Chapter 37 Chapter 37 - Beyond Tomorrow (1/2)
CHAPTER 37
BEYOND TOMORROW
Thick mist veiled the bursting rays of the sunrise, casting a strange, ethereal light over the Umbra City. The nightly silent streets soon grew loud and chatty as neighs of carriage horses sang out like a strange hymn throughout the streets. As the city woke up from its sleep, Lino sat on the corner of the street, leaned against the wall of a rundown, empty house, while looking up at the sky. Though many odd gazes came flying toward him, he seemed not to have noticed them, focused entirely onto the nothingness up in the sky. His mind grew derailed over the events that had transpired just a few hours prior. An overwhelming sense of smallness overcame him, fogging up the future he had planned for himself. It seemed as if he was forced to change his plans on every corner, on every new revelation he'd stumble upon. Now, this city, the Demons inhabiting it, the immediate danger it's under, all seem so small, so insignificant, which he knew not to be truth, but still couldn't help but think that way.
The world he'd kept rebuilding for almost two years keeps getting eroded, bit by bit, in its place growing new things, those he could hardly even begin to understand. At the very least, though, he understood that Q'vil wasn't simply fighting to save his homeland. He'd learned that, besides mpyrean Writ>, there were six others - and like it, they were also sentient. Q'vil's fight was larger than this world - quite so - and the invites for him to join Skyhaven Dynasty had far greater meaning than Lino at first thought. Though a scorching star, the trail left behind by him appeared everything but radiating with light. A section of world entirely shrouded in darkness, forever eclipsed in mist beyond which no eye had ever seen.
”Ah, fuck,” he sighed, shaking his head. ”Let's just go and meet that bald guy for the time being. Whatever comes, comes,” he added, getting up and dusting off his already dry clothes. ”Just wing it, as always.”
The inn they were supposed to meet at is relatively popular, situated at the very heart of the city, in a cross-section out of which three main roads diverged into different parts of the city, further branching out into small alleyways and streets. By the time Lino arrived, the whole cross-section was filled to brim with people and carriages, causing the air itself to grow stifling. The inn was packed, barely any room to walk from the entrance hall to the restaurant in the back where sets of tables were tacked on with rowdy bunch, room lit up by sparsely opened windows in the far back. Lino quickly spotted him in the corner, sitting alone, wearing rather loose robes, standing out in the crowd, while drinking a cup of something.
”You really stick out like a sore thumb.” Lino said as he sat down. ”We ought to be driving attention toward us, ah?”
”You look well and healthy.” the old, bald man said with a smile. ”You found the inn fine?”
”Oh, no, I had to wander around the city like a homeless loon, asking dogs and cats for directions to the only inn in the city that uses bear as an insignia.” Lino replied.
”Still a sarcastic one, eh?” the old man Shi chuckled lightly as he poured down the contents of the cup. ”You could have just said no, right?”
”Right, but where would be fun in that.”
”I suppose there wouldn't be any,” the old man said. ”Here.” he then took out a small, gray ring out of nowhere and placed it in front of Lino. ”What I've promised you.”
”I'm flattered, but I'd rather not get ordained to an old, bald guy.” Lino said, taking the ring and stashing it into his void world.
”Oh, how could you break my heart like that?” the old man played along for a moment as the waitress came.
”I'll have the same.” Lino said, pointing at Shi's cup.
”Bring me another.” the old man said.
”So? Don't get me wrong; flirting with you is all good and fine, but how about we get down to business.” Lino said, smiling lightly.
”I've brought the help.” the old man Shi said, glancing sideways.
”I know,” Lino said. ”You guys look like clowns in here. I'd be an idiot not to notice them. Tell them to back off with the inspection.”
”... hm, you're really more than what I thought,” the old man Shi smiled vaguely as he nodded toward a table in the distance where four men were sitting. ”Apologies for that. This is, however, a rather important mission for them.”
”I couldn't care less,” Lino said, shrugging his shoulders. ”So? What's the plan?”
”Pretty much the same as what we've discussed before,” the old man said. ”We'll work separately to locate any signs of the Demonic presence, and if you manage to snuff them out, leave the rest of it to us. You don't have to fight.”
”... are you sure you can win?” Lino asked.
”... no.”