Azrael - The Bloodied Borough

Azrael was having a nightmare, he was sure of it.

Gray fingers gripped his pale wrist and sharp nails dug into his skin, dragging him against his will in a sea of strangers. Choruses of screams can be heard in the vicinity, piercing his skull and leaving echoes of despair in the back of his mind while the smell of stale sweat and desperation lingered in the air.

“... telepath stones and you need a connector. We’ll also need to find you some local clothing, you stand out too much with your pure black ensemble.” The demon was indifferent about his suffering and continued walking in the throng of people, listing some other things they would need.

When Elira invited him to the trader’s area of The Bloodied Borough, he imagined one large building with a quiet sitting area for its customers. A waiter would then serve snacks and refreshments while the assistant of the shop take a list of what they would require and deliver them at a later time.

He didn’t expect another type of battlefield, full of bartering customers and stubborn merchants. The streets were packed with other shoppers like them, busily browsing each store; trying to uncover every secret of the wares.

Azrael just sighed and let himself be dragged by the demon through the densely packed crowd, she seemed to have a destination in mind and he hoped that it was somewhere less crowded. They did end up in a big building, and it’s less congested, but there were still enough people for Azrael to be uncomfortable.

“Oh, what are you frowning for,” Elira noticed his displeasure when she turned around to say something to him, “this is the most popular shopping place in the city! Let’s get you a connector first; I don’t want to walk all the way to the northern part of the city again if I needed something from you.”

Azrael just curled his lips even further at her, “I thought we were gonna shop for telepath stone so we wouldn’t have to look for a telepath? What’s this connector you keep on babbling about?”

Elira just turned back around and headed for the nearest staircase, “It’s the most revolutionary thing that Mary The Innovator released, five or so years ago. There had been actually an uproar about it as Couriers lost their main source of employment.”

Her tail was swishing in front of him as they ascended the stairs, he wondered how Elira would react if he suddenly pulled the thing. Azrael remembered his feline pet which hissed and bit at him and decided not to try the demon’s patience.

Elira was oblivious to his curiosity and just continued to ramble on about the connector, “They use some sort of encoding that translates your message to energy, send it to the cities’ tower, and the tower would then send it to your intended target. They can even send captured images now!”

They kept climbing until they reached the third floor of the building, it was quieter here with only a few shops that each occupy a room; with glasses as front walls and their wares displayed behind them.

Azrael was again amazed at how secure the people in the city felt, with only the guards wearing battle gears and weapons; even Elira was just wearing a simple tunic and pants.

She just laughed at him when he asked if they weren’t worried about theft, “It’s only in the trader’s area where people are not allowed to bring weapons, didn’t you see the inspection we passed through before coming here?”

“The trader’s association also have a lot of guards that patrol the vicinity, and even if they can’t catch the thief, they still have several other measures in protecting their wares.” They stopped in front of a decently sized shop with a lot of rectangular metals in display and entered it.

“Elira! You haven’t been stopping by, I was worried some slug monsters had already eaten you! I heard they prefer the taste of demons!”

A dwarf that was standing behind the counter of the shop greeted them as they entered its doors. Azrael assumed she was a dwarf, as her features were too small to be human and were too wrinkled to be considered a child.

“Stop killing me with such weird monsters in your imagination, Cherry.” Elira used a familiar tone of speaking with the dwarf and introduced him, “This is Azrael, my -- uh.. Friend, he needs a connector.” Azrael just raised his brows at the sudden blush Elira had as she introduced him to the shop keeper.

“A friend! Other than William?! How wonderful, such a handsome man too! You should really get more friends my dear,” The dwarf beamed at him and he wondered if she always talks with such a loud voice towards her other customers, “now, lad, what connector do you have in mind?”

Elira was the one who answered for him, “Just give him the latest one, he is rich anyway.”

Serath had given him some sort of credit stone as an additional payment for the books; that it should be accepted in most shops associated with the Trader’s as currency.

The elderly dwarf had a wistful expression on her face, “Handsome and rich! Oh if only I were a few years younger…”

“Cherry, you’re old enough to be his grandmother.” Elira just rolled her eyes at the shopkeeper as she cut her off.

The dwarf just mumbled about age secrecy decorum act and went to one of the shelves and withdrew the rectangular metal in it. It was three fingers thick, and about two by three fists in dimensions; from the way the dwarf carried the thing, it was also about a few stones heavy.

“Now, this here is the latest thing,” Cherry gently placed it on the counter in front of him and opened it up, “10~15 mins of delay for same city communication and provides the capability of processing images, though sending one would take thrice as long.”

“Elira!!” The bells on the door produced a ringing sound as it opened, followed by a raucous voice that screamed his companion’s name.

“I saw you from the outside, who is he?” The human was openly scrutinizing him and so he did the same.

He had an average height which was a few fingers shorter than Elira’s demon height. Shaggy brown hair decorated his head and his green eyes spattered with flecks of gold were narrowed in suspicion; his face would have been pleasant if not for the frown directed at him.

Azrael considered it as an annoying and punchable face but what bothered him the most were the staff and wooden axe he was currently hugging in his chest.

They looked very familiar.

Elira whipped her tail on the man’s shins, surprised at his sudden appearance. The action made the man jump on one foot and almost lost his huddled possessions to the ground.

“Ow! Wha’dya do that for! The trader-seal on the weapons almost broke!”

“Sorry, it’s just that you surprised me... and you were rude!” Elira narrowed her eyes at the man and roughly introduced them to each other with her tail, “Azrael, William. William, Azrael.”

“What are you doing here anyway? I thought you don’t like going here because of the temptation in buying stuff?” Elira asked the man a question as she curiously looked at his possessions.

The man’s face visibly brightened at her question, “Look! The city guards contacted me this morning and gave me two weapons,” he pushed the staff and axe in the demon’s direction, “They found my benefactors’ bodies in the slums this morning and the two of them had a written will to leave their belongings to me...”

Azrael and Elira both froze at his statement and the latter took a quick glance at him before asking, “Benefactors? You know the people they found in the slums?”

The man, oblivious to their reactions, happily replied, “Oh, only the dwarf and the elf; they treated me to drinks a few days ago.”

Elira’s brows furrowed at the answer she received, “They just met you… and they placed you on their will?”

“I know! It was weird. I don’t even remember giving them my full name,” The man’s eyes widened and then it suddenly scrunched up with a furrowed brows in confusion, “Apparently, they had several wills on their body but the latest one was addressed to me. They figured that they don’t have anyone left but each other so they change their wills whenever they met someone they like… at least according to the guards.”

Azrael found William’s expressive face quite amusing. He didn’t think that the man was lying so he decided to ask him about the avian and the other unidentified person, “There were four corpses right? What about the other two?”

William crossed his hands in front of his chest and tilted his head at him, “Oh.. they didn’t tell me anything so I’m probably not part of their will...”

Elira was not as tense anymore after learning that his friend just got lucky with the weapons, “Are you here to sell those things?”

“Yes! I was on my way to the fifth floor when I noticed you here with this hands-- whoa is that the newest connector model!” William hurriedly handed the weapons to Elira, which she almost dropped, and rushed to the rectangular thing beside him.

“Amazing! Are you buying it Elira?”

Elira rearranged the weapons in her hand so it wouldn’t fall, “No, Azrael is the one buying that… and don’t just hand over fragile things to people!” but William just ignored her and chatted with Cherry to discuss the thing’s capabilities.

Elira just sighed at William’s behaviour and gave an apologetic look to him, “Look, Cherry we’ll take the thing. William come on, we’ll help you sell this stuff.”

They made their way to the fifth floor after completing the transaction and they were busily browsing several telepath stones when William dropped another bomb in their conversation.

“Oh, have you guys heard the news from the Daily Idol Newsletter? Apparently, there’s someone living with The Barrier Master now and they are speculating it’s his new love interest. I heard they got it from a reliable source.”

“Ahahaha!” Elira suddenly burst into laughter when she caught sight of Azrael’s frozen face.

“Wha-- why are you laughing? It’s not you, is it? Did you guys get together from your last mission?” William narrowed his eyes at the hysteric demon squatting on the ground and shaking from laughter.

“No… no… but I would also bet that it’s from a reliable source.” Elira just grinned at the confused man.

Azrael just sighed, guessing that it was the telepathic woman that started the rumours. Serath had assured him that the residence had defensive formations and it would divert unwanted attention. It was also the reason why normal people didn’t know Serath’s current residence in The Bloodied Borough.

William just changed the subject as he couldn’t figure out why the demon had a sudden fit of laughter, “Anyway, why are we browsing for telepath stones? I thought we’re getting a telepath for our team?”

Azrael raised an eyebrow at Elira, “He’s part of our team?”

William was wide eyed again at his question,“You’re part of our team?”

Elira answered their questions, “Yes, both of you are part of the team I’m making.” She also remembered to answer William’s inquiry about the telepath, “Azrael and I decided that we didn’t want a telepath on the team after an encounter with one.”

“But we’re going to have to buy one every time their energy gets used up,” William frowned at their decision, “And what encounter?”

Elira had brought up the importance of the telepath role on a team; they handle the communication between a group as they fight and information learned in real time could be the deciding factor of a mission. However, looking for one that’s willing to join a team can be quite the arduous task, that’s why they settled for the alternative which were telepath stones.

“Oh nothing,” Elira just waved her tail at his question about the telepath, “What are you planning to do with the profit from the weapons? They seem well made and maintained.”

“I’m planning to use it to my benefactors’ death ceremony.”

William flushed at the dumbfounded stare that his companions gave him after that statement, “I think it’s the right thing to do, okay? I only knew them for a few hours but they treated me to a drink and even left their possessions for me.”

He turned around to escape their incessant stare but murmured something before leaving, “The least I could do is that they have a proper burial.”

They just continued to stare at the man’s retreating back until Elira faced him with a serious face and broke the silence, “You’re alright with it?”

Azrael shook his head at Elira after a few beats of silence, “It’s not really my business is it?”

“Look, let’s shop again at a later time. Just go home for now while I help William with his weapons.” Elira looked at him with concern and decided to finish their business for the day.

Azrael considered Elira’s question as he trudged his way back to Serath’s residence. He didn’t know what to feel about William’s concern to his assailants and neither could he understand the reason for it. According to him, they only knew each other for not even half a day and yet he was willing to spend the wealth and, more importantly, the effort to ensure they have a proper burial.

The people in Lochley kept surprising him: in power, in resolve, and in morals. Even his assailants expressed regret at his supposed death when they got caught in Theresa’s illusion. His previous life of seclusion and constant war seemed so far away despite being in the new world for only a few days.

He had already arrived in his current home and was still in a pensive mood when the sound of someone knocking on his front door interrupted him from it.

Serath was standing outside his door when he opened it and the man gave an apologetic smile as his greeting.

“Mr Azrael, is this a good time? You don --”

“It’s fine, might as well get this over with.” Azrael just left the door open and went to his receiving room and sat on one of the couches.

Serath closed the door behind him and sat on the opposite couch with a low wooden table in between them.

Azrael just sighed and leaned at the back of the couch after Serath settled himself, “Before you start, please stop addressing me as Mr and drop the formal way of speaking.”

Serath had a complicated look on his face before replying, “I can adhere to your first request Azrael but I apologize as I'm already used to speaking formally.”

Azrael closed his eyes and tapped the armrest of the couch with a constant rhythm, “Fine, is this about Theresa? What did she tell you?”

“She informed me about the invitation that she extended to you,” Serath’s deep and pleasant voice paused but continued after a few beats, “and about your refusal.”

“Wrong," he corrected, not bothering to open his eyes, "I said I’ll think about it.”

There was another beat of silence before Serath replied with a smile in his voice, “Theresa likes you, you know?”

Azrael had to open his eyes at that and raise his brow at the man opposite of him.

Serath ignored his raised eyebrows and continued, “Theresa… had a bit of a difficult past. Her constitution brought her more problems than solutions as a child, and only when Raea came by her village that she managed to find someone who wasn’t coerced into loving her.”

Serath wasn’t looking at him anymore and he had a far-away look in his eyes as he recalled his memories about his first meeting with Theresa.

“We were only ten back then when Raea brought Theresa in the Empire of Light. I remember my father enforcing everyone’s mind with defensive formations at the request of Raea.” His eyes crinkled at the memory.

“Nobody openly requests something from the Emperor of Meshiere but there she was, just an elf who had a small child with closed eyes, clutching at her robes with tiny hands; telling my father to help the child in having a normal childhood.”

“Theresa still didn’t open up to anyone, she just stuck at Raea’s skirt every time the elf came by to teach me in the Elemental Ways.” Serath paused again, leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, “that was until she was called by a mind full of stories and dreams -- of pure innocence. Theresa followed the call and it brought her to the library, there she found Yomire; peaceful in her sleep, surrounded by mountains of books.”

“Yomire was also going through a tough time at that time and finding someone who could listen to her stories without actually speaking fascinated her. They became inseparable,” Serath suddenly chuckled before continuing, “and Theresa and I started fighting like the kids we were.”

Azrael didn’t know where Serath was going on with his story so he just remained silent.

“I was to be a king and Yomire was supposed to be my queen; I was a child back then and I had only dreams of being a good ruler and I knew I needed a queen for that.”

Serath opened his eyes and looked at him, “I’m sorry I got caught up in the story and lost track of my point; I never did get the hang of storytelling.”

“Theresa does not wish to read upon other people's mind but even with the help of several seals, she still could not escape them.” Serath was looking at him seriously now, “A seal she was willing to break to look upon your troubles and punish your assailants.”

Serath stood up and bowed in his direction, “I am deeply sorry if you feel like she went overboard.”

Azrael also stood up as he didn’t feel comfortable sitting while the man was bowing in his direction, “I-It’s fine, you don’t have to.. Uh.. lower your head.”

“Theresa has already left the city since she gets annoyed staying within one if her seal is broken.”

Serath turned around and headed for the exit after informing him of Theresa’s departure. He stopped just as he reached the door and turned back to him, “Would you like to know to know something?”

Azrael didn’t know what to reply so he just nodded his head.

Serath opened the door and exited as he was speaking, “The Mother of the World and The Storyteller were titles that Theresa herself spread; Raea was like a mother to her and Yomire was her personal storyteller. She wanted the whole world to know about it and so they did -- as what Theresa wants, she always gets.”

Serath turned around and faced him with a wide grin on his face, “Theresa didn't leave the city just to avoid thes noise, she left the city to convince Raea in personally inviting you to the guild,”

He was left speechless at that.

“Be careful Azrael, The Mother of the World is coming to get you.”

End of Chapter 11

trader-seal - A seal placed upon dangerous artifact so that they would be allowed to be carried in Trader's Area. It doesn't actually seal the weapon but it breaks at the slight use of it.

Empire of Light - Capital of Meshiere, home of the royals that rule most of the continent.