Finally stepping into the club after dreading what lay behind them, Merlin paused mid-step, turning back to Eris as a thought struck him.
"Oh, right!" he exclaimed. "Before we go any further, I need to know—how old are you?"
Eris raised an eyebrow. "Weird question, but does it matter?"
Merlin quickly replied, "Well, of course it does. We're entering a certain kind of establishment here, and I need to know if you're even legally allowed to be in a place like this."
Eris groaned, rolling her eyes as she brushed past him. "Relax, Merlin, it's just a club. How bad could it possibly—"
Her voice cut off abruptly as they stepped inside, her face immediately turning scarlet at the sight. Rows of rowdy patrons filled the space, men and women alike decked out in suggestive outfits, laughter and music creating a boisterous, risqué atmosphere.
She slowly turned back to Merlin, her voice barely a whisper. "Remind me why the Candleravens are here again?"
Merlin sighed, lowering his voice. "As I mentioned, a fellow guild member was here and we ran into her. After what happened in the sewers, we stumbled into this place and found them deep undercover, gathering intel on some potential cult dealings… and the Abyss."
Eris blinked, still a bit dazed. "Well, that's convenient."
Merlin smirked, though there was a hint of wariness in his eyes. "Convenient or not, it almost felt like someone or something lured us all here to be wiped out all at once. Luckily, we managed to escape without serious injury."
The girl then waved a hand at Merlin, "I think I'm all caught up and good now. It just… caught me off-guard. Anyway, I think I'm… twenty-fiveish?" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Or something like that. Honestly, it's hard to remember."
Merlin snorted, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Sure, let's go with that. Now stick close, and follow my lead," he said, straightening his posture as they slipped further into the lively, raucous crowd.
The two then moved deeper into the bustling club, slipping through the crowd with practiced subtlety. The vibrant mix of voices, laughter, and clinking glasses filled the air, making it easy to stay unnoticed if they were careful. Merlin kept his pace measured, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to ensure Eris was close behind as he looked for a place to better document what was about to unfold.
As they threaded their way through the patrons, Merlin's sharp eye caught sight of two familiar figures weaving through the crowd ahead: Arctic Ink and Artemis. They moved in tandem, clearly keeping an eye on the club's patrons. Arctic Ink's feline ears twitched with every sound, and Artemis's sharp gaze darted between tables, scanning for any signs of trouble.
Merlin subtly raised a hand to slow Eris, who nearly collided with his back as she whispered, "What's the holdup?"
He nodded toward the two Candleravens up ahead, his voice barely audible. "Ink and Artemis. We're closer than I thought."
Eris's eyes widened. She stifled an excited squeak, quickly transforming it into a calm nod, though Merlin could see the thrill in her eyes.
"Keep a low profile and avoid any eye contact," he muttered. They continued slipping between groups, ducking slightly behind patrons whenever one of the Candleravens looked their way.
Finally, they found a spot in the corner of the club, half-shrouded in shadow with a view of the room. From there, they could observe Arctic Ink and Artemis moving between tables, stopping only briefly to exchange words with a few patrons.
"We'll wait here," Merlin whispered, his eyes fixed on his comrades, "Until they finish gathering whatever they need. Then we'll follow their lead."
However, as the girl quietly observed the scene, her eyes suddenly sparkled as she caught sight of Florian Glenvale on the club's upper floor, leaning casually against the railing. To anyone else, he might look like another patron simply surveying the scene, but Eris recognized his watchful gaze and alert stance immediately. Her excitement was barely contained as she took in every detail, watching one of her idols in action, however subtle.
Meanwhile, Merlin settled himself against the wall, flipping open his tattered journal. His quill hovered for a moment as he took in the bustling scene before him, the hum of the club pulsing through the air. With practiced strokes, he began another passage in his documentation, narrating the current scene with all the grandiosity befitting an epic tale:
"And there, amidst the dim-lit chaos and cacophony of sodom, our intrepid comrades lay scattered across their chosen corners of the room. Artemis, the wolfkin with senses sharper than steel, prowled between tables with a knowing gaze, his instincts guiding his every step. Nearby, Arctic Ink, fierce and feline, scanned each shadow, alert to the subtlest shifts, her tail flicking as she passed unwelcome patrons. Above them, Florian Glenvale, silent and keen-eyed, kept a watch from the balcony above, like a sentinel casting his eyes upon the battlefield.
For though this was no field of steel and blood, the air was thick with the scent of secrecy and deceit veiled by dance and drink. And as our plan unfolded beneath the chandeliers and laughter, little did we know things were about to take a turn for the worst."
Merlin's quill stilled, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He closed his journal, glancing over at Eris, who still seemed completely enraptured by the scene above.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Merlin interjected, his tone half-amused.
"Yeah, well, it's not every day you get to see the Candleravens in their element!" Eris replied, excitement bubbling over. But she quickly caught herself, realizing the implication of her words. She turned to find the magus regarding her with that familiar look of quiet disapproval.
"I mean… you know, doing guild stuff!" She added, an awkward laugh escaping her.
Merlin rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Relax, child! I'm not going to bite your head off at every little thing you say or do," he replied, though his tone softened just a bit. "Just do me a favor and be at ease, would you?"
Eris raised her hands defensively, grinning a little. "Alright, I get it! But can you blame me though? You're just so grumpy half the time that I'm half-expecting you to keel over from a heart attack!"
"Ha, ha," Merlin replied dryly, though he couldn't hide the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Well, since you seem so keen to avoid that outcome, perhaps you'd like to continue our earlier talk? Maybe then you'll feel a little less jumpy around me."
Eris raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Alright, fair enough. My memory's all jogged up from the stench of the sewer. Where did we leave off again?"
"The future. Your timeline," Merlin prompted.
The girl clapped her hands together. "Right, that bit! Well, if you're curious, I'd say nothing much has changed apart from a few calamities here and there."
Merlin arched a brow. "Calamities, you say? World-ending events, that sort of ordeal?"
"Yup," Eris replied with a shrug. "Nothing the Candleravens or any other guild in Leo'nux couldn't handle, honestly. Just your usual apocalyptic hiccups."
Merlin gave her a long, thoughtful look. "And what of the Abyss in your timeline?"
Eris tilted her head, considering. "Hmm… much like in your time, they're pretty much wiped out. So now, we just deal with actual psychos from the darker corners of the world. You know, cults, dictators, tyrants—the usual suspects."
"That's… fascinating," Merlin murmured, his expression darkening slightly. "But also disheartening. After all we've sacrificed to secure some semblance of peace, evil still lingers in one form or another."
Eris rolled her eyes, snorting dismissively. "Oh, come on, Merlin. As if that's ever gonna change. Evil's like a bad rash, it never really goes away."
Her remark caught Merlin off guard. He tilted his head, studying her with mild curiosity, his lips twitching as if about to retort but stopping short.
"Well," Merlin said after a pause, leaning forward. "Enough about that for now. Let's get to the brass tacks of this whole arrangement, Eris. Humor me, I have a few questions."
Eris smirked, crossing her arms. "Go on, O wise wizard. What pearls of wisdom dost thou seek?"
Merlin let out a huff of amusement before his tone turned more serious. "This temporal quest of mine isn't just a whimsical experiment. I'm here to better document the Candleravens' past exploits." He gestured faintly toward the guild members weaving through the club's crowd. "Reading the reports from our previous quests just doesn't capture the finer details. The moments that matter."
Eris raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Okay… but where are we going with this?"
Merlin's gaze sharpened, his voice firm. "What I've just told you is the unvarnished truth. That's my reason for being here. But now I need to ask you—why are you helping me? Why go to these lengths, Eris? What are you hoping to gain from all this?"
Eris blinked, caught off guard by his abrupt seriousness. She hesitated, her expression wavering between defensiveness and sincerity.
"I… I guess I just thought it was the right thing to do," she said finally, her voice quieter. "I mean, yeah, you're a cranky old wizard and half the time I feel like you're babysitting me for the short time we've been together, but… I don't know. Feels like being part of this journey might actually matter. To you. To me. Maybe even to them," she added, nodding toward the Candleravens.
Merlin let out a long, weary sigh, his gaze fixed on Eris. "That's not exactly convincing," he murmured, his tone heavy with doubt. His words hung in the air, and for a moment, the tension between them was palpable. Merlin wanted to believe her—there was a part of him that almost did—but the weight of his mistrust lingered, a nagging voice in the back of his mind.
Before he could press further, a sharp sound pierced through the air, shattering their moment entirely. The unmistakable crash of glass breaking echoed through the club, followed almost instantly by the deafening wail of sirens blaring from outside.
Merlin's eyes widened in alarm. He cursed under his breath, realizing with a jolt that he had lost track of time during their conversation. The 'event', the very reason he and Eris had come here, was unfolding right behind them.
His head snapped toward the crowd, and the sight that greeted him was utter pandemonium. Patrons were screaming and scrambling in all directions, their once-rowdy revelry now replaced with blind panic. Smoke began to fill the room, pouring in through canisters that clattered onto the floor, spewing thick clouds that stung the eyes and choked the lungs.
Eris turned as well, her face pale with shock. "What the hell is going on?" she shouted over the rising chaos.
"Enforcers," Merlin muttered grimly, his tone sharp as he surveyed the scene.
The magus scanned the room quickly. People were throwing themselves out of shattered windows, desperate to escape, only to be tackled and apprehended by the armored police force waiting outside. Others were being forcibly dragged out of the club, coughing and gagging as they disappeared into the smoke-filled night.
And then they came. The enforcers. Tall, imposing figures in dark armor and masks that obscured their faces, storming into the club in tight formation. Their heavy boots pounded against the floor, their movements methodical and unyielding as they herded the panicked crowd like cattle.
Merlin's heart sank. He turned to Eris, his voice low but urgent. "Stay close. And keep your head down."
Eris nodded, her usual bravado replaced with silent fear as she clutched the sleeve of Merlin's coat. "What do we do?"
Merlin's eyes flickered with a mix of frustration and resolve. "We follow the Candleravens' lead. Fast. And then we disappear before any of them catch us in this mess."
On the dancefloor, Artemis and Ink stood back-to-back, weapons drawn, their silhouettes barely visible through the thick clouds of smoke. The swirling haze made the encroaching enforcers appear as looming shadows, their riot shields gleaming ominously in the dim, strobe-lit chaos.
"Well, this has so far been a cat-astrophe," Ink quipped, her voice raspy as she coughed into her arm.
"Really, Ink? Now?" Artemis shot back, his tone laced with dry humor as he pulled his scarf tighter over his nose, trying to stave off the choking fumes.
Before either could act, a shadow dropped from above, landing lightly behind them with an audible thud. Florian straightened, his hand giving off a faint glow of magic as it pulsed to his fingertips.
"Cover your ears," Florian commanded calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. Raising his hand, he began to move in a fluid and deliberate gesture, the air around him rippling with unseen energy.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he spoke the incantation. "Ventus Exsurge!"
At his words, the spell came alive. A gust of powerful, spiraling wind erupted from Florian's hand, roaring outward in a wide arc. The smoke whirled and twisted violently, swept up in the tempest and carried away from the dancefloor, revealing the enforcers in stark clarity. The lights of the club flickered as the wind howled, the sheer force rattling glassware and dislodging debris.
As the haze cleared, Artemis let out a low whistle, his eyes narrowing at the now-visible enforcers forming a blockade ahead. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance."
Ink's whiskers twitched as she grinned, her voice steadier now without the smoke. "Purrhaps it's time to stop playing around?"
"Stay sharp," Florian said, his tone measured. The remnants of his spell lingered in the air, a faint breeze swirling around him like a protective aura. "The path ahead is clear for now. Let's not waste it."
The three Candleravens tightened their formation, the dancefloor now eerily silent except for the sound of their footsteps and the distant crackle of electricity from the enforcers' batons. The battle was far from over, but Florian's gust had given them a moment to regroup and press on.
Eris watched the scene unfold with wide-eyed excitement, her gaze flicking between the chaos and the Candleravens standing their ground. Merlin, meanwhile, couldn't suppress a fond smile as he watched the unfolding memory play out. The tension in the standoff between the enforcers and the adventurers was palpable, a critical moment in the Candleravens' history now coming alive before his eyes.
Suddenly, the standoff was interrupted by a loud thud as another figure landed on the dancefloor, the sheer force of the impact shaking the ground slightly.
Both Merlin and Eris froze, their eyes growing wide in disbelief. The silhouette of the man who had just entered was unmistakable, young, confident, and absurdly overloaded.
There, standing tall and grinning like a fool, was the younger Merlin, carrying four people—one in a bridal carry, while the other three clung to him in various positions: one perched on his back, another draped over his shoulder, and the last holding on for dear life to his arm.
"A-are those…" Eris stammered, her voice tinged with confusion and a hint of secondhand embarrassment.
"Don't say it," Merlin interrupted, covering his face with a hand, clearly wanting to sink into the floor.
"That's uhh… that's a lot of ladies, boss…" Florian chimed in with an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head as he pointed at the ridiculous sight.
The younger Merlin turned to his party, his grin wide and his confidence unshaken. With a dramatic thumbs-up, he declared, "No soul left behind, boys and gals!"
Eris turned to her Merlin, an amused smirk playing on her lips. "So… is this what you wanted to document?"
"Don't get it twisted!" Merlin shot back, his face flushing with embarrassment as the memory resurfaced in vivid detail. He groaned, muttering under his breath, "Of all the things I had to forget, why couldn't it be this?"
Before anyone could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air from one of the people being bridal-carried by the younger Merlin.
"Now what?!" the voice snapped, clearly unimpressed by the current predicament. "Don't tell me you're actually going to fight these guys!"
Merlin and Eris turned sharply at the familiar tone. Their eyes narrowed as they squinted at the woman's face, now partially visible amidst the chaos.
"Wait… is that…" Eris murmured, her voice trailing off in shock.
"Rose?" Merlin whispered, his own surprise just as palpable as he had nearly forgotten this detail.
"Mom?!" Eris exclaimed, the word bursting out before she could stop herself.
Merlin's head snapped toward her, his voice climbing an octave. "MOM?!"