen from the plants outside was became caught in Mephisto nose. Without warning he violently sneezed, forgetting he had not fully closed the lid on the box containing his brother. A small fraction of the ashes dispersed into the air and then clung, as if drawn by a powerful attraction to the windowsill . Where the ashes fell, it marked a footprint on the windowsill on the outside with some settling on garden.  Styenbeck mentioned that Chloe had been over here to investigate.

In all honesty, the others had hardly noticed. The peace and quiet that they had enjoyed during the interrogation, was, at least they thought, product of it. Chloe's disappearance had gone unnoticed but now, not unappreciated. Although Styenbeck protested that a young girl at that age should not be left alone in the city, Lily and Eryn were pleased to see her gone. Mephisto seemed swayed a little more to not caring either, after her outburst in storage. Styenbeck sighed, if they were going to carry on regardless so should he. To that end, he asked if the group had taken his belongings, such as his cart, money and stock with them here. Eryn, now slightly embarrassed, shook his head. Styenbeck tutted. He offered, as partial payment that they owed him due to the detriment to his business, that they would guard him while he walked to the bank.  Lily grumbled, unhappy about her torture. She sharpened her blades before stowing them with the few pieces she carried. Eryn went to help the doctor, offering him a cigarette, while Mephisto drew on the stone with his brother's ashes 

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (9) - Ring Tattoos

On the floor in front was a fully covered body, apparently a man, completely wrapped from head to toe in what looked like one continuous, black roll of cloth. It was slashed however and from Lily's observations the man had been attacked with a short blade and left for dead. She then chose not to mention that the body wasn't there when she left the room. It was a strange situation as it was and it didn't needed any more complications from Eryn or Chloe. The security guard, after looking over the body, placed his boot on the neck of the man and demanded answers. He pressed down a little tighter. The man, trying to answer, started to cough blood. The bloody garbled words were useless, the dying words of man left to drown in his own essence. The guard then kicked the body onto its side and with pinpoint precision searched the body with minimal contact. There were slashes up his left arm, across his chest and on his wrists. Any exposed skin had blood on it to some degree, although most of his was seeping into the wood. He had no weapon on him  and no form of defence. He seemed not to have any worldly possessions. The security guard then examined the hands, revealing black, ornate ring tattoos at the base of all of the corpse's fingers. He was about to remove the mask but the man's eyes stopped him. He saw something familiar, something he recognised. This time without care, he ripped the cloth from the man's face, revealing him to be man's brother. As a teenager, Zarik, the newly deceased, had abandoned Mephisto and was never seen again. To that end he was not stirred by the fact that his brother had just died in front of him, which confused Lily. Nearly everyone she had met had some sort of connection to family on some level, even herself. She offered the man peace of mind, if he wanted to ask the corpse questions. He looked at her sideways, then at the other two and the sleeping merchant and weighed that with how unlikely this grouping was, it was probably in the same vein as talking to the dead, so he agreed.

Mephisto  dragged his brothers body out into reception. Margaret, who now seemed to open up a little and introduced herself, told him off for bringing the corpse too early, hours before the daily collection. He ignored her and placed his brother down on the wooden bench that was the only other seat in the room. Lily placed her hands onto the head Zarik and told the security guard to ask her his questions. Zarik, your brother Mephisto wants to know who your employers were and why you were killed. She searched his memories, each slowly fading into grave soil. I cannot tell you why I was killed, for my brother's protection. I work as a ring and I am truly sorry Tell him that. Zarik then crumbled onto the bench. Mephisto unflinchingly asked Margaret for her synth box that she carried her lunch around in. She looked over and protested but eventually dropped the box in front of him and turned back to her reading. As carefully as he could, Mephisto gathered the remains of his brother and placed them into the synth. He asked Lily why she had helped him but she stayed silent and walked back to her room. When Mephisto left with his brother, Margaret shouted she was not going to clean up his mess and would cost a significant part of his wage.      

 When Lily returned she restrained the merchant in the chair that she had brought into the middle of the room. Eryn decided the best thing to do in his situation was to ignore it, so he smoked, facing out into the corridor. Mephisto half watched, while shaking the box and watching his brothers ashes through the clear side plate. Lily leaned in close to the man and whispered a few words, he awoke as though he had just died. He did not at first look to her, instead he looked towards Mephisto and started to apologise and rambling steam interspersed with condolences and remarks of stupidity. Mephisto briefly looked over. He may of remembered the man but he had no value to him so did not care. That was until he mentioned his brother. His initial conclusion was that he was perhaps the killer. Then again he was fast asleep at the time. The man was also visibly frightened, and crying non-stop. His entire attention was not on his own situation but on Mephisto. A fact that made Lily's anger start to rise. He was questioned on his name by Mephisto, and what he knew. His simply stated that name was Steignbeck, a member of the Metricious guild of Auspar. What he knew was that Zarik was possibly a member of the fabled Rings of Melch. He hadn't told him as he feared if the other Rings hand found him, they would have killed him. Or he had imagined it, and was fleeing from phantoms of his own making. He apologised for being selfish, he regretted it all but he didn't think Mephisto knew. He was sure that was why he was restrained.

Mephisto returned to his brothers ashes, Steignbeck knew that was the end of the conversation. He looked around the room, recognising the masked girl first. From over his shoulder he could see Chloe examining the ledge on the inside of window. There were no bars or glass, so he  presumed this place was obviously safe. The property must be known to Scaler Thieves as protected. Steignbeck then knew instantly where he was. He noticed the girl lean forwards, examining a dark red patch, there were chubby lines from what he could see, attached to a oval shape. A symbol he didn't recognise. She mumbled a few words to herself before she silently jumped straight out. This was a fact nobody seemed to had noticed. In his astonishment his gaze then fell upon another recognisable figure, Eryn, who had his back to him. He lowered his head and shook it and turned to Lily. He asked what she wanted. In response she made Eryn heat up the tip of her knife and smiled. She simply stated, she just wanted to have a little fun, before she had to get down to business. 

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (8) - Strangers

Mezzo Holdings was originally founded by House Thanosa in the city of Qi. Although the family held the company for some time, complications within the house caused attention to be drawn constantly away from the business. It then only became a matter of time before they did not own a controlling share in the company. This, at least in Auspar, allowed the business to become a facade for illegal activities. With no real interest in the company, the new owners were left unchecked. For those that have the right connections, knowledge or a silver coin, the back storage rooms were available to use no questions asked . Lily had the right connections, although their contact's motive was still unclear. To maximise the secrecy all of Thanosa's grandiose adornments were taken down, and replaced with simple wooden furnishings and aged accents. This was a familiar setting to Lily, almost comforting in its Spartan way.

In the centre of the room there was a wrinkled woman with an angular nose, sitting at a small desk. She seemed to be utterly involved with what looked like a collection of recent rumours. After a few moments of standing in silence Lily coughed. The woman barely blinked. She again coughed, and coughed without a reaction. Frustrated, she shoved one of the notes in front of the other woman. Although not interested at first, once the woman had caught a glimpse of the beetle insignia she was a lot more responsive. Without any discussion she handed over a ring of keys in all shapes, including some that squirmed under Lily's touch. This was given along with any relevant information, including corpse disposal. This made Lily smile. She jangled the keys while walking past box after box of stored artwork and sculpture. Past this was a hallway which had numerous doors. She decided to go with her second choice, her initial thought might be the same as someone else if they wanted to get her. It was a simple wooden door, nailed together without much care. Only the brass handle, unique amongst he rest, seemed to have been the only part given any attention.

Lily cautiously opened the door, half expecting something to try to kill her. Instead she saw a small room, with a singular narrow window, along with its occupant. An imposing gentleman, not just by his stare but by the bulking mass that was his body.  After walking in she had disturbed him and in his sleepy stupor, half heartedly tried to send her away. She resisted easily. Lily then looked around for anything useful, perhaps to render the man unconscious. The room was barren, save for a chair, broken bottles and a set of blankets. She asked him if this was his living quarters, he shook his head with slight movements. That was all she needed and ordered him out. He laughed, much to Lily's bemusement. He calmly explained that he was the enforcer of security of this holding and by contract cannot leave. She sighed, another complication. She paced around the room, constantly observing the man, sat in the chair with his back against the wall. She glanced outside at the rock garden, one of many that adorned the spaces between spires in the merchant district. It was a small outcrop of rock and flowers, circled by a spiralling waterfall which came from its centre and dropped down below. One of the plants was singular stemmed but had multiple varieties of leaves and flowers, a living bouquet. It was unclear whether the garden would collapse under her weight or just sink. It was just another dead end. She turned back around to question if the man had ever tortured someone but before she get a response there was an almighty scream from reception and a heated argument filtering through the hallway.   

The man burst through the door into reception before Lily, he almost took the door off with the force. The receptionist did not shriek, instead she only tutted. She was not convinced of the credentials of these new visitors, especially as they were carrying what looked like a dead body in, rather than out. Lily smiled but  was also little shocked at the sight of Eryn. She did not think he would have been able to carry out the abduction so she welcomed him a little more friendlier than she normally would. Eryn was a little confused now and kept regimentally still while she gave out a barbed compliment. The man enquired as to whether Lily was part of their party, a question seconded by the receptionist. Her response was cold at best but it was satisfactory. It got them past reception. While they walked between the crates, a clear crystal statue lured Chloe away from the group. She gazed at its perfectly smooth surfaces, not a single crack or chip. She couldn't really understand what this piece was meant to represent. She felt a little chilly, the lights seemed to be drawing themselves away from her. From out her ear sprouted the tentacled voice. It started asking questions, asking Who are you? The shards of the other voice pressed in returning the sentiment. Chloe's own thoughts were being drowned out, she screamed and shouted. The man jumped down the hall, while both Eryn and Lily kept a firm grasp of the sleeping merchant.

Chloe now ran ahead down the hallway to the door and screeched to a stop a few steps before it and fell silent. She pointed her left foot out and tapped into the pool that had formed under the door. The poor lighting from the dimming lamps and the dark, worn wood made it difficult to tell what it was. A few steps behind the others arrived. Lily knelt down, completely dumping the merchant onto Eryn who nearly tumbled backwards under the weight. She dipped her finger and tasted it. Lukewarm blood, a couple of minutes from body temperature. Nobody had gone past them, and to other man's resolute conviction that there was nobody else in the building and with that sentiment he charged down the door.   

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (7) - The Merchant

Fame is a means to an end to some, perhaps to satisfy their narcissism, to fill their vaults full of precious things or for public adulation. On the other hand it can be a burden and a corruptor. For the people of Draolis, fame is a means to do better things. It is a vehicle that their intention rides upon. For Eryn in particular he was facing a dilemma himself. He had heard of the Hawk-Eyes and once, while he was younger, wanted to join them after hearing tales in the city of Qi. On the other hand his new found fortune was a product of a lie. He was now questioning whether he made the right decision. His wanderings through the city took him up two floors, to the realm of the Grapnel. Every shop, market stall and roving trader had something related to sell. Of course there were people here who would prey on these citizens. The floor was instilled with regiment and compliance so there was always an opportunity for subversion. Eryn's absent minded wanderings collided him with a Grapnel Guard. His broad shoulders, exposed arms and polished armour was admirable to Eryn. Unfortunately the guard was not amused. He moved Eryn on quickly, with one broad gesture. He fell against a wall and slumped onto the deck, his guard had been down so he could only blame himself. He looked around to gain his bearings. Two old women had replaced his position next to the guard but seemed to be happily chatting away with him, either that or he did an unconvincing job of ignoring them.  Behind the two old women he saw a shadowy figure and a flash of reflected light. There were sounds of an argument, bone smashing and crystal breaking till out of the shadows came his bickering companions.

From what he could gather the fight was about one thing, stealth. Lily claimed she needed absolute covertness to finish her assignment. Chloe's response had been two fold, firstly she wasn't on the mission with Lily, and secondly she claimed lightning fast reflexes if they did get into trouble. This then escalated till they both tumbled out of hiding. Eryn sighed. He had thought about asking what had happened but he remembered the struggle he had to get through last time with Chloe and decided it was better not to. He tried to talk to Lily but the way she looked back at him, it was probably safer not to. The silence had prompted Valma to wake up. Although the voice sounded sleepy  it was resolute again in asking for be interacted with. Chloe had been exhausted by trying to interact with Valma for the past hour or more and quickly shunned it for the guard. Her decision was to try to sneak up on the guard to find out what he was saying to the women. Unfortunately she tripped over a loose board in the floor and landed directly next to the ladies. One of them shrieked at first but then offered to help her up. The guard however was distracted. A fellow Grapnel, a slightly portly fellow with glasses, pushed the rims from his nose and unfurled a parchment. He announced that all Grapnel not on primary rotation to attend an emergency promotion to Keeper of the Glaives, and in his tone, apparently unhappy about the new candidate.

As Chloe returned to the group so too did the guard back to the Academy. Lily could no longer gain simple access. While she had been waiting for the eventual fallout from Chloe being in Seneschal's, she had been given another note. He slowly sleeps with regret. To Lily that could only mean Zivians and this new development would change any opportunities she had already scoped. She decided until she had the advantage she would change tact. Following up on the second part of her assignment, Tangent. She had heard of this word while in the Foundations by passing merchants but she never sought clarification. Her idea was to take a sleeping draught she had concocted, a familiar recipe although difficult to attain the ingredients, and apply it to a merchant. Without much discussion she asked Eryn to find her a merchant and in all but saying the word, kidnap them. He didn't give an immediate response and Lily wasn't waiting for one.

Her Employer had given her access to a front, the Company Mezzo. It dealt with transporting sculptures and art to various locations around the Steadfast, as well as anything else that could fit in the box. It's back rooms would be perfect for what she had in mind. Eryn now left with not much option needed a cigarette. He grabbed Chloe and they started walking. All around him were shops dedicated to the improvement of the physical. Nothing that could desecrate the sanctity of the human body was sold here, a saddening fact for Eryn. Their windows boasted finely sculpted mannequins, the newest in apothecarical medicine as well as rare trinkets that held their own powers. All this dedication made Eryn a little sick. He was even coming around to the idea of kidnapping, as long as it was one of the people who worked at one of these shops. Chloe in the mean time had darted around those shops looking for something in particular, a mask.

She needed a disguise, in hopes not to attract attention to who she really was. She had found one eventually, although it was made for spectacle fighting, to strike terror into the opponent. Her visage was off putting to most of the citizens, apart from one. He was a middle aged man with faded scars. His deep brown mutton chops  the only resemblance to the colour of what his thinning hair.. He was almost too calm, a fact Eryn ignored due to his wares. A tobacco salesman defiantly promoting his stock in front of uptight self-righteous, health obsessed Metricious. This was admirable to Eryn, who delighted in the rebellious nature of the man. They discussed their techniques while Chloe was gauging the bicycle driven cart he was peddling from.  Directly behind  them, a young woman, probably a maid or servant for a lord out shopping for him, shrieked. Her sensitive temperament shocked by the mask. Her footing on the small set of steps outside the shop was lost. She and her shopping tumbled down towards them. There was no time to react. The shopping pushed the cart onto the merchant, who in turn fell onto Eryn, much to Chloe's amusement. As the dust settled and the woman hurriedly grabbed what she could of her shopping, only Eryn stood. He thought he had somehow killed the man but instead he was sleeping soundly. There was no more of the sleeping draught and no Lily around to synthesise more. With regret as heavy as the man he now carried and headed towards where Lily had designated.

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (6) - Seneschal's (Part 3)

 A little way across the city Shroud and Neave were now headed towards a Guldspar Enclave after Shroud had noticed that the liquids had somehow interacted with the golden veins under his skin. Neave's solution was to see one of the Guldspar to see if anything could be done. He was not showing any signs of the elixir but it was only a matter of time till they manifested themselves and so needed to be rapidly treated. During her time as a lower servant, some her fellow employees were Guldspar. Although on these lower levels the monks were rare, there was a place of worship nestled in-between the cafes and trinket shops. Whatever the possible outcomes would be they would know. The monks of the Guldspar had a particular insignia, three pronged, fork-lightning. Above the door frame now in front of them both, chiselled into the masonry was  this symbol. Shroud did not approve, nor was he willing to go in without a push. Neave sighed and walked in first, her hand brushing against the door handle. Shroud now left alone, quickly followed and shut the door.

The inside of the enclave was not much different to the out. The walls were the same greyed stone from the Dark Hills Quarry. Like the door frame, all the wooden fixtures, from the furniture to the painting frames, were either broken, riddled with woodworm, marked and splintering or any combination of the three. The only thing kept in pristine condition in this room, between the old chairs and littered parchment, was a large black plate, hung on the wall. It was in the shape of an octagon with the same symbol  as above the front door etched onto its surface. To the left hand side of the room there was a side table covered with golden threaded crushed velvet. It had, at least to Shroud's observations, were outlines of vials. He approached the table and was about to lift the velvet when Neave coughed, loudly. He turned around to see a golden veined man, in ceremonial garb standing silently. Neave broached the subject of the liquids Shroud had been dosed with. He tried to explain but after the first few words, his speech became garbled. Shroud approached the man but he started to contort in pain, shouting he could only taste burgundy. Shroud cautiously went further towards the man, to see if he could offer help. The pain seemed to intensify. His words became lost in a jumble of confusion. The taste of burgundy was now accompanied by horror and disgust. He screamed that he hated himself for what he did, that he had unfathomable depths of blood on his hands. Then claimed innocence, not understanding the how's and why's only the images that were apparently flashing through his mind. Shroud retreated back to Neave, who looked as confused as him. Shroud was determined to help the man but as he did the monk wailed in pain again.

With this rebuke Shroud had had enough. There was no way this man had any sanity left in him. The entire thing was pointless. He turned and walked past Neave to head out of the door. Her hand grabbed his arm and he turned aroun. Her grasp was firm and decisive and he couldn't break free. She asked him if he knew what he was doing to the man, after going back over there? Shroud protested innocence but her hold tightened, and was now painful. He pleaded again and again till she let him go. She had heard of the drugs he had been dosed with, colours that could grant you access to memories of your own that you've forgotten, or to replace with someone else's. Memorene. Her only explanation was that somehow he was infected. The golden veins that had absorbed the colours were, perhaps, transferring taste, memory and emotion between him and the monks, rather than allowing him to access them. She apologised for her actions, acting and speaking out of turn. Shroud was a little confused but wanted to test her idea. He purposefully walked over to the monk and harassed him, asking him about what he saw, what he felt, what he remembered but the monk cowered back. He was now writhing on the floor trying to get away. He was in tears with a look of remorse. This looked frightened Shroud, if these were his memories, perhaps they were better left buried. Neave immediacy dragged him out of the Enclave and spat stern words at him. She was not angry about what had happened, but about his intentions and actions. She warned him not to overstep social boundaries, he was not a Lord yet, and the Guldspar were on every level, in every faction, guild and family. She made him promise that until they had found a way to cure him, he must follow her advice to the letter. He, feeling more like a child than he ever had in his entire remembered  life, lowered his head and agreed. She smiled back at him and offered to show him her favourite restaurant, as long as he paid.  

On their arrival they met an angry mob. Neave recoiled, she said to Shroud that she had never known anyone or anything to upset the people here this much. To Shroud there could only be one explanation, Chloe. His expectations were correct, She was in desperate trouble, her feet nearly caressing the void below her. He had to act fast. Shroud asked Neave to hand over the mirrored sphere, one of his only positions. It had a faint glowing white line around its circumference. He twisted the sphere at three precise angles. It clicked and hissed, the light throbbed. He threw it up into the air and it hung there like a bauble. The rays of the sun that now hit the bauble danced off in colours and shapes. The ball started to rotate and so too did the lights and shapes. The crowd couldn't help themselves. They became distracted, the dazzling display, all encompassing. Unfortunately Chloe she had also succumbed. He quickly dashed in between and grabbed her but just as they were about to leave, the ball shattered into sparks and the crowd regained its focus. They both ran, catching up to an already fleeing Neave. The path ahead split, the noise of the crowd and her heartbeat made it difficult for Chloe to hear. Was Shroud going left or right? She made her decision, too fearful to look back. 

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (5) - Seneschal's (Part 2)

Lily wandered around not really knowing where exactly Seneschal's was. The only clue was that it's clientele were over protective and most likely servants. She wandered the walkways looking for any significant signs. The early afternoon guided the masonry in golden tones. The air was still but carried music and shouting from the top to the bottom of the city From what she thought to be a nobles spire, six servant girls giggled their way onto the joining walkway. Although their laughter irritated her, their conversation that punctuated it was of more interest. They were heading to a birthday party. What made this special was that it was going to be cooked by a native of the Beyond, and cuisine they had never tried. They were headed to Seneschal's. Lily deftly followed, masked by the crowds. She listened to their inane chatter, about the mundane details about their lives that made them so interesting to each other. They were soft, mollycoddled by the city. Their lives seemed petty and insignificant to Lily. To distract herself she tried to envisage her mark but came to the sudden conclusion that she had no idea what this gentleman would look like. She would need to get into the kitchen.

On the outside Seneschal's had the markings of being above its level. There were variegated plants in ornate pots. The black iron tables and chairs were neatly stowed and a few trinkets adorned the entrance like wind chimes. The bricks however betrayed the lie. They were marked, mossy and slightly cracked. The new furnishings apparently trying to mask its age. This interested Lily as she went in, wondering how much was a facade, and how much was the true Seneschal's. The group of girls sat down in one of the booths, already decorated for festivities. Lily looked for a table of her own, a quiet one, out of the way but in line of sight to the kitchen door. The one she had picked was underneath an old painting, which looked like it had spilled onto the table cloth. She cautiously sat down, trying not to garner the attention of the old man who was shuffling between table to table. A short while past, with Lily having to at least order a drink then out of the corner of her eye she could see the glimmer of amethyst and could hear the familiar irritating tones. She tried to hold her gaze but it was too late. Chloe in her desperation to leave the table was now frantically waving over at Lily. In repine she hide herself behind her menu and tried to ignore her. Eventually she had to wav back but refused to sit with them. Chloe sank back down into her chair. In the meantime Lily had noticed that the waiter was the only one serving, so with his back turned, she tried to sneak into the kitchen.

Within a blink of an eye Kal had moved from the table to the door. He now blocked her path, and his  stature and imposing body language made it clear she could not pass. On the other hand however Chloe's reaction was not as logical. In her state of constant fear she was scared Kal's sudden movement, and in that moment reacted violently, in hope to protect her friend. Before Chloe could react, Lily knew she had to bide her time and sat further back in the restaurant, far out of view. Chloe instantly jumped from her seat and flung herself at the man. She latched on to his arm with both hands and preceded to transmute the armour covering it. A slightly synthesised scream ruptured the polite silence. He removed his helmet. Underneath were pained cybernetic eyes, a scared bald head, and a look full of fear. Chloe realised her mistake, far too late. He asked innocently, why this human had harmed him? Why had she wanted to kill him? What was the logic? How can he understand? Lily left before Chloe could do more damage. She would have to investigate another way.

Chloe backed down, looking for an escape route, realising that she could not transmute his life sustaining armour back into its original composites. Every face she looked at now stared at her, and as she tried to leave, the twenty four people including the birthday party all stood up. They didn't rush to help. By the looks in their eyes, Chloe judged that they were fearful, but aggressive. She had to leave and she had to leave fast. She dashed for the door but Kal was there before she could take her first step. The customers, Kal's friends and acquaintances stood up. The uniformity of it was almost unnatural. They started to surround her, blocking her view of even the walls. In a state of pure terror she lashed out, firing a razor sharp shard of amethyst  from her hands towards where she thought was the door. She cut down an innocent man. She had sliced his gut open, his innards now spilling onto the floor. She lashed out again, slicing the chest piece of Kal's armour, forcing it to split from his body. He writhed in agony, his eyes fading to a dim light, his left hand and both feet twitching. The crowd was mortified, in the seconds they were stunned Chloe flew out the door. One of the patrons a robed and hooded woman did not however stand up at the fight, she had sat all the way through. She had got up just as the first man died, walked serenely over to the fight, waited for the girl to leave repaired Kal's armour and followed Chloe without a word. The mob followed baying for blood. Chloe quickly found herself at the edge the platform outside with nowhere to run. The crowd was crying out for her punishment and her execution. Tears started to fall from her face, the first in a very long time.

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (4) - Seneschal's (Part 1)

Chloe had no real idea where she was going.  Since her incarceration the city had changed. Even more so since she was only a child when she was arrested.  The intense feelings, the vibrations, the heat, the pressure, they felt as if they would envelope her. She wildly looked around for any semblance of familiarity. Men towered over her, some with leering gestures. Others just barged her out the way, her small stature barely noticeable. She felt crushed, frightened and distraught. Every face she turned to seemed contorted and twisted. Their visages changing from human to monstrous to mechanical. She needed comfort, warmth, familiarity. Seneschals’. She had only been there twice as a young girl. Her extended family had kept her at arm's length, so it fell to her handmaiden to keep her occupied and out of her home city. Auspar had been chosen by her servant due to its notoriety of people disappearing into crowds and never to be seen, or arrested again. On the last visit to Seneschal’s she remembered ordering something called 'Squirrel Soup'. The thought made her hungry, which overrode her fear. She was able to pick out two or three familiar landmarks and made her way up to floor seven, and to the place in her memory.

It  hadn't changed that much. The room was packed full over lower class servants, while a few booths next to the kitchen were reserved for the more senior servants. It was bright and sparkling full of chatter. The familiar curtains, tablecloths and paintings were there, although now faded. Even the waiter, although not a young man when she had been imprisoned , seemed much older. Time had moved on. Relics of the past were just that, venerated, but left to gather dust. The waiter she remembered shuffled over to her. His hand poised to take an order, yet his shaking seemingly making the task much more difficult. She weakly smiled. His words were carried by horse breathing. Every word punctuated by senility. She gently asked for a bowl Squirrel Soup. The man nodded, his thin grey comb over flopping back to one side and went to the kitchen.

 On his return he seemed a little confused. He remarked that he had never heard of it, to which Chloe’s heart sank. He did offer however, for his sous-chef to talk to her. Perhaps she could explain it to him. She agreed, although not remembering herself what the soup really was or if it even existed. After another brief disappearance he returned followed by what looked like a die-cast automaton. His body was protected by glimmering black synth armour, wires lights and pipes trailed across the surface, antennas sprang up and sank while thumb sized transmission dishes beeped and twirled. His helmet did not resemble a human either, it was flatter at the front, almost box shape from the nose down with a ventilation grill. His eyes were nothing but lopsided triangles, dark red, with black octagonal grid lines. Chloe nearly ran. She had expected a human, or at least something similar. The waiter apologised after noting her reaction. He tried to calm her fears while she clawed the edge of her seat. His chef was called Kal. A human from the Beyond, learning about humanity as he was raised nearly entirely by automatons. She did not care for his history, or the explanation for the way he looked. Her stomach was in knots. The waiter urged Kal to sit with her  so she could explain the dish. He did, much to the whimpering protests by Chloe. The waiter brought over some bread and mulled wine. Chloe was thankful for the food, at least this was an excuse not to pay. As she became accustomed Kal she relaxed a little, only just and even on some level enjoying the change of company.

***

A few spires away Lily was trying to ascertain any information about her new mark. She quietly stalked the arena area on level seven. Below the stands, an un-armoured Grapnel  was practicing with his sword and shield. He was being watched by two old women while they ate a small picnic. Lily tried to get as close to them as possible. They were chatting about the day’s execution for the Ritual of Causality. They gossiped about how the Keeper of the Glaives  hadn’t presided over the last couple of days, after the two prisoners had been  pardoned without his consultation. One of the women complimented the other on her accuracy of her throw that day. All manner of fruit and vegetable had apparently been thrown at Zivians after he had introduced the band, and her aim nearly landed by his feet. The crowd had blamed him for the failed execution, they blamed him for the princess not returning, and he in turn blamed himself. They also remarked about the rumours of him visiting a man from beyond the steadfast soon after. Perhaps for information, or perhaps he had something to cure his blame not found in the stead.

The discussions of outsiders then turned to Kal. They both saw him as a child in a manner of speaking, even though he was a fully grown man. He did not know the ways of the steadfast, in fact he knew hardly anything about humanity. This was his most endearing trait. The locals in the area were trying to teach him their ways, regardless of his intimidating appearance. To Lily this was perhaps the only link to Zivans and so had to be followed up. They had mentioned the place he was working, and perhaps they might take their dinner there later that evening. With those words she  slunk away into the shadows, although with no real direction to head in.

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (3) - Celebrity

Lily found herself pressed up against wrought iron railings. The pull from the hands had nearly thrown her off the Juliette balcony she found herself upon. She looked down at the network of walkways below her; at the living scurrying about. They were well dressed, although the way they held themselves and spoke to each other betrayed their roots. Sellers argued in front of customers, children thieved their pockets while their marks were distracted. It had all the hallmarks of the lower district of the merchant levels. A place she had only been once, and only just escaped with the cloak on her back. She looked up towards the railings and saw a wax sealed missive as well as a small sack. The seal had the familiar beetle shape imprinted on dark red wax. She quickly read the note, being careful not to fracture the wax seal. Before she could fully comprehend the note, Eryn and Chloe had finally worked up the courage to pass through the wall of hands. They too pressed up against the iron railings, with Lily in between.  The note nearly fluttered down to the floors below but with a quick second grasp, she hid it on her person before the others noticed.

Lily couldn’t tell whether Eryn was scared, in shock or confused when she turned around. All three emotions seemed to dance behind his bewildered expression. Chloe only admired the view for a few seconds before she decided she had to leave. There were flashes in her memory, an outstretched hand reaching for crystal eggs, the throbbing of clear bubbling blood. Dry heat and three dull points, from something smooth, warm and vibrating. She felt them try to penetrate her forehead, her temple and just above her jawbone, simultaneously, on the right hand side of her face. She nearly screamed but remarkably kept herself under control. Chloe told them she would find them later, but she had to go, right that second and she did just that. She opened the double doors into the Broken Vow Inn and down onto the walkway below. Eryn was stunned. He watched as she disappeared into the crowds below them. He then looked down at his manacled wrist. He hoped the distance between the two bracelets wouldn’t harm him, or kill him. If this wasn’t the outcome, then he hoped that she didn’t get into any harm, or died through other means, as perhaps the device would transfer that state to him. A fact that made him entirely forget that Lily was right next to him. When he focused again Lily had presented the note she had found quite violently, in front of his face.

The note referred to a man by the name of Zivans Cairnin and what she presumed to be an eating establishment for servants of lords; Seneschal’s. Although Eryn did not know of Seneschal’s, the name of the man piqued his interest. From the fractured memory that was his halted execution, it held one name. The Keeper of the Glaives Cairnin. There was anger and resentment that tinged the memory. He was Eryn’s failed executioner, who was one supplication away from severing Eryn's head from his body. He shuddered, remembering the serpentine voice and its cold, wet grasp. He again was lost in thought and so too lost Lily. In his absent minded nodding, he had agreed to something but before he could question, the only thing that remained of Lily was back of her head and her wiry black hair.

He tried to keep up with her, pushing his way through the crowds. One by one, each woman with black hair in front and one gentleman were embarrassingly removed from the hunt by each mistake. The Broken Vow was far behind him. The foundations, although encrusted with dirt and decay, were easy to navigate, fewer walkways and a lot less people. He was fighting against the afternoon rush. Merchants yelled over the noise of bands and out of tune instruments. Banners reached ever higher. He was being crushed by the waves of people. He needed to escape, he needed air. One well timed dodge and he was out from the stream. In front of him, a man lit up a cigarette at simple wooden table next to open door, his greying beard reaching down to his lap. Eryn patted himself down , only now realising that he was out. He remembered the last smoke had been in caverns below the city. Tentatively, he introduced himself. The old man rubbed his eyes, stroked his beard and yawned and welcomed Eryn to the Roost. One of many communal buildings run by the Hawk-Eyes. The man gestured to the advertisements behind him. Deftly painted, the posters spotlighted each individual member and their strength. Gruesome creatures and slain monsters lay around each person. A testament to their conquest and hunting prowess. Eryn tried to bluff his way through, building up a rapport with the man; culminating in that cigarette he now so deeply desired. One puff and he felt the tension in his body relax a little. He asked the old man about a woman with black hair, completion marred by soil and a cold stare. He mentioned that he had seen a woman, perhaps fitting that description walk in but he hadn't really been looking. For Eryn that was good enough, excused his leaving and walked inside.

It was surprisingly spacious. The windows were only barred, rather than glassed and so unadulterated light poured in from the three sides. By one a class of school girls, were listening patiently to a older man. He dressed in plain attire, spattered in ink and paint and hastily repaired spectacles. He was the oldest in the room, and probably the best person to talk to. Eryn’s approached was soon blocked. The girls all turned around, after one had gasped at the sight of him. They flocked around him, asking him for stories, tales of daring. One or two even offered their paintings as a canvas for a signature. The teacher moved the girls to the side and back to their paintings. Eryn had noticed that these paintings were similar to the ones outside, although definitely done by a child’s hand. These paintings were not of the great Hawk-Eye hunters, no, these paintings were of himself.  One or two with his foot on top of a man's severed head. The teacher introduced himself as Arden. He seemed in even more awe than the girls. Eryn, wholly confused, asked Arden about why he was being painted; had they met in Qi years ago and he had forgotten? Arden tried to lay Eryn’s fears to rest.

He excitedly explained that after a visit to the city of Qi, he had been told of a famous hero, who had slain one of the sons of Deitha Marish and freed the city, at least for a time, from the Marish Clan. Eryn asked when this happened. Surprised, Arden replied only about thirty to forty solar days ago. Eryn knew full well he had been incarcerated during that time but how to tell the man? He was already showing Eryn prototypes he had made of his likeness in the style of the Hawk-Eyes. Although Eryn appreciated this, he could not lay claim to the honour, even if he could. It was against everything he had been taught as a child. Arden after the revelation, slumped into an nearby chair. He held back the tears while he rubbed his forehead. He then suddenly burst into tears. Through the sobs and constant apologies, he mentioned that he had told anyone and everyone who asked about Eryn. He had even instilled his heroism into the children he taught. Arden realised he had become smitten with the idea of the man, not the reality and suddenly a grim realisation flashed into his mind. He again apologised, far slower than previous. This time, however, for recommending his application to the Hawk-Eyes. Arden had not expected Eryn to come to the city, he was only meant to know of this via a message.  The man's intent was clear to Eryn, he did not want to cause trouble, only to honour him. He tried to console the man, although the bubble had been burst and the man drifted off back to work, asking his class to bring out new canvases. Eryn now had only one option left. He bade his farewells and left without looking into the eyes of anyone he passed. His only hope now, that this wouldn't bring attention to him.  

TSC - Chapter 3: Façades (2) - Trust Issues

Shroud completely ignored the merchant. He had seen charlatans before and he reeked of it. He was not selling anything of repute, especially dressed the way he did. The man was definitely out of place and therefore suspicious. To distract him from his concentric thoughts, Neave mentioned on their walk that Dehart had given her something from the shop, that he had apparently liberated. She produced a small metallic pipe. Its metal reflected golden and copper hues while at the end near the mouth piece a setting had been crafted onto it, with what appeared to be a ruby or similarly coloured precious stone rounded to indistinguishable perfection. She said that she had no use for it as she couldn’t find where to light it. Shroud took hold of the pipe and enquired as to whether Dehart had told her any specifics? She shook her head, she mentioned that she even doubted that Dehart knew what he had taken. Shroud could feel the pipe in his hands, not just the metal and the intricacies of its decoration, but he could feel the object, as if some energy was passing through him. It was pleasurable, like an enticing fire that created rather than destroyed. He asked her if it had a name. It was called 221.B. according to Dehart, most likely its catalogue number. He breathed into the pipe yet nothing happened and with disappointment, consigned the item to the depths of his bag.

Neave suggested that on this floor there was a merchant with muddied morals who might be able to furnish Shroud with information. If he was to convince the Merchant class as well as those on the top four floors of his status, he would have to learn context. The city’s ethics, its customs and prominent people. He reluctantly agreed and walked into the elegantly signed Cade’s Library. At the entrance Shroud felt the same feeling as he had from the pipe. This time he was taken off guard by it, nearly crashing into a bookshelf. Neave steadied him and offered her help. He refused and told her to leave him be. She took off down by the history section while he crouched down into a corner and pulled the pipe back out. He blew on it again but this time a fine cloud of smoke curled out and spread instantly around the room. As he drew his breath the cloud returned to the pipe. The crystal started to light up with pinpricks at first till the whole gem was lit. The light focused onto the top and a beam of light was created directly into Shrouds eyes moving up and down left and right for a few seconds. Shroud could feel the wave of pleasure fall over him. As he looked over at Neave he could now see floating labels. Some described the rare leathers that bound the books, some showed unique papers that had been used to craft the tome. Another glance revealed more details about the authors and the painter of the mural on the wall opposite him. There were  even fleeting details on the dust and the musky smell that filled in the gaps between the bookshelves. It however gave no information on anyone in the room, and no details on his experience. Frustrated he stormed off outside, dismissing the books altogether.

At that precise moment, as he opened the door three small glass vials smashed onto his head and shoulders. Their contents dripping onto his skin. A vibrant almost neon green, a pale milky orange and a clear burgundy colour liquid, like a fine wine. As the colours mingled together on his skin they were absorbed. The golden veins adopting the colour for a split second. Shroud dashed back in, ready to prove that the shopkeeper had caused it. Neave talked him down into a reserved grumble and asked the shopkeeper for supplies. He allowed them to head into the backroom for him to clean off, as long as he didn’t drip on the books. As they reached the back, Shroud could only think of one thing, was this going to kill him?

***

Across the city Chloe, Eryn and Lily awoke to find themselves in a baron room. One side had thick carved stone bricks while the others were made of slatted wood. Chloe was hesitant to speak. She was so far removed from her comfort zone that she no longer had the confidence to ignore the potential costs of her actions. Eryn almost immediately tried to melt his way through the stone wall; applying heat through his fingertips. The rock started to glow red and the ceiling started to drip. It, like the floor and the other three walls were made of wood but a pool of it started to form. Startled, Eryn stopped, and so too did the dripping, The liquid wood hardened on the floor into a smooth, polished puddle. With their attention drawn towards the oddity in front of them, a door appeared in the wall opposite the stone. Lily noticing it first, peered outside and knocked the door  frame with her blade. She didn’t seem concerned, in fact to Eryn this whole thing didn’t faze her. He asked himself why this woman was with them? All three turned into the corridor. It was as bare as the room they were just in, apart from metal cased torches that were set at intervals on the right wall. The panelling in either direction faded into the darkness of the corridor in front of them. Without much choice, they kept to the left wall and walked forward. The corridor seemed endless, the torches repeating themselves until they came across another opening on the left hand side. A wooden walled room with one made of huge stone bricks. The same room they had left. Convinced this was just a trick Eryn moved on again, followed by the girls. Within moments they were back at the doorway. Eryn and the group repeated this multiple times until Eryn was happy that he had exhausted the corridor.

While he mentioned this fact the stone in the room started to rumble a little ,its grinding echoed in the room. The entire wall was reaching out them with countless arms and grabbing hands. Some seeming in desperation, some in violence, while others beckoned. The hands were made of the quarried bricks but they were reaching out as if the stone itself was some kind of barrier they were reaching through. The hands stretching the surface outwards like poking taught cloth with a fingertip. Nobody wanted to enter the room. Even Eryn was now open to the possibility that the corridor could get them out. He was about to try to convince the girls to go with him, when Lily abruptly walked into the room and allowed herself to be pulled into the wall by the hands. She disappeared without a scream.