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| Part four: the situation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the back room of the Royal palace - where most of the prince's society dealings were held - a serious conversation was happening between Axis and the Keeper of the Elysium. After hearing the first bit - he calmed down and allowed himself to relax. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Explain to me how the Caitiff poses a threat to my city - and what this has to do with Skamms?" Axis asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Simply this - the Caitiff is a loose cannon. He believes himself to be a god - and he heard a rumor that there was some lunatic trying to besmirch his name. The Caitiff - he is not weak - and I don't think I have to explain what will happen - if someone like that gets preachy with Skamms," Glare added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fair enough - how did you learn of this?" Axis asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have my sources sire," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I respect the need for some secrecy - but not right now - and not over an issue like this. How did you come into this?" Axis asked. Glare sighed and looked over at the door. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My brother - he is traveling with this mad god. He said that coming here was the last thing he wanted to happen - but someone leaked the information straight to him - and here we are," he replied calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Brother? I see. Will your brother be a threat to my city?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He is trying to keep this from exploding sire - as am I," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I respect the position you are in. You could have kept this from me - but you didn't," Axis stated calmly. Glare smirked and looked over at the prince. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "True - and then when things boiled over - questions would be asked - and where would I be then?" he asked curiously. Axis smiled and nodded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Probably right where you are now - facing charges. Point taken. You have any loyalty to this brother of yours?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "His way - his cause - is not mine. He made his choices - I mine. I promised him that I would not interfere with his work unless ordered to by you - so tell me - where do I stand sire?" he asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will try to keep you out of this. But if things start to spiral downwards towards my city - everyone will be involved - and I do mean everybody," he replied seriously. Glare nodded and quietly left the room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It had to have been him that leaked that information to him," Axis muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Who? Glare?" Dagger asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - Dr. Jest - what I don't understand is why," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dr. Jest? The former Primogen of Chamberlan?" Jonus asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The same," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But we heard that he died," Dagger commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That is what I thought too - but he survived - he is still out there," he replied. The two Assimites looked at each other. Both thinking that the prince was starting to come unraveled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A few blocks away - near a park - a woman was walking her dog. Her attention slipped for an instant and her dog jerked free. She watched as the tiny dog ran from the trail. Carefully she followed the path the dog had gone down - and saw it sniffing an unmoving body - the body of Skamms. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - you - you okay?" she asked hesitantly. Instantly his eyes opened and he looked around. It was then that he became aware of the dog that was staring at him and the woman that was looking him on the brink of panic. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm fine," he muttered as he attempted to get up - but it failed and he fell awkwardly to the ground. He was mildly surprised when he felt her helping him up. "I can do it myself," he muttered - as he propped himself up against a tree. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm - sure you can - what happened to you?" she asked curiously. Skamms looked at his arm and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Looks worse than it is. Not to sound overly out of it - but where am I?" he asked seriously. He looked around in the vain hope of seeing anything vaguely familiar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Central Park," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "City?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Eco," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Eco - home again - home again," he muttered - eyes drifting out of focus. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You should see a doctor about that arm," she suggested. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Trust me - it is nothing serious. It just looks bad," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You in trouble with the law or something?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Or something - look, this has been fun - but," he began as he collapsed to the ground. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time passed. Images swam and mixed together. Voices - faces - singing shouting screaming. Skamms sat up and looked around where he was. His eyes darted around like a caged animal but saw nothing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where am I?" he asked lowly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Someplace safe," a familiar voice stated. He looked over and saw his old friend - the caitiff bartender. He walked over to where Skamms was sitting and handed him a mug. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How did I get here?" he asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A regular found you passed out in the park. Some lady was screaming and attracting all sorts of unwanted attention. He found you and whisked you here - to me. No one knows you are here save me and the one that brought you here," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Been having the most messed up dreams," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I could tell. You were speaking in tongues - no pun intended," he commented. Skamms took a sip from the mug and sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How long was I out?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You've been down here for about a week. What is the last thing you remember?" he asked curiously. Skamms thought back for a moment and then looked over at the caitiff. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why? What's been going on?" he asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I asked first," he remarked with a smile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Heard some shit going down in my old stomping ground. Went to check it out - don't know how long ago that was though. I remember - a flash of light - then darkness. The next thing I remember - some dumb little dog is staring at me - then here I am. Your turn," he answered seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - the prince is on edge lately - rumor has it that is has something to do with you," he began. Skamms smirked and shook his head. The prince made it too easy sometimes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That isn't anything new," he stated as he took another sip. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - how about the rumors that have been floating around?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That I got jumped by Gangrels - lost in the labyrinth below the city - or that I was vying for the Primogen status of Chamberlan?" he asked curiously. The caitiff quietly laughed and leaned against the wall behind him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That was you?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Always keep them guessing - anything else?" he replied curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - maybe this. Some lunatic that believes he is the god of thunder is calling you out - and get this - it has everyone near the prince - nervous?" he suggested. A smile crept across Skamms face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "God of thunder? That - is new. Tell on my good man," Skamms requested with a smirk. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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