Unrepentant

The sun had started it's descent from midday, painting the sky with soft orange hues. Zinnia walked briskly through the streets, her mind filled with thoughts of the conversation she had just had with Silas. A slight chill began to form in the air as she approached Castle Rhysling.

Inside her head, Zinnia had a conversation with herself, her thoughts swirling like a storm. ''Such a shitty situation,'' she thought bitterly. ''The Ji fucker strong-armed me into agreeing to partner up. Ahhh~~ My stomach's been killing me the whole damn conversation.''

She sighed inwardly, her steps echoing against the cobblestones. ''I said what he wanted to hear,'' she continued, ''and I did my best to sell myself as well…'''. But doubt gnawed at her, and she wondered if she should run to the Magistrate and report that she was being threatened.

''Would it even matter?'' she questioned herself, feeling a churn in her stomach at the thought. '' I feel like it would be a dead end.''

As Zinnia passed through the gate, she wrinkled her nose at the lingering stench from this morning's incident involving mass diarrhea. The smell had mostly dissipated, but traces of it still clung to the air like an unwelcome memory.

She made her way toward her room, lost in thought, when a manservant came running towards her. His face was sickly pale, likely a victim of the morning's misfortune. He stopped in front of her, panting heavily.

"The Lord Magistrate wishes to speak with you honored guest!" he managed to say between breaths. "It's about your new acquaintance."

Zinnia tilted her head to the side, confusion flickering across her features. "My new acquaintance?" she echoed.

The manservant nodded weakly before straightening up and trying to compose himself. "Yes, he insists on seeing you immediately."

Zinnia's mind raced once more as she agreed and followed him through the winding corridors of Castle Rhysling. The walls seemed to close in around her as they walked, and she couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting would only complicate things further.

Great, she thought sarcastically as they neared their destination. ''Just what I needed—another layer of intrigue to keep track of.''

With each step closer to the Magistrate's chambers, Zinnia prepared herself for whatever lay ahead.

Still masquerading as Selen, she arrived in front of the Magistrate. The air in the room felt heavy, a mixture of incense and the lingering scent of the morning's horror. She took in the sight of the Magistrate, noting how he seemed to be rather worse for ware.

''He seems to have aged since last night… either worries about the attacks are getting to him or the shits hit him with a vengeance…'' she thought to herself, a wry smile tugging at her lips.

She put on a brighter smile and asked, "What is the matter, Lord Magistrate?"

The Magistrate returned her smile, though it was tired and worn. "Nothing bad," he assured her, his voice carrying a hint of weariness.

He breathed in deeply, his chest rising and falling with a heavy sigh. With a solemn look in his eyes, he continued, "I remembered why the name Ji was familiar to me."

Zinnia's brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "Why?" she asked, tilting her head.

The Magistrate stood up and moved toward a nearby window, his back now facing her. The fading light from outside made it's way across the room as he began his story.

"The previous administrator of Rhysling who ruled some forty years back was not a competent man, not even a good man by any measure," he sighed. "he was murdered… perhaps as a divine punishment for his actions… he had one of the greatest misfortunes possible befall both him and Rhysling in the last days of his life… I dare not mention it's name."

Zinnia listened intently, her mind racing with questions, but she kept quiet. The Magistrate's voice grew more somber as he spoke.

"More than thirty years would pass before I was dispatched to replace him… the Imperial Court could not spare their resources on an already ravaged Rhysling while the entire Empire was under threat."

He turned slightly, his profile outlined against the window's light. "The only reason Rhysling wasn’t completely obliterated the same night after my predecessor died was due to the intervention of one man called Ji."

Zinnia's confusion deepened. The Magistrate continued, his voice steady and reverent.

"He never asked for thanks or took credit for the deed," he said. "But the Imperial Palace was informed of the exact events by one of the survivors who saw everything unfold."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, unable to hide her bewilderment.

The Magistrate turned fully now, facing her with a grave expression. "I strongly believe the hero of that night is the man you have been meeting," he said.

He paused for a moment before adding, "The survivor who reported to the crown was none other than Guildmaster Arim. His Master and his Master's brother died heroically in those tragic events…"

"What do you want from me by telling me all this?" she asked, her voice measured and calm.

The Magistrate's eyes, though weary, held a glint of sincerity. "I simply wish for you to know that you are dealing with a truly powerful and benevolent individual if he is indeed the one I am thinking of," he said.

Zinnia's mind raced. ''Benevolent my fine ass! That fucker has to be a stone cold killer!'' she thought, but she kept her face composed.

The Magistrate continued, "You have been a good friend to Castle Rhysling during our short acquaintance. I wanted you to be informed as much as possible." He offered her a tired smile. "You are free to go if you have no further questions."

Zinnia forced a smile onto her lips. "Thank you for your kind intentions Lord Magistrate," she said, inclining her head slightly.

He chuckled softly. "Please, call me Lachlan," he said. "It's a name I so rarely hear nowadays."

She nodded. "Of course, Lord Lachlan."

With that, she turned and made her way out of the room. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions as she navigated back to her quarters.

''What kind of game is Ji playing?'' she wondered. She had seen enough in their brief interactions to know that he was anything but benevolent. Calculating, dangerous, and unpredictable—those were more fitting descriptions.

Reaching her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment, letting out a long breath. The events of the day replayed in her mind: The change of plans, Ji's unsettling presence and and now this new layer of complexity.

She moved to the small desk in her room and sat down heavily on the chair. Her fingers drummed on the wooden surface as she tried to piece everything together. If that man was indeed this powerful figure from Rhysling's past, it added another layer of danger to her already precarious situation.

Zinnia glanced at herself in the mirror across the room, still in Selen's form. She let out a bitter laugh. "Benevolent," she muttered under her breath. "Rightttt~."

The Illusionist within her knew better than to take things at face value. She had to tread carefully, now more than ever.

''Alright,'' she thought, ''let's think this through.'' She needed to figure out Ji and how to go about her next steps.

Silas made his way back to the inn, his mind half-occupied with thoughts of Nyx. The crow had a knack for disappearing, but Silas knew better than to worry. Nyx was more than capable of taking care of himself. He pushed the thought aside, letting the city's atmosphere wash over him.

As he was near the exit of the entertainment district, his attention was caught by a commotion near the square. A young priest of Probitas stood atop a makeshift platform, passionately delivering a sermon. The priest's voice carried through the air, condemning the entertainment district's vices and urging the crowd to turn their attention back to the divine.

"Turn away from the filth that corrupts your souls!" the priest cried, his eyes blazing with fervor. "Probitas calls for your devotion, for your unwavering integrity!"

Silas let out a low chuckle, amused by the priest's antics. The crowd seemed half-interested, some nodding along while others cast skeptical glances. Silas decided to approach, curiosity piqued.

"Faith’s been slipping, huh?" Silas asked, his raspy voice cutting through the sermon.

The priest paused mid-sentence, turning to face Silas. His eyes narrowed as he took in Silas's appearance.

"Another one of you undevout," the priest said with a shake of his head.

Silas widened his eyes in genuine surprise. "Out of anyone here," he said slowly, "I am probably the one with the most belief in the existence of the gods."

The priest re-examined him, his skepticism wavering slightly at the remark. A smile crept onto his lips as he spoke. "If that is true, then you are truly a blessed individual!"

Silas scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Blessed? Definitely," he nodded in agreement.

“Tell me, if you would, what a priest of Probitas is doing in Rhysling?” Silas asked casually.

The priest responded without hesitation, “For the auction, of course! Any trade institution that wishes to demonstrate its integrity must call upon the devout of Probitas to oversee the proceedings!”

Silas nodded at the younger man, agreeing with his statement. Yet, as he did, an idea began to form inside his head...

The priest's eyes followed Silas's movements as he extended a small phial toward him. "What's this?" the priest asked, eyeing it warily.

"A tonic for energy," Silas replied smoothly. "So that you may continue spreading your message here while you wait for the auction."

The priest hesitated, suspicion flickering in his eyes. Silas put on a kind smile, one that radiated sincerity.

"It will simply give your voice more passion." Silas said softly.

The priest felt an odd sense of truthfulness emanating from Silas. He thought to himself that a higher-level priest could probably discern more about this man than he could. Still, something in Silas compelled him to take a chance.

"Thank you," the priest said finally, accepting the phial.

Silas inclined his head slightly in farewell. "Goodbye and good luck." he said before turning and making his way back toward the inn.

As he walked away, he heard the priest resume his preaching with renewed vigor. Silas couldn't help but sigh at how easily people could be swayed by a few well-chosen words.

Reaching the Merry Minstrel Lodge, Silas entered without another glance back outside. The inn's warmth enveloped him as he crossed the lobby and headed toward his room.

Silas sat in his room at the Merry Minstrel Lodge, a scroll of human anatomy spread out before him on the table. The intricate diagrams and arcane symbols drawn on the body held his attention as he traced the lines with a finger, his mind absorbing every detail. Outside, the sun began its descent.

"Almost time," Silas murmured to himself, his voice barely a whisper.

As if on cue, a flutter of wings drew his attention to the window. Nyx landed gracefully on the sill, his feathers ruffled from his latest escapade. Silas raised an eyebrow and took a deliberate sniff of the air around Nyx.

"Brothel?" Silas asked, a hint of amusement in his raspy voice.

Nyx squawked and nodded vigorously, confirming Silas's suspicion. The crow's eyes were alight with mischief as he settled himself more comfortably on the sill.

Silas nodded in acknowledgment. "A guest will arrive soon for us," he informed Nyx, turning back to his scroll for a moment before another thought struck him. "Is the boy still alive?"

The question set Nyx off into a burst of animated squawks and flaps. He hopped from one foot to another, recounting his day's adventures with exaggerated gestures. Silas listened intently, deciphering the crow's excited retelling. When Nyx squawked about Jules's naive words and the aftermath of the brothel, Silas couldn't help but let out an actual laugh—a rare sound, very much confirming a little humanity within him.

Nyx paused in his storytelling and tilted his head, squawking a question at Silas.

Silas crossed his arms over his chest. "What happened in the bar?" he echoed thoughtfully. He told Nyx about the Illusionist's deception and their exchange.

Nyx squawked again, this time with a note of curiosity.

"She can serve our ends well," Silas stated.

Time passed in comfortable silence as Silas returned to studying the scroll, occasionally glancing at Nyx who preened himself contentedly on the windowsill. The room grew darker as evening settled in fully.

A soft cough interrupted their quietude, followed by a gentle knock at the door. Silas's eyes flicked toward it as he heard one of the inn's staff whisper through the wood.

"Honored guest," came the hushed voice, "a visitor wishes to have a meeting with you."

Silas exchanged a look with Nyx before rising from his chair…

Silas opened the door to his room, his eyes immediately locking onto the figure standing behind the inn's staff member. The woman was hunched over, an eyepatch covering one eye, and her mouth gaped with missing teeth. Her appearance was almost grotesque in its pitifulness.

The staff member leaned closer to Silas, his voice barely a whisper. "She insists she must meet with you under your invitation to solve a 'problem' you've been having."

Silas's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the woman. Leaning in close to the staff member's ear, he spoke softly but with an edge that brooked no misunderstanding. "I trust you will handle this with the utmost discretion."

The staff member nodded quickly, his professionalism unwavering. "It shall be as you requested, Sir."

Silas gave a curt nod and stepped aside, allowing the woman to shuffle into the room. He shut the door behind her with a deliberate click, sealing them in privacy.

"If this is some attempt at getting even with me," Silas began, his voice laced with sarcasm, "it could use more work."

The old woman straightened up abruptly, pulling off the eyepatch to reveal a perfectly healthy eye beneath. Her mouth shifted as teeth reappeared, and within moments, "Selen" stood before him in all her charm.

Zinnia raised an eyebrow at him, a smirk playing on her lips. "A good way to keep mouths shut," she remarked. "The staff of a fancy place like this would definitely not want to get branded as inconsiderate."

Before Silas could respond, Nyx fluttered from his perch and landed on top of Zinnia's head. With a squawk and a flap of his wings, he dragged her down until she was on her knees down on the floor.

Silas watched the scene unfold, pulling out a chair and sitting down in front of her. He looked down at Zinnia, who now sat cross-legged on the floor with Nyx perched on her head.

"Comfortable?" Silas asked dryly.

Zinnia adjusted herself slightly but made no move to rise. "As comfortable as one can be under such circumstances," she replied.

Zinnia met his gaze evenly. "Well? I am here."

Silas's lips curled into a half-smile. "Indeed you are."