One Step Closer

Our mission at this point was pretty clear; gain access to the Alzadaal Depths and find the artifact that has Faction 5’s Lieutenant trapped and free him. That, however, was easier said then done. The Alzadaal Depths are basically the dangerous parts of the ruins that the Empire has sealed off. Very few are even allowed access into those parts of the ruins, if the Empire themselves even has access at this point. Our best lead at this juncture was Naja Salaheem, President of Salaheem’s Sentinels, mercenaries employed by the empire to do whatever needing doing really. We were led to believe that she might have some type of key that could help us to infiltrate certain areas of the Alzadaal depths. Qultada had taken Tara and myself back towards the mainland as far as they could an dropped us off. We trekked on foot back to Whitegate.

“So, Tiger.” Tara smiled hanging loosely off my arm, “What kind of plan you got hatching in that cute little head of yours?” she reached up and tapped my forehead.

“Oh, the usual.” I smiled.

“Do I get to slap you now, or would you prefer the after?”

“I’m going to see if I can accomplish this one without any palms. Or backhands actually.”

She giggled as we made our way through the crowds, “Setting the bar high, I like that.”

Before I actually went to meet Naja I wanted to find out as much about her as I possibly could. I figured the best place to start would be amongst those who know her best, her employees. Tara and I stopped by the Teahouse looking for some of my earlier and more well known acquaintances.

“Gah! That hurts!” a Galka bellowed.

We had found them.

The Red Mage attempting to tend his wounds batted his arm away, “It’s going to hurt a lot more you don’t shut your mouth.”

“I just don’t get you sometimes.” Krilldog was in the corner drinking from some large container. “You take on Trolls, Lamia, Orcs, Mamool, Demons, Zombies…”

“What is your point?” the Paladin asked as the Red Mage administered treatment to the nasty bump on the back of his head.

“My point…is when did Mithra induced pain surpass all the others?”

“…it’s a big mace, Ok?”

“Well, well!” Tara let go of my arm as I stepped forward, hands in the air, “If it isn’t my good friends—”

Neelia interrupted me, “Think I should slap him now?” she smiled.

“Save you some time.” Veloxe said.

“Give us some laughs.” Krilldog added.

I heard Tarawath laugh behind me as well, “Actually!” I put my hands up as Neelia snaked her way towards me with a wicked grin, “I’m going for a no-hitter today.” That got a laugh from all of them.

“What do you want, junior?” Neelia asked as she say back down and tossed a pack of ice to Veloxe.

“As usual, information.” I took a seat and Tarawath sat down beside me, “President Salaheem.” From the corner of my eye I could see Veloxe grimace as the mere mention of her name. “I need a bit on her.”

Krilldog came over to the table and took a seat as well, “You done with the Alzadaal job already?”

“No, actually it’s related.” I smiled.

“Ah!” Veloxe pointed directly at me, “I know that look! I know that smile! No way!” he stood up, “You are not going to…” he caught himself and sat back down hushing his voice to a whisper, “…he’s planning on stealing from Naja…!”

“I like to refer to it as extended borrowing…” I grinned.

Tarawath rolled her eyes, “Or accidental misplacement, protective relocation…for various reasons be it scholarly or preservation for future generations, oh! And of course, my favorite…uninformed state of loan, without of course any form of collateral.”

I reached over and put my arm around her shoulder pulling her closer, “Isn’t she just the cutest thing?” she smiled and put an elbow into my ribs as she pushed away.

“I’m going to go get a drink Tiger. You be good.” She kissed my cheek and got up.

Veloxe piped back in, “I don’t want nothing to do with this. If Naja found out we were accessories to robbery, I don’t even want to think what would happen to me.”

“…when did he become such a wimp?” I asked Krilldog.

Krilldog put his arms up in confusion and finished off his drink.

“Alright, look…you haven’t ever met Present Salaheem, so…you just…yea!” the Paladin shot back.

“Oh, ouch…where’d you get that nasty bump on the back of your head?” I asked.

“That would be her Spikey Friend…far worse than any Bomb Toss I’ve had to soak up.”

“Look, I’m not interested in any information that could get any of you in trouble. I just need…character reference. Nee, babe?”

“Yea, Junior?”

“You know how I work.”

“Uh-huh.” She gave me a evilly playful eye. “You want to know how to get under skin. Among other things.”

“Well…hey, now.” I glanced back over at Tarawath, “Not exactly…but, yes. Sort of.”

“Gil is the key, kid.” She said sitting back. “They say it runs the world. But, to Naja it is the world. You have enough gil and she’ll invite you right into her covers.”

“That’s it? Just pretend I’m rich and I’m in?”

“But!” The Red Mage added, “She isn’t a fool. And neither are you, so play it cool. Big Cry Baby over here has a reason for his aches and pains, remember that.”

Veloxe just grunted in response.

“Alright, thanks guys.” I stood up, “Tara?”

“Mm?” she hadn’t gotten her drink yet.

“C’mon, Miss Jayles, we haven’t got time for a drink.”

“Right away Mister Landis.” She stuck out her tongue and joined me at the exit.

I turned to look back at the three sitting at the table, “Thanks again, Grandma!” I pulled Tarawath through the door as a cup clattered into the hall.

“You little shit!” I could hear Neelia cussing behind us as I laughed and Tara shook her head with a smile.

As we made our way out of the Teahouse we were back into the bustling streets of Whitegate, I could feel Tara’s grip on my arm increase a bit as she looked up at me with a smile.

“What is it, dear?” I asked squeezing her back.

“Oh, nothing…I’m just wonder what exactly that ‘genius’ little brain of yours is hatching as far as plans go.”

“You can bet it’s genius level, that’s for sure.”

“Oh, why of course!” she humored me as she lay her head on my arm. “And I don’t suppose you’re going to let me in on the big secret plan are you?”

“Aw, now you know I’d love nothing better…but divulging my master plan – even to my trusted, sexy sidekick.”

“Pfft…Sidekick.” She nudged me with her elbow.

“Partner in crime! Even then, it would jinx the entire operation.” I laughed, “And we just can’t have that.”

“You don’t have a clue what you’re going to do.” She interjected, very matter of fact.

“Nope, was planning on playing it by ear.” I admitted as we rounded the corner towards Salaheem’s Sentinels.

However, it wasn’t just the door to the President’s Office that was there to meet us. Coming toward us in a very hurried manner was none other then the Hume Dark Knight we had left in Arrapago Reef, Gideon.

“Just the Mithra I was looking for!” she completely ignored me and went right to Tarawath, “I need you to come with me right away, Tara.”

Of course, both Tara and myself were overcome with confusion, “What? Why, what happened? What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Is everyone ok?” I added, “You made it out of the Reef?”

“Yes, we did, unfortunately, Stitch suffered great wounds. We can’t go to the Whitegate infirmary because of the warrants out for us and Katurian is doing the best he can to stabilize her…but his magic only goes so far and she’s beginning to resist it.”

“Resist it?” Tara asked, “I don’t understand.”

“Stitch is…she’s special. Her body contains absolutely no magic essence. No destructive or healing properties. That, of course, didn’t stop her from wanting to be a mage…with the help and training of various mages in her home town, she was able to come up with a process that allows her to use magic from another being’s body in order to cast spells.” Gideon explained.

“Which is why she has to touch the wound in order to heal it.” Tarawath connected the dots.

“Exactly…it also explains why she cannot heal herself. And when others use magic on her, her body knowing it as a completely foreign thing starts to resist it after awhile. We need your help, please.” Gideon was nearly in a complete panic.

“Of course, lead the way.” Tarawath said, “Tiger, you do your thing with Naja. We’ll meet up later, ok?”

I nodded and pulled her into my arms, giving her a kiss on the forehead, “Hurry back, I might be in need of some intensive care too…”

She smiled up at me and gave me another kiss before she ran off with Gideon toward Al Zahbi. I turned my attention to the door in front of me, Salaheem’s Sentinels. I placed my hand on the door, took a deep breath and walked through the threshold.

I suppose as I look back on it, Veloxe had all the right reasons to worry. Naja was, hot tempered, she was quick to act without any thought before or after of consequences and when you were in that office there was an overwhelming, all encompassing feeling of superiority and power coming from her. The mace didn’t help anything. However, she is still very human, and just like any race; Galka, Hume, Elvaan, Tarutaru, Mithra or even Beastmen, she had her faults and flaws and draws and quarrels. Now, I’m not one to brag…but I’ve always been good at finding out exactly what those were. For Naja? Nothing seemed to pique her curiosity more then the mere mention of a piece of gil.

It wasn’t as quick of a job as I hoped it would be. She was, indeed, very sharp and her assistant proved to be another obstacle to overcome. However, with a thick enough web of lies and a charming smile that could put a raging Marid into a docile state of slumber — I got the two of them separated. It wasn’t very hard to get the information out of Naja at that point. It was also a pretty easy decision that as long as the entire thing went as planned with no snags I’d never be stepping foot into these offices again for fear I permanently become fashioned as part of her spiky friend. Regardless of all that, since it did go perfectly as planned, I found out that in order to get into the depths a special device was going to be needed. Unfortunately, only high ranking officials of the Empire have such devices. Fortunately, Naja Salaheem was one of them. A few more carefully worded and well executed social interactions with Miss Salaheem and I was out the front door with the information I needed and the device in hand. To my surprised, Gideon was waiting outside for me.

“What’s that I see in those sticky little hands of yours, Long Ears?” she asked.

“This would be the number one reason we should move our legs out of the vicinity of Naja’s mace-hurling!” I said as we began walking back towards Al Zahbi, “How’s Stitch?”

“Better. A lot better. That cat of yours sure is gifted.”

I smiled, “Yea. I know she is.”

“So…” Gideon moved away from that topic and back towards more business related information, “I take it you got what you needed from Naja?”

“And then some.” I said, “Not only do we now have the device we need in order to enter the Depths – but I’ve gotten more then enough information from her about what to expect from the Depths…and, frankly…we’re a bit undermanned.”

Gideon stopped and grabbed my arm, turning me around, “What do you mean undermanned?”

“I mean, we don’t have…” I paused and though it pained me to admit it, reworded my statement, “I, don’t have what it takes to get is inside…”

“So, you don’t mean manpower, necessarily?”

“No, I’m sure whatever awaits us on the other side we have more then enough firepower to take down. It’s actually getting inside. The device we got will allow us access, but we still have to overcome the trial.”

“So what’s the problem then?”

“…we’re going to need one more person.”

“And you have someone in mind?”

“Yea. I do.” I grimaced a bit and continued toward Al Zahbi.

Drevan Landis. My father.

~ by Kallo on March 12, 2009.