Racine jolts as the spell threatens to turn her to ash, then checks the remains and the stone. "Well. Disappointing that he got what he wanted, disappointing that we couldn't get the drop on him," because some idiot burst in like a rhino "but at least the girls are safe and there are three less dealers around. And we may get clues on the ritual from this book and the stone, Casp can help. Next time the bastard show up, we put him down for good. Not our usual mindless monster gig, that's for sure." Somehow it's nice to have a smart opponent. More meaningful. Just sending Frank against the monster of the week gets boring after a while. Oh, you win the first round, Von Steffan, but I have more patience.
She grabs any item that might be of value, including the Philosopher's Stone, before lighting a torch. "Everyone out and safe? I'm going to raze the place." Partly to hide our presence, partly for personal pleasure.
Caedus bit his lip, thinking.
"Let this abominable place fade into nothingness. We'll get the son of a b#&#% next time."
After Frank smashes the combined net worth of multiple nations, Racine picks up the pieces and stows them away with the book of formulae. The prepared alchemical items are inert without the presence of an active alchemist and therefore useless - just another piece of evidence to be burnt. Having just committed arson, the party place the unconscious girls into their carriage - Timmy's mom's carriage apparently having been stolen by the surviving bouncers - and ride to the police station to pick up Cassandra, whose happiness that her friends are safe is muted by the loss of her boyfriend's killer. However, Long is approached in private by the elf he met here early, who reveals that a family member came and picked up Antonio, "He was an older gentleman like yourself, but sounded like he was from out east. He provided documentation confirming that Antonio was his brother and he wanted to take him back home to his girlfriend for a proper burial. So it looks like there was nothing to worry about after all, right? I'm glad for him and his family to have this peace."
"By the way, Frank," Racine says, heading out to visit Caspian about the book and the stone "even inert, that stone had an enormous value, both financially and scientifically. So, next time you want to break something in frustration, may I suggest your own head? Maybe that will stop you from acting like a child."
Racine drops off everyone at Cassandra's apartment and rides out to visit Caspian. Unable to find him at his usual stool in his favorite bar, she checks around the back of the building and finds him leaning against the wall outside the door to his shop smoking a narcotic. As soon as he sees Racine, he drops it on the ground and squashes it under his boot. "Well whatever you're after didn't kill you - yet, that is. I did hear tell on the street that new club, Ascend, went up in flames not too long ago. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? I hope it wasn't whoever you're after burning his tracks."
"I know how it sounds, but that stuff will kill you. Killed my mom too. And it's a shame how flammable some places are, a real, real shame."
"I've got something more for you, however. The one we were hunting got away somehow, by channeling something through this stone. An idiot smashed it, but I have the fragments, if they're worth anything. And here's a book of formulas that may be of some interest, if you can work it out."
Caspian glares at Racine, then takes the items, "I can probably sell the book to the right buyer - after removing some of the more dodgy parts for safe keeping. I'll have to examine the stone fragments, but I'll figure out what to with them - maybe I can repair it." As he opens up the door to his shop, he turns to Racine, "I'd invite you inside, but your company doesn't look he's in the mood to wait around. Find me if you need anything again." He gives a wry smile and enters his shop, closing and locking the door behind him.
Back at the apartment, a note is pinned to the door that reads, "Try to keep him alive this time - his soul isn't mine for at least 30 more years. -S" Cass, reading this as she prepared to open the door for you to carry the girls inside, instead rushes inside to find Antonio sprawled across the couch in a state similar to the girls. Tears begin to stream down her face as she caresses the sleeping man's face, ignoring everyone else as you come in.
Doc's marked silence since the battle was only briefly broken when he thanked the elf from the morgue. Other than that, he only gasps and winces periodically from the bruises to his back. Nothing wipes the concerned frown from his face, not even Antonio's 'miraculous' (and unholy) return. Every so often, he is caught looking closely at Caedus or Frank.
|
"What the hell is this all about? Cass who is that? Why are you crying? What did that note say?"
Frank stands observing the situation, confused at what may be going on. He moves toward her and takes the note or picks it up assuming she may have dropped it when running in.
"30 more years. What games is this son of a b@@!* playing at?"
"Huh." We didn't get paid, the bad guy escaped and now he's got reins on Cassandra. How utterly lovely.
Racine reaches towards the sleeping man, scratching his arm with a silver bullet and a regular one. If he's undead, he should react differently.
"He's trying to keep a leash on us, Frank. We care about Cassandra, she cares about Antonio. Next time we face him, he'll be all "leave me alone or I shall take back my gift" and stuff like that, threatening to kill him again. And depending on the kind of mojo he set up, the old bastard's life might be linked to Antonio's with double thread." Enjoy him while he lasts, Cassandra. Enjoy living in this hellhole, I tried to offer you a way out and you shut me down.
"I... think this would be better discussed later. For the moment, Cass has her boyfriend back and everyone else is alive and well."
Cass helps in putting her friends to bed and stays up to keep an eye on Antonio, and as late morning comes to pass, one-by-one they start to wake up, still groggy and tired from whatever Von Steffan did to them, but looking to make a full recovery. Antonio explains to Cass that the last thing he remembers is snooping around Ascend when Von Steffan found him and he blacked out, then experienced a "dream" in which he was dead and Von Steffan approached him in the afterlife to offer resurrection under the condition that after 30 years, he'd give up his soul.
Then, an exhausted Beth makes her way up the stairs, calling weakly demanding to know what happened.
Caedus offers no explanation. He records all of the events in his journal, ensuring that he will not misremember anything moving forward.
"I...I remember everything, says Beth, shakily, The boys tricked us into thinking we were going to a private party, but when we got there, they took us into the basement and tied us up. There was that man in the robes, he made us all drink this stuff from a vial, then he incapacitated Kenny and Joey and tied them up...after he did something to Timmy. It was like he aged his whole body all at once! And then he started drawing these glyphs and then we heard something going on upstairs and the man drank something... that was where you showed up - flying above the ground with a blade of light! When you and Caedus helped us upstairs, we ran towards the exit just like you said, then everything went black and I woke up downstairs." She sits down, "Was happened back there? Was that all real? Was it some sort of black magic? What was that thing he made us drink? Was it some sort of drug, is it why I feel so weak and tired and why we passed out?"
Doc makes a show of medically examining the young woman's eyes and mouth. "We're not sure exactly what he drugged you with but - judging from your eyes and the opacity of your mucus membranes - it must have been a combination of a knock-out drug and a powerful hallucinogen. No wonder you were seeing things. Just rest and drink plenty of water. That should flush the drugs from your system in a day or so."
Caedus sighed.
"We're fumbling in the dark. We need more information. Find out who this was, what exactly he did, how he did it, how we learned about it...we need to delve into lore, I think."
Beth and Antonio look at each other with a look of mutual aghast, "I'm done with drugs." says Beth, prompting agreement from Antonio. Beth takes a drink and then looks back at Antonio, the reality of his being there having set in, "Wait...if that magic was all in my head, then how'd he get here?! No offense, Tony, but you were dead!"
With a sonorous clack, Racine opens her rifle bullet chamber, blowing through it to clean gunpowder residues.
"Could have been some sort of trick. Some other poor chap."
"I really can't explain it. There are some paralytic poisons that are said to mirror death. But there is no way to know what he used on Antonio and doubtless it is out of his system by now." He half-lies.
Beth nods, "I guess that makes sense. That guy sure was one hell of a chemist, but I'm glad you got rid of him, Frank." Beth hugs Frank and kisses him on the cheek then returns downstairs to her room, content with the lies she's been told.
Cass gets up and calls you over to a corner of the room and talks quietly, "I know that guy is still out there, but I wanted to thank you for getting Antonio back and...for everything else. You were a big help the past few days when you didn't have to be here for me at all. I know I made it sound like it was all your fault to begin with, but if you hadn't been here, this would've gone so much worse. So thank you." Cass sighs and wipes tears from her eyes, "So where are you off to next? I can't imagine you'll be content to just sit around in my apartment. Don't worry, I can take care of everyone until they're back on their feet."
Doc looks to the others for confirmation. "I don't think we have a plan yet. It's going to take some time to figure out how to pursue this matter or even if it's possible."
He pats Cass' knee, making sure he has her attention. "I'd like you to consider something seriously - your future. You are doing a good job taking care of yourself here... but I think we can offer you a better option. My largest headache is balancing my work at the University with my 'outside interests'. In short, I need an assistant who can keep me on schedule, run interference with the administration, and compensate for my periodic absences - scheduling substitutes and so forth. I'd like you to take the job."
"I'm fairly certain the pay is better than whatever you earn now. Housing is less expensive and you'd receive a stipend, I believe. And you'd be a shoe-in for admittance to the University at a reduced tuition. I'm fairly certain I can get you into the program of your choice, so you could study any subject you like. A degree would open many door for you. Of course, you'd have to move to the University which will be a change and a new adventure. At your age, I know the world centers around your friends... but consider the offer, at least. Perhaps, you could visit the campus and see what it has to offer before you make a decision? It would be a great relief to me to have an assistant I can trust who understands my outside obligations... and I guarantee I won't be underfoot or looking over your shoulder."
"For what my advice is worth, I agree with Doc. I grew up in a place like this, only a bit worse, and I only grew when I got out. There's nothing good coming out of these shades. Nothing good about these business the late Kings were caught up into." And we'll be ready to get Von Steffan in thirty years.
"Maybe you're right. I'll have to think on what you've said - and ask Antonio about it. And I don't know if Beth would be okay on her own, and I don't think she's much for university. But for now they need me." Cass looks around and at Antonio, then back to you, "Whatever I decide, I'll send a letter to the university addressed to you - I figure that's the best way to contact you - and let you know what I'm doing. Thank you."
It's been three months since you left Silgrad City to continue your aimless quest to destroy all that is unholy and unnatural. While some of you saw it as a loss, young Cassandra found a future more hopeful than in all the five years before. One month after you departed, Long received a letter sent to the university in which Cassandra decided to take him up on his offer, acting as a liaison between him and his work, as well as his assistant. Antonio found a steady, honest job working as an apprentice to one of the chemistry professors. Beth finally quite drugs and alcohol, and while initially distraught over Cassandra's decision to leave, made her own choice to journey across Cedrana and beyond, in search of something else to fill the emptiness inside. Whatever pain might come your way, you know for now, that at least all was not lost.
A week ago you received a letter from Lilian "Green Grass Lily" Grasswalker-McCallister, a half-elf hunter and an old colleague who settled down in her hometown of Weegrove, a small town of hunters (the normal kind) comprised mostly of human and elf residents, to protect it from whatever lurks in the woodlands outside of town, as well as use her position as a Cedranan Park Ranger to protect nature from more mundane threats to the natural balance. Her husband Blake McCallister has been honorably discharged from the Cedranan Army after two tours of duty, and she's invited you to celebrate with a party in his honor.
You arrive at Lily's house on Saturday before noon, having stopped a short while back at a way station the night before. Leaving on the edge of an already small town past its prime, the house is relatively secluded while still being close enough to get visit town with ease. The ride in suggests that Weegrove was once larger but has since fallen on hard times, surviving primarily on hunting, logging, and tourism to its beautiful mountain vistas and wooded lakes. From Lily's modest but impressive two-story home, you enjoy a prime view of your surroundings on the rugged escarpment into the valley below.
Despite the isolation of the house, the trail in is surprisingly well-maintained, having recently been fixed up by Lily. As you ride up the driveway, you find Lily standing in the doorway with a cigar in one hand and an expectant wave with the other. She motions for you to come in and leaves the door open, allowing a refreshing breeze to blow through the house, and her bloodhound Pandora to enter and leave as it chooses. After you enter, she offers you a freshly brewed cup of coffee and an elven scone - a family recipe taught by her father before he died of a monster attack in these very woods as a child.
"I'm glad you could make it, though I'm afraid Blake is still in bed with a headache, but he should be up soon. I promise, the party tonight will be more than worth to trip up here, and you'll find out why they call me 'Green Grass' Lily. I've invited all my friends from town as well, plenty of whom are more than attractive and *ahem* willing to party. I am ready to cut loose after going so long without Blake here to stay." Lily says, clearly excited about the event she's spent weeks planning.
|
|
Frank smiles and gives a low wave back. When they meet he embraces and kisses her on the cheek.
"Still looking good Lilly." He then heads to the bar and helps himself to a drink turning and smiling at the comment of the women coming to party.
"You always could throw a good party. Can't believe you got married and settled back here. Doesn't seem like that long ago.... Well Blake is certainly a lucky man. A headache though? Surely Green Grass Lilly has something to make that go away." He raises his glass giving her a salute.
"Hunting and keeping the people here safe seems to be paying the bills pretty well. This is a nice place. You sure have made a good life for yourself. I'm happy for you. So when can we expect the other ladies, I mean party guest? I could use a bath and some cleaning up if you don't mind?"
Aaah, nothing better than a dance party to test my invisibility spells.
"Lily, you haven't aged a day!" Racine goes to hug her, holding her breath when approaching the noxious cloud of cigar smoke. "Of course, that's to be expected from the best herbalist in Cedrana. Do you still make that green tea with mint, balm and malva?"
Lily graciously returns the hugs and kisses and puts out her cigar, "You two are the sweetest things, you know? I actually made some of that tea for Blake - I think he's still recovering from his ordeals, you know." Lily points down the hall to a room at the back, "The shower's down the hall to your left, hun. Why don't you go clean up? I didn't want to say anything, but whoo boy!"
"Speak of the devil," Lily says as Blake can be heard exiting the bedroom and making his way downstairs. Blake is a bald-headed human with a thick black beard in his early 30s, of average-height but muscular and fit from his time in the army. Contrasted against his otherwise orderly appearance, it's easy to note his mismatched socks. As he approaches, he offers a handshake, "It's nice to meet you, folks. My wife told me about you when she was arranging the party. A friend of Lilian's is a friend of mine." he says before giving Lily a kiss and pouring himself a cup of coffee.
|
|
Frank smiles and winks at Lilly's comment. He meets Blake as he is heading to freshen up and shakes his hand in return.
"Good to meet you Blake. Names Frank. Lilly sure can throw a party. I'm glad you make her happy. Now I got to freshen up for the other ladies. Talk to you in a bit."
With the Frank heads to the showers to clean up.
Long meanders up the driveway, taking in the local scenery as he arrives. "You've picked a beautiful locale, Lily. And, as always, seeing you is the highlight." He gives his old friend a kiss on the hand before offering Blake a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you, Blake. I dread whatever your wife may have said about me... but she likely referred to me as 'Doc'. At your service. And if you have more coffee, I'd love a cup. I'll need all the help I can get to keep up with you youngsters."
Blake gives Long a gentle handshake and pours him a cup of coffee, "You look good for your age, Doctor Long, especially considering what Lilian has told me about your work. I know how you feel some days, though; I'm not as young as I used to be."
When Frank returns, Lily gives him a nod and smiles, "Much better, boy." She picks up a piece of paper from her counter and looks at it then back to the group, "It looks like I still have more stuff to pick up in town. What say we all saddle up and head into town together, leave Blake here to rest, and catch up some more on the ride? I know Pandora would enjoy getting out, and you could see the sights on your way to the store." Lily leans down to pet her bloodhound Pandora, who seems to be practically glued to Lily.
Blake gives Long a gentle handshake and pours him a cup of coffee, "You look good for your age, Doctor Long, especially considering what Lilian has told me about your work. I know how you feel some days, though; I'm not as young as I used to be."
Doc offers a smile, "Please just call me 'Doc'. I'm not ready for a rocking chair quite yet... but I definitely have days like that. It isn't the years, so much as the mileage."
"What say we all saddle up and head into town together, leave Blake here to rest, and catch up some more on the ride?"
Long nods deferentially. "Certainly. I'm a bit rusty at riding but it should be fun."
"Pleased to meet you, Blake. I never was too good at riding, but I'll definitely enjoy the company!"
Lily sits up in her modest but well-maintained carriage - inherited from her father - and signals for Pandora to jump in. She allows whoever wants to ride with her to do so, and the others to ride on what you came. Both Pandora and Lily are in good spirits as you ride into the town proper, following her to Bullseye Bannister's Hunting & Sundries Emporium, a large store catering mostly to the local hunter gatherers, as well as stocking a variety of everyday goods for the town's citizens. It reports to be the largest store between the University of Mideastern Cedrana Wildlife Preservation to the north and the city of Skartsdale to the south. The sporting and hunting goods department encompasses the majority of the large store's space with the rest devoted to everyday needs.
Pandora follows close to Lily as they enter the store and she looks in the direction of the general goods department, "I'm going to gather the last of what I need for the party and then make a swing through the hunting goods department. I don't know if you need anything from here, so I'll leave you to your own devices. We'll meet up over there when we're done, regardless." says Lily before heading to get what she needs, letting you go wherever you wish.
After a ride spent mostly playing with Pandora, Racine explore the emporium, looking for any weird, eye-catching stuff.
Doc wanders aimlessly around the shop, looking for anything of interest.
While Frank carries 3 gallons of mead to be purchased, Racine and Doc are disappointed to find the weirdest thing to be jars of picked deer brains - sadly not intended as a spell component, but a snack. However, you're surprised by the size of the main attraction: the sporting and hunting department is as large as the store owner touts, containing almost every kind of mundane arms, armor and accessories a hunter - of both the mundane and mythical variety - could need. Naturally, 99% of the store's reading selection specifically pertains to outdoor pursuits or other survivalist skills.
While investigating the store's selection of knives, you come across three hunters (the normal kind), whose names seem to be Stuart, Calvert and Haggart, embroiled in a conversation with one of the store's employees, referred to as Bigantine. While the discussion sounds heated at first, it becomes clear that they're not actually upset with each other, but rather discussing a man named Jasper. Apparently a big game hunter of some skill, the men are concerned not only about the man, but the nature of his disappearance.
It's easy enough to read the men: Stuart is the oldest but not the troupe's leader; he's a quiet man, slow to show emotion or express himself in public. Haggart is the youngest and shows the most genuine concern for Jasper, being a passionate but cool-headed man. Calvert is hot-headed and egotistical; he cares more about Jasper's disappearance affecting his hunts than anything else. Bigantine is more an acquaintance than a friend - a man to talk to when shopping and not much else.
At your interjection, the three hunters turn to face you, while the fourth man walks away to continue his work. The younger man, Haggart, speaks in a southern accent similar to, but more pronounced than, Lily's. "My cousin Jasper would never get spooked!" he asserts. Calvert joins in "Yeah, who the hells you supposed to be? Some outta towner tryna get in a tussle with the natives? We're Weegrove born and raised, and we don't much like the insinuations you're making about our troupe." Haggart continues, "I don't see how it's an issue for an outsider, 'specially one who probably isn't even a hunter.We Weegrove men stick together, like honey on a badger.."
If Racine's appearance hadn't marked her as a foreigner, her accent does. "Please forgive our partner, he was raised by wild dogs and never learned manners. We didn't want to intrude, but we've got friends here and would like to know if there's any danger."
|
|
Frank smiles.
"Oh I hunt fella's, I hunt. Why we are speaking of hunting, have you tried that? I mean have you went out and looked for your cousin? Look you obviously have this handled and I have better things to do prepping for the party and all. I will leave you to your selves."
He offers a head nod a begins to walk away.
"Don't worry, little lady, you should be safe inside town. Jasper just up and left on a hunt the other day, which ain't like my cousin, but that was way in the woods where we live. But Jasper's the one who taught us all to hunt since we was little, so if something got him, I dunno what chance we got." Haggart says despite Frank's rudeness and Calvert's objection - he wants to reassure Racine of her safety.
Lily returns from her shopping with party supplies filling her baskets, but nearly drops them as she points at Calvert, "You! What're you boys doing harassing my friends?" she asks irritably. Calvert brushes her off and motions for Stuart and Haggart that it's time to go, "Come on, boys. We don't need the wilderness police and her merry band of outsiders sticking their noses into our business." Haggart waves goodbye to Racine but avoids eye-contact with Lily. When they're gone, Lily calms down, "Sorry if they were harassing you guys. They've been especially bothersome around town since their pack alpha went missing, but there's no love lost between me and Jasper." she explains. "Anywho, you guys ready to leave? My arms are straining under the load of all the goods I got for the party. I certainly would mind getting farther away from that lot either."
When you leave, the ride back is less calming as Lily takes the opportunity to let loose about Haggart, Stuart, Calvert and Jasper. She reveals that the boys, especially Calvert, have been a pain in her ass since she took her current job. She suspects that Calvert was responsible for poaching a white mountain lion as a trophy recently, and says he's all around a bad seed. She thinks that Jasper was the only thing keeping him on anything resembling a good path, but that sooner or later he'll get caught for something and be able to search his house and prove he poached that mountain lion.
|
|
Frank listens, but doesn't give any of it too much thought.
All simple troubles really. poaching, hunting and all. Must be nice to still live in that world without knowing the real monsters that exist. Must be nice. Wonder what the girls she invited will look like? Not that it matters much, a little mead and everything is good.
Frank just continues to think and let his mind wonder. Not really caring about the troubles of the men and their family.
"Nah, they weren't really harassing us, worst they did was call me a little girl. By the by, have you tried looking for the missing guy? In case, you know..."