User blog:AloofComputer/The man who walked alone:Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Planning

“I suppose you do have knowledge of what happened?”

“Yes, Lady Druella.”

“Then speak, Wilmaria. I expect a good reason for letting that man escape, after all the havoc he caused.”

Wilmaria went on to describe her encounter with the cloaked man. Druella’s red gaze turned to the succubus beside her.

“It seems you are a more central person to this story, Veronica. Tell me what happened. Briefly, and without the nice parts. That can wait for later.”

Veronica stepped forth, shaking from nervousness, fear and shame. She recited all she could remember, from her hazy memory after the encounter with Alatar on her bed, up to the frenzied sex she had in the forest. Druella’s frown deepened.

“Find the merchant he spoke to. Check what he bought, and if he’s missing any devil gems. Set the werewolves to follow Veronica’s scent. Even after the fire, they should be able to pick up something. But don’t venture too much from the city. It is more likely he has fled, but we have to make sure.” Veronika and Wilmaria bowed and rushed to carry out her orders. She turned to the baphomets by her side.

“Lucella, Mimil, what do you make of this?”

Mimil spoke first. “The cloak he wore seems to have enchantments to ward of monster mana. Maybe some other masking ability too. That would enable him to avoid the werewolf patrols. Other than that… we can safely assume he acquired some devil gems. If he tried to charge them with monster mana, that would buy him some time before succumbing. Still, this requires constant concentration. Not only that, but the amount of mana Veronica released would be too much for a human. Her pent up desire went on for two years; the guy should already be a incubus.”

Lucella seemed equally troubled. “It seems that human has more tricks up his sleeve. Or a special ability. Still, to deal with that amount of mana… we all sensed it. He couldn’t have drained it all. After all, Veronica pumped it right into him for two days straight.”

“I don’t think he drained it all.” Mimil’s voice sounded grim. “When we found Veronica, he shot a fire spell. Fairly simple, quick to cast, but its magnitude was ridiculous for a human. It sounds crazy, but… maybe he found a way to utilize monster mana?”

“Don’t overestimate the human, Mimil. A human using monster mana for anything other than copulation is nigh impossible. He doesn’t seem to have the focus for this.” Lucella countered. She turned to the fallen city’s overlord.

“We need to look into this further, Lady Druella.”

“You do that. In the meantime, tend to the injured and restore the area. I wouldn’t want to give that prick the satisfaction of leaving lasting damage.” Druella twirled a lock of her hair with her index finger. This was becoming highly annoying.

---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“What the hell happened to you? You look like you’ve taken a trip to hell and back.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Frederic was surprised and relieved to see the knight-mage before him, but his state and the look of his face set his instincts on alert. The man before his desk looked different, not only in sight, but also in something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He motioned at the chair in front of him.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Have a sit. And a drink too. You look rattled.” He pulled two glasses and an old bottle from a drawer. He had this hunch he would also need it.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Alatar sat on the chair and downed the glass before him in one go. The amber liquid calmed his nerves enough to relax, for the first time in months. “Where should I start?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Well, I’ve read your reports, but still, start at the beginning. Anything, however insignificant to send in a report, can be useful. We also have various reports of events around Lescatie. I must admit, you were busy, and effective as well.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Taking a deep breath, Alatar began recounting the events following his assignment. His commander listened on, sometimes asking for details, taking notes. By the time he finished his full recollection, the moon was high in the night sky.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“I must admit… I don’t know what should I do first. Congratulate you for your operations, bash you over the head for your stupidity, laugh at you to no end for this embarrassment, burn you on a pyre for sex with a monster… anything I missed?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“I think that’s all.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Oh yea, and ripping your guts out for being all high and mighty. What the hell? Going inside a monster village is hardly the way to stay low, after the werewolf stunt. Although it is so remarkably idiotic it can be overlooked.” His commander eyed him with suspicion and annoyance. “And out of all the houses, you just HAD to enter the only one you should have avoided at all costs. Why didn’t you just enter a house at random, neutralize the residents and be done with it?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“The village was small enough for the change to be noticed. I figured that my best bet was an abandoned house inside an inhabited area. I just got unlucky.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Unlucky doesn’t even begin to describe it. Although you were lucky enough to slip through unidentified. Even with a horny succubus clinging to you. And stealing demon gems while you were at it.” The commander laughed. “Seriously, I should have seen that. That is some kinky shit.” His face went serious. “Still, the amount of demon mana is nothing to sneeze at. And the fact that you fucked a virgin succubus that waited for you for two years, for two days straight… this should have turned a dozen men into incubi on the spot. Were those gems that effective?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Alatar pulled the five gems, bristling with power, and placed them on the commander’s desk. “I see. Well, not exactly, but the glow is brighter than anything I’ve seen on a devil gem so far. Maybe Pallanto will be able to make use of them. You should see him, let him check you for any traces of demon mana. It would be really bad if you escaped all this to fall in the end. One more thing...”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">The commander looked him straight in the eyes.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“How did you manage to escape? I have a report claiming that Wilmaria and Mimil went to the forest before the fire began. And that succubus, after all that fucking, should have been all charged up. I know your skill, but still...”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Multiple fires in the woods for diversion and a wind rider spell to run like hell.” Alatar’s tone was flat. Using demonic mana was something he omitted from his story. His commander kept his gaze a bit longer.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Fine. Keep your little magic secrets. Fix your equipment, get Pallanto to check you, have a little break. Two months is a long time. Here.” He threw him a pouch that jingled as Alatar caught it mid-air.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Thanks.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“I’ll call you for the next op. Stay in the city.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“So long.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">His steps echoed in the stone pavement. The library stood before him, ominous in the eyes of the nearby children. Mainly because of the guards at the entrance, and the grim-faced mages that frequented it. Alatar picked up his pace. Pallanto was waiting.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">The guards at the entrance didn’t give him a second look. His red cape signified him as a mage. Entering the library, he took a deep breath. The smell of old parchment and ink, the muffled steps over the thick carpet, the sound of scrolls opening… it seemed like a lifetime since he had been in here, fetching the scrolls for the headmaster of the Academy of Lescatie. He wondered how that old coot was faring. Did he even survive the invasion?

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Getting to the restricted section was way more difficult. Any mage could enter the lower levels, but special clearance was needed to access the more dangerous sections of the library. After passing the magical detector, he headed for the room where Pallanto said he’d be waiting.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Was meeting here really necessary?” He said in annoyance, closing the door behind him. The other mage was sitting on a luxurious chair, with a few books stacked on the small table beside it.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Nice to meet you too.” Pallanto responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. “This is the restricted area, as you may have noticed, and, shockingly, not everyone can enter.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Why not your place?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Well, a few reasons. First and foremost, I don’t have my own little private room as our dear commander. Second, those books you want are something that the head librarian wouldn’t allow to exit the library.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“And the third reason?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Besides irritating you?” He smiled at the scowl on Alatar’s face. “I want you to meet some people. This is the unofficial headquarters of the mages’ branch of the Order of Shadows.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Hmm, I forgot to bring my good robe.” Alatar spat. Pallanto had this way of getting under his skin. And his laugh now proved all the more irritating.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“No need for fanfare and uniform. We are mages, not knights. We won’t scold you if you have ink stains on your robe.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Fine, I get it. What will I be interrogated about?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Why, of course, your little misadventures with the lady.” Pallanto’s suggestive grin made Alatar grit his teeth. “If you got me here so that you can all laugh, then-”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Hold your horses there, Mr. Suave”, Pallanto said, half amused, half reassuring. “You know what I mean, so stop pouting and put your ass down.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Still fuming, Alatar sat on the other chair. “Aren’t there any more chairs here? Or will you have them standing?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“The meeting won’t be long. After all, it would draw suspicion if a bunch of mages all holed up in a single room. Not to mention a bunch of nasty rumors.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Yea… I’d best not think about it.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“Exactly. What we are most interested, is the way of dealing with demonic mana. It is, after all, a very useful idea.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">A knock on the door interrupted Alatar from giving a retort. From the look on Pallanto’s face, he could guess that the commander had told him everything. Even the scene at the marketplace. ''I knew I would never live this down. Maybe marrying that succubus would be a better idea.''

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Each mage that entered nodded at Pallanto, then gave a curious look at Alatar. His muscular build, gained from his frenzied training at Frederic’s boot camp, was certainly uncommon among mages. Pallanto rose from his seat.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Gentlemen, let me present you Alatar Moriatan.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Alatar could feel the tension and interest rising.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ As you already know, Alatar may be the only one yet to… face…” it was clear that Pallanto still found that funny. The mages’ frowns made him compose himself. “Ahem, face huge amounts of demonic energy head-on and come out unturned. He will now demonstrate the method he used.” He turned at Alatar.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">With a sigh, Alatar rose from his seat and began to explain.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">[Several hours later…]

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Well, that went well” Pallanto mused.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“We were in there for hours. What happened to this being a short meeting?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh well, you know yourself. When we exchange ideas, we can get carried away. And fresh ideas are especially rare. Got your books?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“That replication spell works way too well” Alatar grudgingly admitted. “If you can use it to mass produce books-”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“We’ve been over it, Alatar. We need better infrastructure and education, not to mention funding. Even empty books cost, you know. What good is a book to a peasant when he can’t even read it?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Have it your way, I learned it anyway. Quite good for a shut-in mage to come up with something this practical.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Is that a compliment? Why, thank you! What do you need those books anyway? Studying demonic mana is blasphemy for the Order, you know that.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I have a… hunch? Theory? I don’t know yet. Trapping it is one thing, using it against them is another.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“And might I inquire why you need the books for the monsters at the previous king’s era? Studying history as well?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I search for something we might have overlooked” Alatar replied. “Something that wasn’t changed by the current king, something we can use.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“ You are hiding something, aren’t you?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Well, yes. Until I am sure.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Suit yourself, Alatar. How about some wine on the way home? Those meetings always make my throat dry.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">P.S. Chapter 9 is out. Dive head first into the plot again. Criticism welcome