Late evening had fallen over Dampfstadt, the partially starlit night sky hidden by the thick clouds of steam rising from below. Still, Jak noted the occasional twinkling star above when the steam broke open for but a moment and gave the view free.

He had made himself as comfortable as he could at the edge of the nearby roof, giving him a perfect view of the Maisen Orphanage’s back and roof top. A small bag laid besides him, holding a collection of snacks and comics as he held look out fo Haggard and his goons. This time he had made sure that no Rust Numeryuu had managed to sneak in beforehand.

Jak had made sure that Haggard was still in the Orphanage when he had first arrived. If he was planning to do something of dubious nature, then it was highly unlikely he would leaving and entering through the front. And now he could only wait and see. Wait and see for anything to happen. Great, hopefully he wasn’t wasting his time and sleep here over nothing.

“That would suck…!” He groaned out, taking another chip and glancing at the next page of his comic. A mystery solving comic, fittingly chosen.

Time flitted by, already two thirds of his snacks had been devoured and he had actually managed to finish five entire comics and was well into the sixth when something finally moved at the back windows. It was already the deep night and Jak had been debating to just go home after finishing the rest of the comic. All of these thoughts were immediately discarded, however, as he watched Haggard, Dane and Invit climb out of the dark hallway window and quickly stashed everything back into his bag.

Jak hurriedly ducked behind the roof edge as they looked around for any witnesses. Rummaging through his bag he pulled out a small periscope to watch over the edge unseen. It wasn’t exactly the best quality, the lens making everything blurred. But to follow a few blobs against a wall it was more than good enough for.

The red and black blob landed first on top of the piping, followed a second later by the lanky splotch of purple and yellow before a large, brown and green one joined them a moment later. They seemed to bop back and forth, their whispering voices sadly completely drowned out over the distance. And then they quickly moved onwards, deeper into the slums.

Glancing over the roof, Jak nodded confidently when he was sure they hadn’t been able to see him and quietly rushed after them. Bag thrown onto his back, his feet carried him gracefully and silently over the rooftops, easily able to keep up with the shadows of Haggard and his goons as they flitted through the alleyways below.

Jak prided himself on a number of things. Living on his own. Getting into the Private Gymnasium. And being an absolute unit in regards to parkour. But trying to keep up with while, more importantly, not losing his prey atop the roofs was still more than just a little bit challenging. There were just too many obstacles popping up that obstructed his view and there were too many hidden, branching paths for them to take unnoticed by him. Steam Pipes and clotheslines. Overhanging roofs. Or just the taller buildings themselves needing him to climb around instead of over them.

Finally, Jak had no other choice but to abandon the safety and speed of the roof tops as Haggard, Dane and Invit began to enter a path to the Underground.

The Underground. It could also be called the ruined city beneath Dampfstadt. Numerous caverns and tunnels had been dug out during the creation of the steam powered city, housing the life blood that were the steam engines and piping system. But many of the upper caves were abandoned after the initial dig, used for a time by the workers as makeshift homes during and some time after. Now abandoned as well, these ruins acted primarily as hideouts for illegal dealings of all types.

Actually living there, however, was ill advised as the City Guard swept the area irregularly for any discrepancies and numerous beasts had made their home there as well. The upper regions were relatively safe, though. The Back Market Jak had visited the day before had actually been in one of these upper caverns.

Haggard and goons definitely weren’t going to the Back Market.

This tunnel was wide and old parts of long since scrapped sections of the steam system covered walls, ceiling and floor. It was illuminated by the soft, red glow of Amber. Red to warn that this was abandoned land. And yet, the sound of machines continued to echo loudly through it. The hissing of steam clearly audible every so often.

“Don’t think I’ve ever been in this part of the Underground…” Jak thought quietly, flitting from hiding spot to hiding spot after the three. “What the Abyss could they be looking for here?”

He would soon find the answer as the tunnel opened up into a spacious cavern, the ceiling above glittering like stars with numerous, tiny Amber torches. And Jak blinked dumbfounded at the small lake that brilliantly reflected the artificial night sky. A small fishing house, long since fallen into ruin, stood at its edge. And Haggard, Dane and Invit were moving right towards it. They had a meeting to get to.

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—A few hours ago.—

Haggard prowled through his room, his fingers twitching. Again and again he glanced towards the small, red box sitting innocently on his desk. There was something about it. He could feel how something was gathering within it, calling out to him. There was nothing that he wanted to do more right now than to just rip the box open and see what was inside of it.

But no, with an iron will he held himself back. Flizz definitely wouldn’t like it if he accidentally damaged this artefact she had send him out to collect.

“I need some space…” He growled under his breath and forcefully stomped out of the door.

It was already well into the evening as the Amber Lights within the hallways had started to dim with the setting of the sun. As soon as they turned off entirely, standard curfew was in effect. Luckily, Haggard and Invit knew the patrolling schedule of the caretakers by heart. And Head Wobecker never changed a working system.

“Eep!” With a wide eyed squeak a mouse fennec quickly fled out of his way, slamming the door shut behind her.

“Heh.” Haggard smirked amused at Jenny’s reaction. Seeing that brat fear him always made him feel better. He should thank Jak for warning her all about him. It made it all the easier. Chuckling lowly he reached the end of the hallway, stepping into the bathroom. Startled, the big bear cat Dane greeted him as he washed his hands.

“Oh! H-Haggard! Is it already time…?”

“No. Just freshening myself up.”

Nodding hurriedly in understanding, the Dane fled outside at the wolf’s dismissal. Not even caring, or just oblivious, that he was pulling with him a number of paper towels. Haggard rolled his eyes and stepped at the sink, azure eyes met each other in the mirror. A flash of ancient memories, unformed and nothing more than noise, pulsed through his head.

He splashed his face with water as he breathed heavily, his heart racing faster than before. It was all that strange box’s fault. These feelings… they were the reason why he was under Flizz. He had taken control of them, letting them no longer overtake his mind and body. But ever since that cursed box he had felt them burn brighter again, a blazing inferno where before it had been a controlled stream of fire.

“Is this a test…?” Haggard wondered quietly to himself and then shook his head. “Flizz better tell me when we meet.” His eyes narrowed to a glare, azure eyes once again meeting. Only this time the fury he felt fuelled his determination for answers.

—Back in the present.—

Fisher’s Grave. That was what Flizz had called this place when she had first taken over as his Guide. A wide grin on her face, mad, violet flames glittering within her eyes as she gracefully spun around in a dance to beats that only she could hear.

She had certainly made a strong impression and despite her bombastic personality she somehow managed to always keep herself hidden when she didn’t want to be seen. As such, Haggard immediately knew that the silhouette awaiting them couldn’t be her. It was a hunched over, lanky being. Red eyes gleaming out of the shadows beneath the half collapsed fisher’s house.

Haggard’s eyes narrowed dangerously as rage began to burn through his veins. First she made him collect this cursed box and now she didn’t even meet him herself?

“What’s a mere wretch doing here?” The wolf spat out, his two minions awkwardly shuffling after him. They had always avoided keeping around Flizz for too long but as they realised she wasn’t here a sort of confidence began to fill them and they stood straighter.

“Yeah, we heard your boss Flizz was supposed to welcome us.” Invit decided to back up his leader, the lanky fellow standing even taller than Haggard as he rose to his full height. The lion weasel made for an impressive, towering sight with his gleaming, yellow eyes. All of it ruined, however, by his more than awkward and spindly build. It made him look strangely more pathetic than anything else.

Dane was far more impressive. The bear cat keeping quite, a wall of fat and muscles build up behind the two of them. His nervous silence easily mistaken for hard stoicism in that moment.

Crimson eyes sparked and the ‘mere wretch’ stepped out of the shadows. Black, shining skin that was more reminiscent of marble than actual flesh covered the entire body of the creature. The face was elongated and sharp with a long, deep red tongue licking the air. A long, sinuous tail extended from its back that whipped angrily with audible cracks.

“The mistress has been… indisposed… This one has been delegated to tell you to… wait. Keep the Rose Box. It is a gift from the mistress to master Haggard.”

The Demon hissed with an evil cackle, taking joy out of the angry looks it was receiving. Its grin widened even more as it watched the bubbling fury within Haggard. There was no transition between face and teeth, its head looking cartoonishly simplified.

The wolf tensed and relaxed his fist as he wanted to punch this monster into the ground. But once again he kept his head, taking a deep breath. Answers. That was the reason he had come here as well.

“Cut the crap. Do you know what this Rose Box is? What does it do? Why can I feel it pulling at me?!” He began to with low hiss, turning into a hard growl before shouting with grinding teeth.

“I’m sorry… but this one doesn’t know...~” The Demon ducked its head in faux-innocence, the attempt to look cute only managing to appear grotesque on it. Haggard didn’t need to be a genius to know it was intentionally playing it up. Demons. Creatures of Nightmares. They enjoyed being hated just as much as hating others.

But then it suddenly blinked, eyes narrowing into small slits. Its tongue flitted out, as if tasting the air while still sniffing audibly. A creepy giggle echoed from the Demon’s throat.

“There’s somebody here~ Somebody with such a delicious scent~”

“What?!” Haggard exclaimed, whirling around. His eyes furiously searching the surroundings. “Where?!”

The Demon meanwhile had already leaped forwards, moving with scary speed and agility through the ruins. Smoldering eyes of crimson dilated into mad pinpricks.