"Take this." Ordered Ozzus while handing Lucian a silver dagger. "Only use it, if necessary. If you can, try not to use it at all.", his expression was stern like a general.
"O-Okay.", Lucian was obviously startled. Just what the hell is he getting me into?
After exiting the cabin, Lucian hurried to the side of the ship and spotted Theo and a larger, round man heading to a stopped coach.
Shit I need to get close enough to hear which street they're going to. I only recently learned where each street is. I don't have money for a coach, but I should be able to take short cuts through ally ways, although I'll have to be fast.
Lucian rushed off the ship and tried to act casual as if just taking a stroll. Once Lucian was close enough, he hid behind a crate while the two boarded. Theo got in first, then the large man. "Fisher street please.", said the old man with a casual yet orderly tone.
Fisher street...fisher street.... Oh! That's in the lower-class neighborhoods near the market! That's not too far from here.
As the coach departed and headed towards fisher street, Lucian took off his tailcoat, wrapped it around his arms, and bolted across the street. The first ally was narrow and musty, but Lucian ignored it and kept going. Then Lucian hustled across another street nearly getting hit by a carriage. To Lucian's surprise, he was actually exceptionally fast, and his endurance didn't dwindle to much.
The second ally was spacious and had a few individuals either smoking or just chatting. As Lucian emerged, he could see the coach Theo was in. It wasn't too far ahead and Fisher street was right around the corner.
Stopping a few feet away, Lucian observed Theo and the large man exit the coach. For some reason, Theo never walked beside him, nor in front, it looked as though Theo was a servant of sorts.
Lucian kept a low profile and stayed a considerable distance behind. The two men didn't talk they only strolled forward. As they kept walking, Theo kept getting noticeably more nervous. His hands kept fidgeting while his pace slowed and sped up at uneven intervals.
Seems like Ozzus was correct, something's definitely amiss. That mind reading ability really does come in handy, perhaps I may be able to become an Ethereal.
While blinded by his branching ponders, Lucian suddenly lost sight of the two. Neither was anywhere to be seen.
You were tasked with one job Lucian, one job! Thought Lucian as he frantically looked around.
Right before Lucian was about to give up, he heard a slight banging sound at a nearby ally. Turning the corner, he finally found the two.
"Move, I won't ask twice.", ordered the round man. He held an old door open, leading so who knows where. Just who was this man and what is his relationship with Theo?
As Lucian look closer, he could see something poking out of the man's trench coat towards Theo. It wasn't much, but the way Theo was acting definitely implied it was something dangerous.
What could he be so afraid of, it can't be a knife because Theo could have made a run for it. The only dangerous weapon that would keep him there would be...gods dammit! That's a gun! Thanks a lot, Ozzus, what the hell do you think a dagger will do against that!?
Lucian sighed and turned around. He wasn't a cop or anything, he couldn't save Theo even if he tried. If he did, he'd probably end up as a corpse in a dumpster.
Suddenly, two-gun shots sounded following someone's groan. A number of pedestrians scrambled and took off screaming, scared out of their minds. Shit, what happened!? It's been 10 seconds!
Turning the corner again, Lucian saw the scene of Theo on his knees holding his abdomen. Clear streaks of dark red blood stained his shirt and dripped on the concrete. It appeared that Theo built up enough courage to try an escape but failed miserably.
"You're pathetic, first you steal my invention, then you try to steal my self-defense weapon and use it against me? What a shameless man.", said the old round man in a mocking tone.
"I was hoping to get this done quietly but you made quite the scene, scoff"
After looking around, the man put his revolver back in his inner pocket and entered through the old doorway.
After making sure the coast was clear, Lucian rushed over to Theo. "W-why are you h-here", said Theo in a shaky tone while slowly looking up.
"That's not something you should be focused on at the moment.", stated Lucian as he took his coat and thoroughly wrapped it around Theo's abdomen. There was on bullet wound on Theo's right, but it didn't seem to be fatal. Based on that being the only bullet wound, the other shot missed, thankfully.
I should probably go find an officer or at least flag down a coach to get him to safety.
"That won't be necessary.", stated deep and authorative voice.
Lucian swiftly turned his head around. Walking towards Lucian was a slender man who seemed to be in his 40's wearing a dark formal coat and a crisp white shirt underneath with a black tie kept neat but simple. His trousers complemented his coat while black hair was long but only went down to his shoulders. The man's left eye patch had a strange symbol on it with two parallel triangles and a line down the middle.
Who is this man? An accomplice of the previous one maybe?
"I assure you that I was not an accomplice of that man, we already have two Ethereals tracking him down. I'll will need you to come with me though, I promise you that it's not for hostile reasons."
Lucian was a bit shocked; the man must've had the same ability as Ozzus. "Sorry sir, but I need you to prove to me that I can trust you."
"Ozzus Senkrad is a close friend of mine. He ordered you to follow this man, did he not?"
"Y-yes."
"Good, this young lady right here will help your friend while you come with me.", said Eliot as a woman, not too much older than Lucian with a short but straight chestnut brown-haired bob cut reaching down to slightly above her shoulders. She wore a white trench coat with the same designs as Theo's and Eliot's.
The man's statement was indeed something Lucian could trust and he wasn't really in the position to refuse. After gently laying down the half-conscious Theo, Lucian complied with the man and stepped into one of two coaches awaiting them.
Once the carriage was moving, Lucian spoke up in a slight nervous tone, "May I ask who you are and why I'm here?
"My name is Eliot Forche, I'm an Ethereal just like Ozzus and Priscilla. You're currently here due to the test mission you've just accomplished."
"T-test mission?"
"Yes, you we're tasked with following Theo Lundqvis the fraudulent inventor. In this mission, we evaluated your decisive thinking and survival instincts."
"A man almost died though!"
"That was an unpredicted variable, we had a medical Ethereal on standby in case it happened. There is no need to worry, Mr. Lundqvis is in good hands."
"Even so, why would you use a civilian like that?"
"Mr. Lundqvis was not a civilian, he is an associate of me and fellow Ethereals. Although not an Ethereal himself, he is tasked with supportive activities in assisting us."
"Was the round man an associate of yours as well?"
"No, that man's name is Benjamin kartour, a swindler and fraudulent inventor. We had Mr. Lundqvis steal credit for his invention to lure him into potentially kidnaping or attacking Mr. Lundqvis. Once that happened, all we'd have to do was silently inform the police on where the crime scene was before hand and arrest him.
"We saw this as an opportunity to assign you a test mission. Although the door he manifested was unexpected but since he had a supernatural ability or item, it's now up to us to take him in."
"Why exactly did you give me this test mission?"
"It was to see if you had the potential to work with us. Fortunately, you do."
Lucian was a bit stunned. "By working with you, do you mean become an Ethereal?".
Eliot laughed, "That is certainly an option, but I highly advise against it. You'd take on a job much like Mr. Lundqvis. There isn't any pay in this job though, so you'll have to obtain another one that pay's elsewhere."
"I appreciate it, but why allow me to work with you?"
"I apologize, but that information will be withheld from you for a bit."
Suddenly another question that Lucian had been very curious about popped into his head. "Since you know Ozzus, I was wondering why he told me about Ethereals right away. I know that the oath of secrecy prevents you from conveying whatever you swore secrecy to, but even so, he could have done that with anyone so why me?"
"That information is also classified for now. These questions will be answered to you based on the choices you make from here on."
"Let's save this conversation for when we arrive at our destination. Once we get there, you will learn a lot more about Ethereals than you ever could from a book."