A/N: This chapter has murder and Raven in it. What more could you ask for?
At this point I've posted all the chapters I had ready to go. Updates will be more sporadic for now on. I will aim for monthly updates, but I can't make any guarantees.
My gratitude to my beta, xXLiquidSugarXx, for motivating me to actually describe things.
~6~
The hallway was poorly lit and smelt of dust and sweat. Muted giggling and drunken voices wafted from behind closed doors, a jarring contrast to the gloom that permeated the city. Yuri leaned against the wall next to a shabby looking door that read 101 in tarnished brass numbers. Karol was waiting behind it, but Yuri couldn't face him until he had a plan.
Killing Ragou was simply the first step. Yuri would need to destroy what was causing the storm, not just to free the oppressed, but to allow him to continue on to Capua Torim. According to the documents from the Randell estate, the blastia that were stolen from Zaphias had been shipped to Torim and beyond. If Yuri was going to root out all the major players in this conspiracy, he needed to go into Union territory. Leaving Flynn behind to clean up the mess was a necessary evil since Yuri wanted to wrap things up quickly. The sooner he flushed out this conspiracy, the sooner he could put Agrioli's head on a pike for sending assassins after his best friend.
The only escape route to Torim was by boat, and the easiest way to have one ready when he needed it was to employ Karol's help. Preparing and guarding a boat was something Yuri had done for Clay many times, and that was why he was lying in wait in the hall putting off the inevitable.
For the last year Yuri that had traveled with him, Clay had been preparing Yuri to take on his work. At the time Yuri hadn't fully realized what was happening, but in hindsight it was glaringly obvious. Having Karol help him out left a bad taste in his mouth. Karol was just a kid, and Yuri wasn't looking for a protégé. He couldn't leave Karol behind, though. The image of the boy sobbing in that petal drenched street was still fresh in his mind. He would get Karol safe and sound to Dahngrest, and then he'd say his goodbyes. It would be for the best. For both of them.
One sharp knock on the door was all it took for it to fly open to reveal Karol smiling up at Yuri.
"I got dinner for us!" Karol puffed out his chest in pride.
"Nice going," Yuri replied blandly as he entered the room. He had to keep up a wry façade so he could keep Karol from freaking out.
The room was as shabby as the hallway had been, but it smelled much better since steaming plates stacked with shellfish, rice, and pickled vegetables sat on the table. Karol practically jumped into a chair before digging in enthusiastically.
"I'm going to need your help with something tonight," Yuri broached as he slipped into the chair across from Karol.
Karol paused in stuffing his face to look at Yuri with furrowed brows. There was bits of seafood stuck to his cheeks.
"The storm around here is being generated by a blastia, and I'm going to stop it. I need a quick getaway before the knights come poking around. Can you get a small boat ready to go?"
Karol gulped down his half-chewed bite. "Y-you mean like steal one?"
"You have a problem with that?" Yuri glanced away from Karol's face as he began serving his own plate.
"N-no. I mean I'm actually pretty good at stuff like that. I just don't do it very often because people get so angry."
"So you're fear is just a farce to cover up the fact that you're a master thief," Yuri drawled even as a cold feeling filled his stomach. I'll rely on him just this once.
Karol blushed. "Of-of course not!"
Yuri took a bite of his dinner but couldn't taste it. "So will you do it?"
"Yeah, I'll do it!" Karol bit his lip. "Y-you're really brave to try and stop what's going on."
"Am I? I'm just trying to do what's right." Yuri set his fork down. He really wasn't hungry. "I'll send Repede to keep an eye on you."
"Will he even go with me?"
"He will if I ask him to."
~6~
The governor's mansion was a three story building surrounded by a garden so full of plants and statues that it was impossible to see the ground floor. The property was poorly lit, and the moon did little to drive off the darkness. No lights shined from the windows of the mansion, and the only guards Yuri had seen had stood at the front gate. A tall stone fence surrounded the property, and Yuri vaulted his way in when he came cross a damaged section. He shifted through the lush garden, keeping his footfalls soft on the pebbled trail that led to the house. Clay's scarf was wrapped firmly around his neck, and Karol and Repede were safe at the docks acquiring a boat.
A rustling noise in the nearby bushes had Yuri snapping his head to the left. A man popped out of the bushes, leaves stuck to his messy hair and baggy clothing. Yuri froze where he stood, but the man began scurrying across the yard, paying Yuri no mind. He could hardly believe it, but it was Raven. He hadn't expected to see the man again, and if Raven was poking around Ragou's mansion, Yuri would have to be careful. This night could end in another blaze.
An elevator was built onto the side of the mansion, and it was guarded only by an intricate wrought iron gate. Raven skidded to stop in front of it and seamlessly pulled it back. Yuri's feet moved of their own accord, and he just managed to squeeze in before the gate closed again with a soft clank. In an instant, a knife was pressed to Yuri's neck.
Yuri began mentally berating himself for being such a trusting idiot, when Raven spoke up. His whispered voice brushed air against Yuri's ear, "Well, look who it is."
The knife was pulled away from his neck, and Yuri whirled around and put a hand on his sword. Raven had slipped his knife away and held both of his hands in front of him to show he was unarmed. "Sorry about that, kid. I thought ya were a mercenary. I gotta say, yer a better sneak than I thought. I didn't even notice ya until ya jumped in here."
"What are you doing here, old man?" Yuri demanded, ready to draw at any moment. He felt static running across the back of his neck.
"I should be askin' ya that. Ya know, we really gotta stop meetin' like this. I was hopin' we'd meet again in a nice bar with a bottle a wine between us." Raven cracked a grin.
Yuri slowly let himself relax. He had to admit that if Raven was the one who had snuck up on him, he probably would have attacked first and asked questions later. He was lucky the older man hadn't just slit his throat on instinct.
Raven's grin wavered in the silence. "So, ya tryin' ta break inta this place, too? I ain't here fer information this time, so I don't know if I can help ya out."
"I'm not here for info either," was Yuri's quiet reply.
"Oh? And what are ya here fer then? Besides tryin' ta give me a heart attack."
"I'm not telling you anything, old man."
Raven nodded, and despite his dead serious expression, Yuri had a feeling he was being mocked. "That's good. Don't tell anybody anythin'." He pushed the button to get the elevator moving.
It was an uneven ride to the next floor, and Yuri kept his eyes firmly trained on Raven. Raven stared right back, the definition of unruffled. The elevator stopped, and the metal gate opened with another clank. Both men tensed up as they waited to see if there were any guards or servants around. When the coast was clear, Raven stepped softly out of the elevator, Yuri following closely.
The hallway was as posh as Yuri had expected, but a disquieting sense of anxiety permeated it. He scanned the darkened corners but saw nothing.
"I got my hands on blueprints fer this place, so I know where I need ta go. I could point ya in the right direction if ya'd drop me a hint," Raven whispered.
Yuri tensed up. He didn't know what Raven would do if he thought Yuri was going to murder someone. Raven could have another agent following him, though. Yuri didn't want to have to copout at the last moment. "The governor's bedroom."
"It's on this floor. Head down this hall and make a right when ya get ta the fork. His door is on the left. It'll be easy ta spot since it's the only one in the hall. Unfortunately that's the opposite direction ta where I'm goin', so I guess this is farewell. We should get a drink later and have a conversation when we're not breakin' and enterin' for a change."
Yuri was floored by Raven's easy response. He'd expected a string of questions and suspicion. "Maybe," he whispered back.
The older man gave Yuri a wolfish grin before he turned and began to sneak down the hall. Yuri went in the opposite direction and shifted silently away, following Raven's directions.
A few mercenaries had been patrolling the outside of the mansion, but the inside was completely deserted. All Yuri saw on his way to the room were statues and luscious tapestries. Ragou must have had the populace so cowed that he was unconcerned about break-ins. His trust in the fear he generated would be his downfall.
The door to Ragou's room was carved and far more intricate than a door had any right to be. Yuri tried the handle and found it unlocked. He peeked inside and saw that the room was a little darker than the hall. He could hear the rattling noise of an old man snoring filling the dark space. That was good. This would be a clean kill.
Yuri snuck into the room, his heart pounding. He needed to calm down. This was a simple hit, and there was no doubt that the bastard lying a few feet away deserved a sword in the gut.
He stopped at Ragou's bedside and pulled out his blade. The sound of metal sliding against leather was thunderous in Yuri's ears, but Ragou did not stir. Yuri drew his blade back and just as Ragou let out another snore, he plunged it downward into his heart. A strangled gasp followed and terror filled eyes peered up at Yuri. Even in the dark, Yuri could see blood beginning to spread through the blanket. Boney hands tried in vain to stop him.
"Why—" Ragou rasped out as blood poured from his chest and trickled from his mouth.
"This is recompense for all that you've done," Yuri replied mercilessly.
He pulled out his blade as the life drained from panic filled eyes. Yuri's heart wasn't racing anymore. He felt numb and watched the blood slowly spread across the bed for a few moments before an explosion rocked the mansion.
Yuri whipped around to face the doorway, his blood covered sword dripping onto the lush carpet. The entire city would have heard that. What the hell had Raven done?
He cleaned his sword in a hurry and sheathed it before rushing from the room and through the hall. Just as men began yelling inside the house, he was able to slip back into the elevator. Yuri pressed himself into the shadows of the lift as a group of mercenaries ran past. He waited a few moments before pressing the button to get the elevator moving and let out a breath as he slowly descended to the ground floor.
Knights were beginning to pour onto the mansion grounds when Yuri stepped out of the elevator. When he saw Flynn at the front of the group Yuri knew he had to run. He sprinted through the garden and vaulted over the half broken wall. He felt a pang of remorse as he landed on the hill outside of the mansion. If Raven was caught, then he'd be blamed for the murder Yuri had just committed.
Yuri closed his eyes for a moment and let out a breath. What happened to Raven wasn't his problem. He opened his eyes to notice for the first time that the rain had stopped. The night sky was completely clear and the stars were shining.
A grunt disturbed Yuri's awe. He turned around with his sword drawn but was surprised to see Raven climbing over the wall.
"Every time I run inta ya nothin' goes the way it should," he grumbled when he saw Yuri.
Yuri sheathed his sword. "I could say the same to you. I have to get going before the knights show up."
"Me, too. Ya got a nice escape route ready that this old man could use?"
Yuri raised his eyebrows. "You don't have your own?"
"I always find a way, like freeloadin' off a other criminals."
Yuri sighed. "I won't stop you if you follow me, old man. Just try to keep up."
Raven grinned, but before he could say anything, Yuri started to rush down the hill. He needed to get to the docks as quickly as possible and make sure he wasn't seen near the mansion. Yuri couldn't risk Flynn finding out the truth of what happened tonight. The thought of the disappointment that would fill his friend's eyes sent a cold stab to Yuri's stomach.
As Yuri slipped into an alleyway near the bottom of the hill, he could hear Raven's soft footsteps following him. They sprinted through the streets and only had to pause to let a patrolling knight pass a few times. It looked like the bulk of Nor's force had gathered at the mansion. The sharp and fishy smell of the ocean grew stronger as the alleyway Yuri rushed down opened out onto the docks. The masts of the boats moored around them made it look like some bizarre forest, even more so with how battered some of ships looked after months of disuse. Yuri started scanning the docks for signs of the flag Karol had said he would tie up to mark what boat he had ready.
"We're takin' a boat? Seems kinda shoddy. How would ya know if the storm woulda let up?"
Yuri huffed. "I was going to stop what was generating it, but you beat me to the punch. I would have been a lot quieter."
"Hey, that explosion wasn't my fault! Some crazy bastard on a dragon swooped in and destroyed that blastia. I think I might be a little singed." Raven looked at the sleeves of his coat in dismay.
Yuri stopped searching for the flag and turned to face Raven. "Someone on a dragon?"
"I ain't lyin', I swear!" Raven held a hand to his chest.
"I know you're not. I just saw something like that before."
"Did y-?" Raven's question was cut off by a very familiar bark. "I was wonderin' where yer dog was."
Repede took hold of Yuri's arm with his teeth and started trying to pull him toward a nearby pier.
"Alright, I'm coming!" Yuri shook free.
Repede raced off down the pier, and Yuri and Raven followed. The dog led them to a medium sized boat that was hidden between two larger ships. It was in passable condition, and its blastia powered engine was already running with a soft hum. Karol had tied up his handkerchief as the flag, but it was hidden by the surrounding ships.
"Y-Yuri! There you are! I told Repede to try and find you 'cause I couldn't raise the flag any higher." Karol was standing in the middle of the boat and wringing his hands together. "I-I hope this is alright." He glanced down at the boat with trepidation.
"It's fine, Captain." Yuri gave Karol a small smile.
Karol's eyes widened when he noticed Raven standing on the pier. "Wh-who's this guy?"
"Didn't know ya had a little kid with ya, too." Raven glanced at Yuri in amusement. "Hey there, kid. Name's Raven. Yuri and I are old pals."
"We're not 'old pals'," Yuri scoffed. "We met less than a month ago."
Raven drew back as if he'd been struck. "I thought we had somethin' special!"
Yuri sighed. "We need to leave before someone starts poking around."
Yuri climbed into the boat before helping Repede up, and Karol scrambled to make room as Raven followed. The older man settled in like he owned the boat before giving Karol a lopsided smile.
"So, kid, why don't ya tell me the excitin' story of how ya threw yer lot in with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome."
"H-handsome?" Karol looked between Raven and Yuri with alarm.
"What, no one explained the birds and the bees ta ya yet?"
Karol started sputtering.
"Don't make me toss you overboard, old man," Yuri said as he started to maneuver the boat away from the docks. The coast was miraculously still clear.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." Raven leaned over and set his expression into one of stone cold seriousness. "Don't worry about it, kid. I was just jokin'," he said to the still sputtering Karol.
Karol visibly gulped. "O-okay."
Raven's face smoothed back into a lazy smile. "I really do wanna know how ya ended up helpin' out a buncha shady characters like us."
Karol glanced over at Yuri for help, but Yuri just shrugged. He didn't see any problem in telling Raven about how they met.
"Yuri and I met in Halure. He asked me to travel with him, and I-I said yes." Karol bit his lip. "He asked me to get a boat ready because he was going to help the people here."
"Ya did a good job with that." Raven glanced around the boat as if it was made out of gold. "This boat ain't too small and it's pretty fast. And on top a that, ya helped me out, too."
Karol's mouth was hanging open. "Ah-ah, thank you." His eyebrows slowly drew together. "H-how did you meet Yuri?"
"Well that's quite a tale."
Yuri fought to keep a straight face as Raven dove into a ridiculous retelling of the night they'd met in Zaphias. Karol's eyes were wide, and he gasped at all the right moments. Raven's story eventually came to a close, and Karol fell asleep with Repede lying close to him.
"Ya know where yer goin'?" Raven asked. "I could steer for a while and let ya sleep. It'll be mornin' by the time we get ta Torim."
"I know what I'm doing, old man."
"Don't say I didn't ask." Raven leaned back and made a show of trying to get comfortable.
Soon the only sound filling the night was the rumble of the engine and dull thud of the boat rocking in the sea. Yuri felt his hands shaking as his mind kept filling with the image of blood spreading over the soft blankets of Ragou's bed. He had to force himself to focus on steering them in the right direction as the mantra It had to be done ran through the back of his head.