Chapter 5

INTERLUDE I

Rats skittering, leaves rustling along the ground. The whine of a door swinging open. The whine of a door creaking shut. The sound of a lock. Low whispers hidden by the slight howl of the wind. A low-repute back-alley if there ever was one.

Crezka walked down the moss-covered stairs and into the crime district. As he rounded the corner, into the darkness, he was greeted by a surprisingly vibrant scene. Although he'd expected everything to be covered by shadow, there was surprisingly little of it. Lanterns hung in various colours along the whole alley, and many a candle lit up low game tables and the faces of those who played them. Crezka saw a man with little to no hair and a scar across the side of his face rolling dice with a confident grin on his face whose mood changed the moment his eyes darted up to meet the visitor's.

Many eyes darted towards him, in fact, and many more voices reduced to little more than a hush as Crezka started off down the road. Lots of prying pairs followed him, analysing, judging the new face. No one made a move, though, and soon enough it became clear that he wasn't a threat. The voices returned and the stares returned to the tables, unaware of the dice that had been nudged and hidden cards that had been pulled.

It felt weird how natural it felt to blend in. Just a few months ago, Crezka'd have been a nervous boy asking the first gambler he saw for directions, but now he knew to judge a situation at first sight. Guess I've grown, huh. He passed by the different shops, their lantern's lights painting the world different colours. The ground was pink, then red, then blue. The air smelt of alcohol and grilled meat. Rat, too, most likely. This might have been a new city, but it was the same old crime alley as in all the others.

After he'd made his way past hardened gamblers wearing fine jewellery and tricking bronze-clad warriors, seducers and seductresses dancing in the red light, and the grilled rat stand, Crezka found himself in front of a rainbow-lit open-window inn. Its floor was hard stone, but everything else from the seating to the ceiling was carved from wood. He'd have been able to see inside, too, if it wasn't for all the smoke. It drifted out into the streets and smelled of various fruits and nectars. A smoking pub? Didn't know those existed. There was no time to waste thinking about that, though, and he stepped into the locale.

However bad the smoke looked from the outside, it was even worse on the inside. He knew he'd gone past the entrance, but little more. It seemed as though he wasn't moving, every step he took lead to the same place, lost in the smoke, and when he looked down, Crezka couldn't see his feet. A tiny bit of desperation slipped through, and he found himself groping at the air, desperate to make contact with a person or a wall. He called out, too, but that was drowned out completely by the music and the talking of everyone else that was apparently there.

Crezka felt a violent shove on his shoulder and turned, finding a disgruntled looking waitress giving him the stink-eye. "Watch where you're going, w'nah!" She called out. He composed himself momentarily and grunted back, "How?! All I see is smoke!" The waitress stopped for a moment, looked around, then hollered into the unknown, "Oi! Suvuz! Air out!"

Some seconds later, a mighty gale swept through, clearing the smoke away. A few half-suffocated candles and torches blinked back to life and illuminated everything. Jeers, stares, smiles and hookahs painted the room. So that's where the smoke's from. "Thanks." Crezka said curtly and moved towards the bar. Before he could get there he got called over to a table by someone draped in gyloth pelt and steel. The big figure sat him down at a table and told him to wait before taking one last drag of the hookah, exhaling apple-scented vapour into the air, and leaving for the upstairs. A few minutes passed and Crezka found himself trying the smoke generator. At first, he inhaled a bit too much and coughed about, but he quickly got a hold of it and leaned back, occasionally puffing at the flavourful tube.

"I see you've gotten comfortable already." Crezka darted up as a familiar voice sounded out. He looked around and found a hooded paladin-type next to him, sitting with his fingers intertwined between his knees. Above his head floated the name "SAdGuy0002". Crezka put the pipe away and leaned forward. "A most fine evening, is it not? Music in the air, the fla-" The man raised a hand. "This is a safe channel, Crezka. No codes today." "Oh, huh... So, yeah, the report." The man leaned in. "Mhm..."

"We haven't been able to grab a lot, again. I had to go out more often, pass myself off and all that. Got some good ones at the university, but the recruiting station had barely any visitors. Just some lazies and a kid. Took some walks around the outskirts, too, managed to snag some outdoor explorers, they were eager. Also looked into a few graduation parties. Most declined, though I pulled this heartwarming number on one of them, she signed up a few days later. Other than that, nothing, really. The ones I got should be getting there with the next resupply, probably with the Estreika or Lopss or some other." The man was nodding all the while, then inhaled some air through his teeth and leaned back for a moment. "Damn. We really need more men, especially with what's coming. Hm. How about engineers? I can pool a few aces together if I have to, but they'll need more maintenance."

Crezka quietly swallowed before answering. "Not really, no. I got some students and a graduate, but that's it. Certainly no one ready for action. And definitely not with aces. Sorry, Admiral." He felt a bit sad and embarrassed at bringing nothing but bad news. "You needn't be. This isn't something you can control. Everyone that wanted to join did so during the first few recruitment waves. Now the well is all but dried up. Let's just hope the propaganda machine can pull us a nice rabbit." The admiral took a hit of the hookah and looked around. "How about you, recruitment aside, how are you doing?" Crezka was unsure how to answer. He'd been doing the same as always, but he felt bad now. "Well, same as always, I guess. Systems nominal, except for the job efficiency." The man rolled his eyes. "Did I not just tell you not to burden yourself with that? Ups and Downs come and go, that's the cycle. And the only thing this worrying will bring you is stress. And worse performance. Just calm yourself and move on from it."

Crezka nodded, then a few moments passed in silence before the admiral spoke up again. "Well, I've still got some things to do, so allow me to excuse myself." Both of them rose and Crezka spoke up. "Of course. See you, admiral." The admiral nodded and replied, "Hopefully. Until then... Take care of yourself, Myotakos, okay?" The man went back upstairs, and Crezka made his way outside. The inn looked much prettier with all the smoke cleared away. He opened the pause menu and closed the game. The cute little slime with a tear streaming down its cheek almost made him stay on.

He leaned back in his chair and reflected. 'Take care of yourself,' That's why he liked Admiral Morrigan, why he became his agent. Morrigan cares, unlike most of the others who play the game. For those under him and for Eden as a whole. Whatever future would befall him, Crezka knew he'd spend it at the admiral's side.