Faced with the endless vistas of the ever-changing cityscape, Aldebaran wanted nothing more to explore. To search for signs of life, for people or animals, or something completely different. However, it seemed unwise to run off without awaiting anything resembling an explanation from the mage that had brought her here. For all she knew there were deadly traps and predators lurking just around the corner. Besides, if you had access to information –or at least the potential of it—you always had to at least attempt to leverage that advantage. As with many things, while running in blind usually tended to be the most fun option, it usually wasn’t the best.
Also, she really wanted to know what the deal was with the Cube. How long had Magpie had it? Where had he found it? And why—no, that was obvious. To flaunt, of course. For a moment, it seemed the mage would provide the desired explanation, but instead the tall Biqaj gestured to one of the many alleyways and began walking. The message was clear. Indulge and get your answers. Stay, and do not. The thief rolled her eyes, extended a deep exhale, and followed.
The information gained was more than worth it though.
“So, this is a place that connects many locations on Idalos and in locations otherwise inaccessible though mundane means.” That was the gist of it, more or less. “So it’s a shortcut… or a hub, of sorts.”
Magpie revealed that this was the technique he’d been planning to teach Aldebaran should she have delivered the Cube. Yet, he held it in his hand here? And he’d showed her this Veil anyway? That did not add up, it did not stroke with her assessment of the mage’s character. Well, neither did him taking away the Webspinner underneath Rhakros. Wasn’t Magpie on Sintra’s side? Oh wait, he’d claimed neutrality when the bargain was made, though Aldebaran had not believed him. This made her doubt, but it wasn’t enough to shake the suspicion.
“I take it the Cube is a fake, then?” A very convincing one at that. Close as it was, the artefact behaved exactly as she remembered it doing. Its looks were identical to the Cube that existed in her memories –and her memory for interesting objects was quite sharp, far better than it was when it came to recall anything else—and she suspected the feel of it would be identical too. Not that Aldebaran thought for a moment that the Magpie would let her touch it. Well—perhaps touch, but he’d not release it. Unfortunately for the lanky mage, if Aldebaran could touch it, she could take it too, and he’d be powerless to stop it.
She did no such thing though, instead pushing against the underside of Magpie’s hand to gauge the weight of the fake Cube. Similar, if not exactly the same to the real thing. It was a little hard to tell with the Mage’s hand and arm pushing back and adding mass. “Interesting. Is that why I’m here anyway?” Which would mean she had given it to Magpie. It sounded ridiculous, since she did not remember such a thing happening –she did not even recall getting such an accurate counterfeit at all—but that was the only explanation she could come up with.
Magpie surely hadn’t shown her one of his –according to himself—most used tricks to get some information about the state of Etzos.
“Which side are you on again, Magpie? Still neutral, as before?”
It didn’t really matter, even if the youth claimed to have turned against the Arachnid Immortal, there were things Aldebaran would not discuss. Confidential and classified and secret things. The Mortalborn wasn’t skilled enough at reading people to detect liars as effectively as she’d like. Besides, even if Magpie did speak truth, it was better not to share information that should be kept away from Sintra’s ears. Those things were best kept within the ranks of the Resistance and herself.
“Well, as you might expect, her Highness--” the sarcasm rolled off the title in thick and viscous droplets “—has been steadily winning favor within Etzos, as you might expect. Crime rates have dropped. Domestic violence too. The Underground is mostly deserted. She helped keep warmth inside and snow outside of houses during the blizzard by covering them in thick webs. Her Web Guard are more frequently seen. Urchins and beggars and other kinds of folk that won’t be missed way less. She’s been restoring some of the ghosts to life. More and more people have started accepting her as part of Etzos now.” Aldebaran did not sound happy about that, and made no effort to hide it.
“Her followers have started attacking people who speak badly of her in the streets. People who soapbox and speech anti-Sintra sentiments are either beaten up afterwards, when their audience disperses, or are attacked by a mass of pro-Sintra citizens while the speech is still in progress. A dozen days ago or so a group of Web Guard was transporting street urchins through the city. All bound in chain. One of the Web Guards used to be a ghost, but had their body restored. During an argument, he seemed to lose control over his body, and started laughing in the voice of a little girl. Some bystander recognized it as the voice of a girl who recently went missing. Seems like Sintra is using urchins as sacrifices to accomplish the restoration of ghosts. That argument escalated into a brawl spanning a couple city blocks.” Aldebaran shrugged. “So, you know, same old, same old. Only a teensy bit better than during the plagues.”
There was a bit of a pause as Aldebaran ran through the recent events Etzos had lived through. Was there anything else worth mentioning?
“Oh, and I still haven’t spotted even a trace of the woman with the Cube. Speaking of, how highly would you rate that one--” she pointed at the fake in Magpie’s hand “—as a counterfeit? As in, how good of a fake is it? How does it hold up under scrutiny?”
Also, she really wanted to know what the deal was with the Cube. How long had Magpie had it? Where had he found it? And why—no, that was obvious. To flaunt, of course. For a moment, it seemed the mage would provide the desired explanation, but instead the tall Biqaj gestured to one of the many alleyways and began walking. The message was clear. Indulge and get your answers. Stay, and do not. The thief rolled her eyes, extended a deep exhale, and followed.
The information gained was more than worth it though.
“So, this is a place that connects many locations on Idalos and in locations otherwise inaccessible though mundane means.” That was the gist of it, more or less. “So it’s a shortcut… or a hub, of sorts.”
Magpie revealed that this was the technique he’d been planning to teach Aldebaran should she have delivered the Cube. Yet, he held it in his hand here? And he’d showed her this Veil anyway? That did not add up, it did not stroke with her assessment of the mage’s character. Well, neither did him taking away the Webspinner underneath Rhakros. Wasn’t Magpie on Sintra’s side? Oh wait, he’d claimed neutrality when the bargain was made, though Aldebaran had not believed him. This made her doubt, but it wasn’t enough to shake the suspicion.
“I take it the Cube is a fake, then?” A very convincing one at that. Close as it was, the artefact behaved exactly as she remembered it doing. Its looks were identical to the Cube that existed in her memories –and her memory for interesting objects was quite sharp, far better than it was when it came to recall anything else—and she suspected the feel of it would be identical too. Not that Aldebaran thought for a moment that the Magpie would let her touch it. Well—perhaps touch, but he’d not release it. Unfortunately for the lanky mage, if Aldebaran could touch it, she could take it too, and he’d be powerless to stop it.
She did no such thing though, instead pushing against the underside of Magpie’s hand to gauge the weight of the fake Cube. Similar, if not exactly the same to the real thing. It was a little hard to tell with the Mage’s hand and arm pushing back and adding mass. “Interesting. Is that why I’m here anyway?” Which would mean she had given it to Magpie. It sounded ridiculous, since she did not remember such a thing happening –she did not even recall getting such an accurate counterfeit at all—but that was the only explanation she could come up with.
Magpie surely hadn’t shown her one of his –according to himself—most used tricks to get some information about the state of Etzos.
“Which side are you on again, Magpie? Still neutral, as before?”
It didn’t really matter, even if the youth claimed to have turned against the Arachnid Immortal, there were things Aldebaran would not discuss. Confidential and classified and secret things. The Mortalborn wasn’t skilled enough at reading people to detect liars as effectively as she’d like. Besides, even if Magpie did speak truth, it was better not to share information that should be kept away from Sintra’s ears. Those things were best kept within the ranks of the Resistance and herself.
“Well, as you might expect, her Highness--” the sarcasm rolled off the title in thick and viscous droplets “—has been steadily winning favor within Etzos, as you might expect. Crime rates have dropped. Domestic violence too. The Underground is mostly deserted. She helped keep warmth inside and snow outside of houses during the blizzard by covering them in thick webs. Her Web Guard are more frequently seen. Urchins and beggars and other kinds of folk that won’t be missed way less. She’s been restoring some of the ghosts to life. More and more people have started accepting her as part of Etzos now.” Aldebaran did not sound happy about that, and made no effort to hide it.
“Her followers have started attacking people who speak badly of her in the streets. People who soapbox and speech anti-Sintra sentiments are either beaten up afterwards, when their audience disperses, or are attacked by a mass of pro-Sintra citizens while the speech is still in progress. A dozen days ago or so a group of Web Guard was transporting street urchins through the city. All bound in chain. One of the Web Guards used to be a ghost, but had their body restored. During an argument, he seemed to lose control over his body, and started laughing in the voice of a little girl. Some bystander recognized it as the voice of a girl who recently went missing. Seems like Sintra is using urchins as sacrifices to accomplish the restoration of ghosts. That argument escalated into a brawl spanning a couple city blocks.” Aldebaran shrugged. “So, you know, same old, same old. Only a teensy bit better than during the plagues.”
There was a bit of a pause as Aldebaran ran through the recent events Etzos had lived through. Was there anything else worth mentioning?
“Oh, and I still haven’t spotted even a trace of the woman with the Cube. Speaking of, how highly would you rate that one--” she pointed at the fake in Magpie’s hand “—as a counterfeit? As in, how good of a fake is it? How does it hold up under scrutiny?”
