Chapter 24 - Druids & Thieves

Sprawled across the city’s southern outskirts, the Estrellan District, much like Iwo Park to the north, provided a much-needed reprieve from the dense urban sprawl of Issei. Consisting of well-manicured orchards, vineyards, poppy fields, and gardened estates, it was a district of considerable wealth and influence. While clans like Akiyama and Takeuchi provided the city with military might, it was the Estrellan guilds and estates which fed the city and provided its people with their libations.

While the city proper bore no official guard force, the families of the Estrellan District had funded a proper militia to guard its cobblestone streets as well as deter any vagrants from camping out in the fields. Akaja took note of these guards, a potential complication to tonight’s mission. They patrolled the district on horseback, and would answer a call for aid from anyone who paid their “tax.” Many of them were heavily armed and armored, wearing steel breastplates and open-face helmets. They carried heavy crossbows, shields, and wielded hefty maces. While perhaps not as well trained as syndicate samurai, it was their equipment which made them just as deadly.

While her companions were awaiting their newest member, Akaja thought it best to test the efficiency of these guards. Arriving at the district’s southern docks, she made a note of the empty dock awaiting The Briny Hydra’s arrival. At the entrance of the dock stood a horse and wagon, awaiting cargo. Already she spotted half a dozen sell-swords, most likely under the Vintner’s guild’s payroll, loitering around it. Unlike the militia, these amateurs didn’t seem to be taking their duties very seriously, and spent most of their time either drinking or rolling dice. Perhaps she could take advantage of this. They probably wouldn’t refuse a free keg of grog from a pretty lady, and if this grog had something special hidden inside of it…

Grinning, she continued along the dock and carefully snuck her way past the gate of a warehouse just down the street. The hired thugs and tired dockworkers provided no challenge for her to sneak past, and they weren't paid enough to care even if she were to be caught. She grabbed the wooden blackjack she kept at her belt for times like these, and deftly climbed onto the top of the warehouse, dropping prone to further lessen her chance of being spotted. Close to the back entrance of the warehouse, she spotted her quarry. A brass bell sat atop a wooden post. Ringing that should alert the nearby militia…

A hired thug sat on a chair next to it, a wide-brimmed hat hiding his face. However, from his slouched stature, Akaja could tell he was sleeping on the job. He needed to be dealt with.

Hopping down from the roof, she darted across various crates and barrels before coming up behind the man. A solid thwack to the back of his head sent him into an even deeper sleep. Putting her blackjack away, she frantically rang the bell five times, which would tell the militia that there’s an intruder on the premises. Afterwards, she quickly took her leave, climbing over the tall stone fence that surrounded the warehouse and quietly took her place at the bar of a small tavern next door. She ordered herself a small glass of red wine and waited.

Three minutes…

The sound of clopping hooves echoed in from the streets as half a dozen militia-men arrived to answer the call. After a few minutes of questioning and the realization that there was no nature, the militiamen returned to their mounts and left the scene of the crime.

“Good to know…” Akaja murmured to herself, quickly downing her glass before heading back to report to her companions.

The Seekers sat at a pair of tables on a patio outside a small seaside cafe. The salty sea air, alongside the scent of numerous spices, set a nice and relaxed atmosphere. Atop the tables, numerous small, savory dishes (many of which were already half-eaten) were arranged hap-haphazardly alongside mugs of coffee, tea, and in Yukiko’s case, wine.

“You guys started eating without me?” Akaja said, taking a seat beside Yukiko.

“You did keep us waiting,” Andros said. “Also, Yuki got hungry.”

“Don’t blame it all on me!” Yukiko said, slapping Andros’ shoulder. “Mr. ‘What’s he having? I’ll have what he’s having!’ She stuck her tongue out at him, which prompted a quick kiss on the cheek from Andros.

“We saved you the leftovers,” Kuana said. “Dig in.”

Akaja grinned. “You don’t have to tell me twice!” She dipped a crispy slice of bread in a bowl of a sweet tomato-based sauce. “Mmm…”

“So…” Yukiko said, grinning. From the redness on Yukiko’s face, she seemed to be past her first glass of wine. “How did your reconnaissance go?”

“There’s a handful of hired thugs at the docks,” Akaja explained. “Shouldn’t be a problem, but if they alert the militia… they’re pretty efficient. We’ll have arou-“

“Hold that thought,” Andros interrupted. “I think our guest has arrived…”

Walking down the street towards the cafe was a tall and slender young man wearing a large floppy hat on his head. He wore a long flowing robe of crimson and white silk, and his skin was covered in a thin layer of pale blue fuzz. Four moth-like wings trailed behind him, shielding his body like a thick winter cloak. As he got closer to the patio and under its shaded canopy, he removed his hat, revealing a pair of long antennae where a man’s eyebrows would be. He had a pair of large black eyes, and a third eye, carved from opal, embedded into his forehead. The man also didn’t have any visible mouth to speak of, or to speak with.

The Naban, they called themselves. A tribe of moth people who dwelled in the great hollow beneath the earth. Akaja had seen them before, but they rarely ventured onto the surface, and those that did never really left the confines of Iwo Park.

The Naban stared at the Seekers curiously, then bowed. His antennae twitched slightly.

A soft baritone voice echoed in the back of their heads. “I apologize for my tardiness. I am not used to life on the surface, and the sun does not agree with me. You are they who call themselves Seekers of Truth, yes? I am Joon, novitiate of the Eternal Enclave."

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The Seekers looked amongst themselves, both Yukiko and Akaja bearing looks of confusion.

“Oh! I must explain myself. Please do not be alarmed. This is simply how my people communicate. You may speak back normally to me. I still forget telepathy isn’t universal.” Joon closed his eyes, his cheeks scrunching up a little. If he had a mouth, then he would probably be smiling.

“Nice to meet you, Joon!” Yukiko exclaimed. “I really like your wings! They’re pretty…”

“That is very kind of you! But they are considered quite average among my kind.”

“Do not be so modest, fuzzy one.” Kuana said. “How much do you know of our purpose here?”

“You are investigating the case of stolen souls, yes? A horrendous crime.” Joon nodded, antennae furrowed and twitching. “And right now you are undertaking a task to help with this?

“That’s correct,” Andros said, arms crossed. “Allow us to explain…”

After introductions, the Seekers gave Joon a very brief rundown of their plans and purpose here.

“What?” Joon’s eyes widened. “You intend to break the laws of this land?” He glanced around nervously. “This is quite the surprise!”

“If you have an issue with it,” Andros said. “Then you don’t have to accompany us…”

Joon’s antennae drooped. “No… I must! The Sentinel has requested it of me!” His wings shook slightly as his brow furrowed.

“Very well, then…” Andros nodded. “Let’s get straight to business. Akaja, you were giving us the rundown of security?”

“Oh, yes!” Akaja cleared her throat. “Half a dozen hired thugs at the docks. The Vintner's guild makes use of an alarm system. Pretty simply, really… they ring a loud bell five times, and that alerts a nearby patrol. They arrive on horseback, and I assume to assess the situation, deciding whether they need backup.”

“That’s what we heard?” Yukiko asked, tilting her head. “But you were on the other side of the docks! And we still heard it over the…” He motioned around in every direction. “Everything!”

“The bells are most likely enchanted to carry the sound further,” Andros mused. “Was there a bell on the dock?”

“None that I could see,” Akaja answered. “But I’m willing to bet they’ve got one on the ship. So, I have an idea… those thugs are easy picking, yeah? We could easily beat the crap out of them, but that’ll cause attention. The folk here are more… neighborly than in other districts. They’ll ring the bell even if it’s not their problem. Therefore, I propose we get rid of the guards through other means. Get them nice and sloshed, then take their place.”

“Are you going to pay for their drinks?” Kuana asked.

“I will!” Yukiko grinned. “My parents gave me some extra money to burn, and these seem like a good use of it!” She hummed in thought. “A nice keg of rum should do it!”

“And just in case they can hold their drink better than expected…” Akaja smirked. “We slip a little solution inside that gets them nice and sleepy. I can handle that bit… so once we’ve got the drinks in hand, myself and Yukiko will go offer them up! We’ll dress ourselves up as tavern wenches, giggle at their jokes, show some skin.”

“Will that be safe?” Andros asked, most likely for Yukiko’s sake.

“We’ll be fine!” Yukiko exclaimed. “You forget that I work in a tavern. I know how to keep myself safe.”

“Once the goons are nice and sloshed… we hide them somewhere, and don our disguises!” Akaja grinned. “Well, you lot will… I’ll take a small rowboat out while you distract them. I’ll row right up to the ship, sneak on, and disable the bell. Just in case it’s magic, though… I’ll ask Andros to come with me.”

“And what about our newest friend here?” Andros asked. “No offense, but he doesn’t exactly blend in…”

“Maybe Andros and I can switch places?” Came Joon’s voice. “I can also disable magic.”

Akaja smiled. “Then it’s settled! Once the goons are taken care of, Andros, Yukiko, and Kuana will pose as hired muscle to greet the ship. Meanwhile, myself and Joon will sneak aboard and disable the alarm. Once disabled, I’ll give a signal, then we hijack the ship and its loot! We best move quickly when the time comes, however. Even without a bell, fighting still makes quite a stir.”

“Works for me,” Andros said. “And the rest of you?”

The group nodded their affirmations.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Yukiko exclaimed. “Let’s get to work!”

Hours later, as the light of the sun slowly gave way to the crescent glow of the moon, Yukiko and Akaja pushed a cart holding a hefty keg of Estrellan rum. The pair wore loose dresses which Yukiko had purchased from a nearby clothier, both of which left little room for the imagination regarding their feminine features. Akaja hates it, and as they walked across the docks, she suppressed a constant need to cover herself up with a cloak. Yukiko, meanwhile, took her role in stride, responding to random compliments from passerbys with polite, but meaningless affirmations.

At the very least, it took the attention away from her… still, this was her idea after all. She had nobody to blame but herself.

When they reached their destination, a pair of the guild’s thugs greeted them. One of them, a tall half-elven man, regarded the women with crossed arms and a smirk. “Well, well, well… what have we got here? Can we do anything for you, ladies?”

“We come on behalf of the vintner’s guild!” Yukiko said, extending her arms to motion towards the keg. “Profits are high, and the big-hats want to award their loyal workers for all the hard work they’ve been doing?”

“That wine?” The half-elf asked.

“It’s rum,” Akaja said, clearing her throat as she leaned ‘seductively’ against the cart. “From the distilleries of golden Estrella. A special batch… just for you boys.”

“Why’s the damn vintner’s guild sending us rum and not wine?” The half-elf complained.

His friend, a muscular human man, punched him in the shoulder. “Are you really complaining about free booze?” He chuckled, then offered Akaja a polite bow before eyeing her up and down. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a bastard… the literal kind. Got a taste of fine living, but we would never refuse a gift from the guild! Especially when its presented by such beautiful young ladies…”

Yukiko giggled. “Stop it, you!”

Akaja closed her eyes, then sighed. When she opened them again, she faked a smile, gathering up some mugs from the back of the cart. “You’re too kind! Come get your friends to gather ‘round! Let us pour you all a mug!”

As expected, it didn’t take much to convince the thugs to start drinking. By their second round, they were sprawled across the deck, driven to sleep by the special concoction Akaja had slipped into the keg. The others, who were watching from across the street, came over once the dock was cleared, and moved the unconscious bodies to a nearby alleyway to be hidden behind a few crates and barrels.

“Phase one of ‘operation: smash and grab’ is complete!” Yukiko exclaimed, wrapping a crimson sash around her waist to better hold her new dress in place.

“Now onto phase two,” Akaja said, grinning. “I’m going to get out of this damn dress and back into my leathers. Joon…” She turned her gaze to the moth-man. “You ready?”

“I am ready to commit larceny!” Joon’s antennae twitched slightly as he shook his wings. “Erm… and you’re positive that this is necessary for the investigation?”

“Absolutely,” Akaja said. “It’s theft… in the name of justice! So, really… it’s not a crime.”

Joon stared at Akaja, bewildered. “I… suppose… for justice!”

Akaja gave Joon a playful slap on the shoulder. “That-a-boy! Let’s go!”