Chapter 107: The meeting

Jumping out of bed like an excited child. “The mails here, the mails here.” Opening my ender letters with haste. “Meeting with the mayor? Later. Meet up with Jengal? Later. Yes, acceptance to the ender portal.” Removing the cyan access pass from the envelope. An address on the back with some kind of symbol scratched on the front.

Turning the card over, I see the dagger family's insignia. A dagger inside a sun – poetic. Returning to the discarded mail, I see that Average wants me to meet someone. And Jengal is bored.

Preparing a quick breakfast, I head to the mayor's office. Grabbing some greasy street food, I gnaw on it along the way. Reaching the building quickly. Checking my clothes, purple suit. Perfect for a meeting. Heading inside, I see a familiar clerk. Saying hello in politeness before heading towards the mayor's office.

Finding how I just go to his office instead of arranging an appointment amusing. The difference from my first meeting with my man to today is startling. Reaching the unadorned door, I knock lightly.

“Come in.”

Walking through the door. It seems a little heavy today.

“Aeternum, good timing. I will inform the guest you are here.”

“Okay, no problem.”

As he walks past, he pauses at my side, whispering. “He knows someone has been wearing wyvern armor; you must not reveal it. He is the royal guard's captain. As far as he is aware, you are an associate who informed me of the underground laboratory, nothing more.”

Before I can respond, he walks through the door briskly. Seems I screwed up; that’s bad. Okay, I need a story. Went fishing, thought the water seemed strange. Dove and found lab returned without entering, told the mayor. Simple enough, stick to the details.

Sitting on the guest seat, I quickly hear loud footsteps coming down the hallway. Turning to the door, the mayor opens it. Allowing a tall man to enter. A neatly groomed mustache with brown hair and a toned body. He is wearing familiar white armor, a helmet under his armpit.

He quickly enters, eyeing me with an odd look. The mayor speaks first. “This is sir Leonard, the royal guard captain and a personal aid to his majesty.”

He definitely looks the part. He looks me in the eye. The mayor adds, “This is my associate, Aeternum; he informed us of the lab.”

The guard captain speaks, “Why do you look so strange?” He says with a snigger.

Suppressing the anger of being ridiculed. “It is not part of the information you require. It doesn’t matter, sir.” Dismissing him as politely as I can.

“You see, I am curious now. Why is your body so strange.” Cursing the fact I didn’t wear a helmet. Wish Average told me a twat noble was visiting.

“A combination of my Race and personal changes.”

“What is your race?”

“I will not disclose that information.”

“Spit it out before I lose my patience.”

Sticking to my guns. “My situation is complicated. You don’t need that information. Can we get onto the issue at hand?”

He is clearly rather angry but puts his emotions to the side. He shoots Average a dirty look.

Glad I’m not Average. The mayor begins to sweat at the look. Lightly tapping his foot as he leans as far away as he can from Leonard.

“Fine, how did you find the lab?”

Beginning to feel the pressure. Need to stick to my story and not waver; I don’t know what chips are on the table. Steeling my resolve, “I went fishing. The water looked a little fish. A dive later, and I found it.”

“Once you found it, what did you do?” He says in a stern authoritarian voice.

“I looked over it shortly before accessing it as too dangerous. Reporting it to the proper authorities before leaving.”

“What did you see in you… brief look.” Clearly not believing that’s all I did.

“I found inky black walls and a deep ravine. Quickly leading into a roofed area. I left at that point.”

“How did you stay underwater for so long.”

His scrutinizing gaze like 20 pound weights over my shoulders. I pull my collar down by slipping my finger under my invisible helmet. Exposing my gills.

“I have gills; I can breathe underwater.

“How interesting.” His gaze is far too curious for my liking. “What else can you do?”

“I don’t wish to discuss my personal abilities at this time, thank you.” Closing and opening my hand at my side.

Annoyed by his face but doesn’t voice it.

“How did you find it again?”

“Went fishing, went diving, found it at the bottom of the lake.” Nice try, sticking to my story.

Leonard turns to the mayor. “How the nether as no one dived the lake up until this point?”

Sir, I don’t know. Perhaps coincidence.”

Narrowing his eyes. “This town has existed for over 120 years. Not once, in that entire time, has the lake been dived; by anyone!?” Agreeing with Leonard on this; that’s crazy. This town is young as hell. Damn, back home, the town I lived in? It was founded over 1 or 2 millennia in the past, I think?

Average is sweating bullets. “Sir, I have no way of knowing. We can only assume so since it’s just been discovered.”

Leonard rubs his face lightly. “Whatever.” Turning back to me. “What does this associate do for you, Average?”

With clearly rehearsed lines, “I contract buildings with him; he is a skilled builder. He is also a partial shareholder in one of my companies.”

Leonard nods, “what company.”

“Sorry, sir; that’s classified until its debut. It’s a traveling business, though.”

“Okay.” Surprised at his immediate acceptance. He was very cautious with other responses.

He looks around for a moment. Neither I or the mayor dare to speak. Speaking with a slight squint. “last question, what are you wearing, Aeternum?”

“A suit,” I say with confusion.

“I’m not stupid. When you pulled your collar down, you lifted something up slightly beforehand.”

“Just a weird hand motion.”

“So… it’s not an invisible helmet.”

Sputtering in surprise. “Fine, I wear invisible armor for self-defense.”

“Why lie?”

“Well, it’s useless if people know about it.” He nods knowingly slightly.

Walking to me, he lightly hits my chest with his fist. We hear a metallic clang echo across the room.

“Strong armor.” Lightly touching my shoulder with a squeeze. “Don’t lie to me again!” He threatens.

“Yo… you got it.” Stuttering lightly at the threat.

“Good, good.” He says while continuing to feel up the armor. Stepping away.

“Someone of your talents is most welcome in the royal guards. Aquatic, night vision, secrets; who knows what else.”

Creasing my brows. “How do you know I have night vision?”

“Cats have night vision; you have cats' eyes.”

“You have great observation skills.”

“Yes, I do. Now, I hope you two have a good day. And I hope next time I visit. What lies aren’t so prevalent; it feels like a damned noble court in here.” He leaves through the door. I hear a slight mumble. “Can't be bothered to solve mysteries. I don’t get paid enough.”

I and Average share a knowing look before crumpling to the floor. Allowing the stress to fall away. It takes Average moments before he calls for tea.

Removing my helmet to sip my tea. I enjoy the warm beverage a little too much. Feeling the anxiety disappear like a floating grey cloud.

“Bit intense,” I say.

“You don’t get to see the after the meeting. Intense is not a word I would use for this meeting.”

“Yikes, no thanks.” Pausing for a moment. “Thanks,” I mumble out.

No words are needed; he just nods. Covered my ass he did.

After finishing my tea, I go to put my helmet back on. Only to realize; it’s invisible. “Crap! Where did I put my helmet.”

After a few minutes of anxiously running around. Average sees fit to tell me where it is, pointing at an unassuming corner I missed, “Spotted you putting it down.”

“Thanks.” Not mentioning the fact he let me suffer for a few minutes. Leaving with whatever shreds of dignity I have left. I head towards Jengal’s house. A little early, but I am sure he won't mind.

Arriving at the familiar wooden door. ‘Knock, knock.’ A feminine voice speaks from behind the door.

“Coming, coming, wait up, I am coming.” All in 3 seconds.

Jengal’s mother answers the door. “Hello, a bit early?

“Just a bit. Is he not in?”

“No.”

“Okay, thank you; I will be back in an hour.”

Turning to leave. A strong hand suddenly grasps my shoulder. Stopping my leave.

Turning back around, the same bubbly woman speaks. “And turn away Jengals best friend. He would be mad. Come in; you can wait inside.”

Feeling like I have little choice. I oblige.

Being guided to a sofa. “Tea?”

“Yes, please.”

“Fruit, right?”

“Yes.”

“Sugar?”

“No, thank you.”

“Milk?”

“No…? Who has milk in fruit tea.”

She just shrugs.

Eventually, a fruit tea appears on the table.

I can’t quite figure out what she put in it. Honestly, I don’t care. It tastes good, so it doesn’t matter. Feeling a little awkward being inside Jengal’s home without him. Putting the thought out of my mind, I remove a book to read. Having recently found an interest in vampire books. Specifically vampire history.

From what fragments remain, it was brutal. At first, all I knew was they were hunted to extinction by some kind of night hunters. Now I know more.

The vampires grew fat and complacent. Sloppy in their hunting. Torturing and playing with mortals for no reason. Hunters existed, but they never had a reason to come together. After the bloodsuckers began hunting the weak, killing needlessly, torturing, they found their reason.

And the order of the night hunters was formed. Well, actually 3 orders: The night hunters, order, and hunters. The first being focused on the vampires. The second on supernatural humans like witches, vampires, werewolf’s; and the last? They are the oldest. Hunting any supernatural game for sport.

They successfully hunted the vampires to extinction by using tracking magic. Finding them one by one and eliminating them. The vampires didn’t realize it at first. Being generally solitary or in small groups. Families weren’t a thing at that time. By the time they realized, it was too late. Cornered like rats, the final vampire fell.

As a last-ditch effort, they turned hundreds of civilians in the hopes one would carry the legacy. The hunters didn’t care they were civilians. They burned 3 towns to the ground to stamp out the plague, as they called it.

Far more details exist, of that I am sure. But few documents remain. It was a long time ago, and this world seems to hemorrhage information. I will continue to dig up details but I've got the hunter's point of view at least. I don’t know where I would find the vampire's point of view.

Lost in my mental musings the door opens. An excitable Jengal strolls through the door. A spring in his step before he sees me.

Stumbling slightly before fumbling through his pockets. Extracting some garmonbozia from his side pocket.

“Here, I found some.”

Accepting it gratefully. ”Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“How much did it cost you.”

“10 diamonds.”

“Pretty cheap.”

“They didn’t know what it was used for. Suckers gamble they called it.”

“Well, this sucker gamble paid off, here.” Handing him 20 diamonds. He nods in thanks.

“By the way, that teleportation network. It’s amazing! It has cut my travel times immensely.”

“That was the goal; glad you can make use of them.”

He nods happily.

“Any progress on the Kontron crystal?”

He looks down. “Don’t worry about it.” I quickly add. “It's even outside of my ability to get.”

“Must be valuable.”

“Immensely.”

“I imagine with how rare it is. No one knows what it does even if they own one.” He adds.

“Well, if they figured it out. We would either have the greatest evil or the greatest good on our hands.”

“It’s that powerful?”

“It’s not inherently dangerous, but as they say. It’s not the tools, it’s who uses them. And it’s one hell of a tool.”

“I will keep trying.”

“Thank you.”