"Understood. Hopefully, we are recruited. Make sure we follow the King’s instructions. We are to teleport out if our lives are in danger." Dak explained.
"Ok, that makes sense. I’m glad Damien and Rox didn’t give away their teleportation because it’s a common ability." Zed said quietly.
"True, it’s not like they know we work for the Atwoods, though. We just need to find out who they’re after." Dak agreed.
The two went to the shotty inn. It was rundown and the bar was packed. There was one television and it was playing reruns of the tournament.
"Man, Tyler is impressive." One of the men said.
"I hate that fucking kid. You hear the rumors about the new group trying to oppose him?" A drunken man said too loudly.
"Shut the fuck up!" A woman in a black and purple kabuki mask said while slamming her elbow into the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.
Because the room was so loud, crowded and full of drunken people, no one bothered paying attention other than the two undercover vampires.
"You need a hand moving the big guy?" Zed volunteered.
"Who the fuck are you?" She said with her red eyes staring at them.
’Fuck. It’s a vamp.’ Dak thought.
"No one. Just a fellow vampire offering help to a woman in a mask," Zed offered with a smirk.
"Hurry up and help me move this dumbass. You can call me Zinnia. Who is that other vampire staring at us?" She said quietly.
"My brother, Dak, come give this young woman a hand eh?"
Zinnia stared at him but Dak refused. "You two got it. I don’t want to cause a scene."
’This is why he sent us. He knew we work well together. I’m glad he refused, that was the right thing to do,’ Zed thought while helping Zinnia move the body outside. They lightly tossed him on top of some garbage bags.
Zinnia used a water spell to wake the man up and stared him directly in the eyes.
"You will forget everything you know after you sleep off your drunken stupor. Not back to bed!" She snapped and the man fell asleep.
’She’s powerful. That’s a really strong charm and memory wipe.’ Zed thought calmly.
She turned to him. "So, why did you help me?"
"The mask is interesting and the man said something about hating Tyler. I can’t standing that fucking brat." Zed scoffed quietly.
"What about that brother of yours?" She asked with interested eyes. Zed was very good at reading people. He tracked body mannerisms and eyes very well.
"We want him dead. Fucking show off think he’s some leader while he’s stealing Nyxara away from the vampires. I know he has a hidden agenda," Zed lied convincingly.
Zed and Dak both respected Tyler as their prince. They knew he was a good person but he was able to separate personal beliefs from the assignment from his King.
"Good, grab him, I’ll wait," she said quietly. "Here, put this on."
She pulled another kabuki mask out from underneath her jacket.
"Oh?" Zed asked.
"It’s the mask of the illusionists. That’s all you need to know for now. Put it on." She demanded.
Despite his instincts screaming not to put the mask on, Zed did anyway. He felt it mold to his face quickly.
’So that’s why it never falls off. It’s infused with magic and allows you to breathe without seeing the mouth move. The only thing you can do is see out of it. It covers everything else.’
"You have 5 minutes to return with your brother or I don’t disable the killswitch for your mask. Hurry up."
’FUCK,’ Zed thought, quickly racing for Dak.
"Dude, let’s go, I have 3 minutes," he said while sprinting for him.
Without questioning him, Dak followed Zed as quickly as he could back to Zinnia. As soon as they returned, Zed said, "Deal is a deal, turn it off please!"
She burst out in laughter. "Did you actually think it could kill you?"
’Phew.’ Zed thought.
"I did. What was really going to happen?"
"Would have dissolved and I would have killed you." She smirked.
"Well I’m glad that didn’t happen to my brother. It’s easy to make people disappear in these streets," Dak went with his gut and made a bold statement.
"Yes, it is. So, what’s your ability then?" She asked Dak.
"Acidic blood," Dak whispered calmly.
"Useful. And you?" Zinnia demanded.
"Oh me? I’d have to show you and I don’t want to do it here. You’ll just have to trust me." Zed said quietly and calmly.
"Why can’t you show me? There’s no one here. I don’t even know your name." She retorted.
"Zed. Who knows who is actually watching. It’s powerful. Much better than mine," Dak answered for him.
"Fine. Follow me," she said.
They walked behind her at her quick pace. She tossed Dak a mask and he put it on.
’Crazy. Magically infused.’ He thought while removing it and putting it back on quickly.
Zed noticed and tried the same.
’I can’t believe I believed her. I’m Zed fucking Atwood and fell for a thug’s trick. I still can’t get over something about this mask though. The magic doesn’t feel right. Maybe it’s dark magic?’
"We’re here." Zinnia said, moving a board away on a broken building.
They followed her inside and noticed they were now inside a building that was well furnished, clean and organized. There were other people in plain black clothing and masks, some wearing suits. This wasn’t a regular building, this was a recruitment office.
"This way," Zinnia said. "Don’t talk to anyone unless I tell you too."
They both nodded and followed her to a black and purple door where she knocked in a very specific pattern.
’3 taps, one pound, 1 tap, two pounds, one regular knock, 2 taps.’ Zed remembered.
"Come in, Zinnia." A male instructed.
’So he knows who it is by the knock, that’s interesting. Who is this man?’ Zed wondered.
*****
Meanwhile, Athena and Apollo were kindly escorted into the castle and the throne room in the Eidolon Realm. Bahamut and Asura were paying attention to Tyler and Ash and not the vampiric people.
"Good day, Bahamut and Lady Asura," Apollo said politely.
"So that’s why we can’t hear you down here." Athena smirked. "Don’t worry, I won’t say anything."
"That’s kind of you, but why not? Wouldn’t it anger Zeus that I have put protection enchantments in place to remain under the radar of Paradise, Limbo, and the Underworld?" Bahamut asked politely and calmly, despite being confused for the first time in a long time.
"It would," she said politely.
"Why would we not tell your father?" Apollo asked angrily.
He didn’t agree with Athena and was surprised she was taking this stance. They had been sent to find out what was going on in the Eidolon Realm and why there were gaps in what they knew and didn’t know. The answer was right there. Why wouldn’t they tell their almighty ruler?
"Because we are not to interfere with the affairs of other realms, and this is another realm," Athena said matter-of-factly.
"But, my lady, it’s directly interfering with Vexarra..."
"And my father agreed that Tyler would be the one to handle this situation. If Bahamut and Asura want things private in their quarters, that’s their decision. We’re rulers, not dictators. They’re not breaking any rules. If anything, erring on the side of caution so that the gods and goddesses cannot interfere with the matters of Vexarra makes more sense."
Bahamut stroked his beard calmly, and Asura always had a charismatic, calming sense about her. Neither of them understood why she would protect their secret, but both were happy this was the logic she used and the conclusion she came to. Although that was not their intention, what she said made sense and could be used as a good justification for why they weren’t allowing other realms to hear the inner thoughts and discussions of the castle.
They also knew Tyler had just talked to their oldest son about his original contract openly in front of the gods and were glad Tyler and Ash hadn’t made the decision to do that down here.
"So you know Tyler just tried to create a new contract with Seraphim, then. What is your other reason for visiting, Lady Athena?" Asura asked calmly.
"What are your plans once he is able to summon you? What is that contract going to look like? He always allows his Eidolons to live freely, but you two are quite different. He could quite literally put in his contract that you can directly help Vexarra. You’d be bound to that. That is my father’s concern," Athena said while Apollo rolled his eyes.
"We know your father’s real concern is all of them acting of their own volition as Tyler slowly starts forming into a god. Cut the nonsense and get to the point, my lady, respectfully," Apollo said as politely as he could.
"So Zeus thinks we would so easily sign a contract that allowed us to do whatever we wanted? That is upsetting," Bahamut scoffed. "You have no place to speak to Athena like that, Apollo. You’re lucky Zeus can’t hear you, and I’m not going to run and cry to him like you do so often."