Debauchery of a Soul-Eating Wraith

There was even one close call.

"What Merchant walks around at all? And without a Guard entourage too!" one Larnak Guard said to another as they watched Evian walk.

"I don\'t know. A stupid one?" said the other and the squad laughed as one before the first quickly sobered up,

"Or a fake one," he said solemnly and he and his colleagues shared looks. By the time they looked away from each other, Evian was gone from their sight.

The grey-eyed Stygian walked into an Alley and used Phasing to walk through multiple buildings to get out of sight. Once he got back on the street he had been pointed to, the Larnak Patrol squads had thinned out and he finally spotted the Mansion with the Black Gate.

There were guards stationed by the Gate and the moment they saw him, they all brightened up.

"Master Evian" they chorused as they stood at attention. Recognizing his face instantly. His headpiece didn\'t even fool them. A feat only possible through familiarity.

Evian was taken a bit by surprise and raised a hand in response.

"Hello,"

"Wow, it\'s so good to see you again," said one guard in a low voice.

"What happened to your eyes?" asked another in an equally low voice.

Evian\'s mouth made an \'O\' shape in understanding.

\'Ah, so they knew Evian too,\'

In response to the question he got, he just chuckled.

"Gillert told me to come."

They all nodded as one.

"Ah, of course, right through here"

They pushed the Gate open and practically pulled Evian in. Afterward, they looked up and down the street to make sure Evian\'s arrival was not being watched and he had not been followed.

Inside the Mansion grounds, Evian cast a wide look around before he cleared his throat and addressed the Guards who were looking at him through the opened Gate.

"Is there anything wrong?" one Guard asked.

Evian smiled kindly.

"Well, I don\'t know where to go from here,"

"You don\'t?" another Guard asked as they all shared looks.

"I forgot the way in," Evian said truthfully.

The Guard looked confused.

"You ARE Evian Stygian, right?"

"I am. Did Gillert not tell you about my Memory loss?" Evian asked.

The Guards shook their heads in response.

"Ah," Evian said as he let out a sigh, "Well, I lost my memory and all of this is new to me."

\'Gillert has had that information for almost two days. I would have expected him to have shared it by now.\'

The Guards just stared at him and he stared right back until one finally stepped into the Mansion grounds.

"I\'ll lead you in,"

"Thank you," Evian said with a nod as he turned away from the skeptical looks of the others and allowed himself to be led deeper into the Mansion.

He could tell the person leading him was feeling awkward- maybe even doubtful of his identity- but since he had no idea what to say to help with that, he just kept quiet and allowed himself to be led.

They walked past the Mansion gardens and beautiful scenery until they entered a massive hall where Evian took off his Headpiece and brushed a hand through his hair.

"Wait here," the Guard said and vanished behind a door.

Evian waited for about two minutes before the Guard returned followed by Gillert.

Gillert\'s hair was neatly tied in a knot at the top of his head, unlike the shaggy style he sported the night he and Evian first met and his dress, while of normal quality, seemed more fitting for cooperate affairs than combat.

"Evian, you came!" Gillert said once he laid his eyes on Evian and let them roam to his Merchant robes,

"Your outfit."

"A disguise," Evian said while raising the headpiece to eye level.

"Smart," Gillert said with a nod.

Evian saw the Guard who led him here breathe a sigh of relief before he addressed Gillert.

"I\'ll return to my post now"

"Alright, Dane. Thank you," Gillert said.

Evian watched Dane the Guard walk out of the hall. Gillert noticed.

"He was worried you weren\'t really Evian," Gillert said, "He only led you here because he couldn\'t sense any Spiritual energy or Pressure from you and was confident I could \'take care of you\'."

Gillert chuckled at the end of his words and Evian let out a small laugh himself.

"Yeah, I don\'t blame him for doubting. Are you doubting as well?" Evian asked.

"Yes," Gillert said.

Evian\'s lips twitched.

"Oh. I see," he said.

Gillert smiled as he led the way through the door he came out of and into a corridor.

"I have my reservations and so does everyone else but we are ready to give you the benefit of the doubt. You have done too much for the Resistance for us not to.

Here\'s to hoping your memory loss hasn\'t hindered you from seeing the bigger picture."

"I have no desire to sell you out or betray your cause." Evian said genuinely, "I have more to gain fighting against Larnak than I have to gain siding with him."

Gillert laughed.

"That\'s good to hear. And you are off to a good start already. Escaping Larnak\'s clutches and pissing him off." he said.

Evian\'s brows went up on his forehead.

"You know about that?"

"Of course. The Resistance has people in the Estate. Not strong people of course. Our fighting force is limited enough as is.

We send the average civilian willing to help the Resistance to work within the Mansion. Maids, servants, butlers. Menial work really.

They get paid by Larnak, and stay close enough to relay us with Important information."

Now they were standing in front of a massive door, but Gillert did not open it.

"That sounds pretty extensive," Evian commented.

"It is," Gillert said, "It\'s extensive and important. We need to stay up to date with the goings-on so as not to be put on a back footing.

Informants are how we knew when to intercept your kidnapping."

Evian frowned.

"But how did you know Larnak would order a kidnapping though? It could very well have been an assassination. I saw the Recording Evi- I mean, I made. It was pretty provoking."

"Larnak is a smart man. An asshole but a smart one. He wouldn\'t kill the only clue he has to the Resistance. Not after you claimed to be the brains of it all." Gillert said.

"But that\'s not definite. You only interfered outside the Estate. Anything could have gone wrong inside." Evian said.

"The Stygian Guards-" Gillert started.

"... Were not expecting an attack. No one in the Estate was expecting it so that was never assured. It was a stupid plan." Evian said.

"Well, it was your plan. Only if you were taken out of the Estate was I or anyone else to interfere." Gillert said.

"That sounds suicidal," Evian said.

Gillert opened his mouth and then shut it with a sigh.

"Listen Evian, we admired you. You have helped us so much more than you can know but half the time, we didn\'t know what was going through your head. We just trusted you." He said as he leaned and placed a hand on the door.

Evian eyed the door. Paying attention to it for the first time.

"Entrance to your Hideout?"

Gillert chuckled.

"The entire mansion is our Hideout.

Come on."

Gillert pushed gently and the door swung open.

The hall behind the door was well lit and there were three people standing around a round table pointing and gesturing at objects on said table.

They all were too busy with their conversations and pointing to notice the door opening or Gillert and Evian\'s entry.

\'They must have great trust in the Mansion\'s Security.\' Evian thought as he stepped forward with Gillert.

He smiled at the busy trio.

"So this is it," he said loudly and clearly, "The Famous Crew."

The trio paused and slowly turned around to face Evian.

The first to speak was a lady with red hair that had a few locks braided and the larger mass of it tangled like she had been in a lot of tousels recently and hadn\'t had the time or had the bother to brush it.

Her face was very pretty. Soft despite the hardened ready-for-battle and ready-to-tackle-you look she had. Her eyes were a warm brown with freckles splashed across her cheek and nose.

She was wearing a military outfit made specifically to fit her frame and coat her nice figure. Highlighting every curve under the guise of allowing smooth movement in case of combat.

"Evian" she called with a bright smile on her face. Another to seemingly recognize him immediately despite his hair and eye color changes.

The lady let her eyes roam over Evian\'s body and she soon commented.

"Gillert wasn\'t joking, you grew!"