"Any signs of Smiling Jhurack?" I ask my briefly employed technical staff while I idly stared outside. The sky was getting darker and nighttime was approaching. The view I saw was different than it was during the day, as it always was. And as per usual, I was unhappy with the circumstances.
"None at all, Grand-Guard Inerish."
"What about the vigilante?"
"Vigilante Nin is still lingering around St. Bruttar's Brief Recovery and Healing Centre."
"Any word from them about the patient's condition?" I asked, having put out orders to keep tabs on her since news of foreign powers amassing first came to me. It was a simpler time then. Just a bit of political pressure, no city destroying witches or bugs with the souls of men.
"Nothing as well."
"Do not waste time informing me if something does change, then. Just send the orders out to our native troops and your own." I tell them, sighing out at the end before I got up and left my command centre. I then headed into my personal washroom and stared intently at my mirror. I may have not really shown it, but I was nervous about this. I acted that way before the council for something that would likely fail...
As much as I wanted to believe otherwise, as much as I wanted to trust Nin's declaration... Thirty years has this man terrorised this city. And in this one, he accomplished the impossible. Anyone with a grasp of what a Worm Rider was would now amplify his reputation.
What was once hearsay and rumour abroad in other nations and mountain-states was now a cause for war. It had far-reaching implications that I had to also find the time to look into. But, if Jhurack was now eager to toy with someone, I would never find the time to comfortably do so. Odd as it was to think about, if Nin was not this involved, I could just ignore it to some extent.
Failure was expected of me and my confidence as a leader was waning. I made my name guarding the Dakrid Fortress deep below even the water-veins of this continent. I was a respected fighter and master of defensive warfare. Anti-spy actions in particular.
My parents were so proud when they heard about my job acceptance here. Yet, now, it was the worst thing I could have ever done. I gave up a simple life for one where I became a pin cushion for blame after blame. It was frustrating indeed.
"Let's see how driven you really are, Nin." I say to myself in the mirror before I used my dark-fire to light a candle. It wasn't a particularly nice-smelling one. But I was nostalgic for the sulphuric scent it had. Reminded me of home.
However, I soon found myself attracted to the device I wore on my wrist. The beacon that segregated my power from the all-consuming pull of our city. Anyone with sufficient strength or these devices could withstand the city. But what about Nin?
That footage I watched before did not show him using any spells. So that was an oversight on my part because he would not be at his best if he was too weak. Something that was likely the case. However, it was too late to rectify that.
So I headed back to my chair after blowing out the candle and got caught up. Nothing of note had occurred so far, but that was likely to change very soon. One of the fourteen moons was making itself known and the last signs of light were disappearing. It would've been a nice view to watch hadn't other things taken precedent.
"Alert all patrols and send the order out to the hangers, I want all aircraft in the air."
"Yes, Grand-Guard Inerish." they acknowledged before my orders began to repeat in my ears. And before long, dozens of airships were flying about after they deployed. Some began to bring in details of other crimes they had intercepted. Yet, the main attraction had yet to show himself.
Not even the wind gave me any details. I wasn't sure how it worked, but Galanmarck told me I heard his men the same way as I ordered them. The wind carried it all according to him. But I was no wind-person.
I was Errakurd.
Regardless, I made sure to whistle my intent to those Union soldiers. I could trust their relentlessness the most right now. And I even told them to serve as guides for Nin, should Jhurack lead him on. I wanted them to corral that scum for a swift execution.
No courts or bars, I just wanted it all over with. To a degree, I was getting impatient. But, I could trust those Union soldiers not to be. The same could not be said of my own men, however.
Like me, they were sick of this man...
"We have reports of laughter." someone suddenly said. And I shot up in my seat with a glare coming to the forefront.
"Where?"