by Ren Ryder
I left the kid to his breakdown while I jumped back down to the alleyway to retrieve my sword-belt. Taking a moment, I threaded it back through the loops in my ruined trousers before buckling it back into place. I scooped up my sword, sheathed it, then grabbed the wand and placed it in its holster.
Another leap took me soaring through the air, and I took those brief moments of pseudo-flight to enjoy the feel of the wind in my hair and the freedom I felt while midair. I landed on the rooftops and walked back over to Chase, who hadn’t seemed to have moved a muscle in my absence. He was scared stiff. I suppose I would be too in his position.
“The letter,” I reached out my hand expectantly.
“Here, take it. Take all of it!” Chase stuffed everything into my hand.
The sack was actually a coin purse filled to bursting with coins. I opened it up to find an even distribution of copper, silver, and gold coins glittering inside. Whistling, I closed the drawstring tight and strung the purse onto my belt.
“Ooh, shiney~” Bell murmured.
“Rex is looking out for me now? Huh,” I said, surprised.
“Rex? Did you say Rex?” Chase asked.
I squinted at him. ”I said what I said. You familiar with old Rex?”
“No. Nothing. I don’t know anything about him,” Chase told me, rather unconvincingly.
I shrugged again. “Alright, if you say so.”
There was a sealed letter addressed to me amongst the parcel’s contents. I broke the seal with my thumb and ripped open the letter to get at its contents. There in thick scrawl was what I took to be Rex’s handwriting.
Kal.
I don’t know if or when you’ll find this, or if I’ll bite the dust before then, what with how long ya were gone the last time. Wherever it is ya went off ta, I hope ya return alive, because ya owe me. Thanks ta you, I have a whole rabble of children under my care now. Sheltering a bunch o’ brats from the harms of the world, what would I know? It’s been so long since Thorn passed, and he was already grown. My parenting days are long over, or they were supposed to be.
These children came ta me dead inside, but they’re strong-willed tikes. I’m working ta reunite as many as I can with their families. Some ‘ave already gone back ta their old lives, though much changed after their harsh treatment by Ouroboros. Others had no families to begin with, or ‘ad such horrible family lives they refused ta go back ta what remains of their previous lives. So I’m stuck with ‘em. Luckily the job paid so well, otherwise I woulda never done it.
Come to the address listed below when ya find yer way back ta the real world.
Rex.
Royal Quarter.
Royal Academy of New London.
18 Professorial Row.
I squinted, trying to decipher the address at the bottom of the page through Rex’s thick scrawl. It was somewhere in the Royal Quarter, a boarding school for the elite. If he was living there now, Rex really had come up in the world, probably in no small part due to large donations from his new wards.
I didn’t believe for a second he would’ve turned away those kids, money or no, but at least he had the funds to look after their care and upbringing.
“You going to be alright kid?”
“Leave me alone,” Chase said, the bitterness returned to him.
I shook my head side-to-side. “Remember what I told you.”
“As if I care what some monster says! Just leave me alone!” Chase yelled, his voice hoarse.
“We’re going to see the old guy?!” Bell asked.
I tapped the page at the bottom of Rex’s letter. “Yeah. I’ve got an address.”
My heart twinged.
Did something good come of my actions after all?
I had to go and find out for myself.
Chapter Six
Compared to the Lower or even the Middle Quarter, the Upper Quarter was swarming with The Watch. After all, it was where the ultra-rich and some of the nobility made their home. Even sporting a sword on my waist and with my appearance making me stand out, I penetrated the Upper Quarter with furtive, thoughtful approaches by way of less traveled roads and dark alleys.
The Royal Quarter was something else entirely. I found it was teeming with imperial guards, and cordoned off from the rest of New London by an extensive series of gated entryways. The wealthy were nestled in a protective enclosure patrolled by The Watch, but the Royal Quarter and all those inside it were protected by a veritable army.
From my vantage point on a far-off rooftop, I studied the thirty-foot high ramparts that encircled the entirety of the Royal Quarter. Guards patrolled the walkways on top in regular patrols that left little to no gaps that I could exploit.
How had Rex managed to weasel his way inside?
It was midday, and the morning fog had burned off with the rising sun. There was a slight chill in the air despite the fair weather, and a damp scent carried on the wind made me wonder if rain was coming. A good downpour would do a lot to cover my approach as I snuck past the checkpoints, but if rain was coming, it was far off on the horizon.
So I have to rely on this after all.
I dug into my pockets, pushing aside the different oddities I’d accumulated to grasp the enforcer patch Neil gave me. I hadn’t wanted to use it at all, but circumstances had brought me here regardless. A nervous flutter went through me as I fingered the purple-eight pointed star.
The day wasn’t getting any younger.
Taking off my cloak, I flipped it around so the streamers faced outwards and refastened it around my neck. Rather than choke me, the material form-fit to my body like a warm caress, and I shivered. Since I’d wrapped my neck with it to stem the flow of blood, it certainly had seemed to change its tune. With my ruined trousers and the colorful streamers of my cloak flapping in the wind, I looked quite the sight.
Leaping from the rooftop, I rolled on landing to disperse my momentum and hopped back up to my feet. Brushing myself off, I looked back at the fifteen meter distance I’d casually leapt from. My new body was monstrous.
Bell clapped like it was all a show for her amusement. “Ooh, do that again!”
I snorted.
Puffing out my chest, I started walking with confident purpose towards the nearest gate into the Royal Quarter. A walled off enclosure housed on-duty guards, and they had no trouble spotting me ambling up to their post.
A middle-aged man appeared from the boxy outbuilding at almost a run, his chainmail jangling. He wore a standard-issue imperial guard uniform atop the chainmail, the distinct lion-headed coat of arms of the empire emblazoned upon it. His short-barreled flintlock pistol on one hip clashed with the short sword on the other.
We’re living amid changing times, trapped between the past and the future. I wonder if swords are becoming a relic of the past.
The imperial guardsman raised a palm facing out towards me. “Right, stop right there.”
I followed the soldier’s command, stopping in my tracks. I kept my hands away from my sword-hilt, but kept up my show of confidence.
“I came to request entry inside the Royal Quarter. Is there a problem?” I asked, acting loud and aggressive.
The guardsman was no shrinking daisy, and he wasn’t falling for my bluster. “I’m going to need you to identify yourself. Do you have a permit for that weapon?”
I unclenched my fist to show him the purple-eight pointed star, the emblem of the enforcers. “I think this will answer your questions. Sub-captain Neil gave it to me.”
I saw the surprise light up in his eyes when I revealed the patch. He deescalated right away, taking his hand off his pistol and assuming a more relaxed posture. The man studied me carefully, taking in my features and manner of dress.
He scratched his bearded chin, looking uncomfortable. “I heard word someone might be coming, but I didn’t expect you to look like this.”
I donned a self-depreciating smile and waved at myself. “This is what I look like.”
He smiled nervous
ly. “Right… well, I’ve been told to have you taken directly to the enforcer command post. If you’re ready…” the man trailed off.
The last thing I wanted to do was get further embroiled with the enforcers and whatever it was they did for the emperor. I had little choice in the matter, though, if I wanted access to the Royal Quarter. Damn Rex and his sudden rise in station.
“I’m ready,” I told him.
“Good, then if you’ll follow me… my name’s Smith by the way. All of us with the imperial guard are always happy to help the enforcers with whatever it is they need. The work they do for our fair city can’t be appreciated enough.”
The imperial guardsman, smith, led me past the checkpoint he had initially been manning and banged on the entryway until another set of guards appeared on the other side to unlock the gate. We passed through into the Royal Quarter while under careful watch by the imperial guard.
“We keep the keys on the other side, for security,” Smith mentioned as he noticed my interest.
Seeing the guardsman was receptive, I couldn’t hold back my questions after all. “What exactly is it the enforcers do for New London? About all I know about it is that they report directly to the emperor. Is that true?”
“Oh, it’s true enough. I can’t say I know their full range of duties, but I can say without a doubt that they protect New London from forces outside the purview of the common man. Without them the city would devolve into chaos,” Smith said, his eyes darkening as his thoughts ranged away from our conversation.
“That’s a strong statement. It sounds like your support for the enforcers comes from first-hand experience?”
Smith nodded gravely. “That’s right. Doing a stint with the enforcers is a rite of passage for the imperial guard. Once you’ve seen firsthand what they fight, you can’t go back to your normal life as if nothing’s changed. I imagine you’re familiar with the kind of things I’m talking about.”
Silence stretched between us after Smith’s admission, and I was happy to allow it so I could take in the scenery.
Life in the Royal Quarter was painted in brushstrokes of burnished gold, silver, and bronze tones. There were palatial mansions lining the streets, each seeming to try to outdo the last. Servants hurried to and fro, manicuring the landscaping and taking care of the grounds.
Bell was oohing and aah-ing as she gawked at the sights. “Kal, look at this place! We should move here!”
“We don’t actually live anywhere,” I whispered to her out of the corner of my mouth.
“All the more reason to stay!” Bell chirped.
Gas-fed street lamps were placed far more often than in any other Quarter. I imagined the streets at night would be bright as day and with hardly any shadows to sneak between. The road itself was painted a ruddy copper color that I had to shade my eyes against due to all of the reflected light.
The quadruple-wide streets were lined with exquisite, luxurious steam-powered carts on display. I noticed one long-cabin cart with the driver seat designed so it would be separate from the passenger cabin. The black-painted cart was sleek with huge roll-up tinted windows for privacy.
“They call it a limousine,” Smith nodded to long-cabin cart. “Superb protection against the elements, and metal springs built into the frame make for superior comfort as it glides across the road.”
“How much does something like that cost?” I wondered.
Smith chuckled. “More coin than I’ll ever have on hand to spend, surely.”
Surrounded by such opulence, it was hard to justify the daily struggle of the average citizen going about their day, trying to put food on the table for their family. With such overabundance of wealth, poverty and hunger could be eradicated with a simple wave of the hand. My mood soured and for the rest of the trip, I refused to admire such blatant monuments to power and prestige.
“Well, here we are. Enforcer headquarters,” Smith motioned to a squat building with a wave of his hand.
The single-story structure was dwarfed by its surroundings, made small by its palatial counterparts. The building was simple in design, with no windows and a coat of gray paint. Painted on its double-wide doors was a purple, eight-pointed star, so I knew we had to be in the right place.
“Doesn’t look like much,” I said.
“No, it doesn’t, does it?” Smith laughed and then gave me a little wink.
“If you have no further need of me, I’ll be getting back to my post.”
“Thanks for your help. I don’t think I could’ve found this place by myself,” I said.
“It was my pleasure. If you need help in the future, drop my name at a checkpoint. I’d be happy to lend a hand to any involved with the enforcers,” Smith said with a smile and a wave, then rushed off down the sidewalk to return to his duties.
With Smith gone, I felt a great urge to turn around and put all this enforcer business behind me. Despite myself, however, I found myself pulled in by Smith’s enamored words about the organization that worked in the shadows to protect New London. If that were true, it was like the opposite side of a coin to Ouroboros.
“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” I muttered.
Bell nudged me. “Are we going in, or are you just going to stand outside all day like some lingering ghost?”
“I was just taking a moment for myself to decide, you don’t have to rush me,” I told her.
Bell snickered. “If that were true, I wouldn’t have said anything. C’mon, what’s the worst that could happen?”
“I suppose they could strap us down to an operating table and dissect us for research,” I imagined.
Bell humored my dark prediction. “I don’t think I’d look as cute with my insides all hanging out for the world to see, but who knows, this is me we’re talking about, maybe I can pull it off~”
“You’re very cute and all, but I’m not sure even you could make that look work,” I told her.
Bell jumped for joy. “Hah! Did you just admit I’m cute?
“Maybe I did. What about it?”
“Say I’m the cutest in all the lands. Go on, say it,” Bell waved magnanimously.
I waved back. “Pass.”
I took a deep breath and walked straight up to the front doors of enforcers headquarters. At least the squat building was anything but imposing. It really was a boring looking building, it needed a splash of bright paint to make it pop.
“Awh, c’mon, say it! Say it!” Bell hopped up and down on my bad shoulder, stomping for all she was worth.
“Not gonna say it,” I told her as I pulled on the door handle and stepped inside without delay.
There was nothing inside. Not nothing, but nobody was moving to and fro inside the tiny building, and only a single person manned a desk at the front. I walked further inside across the bare stone floors, glancing around at the undecorated walls. Whoever designed this place was a utilitarian at heart.
“Hello there, and how may I help you?” the cheerful greeter asked.
“I’m not sure I’m in the right place…” I trailed off.
The greeter paged through a sign-in book chained to the desk. “We get that a lot, but this is enforcer HQ. You must be Kal, and this here must be your sylph companion, Bell. It’s an honor to meet you, Bell.”
Bell gasped and flew up in the woman’s face. “Ooh, you can see me?! Nice to meet you! What’s your name, human?” Bell met the greeter’s cheer point-for-point.
What is this?
The enforcers had a single person manning the desk at their so-called headquarters? It didn’t make sense. I studied the greeter in more detail, taking in her dyed green hair, purple eyes, and aristocratic features. She wore a black form-fitting dress and had a rapier hanging on the wall behind her in easy reach. I didn’t doubt she had a gun hidden somewhere close by as well.
“Charlene, but my friends just call me Char. Would you like to call me that?”
“Ooh, can I?” Bell looked back and forth between Charlene a
nd I.
“Do what you want, no one’s stopping you,” I laughed.
“Okay, then, Char, we’re going to be friends! Hey, we match! Can I touch your hair?” Bell started to get overly friendly, grabbing a swath of the lady’s hair and burying her face in it. “What is this smell? It’s delicious!” Bell cooed.
Charlene, to her credit, didn’t shrink away while my bloodthirsty sylph companion got all up in her personal space.
“Okay, that’s enough, you’re making the nice lady uncomfortable,” I grabbed Bell by the waist and detached her from the greeter. “Sorry about that.”
“Wait, noo—” Bell complained, “just one bite!” she snapped her teeth shut on empty air.
“It’s no problem,” Charlene gave me a sparkling smile. “I imagine you’re here to meet with the sub-captain? We weren’t expecting you to arrive so soon.”
“Sorry about that, I was in the area and…” I trailed off.
Charlene waved her hands in front of her face. “Oh no, I didn’t mean to put you off. We’re very pleased you dropped by. If you follow me right this way, I can see you through to the main hub.”
Looking around, confused, I asked, “We aren’t already there?”
Charlene grinned a cheshire grin. “You’ll see.”
Charlene rose from her desk and walked around to the back portion of the building. I followed, perplexed. We walked to the back of the squat building and stopped outside a two-part sliding door built into the wall. Charlene pressed a down-arrow button on the wall and watched for my reaction with a grin as it lit up with an eerie glow.
The doors dinged open to reveal a translucent cable cart. I peeked my head inside the doors and looked down to see it was suspended over a deep shaft that went underground. On top of the car massive coils thrummed with arcing energy like bottled lightning.
“Our genius inventor, Tess Da Vinci, discovered a new kind of magic called electricity. Isn’t it incredible? We call them Tesla coils after her, they power everything here.”
I stared in wonder. “Is it safe?”