Captain of the Guard, Lindell

I awoke with a start, my legs kicking out as I quickly sat forward. My muscles tensing, as I felt something wasn't right. I quickly scanned my room, seeing everything was as it should be. Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I turned to put my feet on the ground. Realizing what I was missing as they touched the carpet. The dream that haunted my sleep was no more.

The bittersweet feeling washed over me, once again. The relief won out in the end, as I started my daily rituals. I found that Vivian had a small breakfast prepared for me today. This was her way of saying that I was forgiven. Biting into the tart roll, I pulled it back to stare at it. Everything seemed fine, save for how odd it tasted. Shrugging it off, I walked into my office carrying the straight coffee. The coffee was strange today as well, flavors that were muted seemed to pop more.

The bitter coffee and the tart roll had always worked well together, but today it was just what I needed. I knew that Vivian would never poison me; so either I was cursed, or this was something I never really paid proper attention to. Still, the entire day was ahead of me, and I needed to focus on work. Finishing my breakfast, I set about reading the reports.

Starting with the oldest, and reading the files on the bug monster properly this time. I felt a small stabbing pain, when looking at it's face. Though the more I looked, the less that seemed to bother me. There were reports about the fighting in the fields yesterday as well. It appeared that it started when a cloaked figure cut a beast loose. This distracted the rookie handlers, while a few prisoners were freed to start a small scale riot. Thankfully everything was settled by Brian before an hour passed. Though it still bothered me, that we did not know what was moved during that time.

Thankfully those were the only major incidents yesterday. There were minor reports of people having their coin purse stolen. Though there were no reported kidnappings, or any other such terrible things. I was able to savor it, for but a moment. I quickly realized this was simply the calm before the storm. Something big was likely going to happen, unless the gangs underneath were at war with each other. Even today was peaceful, with a caravan of dwarven airship supposedly coming in a week or two. Attempting to look at the supplies revealed it as a basic trading caravan.

It was good to have trade done through the protection of large groups. The dwarves preferred their air ships, given the mountains they built into. Still it meant that we had to send a few teams out to clear any nests close to the walls. Scratching my chin, I wondered for a moment, who would Vivian send? My answer came a few seconds later, as she requested my presence in her office. She probably wanted to tell me directly, meaning it should be some good people sent out this time. That at least explained why she forgave me so quickly.

Getting up, I donned my armor, after telling her I was coming. Maybe a minute passed, before I was in her office. Vivian was leaning back in her chair, the bag from yesterday gone. She took out a hand sized crystal, that made a small bubble around us. No one outside could hear what we were going to say now. Tilting my head, I grabbed my own chair. "Good morning Vivian, is this about the caravan coming in?"

Vivian grabbed her crystal ball, before using her fake arm to have it project a two boards with various different pieces on it. I scowled, realizing this was going to get political. Vivian saw this, and let out a small sigh. "I know you hate this kind of thing, but I'm showing this to you anyway. I need you to move, so that others will move."

I scanned for the piece that she often used for me. A tall fiend faced thing, that I still didn't like. The board laid out the map of Eclipse and it's underground. A raven, a spider, and minotaur. Smaller copies littered the board, while Vivian used her magic arm to have the pieces move just by touching the crystal ball itself. I could see a few smaller fiend pieces that were likely supposed to represent our spies. Our side of the board did not seem to have spies at all. Which was wonderful, due to our vigilence. "What do you need me to do exactly?"

"As you can see, I have mustered our guards in clusters. This will allow them to react quickly in areas when the others move. However, we have a caravan coming soon." She made a third board, showing the area outside the walls. "This gives me the chance to move pieces from one board to another, though you don't really care about that too much. What you want, is to know where you will be moving and why."

Nodding at this, I suddenly had a bad feeling. "Why the extra effort then? You're not sending into the underground are you? I'd rather not deal with the princess, if she found me. Where is her piece anyway?"

Vivian shrugged at my question, "I don't know where she is, but she is probably hiding and waiting. That said, how much do you not want to go into the underground?" I saw Vivian smiling with a wolfish grin at her own question.

Swallowing hard, I looked at the board, then back at her. "Enough to go into hiding?" Seeing her frown, told me this wasn't the right answer.

Vivian sighed, "You are too much of a threat on the board. Which is why, I am moving you here." She made my piece float, before it glided to the third board outside the walls. A new question mark piece appeared next to mine.

"I don't understand..." Looking back at her, I saw her rubbing her temple with a free hand.

Vivian let out a sigh, "I know you don't, but I will try to explain it to you. Without your presence for a week, the other factions will make their moves. I'm going to let it slip out that you'll be gone for two weeks, while exterminating monsters outside our walls. You are also serving to keep the mystery piece in check. As captain of the guard, surely you will be able to handle exterminating a few nests. A task that would take maybe five groups to deal with. Surely, for you, this matter can be done in a week." She looked into my eyes, smiling like a whispering wolf.

"Who... is the mystery piece exactly?" Even I could understand that having more pieces on the board, meant she could do more. I just couldn't be everywhere at once.

"Someone, or I should say, something you have met before. Yesterday in fact!" Vivian gave me a chance to think back on who it might be.

Swallowing hard, I scratched my chin again. Then it hit me, "That monster!? Why?"

Vivian leaned forward, letting the board disappear. She set the crystal ball on the desk to keep me in suspense. Leaning forward with her hands together, she stared right into my eyes. "There are a lot of reasons, you could probably list a few yourself. Though it's a matter of what needs to be done. Oswald analyzed the monster and sent out an overview. One that is currently unavailable to most people while the king decides who should be able to read it. Oswald himself, sent me a copy this morning with a request."

"What about her tamer?" I interrupted, causing Vivian to smile a little.

"He won't be going, so it will be the two of you. To be clear, your orders are to clear the monsters outside the wall. Not to kill this specific monster. You are babysitting basicially. If she tries to fight you, do not engage, but fly away. Oswald is running a field test with her, and you just happen to be the most capable babysitter. One that I need to get off my board, so that I can have others make their moves. Again, everyone will think you are going to be gone for two weeks. You will have a crystal, that will glow red if I need you back sooner than a week. If that happens, you are to leave the monster called Mimi, and let her find her own way back."

"I see..." I knew I had no say in the matter, so I could only accept it. "What should I be doing today then?"

Vivian leaned back in her chair, looking a bit tired. She probably had an early morning herself, "You need to convince her, that you won't attack her. Worst case; if she doesn't want to go with you, then come back here. Sit in my office for an hour while I work, then go back and tell her no one else can go. Her tamer will be training under Oswald, and will not be allowed to go."

I started to get out of my chair, "One last thing." Vivian stopped me, as I stood there. "You will be leaving tomorrow with her. There will be supplies waiting in your room tomorrow morning. Do not take anything from Grim, unless it's food. If you have to take it, then throw it away after you leave the walls. This includes the pack that held the rations."

"Yes, ma'am." I turned away, and started walking to Oswald's estate. At the very least, I had a job to do. Even if I wasn't looking forward to it.

Oswald Manfred

I could never truly sleep these days. My aging body, always on the verge of falling apart. There were too many mixtures hidden in the wall. Everything would go off if I lost focus. Richard had begun to realize as much, when he checked on me in his starting days. At best I dozed for a few hours, in that blissful state between being awake and asleep. It was cruel irony, that my body was now well enough that I could sleep without such worry now. I did not trust it however.

Finishing the liquid tonic, and swirling it a bit. I felt that the mixture was exact. Using a syringe, I extracted the elixir, before injecting it into my veins. Moving it through my body, to give me a full rest. I felt wide awake, once again. My mind became crystal clear, as I moved the byproducts of the reaction away. I no longer held complete control over my own body.

It seemed Mimi's panacea worked perfectly fine, but the issue laid in that it was her creation. Every new cell that came from the reaction was made from the cells around it. Because of this, I needed to slowly take them over. With slight reactions in my own body, to convert the cells under my own control. This was going to take a few days, while being mildly painful. Even the nerves needed to be converted properly, after all.

A quick check with my magic around the base, revealed that the other two were asleep. While I understood that Richard wasn't strong enough as an alchemist to no longer need sleep. I couldn't help but wonder if Mimi might be able to sleep through her hive. Perhaps setting workers to rest, while she could remain active? It was a thought that needed testing at some point. Though for now, there was work to do.

Wanting to recreate the panacea, I had to shake my head at the thought. It was likely a mixture that needed a certain type of monster blood to properly make. It also broke down extremely quickly, and would likely do it faster if exposed to air. I could overcome that, but that requires base samples to build upon. Thus that was pointless.

Checking my own crystal ball, I found that Robert had sent his report. He confirmed that Mimi had the talents she told me. I quickly marked the report to only be read by certain individuals. King Charles would probably look into it. Especially since I was the one that marked it. I had to prepare myself, for answering his questions when he got around to calling me. Which could be handled later, when the time came.

What was important, was the fact that the gangs were moving. I could see a report made by Vivian, one that outlined how the gangs were moving. At least according to her spies. Every noble worth a damn, understood that Vivian was the true captain of the guard. Even if the title belonged to a certain youth. There were so many fine maneuvers in having Wyatt in that position. Most of them dealing with the fact that he could fight his way out of just about anything with his talent, magic, and skill.

Going over the report more, I chuckled a little, as Vivian figured out that the spiders were a manufactured gang. Led by a capable noble as someone with the job of protecting the princess, and enabling her to move freely. She was correct on this of course, but it took her two decades of digging to finally realize it. It was just easier to control gangs, and keep them from taking each other out while there were more than two. Still, I couldn't just spell it out and say she was correct in the message.

I set about writing a response to her accusations. Essentially spelling out how she was 'wrong,' in a way that she would realize I was confirming her. To anyone else reading it, the reply would seem like me berating a human for even suggesting the king had anything to do with the underground. That the princess, just reflected the monstrous side of the long deceased queen. Bringing up how Mal took her for ransom a few times, and he was to be caught or executed on sight. Even an oracle could see that I placed half truths in here, letting on that I know more than I seem to. While to Vivian, it was a congratulatory reply.

I set about mixing and studying some more reactions, while waiting for a reply. It came some hours later, meaning that she had slept at least. Her reply was thanking me for putting up with her whimsical ideas, and not demoting her on the spot. She appeared to be asking for guidance on where to keep her guards. Since we were still fighting three gangs.

My reply was that we needed as many hands as we could get. Especially with a caravan coming. Naturally we both knew a month in advance, sending groups outside was to deter the gangs from acting. While under the guise of exterminating and capturing monsters and beasts for the tamers. There was no way of telling what might happen outside, but with the small riot yesterday, it's likely the gangs will start making moves. It was important to protect the caravan, above all. While the gangs understood not to destroy such, they would happily steal the supplies when no one was looking.

It was far too early for them to start targeting Mimi, given that she was very new. Though the gangs might attempt to take her, if they could. Just to see if the rumors were true. Which they were, and while she was innocent for now. Being around humans like that, might convince her to kill whoever they didn't like. It simply wasn't an option, I wanted to consider. What we needed was someone that could both protect and subdue Mimi, while being fast enough to return if any real trouble started.

No matter how I thought about it, Wyatt was the perfect candidate. Especially when the other options were to send a small army, or even a very talented noble or three. The first option could leave us severely understaffed, while the second would raise more brows than needed. Vivian could handle Wyatt, which just left me with convincing Richard and Mimi. I could feel that Richard was starting to wake up, and was likely about to prepare breakfast.

Sending the message to Vivian, she accepted it for the reasons I put down. Though we both understood why this was more beneficial. This also allows me to run a few tests on Mimi herself. Such as how far she can travel away from her hive, and so on. It is likely that she could potentially use a small cluster of workers to act as a relay, giving her more distance if needed.

Time passed, while pretended to sleep. Mimi came to retrieve me for breakfast, as the sun was starting to rise. It was unsettling how quickly and quietly she could move. Perhaps she gained the ability to control her weight like a fiend? I doubted as much, since that would suggest she was able to still evolve after eating something probably a week ago. Though the Devourer talent was completely and utterly unknown. If the former Queen's theories were true, then it could be a new strain of gluttony or adaptation. If only a fraction of her notes had survived when we escaped Dark Fall. There were far too many innovations and uses for magic that were lost.

Richard caught me brooding, before giving me the first plate today. "Everything alright old man?"

He made Mimi's plate, before handing it to her while I smiled a little. "Yes, everything is fine. Though you will not like what I have to tell you lad."

I let him make his own plate, after he sat down. "What is it?" He casually mixed his grits with the toast.

"Seems the rumors about what happened to that priest are spreading fairly fast. Which means, we might need to move Mimi somewhere safe." This seemed to deflate the lad a little.

"I see." He looked at Mimi who was quietly eating her portion. Richard looked back at me, "Is it possible to keep her safe here?"

I had to keep myself from smiling, "Unfortunately not so much lad. Eventually someone might try to start a fire and burn us out. I did get a report last night, however. We will have a caravan coming in, and the guards need help clearing the area they will be traveling through."

Richard's eyes went wide at this, "R-really? Do you think Mimi can go hunting with them?"

"Aye lad, if we can get the guards on her side, it should allow her to be safer. There will be some forms to sign, and you won't be able to go." I looked him in the eyes.

"What? What do you mean I can't go? I'm her tamer, shouldn't I be allowed to?" Richard frowned deeply at this.

"Usually, that is the case, but the other tamers stated you have not bonded with her. Which you can't since you aren't a tamer. Unless you have the coin to hire someone for a ritual. Even then, Mimi would need to accept, and it will take weeks or months at least. Do you see my point lad?"

He looked a little dejected after I was done, "I see..." He took a glance at Mimi who almost finished her meal. "Who will she be going with?"

"If I had to guess, it will likely be the captain of the guard." This made Richard's jaw drop as I stroked my beard.

"Him!? He attacked her yesterday, didn't he!?" Richard slammed his fist on the table, causing Mimi to jump a little. She stared at him curiously.

I nodded in response, "This is true, and you can say this is an apology. The captain of the guard himself is essentially escorting Mimi, and paying for the supplies she might need. If he writes a report on her merits out in the field, then no one can keep her from going out. Whether it is by herself, or with a small group, lad."

Richard balled his fist, that was still on the table. "Why did he attack her?"

"Why don't you ask him when he gets here? I can't just read their reports lad. Besides, I have some other things to talk to you about." This managed get his attention.

"What else, old man?" He was cautious now.

"I am going to have you run some experiments with me. To help you train your focus. You're my apprentice, and it's time you start acting like it lad." I smiled at him.

He gave a muted nod, in response. Likely going through a lot of emotions now. "Don't I already clean everything, and move the stuff you need?"

"You do, but now you will be actively using your magic. While I supervise and help you understand it more. You still have to do everything you normally do. It's more work, but if you're going to inherit this place you will need to step up."

This stunned Richard, as he blinked. His jaw dropping, as if I had just decked him in the face. "Inherit? What d-do you mean old man?"

I took a swig from my cup, savoring his surprise. "I had planned on telling you when you came back lad. Then everything else happened. You know how to keep this place running, and I ain't getting any younger."

Richard was still in shock, "W-what about your cousin? You said you wanted to keep it in the family?" He was starting to tear up.

"Men don't cry, especially dwarves lad. My cousin only plays at alchemy, he doesn't have the same drive you do. Though he will challenge you to a duel for my lab. Fucker probably plans on selling it to the highest bidder so he can buy a brothel or bar." I watched Richard's reactions to everything I was saying.

His lip quivered as he swallowed hard, "I'm not even a dwarf..."

"The hell you aren't lad! You have the heart of one, and that's all that matters!" Boy was certainly stubborn like one too.

"We... we never drank from the same keg." He covered his eyes to keep himself from showing any tears.

"Lad, if that's what it's about, then I'll give you the money to buy a keg. You're more kin to me, than my own. Now eat your food, before I change my mind. I won't have you crying over good news."

He nodded, while sniffling a little. "Thank you..." He was finally making his way through his now cold food.

"No need for thanks lad, I'm going to work you to the bone with the time I have left." Richard let out a soft groan at this, causing me to smile. I turned to Mimi, "Carry me back to my lab, lass. The lad needs a minute to soak it in."

She took a look at Richard, before carrying me up the stairs. Once we were far enough away, she looked me over. "Are you sending me out with Wyatt to kill me?"

I was stunned by her question, but thinking on it, I could see how she might come to that conclusion. Shaking my head, I looked back at her, "No lass. You seem different today, did something happen?" I recalled her actually copying us with using the forks and spoons.

"I slept, and now I remember everything from both halves. You might say, I understand things better now." She looked into my eyes, "What are you planning?"

I started to say something, but felt she would see through it. Letting out a small sigh, I was glad when we reached my lab. "I will make sure your hive is safe while you are gone. I just need you outside the walls for now."

"Why?" She sat me down on my chair.

"Because, we are expecting something to happen within a week. I won't go into details, but it's safer, and better for you and Richard both, to have you with Wyatt." I turned away from her.

"I will accept that for now, but please do not tell Richard about this, or the king. I wish to come back, and appear smarter. To have it related to me traveling outside, with Wyatt." She sounded sincere.

I looked at her, to see she was a bit confused herself. I turned away again, "Why is that? Do you want it associated with Wyatt? That he taught you, while you were outside with him?"

"Yes... He used to be one half's brother. To respect the two that made me, I seek to help him in some way. Going outside with him, might help us both put the past to rest."

I could only nod at that. My back still to her, "I see, then I promise on my name to keep Richard, and the hive safe until you return. Do you need anything special while going outside?"

"I need something to keep me warm, or a small bit of my hive. I can move further if I have a few coming with me. What will be expected of me out there?"

"You will need to clear anything that can fly and poses a threat, at least a days travel away from the outer most walls. Wyatt will be under orders to not harm you, or take you past where you can talk to your hive. Wyatt can tell you anything else if he feels like it."

"Thank you mister Oswald. How long will I be gone?" She moved towards the door, letting me hear her.

"Probably a week, maybe less if something happens. There have been reports of whispering wolves in the area you will be going. Some of the domesticated ones managed to get out. Richard's report, said that you killed a few of them before."

"I did not know they were called that, but if they have dark fur, then yes."

"That is them lass. Anything you kill, you can eat. Though you also need to make sure Wyatt is safe, as well as the airships if anything happens. They will be things flying without wings, and made out of wood and other stuff."

"I will do my best, goodbye mister Oswald." She left right after saying that.

I went about making a list of revised supplies for Vivian to secure for Mimi. She sounded less lost now, her way of speaking, a bit more formal. She still had a small hissing lisp, but it was more subdued. I had no idea what happened to her while she slept, but now wasn't the time to question it. Right now, I needed to find out just what was being planned by those in the underground.