Debauchery of a Soul-Eating Wraith

"Half of you, search the Mansion. Sieze every property that could prove useful," She ordered, "The rest of you, Scour the City.

They might not have gotten far!"

Cautioned by Donan\'s aggressive release of Pressure, the Guards were especially spurred into movement by Amira\'s orders. No one wished to stand around and risk being at the receiving end of Donan\'s transfer of aggression.

The Guards who had surrounded the Mansion had been the least useful so far and they moved the fastest. Those at the Second Order searched the Mansion while the Elites in their ranks spread out all over Doreen District and beyond to catch a whiff of the infidels.

Meanwhile, Amira walked over to Donan. Her body was more than strong enough to endure his Pressure.

She placed a cautioning hand on his shoulder,

"We should get going," she told him, "With the Witch with them, we might be the only ones capable of catching up with them. If they surface, that is."

"They will," Donan said and pulled his Spear out of the ground, and then he let show a disparaging smile,

"I can\'t believe I missed him again."

"That was foolish of you, by the way," Amira said as she turned around to lead the way out of the Mansion.

"What are you talking about?" Donan frowned in confusion.

"Your Spear toss... It was aimed at the Witch."

Donan shrugged.

"Who cares?"

"The Arcane Church might. She\'s an active member on a sanctioned retreat... They might care if she gets skewered by your Spear." Amira said.

Donan let out a snort of derision.

"She interfered. For all we know, she\'s always been a part of the Resistance. I think that gives us every right to mete out appropriate justice."

Amira sighed and shrugged.

"Maybe," she said, "Come on!"

The two set off, contacting their fellow Captains. Not for Martial support but to spread the perimeter of the Search.

...

The Streets of the Doreen District were deserted.

Following news of the Mansion Siege and the influx of Larnak Guards who were not shy about enforcing Martial law, the denizens of Doreen District had the good sense to find cover.

It was in the middle of one of such empty streets that Evian, the Crew, and Daria surfaced.

Ignoring the horrific look on Ember and Carleine\'s faces following the sensory deprivation they had just undergone, Evian looked all over trying to get a sense of where they were.

"So- To the Stygian Territory?" Daria asked.

Evian secured Gillert\'s body over his shoulder, winced at the pain in his side due to cracked ribs from Donan\'s kick, and then opened his mouth to speak but Ember interrupted him.

"No," she said.

"Why not?" Daria asked her and not totally by choice, her dark eyes were intense to the redhead\'s brown.

Ember gulped.

"It\'s just, I don\'t know anyone there."

"None of us do." Carleine chimed in with a subtle glance at Evian. The only Stygian denizen they had ever been opportune to know.

Daria sighed.

"You don\'t have to," she said and then gestured at Gryon whose injury had not been healed despite Koln\'s potion.

"Your friends need to be tended to and we won\'t get chased once we cross into the Stygian Territory."

"Let\'s go to the Renan Territory then," Ember said.

Daria raised a brow in surprise.

"Renan?" she repeated.

"Ember\'s Father lives there," Evian told her.

"Oh," Daria said looking like she was wondering why someone with ties to another Territory would join a Resistance in another.

It was the same question she had been asking herself about Evian for a while. The fact that he had had an illicit affair with Herbert\'s wife, Yvette, was not enough of a reason because his involvement predated that relationship. It predated even the changes to his looks.

Ember looked from Evian to Daria noting their interactions with a frown, wondering just how the Arcanist was involved with all this. Also, she wondered why Evian had not seen a need to tell them he had such Magical support he could offer them.

Unaware of the look she was getting from the Redhead, Daria wondered if this was the time to cut free of the Crew.

Assisting Evian when he needed her, was one thing, getting lumped with an insurgent cause she had no connection or interest in was something else. She wasn\'t even supposed to get involved in Local disputes in the first place.

Alas, whatever mental turmoil she was in or was about to get into paused when the sound of rallied Giards drew close.

"Hang on," Evian warned.

Daria tightened her hold of his waist and they all sunk out of sight.

Going by the maps he had seen as well as the introductory lessons he had received about Verdelen City so far, Evian knew the Larnak Territory was sandwiched between the Renan and Stygian Territories.

All he had to do to be on the right path to the Renan Territory was to turn away from the Larnak/Stygian Boundary line.

He could do that.

With no hassle about precision, he just kept Phasing and surfacing with the others.

They left the Doreen District...

They left many more districts after that...

... Edging closer and closer to the Renan/Larnak boundary line.

Meanwhile,

Being able to contact squads and summon support from a distance, the Captain duo of Donan and Amira could have organized a blockade but unfortunately for them, they had no idea where the Crew was headed.

Evian\'s Phasing made their movement too slippery and potentially unpredictable.

"The boundary into the Stygian Territory!" Donan yelled into the Communication bracelet, "Keep an eye out for all paths leading to it!"

He and Amira were running to meet up with their fellow Captains who were already heading out of the Larnak Estate to offer their assistance.

"Captain, they were just spotted!"

"Where?!" Amira and Donan asked in unison, their voices so raised, that it caused the Guard on the other side to wince.

"At the Kronk District!" he answered.

"Kronk?" Amira said in confusion, "That\'s not on the way to the Stygian Boundary line."

"Captain, we just spotted them," Another message came in almost immediately, "Darn it, they got away!"

"Where were they spotted?" Amira asked urgently, an uneasy thought forming in her mind.

"Geden District, Maam!" said the Guard.

"Geden, what is going-?" Donan started before Amira let out a gasp and changed direction.

"Fuck, I get it!" she announced.

"What do you get?" Donan asked her as he followed.

"Kronk, Geden- They\'re not heading for the Stygian Territory, they are going to the Renan Territory!"

"Renan? Why?" Donan asked.

Instead of answering, Amira let out a call into her Communication bracelet, calling for convergence at the Larnak/Renan boundary line.

The Captains Course-Corrected but really, what chance did they have to catch up with Evian\'s Phasing?

-

•••

-The Renan Territory-

Whatever insecurity the Larnak Territory suffered, was non-existent here.

Evian positively overshot his final Wraithic Phase and thrust the entire Crew well into the Territory and among the busy denizens moving about.

"Who are they?" someone asked among the passersby.

"They just came out of the ground, didn\'t they?"

"Very strange."

"Indeed."

With bloody clothes and haggard battle-weary looks, they stuck out like a sore thumb among a crowd of mostly well-dressed individuals who perfectly matched the beautiful aesthetic of the buildings so far seen in the Territory.

Carleine cleared her throat as she supported an unconscious Gryon\'s weight. Large as he was.

"Come on," Ember said trying to ignore the looks they got, "Father\'s Mansion is a few districts away."

With how she said it, Evian almost thought she was suggesting they walk or run the whole way but of course, that was not the case.

Ember stepped forward, and with the confidence of someone who had done so before, she chattered a commercial Carriage by stating clearly their destination.

The Coachman paused to look the peculiar group over wondering what the relation was between them as well as what situation had caused such fatal-looking injuries.

Eventually, he shrugged, let them in, and set off.

---