Aether Beasts

Lex let out a content sigh as he leaned back on his seat and watched everybody enjoy themselves, though it wasn't their enjoyment of his party or happiness that had him in such a good mood.

No, it was the confirmation from Gregory that the alchemist had decided to help in exchange for a list of things within the city, most of which were very specific and odd items, not that he was complaining. None were overly expensive like he had thought when Gregory had first told him of the list and would be easy to get his hands on. Once that was done, the elixir to cure his disease would be given to him and the fear that had been plaguing him for the past few years would vanish.

He was not going to be leaving after all, and there was also the fact that things had died down when it had come to the slave stock. They hadn't caught anyone yet, but with what they had gotten from the expedition, they would be able to empower and strengthen themselves. The next time an attack came, they would be ready and new plans and defenses would be put in place. Things had started out bad, but it was looking like it was going to be a very good year.

He and Henry had laid out plans to get more stock, and if all went well then they could be put into affect in a month or so. All of their raid groups that went out and collected slaves were currently back in the city, in warehouses. They were planning on creating more and making contacts and connections in other cities and introducing them to the wealth the sale of flesh could bring. Their profits would triple or more, and all the losses would mean nothing. In fact, Lex was glad that it had happened, as their plans would have never likely been made if it hadn't. The only odd thing was Will. Lex had tried to contact the man to thank him but hadn't had any luck in reaching him so far. It was like he had just disappeared.

"You seem happy," a familiar voice said and Lex turned to see Henry approaching.

"All is well," Lex said with a smile. "Things are coming together and soon we will be even more powerful than before."

"And wealthy," Henry said with a laugh. "The profit from when we sell what we got from the expedition will make us a ton of money, I can already see the mountains of crystals we shall make."

"Indeed," Lex replied. "I'm surprised you are here, and not in one of the private rooms. Are the girls I hired not to your liking."

"Oh they are," Henry said. "Not as good as our usual, but pleasant, and I will be indulging soon enough. I just wanted to let you know that Max has gotten into with Hyde, and they're about to fight in the pit."

Lex raised an eyebrow. "Over what?"

"Hyde was acting pompous." Henry shrugged. "Max called him weakling who couldn't backup his words."

"And Hyde fell for that?"

Henry nodded.

Lex sighed. "That fool is going to leave him black and blue."

"You think he doesn't stand a chance?" Herny asked.

"He does," Lex said. "Or he would, but his style just won't do well against Max. You've seen both of them fight, do you disagree?"

Henry shrugged. "Not really, then again I don't particularly care. Well, I'm going to go partake in those girls now, see you Lex."

Henry raised his glass and Lex did the same, clinking it with his. He raised it to his lips and gulped the drink down. He savored the flavor and turned to motion to a servant to refill his glass, but froze instead.

What happened next, Lex would not have been able to say or describe as he had never seen such a thing before. A flowery scent spread through the room, and figures flickered into view. Lex, did not get any time to wonder, as the needle pierced his neck. His last thought was of the day he and his father had gone hunting in the night. When they had still loved each other. Before he had become as he was now. He couldn't have told you why, even if had survived.

But, Lex, the most wealthy and influential man in the city, died, from a poison needle pierced into his neck. There was no screaming, no struggle, and no fight. Just like that, he was ended. The man who had caused so much grief and pain, so much loss and misery, was gone.

Where his soul went was a question for another time, but if hell existed then his soul was surely damned to rot in its fiery embrace.

——

In every part of the mansion, similar scenes were taking place, and where people fell, that flowery scent permeated the air.

In one of the private rooms, Gregory lay atop a woman, in the throes of passion. He had a smile upon his face, no doubt enjoying the beauty beneath him but also of his rewards which he would never get, as he caught a whiff of that smell, and then felt the sudden sting of a needle. All his training, skills, and abilities were worthless, and Gregory died in the arms of a woman, who had passed out when she too had smelled the scent.

In a larger room within the mansion, men and women surrounded a pit, cheering and shouting as two men stood opposite each other down below. One was the familiar Hyde, an elder of the burning sands sect which no longer existed due to Aeverie. The other man in the pit was a bulky and hairy fellow, with a wild mane of black hair and grey eyes. His teeth were barred in a feral grin as he prepared to lunge.

Neither got to fight, however, as the scent filled the air, and the crowd and two men passed out. Some felt the sting of a needle while others did not. The strongest elder of what had been the most powerful sect in the city was dead alongside the strongest arcanist who had been in service to the now late Lex.

Henry, the merchant, had died at the same time Lex had fallen, and the last of the group, the hooded man who had lost his name long ago, lasted for a second more than the rest, but even as his instincts kicked in when he smelled the air in the private room he was in, it was too late, and he fell to the ground, feeling the sting of a needle on his neck before everything went dark.

The once lively estate was now as silent as the grave. Death had passed through and taken many a soul with him, and in return, freedom was given to all those that lay beneath the manor. They would see light once again, and their minds would be cleared. Help would be granted and hope kindled.

Not just for them, but for the city of Evenord as a whole.

——

From atop a perch on a nearby building, Will, at least that was the name he was known by, looked down upon the manor of Lex, and sighed. Once he had found out what that fae had been planning, he had cut loose and run. He didn't want to risk getting caught, especially not when he was about to head home in four days with the expedition. He had his disguise ready and everything, along with the other items he needed. 𝗳𝙧𝐞𝚎w𝗲𝚋n𝚘𝙫𝑒𝘭.𝑐om

Lex had been pleasant, and amusing to Will. He could have cured the man any time, but he hadn't because he had wanted to see what he would do and it would have raised questions. Perhaps if he had been born in the lands beyond the scar, he might have made something more of himself, then again the same could be said about anyone of the plains.

Will glanced out at the city that had been his home for many years now. He had left it multiple times to meet for missions and accomplish tasks given to him, though none had come since the fall of the Twin horn. That damned idiotic sect. Will remembered the first time he had met them. Sure they had been loyal and willing to do anything, but they had also been pricks and had questioned each order he had given when he was there, stating that they needed confirmation from their king. In the end, he had left and had thought things would go according to plan, but they had not.

He winced when he remembered the anger that thing, his superior, had shown when it had spoken to Will and informed him that he'd be returning with the next expedition. He didn't know everything that had happened, but he did know that something had been lost, a queen he'd accidentally overheard, and that plans years in the making had all been ruined. What was worse, was they didn't have a lot to go on as to how and who.

It was bad, to say the least, and Will was still pissed that most of his work in the plains for the past few years had now been for nothing.

'At least I'm finally leaving this place, though I'm still surprised they sent someone with the expedition.'

He hadn't been told why they had sent another agent with the expedition, someone among the Umbrin group. All he knew was that he was to work with this agent and that they had been recruited at a very young age which likely meant they had been infected with a parasite and a unique one at that if what he had been told by his superior was true. Will didn't like working with their kind, they always felt off to him.

'What was his name again.' Will tried to recall the code name he had been given by his superior. 'puppetmaster or was the spider? Something to do with strings I think.' 𝒇𝗿𝙚ℯ𝑤ℯ𝑏𝒏𝑜ѵe𝙡.c𝐨ｍ

Will sighed. it didn't matter, he'd be meeting him soon enough to go over a task that they would be sharing on the return journey through the scar.

"Can't wait until this is over," Will said.

The plains were peaceful and he could do anything he wanted here, as long as he didn't cause too much of a ruckus, but he missed home and would be glad when he returned.