"Mono/Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
Narration
[Message/communication apparatus]
Date: ???
Location: ???
POV: Narrator
Nyx opened her eyes when her senses suddenly registered an intruder getting into the room she is currently recuperating at. She pulled a gun from a nearby drawer courtesy of Kal’tsit who had somehow knows that Nyx can’t sleep well without a weapon nearby, while also pushing a button to signal Kal’tsit that something happened.
“I know you’re there, show yourself.” She aimed the gun towards a corner of the room… and seeing that a Lion had entered from the darkness. She had prepared to face even demon… not an animal… or perhaps that’s the eldritch demon?
“Ha ha, quite an astute one and I do apologize for intruding while you rest.”
“!?” She is surprised and half-convinced that this is an eldritch entity of some kind, no animal can talk… but before she pulled the trigger, the lion spoke once more.
“That was quite rude of you to think of me as animal, but that’s expected coming from you, if we take where you’re from into account.” Nyx felt her blood froze, she is panicking deep inside since the ‘lion’ can read her mind. She felt her finger getting heavier on the trigger, but somehow reluctant to squeeze it. She felt something holding her fingers and hand to not move, but can’t see it.
“… Who are you and what are you implying? You better answer else I put an originium lead in your head…” She need to keep up her composure and tried to gather information.
“Indeed I should start with an introduction. My name is Gareth, and for what I implied… You’re not from this world.” Her jig is up, she can’t waste time. She would have tried to dismiss it, but this lion is anything but normal. She also recalled that daemons she had fought in her life had a penchant to toy with her by imitating something she knows.
Thus, Nyx pulled the trigger… and nothing…
“Huh?” Her gun is empty, how could it be empty? That doesn’t makes any sense since she had checked the gun thrice last night… Kal’tsit couldn’t have betrayed her could she? That’s the sort of chaos enveloping her mind.
“Let’s not be hasty, and talked like civilized sentient being.”
“… You made a bad impression to sneak up on me, not so civilized really…” She finally realized that her surroundings looks… hazy… illusion?
“Heh, yes that was uncouth of me, but fret not it won’t take long and not everyone can intrude on your psyche… I was surprised myself that they let me contact you this way.”
“They? Who even are ‘they’?”
“Sadly I’m unable to truly comprehend their silhouette let’s just say that they looked haggard and exhausted, yet still have enough prowess to force me of turning back but decided not to after I explained myself. They give me a stern talking to of course! hahahaha!” Gareth answered nonchalantly with a bellowing laughter, somehow its laughter irks her to no end.
“…” The Grey Serpent doesn’t know what to make of it of course, one moment she closed her eyes to rest after conversing with Kal’tsit some more. The next thing she knows she is in some kind of space and talking with an intruder who happens to be a talking lion and said talking lion called her out for not being from this world.
“… I have so much to ask, but since you said they essentially allowed you here, limitation must have been emplaced quite severely.”
“Naturally we can talk more about it later and like what you just said, it is quite taxing even for me.”
A momentary silence pervaded the now breaking space, she needs to straighten her story first. The walls cracked, the flooring are erased, and the ceiling is nothing but a sea of stars. Nyx is having a hard time internalizing the information, while the lion named Gareth looks upon the stars with intrigue and longing. Nyx then spoke up
“… You said that you’re not an animal, what are you then if you’re not a beast?” Nyx was about to add the word eldritch being, but she didn’t dared too. Saying what you know with a clear image, even when others don’t, rarely ended well when eldritch are concerned… hazards are truly volatile to deal with.
“We are what mortals refer as Feraerus, or beast lords. Unlike the Feranmuts who don image closer to mortals, we are more attuned with our instinct and truest form. The Ancients, what we called regular mortals baring the Elder races, regards either of us as subjects of worship, respects, fear, envy, and even hatred.” Gareth walked softly towards her bed, she can’t do anything and but sit there and watch it. Gareth then sports a grin, what she can think as a grin anyway.
‘Oh great… if what Gareth said is true, gods and demi-gods are also real… joy… how can this world still stands again? They have infectious rock that made cancer and HIV-AIDS looks cute, natural disasters as common as harvest season, demi-gods and gods walking the earth fucking and playing I guess, super soldiers being created from eldritch horrors and god knows what else, said eldritch horrors are still somewhere out there like lets be real here, and all sort of manmade problems… if this world has caretakers and preservers, I feel genuinely sorry for them…’ Her mind is assailed by even more headaches, it is actually a miracle she hasn’t offend a godlike being or two… or she already did and just too ignorant about it…
“… Did you put me inside some sort of illusions?” She continued on, realizing that the conversation had gone quiet and Gareth just looking at her patronizingly, like that annoying but cool uncle who came to family gathering every few years.
“Hoh? A fair rationalization on your situation, not incorrect.” When the lion get on her bedside, she can see that it has golden mane and its bearing looks… regal and dignified like nobles. She then feel a soothing aura enveloping her, but not from the Feraerus…
“Nay was it exactly correct either. It is not an illusion, dear. I merely joined upon a thread for a brief connection.” Gareth just playfully wink its eyebrows, Nyx frown tightened further. She has a feeling that whatever it is doing here will drag her into problem.
“Excuse me, what?”
“I send forth a fragment of myself to manifest as an apparition or shadow for you. Do not be alarmed, you will meet more of us when the future… erm… what was the youngsters calling it again? … Ah yes, came knocking. Some are hostile, some are playful, but most are inscrutable. So take it as a lesson from us… from me… and I must correct one more thing… this space is technically yours, I merely intruded.”
“… why tell me all these?”
“A show of good faith, and because Lord Gawain is predisposed with a matter of utmost importance.”
“… Wait… Gareth… Gawain… are you some kind of Guardians Knights or Spirits of Victoria?” Nyx can’t even lie to herself, the name is just too close with the Knights of Roundtable myth… oh wait there was a Draco family called Artorius now that she thinks about it.
“The answers differs between us, but more or less.”
“… What are you here for then?” Nyx asked again, getting over it is better than stare dumbly at nothing.
“To bring you a message and to establish contact.”
“What sort of message?”
“We shall meet again, several times, and within less than 15 years you shall have a hand while also witnessing a changing of an era… But yours stretched even further… if you seek to know more, then find us, find Lord Gawain…”
“… Why should I believe you?” Her skepticism is answered by a hearty and bellowing laughter. She can clearly felt the emotions from Gareth to be utmost interest and joy, but she take it as a stern reminder… Terra is a huge place.
“Ha ha ha ha! You can’t, I’m merely a herald and that’s why my time is up. I bid thee adieu!”
“Wai-!”
-
-
-
-
“Wait!” She jolted up from her sleep. She is back to her room, and judging by the orange light, it is late afternoon. She checked all around her to see Kal’tsit looking at her quizzically, the dream, vision, and prophecy or whatever, she doesn’t know what to make of it anymore.
“What’s wrong, Nyx?”
“Hah… dreaming, again. I swear that it is getting annoying to just sleep on the bed for days on end. I could have done my usual training regimen…”
“… and what would that entailed?”
“Used to be 400, now 700, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-up, and then running for 2 hours non-stop above certain threshold, why?”
“Hmm, would you allow me to observe? It would be beneficial as data gathering regarding method for physical therapy. No matter how incredulous, a data is still a data.”
“Does that mean I get early discharge?”
“I never said that.”
“There goes that…”
Date: Late March 1084
Location: County of Toron, Victoria
POV: Narrator
“Well, it is time for us to leave. Then… sorry for the debacle months ago. I could have done it better, but got too cocky. Not to mention that the security protocol was almost a total failure, so the payment is not needed.” Nyx said it with an ashamed tone lacing it. Count of Toron just sigh before speaking.
“Nonsense, lassie. You did a spectacular job of ensuring that the venue was not magically turned into a tragedy. So chin up, I already routed the payment on your account as per usual.” Vincent sported his usual smile, while also lighting up a Siracusan tobacco.
“Sorry, but that’s not how I-”
“Jolly! Would you look at the time? I have an early lunch scheduled with Baroness Madington, gentlemen such as I shouldn’t tarry no longer. I look forward to our continued partnership and I bid you good luck on being a chaperone.” Vincent left the scene towards his own car that has been prepped for nobles’ business.
“… Huff… Men are idiots… and I know why clearly… Well, he won’t be Vincent otherwise.” Nyx turned her eyes towards Kal’tsit, the latter whom doing nothing other than talking with someone through her terminal.
“So, where should I drop you off?” Nyx is not wearing her usual uniform, which got torn from her duel months ago. She has spares but decided against it, she is also trying to not draw attention as long as possible.
“I have no problem to be dropped off after crossing Victoria’s border.” Kal’tsit said looking up from her terminal looking right on her right arm, it is bandaged. Nyx can also be seen to be limping, she insist to force herself of not using crutch, Kal’tsit naturally protested.
“I don’t mind getting you to Higashi, really.”
“Why are you so insistent?”
“Consider it thanks from me, if nothing else.”
“How obstinate… Very well, reaching a hamlet in Kazdel quickly was my sole objective, are you up for the task?”
“Kazdel? That’s not something you hear every day, but sure I’ll be your taxi for a while.”
"Normally, people either wince or blanch with the mention of Kazdel, but you look intrigued. Care to elaborate?"
“Just my mercenary instinct doing the talking, the last time heard about Kazdel the place was engulfed with fragmented warring states and clans. How is it today and why are you going there?”
“It has seen its fair share of hardships, to put it mildly, but Kazdel of today had stabilized. Their monarch had become a beacon of hope, a better future should be soon at hand.” Kal’tsit said with a thin, but soft, smile on her face.
“As for why? I’m a doctor, Laterano might hate the Sarkaz, but not everyone… there is also nothing wrong than to work under the flag of humanitarian zeal. The world is a cruel place, no reason for anyone to make it worse.” Kal’tsit tell her a reason and Nyx heard that indirect criticism but choose to shut her mouth, she is not wrong after all.
The Pythian mercenary wish to know more, curiosity at play, but remembering that it is the same woman who can drove away an Emperor’s Blade, she kept mum and stop prying her savior. So she just shrug while putting her terminal back inside her plate carrier.
Nyx then strode towards her van to starts up the engine; entering it with a tad difficulty courtesy of her still injured leg and arms. Despite initial worries that she would have a hard time driving, she shows a surprising finesse with an injured body, it had managed to alleviate a portion of misgivings from a certain Feline.
Kal’tsit followed into the van not long after. She take notes that the interior is as less armored than the exterior, compared to what she had seen months ago, there is also another addition of communication and camera interface. Looking on the back are extra supplies, mainly rations, medicals, and several crates of neatly packed guardian guns.
Regarding the heavier exterior and more medical and rations supplies, after what had happened and judging that Kazdel is her destination, Nyx decided that a heavily armed and well-stocked journey would be necessary. She would go straight to Kazdel through buffer zones most of the time, less scrutiny and prying eyes that way while anything happened there would be regarded as badlands happenstances.
The van interior walls are also filled with several simpler Laterano pattern guns, but most had its arts primer and trigger stripped and put inside a different box on her left. Kal’tsit understand it as a sign that Nyx won’t use a Guardian Gun without express permission from Laterano.
“You have an impressive array of weaponry, the Notarial Hall would love to have a chat with you.” Her words was less of an honest praise, and more of a stern reminder. Possession of Laterano Guardian Gun upon extended period of time will warrant a visit from an Executor of Notarial Hall.
“Oh they chatted with me alright, our lovely little chat was quite a noisy experience. Thankfully I smooth it out, they are very appreciative with me returning Sankta’ Guardian Guns. Nice little things for impression really…” Nyx then looked back on Kal’tsit who seems to be wondering of where she should sit.
“If you feel that it’s a bit cramped then come forward, the front seat can be used by 3 people.” She said while patting an empty seat on her side, if they disregard a box of ammunition that is.
“I’m content with my current seating and it appears that you ordered them to make some changes for our journey… or perhaps more about yours?” She settled herself on one of the empty comms chair, once again Kal’tsit wondered just how much sways does she has on the Rusthammer.
The Cleric had always know that, barring Sargon, black markets hates Grey Serpent with passion thus leaving those eccentrics as a viable chain for her supplies and equipment… If you can call convoy raiding and outpost razing to be a viable method for mercantilism that is.
Nyx took one last look outside… a lion can be seen reclining itself under a tree and strangely no one but her can see the lion judging by how children seems to be unaware just feet away from it. The Grey Serpent just sighed tiredly, her dream would need verification but it is a nice way to earn information. Still, she would need more perspectives before regarding it as authentic…
“Anything else you need to bring?”
“No, I always travelled light.” Nyx can see that the woman really did brought up a single, light, carrier backpack and not much else. Confirming that all is set, they are making their way onwards, to the so called hell on Terra, the ruined land of Kazdel.
Date: Early April 1084
Location: Unspecified wilderness, Northern Leithania – South Ursus buffer zone.
POV: Kal’tsit
“I refrained from entering Duchy of Windermere precisely to avoid prying eyes. The badlands felt more like home to me, barring villages on the way of course, lawless lands are safer for someone such as I after all… and also, here is your fill.” She handed me my dinner, despite limping for a good chunk of it, the girl can truly recover and adapt really quickly. So much so that those who aren’t perceptive can’t even see her limp.
That was 6 days ago however, she is now more or less healed and cut-off a large portion of her therapy. The both of us are curious, and she immediately turned a part of her van as an impromptu medical bed. Imagine my shock when her skin does indeed turned hardier, and the opened flesh closed itself just as quickly.
Doing some test in between breaks, she starts doing extraneous activity and while she’s still tired, her physical prowess had visibly improved. I found an interesting tidbits, her body seems to be healing at an exponentially faster rate, too fast that she sometimes felt sleepy or lightheaded.
I tried to compare the sampled flesh I already had with this allegedly new one, I found no difference whatsoever but perhaps it is more esoteric in nature, thus more sampling was done. Her blood stays the same thankfully… which is why I’m really hesitant to encourage her career path… perhaps a little encouragement would work.
“You’re truly puzzling, you have all these expertise and yet you choose to be a mercenary as primary career. You could have entered an employment with Catastrophe Messenger first and foremost if working for PMC was that unappealing.” Her face is as blank as ever… but I can see and feel how unnatural it was, don’t get me wrong it can still fool people but not those who knows how to read expression and those who had known her for long.
We are camping out in the wild at the moment, she had taken up the cooking duty all the time. I must say it taste good for something that was cooked in just 10 minutes. Looking back at her, I saw that she is contemplating how to answer.
“That’s just how I roll really, seeing the world and doing things my way… I had actually forwarded my resume to be under Catastrophe Messenger payroll, still pending and not like I can blame ‘em.” She sounds both amused and sad, there is also this morbid undertone for words left unsaid.
“For someone with such a fearsome reputation and self-proclaimed disinterest on fame, you’re awfully critical with your performance…” The bonfire crackle amidst the chill wind. We continue on our dinner in silence for a moment before Nyx answered my question while holding her meal.
“I’m not all that bright but I’m not a complete moron either, Cleric. I’m really pushing the line of what constitutes as mercenary. I would have made a bigger bank 24/7 if I had gone balls deep and commit myself into an edgy bitch lusting after money and perhaps body too… good thing I’m still on the fence as a hunting dog…” She came around on the other side of the bonfire, with her meal on hand she starts her dinner.
“Then what is it do you want?” I said after scooping up the soup and salad she made me. Mont3r is ever vigilant, thus lessening the needs for us to attach a night watch rotation. She did installed some devices to detect vibrations above certain threshold and arts imaging plus detector to prevent illusionary arts from sneaking up on us.
Yet another piece of military grade equipment she can casually use…
“… I had things in mind…” Her face flushed a little, before a downcast expression takes it place. The Grey Serpent’s longing and loneliness are being painted clearly in her eyes. For someone being dreaded as an unfeeling monster, this proves another facet that she still has her humanity, a positive clue. Terra has enough of destroyers as is…
“Like, hmm… probably becoming an instructor or someone else retainer, but I can feel headache everyday with people asking for my service and some more. The stares I had been getting really made me itchy, like they actually believe I can be tasted that easily?” Her expression turned dark briefly, before her blank face made its return.
“Then my experience in handling medicine might meant I have things going on for me there, but thinking again I’ll end up being combat medic by the end of it, which is frontline duty again.” Nyx continues where she left off while eating her fill between scoops. Her meal consist of oatmeal and milk, she is adhering my health plan for her recovery to the letter.
“Then how about applying as a courier or messenger for Catastrophe Messenger or other NGOs? With you being the one guarding the package, I doubt anyone would risk ambushing you on the spot. Your service would also be really sought after by those who can afford it.” Putting down the food momentarily, I rationalized her impact as a messenger or courier.
Messengers, or couriers in general, are always targeted with a high level of mortality rate. If Nyx become one however, her package would be safe 90% of the time, and the chance of anyone actually going after her would be less than a fraction of 5%, reflected by her work ethics and personal prowess.
Nyx reputation of being reasonable made her approachable, while her reputation of high success rate can be an advantageous incentive to attract clients, and finally her infamous ruthlessness would make people think thrice as hard of getting in her way.
From employer side of things, having her aboard would give credence on their office and organization as a whole, a positive rapport so to speak. Not to mention that her worth had only known to rise even higher, probable for investment.
The nobles and or merchants would be less wary of her since that means she has someone or a group to limit her conduct. It will made her threat level drop a notch while also increasing her appeal proportionally. Her receptions would be much warmer, with less dread and intimidation involved.
‘Of course, all that had been listed is still a mental projection. What happened in actual reality can differ and even goes against logic that has been theorized.’ I finished my musing and stare back at the girl who seems to be taking in and weighing the information her own way.
“Still contemplating?” I prod her for a response.
“Well, using a Gynvabar Fowlbeast would deter predator after all.” Nyx chuckled dryly, she had told me that Gynvabar had attacked her several times and she suffered light injuries such as her head getting bashed and clawed when I pushed for elaboration.
Regarding the spoils, she only said that most of its body was sold while she ate its wings, famous to be as hard as rock… I really should advise her with healthier diet.
“I must also add that not every messengers or couriers are equal, there are those specialized with ordinary package like general message and letters. There are those who can be attached to a group as scout or land surveyor. Then there are those who work specifically to handle sensitive letters for government officials…” I motioned her to piece it with her own understanding which she answered promptly.
“And since their foe or rival is using NGO, and CM has continent spanning influence to boot and being generally a cut above the rest, even clandestine wet work or hit must be done carefully. Attacking them would have a severe setback without a clear and cut reasons… Add the fact that the courier is so deadly in my case…” She had put down her finished bowl and is listening closely.
“Your standings would stabilize a lot better and even when someone had grievances, they can’t exactly single you out, well they can but that’s pettiness that hardly pays, thus allowing you more breathing room.” But human pettiness is the worst possible obstacle you can be graced with. It is really hard to convince them to see reason when spite and petty hate are concerned.
“The rules and creed that catastrophe messenger adhered first and foremost is to save as many lives as humanly possible. Having you be controlled by a neutral organization would give a positive benefit in the long run. Ursus would still hates your guts however.” From what I had gathered, she is one of Ursus their military most wanted woman. The public opinion on her are mixed, surprisingly.
There are numerous anecdotes of her being a reaper that wipe off Ursus patrolmen, a wasteful version of Iberian inquisitors, and keeping villages safe. This naturally made her less hated on the hinterlands due the fact that villagers kept to themselves in the first place but mobile cities citizens hates and fear her, courtesy of propaganda and because dissidents are always dealt with harshly.
“That’s… actually make sense yeah… I cared little about reputation, barring some extreme circumstances, but it does starts to feel annoying.” She stood up from her seat and grab her pistol to then be disassembled. Of course she wear specialized gloves, originium particle could latched into the gun’s internal mechanism or any part of it, becoming a possible vector for a relatively dormant infection.
“I’ll think about it, but where is a good place for me to start with?” She continued on with her query while cleaning up her gun barrel. Now where should be a good place for her I wonder…
“Londonium, Calais, Kawalerielki, Strato-Milano, Lungmen, and even Dossoles might be a good start. If you’re feeling adventurous, Jin Tianzhou in Yan and Zeid El-Masrah in Sargon could work too.”
Londonium for a much more lucrative business potential, if she can put up with the politics anyway. Calais since it is still within an intersection between Victoria and old Gaulish territory. Setting up her base of operation there is actually unwise as a solo mercenary however, but if she worked under the auspice of Catastrophe Messenger then it has a higher chance of working as intended.
Kawalerielki because it’s where she started with. She should have a fairly robust standing, with her siding with the Nearls might cause so complications, but nothing to substantial unless the family themselves starts pushing forward themselves. Strato – Milano because that Siracusan Mobile City could require some help. Lungmen and Dossoles because it is the safest mobile city plagued by their respective problems.
Jin Zangzhou is a fortress city that is on its way to transform into a trading one. Naturally a lot of frictions are happening, and becoming a messenger is a challenging work. Zeid El-Masrah instead is having problems with unruly mercenaries, courtesy of their old Ameer who had unmatched paranoia with his own people.
“Based on analysis from a paper or real life experience?”
“My personal recommendation.” She nodded a little on my words while I finish up my dinner. Theresia would love this soup… sadly she would be too engrossed with others to care for herself first… especially with them by her side…
“A career adjustment huh…” Nyx said while leaning against the table of her weaponry, her answer also snapped me out of my own distasteful line of thoughts. It appears she has her resolve settled.
Date: Mid April 1084
Location: Kazdel
POV: Narrator
Nyx had been rather chatty all the way towards her destination. All change when she laid her eyes at the true face of Kazdel. Everywhere her eyes gaze was being pointed onwards, only a blackened and dead earth can be seen. Scorch marks of destruction and attempt of rebuilding can be seen again and again, so too the attempt to have it trampled and destroyed.
“Hey Doc, can you tell me what is Kazdel really?”
“I don’t mind, but be specific.”
“Why is it so dead? I never been to Bolivar yet, but surely they won’t be as bad as Kazdel, simply because of how much hate Sarkaz had garnered.” Kal’tsit drew her breaths to give a brief lecture about Kazdel.
“The land of Kazdel was famed for being the land of the devils and unwanted. Terra as a whole scorned their existence, hundreds if not thousands of crusades had been recorded to have descent upon this dead and battered land. There is no city that is pristine, for the legions of old keeps on trampling upon it.” The van passed by a ruined house made of cobbled together steels and woods, freshly pillaged.
“Millennia of grudges had caused the Sarkaz themselves to be people who are constantly at war with one another, for war is all they know of. The moment Kazdel reached any semblance of unity, nations all across Terra will wage a bloody crusade again and again. The reasons are numerous, but hypocrisy and fear are the truest things to salvage from this broken land.” The van passed by corpses being stacked haphazardly, anything of value had been stripped ages ago.
“Sarkaz monarchs came and gone to unify this land mired with hatred from the past. Each with their tale of gallantry and tragedy woven into its tapestry of long lasting history. Each with their own aspirations and design… but deep down they wish for one thing… a home for their scattered people.” Her voice is tinged with sympathy and shame. The Feline Cleric is awfully affable for someone from Laterano, presumably.
“History of Terran Nations had even galvanized, lionized, and deified their Victory of completely shattering Kazdel at 893, triggering the Westward Migration or Relocation. The Victors of said Crusade were Victoria, Gaul, and Leithania. There are others smaller organizations and groups, allegedly, but those three Great Powers kept the lion share from it. They ensured that Kazdel won’t recover for centuries and the Sarkaz’ grudges ran ever deeper.”
“But by 1080s they had gathered under the banner of Military Commisions of Kazdel under the co-rule of Her Highness, King of Sarkaz Theresia with her Brother, the Lord Regent Theresis. The both of them had starts the rebuilding of their own homeland, no matter how slow.” With each passing road, there are instead more destructions…
“I had heard enough… It doesn’t take a genius to understand that something is brewing despite the perceived unity and we have arrived, Cleric Kal’tsit.” Nyx said after the van passed by a broken down fence and gate, the hamlet is less of a hamlet and more of a washed up refugee camp. The onlookers eyes are not welcoming, to say the least.
“…” Kal’tsit mask of stoicism cracked ever so slightly, shame and anger coalesced into one, offended but also forced to acquiesce. Thankfully Nyx had her eyes focused on the road, so the only thing she felt was a brief spike of hostility, amidst the already unwelcome gaze of their destination.
Nyx got out of the car first, and the Sarkaz all around the rundown hamlet are making themselves scarce, but their eyes are trained on the outsiders. Hate and even more hate, that’s all Nyx can truly perceived. On one hand she is amused that the hate was not because of her for once, but on the other their hate felt like boiling magma that is searing itself into her perception.
A hate from millenniums of endless suffering…
A hate from millenniums of endless opression…
A hate from millenniums of endless scarcity…
A hate, a hate, and… a hate.
“Thank you, I arrived faster than I anticipated. Your service was superb.” Kal’tsit offhandedly thanked the Grey Serpent. A tiny bit of displeasure still dripped in her voice, but was superseded by her repressed emotions, greater than her displeasure, which had slipped undone.
“Yeah… but are you sure you’re going to be alright? The people here are not welcoming to say the least.” Kal’tsit was about to answer, but a voice of a man beat her to it.
“It is truly commendable of you to think of us, Sarkaz, as people with such sincerity. Your tale of ruthlessness but also being reasonably laid back outside of work was true after all.” Nyx is getting really tired that someone, again, had managed to slip past her senses. She just turned her head towards the source and found a Sarkaz with a bonnie hat, glasses, and facemask leaning against a lone dead husk of a tree.
“Something the matter?” Kal’tsit inquired, of which Nyx took a note. The man just shouldered his sniper rifle while walking towards the Feline doctor, and then handed her a letter. Kal’tsit excused herself and gone elsewhere.
Left alone, Nyx noticed that the hostility had lowered ever so slightly since the man approached them. Then she gaze at the sniper rifle on his back. The Grey Serpent is interested with the Sarkaz’ equipment, then there is also the fact that he sounds and act like a messenger or an army scout … The man took notice of her interest, and show it off to her.
“A man’s gun is his own set of companions, pals, and death sentence, getting through thin and thick with it. Treat your gun well, and it will treat you just as well through hell.”
“I can see that.” She just lightly shrug while maintaining her blank face.
“You’re not going to ask about why I have a sniper rifle?” A thought that had surfaced on the man’s mind was given form.
“Why should I ask a paramilitary employee of some kind? I might be interested and did think about returning that gun to Laterano, but I won’t attack just because, and you can get the gun legitimately.” Her words caught him mildly off guard, but he just nodded.
Nyx looked around her once again, her eyes caught sight of a Sarkaz girl looking all frail and frazzled. Her eyes has been looking at her van, she then recalled that she has some spares to give.
“What’s your name?”
“Name? Well… Sarkaz rarely had one, me being one of them, baring certain ritual of ours… but I do have a callsign…” He offered his hand for a handshake that she reciprocated soon afterwards.
“Scout, just scout.” Nyx internally rolled her eyes with his callsign, either they ran out of name or that’s him choosing it.
“Nyx… What a simplistic name, Scout.”
“Better than being called Grey Serpent 24 / 7.”
“I’m used to it.”
“Ah, I see… so you do like it huh?”
“… Tch… whatever… ” Nyx said before motioning him to follow and she opened up her van to pull out a whole package of MREs. Taste kinda bland, but still honestly filling. He raised his eyebrows, a question she more than gladly answered.
“Give it to them.” She added while pulling her cigarette… only to fold it back in, Nyx must adhere her health plan, which was why she almost stomp on her cigarette. It is relatively an expensive luxury items here, thus she prudently not acted on impulse.
“Why?” Less curiosity and more about, why bother? Sarkaz had always been seen as devils and being of pure evil, and no matter how much humanitarian aid were given, all is meaningless without a stable home. So it is like dropping a glass of water on a boiling magma.
“Because I’m stupid, and I want to do it. Happy?” Her voice’ irritation bled through her monotonic voice and flat tone. Scout can see that her eyebrows creaked slightly, like his query was strange in on itself.
Scout however is just standing there, unconvinced and also because a certain someone ordered him to get a feel on her. Nyx sighed before giving him an actual, but still partial, answer.
“Why? Because there was never a desperate time, only desperate people… and desperate people tend to do the unthinkable, said unthinkable is usually on the moronic kind.”
“Then why don’t you share it yourself?” The man said while making his way towards the parked vehicle, his posture is a lot more relaxed. Scout certainly expected her to be frank, but not this casual when talking with fellow merc or its equivalent.
“Nope, will cause unnecessary problem and I’m an outsider. So are you on board or nah?” Nyx is already unloading her package while also checking on whether she accidentally slipped a mag or two in it.
“Count me in. Beats doing nothing while waiting for Doctor Kal’tsit to be finished with her business.” Scout approached her while pulling something from his pocket to be given at her, it is a letter. Nyx looked at it and raised her eyebrows.
“A job is it, so soon?”
“You’ll see.”
Somewhere else…
A Feline woman can be seen waiting for a response from her terminal. She is currently having her backs to the wall inside a ruined house’ living room of sort. The letter had been opened and the content was less than pleasing, but it is something still within her prediction.
Her eyes wandered from the ceiling and then outside the window to watch on how Scout is giving people rations while Nyx is leaning against her van while twirling an unlit cigarette between her fingers. The nearby Sarkaz eyes are still trained on the Pythian mercenary with a boiling level of hate, but the person in question doesn’t even register it to give a damn.
[Ah! Kal’tsit! How was your trip?] A bubbly and energetic voice can be heard from the Feline doctor’ terminal. She reflexively sport a soft smile hearing the voice; since it was none other than her King, ally, and friend first and foremost.
“It was not a trip Your Majesty, but I did found it as a worthwhile and fruitful endeavor.” Kal’tsit is holding back an exasperated sigh due to her speaking partner not kingly attitude, doesn’t stop the fact of a smile blooming so contently on her face. Kal’tsit has numerous acquaintances, but there are so few she can call equal, and even less to be called a friend.
[Come on~… don’t call me that~ Call me Theresia! The-re-si-a! You get me?!] The King of Sarkaz sounds peeved, and Kal’tsit just chuckle quietly before twisting the knob a little.
“Your will is my command, my dearest friend, Theresia.”
[Mrrrrhhh… I’ll get you back for this… but that’s enough lolly-gagging…] Her voice lost its joyously energetic and bubbly tone, it is now dead serious and uncompromising. There is only sadness, grief, and aching for respite lacing her stern voice.
[The Royal Court is split between me and my brother. The Confessarius is neutral at the moment, but the Nachzehrers, Damazti, and Vampires voiced interest on his design for Sarkaz’ future. The Young Great Banshee, the newly anointed Lord of Banshee tribe, is still lobbying them to see reason, while The Great Oracle Matriarch of Cyclops is as silent as ever, our request had gone unanswered. We have yet to receive words from the Gargoyles, and other members of the Royal Court.] Her voice grew heavier with sadness for each syllables given voice, something that made the Feline Doctor’ eyes flickered with guilt.
“Just as I had predicted… Have you decided your stance regarding the implementations I had suggested beforehand? I shall make haste to return by your side.” The situation of Kazdel is yet to be set in stone, thus haste with care is the best way.
[That I did, our dear Tactician had personally overseen it and they are now making some last minutes adjustments along with Ada and Ascalon… but… Kal’tsit… the dreams you told me, the ideal you espoused on me, and the future you promised us, Sarkaz… will you believe in me, every step of the way, that it can be grasped with our own hands?]
Her voice laden with heavy longing and vulnerability. The Feline Doctor can only sigh when she heard about the other personage, but if Theresia desired it, then she will support her with her very best.
“What an incorrigible nonsense, I always believe in you. Sarkaz will surely have a home… Sarkaz will have a time where they can stand with other without discriminations… the past must never be repeated…” She sounds hopeful and deathly tired, so done with the world but wish for nothing but to keep hopes alive.
[… Thanks, that’s reassuring… I’ll be waiting for you on the southern concord zone, on our landship… Rhodes Island.] Theresia voice is full of longing… then a loud thudding sound was heard from the terminal, making her friend shrieked a little while also demolishing the somber atmosphere.
[Eep!? Ada, careful will you! Huh!? That door came undone again!? Wait, it wasn’t the door but the ventilation near the bridge!? O-oh! Ok, alright! I’ll be there soon, good bye Kal! See you later on dinner! … wait no, I mean later when you arrived!] Kal’tsit can only laugh lightly her friend is truly a king unlike any other.
Putting that thought for later, she look outside from where she is. Nyx can be seen lazily arguing with a relatively young and fiery Sarkaz from the locals; her blank face defied her bemusement when you look at her tail though. She can’t exactly hear it, but she can make out the fact that the Sarkaz seems to be losing steam while Scout is focusing on giving the hungry civilian rations.
‘It appears that I can utilize Nyx to an extent, I just need to ensure they didn’t get their hand on her for too long. She is too content of being used as a weapon, as long as either of us know which line that mustn’t be crossed that is.’
She decided to send a personal message and request to the Pythian mercenary from her terminal.
[Pipe down there kid. Y’ello, soon to retire hunting dog here, what’s up?]
“Are you up for a job? I can make use of a mercenary with your caliber. The job is right up under your type of expertise, but I would caution you to exercise restraint.”
[Damn, they actually predicted it…] Kal look outside to see Nyx sporting the thinnest smirk on her face. Nyx then glared at the Sarkaz who won’t shut up, causing them to flee from her.
“What do you mean?”
[I just got a job… something I shouldn’t have told you, but the client specifically requested me to do so. The client also predicted your request to hire me just now, words by words, down to the letter, of how it was initiated… kinda creepy if you ask me.]
“Who’s the client?” Kal’tsit has an inkling who, but nothing is wrong about asking for confirmation.
[Well… Does Babel ring a bell?]
[END OF CHAPTER]
Author’s Note:
Hello there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who want to write something on the side but have no time… again… fuck…
Gynvabar Fowlbeast is just Terran’ Lammergeier but with a sharper beak and talons, I invent it for my fic. Just imagine a bird with steel for talons and spear for beak and then double that image. Its favorite method of attacking is dive-bombing to crack your skull open. Also did I mentioned that it has a wingspan of 10 meters or around 30 feet? :)
Update as usual when I can convince myself to…
Ciao
"Mono/Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
Narration
[Message/communication apparatus]
Date: ???
Location: ???
POV: Narrator
Nyx opened her eyes when her senses suddenly registered an intruder getting into the room she is currently recuperating at. She pulled a gun from a nearby drawer courtesy of Kal’tsit who had somehow knows that Nyx can’t sleep well without a weapon nearby, while also pushing a button to signal Kal’tsit that something happened.
“I know you’re there, show yourself.” She aimed the gun towards a corner of the room… and seeing that a Lion had entered from the darkness. She had prepared to face even demon… not an animal… or perhaps that’s the eldritch demon?
“Ha ha, quite an astute one and I do apologize for intruding while you rest.”
“!?” She is surprised and half-convinced that this is an eldritch entity of some kind, no animal can talk… but before she pulled the trigger, the lion spoke once more.
“That was quite rude of you to think of me as animal, but that’s expected coming from you, if we take where you’re from into account.” Nyx felt her blood froze, she is panicking deep inside since the ‘lion’ can read her mind. She felt her finger getting heavier on the trigger, but somehow reluctant to squeeze it. She felt something holding her fingers and hand to not move, but can’t see it.
“… Who are you and what are you implying? You better answer else I put an originium lead in your head…” She need to keep up her composure and tried to gather information.
“Indeed I should start with an introduction. My name is Gareth, and for what I implied… You’re not from this world.” Her jig is up, she can’t waste time. She would have tried to dismiss it, but this lion is anything but normal. She also recalled that daemons she had fought in her life had a penchant to toy with her by imitating something she knows.
Thus, Nyx pulled the trigger… and nothing…
“Huh?” Her gun is empty, how could it be empty? That doesn’t makes any sense since she had checked the gun thrice last night… Kal’tsit couldn’t have betrayed her could she? That’s the sort of chaos enveloping her mind.
“Let’s not be hasty, and talked like civilized sentient being.”
“… You made a bad impression to sneak up on me, not so civilized really…” She finally realized that her surroundings looks… hazy… illusion?
“Heh, yes that was uncouth of me, but fret not it won’t take long and not everyone can intrude on your psyche… I was surprised myself that they let me contact you this way.”
“They? Who even are ‘they’?”
“Sadly I’m unable to truly comprehend their silhouette let’s just say that they looked haggard and exhausted, yet still have enough prowess to force me of turning back but decided not to after I explained myself. They give me a stern talking to of course! hahahaha!” Gareth answered nonchalantly with a bellowing laughter, somehow its laughter irks her to no end.
“…” The Grey Serpent doesn’t know what to make of it of course, one moment she closed her eyes to rest after conversing with Kal’tsit some more. The next thing she knows she is in some kind of space and talking with an intruder who happens to be a talking lion and said talking lion called her out for not being from this world.
“… I have so much to ask, but since you said they essentially allowed you here, limitation must have been emplaced quite severely.”
“Naturally we can talk more about it later and like what you just said, it is quite taxing even for me.”
A momentary silence pervaded the now breaking space, she needs to straighten her story first. The walls cracked, the flooring are erased, and the ceiling is nothing but a sea of stars. Nyx is having a hard time internalizing the information, while the lion named Gareth looks upon the stars with intrigue and longing. Nyx then spoke up
“… You said that you’re not an animal, what are you then if you’re not a beast?” Nyx was about to add the word eldritch being, but she didn’t dared too. Saying what you know with a clear image, even when others don’t, rarely ended well when eldritch are concerned… hazards are truly volatile to deal with.
“We are what mortals refer as Feraerus, or beast lords. Unlike the Feranmuts who don image closer to mortals, we are more attuned with our instinct and truest form. The Ancients, what we called regular mortals baring the Elder races, regards either of us as subjects of worship, respects, fear, envy, and even hatred.” Gareth walked softly towards her bed, she can’t do anything and but sit there and watch it. Gareth then sports a grin, what she can think as a grin anyway.
‘Oh great… if what Gareth said is true, gods and demi-gods are also real… joy… how can this world still stands again? They have infectious rock that made cancer and HIV-AIDS looks cute, natural disasters as common as harvest season, demi-gods and gods walking the earth fucking and playing I guess, super soldiers being created from eldritch horrors and god knows what else, said eldritch horrors are still somewhere out there like lets be real here, and all sort of manmade problems… if this world has caretakers and preservers, I feel genuinely sorry for them…’ Her mind is assailed by even more headaches, it is actually a miracle she hasn’t offend a godlike being or two… or she already did and just too ignorant about it…
“… Did you put me inside some sort of illusions?” She continued on, realizing that the conversation had gone quiet and Gareth just looking at her patronizingly, like that annoying but cool uncle who came to family gathering every few years.
“Hoh? A fair rationalization on your situation, not incorrect.” When the lion get on her bedside, she can see that it has golden mane and its bearing looks… regal and dignified like nobles. She then feel a soothing aura enveloping her, but not from the Feraerus…
“Nay was it exactly correct either. It is not an illusion, dear. I merely joined upon a thread for a brief connection.” Gareth just playfully wink its eyebrows, Nyx frown tightened further. She has a feeling that whatever it is doing here will drag her into problem.
“Excuse me, what?”
“I send forth a fragment of myself to manifest as an apparition or shadow for you. Do not be alarmed, you will meet more of us when the future… erm… what was the youngsters calling it again? … Ah yes, came knocking. Some are hostile, some are playful, but most are inscrutable. So take it as a lesson from us… from me… and I must correct one more thing… this space is technically yours, I merely intruded.”
“… why tell me all these?”
“A show of good faith, and because Lord Gawain is predisposed with a matter of utmost importance.”
“… Wait… Gareth… Gawain… are you some kind of Guardians Knights or Spirits of Victoria?” Nyx can’t even lie to herself, the name is just too close with the Knights of Roundtable myth… oh wait there was a Draco family called Artorius now that she thinks about it.
“The answers differs between us, but more or less.”
“… What are you here for then?” Nyx asked again, getting over it is better than stare dumbly at nothing.
“To bring you a message and to establish contact.”
“What sort of message?”
“We shall meet again, several times, and within less than 15 years you shall have a hand while also witnessing a changing of an era… But yours stretched even further… if you seek to know more, then find us, find Lord Gawain…”
“… Why should I believe you?” Her skepticism is answered by a hearty and bellowing laughter. She can clearly felt the emotions from Gareth to be utmost interest and joy, but she take it as a stern reminder… Terra is a huge place.
“Ha ha ha ha! You can’t, I’m merely a herald and that’s why my time is up. I bid thee adieu!”
“Wai-!”
-
-
-
-
“Wait!” She jolted up from her sleep. She is back to her room, and judging by the orange light, it is late afternoon. She checked all around her to see Kal’tsit looking at her quizzically, the dream, vision, and prophecy or whatever, she doesn’t know what to make of it anymore.
“What’s wrong, Nyx?”
“Hah… dreaming, again. I swear that it is getting annoying to just sleep on the bed for days on end. I could have done my usual training regimen…”
“… and what would that entailed?”
“Used to be 400, now 700, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-up, and then running for 2 hours non-stop above certain threshold, why?”
“Hmm, would you allow me to observe? It would be beneficial as data gathering regarding method for physical therapy. No matter how incredulous, a data is still a data.”
“Does that mean I get early discharge?”
“I never said that.”
“There goes that…”
Date: Late March 1084
Location: County of Toron, Victoria
POV: Narrator
“Well, it is time for us to leave. Then… sorry for the debacle months ago. I could have done it better, but got too cocky. Not to mention that the security protocol was almost a total failure, so the payment is not needed.” Nyx said it with an ashamed tone lacing it. Count of Toron just sigh before speaking.
“Nonsense, lassie. You did a spectacular job of ensuring that the venue was not magically turned into a tragedy. So chin up, I already routed the payment on your account as per usual.” Vincent sported his usual smile, while also lighting up a Siracusan tobacco.
“Sorry, but that’s not how I-”
“Jolly! Would you look at the time? I have an early lunch scheduled with Baroness Madington, gentlemen such as I shouldn’t tarry no longer. I look forward to our continued partnership and I bid you good luck on being a chaperone.” Vincent left the scene towards his own car that has been prepped for nobles’ business.
“… Huff… Men are idiots… and I know why clearly… Well, he won’t be Vincent otherwise.” Nyx turned her eyes towards Kal’tsit, the latter whom doing nothing other than talking with someone through her terminal.
“So, where should I drop you off?” Nyx is not wearing her usual uniform, which got torn from her duel months ago. She has spares but decided against it, she is also trying to not draw attention as long as possible.
“I have no problem to be dropped off after crossing Victoria’s border.” Kal’tsit said looking up from her terminal looking right on her right arm, it is bandaged. Nyx can also be seen to be limping, she insist to force herself of not using crutch, Kal’tsit naturally protested.
“I don’t mind getting you to Higashi, really.”
“Why are you so insistent?”
“Consider it thanks from me, if nothing else.”
“How obstinate… Very well, reaching a hamlet in Kazdel quickly was my sole objective, are you up for the task?”
“Kazdel? That’s not something you hear every day, but sure I’ll be your taxi for a while.”
"Normally, people either wince or blanch with the mention of Kazdel, but you look intrigued. Care to elaborate?"
“Just my mercenary instinct doing the talking, the last time heard about Kazdel the place was engulfed with fragmented warring states and clans. How is it today and why are you going there?”
“It has seen its fair share of hardships, to put it mildly, but Kazdel of today had stabilized. Their monarch had become a beacon of hope, a better future should be soon at hand.” Kal’tsit said with a thin, but soft, smile on her face.
“As for why? I’m a doctor, Laterano might hate the Sarkaz, but not everyone… there is also nothing wrong than to work under the flag of humanitarian zeal. The world is a cruel place, no reason for anyone to make it worse.” Kal’tsit tell her a reason and Nyx heard that indirect criticism but choose to shut her mouth, she is not wrong after all.
The Pythian mercenary wish to know more, curiosity at play, but remembering that it is the same woman who can drove away an Emperor’s Blade, she kept mum and stop prying her savior. So she just shrug while putting her terminal back inside her plate carrier.
Nyx then strode towards her van to starts up the engine; entering it with a tad difficulty courtesy of her still injured leg and arms. Despite initial worries that she would have a hard time driving, she shows a surprising finesse with an injured body, it had managed to alleviate a portion of misgivings from a certain Feline.
Kal’tsit followed into the van not long after. She take notes that the interior is as less armored than the exterior, compared to what she had seen months ago, there is also another addition of communication and camera interface. Looking on the back are extra supplies, mainly rations, medicals, and several crates of neatly packed guardian guns.
Regarding the heavier exterior and more medical and rations supplies, after what had happened and judging that Kazdel is her destination, Nyx decided that a heavily armed and well-stocked journey would be necessary. She would go straight to Kazdel through buffer zones most of the time, less scrutiny and prying eyes that way while anything happened there would be regarded as badlands happenstances.
The van interior walls are also filled with several simpler Laterano pattern guns, but most had its arts primer and trigger stripped and put inside a different box on her left. Kal’tsit understand it as a sign that Nyx won’t use a Guardian Gun without express permission from Laterano.
“You have an impressive array of weaponry, the Notarial Hall would love to have a chat with you.” Her words was less of an honest praise, and more of a stern reminder. Possession of Laterano Guardian Gun upon extended period of time will warrant a visit from an Executor of Notarial Hall.
“Oh they chatted with me alright, our lovely little chat was quite a noisy experience. Thankfully I smooth it out, they are very appreciative with me returning Sankta’ Guardian Guns. Nice little things for impression really…” Nyx then looked back on Kal’tsit who seems to be wondering of where she should sit.
“If you feel that it’s a bit cramped then come forward, the front seat can be used by 3 people.” She said while patting an empty seat on her side, if they disregard a box of ammunition that is.
“I’m content with my current seating and it appears that you ordered them to make some changes for our journey… or perhaps more about yours?” She settled herself on one of the empty comms chair, once again Kal’tsit wondered just how much sways does she has on the Rusthammer.
The Cleric had always know that, barring Sargon, black markets hates Grey Serpent with passion thus leaving those eccentrics as a viable chain for her supplies and equipment… If you can call convoy raiding and outpost razing to be a viable method for mercantilism that is.
Nyx took one last look outside… a lion can be seen reclining itself under a tree and strangely no one but her can see the lion judging by how children seems to be unaware just feet away from it. The Grey Serpent just sighed tiredly, her dream would need verification but it is a nice way to earn information. Still, she would need more perspectives before regarding it as authentic…
“Anything else you need to bring?”
“No, I always travelled light.” Nyx can see that the woman really did brought up a single, light, carrier backpack and not much else. Confirming that all is set, they are making their way onwards, to the so called hell on Terra, the ruined land of Kazdel.
Date: Early April 1084
Location: Unspecified wilderness, Northern Leithania – South Ursus buffer zone.
POV: Kal’tsit
“I refrained from entering Duchy of Windermere precisely to avoid prying eyes. The badlands felt more like home to me, barring villages on the way of course, lawless lands are safer for someone such as I after all… and also, here is your fill.” She handed me my dinner, despite limping for a good chunk of it, the girl can truly recover and adapt really quickly. So much so that those who aren’t perceptive can’t even see her limp.
That was 6 days ago however, she is now more or less healed and cut-off a large portion of her therapy. The both of us are curious, and she immediately turned a part of her van as an impromptu medical bed. Imagine my shock when her skin does indeed turned hardier, and the opened flesh closed itself just as quickly.
Doing some test in between breaks, she starts doing extraneous activity and while she’s still tired, her physical prowess had visibly improved. I found an interesting tidbits, her body seems to be healing at an exponentially faster rate, too fast that she sometimes felt sleepy or lightheaded.
I tried to compare the sampled flesh I already had with this allegedly new one, I found no difference whatsoever but perhaps it is more esoteric in nature, thus more sampling was done. Her blood stays the same thankfully… which is why I’m really hesitant to encourage her career path… perhaps a little encouragement would work.
“You’re truly puzzling, you have all these expertise and yet you choose to be a mercenary as primary career. You could have entered an employment with Catastrophe Messenger first and foremost if working for PMC was that unappealing.” Her face is as blank as ever… but I can see and feel how unnatural it was, don’t get me wrong it can still fool people but not those who knows how to read expression and those who had known her for long.
We are camping out in the wild at the moment, she had taken up the cooking duty all the time. I must say it taste good for something that was cooked in just 10 minutes. Looking back at her, I saw that she is contemplating how to answer.
“That’s just how I roll really, seeing the world and doing things my way… I had actually forwarded my resume to be under Catastrophe Messenger payroll, still pending and not like I can blame ‘em.” She sounds both amused and sad, there is also this morbid undertone for words left unsaid.
“For someone with such a fearsome reputation and self-proclaimed disinterest on fame, you’re awfully critical with your performance…” The bonfire crackle amidst the chill wind. We continue on our dinner in silence for a moment before Nyx answered my question while holding her meal.
“I’m not all that bright but I’m not a complete moron either, Cleric. I’m really pushing the line of what constitutes as mercenary. I would have made a bigger bank 24/7 if I had gone balls deep and commit myself into an edgy bitch lusting after money and perhaps body too… good thing I’m still on the fence as a hunting dog…” She came around on the other side of the bonfire, with her meal on hand she starts her dinner.
“Then what is it do you want?” I said after scooping up the soup and salad she made me. Mont3r is ever vigilant, thus lessening the needs for us to attach a night watch rotation. She did installed some devices to detect vibrations above certain threshold and arts imaging plus detector to prevent illusionary arts from sneaking up on us.
Yet another piece of military grade equipment she can casually use…
“… I had things in mind…” Her face flushed a little, before a downcast expression takes it place. The Grey Serpent’s longing and loneliness are being painted clearly in her eyes. For someone being dreaded as an unfeeling monster, this proves another facet that she still has her humanity, a positive clue. Terra has enough of destroyers as is…
“Like, hmm… probably becoming an instructor or someone else retainer, but I can feel headache everyday with people asking for my service and some more. The stares I had been getting really made me itchy, like they actually believe I can be tasted that easily?” Her expression turned dark briefly, before her blank face made its return.
“Then my experience in handling medicine might meant I have things going on for me there, but thinking again I’ll end up being combat medic by the end of it, which is frontline duty again.” Nyx continues where she left off while eating her fill between scoops. Her meal consist of oatmeal and milk, she is adhering my health plan for her recovery to the letter.
“Then how about applying as a courier or messenger for Catastrophe Messenger or other NGOs? With you being the one guarding the package, I doubt anyone would risk ambushing you on the spot. Your service would also be really sought after by those who can afford it.” Putting down the food momentarily, I rationalized her impact as a messenger or courier.
Messengers, or couriers in general, are always targeted with a high level of mortality rate. If Nyx become one however, her package would be safe 90% of the time, and the chance of anyone actually going after her would be less than a fraction of 5%, reflected by her work ethics and personal prowess.
Nyx reputation of being reasonable made her approachable, while her reputation of high success rate can be an advantageous incentive to attract clients, and finally her infamous ruthlessness would make people think thrice as hard of getting in her way.
From employer side of things, having her aboard would give credence on their office and organization as a whole, a positive rapport so to speak. Not to mention that her worth had only known to rise even higher, probable for investment.
The nobles and or merchants would be less wary of her since that means she has someone or a group to limit her conduct. It will made her threat level drop a notch while also increasing her appeal proportionally. Her receptions would be much warmer, with less dread and intimidation involved.
‘Of course, all that had been listed is still a mental projection. What happened in actual reality can differ and even goes against logic that has been theorized.’ I finished my musing and stare back at the girl who seems to be taking in and weighing the information her own way.
“Still contemplating?” I prod her for a response.
“Well, using a Gynvabar Fowlbeast would deter predator after all.” Nyx chuckled dryly, she had told me that Gynvabar had attacked her several times and she suffered light injuries such as her head getting bashed and clawed when I pushed for elaboration.
Regarding the spoils, she only said that most of its body was sold while she ate its wings, famous to be as hard as rock… I really should advise her with healthier diet.
“I must also add that not every messengers or couriers are equal, there are those specialized with ordinary package like general message and letters. There are those who can be attached to a group as scout or land surveyor. Then there are those who work specifically to handle sensitive letters for government officials…” I motioned her to piece it with her own understanding which she answered promptly.
“And since their foe or rival is using NGO, and CM has continent spanning influence to boot and being generally a cut above the rest, even clandestine wet work or hit must be done carefully. Attacking them would have a severe setback without a clear and cut reasons… Add the fact that the courier is so deadly in my case…” She had put down her finished bowl and is listening closely.
“Your standings would stabilize a lot better and even when someone had grievances, they can’t exactly single you out, well they can but that’s pettiness that hardly pays, thus allowing you more breathing room.” But human pettiness is the worst possible obstacle you can be graced with. It is really hard to convince them to see reason when spite and petty hate are concerned.
“The rules and creed that catastrophe messenger adhered first and foremost is to save as many lives as humanly possible. Having you be controlled by a neutral organization would give a positive benefit in the long run. Ursus would still hates your guts however.” From what I had gathered, she is one of Ursus their military most wanted woman. The public opinion on her are mixed, surprisingly.
There are numerous anecdotes of her being a reaper that wipe off Ursus patrolmen, a wasteful version of Iberian inquisitors, and keeping villages safe. This naturally made her less hated on the hinterlands due the fact that villagers kept to themselves in the first place but mobile cities citizens hates and fear her, courtesy of propaganda and because dissidents are always dealt with harshly.
“That’s… actually make sense yeah… I cared little about reputation, barring some extreme circumstances, but it does starts to feel annoying.” She stood up from her seat and grab her pistol to then be disassembled. Of course she wear specialized gloves, originium particle could latched into the gun’s internal mechanism or any part of it, becoming a possible vector for a relatively dormant infection.
“I’ll think about it, but where is a good place for me to start with?” She continued on with her query while cleaning up her gun barrel. Now where should be a good place for her I wonder…
“Londonium, Calais, Kawalerielki, Strato-Milano, Lungmen, and even Dossoles might be a good start. If you’re feeling adventurous, Jin Tianzhou in Yan and Zeid El-Masrah in Sargon could work too.”
Londonium for a much more lucrative business potential, if she can put up with the politics anyway. Calais since it is still within an intersection between Victoria and old Gaulish territory. Setting up her base of operation there is actually unwise as a solo mercenary however, but if she worked under the auspice of Catastrophe Messenger then it has a higher chance of working as intended.
Kawalerielki because it’s where she started with. She should have a fairly robust standing, with her siding with the Nearls might cause so complications, but nothing to substantial unless the family themselves starts pushing forward themselves. Strato – Milano because that Siracusan Mobile City could require some help. Lungmen and Dossoles because it is the safest mobile city plagued by their respective problems.
Jin Zangzhou is a fortress city that is on its way to transform into a trading one. Naturally a lot of frictions are happening, and becoming a messenger is a challenging work. Zeid El-Masrah instead is having problems with unruly mercenaries, courtesy of their old Ameer who had unmatched paranoia with his own people.
“Based on analysis from a paper or real life experience?”
“My personal recommendation.” She nodded a little on my words while I finish up my dinner. Theresia would love this soup… sadly she would be too engrossed with others to care for herself first… especially with them by her side…
“A career adjustment huh…” Nyx said while leaning against the table of her weaponry, her answer also snapped me out of my own distasteful line of thoughts. It appears she has her resolve settled.
Date: Mid April 1084
Location: Kazdel
POV: Narrator
Nyx had been rather chatty all the way towards her destination. All change when she laid her eyes at the true face of Kazdel. Everywhere her eyes gaze was being pointed onwards, only a blackened and dead earth can be seen. Scorch marks of destruction and attempt of rebuilding can be seen again and again, so too the attempt to have it trampled and destroyed.
“Hey Doc, can you tell me what is Kazdel really?”
“I don’t mind, but be specific.”
“Why is it so dead? I never been to Bolivar yet, but surely they won’t be as bad as Kazdel, simply because of how much hate Sarkaz had garnered.” Kal’tsit drew her breaths to give a brief lecture about Kazdel.
“The land of Kazdel was famed for being the land of the devils and unwanted. Terra as a whole scorned their existence, hundreds if not thousands of crusades had been recorded to have descent upon this dead and battered land. There is no city that is pristine, for the legions of old keeps on trampling upon it.” The van passed by a ruined house made of cobbled together steels and woods, freshly pillaged.
“Millennia of grudges had caused the Sarkaz themselves to be people who are constantly at war with one another, for war is all they know of. The moment Kazdel reached any semblance of unity, nations all across Terra will wage a bloody crusade again and again. The reasons are numerous, but hypocrisy and fear are the truest things to salvage from this broken land.” The van passed by corpses being stacked haphazardly, anything of value had been stripped ages ago.
“Sarkaz monarchs came and gone to unify this land mired with hatred from the past. Each with their tale of gallantry and tragedy woven into its tapestry of long lasting history. Each with their own aspirations and design… but deep down they wish for one thing… a home for their scattered people.” Her voice is tinged with sympathy and shame. The Feline Cleric is awfully affable for someone from Laterano, presumably.
“History of Terran Nations had even galvanized, lionized, and deified their Victory of completely shattering Kazdel at 893, triggering the Westward Migration or Relocation. The Victors of said Crusade were Victoria, Gaul, and Leithania. There are others smaller organizations and groups, allegedly, but those three Great Powers kept the lion share from it. They ensured that Kazdel won’t recover for centuries and the Sarkaz’ grudges ran ever deeper.”
“But by 1080s they had gathered under the banner of Military Commisions of Kazdel under the co-rule of Her Highness, King of Sarkaz Theresia with her Brother, the Lord Regent Theresis. The both of them had starts the rebuilding of their own homeland, no matter how slow.” With each passing road, there are instead more destructions…
“I had heard enough… It doesn’t take a genius to understand that something is brewing despite the perceived unity and we have arrived, Cleric Kal’tsit.” Nyx said after the van passed by a broken down fence and gate, the hamlet is less of a hamlet and more of a washed up refugee camp. The onlookers eyes are not welcoming, to say the least.
“…” Kal’tsit mask of stoicism cracked ever so slightly, shame and anger coalesced into one, offended but also forced to acquiesce. Thankfully Nyx had her eyes focused on the road, so the only thing she felt was a brief spike of hostility, amidst the already unwelcome gaze of their destination.
Nyx got out of the car first, and the Sarkaz all around the rundown hamlet are making themselves scarce, but their eyes are trained on the outsiders. Hate and even more hate, that’s all Nyx can truly perceived. On one hand she is amused that the hate was not because of her for once, but on the other their hate felt like boiling magma that is searing itself into her perception.
A hate from millenniums of endless suffering…
A hate from millenniums of endless opression…
A hate from millenniums of endless scarcity…
A hate, a hate, and… a hate.
“Thank you, I arrived faster than I anticipated. Your service was superb.” Kal’tsit offhandedly thanked the Grey Serpent. A tiny bit of displeasure still dripped in her voice, but was superseded by her repressed emotions, greater than her displeasure, which had slipped undone.
“Yeah… but are you sure you’re going to be alright? The people here are not welcoming to say the least.” Kal’tsit was about to answer, but a voice of a man beat her to it.
“It is truly commendable of you to think of us, Sarkaz, as people with such sincerity. Your tale of ruthlessness but also being reasonably laid back outside of work was true after all.” Nyx is getting really tired that someone, again, had managed to slip past her senses. She just turned her head towards the source and found a Sarkaz with a bonnie hat, glasses, and facemask leaning against a lone dead husk of a tree.
“Something the matter?” Kal’tsit inquired, of which Nyx took a note. The man just shouldered his sniper rifle while walking towards the Feline doctor, and then handed her a letter. Kal’tsit excused herself and gone elsewhere.
Left alone, Nyx noticed that the hostility had lowered ever so slightly since the man approached them. Then she gaze at the sniper rifle on his back. The Grey Serpent is interested with the Sarkaz’ equipment, then there is also the fact that he sounds and act like a messenger or an army scout … The man took notice of her interest, and show it off to her.
“A man’s gun is his own set of companions, pals, and death sentence, getting through thin and thick with it. Treat your gun well, and it will treat you just as well through hell.”
“I can see that.” She just lightly shrug while maintaining her blank face.
“You’re not going to ask about why I have a sniper rifle?” A thought that had surfaced on the man’s mind was given form.
“Why should I ask a paramilitary employee of some kind? I might be interested and did think about returning that gun to Laterano, but I won’t attack just because, and you can get the gun legitimately.” Her words caught him mildly off guard, but he just nodded.
Nyx looked around her once again, her eyes caught sight of a Sarkaz girl looking all frail and frazzled. Her eyes has been looking at her van, she then recalled that she has some spares to give.
“What’s your name?”
“Name? Well… Sarkaz rarely had one, me being one of them, baring certain ritual of ours… but I do have a callsign…” He offered his hand for a handshake that she reciprocated soon afterwards.
“Scout, just scout.” Nyx internally rolled her eyes with his callsign, either they ran out of name or that’s him choosing it.
“Nyx… What a simplistic name, Scout.”
“Better than being called Grey Serpent 24 / 7.”
“I’m used to it.”
“Ah, I see… so you do like it huh?”
“… Tch… whatever… ” Nyx said before motioning him to follow and she opened up her van to pull out a whole package of MREs. Taste kinda bland, but still honestly filling. He raised his eyebrows, a question she more than gladly answered.
“Give it to them.” She added while pulling her cigarette… only to fold it back in, Nyx must adhere her health plan, which was why she almost stomp on her cigarette. It is relatively an expensive luxury items here, thus she prudently not acted on impulse.
“Why?” Less curiosity and more about, why bother? Sarkaz had always been seen as devils and being of pure evil, and no matter how much humanitarian aid were given, all is meaningless without a stable home. So it is like dropping a glass of water on a boiling magma.
“Because I’m stupid, and I want to do it. Happy?” Her voice’ irritation bled through her monotonic voice and flat tone. Scout can see that her eyebrows creaked slightly, like his query was strange in on itself.
Scout however is just standing there, unconvinced and also because a certain someone ordered him to get a feel on her. Nyx sighed before giving him an actual, but still partial, answer.
“Why? Because there was never a desperate time, only desperate people… and desperate people tend to do the unthinkable, said unthinkable is usually on the moronic kind.”
“Then why don’t you share it yourself?” The man said while making his way towards the parked vehicle, his posture is a lot more relaxed. Scout certainly expected her to be frank, but not this casual when talking with fellow merc or its equivalent.
“Nope, will cause unnecessary problem and I’m an outsider. So are you on board or nah?” Nyx is already unloading her package while also checking on whether she accidentally slipped a mag or two in it.
“Count me in. Beats doing nothing while waiting for Doctor Kal’tsit to be finished with her business.” Scout approached her while pulling something from his pocket to be given at her, it is a letter. Nyx looked at it and raised her eyebrows.
“A job is it, so soon?”
“You’ll see.”
Somewhere else…
A Feline woman can be seen waiting for a response from her terminal. She is currently having her backs to the wall inside a ruined house’ living room of sort. The letter had been opened and the content was less than pleasing, but it is something still within her prediction.
Her eyes wandered from the ceiling and then outside the window to watch on how Scout is giving people rations while Nyx is leaning against her van while twirling an unlit cigarette between her fingers. The nearby Sarkaz eyes are still trained on the Pythian mercenary with a boiling level of hate, but the person in question doesn’t even register it to give a damn.
[Ah! Kal’tsit! How was your trip?] A bubbly and energetic voice can be heard from the Feline doctor’ terminal. She reflexively sport a soft smile hearing the voice; since it was none other than her King, ally, and friend first and foremost.
“It was not a trip Your Majesty, but I did found it as a worthwhile and fruitful endeavor.” Kal’tsit is holding back an exasperated sigh due to her speaking partner not kingly attitude, doesn’t stop the fact of a smile blooming so contently on her face. Kal’tsit has numerous acquaintances, but there are so few she can call equal, and even less to be called a friend.
[Come on~… don’t call me that~ Call me Theresia! The-re-si-a! You get me?!] The King of Sarkaz sounds peeved, and Kal’tsit just chuckle quietly before twisting the knob a little.
“Your will is my command, my dearest friend, Theresia.”
[Mrrrrhhh… I’ll get you back for this… but that’s enough lolly-gagging…] Her voice lost its joyously energetic and bubbly tone, it is now dead serious and uncompromising. There is only sadness, grief, and aching for respite lacing her stern voice.
[The Royal Court is split between me and my brother. The Confessarius is neutral at the moment, but the Nachzehrers, Damazti, and Vampires voiced interest on his design for Sarkaz’ future. The Young Great Banshee, the newly anointed Lord of Banshee tribe, is still lobbying them to see reason, while The Great Oracle Matriarch of Cyclops is as silent as ever, our request had gone unanswered. We have yet to receive words from the Gargoyles, and other members of the Royal Court.] Her voice grew heavier with sadness for each syllables given voice, something that made the Feline Doctor’ eyes flickered with guilt.
“Just as I had predicted… Have you decided your stance regarding the implementations I had suggested beforehand? I shall make haste to return by your side.” The situation of Kazdel is yet to be set in stone, thus haste with care is the best way.
[That I did, our dear Tactician had personally overseen it and they are now making some last minutes adjustments along with Ada and Ascalon… but… Kal’tsit… the dreams you told me, the ideal you espoused on me, and the future you promised us, Sarkaz… will you believe in me, every step of the way, that it can be grasped with our own hands?]
Her voice laden with heavy longing and vulnerability. The Feline Doctor can only sigh when she heard about the other personage, but if Theresia desired it, then she will support her with her very best.
“What an incorrigible nonsense, I always believe in you. Sarkaz will surely have a home… Sarkaz will have a time where they can stand with other without discriminations… the past must never be repeated…” She sounds hopeful and deathly tired, so done with the world but wish for nothing but to keep hopes alive.
[… Thanks, that’s reassuring… I’ll be waiting for you on the southern concord zone, on our landship… Rhodes Island.] Theresia voice is full of longing… then a loud thudding sound was heard from the terminal, making her friend shrieked a little while also demolishing the somber atmosphere.
[Eep!? Ada, careful will you! Huh!? That door came undone again!? Wait, it wasn’t the door but the ventilation near the bridge!? O-oh! Ok, alright! I’ll be there soon, good bye Kal! See you later on dinner! … wait no, I mean later when you arrived!] Kal’tsit can only laugh lightly her friend is truly a king unlike any other.
Putting that thought for later, she look outside from where she is. Nyx can be seen lazily arguing with a relatively young and fiery Sarkaz from the locals; her blank face defied her bemusement when you look at her tail though. She can’t exactly hear it, but she can make out the fact that the Sarkaz seems to be losing steam while Scout is focusing on giving the hungry civilian rations.
‘It appears that I can utilize Nyx to an extent, I just need to ensure they didn’t get their hand on her for too long. She is too content of being used as a weapon, as long as either of us know which line that mustn’t be crossed that is.’
She decided to send a personal message and request to the Pythian mercenary from her terminal.
[Pipe down there kid. Y’ello, soon to retire hunting dog here, what’s up?]
“Are you up for a job? I can make use of a mercenary with your caliber. The job is right up under your type of expertise, but I would caution you to exercise restraint.”
[Damn, they actually predicted it…] Kal look outside to see Nyx sporting the thinnest smirk on her face. Nyx then glared at the Sarkaz who won’t shut up, causing them to flee from her.
“What do you mean?”
[I just got a job… something I shouldn’t have told you, but the client specifically requested me to do so. The client also predicted your request to hire me just now, words by words, down to the letter, of how it was initiated… kinda creepy if you ask me.]
“Who’s the client?” Kal’tsit has an inkling who, but nothing is wrong about asking for confirmation.
[Well… Does Babel ring a bell?]
[END OF CHAPTER]
Author’s Note:
Hello there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who want to write something on the side but have no time… again… fuck…
Gynvabar Fowlbeast is just Terran’ Lammergeier but with a sharper beak and talons, I invent it for my fic. Just imagine a bird with steel for talons and spear for beak and then double that image. Its favorite method of attacking is dive-bombing to crack your skull open. Also did I mentioned that it has a wingspan of 10 meters or around 30 feet? :)
Update as usual when I can convince myself to…
Ciao
