Chapter Seven
A great philosopher once said that three things were certain in life and they were as follows: Death, taxes, and Machias and Jusis throwing a tantrum whenever they were forced to spend more than five seconds with each other. Naturally the prospect of spending a whole weekend together in the spinning town of Parm, with no oversight from Instructor Sara to keep them in line, prompted another blow up. And they weren't the only ones dissatisfied with the lineup for the upcoming field studies. Alisa and Rean still had their weird thing going on and Evander had rather hoped Instructor Sara would send him to Parm just to spite whatever machinations the Intelligence Division had embroiled him in. But it was not to be. He was to report to Celdic this coming weekend, accompanied by Alisa, Rean, Laura and Elliot. Alisa hated Rean over some obscure incident, Laura probably wanted to duel Evander to the death, Evander wanted to be anywhere else and Elliot probably thought Evander had rabies again. All in all, a truly masterful way for Sara to construct to the two teams, and after Machias and Jusis let her have both barrels, in between sniping at each other, Evander added his two mira.
"Did you start a little early this morning Instructor?" he asked insolently, miming drinking from a bottle, "these assignments are trash. Swap me with Jusis or Machias. I want to go to Parm."
"I just bet you do," said Sara, "and I want students who don't question my every instruction, looks like we're both going to be disappointed. You're going to Celdic, I've received orders from on high."
"Orders from on high?" said Elliot, sounding baffled, "does anyone else get the impression Evander is constantly off having weird adventures without us?"
"Me!? What about Mr Schwarzer! He's in league with higher powers too!" protested Evander.
"I didn't think helping the student council out counted as a weird adventure," said Rean. "Or as being in league with a higher power."
"No, you're right Elliot," said Laura, "both those two have been up to all sorts of extracurricular activities. I didn't call this out before, but what's this about you training in the old schoolhouse?"
"It was a request from the headmaster," said Rean, "I didn't just run in there and start killing monsters to spite you."
"Yeah, he wanted to spite everyone who wasn't there," joked Evander, "cool kids unite!"
"Not helping Evander!" said Rean.
"Fine, I'll help then. Swap Rean for Jusis or Machias then so I don't have to deal with Alisa hating him for two whole days."
"This isn't a flea market!" snapped Jusis, "stop speaking as though I can be traded like a used tea set!"
"And I don't hate Rean!" protested Alisa, "I've been trying to apol_ um, I mean. Forget you heard that!"
"I've already forgotten everything that happened after I finished handing out your assignments, which are final," said Sara, smirking. "Now, we're done here. You'll receive more information on the morning of your departure. See you later my darling students, I have an old friend to meet."
"Hello, booze my old friend," sang Evander, "I've come to get blitzed again!"
"It's not booze! I mean he's not booze!"
"Yeah, that sounds convincing," drawled Alisa.
"Oh, go fall on Rean again!" snapped Sara.
"Hey!"
"That was uncalled for!" said Evander, "I expected better of you Instructor. Laura on the other hand… that comment was one hundred percent her."
"I have drawn my blade once today," said Laura coldly, "pray I do not do so again."
"So Evander, you live in Celdic huh?" interrupted Gaius, trying to defuse the situation. "That'll be an advantage for your team."
"I don't' live in Celdic. I live very far outside Celdic. On a farm. But I'm not a farmer."
"Oh Aidios save us from another story about Evander and his mystical farm where no one farms," said Machias, rolling his eyes. "Instructor, I'm not finished with you yet. I demand another placement!"
"Huh? I'm getting a call on my Arcus," said Sara, engaging in a barefaced lie, "sorry I have to take this," she flipped her Arcus open, which had been completely silent, "hello? Why yes, I can be there right away!"
"Don't agree so quickly," said Fie, "it makes you sound desperate."
"Fie!" said Emma, scandalised.
"Oh come on!" said Machias, "your Arcus didn't even ring!"
"Evander talks to his Arcus all the time when it doesn't ring," pointed out Fie.
"Yeah, but he's completely insane," said Machias.
"I swear, these things are always listening!" raved Evander, "you just wait! I'm going to survive when these machines turn on us!"
"Ciao everybody!" said Sara loudly, "I'm off on a hot date, don't wait up for me!" she sauntered off, ignoring the protests of several of her students.
"Hot alright," muttered Evander, "straight from the pits of Gehenna is more like it!"
"Do you think we're going to have time to meet your family while we're in Celdic Evander?" asked Elliot, his tone torn somewhere between nervous and curious.
"Pray you don't meet my family," said Evander ominously. "My sister bites."
"Excuse me!?"
"Can't you be serious!?" snapped Alisa.
"I am serious!" said Evander, "you guys are too used to me. My sister is a hundred times worse than I am!"
"While I'm disinclined to believe that anyone is more odious than you," started Jusis, "perhaps the female of your species is deadlier."
"You mean like a praying mantis?" asked Machias, sounding morbidly fascinated.
"She's a beetle?" asked Fie, sounding confused.
"No. He means the female mantis is deadlier," explained Emma, "so Evander's sister by that logic would be more um, eccentric, than he is. And a mantis is a bug, not a beetle. Beetles bite, bugs suck."
"I'll say," said Alisa, "remember the carpet of roaches our dorm had when we moved in? That sucked."
"That's not what I meant," said Emma, "I was referring to their eating_"
"I think you've lost your audience," said Gaius gently, and Fie yawned loudly, not so gently. Emma looked around and saw Laura and Evander had squared off again and the rest of Class Seven was trying to break up whatever was about to go down.
"Duel me Evander!" said Laura, "Let us settle the matter of who is the better swordsman once and for all. I cannot afford to lose!"
"Listen up, buttercup," said Evander, incredibly insolently for someone facing an enraged knight, "if you can't afford to lose, you better just ask for more pocket money. Your budgeting concerns don't bother me."
"Insult me again and you will answer for it!"
"Answer, answer, my brain is a fiery dancer!" sang Evander, then laughed like a madman.
"Oh whoops, looks like his mind is gone again," said Machias.
"Too true, my brain is completely dismembered from my body!" agreed Evander.
"Are you feigning insanity to avoid duelling me?" demanded Laura.
"Feigning?" asked Alisa, "I don't think you know what that word means if you're applying it in this situation."
"Everyone just cool down!" said Rean, interspersing himself between Evander and Laura before things could get worse. "Laura, he doesn't want to fight you, please respect that. Evander, you were being rude, apologise."
"You're right," said Evander, groaning, "I shouldn't have said those things. I'm so hungry I can't think straight. Sorry Laura, please accept my apologies."
"I might if you also promise to refrain from such crassness again. My honour as a student of the Arseid school will only permit so much insolence before I must respond as befits my station."
"I'll try my best," hedged Evander, knowing better than to make a formal promise. If he broke it by accident his head might well explode.
"Then that will suffice for now. But I will have answers from you sooner or later, be they through words or the clash of swords."
"Answers, about what?"
"Everything."
"What I would like to know, is how you can be hungry," said Jusis, "when I saw you demolish three whole stacks of pancakes in the cafeteria this morning."
"Since when did you two start having breakfast together?" asked Elliot.
"We don't," said Jusis, "but I do occasionally find myself dragged in there of a morning. Some pushy acquaintances trying to force me into the third-floor saloon and such."
"Truly, such a miserable life you lead," spat Machias, "having to refuse attendance to an exclusive club us mere mortals shall never see the inside of."
"I saw the inside once, I went in there by accident when I was looking for a bathroom," said Evander conversationally, "I got a good look before they threw me out. Bastards, how did they know I wasn't a noble?"
"Because they had eyes in their head?" drawled Jusis, "your rustic farmer origins are plain to see."
"I'm not a farmer!"
"I know we're joking around," said Gaius, "but Evander does kind of remind me a noble I met once."
"You met an Erebonian noble in the Nord Highlands?" asked Rean, sounding intrigued.
"Yeah, the bullgoose loony of the Roer Insane Asylum," interrupted Machias, "King of the Maniacs. Spitting image of Evander, he was too."
"I'll spit at your image in a minute," threatened Evander, further derailing the conversation which never quite got back on track. And so it went, back and forth bickering until Class Seven went their separate ways.
Scene Break Here
The weekend came around with it's usual dose of Evander weirdness. It was roughly forty minutes past six in the morning when Elliot and Laura tried to descend to the ground floor to meet up with the rest of Group A only to find Evander crouched on the staircase banister like an owl, grinning his head off. When he spotted them he put a finger to his lips and waved his free hand to ward them off, somehow maintaining his balance impeccably.
"Shh!" he hissed, "Gehenna has frozen over, you better not interrupt."
"I thought about getting an alarm clock," said Elliot, "but Evander losing his mind is more reliable. What are you talking about?"
"Alisa and Rean are finally making up," explained Evander in a hushed whisper, "and we better not ruin it, or else this trip will be entirely miserable."
"You can hear that from here?" asked Elliot.
"I hear everything," bragged Evander, "but yes, I can hear it from here no problem." Laura crept past him and peered down the stairs to see that Rean and Alisa were in fact talking.
"He's right," she said, "I can't hear what they're saying, but their body language makes it obvious. I mislike snooping around up here though, like a sneaking eavesdropper."
"No worries, they've finished now. I can make it look like we've just arrived," he suddenly raised his voice, "_Laura for the hundredth time, I will not duel you! What? Stop! Don't throw me down the stairs!" He leapt off the banister and crashed to the ground floor below, nearly giving Alisa and Rean a heart attack as he rolled between them and sprang upright. "She attacked me! And you two are witnesses! She'll be hearing from my ambidexter! That's for sure!"
"Evander you lunatic!" snapped Alisa, "what is wrong with you?"
"Me!? She attacked me!"
"I did no such thing!" said Laura, hurrying down the stairs, "but that can be swiftly rectified!"
"Laura, get with the program. I'm trying to hide the fact we were eavesdropping on Rean and Alisa! They'll figure it out if we're not careful!"
"And so, the trend of Evander hearing everything except the words coming out of his own mouth continues," said Elliot, joining the rest of Group A, "sorry guys, we weren't trying to eavesdrop. Well Evander was_"
"Oh throw me under the orbal bus why don't you!"
"Circumstances aside, I'm glad you two have reconciled," said Laura, smiling, "I know it's really been bothering Alisa that she hadn't found a way to apologise."
"Laura!" hissed Alisa. "Why don't you go back to threatening to kill Evander!"
"Why would she do that?" asked Evander, genuinely oblivious, "I had to say it was her who threw me down the stairs. Who else was there? Elliot? No offence but he couldn't throw his back out after sleeping on a hard wood floor let alone me down a staircase."
"Um, I guess that's fair," said Elliot.
"No it's not," said Rean, "and that's not the point Evander. I thought you agreed to stop teasing Laura. You can complain about Alisa and I all you like, but this trip really will be miserable if you and Laura are still at each other's throats."
"Huh? Teasing her? This is just me being friendly! I watched some of the kids in Trista playing some weird card game and they talked to each other like that all the time!"
"Were they all boys?" asked Alisa.
"Uh yes, but I don't see what that has to do with it."
"You seriously don't think boys and girls talk to each other differently? I shouldn't have to explain this to you."
"What are you talking about?"
"The boys you saw," said Rean, taking over, "the way they trashed talked each other, being insulting and rude to each other while they were competing, that's more a guy thing. If you walk up to random girls and insult them, they're going to take it a little differently."
"That's nuts! You're all human, aren't you? Why shouldn't I talk to boys and girls exactly the same? Now you tell me I've been doing it all wrong? The boys talking like that were friends, they liked each other. After the game they all walked away happy, clapping each other on the back and grinning. I can't keep up with this friend making business, it's too hard! Trash talk Person A, be nice to Person B, never be nice to Person C, never be rude to Person D! How do you people keep it all straight in your heads?"
"You're trying to be my friend?" asked Laura, looking confused, "you mean you're attempting to have friendly banter with me?"
"Yes! Wasn't it obvious!? You shouldn't be surprised I want to be your friend, you're a weird chick, but a cool chick. I thought we were getting along, I'd insult you, you'd demand to duel me. It was cool. Now they drop this bombshell that you're not supposed to talk to girls like that and_ I should just shut up and apologise, shouldn't I?" asked Evander. "I'm sorry, my social skills are a mess, I should have known my behaviour was really bothering you."
"No, it's alright," said Laura, looking very taken aback, "I see now you meant no harm in it. I'm uh, not very socially adept myself, and may have taken greater umbrage than was appropriate considering that no one else has reacted to you in quite the same way. Shall we just agree to put this behind us?"
"Yes!" said Evander, "and in the future I won't try to banter with people until I confirm they're cool with it. Note to self, there is no one size fits all approach to talking to people."
"Well this was certainly a morning good for apologising," said Elliot, "I feel kind of left out for not having anyone to end a feud with."
"Don't feel left out," said Alisa, "it just means you're not a weirdo."
"Yeah, well this has all been thoroughly awkward, so can we just get to the train and pretend this morning never happened?" suggested Rean.
"Agreed!" said Alisa, "let's get out of this dorm before something else awkward happens."
Scene Break Here
No one could expect Evander to become a literary genius overnight, or even with the month or so of lessons he'd had so far. But his reading was definitely getting better and there were certain words he'd prioritised learning for his own safety. One of them, funnily enough, was 'vampire,' because in all likelihood anyone writing that was talking about him and he needed to know if they were getting the stakes ready. So it was for that reason that while he was hanging around the train station, idly listening to his classmates sharing the good news of Rean and Alisa's new friendship and the bad news of Machias and Jusis' old feud, that he immediately recognised the word vampire leaping out at him from the headline of a newspaper a businessman was reading. Mumbling some excuses to his classmates he practically bolted over to the man and started interrogating him.
"Excuse me?" he said, as quietly as he could manage, "but what exactly is that news story you're reading?"
"Huh?" the businessman peered at him for a moment before scoffing, "figures you'd be interested in kid's stuff like this. I honestly can't believe they print such nonsense. Must be trying to reach a younger demographic. 'Vampires in Celdic,'" he read out mockingly, "followed by some flimsy article about a series of locals being bitten by a 'pale, feral looking girl,' Can you believe it?"
"Yes," said Evander, looking shaken, "yes I can."
"Hmm, yes well, you wouldn't be the only one. The reporter even asked the local provincial forces for comment. That puffed up noble commander of theirs gave some grand statement about nothing threatening the peace in Celdic while his Lordship Duke Albarea's leadership was respected."
Evander felt a stabbing pain in his head, his insight trying to warn him about something but being blocked by the quartz in his watch. He stammered some sort of excuse to the businessman and staggered off.
"What are you doing sis?" he mused, "that's not discreet at all. You're going to get us in trouble. And why does my head hurt? There must be something rotten going on in Celdic."
"I'll say!" Evander nearly leapt out of his skin as Sara appeared beside him, purple lightning indeed. "I told your family to keep a low-profile Evander," she continued, "that was the deal. How is the church supposed to believe you were destroyed if your sister runs around like that?"
"I swear, she knows better than that! Something else is going on Instructor," said Evander. "We can feed without being seen; we know how. If she's being so blatant there is something wrong." Sara looked at him for a long moment, before nodding.
"I agree. That's why I'm going to Celdic to investigate. Not a word about this to the others though, as far as they're concerned, I'm just there to keep an eye on the field study to make sure it goes off without a hitch. Your word, Evander."
"I swear, I won't say anything about your true purpose until you give me your permission. I just wish I knew what was going on over there…"
Scene Break Here
Three Nights Ago
Dusk was falling on the outskirts of Celdic when a large black van with reinforced panelling and pitch-black tinted windows rumbled to a stop. It sat there quietly until the sun had finally slipped below the horizon and then with a click, the back doors of the van opened remotely, and a horrifying figure sprang out and sniffed the air. It was a young girl, but she appeared to have been hideously disfigured and burned. Fortunately for her though, the night air appeared to be immediately soothing, and her burns began to miraculously heal. Within moments she was a normal looking girl again, apart from the feral hunger in her eyes and her sharp teeth. Without a word to either of the men in the van she loped off in the direction of Celdic at a blinding speed, soon disappearing from sight, much to the relief of the driver and his assistant. A strict list of rules was laid out on the dashboard.
During the day ensure the creature is kept in direct sunlight as this will weaken it and stoke its hunger.
No one is go near the creature without having first equipped a Scentless Quartz, lest their scent drives it into a frenzy and prompts it to attack the wrong target.
It is not a child, but a monstrous half-breed, do not pity it more than you would any other monster.
Drive it to the outskirts of Celdic every few nights and let it out for at least three hours before activating the Blood Moon Art to lure it back to the van. We must not lose the creature, but it must have enough time to attack someone in order for the plan to be effective.
Repeat step four until we have direct confirmation from Colonel Banadon of the Kreuzen Provincial Army that we are to stop. Only then, it doesn't matter who else tells you that the locals have stopped fighting the tax increases, we only take the Colonel's word that we are to stop.
Another team will be operating in the area to doubly ensure success with another plan involving the Grand Market of Celdic, you will be informed of nights they are operating. Do not release the creature on those nights to avoid interference.
Most important, burn this list after reading, no exceptions! Your orders can be clarified if you knuckleheads forget, but this list falling into the hands of the Intelligence Division would be disastrous.
"I don't like doing this," muttered the assistant, breaking the tense silence in the cab of the orbal van. "She looks like any other girl."
"But she's not!" snapped the driver, "you think real Jaegers would be squeamish about this? We'll never make it to the big leagues if we can't handle something like this. We keep this up until the locals pipe down about the tax increases. Those are our orders. It's not different from unleashing any other kind of monster on the town."
"I wish it was any other kind of monster! Not to mention this'll take ages to work, no one believes in vampires. They're like witches and all that other hocus pocus nonsense, no one will buy into this."
"That's exactly what'll the give those noble stuffed shirts an excuse to ignore for it as long as necessary. Use your head! If some dirty great lizard was running around Celdic after dark, would they have the same excuse? Between this and the other team, they'll crack in no time and no one will be any the wiser. Now shut up, I'm going to get some sleep while we don't have to listen to that monster howling in the sun."
Scene Break Here
Last Night
An old man was sitting alone in a park in Saint Arkh, reading the latest edition of the imperial chronicle with an annoyed expression on his face. He was Lord Marlbow and he read the paper to be updated on the latest events, not read trivial fairy tales about fictional blood suckers haunting some yokel farmers up north. If there'd been any attacks at all, it was more likely to have been some escaped lunatic in his opinion. This country was full of them, every day some quack in the Reformist Faction was saying something that should have gotten them committed. There were more than enough horror stories coming out of Heimdallr without reporters chasing up nonsense stories like this.
"Ha! Vampires!" he scoffed, "what nonsense! The only bloodsuckers I know of are in City Hall!"
"I wouldn't be so quick to judge if I were you," Lord Marlbow nearly jumped out of his skin as a young woman seemed to appear as though as thin air, right in front of him. "The night is ever so deep and dark, Lord Marlbow, and you would be a fool to think the light of Aidios penetrates to all corners," she smiled sinisterly, revealing sharp teeth.
"Who are you!?" he demanded, "how do you know my name!?"
"Don't be foolish, your lordship, we are old friends," her words rang with eldritch power and instantly calmed him.
"Oh yes! How have you been lately miss… I uh, seem to have forgotten your name, how embarrassing. You must forgive me."
"Must I? Perhaps. Would you be so kind as to loan me your copy of the Imperial Chronicle?"
"Certainly! I'd just about finished with the old rag anyway, bunch of nonsense printed in there are usual!" He folded up the paper and handed it to her. "Keep it. I'll just be going_"
"Wait," commanded the woman, who was almost certainly a vampire, and Lord Marlbow froze on the spot, eyes glazed over. With that dealt with, she proceeded to ignore him, and went on to read the article on vampire attacks in Celdic. "I wonder… A true vampire would better hide their tracks than this, but those half-breeds on the other hand… I think I might have finally found the Half Moon Clan. I think I might have finally found him. Could be nothing, or a just a lesser monster attacking locals. But this is the best lead I've had in a while. I'll need to investigate. But first, a little snack," she turned to Lord Marlbow, "you will forget me and everything that happened during our meeting."
Several hours later, Lord Marlbow woke up on the park bench he'd been sitting on earlier, Imperial Chronicle sitting on his lap. He felt weak and sickly, and the night air was unbearably cold. He quickly clutched his walking stick and hurried back towards his mansion. The following morning when he noticed so small puncture marks on his neck while shaving, he would blame it on a biting insect while he'd dozed off in the park last night. Certainly not a on a vampire, because vampires didn't exist.
Scene Break Here
It was official, Evander sucked at Blade. Group A were playing the cult hit card game while Sara snoozed across the aisle, and Evander had lost every single time he'd played. Badly. Like he never even stood a chance. After getting beaten by Rean yet again, he threw his cards down in disgust.
"I hate this game! It's impossible! There's no skill involved, it's all random chance!"
"You'd think a telepath would have better luck though," mused Elliot.
"He's not really a telepath," said Rean.
"I am so telepathetic!" protested Evander, "what do you know?"
"How to whip you at Blade, apparently."
"Shut up! Laura, back me up, this game is garbage, right?"
"I'll admit, there is an element of luck present, but one can still be effective with the right strategy. I quite like it."
"Ugh! Gambling addicts the lot of you!"
"But we're not betting anything," said Elliot.
"And you're not one to lecture us on gambling, Mister Heimdallr Racetrack," added Rean.
"Blade is a gateway to gambling. One card game leads to another. You lot will be drooling in front of poker tables in no time. I'm warning you. I'm not playing anymore!"
"Fine then," said Rean, collecting his cards, "perhaps you'd like to talk about your hometown a little bit? We'll be there soon enough."
"For the hundredth time! I do not live in Celdic! I live on a farm outside Celdic and only visit on occasion. But I guess that makes me more qualified than the rest of you, so I'll give it a go. Celdic is a small town surrounded by farms, it's main feature is the Grand Market in the town centre which sells not only the local produce but a variety of other goods from all over the empire and beyond. It doesn't have a mayor per se, but is sort of led by the Market Manager, a man named Otto unless he's been replaced since I left. Let's see, what else? The most famous local merchant is probably Becky's father, Lymon, every says he's certain to become the next market manager when Otto retires. The Septian Church is run by Father Zirbel, who I suppose is decent enough even if he's got no sense of humour. Travellers tend to stay at the Weathercock Inn and there's also a blacksmith workshop and orbal factory in town, run by a father and son team. The Kreuzen Provincial Army has a barracks there, headed by Colonel Banadon, who I've never met but apparently he's sent letters to our farm and his men sometimes prowl around. There's no lower ranked noble directly in charge of Celdic, so they answer directly to Duke Albarea. He's been causing some ruckus with massive tax hikes."
"Your parents make a living selling their wares, right?" asked Elliot, "aren't the tax hikes a problem for you then?"
"Would be if my parents paid their taxes," said Evander, shrugging, "but they've been refusing of late. Probably why we've been getting furious letters from Colonel Banadon, threatening to arrest dad."
"While I understand the problems caused by the high taxes," said Laura, "it's something my own father, the Viscount of Legram has been forced to deal with the backlash of, is it truly wise for your parents to refuse to pay?"
"Probably not," admitted Evander, "I'm getting worried about it myself. Dad says our family don't benefit anything from the tax increases and therefore have no obligation to pay them but when I asked Machias if that was a real thing even he admitted that was shaky at best. And Jusis just gave me a look like I was stupid."
"Is the trouble with the taxes the reason why it's a bad idea for us to visit your family?" asked Rean, "I was really looking forward to seeing where you grew up."
"Uh, kind of. In reality my parents and my sister are a little eccentric, and we don't have many guests. Or much contact at all with outsiders to be honest. You probably wouldn't enjoy it."
"Fair enough. I hope you'll get time to for a short visit at least, it'd be a waste to go there and not see them."
"I do miss them. I just hope nothing bad has happened since I left. They're the only family I have after all. The only ones who understand what it's like to_ uh, be a weirdo like me."
"Alright. But if anything does turn out to be wrong feel free to ask me for a hand," offered Rean.
"Thanks Rean, I really appreciate it!"
"Enough to face me in another game of Blade?"
"Not that much!"
Scene Break Here
Now all I need, thought Evander as they disembarked the train at Celdic station, is for no one to mention vampires, and then Sara will find out this is all just a big misunderstanding and everything will be well.
"Extra extra! Read all about it! Vampires in Celdic!" yelled a young boy selling newspapers outside the station, his voice assaulting their ears the moment they got into town. "Deranged vampire girl attacks local! Find out more for just one hundred mira!"
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" complained Evander, "Aidios hates me!"
"Haha," laughed Elliot, "looks like your sister is at it again Evander," he joked. At least he thought he was joking, only for Evander to nearly have a nervous breakdown, the boy went even paler and his left eye started twitching.
"Who told you that!?" he demanded, "is that what they're saying!?"
"I was joking!" said Elliot, "you know, because you said your sister bites people?"
"I never said that," lied Evander, "and if I did, you never heard it. Are we clear?"
"Oh look," Alisa checked her watch, "not even a minute in and Evander has lost his mind."
"To be fair, that was a strange reaction, even for him," said Laura.
"You're a strange reaction!" snapped Evander, "I mean, sorry. I uh, just don't like people speaking ill of my sister."
"Evander's right," said Rean, who had the mother of all sister complexes himself, "we shouldn't joke around about people's relatives."
"Vampires in Celdic!" continued the boy, wandering over to continue his sales pitch directly to the students, "they could be anywhere! You won't know unless you buy a copy of the Imperial Chronicle. They could be right here in front of_ Evander! I almost didn't recognise you! Why aren't you all hideous and burned?"
"Nice to see you too Tim," said Evander, rolling his eyes. "Let's just say my appearance is a miracle of modern technology and leave it at that."
"It's not just that," Tim peered at him curiously, "I don't hate you nearly as much as I used to. Maybe you being away for a month at that academy has made you less obnoxious."
"You little twerp! How about you stop selling that garbage? It's scaring people."
"No way! I've gotta make a living here!"
"I'll buy your whole stock then."
"As if, I know you Evander, you're as broke as a joke."
"I had millions of mira a couple of weeks ago!" protested Evander.
"Yeah sure, what happened to it then?"
"Government confiscated it."
"They should confiscate your birth certificate," said Tim, "that lie sucked!"
"Actually, he's telling the truth," said Rean, "I'd tell you more about it, but I wouldn't want you to follow his example."
"Seriously? I sense a major scoop here! I'll stop selling papers for twenty-four hours if you tell me more."
"How about you stop selling them permanently or I'll hit you over the head with a lead pipe?" countered Evander.
"Ah, it brings a tear to my eye to see my students all grown up and doing business deals," said Sara, wandering over from where she'd been talking to the station attendant, "but I'm afraid I have to cut your entrepreneurial spirit short. You five need to check into the inn and get your first set of tasks for this field study."
"Uhuh," said Alisa, "and what will you be doing Instructor?"
"I have some business to take care of outside of town," she said, giving Evander a significant look. "I'll be back as soon as possible, but I'm not here to babysit you anyway."
"Suuure," said Alisa, "important business. I bet it starts with 'gettting' and ends with 'drunk.' Admit it, you're just going to sneak into the inn after we're gone and get plastered."
"I don't know where I got this reputation of being drunk all the time!" complained Sara.
"Yeah guys," said Rean, "she's sober a lot of the, well, some of the time."
"That wasn't very supportive," said Laura, chuckling.
"You kids are awful! I'm out of here!" Sara stalked off towards the highway in high dudgeon, and that was that.
"Shall we get going?" asked Elliot, "remember, we've got to write reports after all this too, so we should get started." The rest of the group nodded and started heading towards the inn. Evander lagged behind, distracted by his nerves, hoping his family were alright. Suddenly there was another stabbing pain in his head, and he saw a brief vision of dancing flames. Hope was one thing, but all the evidence was pointing to there being something rotten going on in Celdic, and the Half Moon Clan were almost definitely wrapped up in it.
Scene Break Here
Sara wasn't called the Purple Lightning for nothing, even though it was a stiff hike out to Half Moon Ranch she made it in record time. Or at least she made it to the former site of Half Moon Ranch, because the main building appeared to have been burned down in the recent past and there wasn't a soul in sight. Sara knew better than to take that at first glance though, if her years as a Bracer had taught her anything, it was that it was always important to investigate, no matter how obvious things looked. Even the most open and shut case could have hidden depths. She began to scope out of the farm, putting the clues together. First was the large trail of footprints leading up to the burned down building. A sizable group of people wearing heavy combat boots had approached the farm, since the only armed forces nearby were the Kreuzen Provincial Army, they were likely suspects. Second, she found a burned scrap of paper that was part of a notice of property seizure. Third, were the signs of a scuffle, dried blood and crushed grass. It looked as though some soldiers had come here to seize to the farm due to tax dereliction and a fight had broken out. But how had that translated to the farm burning down and Evander's sister wandering the countryside attacking people? Had she survived the attack only to end up dazed and alone? Fighting her terrible hunger without support? If so, Sara had to find her fast.
But she couldn't leave without at least trying to find out what had happened to Evander's parents, and her trained investigator's eye quickly picked out something out of place. The ash from the burned down building was piled particularly thickly over a square patch in the centre of the rubble, as though it had been deliberately swept there to conceal something. She crouched down in the ash and swept away a patch and revealed a heavy steel trap door beneath it. Maybe they'd retreated to a hidden bunker? She rapped her knuckles against the door, calling out loudly.
"Regulus, Adaline! It's Sara, are you in there?" She was answered almost immediately by the sound of locks being thrown back and she leapt off the trapdoor just as it swung open. A tall, well-built man sprang out, wielding an axe and snarling viciously. Thankfully he recognised Sara a moment later and lowered the axe and sagged in relief.
"Sara! Thank Aidios you're here! We didn't know who to turn to. They took Thalia! We don't know where she is, we've been scouring the hills every night but they're blocking her scent somehow."
"Calm down for a minute," said Sara, "start from the beginning. What exactly happened Regulus?"
"I was stupid!" fumed Regulus, "I was being stubborn about my taxes, and I've paid for it. The provincial army came, led by Colonel Banadon himself with some stupid letter of seizure. I got angry at him, lost my temper and the heightened emotions set Thalia off. She's still so new to this life, and her hunger is terrible to behold. She frenzied and attacked one of the soldiers and then they were grabbing her, dragging her off. We tried to fight them off, Adaline and I, but they were shooting wildly and a shot hit the orbal lamp on the porch and set the place ablaze. And I…" he trailed off, "lost my mind," he continued finally, "you know I'm pyrophobic, I pretty much black out in terror at the sight of flames. Next thing I knew, I'm in the bunker, Adaline dragged me there in the chaos. Thalia was gone, the soldiers were gone, the house was gone. It's all my fault."
"Don't be stupid," Regulus' wife, Adaline, emerged from the bunker, "it's all that rat of a Colonel's fault! If he hadn't come here with his stupid forfeiture notice, none of this would have happened. And now he's kidnapped our daughter and is using her in some scheme to force the tax increases through without resistance from the locals. They're making her attack people somehow, it's sickening! And it's going to set her back years psychologically. What can we do Sara? Reggie wanted to attack the Provincial Army Barracks, but there are only two of us, and we don't even know if she's there."
"Whatever you do, don't do that!" said Sara, "attacking them would only make things worse, and I'm almost certain she wouldn't be held there. It's more than likely they've got some paid thugs handling the actual dirty work. Their only role will be to swoop and 'save the day' when the locals get desperate enough. Please, just give me some time, I swear I will find your daughter."
"What about Evander?" asked Adaline, "is he safe back in Trista?"
"I'm afraid not. He's here with some of his classmates on a field study. Couldn't be avoided, he's under orders from the Intelligence Division and they're putting pressure on all of us at Thors to comply. I was going to send him to Parm instead but it wasn't to be."
"You've got to get back to Celdic then!" said Regulus! "Evander is known in town, and they'll have issued arrest warrants for the whole family over the attack on our farm."
"I'm on my way," said Sara grimly, "don't worry, I'll sort this out. I swore I'd protect your family and I mean to keep my word." And so Sara raced back in the direction of Celdic, hurrying to prevent a disaster.
Scene Break Here
Things started off smoothly enough back in Trista, after some quibbling over the sleeping arrangements and a quick meal at the Inn they set about preparing to complete their first tasks. That meant getting some info from Father Zirbel and picking up a replacement orbal light bulb for the broken lamp out on the west highway. Every couple of paces they were stopped by locals baffled by Evander's healthy appearance and/or their sudden lack of a dislike for him, but eventually they made it over to the west exit of town before everything started to go wrong. A trio of Provincial Army soldiers were just getting back from a patrol of the countryside and were immediately suspicious of the students from Thors. Celdic did see a lot of traffic, but usually from merchants and these kids didn't look like merchants. They looked like trouble, and with their two-pronged plan in place, they last thing they needed was trouble.
"You there!" called the commander, "I haven't seen any of you before. What business do you have in Celdic?" Evander suddenly got the impression it would be very bad to seen by these men and tried to lurk unobtrusively in the background while Rean spoke with them.
"We're students of Thors Military Academy," explained Rean, "we're here to complete a field study in Celdic and the surrounding countryside."
"Field study? I never heard of anything like that before…" said the commander suspiciously, "that is the Thors emblem on your uniforms though. What exactly does your field study entail? If military cadets from outside the region were going to operate here we should have been informed!"
"You have our apologies," said Laura formally, "normally we would have introduced ourselves earlier," she lied, "but we had some preliminary tasks to take care of here in town first and thought it could wait a moment. I am Laura S. Arseid, daughter of Viscount Arseid of Legram, these are my classmates_" The soldier waved his hand impatiently.
"I don't need to be introduced to common rabble, which they look like, clearly, you're in charge here Lady Arseid, I demand to know what you'll be doing here in Celdic. This is a very delicate time for the region."
"I don't really think that's any of your business," said Alisa, looking incredibly offended by that common rabble comment.
"Excuse me!? I should take you in for questioning right now if that's going to be your attitude! Maybe you're the arsonists we're looking for, eh? When did you get into town!?"
"We've barely been here an hour!" said Elliot, "we didn't burn anything!"
"Arsonists? What exactly was burned down?" asked Rean, "perhaps we can help you help you investigate."
"As if we would need help from a pack of greenhorns like you! It's not even a serious crime, just a fire over at some remote farm a family of kooks live at. They're part of some sort of cult, probably self-immolated for all we know, because we can't find any trace of them." Evander forgot all about keeping a low profile, there was only one farm he could be referring to.
"You mean Half-Moon Ranch?" he demanded, pushing his way to the front of the group and squaring off with the three soldiers. "How dare you call them_" His head nearly exploded in pain and a vision swam before his eyes, his family home in flames and flashes of men in uniforms. The exact same uniform the men in front of him were wearing. "You bastards! What did you do to them!?"
"Listen you deranged degenerate how dare you accuse of us anything! Who are you!?"
"Evander, what are you doing?" hissed Rean, "are you sure they've done anything?"
"I know they burned my house down! And they stand here pretending to investigate in some pathetic attempt to scare us off."
"Hold on, your house!?" demanded the officer. "I repeat, who are you!?"
"They called him Evander," said one of the soldiers, "don't we have a warrant for an Evander sir?"
"Indeed we do," said the commander, smiling nastily, "Reynolds call for backup!" The barracks were only a matter of metres away as one of the soldiers ran off towards them, everyone knew this place would be swarming with soldiers in a matter of minutes. "Evander, formerly of Half Moon Ranch, the provincial army of Kreuzen exercises it's right to place you under arrest. You are suspected of the deliberate burning of your own residence to spite a tax requisition seizure. You are also suspected of harbouring knowledge regarding the whereabouts of three other fugitives, Regulus, Adaline and Thalia, also formerly of the Half Moon Ranch. If you resist, we are authorised to use force to bring you into compliance."
"Yeah? You and what army?" demanded Evander, hands dropping to the hilts of his swords.
"The Kreuzen Provincial Army, Duke Albarea's personal forces, my army. Take your pick." Soldiers began to flood the streets behind them. "Seize him, Private Ryan."
"Call your man off!" barked Evander, "he lays one hand on me and no one will be able to save Private Ryan."
"Evander, calm down," said Rean, "please, just go with them. We'll find Sara and get you out of this."
"Listen to your friend, Evander," said the commander, "come with us or we'll arrest the lot of you." Evander hesitated, eyes swivelling around to survey the soldiers moving to surround them. They'd hardly place an elite unit out here in the boonies, he and his classmates were probably worth ten of these thugs each. But fighting wouldn't help, even if they won, it wouldn't bring his house back, or find his family. It'd only get them all in more trouble, possibly more trouble than Sara could get them out of. And he had his own ace up his sleeve, just so long as they didn't search him.
"Alright," he said, slowly and deliberately moving his hands away from his swords, "I'll come with you. Just leave my friends alone to complete their field study. They haven't done anything." He subtly disabled his Eternal Night quartz, and the full force of the sun hit him. "And there's no need to drag me off, I'll come of my own free will."
"Hmph. I'm glad you decided to see sense. Very well, follow Private Ryan into the barracks, we'll see you to a cell until a judge can be found to deal with you. But first, surrender your weapons."
"Fine, but take good care of them," said Evander, carefully drawing his blades and offering them to a nearby soldier, hilt first. His plan was already in effect, in the sweltering midday sun, the skin of his hands had already begun to rot and burn and the soldier looked incredibly reluctant to take the swords from him. For some reason his degeneration always started quicker if he'd been blocking it for a long time with his quartz, just like it had been back in the Trista Chapel, like the sun was making up for lost time. Hoping against all hopes that this worked, he followed a squad of soldiers off towards the barracks, mouthing 'I've got this,' to the rest of Group A as he left.
"Very well," said the commander, "in the future Lady Arseid, might I suggest you keep better company? Lest even your nobility fails to protect you for the consequences of their bad behaviour." Threat over with, he and the rest of his men swanned off back to the barracks, looking thoroughly pleased with themselves.
"What are supposed to do!?" said Elliot, "we can't leave him in there!"
"We do it like I said, find Sara and get her help," said Rean. "Only we don't know where she went, only that it's out of town. So why don't split up and kill two birds with one stone? Elliot and I will go west to look for her and handle the Orbal Light request while we're out there. Laura, Alisa, could you go east and look that way? And scope out the monster we're supposed to exterminate as well? If you think, can you defeat it go ahead, otherwise we'll double back and handle it later."
"Sounds like a plan," said Laura, "I'm in agreeance with you. Elliot, Alisa? Your thoughts?"
"Better than sitting around waiting for her to come back," said Alisa, "I'm in."
"Me too," said Elliot, "I think I'd go stir crazy just waiting for help to arrive. And we already know how great Evander is at antagonising soldiers. This is the second time he's been arrested in a month, who knows what'll happen if we leave him in there too long?"
"Good, then let's move out," said Rean, "good luck everybody!"
Scene Break Here
Just like Evander had thought, the soldiers, nobles all of them, hadn't wanted to go anywhere near him once his sunlight allergy flared up. He'd made sure to stand directly in front of any windows he could find while being processed, and by the time they threw him in his cell, without searching him like he'd planned, he looked downright ghoulish. That meant he still had his Arcus and more importantly, the portable communication link directly the Intelligence Division he'd received shortly before their departure for Celdic. Captain Claire had been true to her word, he could call up any time of the day or night and be connected with her or another agent. If anyone could get him out of here and help him find his parents and sister, it'd be them. And he was pretty sure they'd want to help, because this definitely had something to do with the conspiracy in Celdic. Now he just had to get the guards outside his cell to give him some privacy so he could call. Being sickly had already worked once, so he decided to continue with that strategy by coughing loudly and doubling over in feigned pain.
"Cut that out!" snapped one of his guards after several minutes of this, "we're not going to let you out no matter how much racket you make."
"I'm not trying to get out. I wouldn't want everyone out there to catch what I've got. This stuff is highly contagious," said Evander, resisting the urge to grin when the two guards instinctively flinched away from him.
"What is? What's contagious?" demanded the other guard,
"My illness, it's called uh, Ghoulus Maximus. It's why I look like this, it's a rapidly progressing contagion. First comes then the skin condition, then the cough, then well… you don't even want to know, but it's not pretty."
"He's bluffing," said one guard after a long silence. "I haven't heard anything about that."
"What if he's not bluffing though," said the other guard, "he's not human after all, who knows what kind of filth he's carrying?"
"You've got a point. I think it's about time we took our break, he's not going anywhere. Come on, I'll buy you a beer at the inn, let's get out of here." The two of them practically bolted out of the cell block, leaving Evander to his own devices. He could have called the Intelligence Division right away, but he figured he might as well try and gather some information first. Though it made his thirst flare up terribly, he focussed his hearing to a frankly insane level, until he could hear the commanding officer addressing his subordinates on the other side of the barracks.
"Sir, why did we bother arresting the second vampire?" asked one of the soldiers, "it's hard enough controlling the girl we took, are we going to use him to attack locals too?"
"No," said the commander, "we don't need any changes to the plan right now, I just wanted him out of the way. We'll let him stew for a bit and then see if he knows where his parents are."
"But he just got here," pointed out another soldier, "how would he know anything?"
"They've all got some weird psychic link up, that's why we had to go to such pains to hide the girl. If we can use him to find the parents we can detain them too, stop them blabbing about that fire at their ranch. Once we've contained all those parasites and the locals stop fighting the Duke everything will be under control. Now dismissed, you know what to do about the upcoming scene at the Grand Market."
Evander swore under his breath, these bastards had his sister and were somehow forcing her to attack the locals. And not only that, but they'd been involved in his house burning down and sending his parents into hiding. Hopefully Sara could find them at least, and the intelligence division could handle his sister. He'd also picked up on them being about to try something at the Grand Market, but he was probably too late to stop that, locked up in here as he was. The RMP were fast, but unless they got here within the next hour or so he had a feeling things would already be in motion. He checked again to make sure he was alone, and then pulled out the private communicator. Now what was that stupid code name they'd given him again to confirm his identity? The confusion had nearly driven the information from his head, but he swiftly remembered and got to work.
"This is the Starving Leech calling in with a report and a request for urgent assistance, please reply."
"Starving Leech, we read you, this is Captain Claire, go ahead."
"Thank Aidios, things are going bananas over here. My sister has been kidnapped somehow and she's behind the series of vampire attacks on the locals."
"Yes, we caught that news article too and were planning on investigating, thank you for confirmation."
"Thank you for confirmation? Is that it? You are going to help her, right?"
"Sorry, I can imagine how stressed you are right now, I should explain myself better. We have an operative_" Evander had a flashing image, accompanied by the usual pain, of a scarecrow standing guard over a field swarming with crows, "who has a similar gift to yours. He's been narrowing down locations your sister could be held out since we read the article. We're close to locking in her location. We'll have an RMP team sent out ASAP when we know for sure."
"I should be there for that, strangers will only make things worse for her."
"Negative, you are not to directly engage in operations with the RMP or Intelligence Division yet. A squad will collect your parents on the way, they can calm her down."
"Well, that's a problem too, because I suspect the Provincial Army attacked Half Moon Ranch and burned it to the ground. My parents are missing. Instructor Sara is looking for them but_"
"You have to stay strong, if anyone can find them it's your instructor. Update us on her progress if you can, but if she has nothing by the time, we're moving I'll get my best investigators onto locating them."
"The local army, can anything be done about them burning the farm down? That was my home, the only home I've ever known."
"Assuming they don't just deny it entirely, we suspect they were using your parents tax dereliction as an excuse to seize the property anyway. They can make up any excuse they want about how the fire started while they were. It's not worth pursuing."
"Not worth pursuing!? I'll tell you what excuse they're using, they're tyring to pin it on me! I've been locked up in the barracks!" There was an awkward silence on the other end before Claire finally answered.
"Oh. In that case we have some leverage on Colonel Banadon, we'll have you out within the hour. Just hang tight and don't tell them anything until our message arrives. Is there anything else you need to report?"
"Just that you were right about the conspiracy, they've got different irons in the fire. My sister is just one of the threats they're using against the locals. I overhead some mention of a disruption at the Grand Market soon, but I don't know what exactly it involves."
"Okay, we'll look into it. If there's nothing else, keep this line quiet in case they catch you using it. We'll have you out soon. Captain Claire out." Evander quickly hid the communicator and reactivated his Eternal Night Quartz. There was no need to look sick if he was going to be out of here in a moment anyway. He lay down on the bunk in his cell and stared at the ceiling, absently finding himself counting the tiles to pass the time. He'd counted them, once, twice and a third time to make sure and was just about to look for something else to count when he heard furious shouting beyond the cell block followed by pounding footsteps. A few seconds later Colonel Banadon burst in with two soldiers in two, looking furious and a little afraid.
"Where in the blazes are your guards!?" he demanded, looking around in confusion.
"I got rid of them," said Evander, smirking.
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out."
"I suppose you think you're clever, you stinking little leech. I don't know how you got word to those spooks in Intelligence when you've been locked in here but I wouldn't count on it working again. I don't know why you weren't searched but_"
"Searching me wouldn't have helped," lied Evander, "you know I'm psychic right? No prison can hold me. I could break out of here in an instant. But you're going to be a good boy and let me out, right?"
"Ugh!" the colonel growled in impotent rage, whatever the Intelligence Division had on him, it must be good. "Don't provoke me, parasite."
"Or what?"
"Your friends don't have the same protection you do…" he said menacingly, but Evander's insight snapped in again, calling the Colonel a liar. It hurt like hell, but his training with Beryl was paying off, he was getting clues when he needed them.
"You can't touch them either," said Evander, "they're too important." He didn't even know what that meant, but that's what his insight was telling him. Laura he could understand, she was a noble. But why couldn't they arrest Rean, Elliot or Alisa? Alisa wouldn't even give her last name and Rean had sworn he was a commoner or something to that effect. As for Elliot, he'd said something about his father being a soldier, maybe he was really a high ranking one?
"I don't know how the Septian vampire hunters missed your little den of leeches," snarled Colonel Banadon, "but I will personally see they don't do so twice. Your whole rotten family is finished in Celdic, whatever happens here. Open the door men, I want this leech out of my sight! Escort him to the inn and don't let him leave until his instructor personally arrives to supervise him. You can complete your field study and then get out of my town!"
Scene Break Here
The two soldiers who were supposed to have been guarding Evander nearly died of horror when he suddenly popped up beside them in the inn.
"Someone's in trouble," he told them in a sing song voice, "and it's not me. Good afternoon gentlemen, can I interest you in this fine document?" he waved his discharge papers, grudgingly issued by the colonel, in their faces. "I'm free, and I made sure the Colonel knew it was all thanks to you. I'd scram back there and start grovelling if I were you. You might keep your lousy jobs if you beg hard enough. The soldiers didn't even finish their drinks, practically throwing themselves off their stools and bolting for the door. "Ah, that's better," Evander hopped onto one of the recently vacated stools and hailed the owner.
"Excuse me but have you heard from my instructor? Is she back yet?"
"No, I'm sorry dear," she said, "but you're welcome to wait here. I don't know what trouble you're in with those louts out there, but you should be safe in here. I don't tolerate any rough housing, and this is the only place in town to get a drink, so they stay on my good side."
"Thanks! I mean, I'm actually not allowed to leave, but your offer was still really generous all the same. I didn't think people would risk their neck for me in this town."
"Whyever not? Because you look funny in the sun? I never bought into those rumours about your family young man, no one with any sense ever did. Now have a glass on juice on the house, you look like you've had a rough day."
So it came to be that when Rean and Elliot burst in with Instructor Sara, babbling about how Evander had been arrested, they were immediately confronted with the sight of Evander chilling out at the bar, drinking an ice cold glass of apple juice. Rean stared at him in bafflement.
"How on earth!? You were in jail!"
"Yes, I was. And I'm not anymore. Um, tada! I'm a wizard!" No one was buying it. "Okay, I've got some explaining to do, don't I? Only it's going to be confusing because I can't talk about a lot of it and_"
"Oh forget about it," said Sara, rolling her eyes, "it's just one less problem to deal with Evander. Rean, Elliot, fetch Laura and Alisa if you can and then meet me back here. I need to have a private chat with Evander for the time being."
"Did you find my parents?" asked Evander, his voice rising in excitement.
"Yes, and more besides. Things are about to get really crazy here in Celdic," she said ominously.
"Oh boy," said Elliot, "was it really too much to hope for a pleasant trip in the countryside?" he asked.
"Yes!" chorused everyone else, because, what else could they say? Wherever Evander went, chaos followed. The whole conspiracy was coming to a head, and things would never be the same for Evander or his adopted family.