Rey, keeping to the shadows, had followed Claude's unsteady progress. The man was a walking disaster, bumping into lampposts and muttering incoherently to himself. People avoided him as he walked, or rather stumbled, along. Well, there weren't that many people on the path he had currently taken, which suited Rey just fine. He continued following from a respectable distance in order to appear as if he was on his own way. Rey was conflicted by his thoughts and was subtly muttering, asking why he was following this drunkard to wherever he was going. He looked up and noticed his target taking a left turn and sped up his pace so he didn't lose him.
Just as Claude stumbled into a poorly lit alleyway, two rough-looking figures emerged from the darkness, their intentions clear. Before they could lay a hand on the inebriated Enclave member, Rey moved with a burst of speed, placing himself between them and their intended target.
"Looking for something, lads?" Rey asked, his tone deceptively casual. The muggers, surprised by his sudden appearance, exchanged wary glances. A brief scuffle ensued, more clumsy than dangerous due to Claude's proximity and Rey's reluctance to draw too much attention. Rey managed to fend them off with a few well-placed shoves and threats, sending them scurrying back into the night from whence they came once he caught and broke the knife of one of the young men.
Claude, oblivious to the danger he had been in, turned to Rey with wide, unfocused eyes. He lurched forward, grabbing Rey in a sloppy embrace. "Oh, thank you, friend! You saved me! You're the best… the bestest!" His words slurred together, and his grip was surprisingly strong. As Claude continued his drunken gratitude, his hand fumbled around Rey's waist, attempting to slip into his coat pocket.
Rey, ever vigilant, caught his wrist in a swift motion. Claude blinked at him, confusion clouding his already hazy gaze. He took a wobbly step back, his stomach lurching. A moment later, he doubled over and vomited onto the ground, a significant portion splashing onto Rey's polished leather shoes.
"Ugh," Rey took a step back and looked down at the smelly sludge that partially covered his shoes.
Rey sighed, a wave of mild disgust washing over him. Just then, a palpable wave of malice, cold and sharp, washed over him. It was undeniably Eden's aura, a feeling he had become intimately familiar with, though usually more controlled. It vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Rey slightly chilled. "What in the blazes is Eden up to?" he muttered under his breath.
The sound of approaching voices jolted him back to the present. He recognized the rhythmic clink of armored boots. Guards. Reacting instantly, Rey grabbed Claude by the arm and activated his 'Velocitas,' the subtle magic that allowed him bursts of incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they were gone from the alley.
Moments later, two city guards, though these ones weren't as heavily geared as the first ones and were wearing simple leather jackets over the crimson inner garment of their armor, strolled past the alley entrance. They glanced inside, their lanterns casting fleeting shadows, but saw nothing amiss. A single, faint spark of lightning flickered in the distance ahead, unnoticed by them as the time it sparked was the same time they looked away, and they continued on their patrol, shifting their course towards the entertainment district.
Rey, now perched on the edge of the alley's rooftop, looked down at the departing guards. A sudden voice startled him, causing him to jump back, his heart pounding.
"You did well to secure our… friend." Eden materialized beside him as if from thin air.
"Damn it! Don't do that!" Rey exclaimed. "What's going on? Why the sudden magic back there?" His eyes then fell upon the still form of the young woman cradled in Eden's arms. He had used his coat to cover her and was now wearing a white shirt. He saw the blood on the young woman and pieced it together quickly. "Those guards… they were…"
Eden simply shrugged, gently placing the unconscious woman on the rooftop beside them. He then walked over to Claude, who was now sitting against the brick wall, still disoriented. The Enclave member groaned and promptly vomited again, coughing weakly.
"They were scum, Rey," Eden said, his voice flat. "I could have ignored their little operation, but something about it… it stank of the same rot we're trying to uncover."
"But… killing them?" Rey asked, his brow furrowed. "Why not just get information?"
Eden's gaze was cold. "There was no guarantee they would tell the truth. And even if they did, the risk of them or someone else discovering our 'interrogation' later was too high. At the end of the day, they would have needed to be… silenced." He offered a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don't fret. Their disposal was thorough. And now," he gestured towards a small, intricately carved wooden box that hadn't been there moments before, "we have merchandise, enough to maintain our merchant facade."
Rey still felt uneasy. "I have a bad feeling about this merchandise of yours."
Eden chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Sentimental, are we? The information we truly need might very well come from our sleeping beauty here."
Rey glanced at the young woman, her face pale in the dim light. "And what makes you so sure she'll talk?"
"One of the best ways to manipulate people, Rey, is to have them owe you a favor." Before Rey could press further, Eden turned his attention to Claude, kneeling beside him and clapping him on the shoulder. Rey noticed faint wisps like a white fog move towards Claude from Eden's body. It was so subtle that one would think it was just a cold breath in winter. "You've had a rough night, haven't you?"
Claude looked up, his eyes still unfocused. "Sven? Is that you, Sven? By the stars, I feel awful."
Rey stared, utterly bewildered. Sven? Since when did Claude know Eden, let alone call him by a different name? What exactly has he done?
Eden continued, his arm around Claude's shoulders, his voice warm and reassuring. "Too much of that potent Adonis wine, I reckon. Don't worry, old boy, we'll get you home safe and sound." He nodded towards Rey. "Krieg here will lend a hand."
Rey, still grappling with the "Sven" revelation, reluctantly picked up the unconscious woman. She was surprisingly light. He followed Eden's lead as Eden helped Claude to his feet, the two of them acting like long-lost companions. With a nod from Eden, Rey used his 'Velocitas' again, leaping across the rooftops, the sleeping woman in his arms. Eden, with a subtle flicker of his own power, rose into the air and flew alongside, guiding Rey.
Unseen in the shadows of the alley they had just vacated, a cloaked figure watched their departure. The dim light glinted off a familiar mask with a single symbol on its obsidian surface. It was the same individual who had orchestrated the cave-in in Ezkanur, trapping Kojo and Black Moor weeks ago. He took a silent step back, melting into the darkness as if he were a part of it.
Speaking of Black Moor…