Late at night, in the Bridge Area of Backlund, within the sewers.
Two men in trench coats and tall boots searched through the narrow sewer passages. They carried no lanterns and lit no torches, yet relying only on the faint moonlight filtering through the manholes, they could discern their path as if possessing vision that pierced darkness.
One had tousled brown hair that looked unwashed for days. His eyes, the same brown shade, scanned the wide junction of sewer channels ahead with apparent confusion.
"The Church of the Evernight Goddess and the Mandated Punishers were so eager to transfer this case to us. I expected to find multiple citizens devoured by giant alligators, but it's quieter here than North Borough streets at dawn."
The other trench-coated man following behind muttered to himself.
"You should be grateful you're here catching rats instead of hunting Intis spies with the other squads."
The brown-haired man at the front turned back, his tone mild.
"Besides, just before I left headquarters, word came that the Intis ambassador was assassinated. He had Sequence 6 strength, and the embassy has more Beyonders than could fit in a carriage. Yet he still died. Wonder which poor squad gets assigned to assist with that investigation."
"Right, right, I get it, Chuck. Coming here with you to catch rats is the luckiest thing that's happened to me all month. But are there even rats here for us to catch? I don't see so much as a fly."
The man called Chuck was none other than the Nightmare who had investigated Angel in her dreams days ago. Hearing his companion's words, he too looked around in confusion.
"The report said there were packs of rats bigger than dogs, giant alligators that could swallow people whole. But I don't see anything... Think this might be a prank by some Beyonder hiding in the shadows?"
The other man, only a Sequence 8 Midnight Poet, frowned and shook his head:
"I don't think so. The report was very detailed—it even mentioned the 'Aurora Order' and the 'True Creator.' And listen..." He closed his mouth, letting the sewer fall silent except for the slow flow of wastewater beneath their feet. "Nothing. Not even rat squeaks. Too quiet... like someone deliberately cleaned it out."
"This would be easier with a Mystery Pryer or Diviner. They could divine further clues..."
Chuck Hopper clicked his tongue, feeling the strong scent of mint and disinfectant in his nostrils fading as the outside stench gradually seeped in. The medicine he'd inhaled before entering was wearing off.
"Regardless, at least we've confirmed there are no man-eating rats or alligators, and we haven't sensed any evil presence. Let the Mandated Punishers handle the rest—this area was always supposed to be their jurisdiction."
Though they said this, the two men dutifully completed their circuit of the sewers. Only after confirming the absence of the reported mutated animals did they hold their noses and exit.
In the darkness, a pair of blood-red eyes watched the Nighthawks' retreating backs. Only when they turned a corner and walked toward the moonlight did the eyes slowly close.
In the basement of 47 Red Rose Street, Angel carved the final "Storm Gathering" symbol, set down her engraving knife, and neatly arranged twenty completed special bullets in a palm-sized iron box.
This was a fresh batch of ammunition she planned to sell at Mr. A's gathering next week. If that generous buyer wasn't interested anymore, she could offer them at the Eye of Wisdom's gathering instead.
The benefits of attending multiple Beyonder gatherings...
Angel had also transcribed copies of the Sequence 8 "Barbarian" and "Trickmaster" potion formulas, but didn't plan to immediately sell the former to the woman who'd sold weapons at the gathering. Selling the formula outright would only earn pounds, but using it for resource exchange might yield mystical items or leads on other formulas.
After organizing the items for sale and bringing her weapons, the magic mirror, and newly crafted wand, Angel left home to attend tonight's Eye of Wisdom gathering. At the door, she ran into Anna, Mrs. Waris's maid.
"Good evening, Miss Watson," Anna curtsied elegantly. "Mrs. Waris will be hosting a small tea party at home next Sunday with several of her friends. Would you be interested in attending?"
*An invitation to a tea party, with a maid sent specially... *Angel recalled what the Moretti siblings had mentioned about "middle-class pride"—how they insisted on sending maids to personally deliver invitations. A slight smile crossed her face.
Good thing I'm not wearing the Frenzy Ring yet. To Mrs. Waris and her servants, I still look like I did when I first arrived in Backlund. I need to weaken their impression somehow, ideally make Mrs. Waris forget my appearance...
With this in mind, she politely declined Anna's invitation, though out of courtesy she didn't refuse outright, saying she needed to "think it over."
After dining at a nearby restaurant, Angel arrived at the alley near the Bravehearts Bar. Donning her puppy mask, she knocked on the side door of the unremarkable building where the Eye of Wisdom held gatherings, using the coded pattern from the Backlund Morning Post—varying in strength and duration.
After passing the doorkeeper's inspection, Angel entered the parlor lit by a single candle.
This time, she paid 2 soli to buy an iron mask from the guard, replacing her conspicuous puppy mask to avoid drawing attention.
With a few minutes until the gathering's 8 PM start, only four or five people sat scattered about the parlor. Angel glanced at each in turn. Besides the Eye of Wisdom himself, seated centrally, the oversized Apothecary Darkwill was also present—his bulk making him instantly recognizable.
He shouldn't recognize me—after all, I changed my mask... Angel consoled herself, choosing a corner armchair and settling in to wait.
In the final minutes, five more participants arrived, all wearing iron masks and hooded robes. Despite their disguises, Angel recognized the man from Monday who'd angered a Sequence 5 Beyonder and wanted to hire a bodyguard or purchase a mystical item for 400 pounds.
He actually survived. Did he take the Eye of Wisdom's advice and pay to resolve the matter?
Angel studied him curiously, then felt a gaze observing her in return—coming from the man's direction, though he wasn't looking her way.
Instinctively pressing her tongue against her back molars, she activated spirit vision. The man's body emanated a faint white glow, but otherwise showed no abnormalities.
Strange. Was it my imagination?
She closed her spirit vision, and the probing gaze vanished.
"Let us begin. No need to wait for other latecomers."
Seeing the sofas and chairs mostly filled, the Eye of Wisdom announced the gathering's start.
"How are those precious herbs of yours? Did the animals eat them all?"
A low voice came from the corner. Angel recognized it as the Black Snake who'd sold what might have been an item polluted by the True Creator on Monday. He was apparently asking the Apothecary.
Sure enough, Darkwill turned toward the Black Snake and replied with annoyance: "Those mutated rats and alligators have all been exterminated. The dog-masked lady I hired was quite reliable. Unfortunately, the sewers are no longer suitable for cultivating herbs. I've found a better location—somewhere neither people nor animals will disturb."
He didn't actually find a cemetery or tomb to grow his herbs, did he?
Angel recalled their conversation that night, suspecting this apothecary had embarked on a criminal path.
"Dog lady? Ha, why isn't she here tonight then?" The Black Snake scanned the gathering, seeing no conspicuous puppy mask, and laughed unkindly. "If you'd hired me that day, I'd have swept the sewers clean for you to cultivate in peace."
You left out two key words...
Steadying the iron mask on her face, Angel suppressed the urge to teach him a lesson.
Not worth getting into it with an Aurora Order lunatic...
Chanting this mantra internally, Angel looked around, trying to see which passage the Black Snake would use to leave later.