The desolate slums of Yanoku City: Summer of the red moon.

Zedd left the arena then headed for the slums. There was an errand he had to run before looking for the man called Cane. People avoided the strange looking man that strode through the maze like streets of the slums.

A foreigner who walked the slums always looked suspicious, and the hood that covered Zedd’s face made people suspect him even more. He had to keep his identity hidden. The slums teemed with all sorts of people. On top of hiding his face behind a hood, Zedd had also altered his appearance with a spell. His black eyes were infamous in the Kozagan Desert. He didn’t want to attract unwanted attention.

Zedd soon reached the old marketplace. He approached an old woman who stood behind a stand with fresh apples on display. The woman looked at the hooded man with fright in her eyes. “There’s no need to be wary, I’m just here for the apples,” he said once he noticed the woman’s distrust.

“How many do you want?” the woman crudely asked.

“Just two,” the young man answered.

“One silver Krown!” the old woman almost barked at him.

“A silver for two apples?! Lady you’re outright ripping me off!” Zedd exclaimed.

“Take it or leave it. That’s the price for not showing yer face.”

With a sigh, Zedd took a silver Krown and handed it to the old lady. “Do you know where Agatha’s old apothecary is?”

“That place hasn’t existed for twenty years my boy. Some gang has occupied the place since then. ‘Tis their new base they says.”

“What happened to Agatha?”

“Who are you to ask about ‘er?” the old woman was clearly not happy to speak to the outsider. But her curiosity got the better of her. “People forgot her. She may be dead somewhere for all I care.”

“I’m an old relative. I’m writing a book about our family. So I’m curious to know where my great-aunt lived. I was hoping to find her alive and well. But if she died, then that’s the will of the Gods.”

“I can tell you about ‘er, for a price.” The old woman smiled. Her teeth were still miraculously in place despite her old age, albeit jaundiced and crooked.

‘The moment you hear books is the moment you think of money. People never change,’ Zedd thought. “I’ll be happy to provide. But how am I to know that you knew my aunt?” he asked.

“Oy Rollo!” the woman shouted at the stand opposite her. An old man selling spices on a wooden stall stood from his chair. “What you want old hag?”

“Tell this fella here that I knows Agatha!”

“That old hag used to play near ‘er shop all the time. She was but a sickly child then, pulled away from ‘er sick mother’s tits. Agatha fed her and took care of her for years.”

“What’s your name?” Zedd asked, a bad feeling engulfed his entire being.

“Lyanna, what of it?” the old woman answered.

From his coin purse, Zedd took a couple golden Krowns and handed them to the lady. “That’s more than you’ll make in a month. Would you mind joining me for lunch? You can tell me all about Agatha.”

The old woman greedily pocketed the coins then smiled, revealing her crooked teeth once more. “I’ll only eat in Meruka’s restaurant. She makes delicious barbeques.”

‘Your teeth will crumble before you could even chew on the charred meat,’ Zedd thought. “How about I take you to a nice place in the Financial District? I bet you’d like that.”

“Hey, t’was me who told you about that old hag’s past. How about you take me with you?” the old spices vendor asked.

“Sell yer powder and shut it!” the old woman barked. “Why’re we still standing here?” Lyanna asked Zedd.

“How about packing up those apples?”

“Let them rot! Or let that gang take them, I don’t care. I’ll get more tomorrow.”

Zedd led the woman towards the Financial District. They soon reached an expensive restaurant in which they served delicious tender basilisk meat. The owner, Patel, welcomed his honored guest with reverence. The two were shown to a private room where they were served cold drinks before the food arrived.

“We can eat and talk in peace here. No one will disturb us.” Zedd was observing the old woman while sorrow gripped his heart.

“Young man,” she started, while sipping from a cold glass of date wine. “Ya still got a question needs answering. Who are you? How do you know Agatha?”

“I’ll answer your question shortly. There’s something I want to know before that. Your name is Lyanna, isn’t it?”

The old woman nodded.

“Who named you?”

“My mother, bless her soul.”

“What was her name?”

“What’s all the questions about me?”

“Just… Answer the fucking question, would you?”

“Please,” the old woman said in a childish tone.

“What?”

“Please, we says please when we asks a favor.”

“Please answer my question,” Zedd conceded with a heavy sigh.

“My mother’s name was also Lyanna.”

Zedd fell silent, for what appeared to be hours, the two sat down in silence. Lyanna didn’t seem bothered by Zedd’s silence. She just observed him while he furrowed his brows and tried to control his heavy breathing. A knock on the door brought the silent man to life. “Come in,” he said.

A man holding a plate full of exotic fruits entered. He was well dressed, a black silk caftan with a golden snake embroidered on the left side. His Handlebar mustache showed he was a man of nobility. Most nobles in Yanoku either wore mustaches or mutton chops.

“Patel my dear friend, what is it?”

“A man named Tristan urgently requests to see you. He’s waiting for you outside,” the owner of the restaurant said.

“I’m not done here, let him wait. I’ll call for him later.”

“Very well, I shall deliver your message.”

“And serve him some of your foreign drinks. That ought to loosen his tongue a little.”

“When’re we gonna eat?” Lyanna asked. Her raspy voice and dirty clothes caused Patel to wince.

“Very soon my lady, basilisk meat takes time to be ready. But it’s a delicacy everyone should try.”

“Forgive my guest Patel. She’s a little impatient, and hungry.”

Patel bowed to the man occupying his most expensive private lounge then left. “Now shall we get back to Agatha?” Zedd asked.

“Why’d you want to know about me mother?” Lyanna asked, not willing to let go of what had happened.

“I mistook you for someone else. A woman I loved with all my heart once. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

“But I’m old, and you look like a thirty-something young man.”

“Agatha’s miraculous tonics,” Zedd lied. “Magic has strange ways of changing our bodies.” Zedd sighed as he looked at the woman in front of him. “My aunt, bless her soul,” he went on. ”Saved my life and instructed me in alchemy. Thanks to her, I’m a renowned scholar now.”

“Renew what now?” the old lady asked.

“Renowned, it means famous. I lost track of Agatha but I’m interested in writing a book about her, about her past and her humble beginnings. Can you tell me what you remember of her? On top of the Krowns I handed to you, I’m willing to pay you five more for your cooperation.”

“The way I sees it,” Lyanna started. “My ‘cooperation’ is worth a lot to you. I know how it is with you educated fellas. You pays us folk little. You use us then work yer magic on them words. Next thing I knows, you as rich as the emperor. And I’m stuck selling apples in that dirty pile of garbage they call a slum.”

“What do you want then?”

“I wants part of your profit, I wants a house and maids to wash these dirty old bones. I wants to each fresh apples and grapes. I wants to drink wine until it comes out of my ears and die.”

“Done,” said Zedd in his usual nonchalant tone.

“Done?” Lyanna asked.

“It means I will-“

“I bloody damn well knows what it means. I just don’t believe ya!”

“Listen old hag,” Zedd leaned towards the old woman. His eyes flashed golden for a short moment. Old Lyanna caught a glimpse of the man’s demonic eyes.

“I don’t like your attitude, and I’ve put up with it long enough. Tell me what you know of Agatha, and I will deliver on my promise. No one ever doubted my word, and I’m not gonna let an old bag of saggy flesh tell me otherwise. Now,” Zedd regained his composure and neutral tone again, “Do we have an agreement?”

Lyanna looked terrified, ghastly. All blood departed her body. “What are you?” she asked.

“If you tell me about that woman, then I’m your divine blessing. But if you keep asking questions, then I’m your worst nightmare. Choose now and do it quickly, food is coming.”

While the two ate, Zedd asked Lyanna more questions about Agatha, her life when she was younger, and the gang that took up residence in the slums. After the meal, Zedd paid the old woman for the information she has given him.

“I’ll send someone to look for you in a week. It will take time to prepare the house and the maids you asked for. Not to mention the paperwork required for you to live in this district. Now go, I have other things to attend to.”

Zedd sat down alone in the private room. ‘Lyanna, how are you alive?’ he was absorbed in thoughts of his past when Patel came in again. “Sir, your guest?”

“Tristan! Yes, yes, please let him in.”

***

In the meantime, the chancellor had called for an urgent meeting with the city nobles and faction leaders. They were the people who controlled Yanoku in the shadows. They called themselves the Scions. Eight people sat around a round table in one of Athagar Castle’s spacious meeting rooms. One seat remained vacant.

“I called you here today to discuss what we’ll do with Viraldo,” the Chancellor started after all his guests arrived.

“According to Alistair, the man went to negotiate some peace treaty with the empire,” the leader of The Children of Na’ar, the strongest mercenary faction, spoke.

“Sakhin, what do your intelligence officers have to say about this?” the chancellor asked. He was addressing Sakhin Jabeer, the master of spies.

“Viraldo went to negotiate a peace treaty yes. The emperor was in Helton for the inauguration of the Gates of Mercy. The master met him there in secret,” Sakhin reported to everyone present.

“That bastard!” one of the nobles exclaimed. “He thinks he can buy his own safety and neglect us all?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” a rich and influential merchant spoke. “Do we know what terms he negotiated with the empire?”

“Sakhin, do you have any answer for Lucius here?” the chancellor asked.

“The empire will leave Yanoku alone during the invasion of the West.”

“In exchange for what?” the man called Lucius asked. “Nothing’s given for free, especially when it comes to the emperor.”

“The emperor will send half a dozen warriors to join the Hunt,” Sakhin answered.

Murmurs of indignation filled the room. “What does he think he’s doing?!” some shouted.

“He means to bring disgrace to our nation by inviting those blood thirsty imperialists!”

“They surely have other plans. They mean to take whatever they find out about our city’s defenses to their empire.”

“Gentlemen, please,” the chancellor urged. “There’s no need to give empty speculations now. I called you here today for a different reason.”

“It’s to discuss what we do to Viraldo,” the leader of the mercenaries said. “I say we kill him for treason.”

“Mere days before the Hunt? The Three Headed Dragon won’t be too happy about that,” Lucius, the perfume artist, said.

“I don’t think the Hunters would object to the execution of their master,” the chancellor commented, a smirk on his face.

“What makes you think that?” Frinz, the Alchemy Faction leader asked.

“Sakhin, invite our guest to the table,” the chancellor urged his master of spies.

Sakhin obeyed then left the room. Shortly after, the master of spies reappeared with a man at his heels. “Meet Alistair, the Guild’s brains and true leader.”

“I suspected the old geezer to hide something,” a woman, clad in black leather, commented. Alistair shot a mean look towards the Thieves’ Guild leader. “I have nothing to prove to you Rats.”

“Come now Alistair, we’re not here to throw insults at each other. We’re here to speak of your betrayal,” the woman teased the Hunters’ Commander.

“Jena, enough!” the chancellor intervened. “We’re here to discuss Viraldo’s betrayal. Alistair is just doing what’s right for this city. Go ahead friend,” the Chancellor urged Al. “Tell us what your master has communicated.”

“The imperialists will arrive in two days. They’ll be in the master’s ship, six of them plus General Flavius,” Alistair reported.

“What do you suggest we do?” Jena asked.

“We kill him of course,” Alistair replied. “The empire doesn’t ask for empty favors. We can’t harm the imperialists, but we’ll have to punish Viraldo for his grave mistake.”

“Spoken like a wise man,” a man, who had been silent all along; said. All heads turned towards him.

“Got something on your mind Lord Dismas?” the chancellor asked.

“We can’t harm the imperialists. That sly emperor sent a General to warn us. But the beasts in Ulmir’s domain can. No outsider can get inside Ulmir’s Domain. We’ll be breaking our rules, but Ulmir won’t,” Dismas explained to his audience.

“The empire has Rimbaldi’s creations,” Jena said. “They won’t go down easily. I say they might even be able to reach the Second Phase.”

“May I suggest a different plan?” Alistair asked. All heads turned towards him.

“Go on,” Dismas said.

“I have someone who could rid us of those imperials. General Flavius won’t trace it back to us.”

“Our mutual friend?” Dismas asked.

“Yes, my lord,” Alistair said.

“Who’s this mutual friend you both speak of?” Jena managed to ask the question before the chancellor.

“He’s the perfect man for delicate tasks,” Dismas answered. “Nobody knows of his origins, or his affiliation. I don’t like him, but he’s useful. Besides, I have something he needs,” the Lord of the Underground Market announced.

“So by using him to rid us of the imperialists, we can just blame it on the beasts.” the chancellor stroke his chin as he thought. “Do it Alistair. We’ll deal with Viraldo ourselves.”

“As you wish your Excellency.” Alistair bowed then excused himself from the meeting room.

“One more thing Al,” Dismas spoke before the man could leave the room.

“Yes, my lord?”

“Our friend won’t do us this ‘kindness’ for free now. He’ll expect some handsome reward,” Dismas said to the room.

“He’s already asked me to join the hunt,” Alistair replied. “I’ll grant him access in exchange of this favor.”

“Then you don’t know him at all Al. He won’t accept it,” Dismas reprimanded the Guild’s Commander.

“What do you have in mind sir?” the Chancellor asked. Everyone turned towards Lord Dismas, expecting his advice.

“You can tell him I have a location on his target. He’ll know what I mean.”

“Yes my lord,” Alistair said before bowing once more then leaving the room.