Bang!
The hair on Thames' neck stood as he recalled who went towards where the explosion happened.
Ode... Ode went there!
"Shit!"
He immediately began to sprint down the street, quickly deciding that the explosion had occurred along the wall of Ariao. Holding his pencil, he pointed it towards the top of a wall that had just came into view.
"[Teleport!]"
He vanished from the street, leaving bystanders confused, and reappeared on top of the wall. It was hard to see anything through the growing smog of the city, but he noticed movement to the far right.
BOOM!
From the same direction, a deafening explosion could be heard again, and Thames quickly ran along the stone wall, heading towards it.
Panting, he noticed Ode getting launched into the air by a strange figure.
It was skinny and had string dragging across the floor, seemingly stuck in its bony body. Its head had no eyes or ears and pointed at Ode, who was collecting himself.
The black creature let out a screech, revealing its rows of pointed teeth.
Shit an Emergent!
Ode, noticing Thames, yelled up, "There's one more! Just inside the wall!"
Inside the wall...? So right below-
As he thought, the floor beneath him crumbled as a similar terrifying creature leapt out, grabbing his feet.
"Shit!"
"[Body-Double!]"
A second Thames reappeared behind the creature, punching it just enough to draw its attention. With it distracted, he quickly took out his feather and summoned his short sword.
He glanced down towards Ode, but he had his side under control now.
"[Brush Stroke.]"
Pointing his sword out, a blueish black paint secreted from it. As the Body-Double vanished, the creature was momentarily stunned out of confusion.
Gripping his sword with both hands, he sliced out horizontally, covering the Emergents body in paint which slowly grew over its body, encasing it in the paint, slowly pulling it into the puddle below it.
"[Save.]"
As the creature fully entered the puddle of paint, both it and the puddle vanished completely, the only signs of its existence being the destruction around.
Ode had finished up with his side as well, flying up towards Thames and looking around.
The part of the wall was mostly destroyed, but since it was an Emergent incident, they wouldn't be charged. They both looked out towards the smog filled city before speaking.
"How many were there?" Thames questioned.
"Only ten! They grew in bundles in these walls. They're all hollow apparently!"
"This is going to be a mess."
"Mhmmm!"
Ode cheerfully hummed as he continued across the wall, determined to finish his work for today. Watching him disappear out of sight, Thames returned his sword to a feather and put it back in his jacket.
No sight of the Constellations... Gin Viola would be hidden though.
With that finished, Thames returned to the inn for the day, hoping to rest without sleeping.
***
Rubes was intermingling with the wealthy looking people of Ariao, sharing empty gossip with them, but gaining great knowledge.
This was how the group had learned most things, thanks to her, and she was excellent at it. Her pristine appearance and effortless authority truly sold her act.
"I'm looking for a man that can get me connected with a magician." She said simply, holding a fan up to mask her mouth.
Rubes was talking to a wealthy woman who she had learned to be heir to a merchant company in Indira. They were sat inside a cafe drinking espressos and eating different pastries.
"Oooo... A magician?" The heiress wooed, sipping some espresso before continuing, "Well if you want to meet one... Hm... I'm sure I could help you!"
"Really?!" She responded, feigning surprise and excitement.
"Mhm! He's a brute, but he'd be up your alley! Oh, you should see him..." The merchant blushed, recalling something poor.
Rubes was slightly taken aback but quickly composed herself. "When can I meet him?"
"Tomorrow! Meet me here at the same time and I'll bring you to him."
***
The dock today was cold and unwelcoming, but Lin was used to it.
Demons were a diverse group, but she hailed from a frosty area, so she was well accustomed to the chill.
It was relatively empty today, likely because everyone was hanging out with friends and family, but this allowed her to study all the ships in the dock.
Most weren't out of the ordinary, but she did notice a large number of ships from the Indira Republic. This wouldn't have been unordinary at any other time of the year, but shipments from that country is usually at an all-time low during winter.
Weird...
She thought to herself as she made her way towards an alleyway connected to the pier.
It was full of boxes and had a single solid steel door.
This should be it.
She knocked on it, waiting for a response from the other side. The peephole slid open slowly, a pair of bloodshot yellow eyes staring at her.
"How're the stars?"
"Twinkling in song."
After her response, the door slid open slowly, a short dwarf on the other side acting as the doorman. He wore heavy clothes, fit for living in the snow, and had a long sword on his back.
Entering, she quickly surveilled her surroundings. It was a simple rowdy bar full of merchants and magicians.
Places like these were common in major cities, set up by Gin Viola's faction as a way for magicians and merchants to comfort up to each other.
In the end it was a means to solidify himself and Lin was utterly disgusted by it.
Sitting down at the bar, she tapped twice, signaling for a mug of beer.
The bartender, a bigger elvish lady, brought it to her, hovering nearby if she needed anything.
She chugged the beer, slamming the glass down and asking for another, letting herself get taken away by the atmosphere of the hidden bar.
Idiots... All of em. Half of these magicians are planted by Gin.
She thought to herself, continuing to drink.
"Hey bartender!" She yelled through the chatter towards the elf.
"Yeah?" The bartender walked up to Lin, looking down over her.
"When's Gin gonna be here?"
"Who knows?" With a smug smile, she went off to attend to other patrons, leaving Lin at the bar.
Dead end.
She quickly left the bar, unaffected by the alcohol.
"Oh well!"