Just after getting out of the tower - the tower Cera destroyed, as the Leaden Key would likely just start this horror all over again - they get summoned to see Lady Webb. Cera and Aloth have no idea who this Lady Webb is, but Eder says "Problems in this city have a way of disappearing on their own, and most of the time you can thank Dunryd Row up in Hadret House for it. You do wrong in this city, before you go begging the gods for forgiveness best you beg Lady Webb first."
Kana says "Seems the stories of Dunryd Row are true. A whole organization of Ciphers, supposedly. All under one Lady Webb, the supposed founder and head of Hadret House."
Cera whistles in appreciation, then says "I'd love to get to talking with them then. Maybe they could teach me a few things."
Eder says "The place is up in Brackenbury, two districts away from here. What do you think the chances are that they just mentally communicate with each other like Cera does with us at times?"
"Hey, it's useful during a battle! And for snapping people out of the confusion spores can cause so easily."
Sagani says "Fair enough. Not the worst tactic in battle either."
Eder gets a sly grin on his face and asks "So who do you trade jokes with on the road? I know it isn't me, but…"
His eyes dart between Cera and Aloth, making Cera blush heavily and say "Eder, cool it already! Just because I can connect to other people's minds doesn't mean I do! I happen to respect other people's privacy more than that, I'll have you know." She makes her way forward through the group, hoping to spare herself more comments from the farmhand, and they follow.
When they get to Brackenbury, after stopping at First Fires and informing them that Heritage Hill is safe - and seeing Saeda, thankfully - they head off to Hadret House and Brackenbury. Cera stops dead three feet away from the door however, her gaze wide and unfocused on their surroundings.
Aloth asks "Cera?" Her lips are moving, she's speaking Engwithan for some reason, but she doesn't even blink when he waves a hand in front of her face.
Her expression is vaguely anxious and worried, until it suddenly turns to relief beyond measure, and then she blinks and looks around at them. "What's wrong?"
Pallegina says "You stopped moving and started talking to nothing, that's what's wrong, Amica. Started saying stuff we didn't understand. The language you very recently learned from a woman named Icantha, no?"
She blinks and looks around at everyone, then says "Oh, sorry." She looks at the ground, a blush creeping up her face, then says "Let's go inside. I can tell there's a bunch of Ciphers in there."
When they get inside, Cera's immediately bombarded with a few dozen sensations all at once. The feel of the minds in this particular building is…sharp, focused. Other Ciphers, other people who can sense the same kinds of things she can.
Eder asks "Any idea of where Lady Webb is here?"
"No…but this is incredible. I can feel their own powers, their own minds sharp as razors. Its…it's a new experience for me." She heads up to a random Cipher, who's muttering about connections and trails, and politely clears her throat. "Excuse me, can you help me?"
He turns around, and there's a sudden feeling of something probing her own mind. His eyes widen when she pushes him back out, and says "Your another Cipher. And from what my own meager powers suggest, a formidable one indeed. Though your powers are…untrained, despite how you use them."
Luckily, most of the others are talking with various other Ciphers, but Aloth seems to have heard - he raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say a word. She lowers her voice and says "You might call me self-taught. I learned as much as I could through trial and error over the years. I manage, though sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. That's not the only reason I'm here though. My other reason is because Lady Webb invited my friends and I here."
"Indeed? Up the stairs, middle door in the hallway."
"Thank you. And, if you have time, I would not mind learning a few things from you. Such as what else a Cipher can do."
"I've read every technique there is, and you'd be welcome to take a quick look. You have a great talent, one that could turn dangerous if not trained - as much a danger to you as everyone around you."
"I've noticed. Being in the city is…noisy, to put it one way." She probes at his mind, gently at first, then slightly stronger until she finds what she's looking for. It barely takes a minute for information of all the Cipher techniques to pass along to her, and she says "Thank you, truly."
"Not a problem for a fellow Cipher, Cera Iden."
She freezes and stiffens in shock, then quietly hisses "How did you-"
"You saw into my head, I saw into yours. Another thing you'll want to learn, how to shield your mind. It'll also help with keeping other people's thoughts out of your head when they're not wanted. It wasn't any intention of mine, your mind is particularly open. One of the reasons you tend to form connections with people without realizing it until its already there."
Cera groans quietly and asks "How much did you see?"
"I saw quite enough to know that you've come impressively far on your own. No formal training, and you still managed to keep your sanity intact and teach yourself a few techniques, quite the feat for someone going off of nothing but their imagination and the needs of their circumstances. I wish you well, Cera."
"Again, I thank you. And please, whatever you do, keep that other name to yourself. Better yet, forget about it entirely."
He chuckles, winks at her, then goes back to his papers. She mentally connects with her friends, and says I got directions to Lady Webb. Upstairs, middle of the hallway. I'll go meet with her.
She cuts the connection off before anyone can say anything - here's hoping nobody heard mention of her last name, particularly Aloth - and quickly heads upstairs.
Twenty minutes later, she heads back down to find all five companions waiting for her. Kana asks "Well?"
"Apparently the guy with the winged mask is called Thaos Ix Arkannon. He's supposedly the Grandmaster and freaking founder of the Leaden Key - which dates back to Engwithan times. He's apparently reborn again and again exactly the same man, Awakened during adolescence, and then continues with his work with all the knowledge of his previous lives. And apparently he's one of Woedica's favored - which is why he can keep doing this. Oh, and his body is apparently no body for his soul, he can take complete control of people if their souls are weak enough and make them do things."
Sagani asks "Like you can? You said you can control people's minds if you want to."
"Sort of, I guess. The big difference is that I'd only do it in self-defense and only if I didn't see any other choice. That and the fact that Thaos simply shoves their souls aside and they remember everything. Nobody remembers anything when I do it - and I only do it when I absolutely have to, Thaos does it for his elaborate schemes and occasionally to mete out punishment when his underlings fail him."
Kana says "Oh. That is quite the notable difference then."
AN: And we have a last name, people! Cera, Iden! Totally made it up, not actually part of the canon game at all. Please save any questions until after a few chapters, all will be explained by then. PS. Survived two finals at extreme times yesterday, then laid down and crashed once my head hit the pillow at ten at night. Only one left, here's hoping! Posting chapters in celebration. HOORAY!
