MINISTRY OF CONTENTS
"Master Hodges," one of the Ministry Witness shouted. It was Chance Sauer, a Yellow Witness. He was a recruit under the command of Celestine Hodges. He wore the typical Ministry attire: a black, long coat, under which was a vest to conceal and carry enough tarot, or even a small to medium-sized manifest, and the standard-issue Rapier of the Ministry.
"The higher ups gave us another mission, apparently it was the Direct command of His High Pontifex," He said, "It seems quite big, but they only gave the orders to some of the Elites, so I'm not so sure, apparently it was about finding an escapee." Chance Added.
"After dumping us the smuggling case at the border, and the slave route back at the night market, now they're gonna send us on a search, what are we hunting dogs?" Celestine replied...
Who even are they searching for, and besides, how can someone manage to escape that "Guy"? He may be a freak, but he's not the type of person to let anyone slip under his nose. Celestine thought, then had a small moment of curiosity: "Who are they searching for again?" She asked Chance who was now skimming the given report
"Well..." He paused as he searched through the papers, "Ahhh!!!... it was someone labeled High Threat, right! He was convicted a few months ago, for multiple accounts... of... murder." He mentioned, before finally finding its name, Celestine was looking rather highly intrigued, "It was Nikisse??" Chance said.
Nikisse, huh, Celestine sighed in relief. Yeah, no way it was. Hi—Celestine's thought was abruptly interrupted by Chance's sudden outburst. "Oh, Nicaisse, it was Nicaisse Kholer," He spoke.
His words sent chills down Celestine's spine, a memory of their first encounter surged back into her mind, almost causing her to vomit...
"Why, ma'am? Is there a Problem?" Chance asked.
"No... No... Just something came to my mind," Celestine replied, her eyes determined, as she looked by the second-floor window of their office, staring into the urbanized city, draped in the shadow of the brewing clouds.
INDEX 444 D.A. Lanuarius 20. Streets of the Sightless City
The sky is dark and Rain is pouring hard. it was the sixth day of hide and seek, the sixth day since we have managed to escape the rest of the pursuing Confessors, there where even, some bounty hunters trying to stalk us, apparently the Cathedral sent out the wanted poster all over the High People's City, reaching even here in the sightless city, Luckily Blair knew the streets like the back of his hand.
"I knew each alleys and corners, follow me, they won't catch up to us any sooner here" He said, which led us here to the slums of the sightless city, but we aren't some superhumans, we are simply worn down, tired and fatigued, we managed to feed ourselves with the little money Blair had, until we reached the slums.
The Houses, if you can still call them a house, were tattered, ripped some are just made up of random materials, the children are running bare foot in the muddy road, there were others that are even sleeping in the corner of the pavements, there weren't stores or anything of the like, its a plain out right trashed and left behind, Blair and I passed through the slums, some eyes are visibly staring in the background, our arrival definitely wasn't expected.
Our clothes stood out, unlike their usual stitched rag, or their worn and torn hand-me-downs, we are definitely a box of jewels walking in a dark alley...
Then—
"Come, with me" A deep voice, whispered behind us, Blair was obviously scared, He still hadn't moved on from the current events, and I was prepared to fight whoever it was, but as I looked behind, it wasn't what I expected, it wasn't a thief, a madman, or even one of our pursuer or bounty hunters but rather, it was a gentle looking old man, His back was hunched probably from osteoporosis, or old age, He wore a thin shirt and a small dirty pants.
"Come with me, unless you want to be robbed in the middle of the daylight" He said, as I lowered my guard, I looked at Blair, signaling him to come, but I wasn't unprepared, I was vigilant, for all of the things I have experienced right now, I wouldn't trust even if it was a puppy, a child, or right now a kind old man. He guided us deeper into the slums, walking through tight corners and rain-drenched stone paths, every second of it reeked of poverty, left and discarded by those far above.
Along our way, we passed some old-looking establishment, with dirty mirrors. I tried to peek inside out of my curiosity, but what surprised me was not what I found inside, but what I saw in the windows,
"My face is mine..." I thought I'm hallucinating so I had to take a second look, it was a slight moment of relief and satisfaction, after all, I fully recognized that I inhabited Nicaisse's body, it was shown to me multiple times, like I was forced to accept that fact, back in the bloody manor, by Kamryn, and at Blair's House but now— Now it was me, a small feeling of ecstasy, rushed on my body, like I was again in control, and not someone else inhabiting someone's body.
But I know I cannot enjoy this moment right now, not right when we're still being pursued, followed.
We finally arrived at where the old man is guiding us, it was a small hut in the middle of the slums, no one would even deem it as a home, it was small, fragile, and ruined, but nevertheless the Old Man called it "Home"
"My name is Rhogen," He introduced himself. Inside the House was another Man sitting, waving slightly at us, "That was my brother, Ghoden, and you. You don't belong here," He added.
"We're just passing by," I replied, trying to ease their views of us.
"I see, well if you don't want to be robbed for the night, you can stay here with us, we don't have much as you can see, but It might give you a small breather, it's already dark, please take a rest however you like" Ghoden spoke, I signaled Blair to take a rest, as I stand in the middle of the night, looking at Blair sleeping, sometimes I forgot, He still just a kid, His mature demeanor just makes it feel like he wasn't.
"I cannot sleep, not just because I can't, but also because I mustn't, I was dragged, tortured, and followed, many times where my life was almost taken, and in here in the middle of somewhere, were people are looking for us, I cannot simply afford to lower my guard—" Rylee thought, as he was interrupted by Rhogen's voice
"It's alright, I cannot blame you for staying on guard, especially in a place like this, and I take no offense at it, even with how pure my intentions were." He casually said, and I remained silent. He was right. "You know, life was never like this before," He added.
"What do you mean?" I replied to indulge the subtle request of an old man simply trying to find a companion, someone with whom he could simply share his thoughts and not get ganged up or killed.
"I still remember it, when I was a child, this land wasn't like others, it was—Prosperous, even after the regal envision, we remained quiet and safe, in fact, the Author's power never touched us. We were under the Rule of His Highness, King Rhiven Cain, third of his Name, Son of late King Cain Resmond. There were no High People and sightless, just us, yes, nobles exist, but they're there to govern us, not to create division," Rhogen reminisced about the old times.
"So what happened?" I asked.
"Well the gifted, reached us and liberated us, not that we needed to or wanted, they expanded their influence, and as time goes by, the authority of King Rhiven was pushed to 1/3 of the land, and the Cathedral held the power in the lands," He spoke as if reliving the memories he had "And those that have power, discriminated against us, stripped us of our rights, some even plundered us, the weak became weaker, suffered poverty, desperate but incapable, that's us, the ones left in the slums, the others that had strength, turned with blades on their hands, doing all kinds of crimes just to survive, they eventually left, and most of the gathered in the west, near King Rhiven's land"
"It might hurt to remember those days, but I will always remember them, even if only a fraction remains. I do not yield to the passing of age, and refuse to let go of my Memory," He added.
So the History of this land stretched even back then, and like those in earth, even the innocent, when given power becomes a monster, but I cannot blame them, Humans are sentient beings that doesn't only rely on instinct; However, when pushed to the edge, when cornered and threatened, a primal code in our genes emerges, SURVIVE, and do whatever it takes.
"So why do you choose to help us?" I asked, with the unsettling thought that someone in such a miserable state would still offer us a helping hand. "We were clearly one of those people you speak of," I added.
He nodded in agreement. "You're probably right, if it were others, they'd kill you right away out of generational anger, or rob you to survive, but when you reach a certain age, you will realize, some things aren't seen by the naked eye, that's my reason alone," He replied.
Rhogen's eyes gleamed slightly with gold.
"I know you're not gonna stay here, if you want to stay hidden, that land would be your option, not the Ministry or the Cathedral goes there, they deem it too troublesome and just lets King Rhiven's last men take care of them, you might not be safe, but you'd very well be hidden"
In the West, huh, I thought, "stay and be hunted, or move and risk being preyed," what a funny game I thought. The night went long, and Rhogen went to sleep by his brother. His stomach gurgling loudly from hunger, being poor must've been hard.
The day after, Blair woke up early. Someone of His stature must have gotten used to it, waking up early, working, and taking over being the head of the family, despite his age.
"I'll make sure the path is safe before we go, they might know you, but they don't know we're acquainted yet," Blair suggested, to which I agreed, I cannot risk myself anymore, I must let others do it for my sake, after all, He's the one who wanted it.
As Blair secured our path, I took a stroll to gather my thoughts. Along the way, I saw a child playing by the roadside, her parents... well, I couldn't seem to find her parents. She looks 6 or so, and was playing with a wooden stick she probably found in some gutter—
"Moveeee out of the way!!!" A loud scream echoed through the crowded street. The source? A woman wearing some leather jacket of some sort reeking of someone with class, He's not taller than I am, but she looked confident and mature.
In front of her was a Man with a chain on his hand, running towards us, in his other hand was a makeshift knife. Based on his direction, He'll definitely be hitting the child.
I really didn't care if it was some other person, but something deep in me made me move and reach out for the child, to move her out of harm's way. It was a split-second option, and my body made the decision. I reached my hand for the girl and moved her towards the pavement.
Then a loud *Bang, Shoot through the alley, making the passersby, and the beggars flee in fear out of their lives, as the Running Man fell down, on the muddy ground, His head covered in blooming Ice.
The shot came from the Woman, who was holding an old antique gun, most likely custom crafted, its nozzle was smoking not from, heat but looks like from the cold Ice. and her eyes gleaming of gold, an afterglow, which quickly hinted that she was most likely a bounty hunter or a pursuer, and I am not stupid enough to linger, like a bug tangled on spider's web waiting to be eaten.
But as I bowed my head and walked away, the woman called.
"Sir!!! Sir!!! wait..." She said, fleeing would only make me more suspicious, so I had to gamble, would she recognize me or not? Either way, I have already prepared my next manifestation, just in case an altercation breaks out.
I stopped on my tracks, but refused to turn around, not that she asked me though, "Yes ma'am?" I asked.
"I just want to thank you for saving the child, your quick action might have been a turning point in her life," She said, as she walked in front of me. She looked at me, from head to toe, and said, "You don't look like you're from here."
Based off her words it seems she didn't recognize my face, then it strike me, I didn't look like Nicaisse right now, I looked like my old self, So I replied with something open ended, vague to be interpreted as suspicious, her outfit doesn't look like she belongs here in the slums as well so I replied, "And so are you"
"Well, you're not wrong, sorry for prying," She replied as she dragged the Man away, who wasn't dead but rather incapacitated.
Blair came rushing a few minutes later, "They're already here," He says. I suppose the church cannot bear to let me get away, maybe because of what I know, or Nicaisse's stature, or simply the fact that their ego cannot accept someone escaping.
"Then we mustn't take any longer, I know where we should go," I replied,
We didn't wait any longer, we left right after talking to Rhoden and Ghoden, Blair again led the way, passing thorough tighter alleyways, and covered spots, whilst I try to guide him where to go, until we reach a dead end, not by literal means but as Blair had stated: "Stop, we cannot go any further, Beyond that land is the Dilapidated City we cannot afford to enter"
Dilapidated City, it was a place I hadn't read about in the books before, but only learned of what I assume is the same place Rhogen told me last night, so I asked, "What is there to fear, child?" In an enticing tone.
"Well, do you not fear the unlawful that harbored in that old city?" He replied
"Would you rather have the unlawful that remained in vigilance, or the pretentious Holy that sought sorrow?" I said.
"We—well, He mumbled,
A little more push, I said to myself.
"Do not fear the Dark, for it Shelters corpses of fallen heroes, but rather what's in light, for it harbors hiding demons," I whispered to Blair.
He then again nodded in agreement, as He braved his fear, we tore through the Crumbled house and cement, the ragged floor, as the sun slowly dies down, along the walls of the broken houses are graffiti, and messages, some were written in blood, "Laws do not apply here" "Purge the High People" "Seek the unsought"
We tried to find a place to stay, but every house we saw was either broken and exposed or already inhabited. The place had fewer people, and like in the slums, they were wary.
At some point I knew we were being followed, "Probably thieves" I murmured, I didn't hesitated and manifested a concealing mist to hide our way, as we paved deeper, until we reached in the far center, it cradled a Clocktower, visibly torn by age, but stayed far stronger and complete than the others, as if it was built differently; it resembled the Big Ben in Earth, inlayed with grandiose etchings and designs.
Its door was Colossal, one marked with a female-looking demon, connecting to the other as the demon is being impaled by 10 Lesser angels.
A part of me had this feeling like I was being dragged inside, like some force telling me to come.
But none of that was important, but rather the fact that it's enclosed and empty.
We hurriedly entered, opening the Door, which surprisingly didn't shriek, but rather it whispered, in cold breath and eerie stare. Inside was dark but still visible, the ground floor was rather large and spacious, and at the end was A torn Throne. Surrounded by numerous lesser seats.
A collection of fallen, of the forgotten.
The Clocktower of Memories, Buried in ashes, bleeding in untold stories.