Age of Cataclysm: Book 1-Chapter 17
Imported from SF2 with no description.
Chapter length: 2,423 words
Current novel length: 46,236 words
This chapter does contain sex, but it's brief and mainly in the background. From the chapters I currently have in reserve, Chapters 26, 28, and 31 would be worth it (I hope). This chapter also contains drug use.
Chapter 17
On their way to Merrick's place, Jemeir, Kaera, and Merrick discover that the death toll is currently at 221, including the Amanes family. They also observe areas outside the festival that contain indicators of fights against zombies, walking past the site of their conflict before ceasing their walk. Merrick beholds the widespread devastation that he's unknowingly responsible for.
"They caused that damage Kaera?" asked Merrick.
"No, Merrick. That was you."
He frowns at her response. "Was hoping it wasn't me."
"You don't remember anything?"
"I remember losing control. Then I blackout as my power goes completely haywire, and my body does whatever. I was still hoping that someone got a lucky shot on me and knocked me unconscious." Merrick changes his schedule. "Hey Jemeir, I don't want to go to the ceremony and get my medal."
"If you don't want to, that's fine by me," Jemeir responded. They finally arrive at the boundary of Merrick's district.
"Welcome to the Lower East district," Merrick announced to Jemeir and Kaera. "Where people in the lowest social standing come to live and rot as they are forgotten."
Kaera smells and covers her nose. "It stinks."
"You get used to it eventually."
They arrive at Haggem Square. All around the place are buildings that are in desperate need of repairs. There is a fountain that's supposed to flow water but runs dry instead. Various sorts of people have a flea market here, trying to make ends meet. Merrick guides Jemeir and Kaera a little distance down the street from the square and stops at the building he currently lives in. "Home sweet home."
"You actually live here?" Jemeir asked.
"Indeed, I do. Not much I know, but it provides some shelter... when the weather behaves." They go inside. "Normally, there would be a set of stairs going up. As you can notice clearly, it isn't there anymore. Instead, we would use a ladder." Merrick picks up a ladder and positions it to allow him and the others to climb up.
"Are there any other working stairs?" inquired Kaera.
Merrick shakes his head. "Nope. Be glad you don't live higher up. At a certain point, you have to climb a rope to go any higher though that shouldn't be much trouble for you, Kaera."
"The scent is still horrible. I think it's gotten worse on the inside."
"You'll get used to it like I said."
"I have a sensitive nose. I won't get used to it."
"Well, let me get a few important things in my room, and then we'll get back to fresh air."
Jemeir, Kaera, and Merrick ambulate down the hallway and turn left at the first branching hallway they come across. A door to their right is open, and inside is one of Merrick's neighbors. In their eyesight, a group of men and women are inside doing drugs. A vast majority of them, mainly women, are naked, and a couple of pairs are currently having intercourse. Before Jemeir, Kaera, and Merrick can get away and try to repress that scene into their subconscious, one of the males catches them.
"Hey, Merrick! Interested in taking part in our get together? We brought over some whores from an alleyway."
"Thanks, but I'll pass."
"Suit yourself. Maybe those two are interested. We have some freshly made kukja available." He holds up a small batch of a yellowish-orange color powder in his hand. He puts some in his mouth and the rest up his nose. "Wow! This shit's really strong. Hey Drendel, tell your dealer that he has another customer in his pockets if he can maintain this level of quality consistently."
One of the men having sex speaks, "Will do." He and his prostitute start to utter sounds of their orgasm.
The man turns to Jemeir and Kaera. "Anyway, you would like to..."
"I'm good," Jemeir refused.
"You?" He looks solely at Kaera.
"I'm good as well."
"Suit yourselves." He continues to get a small batch ready. Merrick leads Jemeir and Kaera away and stops at his room. Opening the door is a hassle, and Merrick utters obscene language during his endeavor for several attempts before he jostles the doorknob.
"Sorry, guys," Merrick apologized to the neighbors. "What happened back there was unexpected. Wait here while I tidy things up a bit." He goes inside.
"Don't kick yourself too much," Jemeir replied. "I knew what I was getting into when I decided to join you in Haggem Square. Just be glad it wasn't worse."
"It gets worse?" asked Kaera with alarm.
"Indeed, Kaera. The Lower East district, like Merrick said, is where society's forsaken come to rot. Guards hardly go to this area, so crime is very rampant. Coming across a group of people having intercourse and doing drugs is more ideal than the other people and activities to come across. That's why I came here to be the protector."
"Like I need any."
"I'm sure you don't, but Merrick needs it. Having witnessed what he can do, the last two things I want are either him losing control again or falling into the wrong hands."
"You know what he has?"
"I have a strong guess. I'll find out when I join you for a part of your journey back to Canir. Then I can ask. I do know that he needs a strong mage to train him."
Merrick pokes his head out. "All ready. You can come in."Kaera and Jemeir head inside. Merrick's room has a common area with a bedroom to the left and right sides. The standard room is very bare. A table and food storage are all that's there. Dust and cobwebs cover the entire room. A bag containing garbage sits in one corner. "This is it. Welcome to my home. Try to be quiet because my roommate is currently sleeping in the room to the left."
Kaera takes notice of the amount of space available. "You have space. Lots and lots of space."
"It's a work in progress. I plan to fill it with furniture and other things eventually. Make yourselves comfortable as best as you can. I'll be in my room for a few minutes to grab some important items, and then we can leave."
As they wait for Merrick, the door to the other room opens. A Halfling steps out and rubs its eyes.
"Merrick? Is that you?"
"Yes, Jasper."
"Remember what I said about waking me up?"
"You'll mount my head on the wall. I promise you that we'll be gone in just a minute."
Jasper notices Jemeir and Kaera. "And who are you?" He descries Kaera more and spruces himself up a bit in front of her. "And who are you, lovely?"
Merrick extends his head out of his bedroom and gestures to his companions. "He's Jemeir, and she's Kaera."
"That's one hot wolf you got for a girlfriend, Merrick."
Both Kaera and Merrick say at the same time, "We're not in a relationship." Kaera adds, "And I'm not a wolf!"
"You mean she's single?" He cleans himself even more and rearranges his hair. He changes his voice to a more charming tone. "Why hello there. I'm Jasper. Jasper Rottenfoot."
"Kaera."
"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Kaera. What brings someone as beautiful as you to a place as rotten as the Lower East?
"I'm Merrick's backup in case we come across anyone who wants to cause trouble with us."
"Would you like…?"
Merrick cuts him off. "Got my stuff. We can go now."
Kaera immediately starts walking to the entrance. "Bye, Jasper."
"Bye, Kaera."
As she leaves along with Jemeir and Merrick, she hears Jasper saying, "Stupid. Stupid. I could've done so much better with interacting with her. Now she won't come back."
They make it out of the Lower East district and don't talk much as they navigate town. They overheard a conversation that the death toll escalates to 253, with numerous others injured. Towards the area where Skye's potion shop is, they find a collapsed building once a library and a museum. Guards and other volunteers scour the place for more survivors or corpses.
"Ok, you two," Jemeir spoke. "This is where you head back to my home. I'll start my investigation here to see what I may pick up. There is no way I'm letting either of you to tag along with me."
"What if you get caught?" inquired Merrick.
"Trust me, Merrick, I can be stealthy if I so wish. Now go."
Kaera and Merrick leave, and when they turn back within a few seconds, he's vanished. They head on their way back to his home.
"So who was that roommate of yours?" questioned Kaera.
"That was Jasper. He's a good person."
"I can tell he was trying to hit on me."
"He's extremely awkward when it comes to interacting with females. He used to be a whole lot worse. He would get a panic attack anytime he interacted with them or reveal too much of himself if not in panic mode. That was the best I've seen him do towards you."
"Why on all of Illyria, you live there?"
"Simple. Very cheap to live, sometimes free even."
"If you ask Jemeir, I'm sure he'll let you live at his place with Arven and Sylfinas."
"I could, but my place has its charms. It just needs some attention to bring it all out."
"But don't you think you deserve more?"
"No, not really. I'm not worthy. Come on, let's hurry up. Storm's approaching."
"But I don't see a cloud in the sky."
"Trust me. I have a knack for predicting the weather, and right now, it's saying that a soaker is coming."
Kaera and Merrick walk at a much faster pace towards their destination. As soon as they get inside, it starts to downpour and thunder. Arven, Radclyff, and Sylfinas were playing some cards when they heard the front door open.
"Where's dad?" Sylfinas asked.
"He's still digging around for any info about the attack," Merrick answered. "He told us to come straight here. You know the library/museum place not too far from the potion shop you like to visit?"
"Yes?"
"It completely collapsed."
"What? When?"
"Looked like it was fresh so recently. Probably the zombie attack."
"I'm starting to think that the Phantom Brotherhood was more interested in the building than the festival."
"Well, that's where your dad said that he would start looking there. Could still be there or somewhere else."
"How about you two come over and play some cards with us?" Arven offered. They do, and for a few hours, all of them play games. It becomes caliginous outside when Jemeir comes back, all soaking wet. It's still raining outside, though lighter than an hour ago.
"Wet out there," he commented.
"I can see that," Radclyff spoke.
"Found anything that they're not telling us, dad?" questioned Sylfinas.
"I have, Sylfinas. I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the organization is not the real deal but a copycat. The bad news is, apparently, the festival location was meant as a distraction. The library and museum building close to your favorite potion shop was the main target, and it looks like they got their hands on an object."
"What is this object?" Arven inquires.
"An urn." Jemeir looks at Radclyff. "Looks like you were right."
Radclyff shakes his head in disbelief. "I wish I wasn't."
"What are you two babbling on about?" Merrick asked.
"We were in his shed when Kaera needed clothing. He started going on about hearing from some of our adventuring partners that an ancient adversary coming back. I wished that it wasn't true."
"Who was it?" Kaera asked.
"The Soulmonger."
"What's that?" inquired Sylfinas.
"A lich that brings death to all who stand in his way. All he cares about is to reduce Illyria to ashes and reign over it. Long ago, during the 2nd Age, he almost succeeded in conquering the continent of Myrith. Seven adventurers led by a Wyrmtalker known as Aris Aram fought the Soulmonger and his forces in the capital of Adoran and turned the tide in their favor. They and the continental army drove back the malevolent forces back to the Ashlands and dealt with the Soulmonger himself. Unfortunately, they couldn't locate his phylactery to completely kill him. However, he was still too powerful to stay on Illyria, so they sealed him away, hoping that his phylactery will be gone in the future. The adventurers knew that he will come back unless his phylactery was destroyed, so they formed an organization called the Gatekeepers. Its missions are to prevent his return, seal him back if and when he does, and locate and obliterate his phylactery. The Aris Aram and two more of his companions formed Adoran right after creating the Gatekeepers, and nobody knows any more of him."
"How do you know so much about the Soulmonger?"
"Radclyff and I are members of that organization along with some of the people we adventured with and others. We were tasked with making sure he doesn't come back."
Arven, Kaera, Merrick, and Sylfinas all said "Woah" at the same time.
"So, the urn is important I take it?" Kaera asked.
"My guess is it is for the ritual to bring the Soulmonger back," Jemeir responded.
"So what do we do now?"
"Have Arven and the others take you home. Radclyff and I will tag along for part of the journey, but we'll leave to stop the Soulmonger's resurrection when you embark on a ship. We'll leave when the ceremony is over."
"So that's it to report, Jemeir?" Radclyff asked.
"One final thing, there is a rumor spreading that the Phehans were behind the attack. I don't know who started it, but the weather was starting to turn bad, so I came here to beat it. It sounds like someone wants a war."
"But why?" questioned Sylfinas. "Drows detest humanoids like us, so why was Elvlin, the leader, surrounded by members she considered inferior? If they were more Dark Elves and other people from Pheha, it would make more sense."
"I don't know why Sylfinas, but I hope the officials at Edgepoint don't start another war. It looks like the weather won't let up any time soon, so if you want to, you can stay, Radclyff."
"I'll stay for dinner, but I'll be going back after eating. Thank you, though."
"I'll get dinner started then, and I realize I need to make a bigger batch."
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