Chapter 7 – Reversal of Fortune (Corvo)
Once dusk fell on Wolfhaven, the lively town rapidly wound down. Most of its residents ceased their work, or play, and retreated into their comfy homes for dinner and rest with their kin. A few mons lingered after dark, such as sleepless partiers gathering in basement pubs, and a small team of fire-types who walked the streets, lighting the town's lamps.
As time inched closer to midnight, the town grew ever more empty and quiet. The only persistent sound was the occasional breeze, swaying some shop signs and ringing distant wind chimes. The streets basked in amber and silver glows, from lamplight and moonlight, while the windows of each home glowed with lambent candlelight.
And as the denizens of Wolfhaven settled into their warm, comfortable beds, a late-night lurker watched as the windows went dark, one-by-one.
"No rest for the wicked," Corvo said to himself. He stood in an alley between the buildings, as he usually did, waiting for those two idiots to come back. By then he had lost track of time– he had no watch and there weren't any clocks nearby.
As more window lights flickered out, the Snivy pulled out a blank, polished, silver coin. The full moon gave him enough light to see his own reflection on the metal.
"Must be real nice, huh? Havin' a roof over your head, knowin' when your next meal is comin'."
A familiar rumbling gurgled in his belly.
Corvo sighed, set the coin aside, and inspected his backpack. Inside he found his map of Chronovania, a burlap sack, and a small lamp– which he hadn't dared to light on his own in a long time– but no food.
"Pfft, figures," he zipped it shut. "Dunno why I keep checkin', like food's just gonna magically pop in when I'm not lookin'…"
So he leaned against the wall, arms crossed and idly tapping the ground with his foot. Waiting was the worst part of his work, but he learned to tolerate it. After all, making a move at the wrong time could land him behind bars, or worse. Before long, he stared into his blank, silver coin again.
"Just hope they show up," he spoke in a low voice. "This whole prospect's been a bust so far. But if I get that elixir back, it'll all be worth it. So long as it fetches as high a price as they say."
A cold wind blew by, making him shiver. Maybe he could've told them to meet him at his little hideout, save himself from the weather. Then again, they'd probably get lost. Not to mention, telling anyone where he hung his hammock was a risk. As he tried not to think about it, once again his stomach rumbled with gnawing hunger. He tried his best to ignore it.
"I guess I'm used to an empty belly by now." But was that actually a good thing?
Rather than dwell on his hunger, he opened his bag again, retrieving the burlap sack. As he gently parted it open, the abundant gold and opal inside sparked in the moonlight. He scowled at it.
"It'd be a lot easier if I could just dump this in a ditch and run off, but no. Just had to get spotted. They're probably drawin' up posters o' me tonight." He pulled the sack's strings, closing it tight. "Well when I hand this off to 'em, it won't be my problem anymore. They can deal with the trouble, and I'll be long gone 'fore they realize what hit 'em."
A sigh left his lips, and he started flicking his coin.
Ding!
As he flipped the silver in the air, catching and tossing it, he thought about where he could go after this. Pineridge, maybe? It'd be a longshot…
"Eh, anywhere's a longshot."
This whole summer had been one rough patch after another, with Corvo struggling to get by no matter what town he drifted to. There was almost no 'merchandise' left to sell, and even less money. But if he got that medicine back intact, then everything would be okay. Maybe.
"If these guys actually show up, that is," he irritably whispered.
It had been hours since anyone passed by. By now Corvo was getting chilly, and daydreaming about his next meal. Maybe those two changed their minds, or got lost. Or busted. If he wasn't worried about being followed, he might've gone after that Axew himself.
Overhead, a large cloud eclipsed the moon, shutting out its silver light. It grew dark enough that Corvo could no longer see his reflection in the coin.
"Might be time to turn in," he mumbled. He could come up with some other escape plan in the morning. Corvo didn't like it, but thinking ahead was a luxury he couldn't afford.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw what looked like a pair of moving shadows, lit by a lone flame. Corvo held still, waiting to see if the two silhouettes would approach. As they did, their shapes gradually came into focus, and their light showed their colors as they got closer. There was no doubt– it was Totodile and Charmander.
Corvo grinned. Those idiots did come back after all. Good for them– and even better for him.
"Heya," he called out, drawing their attention. "Looks like ya didn't get lost after all."
"Naw," the Totodile answered.
"Let's get down the business, then," Corvo said. "So, ya got the goods?"
"Nope!" the Charmander proudly stated.
The Snivy blinked. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't joking. Just like that, Corvo's smile was gone. "Er, what, then what'dja come back for?"
Something felt wrong. They didn't sound bummed out. In fact, they sounded confident… Dangerously confident.
"We don't have it," the Totodile said. He stepped aside, gesturing to where they had walked from. "But he does."
Another figure emerged from the dark. As they did, the cloud overhead continued rolling by, gradually revealing the moon again. Silver light beamed down, lighting up someone the same size as the Totodile. They had a brown body and a white head– which Corvo quickly realized was a helmet: a Cubone.
The Snivy's mouth twitched. He tensed up, but kept his cool, and his eyes on the stranger. Particularly, on the black bottle he held close to his chest– the only thing that mattered in this whole mess.
"Are you Corvo?" The Cubone asked.
Corvo smirked, glancing left and right. "Who, me? Don't see anyone else 'round here, stranger, so it must be me." He gave a cordial bow. "What can I do for ya, bonehead?"
The Charmander chuckled, though the Cubone went on casually. "My name is William. I'm with Leon and Jacob here. I believe you're looking for this." He held up the elixir bottle.
Corvo flashed his sharklike-smile. "I see you're working with my newest 'associates.' Can't say I know how you got involved, but that's alright. Ol' Corvo has plenty of payout to spare." He reached for his sack of treasure. "You all met your end of the bargain, now lemme fulfill mine…"
"Not yet," William cut in.
Corvo glanced up, confused. "Say what? Sorry, already hashed this out with those two. We can't change the–"
"We'll make the deal, but not here." The Cubone tilted his head back. "I have another place in mind. That won't be a problem, will it?"
Corvo's smile flattened faster than cake batter in a skillet. "I mean–"
"Why would it be a problem?" Totodile cut in, wearing a toothy smile.
"Yeah, we just wanna show you something," Charmander added, mirroring the same confidence.
They were definitely planning something. Their outward smugness was already grating on him. "I don't see why–"
"We're just trading some items," William continued in a strange, stoic tone. "Doing it somewhere else shouldn't be an issue, unless you're intending to deceive us. But you wouldn't do that, would you?" The Cubone's eyes traced over him, like he was reading Corvo for any reactions. "Otherwise, we'll just keep this."
"No, I–" Corvo stopped, and looked over his shoulder to expel a frustrated sigh. They were taking control of the deal's terms, and everything they were saying raised all kinds of red flags. But his backup plans were more empty than his belly right now. "…Fine." he growled.
"This way," William answered as he turned around. He and the brothers walked on, prompting Corvo to follow them.
As the four of them walked through Wolfhaven's empty streets, Corvo's eyes darted left and right. Any movement on the edges of the lamplight, any sign that something was gonna pop up and jump him, Corvo was ready to bolt and bug-out… Though running on crumbs wouldn't do any favors for his speed.
"Where we goin', anyway?" Corvo asked, not bothering to hide his irritation.
"Oh, it's a place you know," Leon said.
"Yeah, we talked about it before," Jacob added.
So now they're just being vague. They were scheming something alright, or just trying to piss him off. "How 'bout some details?" Corvo pressed.
"Hmm, details don't make much a difference," Leon remarked, mimicking Corvo's tone and earning a glare from the Snivy.
"Ha ha, real funny," he deadpanned. "Just so ya know, I don't like surprise parties. And it ain't my birthday, so I'm not lookin' for cake."
"…The cake won't know that," Jacob murmured. Suddenly, he and Leon were both snorting and chuckling themselves silly.
Corvo scowled at them. "The hell are you two laughin' about?" Did they hit some drugs on their way back, or something?
"We've arrived," William said.
Corvo glanced up. Once he realized where they were his eyes widened– they stood in front of the Wolfhaven Guild. The big, overdesigned hunk of wood glowed in silver moonlight, with a bird's shadow cast behind the moon as it flew by. "You've gotta be kidding me."
He could guess where this was going– baited into a den full of so-called heroes ready to nab 'the bad guy' so they can all feel good about themselves.
"Something wrong, Corvo?" Leon asked.
"Yeah, is there a problem?" Jacob added.
Corvo shot the brothers a dirty look. Their smug attitude was getting even more annoying than his own hunger. But he had to play along, else they'd get suspicious, and they probably had a backup plan.
"No," he replied. "Let's… go."
William pushed the front doors open, and the four entered the main hall. It was quiet, vast, and empty. The place was dimly lit by candles and a chandelier above. A few others were there, like some burly-looking mons sitting off to the side– probably some kind of guards– and a Linoone sitting at the front desk, reading a book.
"A'right, we're here," Corvo spoke up as they approached the desk. "We tradin' now?"
"Not yet," Leon replied.
Before anyone else could speak, the Linoone addressed them. "What can I help you with?"
The Totodile stepped forward. "We'd like to join the guild," he answered.
The Linoone did not immediately react. After a moment he peeked over his book. "Oh, well then–" he closed it and set it aside. "Bit of a weird time to ask; you're awfully late. But technically… That's usually not up to me, but… Nevermind that. Okay what are your qualifications?"
"What? You'll just talk to us?" Jacob remarked, surprised.
Leon spoke up. "We came here earlier and–"
"Oh, you talked to Flint? Yeah, that Excadrill fellow. He's picky, but he's not here right now. I can still get you in though. So tell me, why do you want to join?"
They started talking things out, with the brothers going on a tangent about hopes and dreams, solving mysteries, and whatever.
Corvo stood back, hoping that they'd get what they wanted and forget about him altogether. He eyed the guards to the side– a Passimian and Mienfoo– who were idly chit-chatting with each other. The fact they weren't seizing him now was probably a good sign. Still, if they found out about the gold and opal he had in his pack…
"Awesome, awesome!" Linoone cheered. "I think you guys have what we're looking for here! I just have to–"
"What's going on here?" A voice called from the stairs on the left. A lone mon descended them, an Excadrill with an unamused expression. "Oh, you're back," he remarked dryly. "And you've brought some buddies."
"Quartermaster? What are you doing up late?" The Linoone asked.
"That's my business," the Excadrill stated bluntly as he stepped behind the desk. His eyes darted over some papers. "You're recruiting them. Don't bother, I already turned halfa them away."
"So I heard. But they look good to me."
"Recruiting is my job, Mark," the Excadrill replied. "Yours is talking to the visitors we get at night, and that's one or two tops."
Corvo folded his arms. This was one of the guys in charge of the guild? He imagined them a few different ways, but didn't expect one of them to have the personality of burnt toast.
"Tch, is it also your job to be an ass, Flint? Cuz you kind of are one."
"Noted." The Excadrill turned his attention back to the four of them.
The Totodile steeled himself. "We're not taking 'naw' for an answer!"
The Charmander joined in. "We're not backing down!"
In the corner of his vision, Corvo noticed the Passimian and Mienfoo perking up, taking an interest in the scene. He couldn't slip away now, not with those guys staring.
"Look," Excadrill replied, "I'm not doing this to be mean. You're not cut out for this. Doesn't matter if you bring a posse."
"We brought more than just that," Leon countered, then turned to Corvo. "Time to hold up your end of the bargain."
Corvo's veins turned icy. Out of all the times they could've asked to trade, they picked the worst one. "Actually–"
"C'mon!" Jacob cut in. "It's only fair!"
Corvo took a step back. Everyone in the hall was staring at him like he was the last piece of cake on a platter, waiting to be claimed.
"The hell is this about?" The Excadrill mumbled.
To the side, the Cubone approached him. "We'd like to make the trade now," he said.
Corvo blew out a sigh. "Welp, we're all screwed now," he muttered. "Fine," he reached into his backpack, then presented the burlap sack. "Have it your way."
Leon snatched it straight away, then spun around to show it to the Excadrill. "Go on, check it out," he insisted.
The Quartermaster rolled his eyes and peeked into the bag. Meanwhile, William stepped closer to Corvo, holding up the bottle in offering. But Corvo held up his hand, signaling him to wait. If this was gonna play out the way he thought it would, that elixir wouldn't matter.
As the room waited in anticipation, Leon broke the silence.
"Well?"
Excadrill took a deep breath. "So your case for joining us," he spoke slowly, closing the bag. "Is showing me a bag of stolen jewels, belonging to one of the town's matrons, who had reported this theft just yesterday."
A silence hung in the air as they all stared at each other. Corvo's whole plan to pin the theft on someone else just blew up in his face.
"Welp. This got awkward," the Linoone said.
"I knew it!" Leon stomped his feet and pointed at Corvo. "You were cheating us from the start!"
Excadrill put a hand to his forehead. "Every year I think to myself, 'no way, there's no way that the new recruits can get any dumber than the last ones.' Yet–"
"Hey, wait a minute!" Jacob spoke up. "We didn't know these were stolen!"
"We had no hand in this theft," said William.
"I'm not in the mood to deal with this 'he-said she-said' crap," the Excadrill groaned. "None o' that changes the fact that you lot were holding the bag, literally." He set the burlap sack aside, on the desk. "So, I'm gonna have to call up the sheriff."
The mention of law-enforcement sparked an energy of fear and anger in the room, coming together to make panic. While the other three glanced at each other, Corvo tensed up, ready for a fight. He knew he couldn't take down Excadrill or those guards, but he didn't have too. All he had to do was get away, whatever it took, and he could use those unlucky idiots like decoys while he gave everyone else the slip…
"That will not be necessary." A new, female voice spoke up from atop the stairs. All heads turned as a four-legged, orange mon with black stripes appeared. Her chest was adorned by an impressive cream-colored mane, outsized only by her own tail: an Arcanine.
"Guildmaster," the Excadrill addressed her respectfully.
Jacob tapped Leon on the shoulder. "That's the guildmaster?"
"These four," Excadrill gestured to them, "were in possession of jewels that were reported stolen yesterday."
"Yes, I see," The Guildmaster noted. "And you're threatening to have them detained. Tsk tsk, I thought I taught you better than that, Flint."
Flint's jaw hanged open a bit. "Uh, Guildmaster? If they have a stolen item–"
The Guildmaster raised a paw. "That does not automatically mean they are guilty," she said calmly, yet firmly. "It could very well be that they are looking to return those jewels. Or at the very least, they'd be willing to do so, learning that they're stolen."
Flint muttered something under his breath, but slinked back nonetheless. "Yes… of course, Guildmaster." He then shot a dirty look at Mark, who wore a smug smile.
Corvo felt thunderstruck, but relief washed over him nonetheless. He nearly got pinched, but now this "Guildmaster" shows up and literally invents her own story about them! Painting them all as a bunch of goodie-two shoes. All he had to do now was get the elixir back and he'd be on his way.
The Arcanine turned her attention to the four of them. "I apologize for our Quartermaster's hastiness. You wanted to join our guild, is that right?"
"Yeah!" Leon and Jacob cheered in unison.
"Then, I have a proposal. As part of our apology, and as a reward for turning over the jewels, I'll take the four of you under the wings of our guild."
"Really?!" Leon's face lit up.
"Yes!" Jacob high-fived the Totodile.
Corvo hung back, scratching his yellow collar. It sounded like the situation was all taken care of. All he had to do was get the elixir back, and…
"Wait a sec," he spoke up. "Didja say four of us?"
"Indeed I have," the Arcanine replied. "I see you're a part of this group, so my invitation extends to you as well."
Leon opened his mouth like he was gonna say something, but William put a hand on his shoulder.
Corvo chuckled to himself. Him, joining a guild? Drop everything and join up with a bunch of so-called 'heroes'? That'd be crazy! Giving up his freedom, and for what?
"What exactly would joining the guild entail?" William asked.
"You'd enlist as recruits," the Guildmaster explained, "training under our Quartermaster here, among other esteemed guild members. Graduate from basic training, and you'll be able to take on commissions from the town and elsewhere."
"All the while, you'd get to stay in our dorms," Linoone added. "And you'll get dining hall access at mealtimes. It's all paid for."
"So long as you abide by our rules," the Guildmaster clarified. "And if you complete all of your training tasks, which can take a few months. But afterwards, you'll earn the right to form your own official team."
So, free food and rooms were part of the guild's perks? A stable roof to sleep under and regular mealtimes. Corvo rubbed his chin. That sounded… pretty good, actually.
"If you'd like to join, feel free to finish registering with Marcus here," the Arcanine gestured to the Linoone. "And, let me be the first to say 'welcome.'"
"Thanks!" The brothers cheered, and the two ran back up to the desk. William followed behind, looking back at Corvo expectantly.
Corvo folded his arms. Maybe joining up with the guild wasn't such a bad idea after all. He could still make some cash on his own terms, and hide behind the guild's reputation while doing it. Anything goes wrong, and he could bail town like he always did. All in all, it was a damn good deal. And judging by how excited those guys were now, that little incident just now would be water under the bridge soon.
Not like he cared what they thought of him, though.
So he stood behind William, while that Flint guy buzzed off to wherever it was he was going to. After just a couple minutes and signed papers, the four of them were all registered with the guild.
The Guildmaster addressed the Linoone once more. "Marcus, take them upstairs to their dormitories."
Mark nodded. "Of course, Guildmaster." He retrieved a ring of keys, handing one out to each of them. He then led them up the left-hand staircase. They turned left again, venturing down a long hallway with doors on either side. Soft light glowed underneath some of those doors, and excited chit-chat could be heard behind them. Probably more clueless guild rookies, like those other three.
It didn't take long before they reached their own rooms on the right-side of the hallway. While the brothers were given one room, Corvo bunked with the Cubone in the room right next door. The dorms were simple: two beds and desks next to the walls and a window in between. For most folks this was probably just decent. But compared to how he had been living, this was like a little paradise to Corvo.
He smiled as he claimed the bed on the right, leaving his bag on the desk and hopping onto the mattress. The soft, cotton blanket cushioned his body, and his head sank into the fluffy pillow.
"Yeah, this'll work out nicely," he said to himself.
"Pretty hectic just then, was it not?" William remarked. Corvo propped himself up to look at the Cubone, who was leaning against his own bed. "We didn't get a chance to make a proper introduction, but now that we're settled in, it's nice to meet you, Corvo."
"Pfft. You're gonna play nice, after that trouble?"
"I don't believe it was that bad," William said in a casual tone. "It was merely a misunderstanding, I doubt any of us would've been arrested on shaky evidence."
"If you say so," Corvo scoffed. "Let's drop the act. What do ya really want from me?"
"I've heard a few things about you. So, I'm curious about what you're really like."
Corvo stared at him, confused but trying not to show it. This guy didn't seem phased by the threat of jail, or Corvo's own demeanor. What was his deal?
"…What's that supposed to mean?" he asked slowly.
"It means what it sounds like," William shrugged. "As I understand it, you had a run-in with an Axew. How did that come about?"
So this bonehead knew something about what happened today, but Corvo didn't know how much. More importantly, he didn't know what this guy was trying to get out of him, so he wasn't sure how to tackle the question.
"I was just doing business," Corvo answered. "And he didn't like how it turned out. I figure you already know the rest."
"How did you get a hold of that medicine?"
Corvo looked away. "Trade secret," he said quickly.
"And the other two, Leon and Jacob? How'd they get into this?"
"They were down on their luck, so I made a deal with them. Simple."
"Maybe not so simple, on account of that treasure." William glanced down at the strange, jagged-looking club in his right hand. "Why did you try to pass that off to us? Why not just toss it away somewhere?"
Corvo sat up and glared at him. "Geez, what do you want from me, my life's story? You interrogating me?"
"Was it personal?" He continued as if Corvo didn't lash out. "Have they upset you?"
What is it with this guy? Corvo sighed, and spoke in a low, grumbling voice. "…No, nothin' personal. I got in a situation like this before, and tossing it away didn't work. I needed a red Seaking. You know, a misleadin' distraction, just to be safe."
Corvo's collar and tail stood up straight. He realized he was showing his hand– too much of it. Why was he telling him this stuff? He shook himself, then stared at William. "Happy now? You done with the questions?"
"You're interesting," William remarked, still unshaken. "I'd like to get to know you."
"Tch, yeah. Good luck with that." Corvo hopped off his bed. "Well if I'm gonna hunker down here, I ought to get my stuff from my… camp. I could go for some fresh air, anyway."
"Would you like help with that?"
"Nah," Corvo said as he started to walk away.
"Well you still want this, don't you?"
Corvo turned and saw him holding out the black bottle.
"I know not what this is or why everyone was so concerned about it," William explained. "But it's yours, I suppose."
Corvo blinked. Since he had been thinking about the guild perks, he had almost forgotten about the elixir. He took it in his hands and stared. "…Umm, thanks."
"You're welcome." Even though his face was hidden beneath that skull, the lines around his eyes made it seem like he was smiling.
Corvo honestly wasn't sure what to say to that. Rather than linger on it, he left the room, making his way out of the guild hall.
"And they filled it with water," Corvo grumbled after giving the bottle a sniff test. "Figures."
The lone Snivy walked the quiet, empty streets of town, still lit by soft lamplight. Even though no one was around, he still walked close to the buildings, ready to spring into cover just in case. He stowed the bottle in his bag and kept moving, bound for the south side of town. He thought about shattering the bottle out of spite, but that would've been pointless. Anger never did him any good; it was always better to keep cool.
Despite the setback, he smiled to himself. The elixir might have been a big loss, but all things considered, this was the start of a comeback.
"That's a hole burned through my bag. But if I play my cards right, this prospect will be better than any of the others I've had in years."
He had been ready to go on the run tonight. Not an easy thing to do on an empty stomach, which made him all the more glad that he didn't have to. All he had to do was walk from one end of town to the other, to pack up a few of his things. After about ten minutes or so, he reached his destination.
Corvo arrived at the southern edge of town. Just past an old temple there was a small stone bridge that led to the gate. Underneath the bridge was a waterway, a carved stone river that served as a storm drain– his hideout. He climbed down to the underpass, where a light stream of water passed through. This place wasn't necessarily the worst place he had to sleep in, but all the same he couldn't remember the last time he got to sleep in a real bed under a stable roof.
"Hopefully," Corvo said as he stepped into the shallow flow, "this'll be the last time I'll get my feet wet for a while."
His hammock was tied up on the arch of the stone underpass. Next to it were a few hooks to hang his bags of food and merchandise… if he had any. It wasn't the most homely place, but it made a decent hiding spot. Almost no one came down there, and the sound of the water helped Corvo sleep at night.
"Course, you can't beat a cozy bed and an intact roof," Corvo said as he packed.
With his hammock and empty bags rolled up, he climbed out of the underpass and shook water droplets off his feet. As he walked back toward the guild, he thought about the three who dragged him there. Was it their plan to get him into this, too?
"Nah, probably not." More likely, they just wanted to make sure they didn't get cheated. "They're smarter than most folks, I'll give 'em that."
Those two brothers might hold a grudge against him, but that didn't matter. Like that goodie Guildmaster said, they were just 'returning' the stuff, right? They had nothing on him… for now. Besides, they got what they wanted, joining the guild and all. Best case scenario is that they just left him alone.
But on the other hand, that Cubone…
"What was up with that guy?"
The way he talked to Corvo made him feel… something. He couldn't think of a word for it. But that guy, William, talked to him like they were casual friends. What was his game?
"Eh, whatever." Corvo dismissed those thoughts. "For now, just gotta focus on staking the place out. Makin' a web."
But before that, he could look forward to a night of sleep without creeping winds. And breakfast the next morning, too. Maybe that Linoone could spare him a snack in the meantime. After another ten minutes, Corvo once again arrived at the guild's entrance. He chuckled to himself.
"Never thought I'd set foot in that place. They probably have no clue who I am, anyway." His grin widened. "They're clueless."
Just then, Corvo's vision darkened for a moment as a shadow darted over him. It was too fast to be another cloud. He looked up and saw the silhouette of a bird against the moon, gliding north. The way they flew looked rickety.
"Wonder where he's going," Corvo mumbled, shrugging.
But like a lot of things, it didn't matter to Corvo. So he went back inside, ready for a proper night of rest.