POI- Person of Interest

This is a shortened code word for when the Scarecrows are interested in someone, hence Person of Interest.

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Chapter 52- Rude Busker

The unusual looking trio headed down into the market. It was called the Titan’s Heart, since it actually circled around the enormous hole in the centre of the city. It was the pinnacle selling center for the whole of Kronos’s Keep.

Morpheus didn’t realise that the inside of the city was completely hollow, the titan statues literally held up each level. He was even more amazed when he saw the hole down to Hel, wooden houses were attached to the wall and hung off them. The market circled around the walls, weak looking wooden planks connecting them all. Below the houses were large wooden platforms where stalls were set up.

“This place is amazing.” Morpheus said.

“Indeed Jack, could use a renovation though.” Sam said, looking up at the house that snapped off from the wall, well; what was left of it.

“Ah, the Peasant's hole!” Hammer exclaimed, drawing multiple eyes to him.

“Hammer, ya can’t be saying that in here.” Big Sam whispered to him.

Hammer ignored him and began to stroll in front of the group.

“What ya need?” Big Sam asked Morpheus.

“Lots of cheap clothes.”

“That will be the bottom floor.”

Morpheus held onto a wooden railing and glanced over the edge.

Big Sam laughed. “Ya got wings at least.”

He shrugged, Big Sam was right.

They walked down in single file to the bottom level, the planks underneath their feet squeaked under every step. Hammer, being himself, was jumping with both feet on each plank.

With caution, they had made their way down to the last level. The smell of tobacco and vintage clothing filled his nose and he could hear sounds of bargaining.

Morpheus walked over to a pile of clothes on a wooden stall, it was barely supporting the pile.

“5 coppers for any of me shirts.” A voice said behind the clothes.

Morpheus’s large stature peered over the pile and saw a female dwarf.

“Ye never seen a female dwarf before.”

“No, just couldn’t see you.” He half lied, he had never seen a female dwarf before.

Big Sam put a hand across his chest and pushed him back a little.

“5 coppers for a shitty shirt, ya pulling me leg here.” Big Sam said with confrontation.

Morpheus was useless at bargaining and let the dagi take over for him. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hammer playing his guitar in the corner with a top hat beneath him.

He turned his attention back to the stall.

“Fine fine, 4 coppers.” The female dwarf said.

Big Sam scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Ey, I got a family.” The female dwarf said.

“It’s fine, I’ll take five shirts.” Morpheus said.

He handed the female dwarf the coin and picked out five shirts, all different shades of black.

“I don’t care if ya got kids, ya ripping people off here.” Big Sam said.

“Fuck off with ye, I’ll call the guards.”

Big Sam rolled his eyes again and gently pulled Morpheus away.

“Sorry about my attitude, gotta bargain at these places.” Big Sam said back in his usual chirpy tone.

“You saved me a few coppers.”

Big Sam laughed while slapping his back.

“Where’d Hammer go?” Big Sam asked while looking around.

“He’s busking in the corner.”

Big Sam’s face dropped as soon as he said the word busking.

“Fuck.” Big Sam said, the first swear Morpheus had heard him say.

“What’s wrong?” Morpheus asked, but Big Sam was already running towards Hammer.

Morpheus quickly hurried over to a confrontation between a dwarf and Hammer.

“A fucking copper! Have you heard my singing!” Hammer shouted above the crowd.

“Shut ye fucking mouth, I was trying to nice!” A dwarf shouted back.

Big Sam got in between the two.

“Sorry about my friend.” Big Sam said with a hand on Hammer’s chest.

The dwarf scoffed angrily and stamped his stubby legs away. “Fucking queer bastard.” The dwarf muttered under his breath.

Big Sam sighed and turned back with squinted eyes.

“Hammer, how many times do I have to do this?” He calmly asked Hammer.

“What? Was just making a bit of coin.” The eccentric bard responded.

Big Sam took a deep breath in.

“You know it never works out well, the guy was trying to be nice.”

“But a fucking copper, does he not know who I am?” Hammer angrily shouted.

“I’m sure he knows who you are.” Big Sam lied.

Morpheus didn’t understand why Hammer was so upset, the dwarf was just tipping him.

“Hammer, let’s leave. Jack’s got what he wanted.”

Hammer screwed up his face and collected the few coppers in his top hat.

“I’ll show that fucking short ass.” He angrily said.

The dagi but his arm around Hammer’s shoulder and they walked up the creaking stairs together, Morpheus trailed behind taking in the whole market. With his enhanced hearing he could hear the conversation ahead of him.

“Ya gotta ease off, you’re not with that old man anymore.”

“But a fucking copper, c’mon.”

“Look where you are Hammer.”

Hammer threw Big Sam’s arm off his shoulder and strutted off.

Big Sam sighed again,

They eventually reached the exit of the Titans Heart and the dagi turned around to him.

“Ale?” Big Sam asked with an eyebrow raised.

Morpheus nodded aggressively in agreement.

“I know a place called the Night Owl.”

“I’ll trust you.” Morpheus said with a smile.

They began walking towards the direction of the bridge.

“What was that all about?” Morpheus asked.

“He was adopted by a mean old bastard, he beat Hammer silly.” Big Sam replied.

“That would explain a lot.”

Big Sam chuckled lightly but his face went straight again. “When the old man died, Hammer tried busking but he was used to rich nobles tossing him silvers every few seconds.”

Morpheus understood now, and he started to feel bad for Hammer.

“Ah, he‘ll cool off eventually.” Big Sam said.

“I hope so.” Morpheus said with a smile again. He enjoyed speaking to the dagi, he didn’t take life so seriously which was quite rare in Arios.

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“Lucifer?” A young lady asked.

“That is my name yes.” Lucifer said in a luxurious leather chair with his legs crossed. He was reading a holographic projection from a yellow crystal.

“We have had no reports of the person you mentioned entering the city.”

“Go through it again, he can disguise himself. He is tall with a muscular figure.”

“Yes Sir.”

The young lady calmly walked out of the lounge and closed the door gently.

“By Loki, why hide?” He asked a blank wall with a smile.

“Hello Lucifer, your poi sounds interesting.” A female voice said.

A middle aged lady stepped away from the blank wall, colours refracting off her. She wore nothing, long brown hair covering her breasts but leaving her vagina exposed.

She was rather tall with wide hips, her eyes a sky blue. Sharp cheekbones complimented her likewise eyes and she wore bright red lipstick, making them stand out from her naked body.

“Indeed he is, Elder Melissa.”

Melissa sat down on the leather chair opposite Lucifer, a glass table in the middle separated them. Her legs were wide open but she closed them after a second of sitting.

“I heard you went up north?” Melissa asked.

“Ditorians and dungeon suppression.” Lucifer replied while putting the yellow crystal back in his suit pocket.

“They do pop up every few years don’t they.” She said while looking at her nails. She began to file them.

Lucifer picked up a cup of tea off the glass table in the middle and sipped at it slowly.

“Who’s this he, you are looking for?” She asked.

“Double marked chimera. Potentially more.”

“A chimera? How interesting.” She said while still looking at her nails

“I heard you were here by your own free will for once, I’m guessing you’re not on the books?” She asked and looked up to meet his eyes.

Lucifer met hers and nodded. “Dion couldn’t afford me.”

Melissa went back to looking at her nails. “Budget cuts, must be driving that poor poor bunny mad.”

Lucifer smiled slightly.

“And how’s the… “ She asked, implying that she was hesitant to ask.

Lucifer nodded his head and opened up his light crystal, it was a touchy subject.

“Fine, although I don’t like the cold.” He said while looking at the hologram.

Melissa stretched her neck up slightly, her hair moving up to expose her breasts. “That’s good, you were always such a problem during training.”

Lucifer was offended, it’s not like he can control himself.

“I was perfect beyond physical training.” He stated meeting her eyes again.

She giggled like a schoolgirl, contrasting her middle-aged appearance.

“Oh little Lucifer, you still let me wind you up.” She snarkily said.

Lucifer rolled his eyes.

Lucifer cleared his throat. “I’m not little anymore.”

“Oh, but you were such a cute man-eater back then.” She said with both her hands on her face.

Lucifer hated the word man-eater, it was not his fault he was born with it.

“Melissa, if you don’t mind. I have some business to attend to.” He politely said while closing the hologram again.

“You’re not on business.” She snarkily said, trying to antagonise Lucifer.

One of Lucifer’s eyes grew bigger and he quickly covered it with his hand.

Melissa giggled again.

“Now now little Lucifer, enjoy your poi.” She said.

Melissa got out of her chair while turning invisible and disappeared.

Lucifer’s eye returned to normal shape and he rotated his right shoulder around its joint. He hated the way Melissa toyed with him. If she wasn’t an elder and his tutor he would have her removed from the scarecrows.

Every time he would see Melissa he would think back to his childhood. She took him in since he was cursed with a very unusual ability that scared his birth parents. Mellisa taught him everything he knew and helped him control the curse within him.

As he grew older he learned to accept what was a part of him and he toggled The Abomination title on when he was at one of the Scarecrow’s training camps and bases.

Lucifer sighed and stood up. It was time to go to the Night’s Owl and start overhearing the word of the city.