Taylor fell on his back and stared at the ceiling.
Lennie moved across the room and turned off the candle lights as usual.
Plunging the room into darkness.
Save for the dim.
Warm light filtering in from the open hallway passage.
Walking back over the Mattress.
She leaned in gently and pressed a protective kiss onto his forehead.
A quite, comforting ritual that had quickly become a routine over the past week.
"Good night."
She whispered softly.
Within minutes, her exhaustion caught up with her.
She completely dozed off.
The room falling into a heavy rhythmic silence.
"Goodnight."
He whispered back into the dark.
Although she was already fast asleep.
He remained awake for a little longer.
Reaching for his pocket of what seemed to be his pyjamas.
He pulled out the small glass vial he had kept.
Taylor stared at the strange blue liquid.
*That old man said this contained the power I so desperately need.*
He thought.
*I highly doubt it. He's probably just a crazy old eccentric.*
Taylor let out let out a silent yet skeptical breath.
*Even so, what do I even do with this? A whole silver coin that could have bought me ten delicious pastries, gone. For a cheap vial.Talk about an unfair trade.*
Although it didn't seem promising to him.
He carefully tucked it in his pocket.
Because he was the overly cautious type.
Pulling the heavy sheets up to his chin.
Then let himself finally drift off to sleep.
The slime lay lazily in his chest as usual.
***
Meanwhile back with in the darkened, soot-stained boarders are of the regional capital…
"Please forgive me! It won't happen again! I swear!"
The Mohawk man from the bar, shouted.
Almost raising his voice.
The room was vast yet oppressive.
Hidden deep within a luxurious estate.
A powerful man sat heavily on the couch.
An aura of authority radiating from him.
Flanked by two women on each side, who remained still and completely motionless.
"First you go around secretly spending our loot."
The boss on the couch growled.
His voice dripping with malice as he glared down.
"You spread all these stupid rumours about the 'Ghost' are you trying to ruin everything we've built. And the cherry on top… you get humiliated by a Tarven woman, forever staining our name. Did you really think we wouldn't fin you?"
All the boisterous he had displayed in front his crew was completely shattered.
He was currently trembling violently.
His forehead pressed flat cold stone on the floor.
"We've already dealt with your friends too."
"Please… I promise I won't do it again. I'm beg—"
The boss caught him off.
Raising a single, merciless hand.
"No. That's completely out of the question. I built all this from the ground up, and I'm not letting an a pebble run it all down. I'll use you as an example to teach the others what happens when you mess with what is mine."
Suddenly a smooth, melodious called out.
"Now, now, now… you really don't have to be quite harsh him."
The voice echoed just outside the silk curtains blocking the entrance.
The fabric was casually pushed, aside.
And a man stepped into the dim, luxurious room.
It was Caster.
His silky black hair caught the candlelight.
A sharp knowing smirk played on his lips.
As his violet eyes scanned the desperate scene.
"Huh? I don't remember calling you pretty boy."
The boss asked, crossing his legs casually.
Stretching his his thick arms over bare shoulders of the two woman.
"Nothing much, old friend."
Caster replied hs voice smooth entirely unbothered.
"I just heard your friends had a little run-in with an aquatintance of mine."
"Huh… Her gain? Why the hell is everyone so obsessed with this woman?"
The boss grumbled.
"She's the one who… beat us up."
The man on the floor said.
"She must be a real cracker, If she has even your attention, heh, Caster?"
The boss sneered, grabbing the chest of the woman to his left.
A sharp, sly gasp escaped her lips.
But she didn't move.
"Don't you even think about it."
Caster replied.
"I already have my eye on her."
"Oh, what are you going to do about it?"
The boss challenged leaning forward.
Caster clenched his right fist tightly for a brief moment.
Then forced it to relax.
"Don't forget… I already know about your little secret. Black beard was it?"
The boss amused smile vanished instantly.
"Don't you even dare say that name! You don't even begin to comprehend the true meaning behind it. So how dare a mere land-dweller like you even breathe that name."
Caster's grin widened.
His violet eyes flashing in the candle light.
"Struck a nerve did I? What are you going to do about it?"
The boss didn't answer with words.
Instead he released a wave of suffocating killing intent.
His eyes boring into Caster like twin daggers.
The two woman beside him held their breath.
Freezing in shear terror as the air in the room grew heavy to breathe.
Yet. Caster just stood there with an expression of cold absolute indifference.
After a long agonising stand off.
The boss snapped out it.
Letting out a long harsh breath.
"Fine than. I'll leave the bitch to you."
He grunted slumping back on the couch.
"Very well then."
Caster replied smoothly.
But just as Caster turned to leave.
The boss spoke again.
"But she did hurt one of our men. So there's sure to be some compensation."
Caster's violet eyes, widened slightly for a fraction of a second, catching the hidden threat.
He quickly masked it.
"Fine, I can always heal her up afterwards… but you should know she's currently living with some brat."
"Huh! Some brat?"
The boss laughed, a sinister glint appearing in his eyes.
"We'll we could always use an extra pair of hands for clean up… and the kid refuses we'll kill him."
"Do what you will with the kid, I couldn't care less. So it's settled then?"
Caster murmured.
The two shook hands.
Sealing the grim arrangement.
Caster immediately turned his back, walking towards the exit.
"Be sure to close the door shut."
He called out dryly.
-Clink!
The heavy door swung shut as Caster stepped out.
***
Back inside the luxurious den, all that was left was the boss, the two terrified women, and the disgraced Mohawk pirate leader still grovelling on the floor.
The boss looked down at top of the man's head.
He gestured for the two women to leave.
They got up and rushed off the exit as well.
His voice turning ice cold.
"On your feet Malakor."
He quickly scrambled up.
Brushing the dust off his knees.
His hands shaking.
"Thank you, boss. Thank you—"
"Don't act stupid."
The boss snapped, cutting him off with a look of agony.
"I'm nowhere near done with you. I need you to do something for me."
"Anything boss."
After a few minutes… Malakor stood silently for a few moments as the boss finished detailing the true scope of the plan.
His breath hitching n his throat.
A slow realisation settled in his features.
"Boss… that's absolutely genius."
He gasped, his previous fear eclipsed by awe.
"But what about that guy? Doesn't he know far too much? Do you want me to 'takecare' of him?"
"Don't bother."
The boss caught immediately.
"You won't touch him even if you tried. He isn't your typical rich, rich-kid. He's far too dangerous that right there is the 'Chaos Fiend'— a name he earned through the criminal underworld thanks to his Alchemy. He's one of Zephyria continent's highest ranking drug lords."
The boss paused—eyes closed.
"Let's not mention his connections. He's also a member of the [Raven's Edge Guild]
Malakor couldn't shake his suprise.
"That's one of the top ten most lethal guilds in the world. If not the firmly within the top five. That's and the leader of the guild Bishop Lite. Also a government official."
"Yeah, that's exactly right."
The boss replied grimly.
Staring into the flickering candle flame.
"I'd be a fool to start a reckless a reckless war with a man who has the shadows themselves backing him. If push came into shove, I suppose I could reach out the one of the pirate emperor… but a full-blown, high-scale war would break out across the sees If those forces collided."
Malakor hel his breath.
A cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck.
"But…"
The boss continued, his expression more serious.
"…All that can be entirely avoided if you do what I say. I hope you know your role in all of this."
"Yes, I do boss."
Malakor answered immediately.
Bowing his head in total submission.
"Good."
The boss sneered.
Waving a hand to dismiss him once and for all.
"Now, everything falls tomorrow."
***
A/N:
[Don't forget to drop a power stone or two. It really helps.]