Gray The Grand

How did it come to this? I was brought along to the Minotaur's bar, by the two people known throughout the Underground. They bantered the entire time, while I followed along quietly and listened. They talked to each other as if they were old friends, instead of two opposing factions. Body three was with the Duke, and I was relaying everything I heard to him. I wouldn't be able to teleport this body out of the red light district due to the interference from Eclipse itself.

One body was worth the information I was gathering, it just left a bitter taste in my mouth. There was so much I was learning, and I couldn't give any of it to my Queen. I couldn't utter a word to my hive mates. The bar itself was quite rustic, made entirely out of wood. The floor was covered in dark carpets with crystal lights hanging beneath metal tops. The smell of quality meat lingered through the air of the entire first floor. More importantly, the entire place was huge. It was built to comfortably fit Kobe himself as he walked through the hall towards the stairs.

A waitress had come to guide us to the VIP room reserved for these kinds of meetings. The two gang leaders idly talked to each other even as we ascended the stairs. The warmth of the smoke was kept mostly downstairs, as the second floor was even more impressive. Art hung from the walls, sculptures sat atop pedestals. I noted a few nobles going about their own conversations through the slits in the walls for servers to see if they needed anything.

It was a statement of power, as I saw the magic of crystals flicker to life. They were scrambling the words inside such rooms. There was no risk of anything important being heard. We were led to our own room, with a massive booth. The table was tall, built so that Kobe could sit comfortably. There were steps for those of us with shorter legs. The cushions were elevated to not treat us as inferiors. We climbed up, while Kobe ordered the drinks. I politely declined when asked if I wanted anything.

I got settled in between both gang leaders, the werewolf on the Raven's other side. The Minotaur cracked his neck, letting out a deep breath. He was still recovering from his wounds, but his eye had regrown. I didn't know how, but he was recovering slowly. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The Raven nodded, with his werewolf clinging to his arm. "It has, I'm glad I came when I did. Who knows when the next time might have been when we could just negotiate like this." Servers came in carrying step stools and placing the drinks for the three. Kobe's flagon was more like a small barrel remade to be a flagon. The Raven gestured to me after taking a swing, "So, who is this guy? Why'd you bring him along Kobe?"

Kobe chuckled, "Young vampires are easier to deal with. You should have seen him fight though, we also need someone to witness this. I just didn't feel like waiting for one of their older vampires to make time for me. He can tell them what we're doing and we'll meet accordingly."

I coughed softly, "I'm talking to a Duke right now. He's more than happy to be a part of the discussion without being here." Ben was also showing me some of his plays written on paper. Beru would have loved them.

Kobe bobbed his head, "That makes it more official, usually we have a third party here to know what we're negotiating. We have standards after all, isn't that right, Jack?"

The Raven shrugged, "Been a long time since I used that name. I've burned through so many aliases that I'm not even sure if that's my real name."

Kobe grinned, "Yeah, yeah, how are you doing anyway, Charlie?" He looked at the werewolf.

She gave a curt nod but didn't say anything. Jack sighed, "She's still mute." He held her close to him, "She did miss sparring with your champs though. People are more interesting to fight, I guess."

Kobe chuckled, taking a swig right after. Jack followed behind while Charlie took a few sips herself. The whole ritual was bizarre to me. I knew of etiquette, but this was different. We just ate whenever we felt like it, we didn't bother going one after the other. This wasn't efficient, and it made the conversation take longer. I checked on my shades, most of them were getting ready for the night.

Kobe smirked, "Don't feel left out, Gray. I'll take another swig in your place." He bellowed out a laugh, before doing just that. He wiped the froth from his lips, as he slammed his flagon down. "Now, onto business."

Jack grinned, "Yeah, I found you with a small army in my territory. I want reparations!" He slammed his flagon down.

Kobe nodded, "I'll catch you up on what's been going on."

Jack gave a thumbs up, "Deal!"

The two laughed before Kobe started talking about the tribes. It was impressive how much he knew about what was happening inside their lands. He spoke about the night of the Blind Eye, and how quickly we wiped out the hags. He clarified what he knew about the Wraiths, and how he knew who my Queen was. I confirmed the information at Duke's request showing that the Leeches were aware of this as well.

Servers came and went as the two drank during the discussion. They were getting a little inebriated. Kobe downed another mighty swig, before slamming his flagon down. "What about you? How 'ave things been going since your little stunt? I thought I lost a good drinking buddy when you left!"

Jack held onto the handle of his flagon. "Shitty!" He cried out. "The King knew about my plan to invade the hole! The bastard let me do it!"

Kobe gasped, "No!"

Jack nodded, "Yes!" He let out a small sob. This wasn't how I thought this was going to go. "The Princess came into my warehouse right before it, they know about the wolves Kobe!"

Kobe leaned forward, "The wolves?"

"The wolves! I had been taming whisper wolves and got them to make the biggest pack you ever saw. You remember the attack before the First Snow Ball?" Kobe nodded, "That was me!" He took another swig as Kobe did the same. "Their ears turned silver or purple, I can't remember. They started dropping their bonds to me. The whole pack just went wild!" He motioned with his one good hand while Charlie helped to keep him balanced. "It was supposed to be amazing!"

Kobe snorted, "Oswald himself got involved because they almost took out Wyatt." He laughed a little.

Jack started laughing, "Really!? That's fucking gold! You need to tell me more."

Kobe grinned, "He came flying above the walls half bleeding out. Oswald was nearby doing who knows what. The bells were ringing, and then Wyatt went into the infirmary. Apparently, that was when that Wraith bitch first appeared."

I bit my cheek, holding back what I wanted to say. I didn't much like how dismissive they were being of my Queen. There was nothing I could do, so I asked a question, "How do you know all that?"

The two looked at me as if they had forgotten I was there. Kobe and Jack both took another swig. The Minotaur spoke up after. "I have spies everywhere kid. Even on the Guard, I have people. Thing about being this big is that people think you're all strength, no brains."

Jack sat back, "Right? Just like being a tamer means you fuck those you bind with!"

I struck a nerve and derailed the conversation. Why do people do this? What's the point in getting drunk? Kobe chuckled, "You do though!"

I asked Ben about it, and he was trying to explain it as best he could. Jack pulled Charlie into a hug, kissing her lips. "You're damn right I do! Though it's only those that I can talk to. I'm not one of those freaks that's into razor mouths. They need to be smart, damn it!" Charlie chose to use Jack's lap as a pillow.

Kobe slammed his hand on the table a few times while laughing. "Living the dream! I had a girl I was getting cozy with."

Jack tilted his head, "Had?"

"Yeah! Had!" They both took another swig. The servers replaced their drinks. "That bitch of a princess killed her! Then she demanded I throw a tournament!"

Jack groaned, "Fuck that bitch!" He put his flagon up.

Kobe hit Jack's flagon with his own, "Fuck the King!"

They both downed their ale, wiping their faces with the back of their hands. "Why do you hate them?" I felt the words slipping from my lips before I realized what I just said. They both stared at me.

Jack muttered, "Learn to read the room, dumb ass."

Kobe snorted, "How can you not? Oh, yeah you're a young blood." He stroked his goatee. "How long have you been a vampire?"

The Duke told me to tell the truth. "Less than a year. Why does that matter?"

Kobe nodded, while Jack put his head on the table with a small groan. "Who were you before you became a vampire?"

I considered the question and decided on the safe answer. "I was a carpenter, forced to come into the Underground."

Kobe slammed his fist on the table, while servers replaced the ale again. He continued after they left, "Bew shit!" He waved a hand at me, "You're telling me a carpenter just suddenly becomes that good at fighting in under a year!? Tell me who you really were, and I'll give you a hint. I already figured it out because of your dreads."

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I lowered my head, realizing how obvious it must have been when I saw my chitin-covered claws. "I was a spider living in the woods outside Eclipse before my Queen found me."

Jack grabbed his flagon, taking another swig, "She killed Edna! She ate my banshee! I loved her!"

Kobe took a swig as well, "Why did she do that, Gray?"

I fidgeted a little, "She went berserk because her scream severed her connection to the Hive." There was no point in hiding it. "The wolves were attacking, and trying to kill Wyatt. My Queen, she took a few hits when the Banshee..."

"Edna," Jack growled.

"Edna," I continued, "Came out of nowhere with a scream. The last memory she had was tossing Wyatt into the air to safety before losing it."

Kobe took another swig, slamming his flagon. Jack did the same. Kobe tilted his head towards me, "It was an accident?"

I lowered my head, "If my Queen's connection hadn't been severed, she wouldn't have lost control over herself like that. Out there in the woods, where you're fighting a horde of whisper wolves that claimed an arm. I don't know if anything different could have been done. My Queen regretted it, she let me know what happened through the memories. She used it as an example to teach me to never disconnect from my own bugs."

"EDNA!" Jack started sobbing. Charlie was patting him on the back, glaring daggers at me.

Kobe crossed his arms, "Can you connect to your Queen now? I think an apology would be nice. I brought you here because you were the only one not attacking. I wanted to hash things out with her. I mean something must be going on, you just stood there watching like you wanted to join."

I kept my head low, keeping this information from Ben. I wanted nothing more than to serve my Queen again. Maybe, just maybe, they had a way for me to do that. "I will apologize on her behalf if asked, but I cannot connect to her right now."

Kobe snorted, "Don't give me that shit, if it's about the exile then I don't care."

I looked up at him, "The Count tainted me. I can't connect with any of the others. Especially not her. I won't let him hurt her!" I almost stood up but stopped when Kobe's massive hand pushed down on my shoulder.

"That's why I hate the King. It doesn't matter who his bitch of a daughter hurts, or what his nobles do to those of us in the Underground. He'll make us suffer." Kobe snorted, as Jack raised his flagon.

"Fuck the King!" Jack yelled, before hitting his flagon to Kobe's and they both took another swig.

I looked at the clearly drunk man, "Is he going to be alright?"

Kobe laughed, "He'll be fine after he gets tired of sobbing. He can just make himself sober with his talent. Perfect Bonds, or Perfect Tamer. Something like that, right?"

"FUCK YOU! Kobe's talent is, 'Your Power Is Mine!'" Jack glared at Kobe.

I blinked, "Why are you telling me your talents?"

Kobe smirked, "Because loyalty can't be bought, Gray. It's earned. I made a mistake, thinking I could use you to get in touch with your queen. I wanted to talk terms and set some rules. The three of us fighting each other will only fuck all of us over. The Underground is just a playground for the king's daughter to fuck around in. He doesn't care what happens down there, and he doesn't give two shits who his princess kills."

Jack straightened up, letting out a deep sigh, "Fuck, okay, I'm sober. Still pissed about Edna, but she shouldn't have screamed. I told her to watch and only interfere if she thought she had to. I can't do anything to the Princess, but your queen is an outlet. How did the Count taint you?"

I told Ben that the two were drunk, and they were trading stories. I told the two a little about how the Hive was connected without getting too specific. I made certain they thought null magic would sever the connections, just as the Entomancers could take control over the bugs. In return, I learned a few things about Kobe's gang and that Jack's biggest weakness was someone killing those he bonded with. It would make the man seize if the bond was deep enough.

The two were in deep thought when I spoke again, "Why do you both fight each other, but are friendly up here?"

Jack looked at me, "Because fighting makes the princess happy."

Kobe nodded, "If the Underground is stable then the princess stirs up shit. I try to instigate fights between gangs from time to time, but there needs to be one big fight a season. We just had that, so here we are. We might pretend to be out to gut each other in the Underground, but I'd probably trust Jack here with my life."

Jack nodded, "Same here, it's hard to find someone that knows what they're doing."

Kobe snorted, "Tell me about it, I'm pissed at Robert for what he said to me."

I lowered my head, shaking it slowly as I remembered those words I heard. Jack looked at me, then back at Kobe, "What'd he say?"

Kobe slammed his fist on the table, "The Minotaur has grown fat and lazy. It's not a gang for the people anymore. I might have killed him if he hadn't pulled chanting out of his ass." He titled his head towards me, "Know anything about that?"

I put up my hands, "Unfortunately no, it was as much a surprise to myself as it was to you. He wasn't able to do it while the Hive was still connected."

Jack tilted his head, "Chanting? That shouldn't work."

Kobe snorted, "Not unless you have a talent that lets you do it. Kind of like doing a ritual without the markings. Are you sure you don't have any ideas, Gray?"

I shrugged, "My Queen thought it might be possible. There was a theory that the runes we saw were the language of the world itself. If not Xentos, then the language of Aether. I don't know any creature that could make the kind of noise Robert did while chanting, but he might be translating his words into magic or the language of it." I shook my head, showing how much I didn't know about it.

Kobe sighed, "It's not the talent, but the user that can make it great. Anyway, you said you're talking to a duke or something, right?" I nodded, "Good, what does he want?"

I asked Ben about the negotiations, and what the Leeches wanted. He applauded my brilliance for negotiating while they were 'drunk.' I coughed, "With the Raven back to reclaim the Southside, he wants the territory that was fought over."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Fucker, he thinks there's something there. Which, there is. The teleporter that lets me come back from my town."

Kobe bobbed his head, while I told Ben they were considering it. "Can't you get Azera to make you another one?"

Jack shook his head, "Too expensive, and I have to talk to him since he knows I used it. I'll ask, just to see if he didn't prepare another one on the off chance. This is why I hate dealing with vampires, they're tricky fucks like that. He's probably very happy about how clever his request is. Does he think we're drunk, what have you told him?"

"He believes you are both drunk and congratulated me on choosing this moment to negotiate. I told him some of the banter you guys were saying before we got here, and have been reading the plays he's written. He's frustrating to deal with, but manageable." The two just stared at me.

Kobe laughed before Jack took a swig. "You are impressive. Tell him he's not getting my teleporter, but make it very clear I'm drunk and accidentally revealed that. You want to fuck over the people that are keeping you from your Queen, right?"

I nodded, doing as asked. To my surprise, Ben did a chef's kiss calling the Raven a fool for revealing his trump card. "He wants the area nearby then. He'll happily claim the territories around your teleporter."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Of course he would, so he can keep an eye on our movements, and potentially break it. Doesn't one of your guys live in the dead-zone nearby?" I nodded, "Do you think they'll move, or that they can handle the vampires that might try to claim that spot?"

"Scix most definitely moved to a new location. He needs bodies, and with your sudden appearance he'll seek to lay low." I was starting to see the picture.

Kobe grinned, "So Scix was the one that ran down my men. I'll have to punish him some other time. Do go on though."

Jack smirked, "Tell your Duke he can have the dead-zone next to my portal."

I did, and Ben let out a squeal of joy. He was more excited when I told him that I believed Scix wouldn't be there anymore, though I withheld information on the tunnel leading straight to the Underneath. "He accepted, aren't you concerned he might put a different duke there?"

Jack shrugged, "He can, but whoever they put there will be pinned between me and a dead-zone. I planned on reclaiming my territory anyway, so it makes it easier knowing vampires will deal with whatever comes from the Underneath." He winked, while I grinned under my mask.

I looked at Kobe, "He wants you to hold a private auction on slaves. He has information he wants to sell on your enemies." I double-checked who the enemies were. Kobe tilted his head, as I continued, "That's the others I worked with. Including Robert and Argus."

Kobe stroked his goatee, "Do you think he has information you don't?"

I shook my head, "I think he didn't expect me to tell you about them."

Kobe bobbed his head, "Tell him I'm very drunk, and that you accidentally told me. Though do tell him I agreed. What kind of slaves does he want?"

I told Ben, who was mildly conflicted. He chose to accept it however and listed what he was looking for. "Healthy slaves, to supply blood. The easier they are to look at, the better." I summed it up. Been was going on about certain colors of hair, noble features if he could manage it. How they would probably prefer someone without rotting teeth.

Jack laughed, "You should take an elf, Kobe."

Kobe snorted, "I have a few, don't tell him I'm bringing any Gray, it'll be a surprise." I nodded, as he stroked his goatee. "I can't ask for more, since I'm supposed to be drunk right now. I'll deal with whoever he sends when we get there." He closed his eyes, "Robert mentioned sparring with your Queen or something? Any idea what that's about?"

I shrugged, the other body telling Ben that Kobe wasn't going to remember all the details. "I'm not sure, but my Queen doesn't do things for a singular reason. She made it clear she wasn't stepping foot in the Underground until her exile is over. She probably wants to meet and talk to you, or just spar. My Queen adores interesting fights... why are you smiling?"

Kobe tilted his head towards Jack, "Want to give her an interesting fight?"

Jack raised his flagon, the two smacking them together. "Why not? Someone's got to explain the rules of the Underground for gang leaders."

I coughed, "Richard has mentioned those rules, but he never actually explained them. I wouldn't mind learning them."

The two laughed, Kobe recovering first. "You're supposed to get bits and pieces of it. There are over a hundred rules of the Underground, and fifty plus, for the gang leaders."

Jack held up a finger, "Rule one; everyone wants something from you. No matter who it is, they want or need something if they're talking to you." He held up a second finger, "Rule two; everyone lies. Even me telling you these rules are a lie. They are more like guidelines and the numbers change around all the time."

Kobe bobbed his head, as Jack held up his third finger. "Rule three; don't fuck with the gang leaders. Unless you have a death wish, they are untouchable." I committed each rule to memory, this whole exchange was becoming more profitable than I thought. "Rule four; join a gang and make something of yourself. You'll die alone in an alley if nobody has your back."

Jack sat back, "Rule five; Fuck the King!" Kobe echoed those words, as Jack continued. "If the bastard knew everything important, then he wouldn't let people die here in the Underground. He wouldn't use us as pets to keep his Princess entertained. If you say you respect that fucker, everyone nearby is obligated to stab you to death. The Underground was built by refugees from the Kingdom of fire, and slaves escaping their masters. We built this place, and we don't need to respect a single thing that bastard does."

That certainly explained the stabbings I've seen in the markets. They usually happened right after someone said the prices were unreasonable and the king should fix them. I bounced in my seat, waiting for the other ninety-five rules, but they stopped. The two took a swig before they started talking about what Kobe knew about my Queen. I still didn't know any of the fifty rules for being a gang leader. Were they trying to show me what the sixth rule was?

They were downing their flagons, as Kobe told the waitress they were having a contest. Was the sixth rule to always assert your dominance? Was it to get drunk whenever you can? I needed to know! I waited until they slowed down, "Gentlemen, what about the sixth rule?"

The two laughed, both of them talking at the same time, "Never tell someone all the rules, make them work for it!" They downed another flagon as I just watched them in shock. I quickly asked Ben about the rules of the Underground. He laughed it off saying it was a joke the people of the Underground played on others. There were rules though! No, everybody lies. I know my Queen lied many times to others. I will uncover them all.

I had my other bodies go back to their regular patrols, while the two gang leaders drank their ale. Ben decided to promote me to someone that was able to contact the two. He was writing down what I told him now, going on about how such a scene was the essence of life. At one point I was asked to take off my mask, and join their banter. It was amusing.