The Pursuing Hunters - Gathering

For the first time in a week, Zaveid allowed himself to relax a bit.

The small inn in the middle of Loegres made for a reassuring, if rather cramped setting. The wind malak couldn't help but appreciate the irony of knowing that this unassuming establishment, built in the shadow of the Royal Castle of Midgand, was perhaps the safest place from the law one could find – and that meant the safest place from the Abbey's reach. The ideal place for fugitives such as Zaveid to catch their breaths.

Under normal circumstances, he would have had little need for such a refuge. Zaveid had spent years giving the Exorcists the slip - and when some were lucky enough to catch up to him, he was more than willing to provide a good beatdown to his pursuers. But over the last week, the Abbey's dogs had been unusually persistent, dogging his every step across the seas, in too great a number for Zaveid to be confident in his ability to punch his way out of trouble. He supposed infiltrating into their secret island doubling up as a portal toward their very own private dimension was bound to piss them off.

Still, Zaveid would probably have taken up his chances and not involve anyone else into his problems had he been alone. But for the first time in a long, long while, he had a travelling companion. Sitting across the table and looking into his plate with a vacant face – perhaps tinted by the slightest bit of curiosity? - was the silver-haired malak child he rescued from Melchior's clutches. The newly christened Silva had stuck with him ever since, even though Zaveid suspected it was more due to him having no clue on how to be alone than a real proof of affection.

No matter, Zaveid would win him over yet. If there was one thing he was confident in – aside from his good looks, terrific skills, world-savvy knowledge and general awesomeness - it was his way with children.

And in his experience, much like women, the way to a kid's heart often went through his stomach. "What's the matter, kid? Food's not to your taste?"

The malak child raised his head, a somewhat worried look in his blue eyes. "I'm- not really sure."

Zaveid sighed. That had been the answer to most of his questions over the course of the week. The kid might have been freed from the Abbey, but their hold on his mind was still strong. After years of complete servitude, it was no wonder the little guy had so much trouble even doing something as simple as expressing likes and dislikes. That could have been him, Zaveid reminded himself not for the first time. That would have been him had he not been rescued, all these years ago. And now it was time to repay the favour.

That was what Aifread would have done.

"Don't force yourself. If you're hungry, eat. If you don't like it, I'll ask for something else. Still," the wind malak grinned. "All that food spattered over your face tells me you don't seem to dislike it too much, eh?"

Silva's eyes widened in surprise, before he brought his hands to his mouth, furiously wiping his mouth clean to Zaveid's delight. Finally, progress!

His moment of triumph was cut short by the sound of the tavern's door slamming open, letting in a dishevelled Benwick, whose gaze immediately zero-ed in on him.

"Zaveid! I got your message. Where's the First Mate?!"

It was hard for the wind malak to not pity the guy. The pirate's youthful face was wracked with worry, his usually unkempt blonde hair even more in disarray than usual. Even the bird nesting in his large hat seemed frazzled. Yet Zaveid could offer little in the way of reassurances.

"Don't know. Last time I saw Eizen and his group, we were all fleeing Innominat and the exorcists from that pocket dimension they had set up. I went through the portal to leave this place first, and they didn't – or couldn't – follow."

"But then," Benwick stammered "does that mean the First Mate and the others are-"

"Hey, we can't be sure of anything yet," Zaveid reassured him. "Besides, Eizen and his bunch are tough. For all we know, they just ended up dropping somewhere else and are on their way back to the Van Eltia."

The wind malak had to admit though, the odds didn't look good. If Eizen had managed a successful escape, he probably would have contacted Benwick by now – he'd have an easier time doing so than Zaveid. That it had not happened increased the likelihood that Magilou's Menagerie had been captured at best, killed at worst. He nonetheless tried to remain hopeful, pulling a chair for the young man to fall onto.

"Here, try not to worry too much, will ya?" he said, offering a glass of whiskey to the pirate. "I asked Tabatha to look into this, she should have answers for us soon."

As if summoned by that very sentence, the old woman entered the common room. With her plain dark dress, her grey hair put in a simple bun and a kind and wrinkled face, Tabatha Baskerville certainly didn't cut an imposing figure. Yet as the head of the infamous Bloodwings, the chief – and possibly last – underground movement acting in opposition to the Abbey, there were few people as well-informed as her across all the Kingdom.

"Glad to see our young guest seems to enjoy himself," the newcomer said with a smile, looking at Silva. "And I'm glad to see someone from the Van Eltia could join our meeting", she added, nodding at Benwick.

The latter seemed ready to throw himself at Tabatha in search of answers, but Zaveid preempted him. "If it isn't my favourite old coot! You got any answers for me?"

"For you dear, always," she answered. "First, let me reassure you. As far as I know, no-one among your missing friends are dead – nor are they in the Abbey's hands."

"Tha-that's great news!" Benwick exclaimed. "Where are they then? We need to get there fast!"

"That might prove difficult," the inn's proprietess sighed. "According to my sources, they have left this world entirely. The portal they crossed sent them to an entirely different place, one that the Exorcists have been hard at work to find."

Zaveid couldn't help but let out an appreciative whistle. "That bastard managed to get stranded into another world entirely? This 'Reaper Curse' of his really is no joke."

"Wait, another world? Is that even a thing?" Benwick looked flabbergasted. He could actually remember the First Mate rambling about theories and ancient scholars speaking of such a thing, but had kind of dismissed it as another of Eizen's passing fancy.

The malak tended to be really passionate about the latest book he would read.

"It is very a 'thing', it would seem," Tabatha said, "and the Legate Melchior apparently managed to exhume an Arte able to reach that distant land. Details are scarce on how he managed this. All I could learn was that it involved the previous head of the Exorcists." She paused. "As we speak, Artorius Collbrande and his two Legates have apparently crossed over to that new world, with a sizable force of Exorcists."

Frankly, Zaveid cared little about the how. All that mattered was that there was a way. "So you're sayin' the Abbey got a portal, and that all their big guys aren't around to defend it. Well then! Guess all that's left to do is storm the place and follow!" The wind malak cracked his knuckles, eager to jump back into action.

"I'm afraid it won't be so simple," Tabatha chastised him. "The Abbey opened the rift in the Empyrean Throne. As you might remember, the temple is defended by a powerful barrier. One that can only be broken by four Greater Malakhim working in concert."

Zaveid couldn't help but swear. "I thought we got rid of it ! If they got it back up again- well that's a problem."

Four greater malakhim. That was why Velvet Crowe and her group of misfits had seeked him out several months ago. And the three others that helped in this endeavour were now on the wrong side of the Rift.

"Where the hell are we going to find three more malakhim?!" Benwick pointed at the obvious. "We were lucky last time, but now-"

Tabatha shook her head. "I am afraid I won't be able to help you there. The Abbey's control on Malakhim is tight, and-"

"Maybe- I can help."

Three pairs of eyes turned toward Silva, who was speaking up for the first time in this conversation. The child blushed under this newfound attention, but continued nonetheless while looking at the ground. "Mistress Theresa said I- qualified as a Greater Malak. I don't know what it means, but I want to help you. If I can."

"Well aren't you a Godsend!" Zavied grinned before afectionately patting the kid's head. "As long as you're sure that's what you want to do, I'll gladly take your help." Silva gave a shy nod. "Well that's two! As for the others," he turned toward Benwick, "maybe Grimoirh can help?"

"I don't know. Maybe?" It was hard to believe that an unassuming Normin would count as a Greater Malak, but then again, Bienfu had been one, so it was still a possibility. "Even if she does, that still leaves us one Malak short."

Silence. Zaveid tried to remember any old acquaintance that would make the bill, only to come up short. If only he could find a way to-

"Oh no."

Benwick seemed to have come to a conclusion on his own, and didn't appear to like it. Still. "Any idea then?" Zaveid said. "Spit it out!"

"Well- I might know someone – know of someone. But if we ask her-" Benwick gulped. "No, we can't! Even if we save the first mate that way, he'll kill me!"

Well that was a mood. "Don't be so overdramatic, man!" Zaveid laughed. "Surely it can't be that bad."

"No, you don't understand!" Benwick was literally shaking. "When some crew members joked about inviting her on the Van Eltia, the first mate almost choked them! And then he threatened to throw anyone with similar ideas overboard!"

Huh. To think Eizen could be bent out of shape over a girl. Zaveid swore to himself to never let the pirate live it down. "Well, it's either risking your first mate's wrath, or never seeing him again. What will you choose?"

For a long minute, Benwick seemed to actually hesitate over which option to pick, before letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine."

"Atta boy. So, who's Mystery Girl?"

Benwick steeled himself. "Eizen's sister. Her name is Edna."

Notes: Well, it's been ages. I'm afraid I have no good excuses for the *checks* two years iatus, apart from the usual 'buy with life' stuff. But I found the time and the will to finally kick myself back into gear. So, if yu're a new reader, welcome aboard, and if you're an old one, you have all my gratitude for being willing to pick up this story again.

Also, not really happy with this chapter. I spent hours writing and rewriting this piece - and the one that will follow. But after a while, I just have to accept that if I do not settle for what I have now, I could spend another two years procrastinating - and with no guarantee that the end result would even be better than what I have now. So you go, feel free to tear into it, and any criticism you might have is welcome.