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JULES
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Jules took a different route for some fresh scenery. And most importantly, to steer clear of the painter’s art store, or publishing house, or bar, or whatever it’s called. He meandered through rough parts of town and chose back alleyways when he could, just in case someone recognized him on the main streets. Eventually, he reached one of the magnificent arched bridges that lit up the city skyline. If my sense of direction is right, the Fountain should be on the other side. When he passed the halfway point across its long expanse, the bridge shook, then shifted away.
“Blast it. Too late.”
The bridge turned away from his destination to another dock on a separate isle. Well, might as well embrace it. Jules leaned his elbows on the bridge railing and looked below. Looks like the water is shifting instead of me. Hard to tell through all this mist. Dolphins and swans swam below, spread out between a countless number of ships anchored out in the wide canal, resting until tomorrow. Every so often he’d see a string of floating markets out there, all closed as well. Water transitioned to rock, and the bridge connected to its new dock. Jules looked up at one of the full moons.
Guess I’ll go for a stroll, clear my head a little. I’ve got nothing but time until this bridge moves again, and I may not remain incognito for much longer, so I better enjoy anonymity while I still can.
Jules continued along the bridge to explore what surely must have been the heart of Aquilantis. Immediately past the bridge, he found a stretch of flat land, which was odd in this city. Looks like they’re quickly putting up some tenement housing here. Kinda looks like shit, too. He approached a large sign in disrepair and covered in graffiti.
> [Aquilantis Airfields]
Oh, I see. Lustris Haven’s deal with The Fleet must've hit Aquilantis hard.
At the edge of the unusual plains was a domed stadium, dimly lit by neon colors through the mist. It had massive golden doors to enter, and oddly enough, it lacked any windows, so he couldn’t see in. Kat warned us about this place. Jules couldn’t explain why, but something about it—its allure, its promise of hope—gripped him like a siren’s song, so he decided to go in.
Just for a minute to look around, and then I’ll leave.
One step inside and he instantly regretted coming here alone.
Cy would have loved this place.
Lights flashed and flickered all around him. The clinking and clanking of coins against each other permeated the smokey air. People shouted frantically in excitement, then shifted sharply to cursing their luck. A woman with purple hair in a mostly see-through dress greeted Jules as he walked in.
“Welcome to the casino, baby.” She handed him a roll of coins. Jules’ eyes were captivated by the soft silhouette of her body, but his focus instantly shifted to the coins.
“Sweet Salvos," he said to her. "I’m about to strike the jackpot.”
Limitless potential filled him. All his bad luck from the past few days, of his life, of his past incarnated lives—all of it was about to change. He began to sweat. Suddenly, this beautiful woman didn’t exist. He’d been taken in by a different sin. She grinned mischievously.
“That’s right, baby. Come back and see me later.”
My parents always spoke down on gambling… But they aren't here, are they? I'll show them wrong…
Fifteen full minutes passed, and Jules was broke again.
“Ah, shit.”
I should probably go.
…But maybe I should bring Cy here some time, when it's safe, so I should probably check it out first, to fill him in on everything that's here.
Jules meandered through the casino. He found an underground boxing ring and watched a few matches. He joined in with some other spectators in criticizing the boxers. A floor below that, he found a dog racing ring. It was so bright inside that he eventually thought it was daytime. He finally summoned the mental fortitude to leave the casino, empty-handed.
This city is amazing. If only I could live this type of life.
Jules followed a wide street to an epicenter of light and noise. The buildings that now surrounded him were eight, maybe even ten stories tall, something Jules had never dreamed of seeing. He walked past merchants closing up their shops.
“Excuse me, what time is it?” A merchant checked his pocket-watch.
“Five past two.”
“Only two!?” I thought I was in there for hours.
The man studied Jules for a second, which made him uncomfortable. Then the merchant cracked a smile. “You been in the ‘sino, ain’tcha boy?"
“How could you tell?” Jules pulled out his empty pockets.
“Har! They tell you it’s illegal to have a Time Script, but apparently not for everyone. Best stay clear of there, boy, or those pockets’ll be empty your whole life!” He locked the door to his shop and walked away, laughing the whole while.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Jules continued his stroll, his last hoorah. He passed what must have been the end of a massive festival, for only a large group of youth were left partying in the streets, which were lined with lemon and lime trees strung with banners dedicated to all kinds of sea entities. Kraken, Merfolk, even Leviathans and Sirens here.
Everyone was dressed in stunning and colorful clothes; most of the men were shirtless but wore fine sandals and roped bracelets and anklets, and the women wearing elegant beachy dresses with coral jewelry. On a stage, a theater troupe took a bow to shouted cheers. Late night drunks stopped at food stands and outdoor sushi shops to quench their drunken hunger. Musicians blared music through shelled horns, on drums, and even an accordion.
By the time he hit the life size chess park, which was mostly empty except a few lovers who had snuck away from the crowds, he realized he’d wasted enough time. No, not wasted. Time well spent. He headed back in the general direction of the bridge, hoping it would still be there. He passed the Shipwrights Guild Headquarters, which had dozens of signs marketing Apprenticeships. Wonder if I’d have made a good shipbuilder? He stopped to read the signs, and then his heart stopped.
The Iron Maidens had also posted pamphlets all around the bulletin board.
> Wanted: Jules Tideshaper, aka Wrath, aka the Demon of Coralhaven. Wanted Alive.
>
> Bounty: ₹500,000
>
> See attached picture.
>
>
>
> Wanted: Unknown Fox, aka Wrath's Familiar. Wanted Alive.
>
> Bounty: ₹250,000
>
> See attached picture.
>
>
>
> Wanted: Cyrus, of no Surname. Wanted Dead or Alive.
>
> Bounty: ₹50,000
>
> See attached picture.
Ha! What idiots. Wanted Alive…
But still, I wonder who these kids are? If they’ll suffer because of me. If they even exist. Surely the Maidens would double checked with Coralhaven, with my parents—
Jules stopped himself and walked away. At the edge of a nearby crowd, he saw someone he recognized, the purple-haired girl from the casino. I feel know her from somewhere else, too. She exchanged something with someone in the crowd and then walked away. Jules got the feeling that she hadn’t been a part of them, so he followed her. After he’d gone down one alleyway, she turned her shoulder slightly toward him, and then she walked around another corner.
“Hey, I saw you earlier and—” Jules rounded the corner. All he saw was another empty alleyway. He jogged to the end of the it, looked left and right. “Well now I feel creepy.”
Jules caught a faint smell of lilac, and then he felt a familiar presence behind him. He whipped and found her standing behind him.
Oh, it's you.
He felt her anger and disappointment almost as his own.
“Jules. What are you doing?" Rukia asked.
“Uh, just out. For a stroll. Could be my last night of peace for a while, so…”
Rukia narrowed her eyes and leaned forward to him. "You go to the casino?"
"Uh…yeah…"
“You wouldn’t have happened to place any bets on those dog races, now would ya?”
“No…I’m broke, actually. Hey, how long—”
“And if you weren’t? Broke?” She stepped one paw forward, slowly.
“I don’t know? I probably still wouldn’t. I didn’t stay there long, it didn’t sit right with me. They all looked so—”
“OK good!” Rukia panted happily and sat down on her hind legs. “I’m all for animal rights, you know.”
"What a surprise."
“Yeah, so like, anyways, who’s the chick we're stalking?”
“We—I—wasn’t stalking her!” A passing couple froze at that comment and stared. The man defensively stepped in front of his date. Jules and Rukia side-eyed each other. Uh oh.
“AHHHH!!!”
Jules gripped his head and squatted down.
“Get out of my head! The voices—the voices—do you hear them, too?” The couple sprinted off, and so did Jules and Rukia, in the opposite direction. They didn’t stop until they reached the bridge. Jules leaned against the rail and laughed with his nearly ever-faithful fox.
“Quick-thinking,” she said. “But you need to be more careful.”
“Yeah, I know. But you're one to talk—literally." Jules patted the railing, and she leapt up to it so they were more eye-level. "My world has changed so much already, and even still, there’s no going back after tomorrow. I just…wanted a normal night.”
“A normal night...of debauchery and stalking?"
"I told you I wasn't—"
"Count me in, next time!"
"No—That's not—"
"But Jules," Rukia dropped the playful act. "There’s no going back tonight, either. So let’s move it. He’s waiting." The bridge shook again and began to shift docks. Jules eyed her suspiciously.
“How did you know where I was going? And did you have anything to do with," he waved a hand at the bridge, "diverting me out here?”
“Jules, Jules, Jules. We’re connected. You just haven’t opened yourself up to sensing me yet, but I can read you like a book.” So you did.
“You’re a sly little fox. How would I even do that? It's happened a few times, by accident.”
“Accident? Really? Hmm. Don’t worry, it’ll come with time.”
OK… Apparently, you won't actually open up. Jules pet her head most of the bridge’s trip to the Fountain. When they arrived, the thick mist surrounded it, so they approached with caution.
“Seems awfully convenient that no one’s around,” Jules said.
“Please—They all like to worship in the open. Not many come here in the dark. Besides, it’s past the witching hour.”
“Rather deep, for a pipsqueak with such a high voice." She let out a pitched bark. "So, Kaizen, he was just like me, then?”
“Oh no. He is so much more.”
“OK—That hurt.”
“But don’t worry, you still have a long way to go! I had a good feeling about you when we met.”
“So what’s he like? And where was that, where we met?”
“It’s hard to say. My memories are all fuzzy. I just remember what our relationship was like, our terms of endearment—Most importantly, what games we played. Which by the way, we haven’t done yet.”
> [Go Long! — Quest Objective STILL AVAILABLE: Play ball with Rukia.]
“Guilt trippers. You gonna answer the other question?” Jules stood at the center of the Fountain. Yeah, well, I figured you wouldn't tell me where I'm from, either. “So what do we do? I thought he’d just show up like last time.”
“Oh, it’s nighttime, so we have to perform the Holy Sacrament to summon him.”
“The holy what now?”
"One of those games—uh—I mean things I remember."
"Uh-huh."
> [Go Long! — Quest Objective STILL AVAILABLE: Play ball with Rukia.]
"I get it!" Jules shouted. With ears pinned back, Rukia looked left and right.
“Uh, OK Jules. Just follow my moves, and whatever you do, don’t touch any of these pillars.” Rukia rose to her two hind legs and performed a little dance and jig with some chants. Swish arms this way—swat arms that way. Jules copied her.
Then she stamped down into a wide squat and flipped off Patience’s altar, the one inscribed with the numeral 7.
“Fuck you!” she squeaked. She glared at Jules. “Do it.” Jules half-assed his squat.
“Fuck you,” he mumbled, more to Rukia and Kaizen than Patience.
“I—have—risen!” Kaizen emerged from Patience's marbled altar. He bowed like an actor to a crowd throwing roses.
“He’s here!” Rukia repeated. She bounced on all fours.
“Yep. I see that."
> [Seeketh Patience — Quest Objective COMPLETED: Seek Patience.]
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33
BONUS CONTENT BELOW
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