Chapter 504: Arc 6, - 120: It’s All Coming Together

Chapter 504: Arc 6, Chapter 120: It’s All Coming Together

"All I can say is sorry," Ben began.

Clyde’s breaths were somewhere between calming down and about to break out into a rage.

"I’m sorry about her, I’m sorry about dragging you and her into this, and I’m sorry I left like I didn’t give a shit. I do—I just didn’t know how to handle everything."

"..."

Ben got on his knees, lest his legs buckle and give out. "I’ve known you for a year man, and I-I’ve never seen you like this. You’re cheerful, and sporty, and spirited. I mean you two taught me about this world.

I always said you two were my party, but that’s so shallow... You two meant a lot to me and I didn’t see it; I took it for granted because I thought it was all fake.

I didn’t tell you about my world, or hell, even my real name and I should’ve—I should’ve. Maybe I was embarrassed of who I was- Who I am.

Listen, you gotta stay off the potions man. I know you’ve got to’ve been chugging those down while you’ve been here. What would Colwyn think of it-"

"You don’t get to say shit about my sister," he sneered back.

"Okay," Ben put his hands up immediately. "Okay; you’re right. I think it’s not good. I care about you, and you’re on your war path that’s gonna get you killed."

"What’s left?" Clyde’s nose shrivelled.

"Everything; fuck man, there’s a lot of things. I can’t change the past, I’m sorry she’s gone, and I’m sorry I wasn’t with you the whole time like I should’ve, but I can’t change it. But what I can change is now."

"That’s why you got this bloody lot to track me down and tie me up?" his arms jerked against his binds.

"I didn’t ask for this," Ben admitted and looked back at the brunette.

"All I asked for was for Ms Ward to find you, nothing else," Fumeko crossed her arms.

"I don’t give a rat’s ass about it, you’re still working with these monsters," Clyde glanced around, giving daggers to everyone. "Heroes..."

"Yeah, and you always sorta idolized the legends and the stories-"

"So did she!" Clyde interrupted.

"Did she?" Ben furrowed his brows. "Dude, think for a second. She had an affinity, sure; and she was pretty great at magic too. But I don’t know if she wanted to be an adventurer; I think she loved you and wanted to support you no matter what."

Clyde glared at Ben.

"I’m not saying she didn’t like it, but I think you might’ve been more wrapped up in all of this more than her."

"..."

Ben scanned the floor for a moment, thinking of what to say before he added, "You remember that night in Oakwarren? The fruit’s festival with the farmer’s market fiasco?"

Clyde gazed at him with recognition.

"That was one of the first true nights we became closer on that fountain. It was the first time I ever saw Colwyn leave your side, and what was she up to?"

"...Dancing with the townsfolk in the snow," his eyes lowered.

"I didn’t see it back then, but the sign’s always been there. You wanted this more than her. And I’m wrong to think that moment between us was nothing, but I remember it now and it means a whole lot to me man."

"..."

Ben’s face twisted and contorted, trying his best not to let it happen in front of people—a room full of women no less. However, his eyes became watery, and a tear left his eye... and he gave in, letting it stream down. "I know you still care about me dude.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t’ve followed me in Dolpool, you wouldn’t’ve shot that gangster through a window and left me a note," his voice wavered. "I love you man. And I know the Clyde I know’s still here.

So whatever comes next, whatever’s happening with the cult, or some other shit, you wanna go kill the gangs—whatever it is; let’s do it together," he tried to wipe his tears, but the metal of his armour and bracers simply smeared them across his cheek.

"..."

"Fuck man," Ben had to look away and breathe for a moment. "I know words aren’t gonna solve it. But I can promise you I’m not gonna treat you the same like I used to. If you wanna go full anti-hero, that’s cool man, I support you."

"You’re right," Clyde uttered.

Ben looked into his eyes.

Clyde stared right back, "About Colwyn. And I agreed to come with you lot into the dragon’s den." He gulped and faced away, "I’m liable too... bloody hell," he said to himself more than to anyone.

"So, what now?" Ben asked.

"...Let’s... work together. Like always," he nodded with tightened lips.

"Adventurers?"

"Yeah," Clyde let a smile creep up. "Always." Ben bumped his tied-up hand, but Clyde reciprocated. "Can you lot untie me now?" Clyde looked around with a bit of that lost lustre in his eyes.

’That solved much easier than I expected.’ Fumeko sighed, "Why don’t we get back to what happened here. Did no one try to talk to him before throwing chairs and magic around?"

"We most certainly did, however we were ambushed," Tiffany argued.

Fumeko’s eyes scanned over the area and noticed a few vials with drops of colourful liquids left.

"You mentioned potions, and considering his grit and speed during the encounter," Diana tipped a sip of whiskey for Pinfree. Her ears twitched, "The elf’s rationality was most likely impaired."

’So Clyde attacked first.’

"What is this place dude?" Ben asked the archer while he undid the binds.

Clyde freed his arms and rubbed his wrists, "Hell if I know. Some place with no folk around that had some good booze leftover."

"It’s decent at best," Diana commented as she walked past them all and had Pinfree collect the emptied vials into her hand.

"Mind if I continue looking over your injuries?" Hotaru walked close.

Clyde stretched his freed legs, "...Sure." He offered his bruised arm, with which the redhead went to work on.

"This could’ve been a whoooole lot easier if you just talked to us," Asobi stated.

"I wasn’t in the mood to talk... Probably should have," he admitted.

"Since you’re in the mood now, what’s been going on? How have you tracked down gang members and assassinating them without getting caught?" Fumeko furrowed her brows.

"It started with the Inferno, then the papers. They aren’t a hard lot to find," Clyde shrugged.

’Alicia better be careful publishing all this...’

"Well dude, mobsters aren’t hard to find, it’s more like they work under and around the system. They’re not bandits on the road, they’re more of a network, and you’ve basically started a war," Ben explained.

"You both did," Fumeko corrected him.

"It’s super cool, don’t get me wrong. These gangs aren’t expecting stealth archer, it’s a whole different threat. In this world’s technology, he’s a sick ass sniper," Ben added. "Maybe we can get all of ’em."

"That seems ill-advised," Tiffany replied.

"Especially when you’ve not gone unscathed," Hotaru pointed out healed bulled wounds that she did not cast over.

"I am running low on potions," Clyde affirmed.

"Yeah, plus I guess a city needs an underbelly," Ben pondered.

"Under the belly or not, we need to find out how the gangs are contacting the cult. Right Meko?" Asobi looked to the brunette for approval.

"Besides killing them, what have you actually found out about them?" Fumeko crossed her arms.

"They’re all shit-stains that had it coming. I heard them talking about all sorts of dirty business."

"Obviously," Fumeko rolled her eyes. "But did you listen in on conversations about them contacting the cult. Your note said you were gonna kill them all—meaning the Deuctus Cult."

"They were gonna join those lot, so all the same to me," Clyde sneered. "But they did say something about needing some mark—a tattoo?"

The brunette groaned. ’Lead with that then!’

"Symbol of the cult?" Diana placed a finger on the mouth of the vial and pressed it to her tongue to taste. She clicked her tongue, "The winged serpent that can appear only when they wanted."

"From what Detective Quinn said," Fumeko held a hand to her chin. ’It was under an enchantment. If it was something not that powerful, then anyone with the tattoo would also easily bypass the detection of the machine in the Department of Arcana.’ "He made it sound irrelevant."

Asobi recalled the symbol by memory and made an illusion of it in the air.

The fox-woman’s tail curved to one side, "Nunley was correct. The tattoo was not a reliable source of evidence, other than being a marker of who’s in the Deuctus Cult, and who’s not.

It’s a sign of loyalty and initiation from what’s been gathered now. Unless you have anything to contradict the dead detective’s words?"

"Seems about right to me," Clyde affirmed.

’...!’ The final piece of the puzzle she needed, fit; all the red strings connected into an intricate web of answers right before her eyes that wisped with mulberry shadows. "The tattoo’s the key," she uttered.

"Is that a smile on Meko?" Asobi squinted.

"She did that earlier too," Ben remarked and took a step back.

"It’s been so long!" the magician chirped.

"Go on Namora, finish your thought," Diana glanced to the side.

Fumeko wiped the faint smirk off of her face, "Me and Ben just learned about how the Burntish government detects magic around the country; Tiffy and me explored a series of tunnels underneath Orchid Borough Orphanage.

We didn’t know how they were getting around undetected, and there were exits and entrances that were covered by illusions. Based on what we know about the Briar Prince’s labyrinth and the cult’s proficiency in teleportation magic, I think they’re gateways underground.

Especially because Mrs Aetherton said they weren’t very far-spanning tunnels. So, what reason would there be for the cult to travel between them?

Their base of operations, how they get around, how their magic hasn’t been detected unless they specifically want us to find them; if they know how to hide it all, and can travel vast distances to continue operations all around the country, there’s only one possible way to do that.

My only problem was that I couldn’t prove that theory till now. And why would anyone for over eighteen years suspect the tattoo if it had nothing but a basic enchantment?

They were using it all over the country as a symbol back then, and it didn’t do anything. It’s the exact sort of thing the cult would account for, and it’s possibly the key to accessing all these locations that we can’t seem to reach."

"Sooooo, we need to get tattoos?" Asobi poked a wand under her chin.

Ben wobbled his head, "If it works like a fingerprint scanner, you need the right ones; whoever’s giving the enchanted tattoo’s probably making a specific one."

"The occultist who beckons the souls of the departed fashions pens of ivory that imprinted upon the victims of the recent homicide cases. Be it that the culprit?" Tiffany suggested.

’The pen only melted after Tilly had been marked. But that was just a name and a way for her soul to be collected.’ "We can’t rule out Ceridwen, but that’s just a possibility. The cult has other casters," Fumeko doubted.

"Do we need to find the tattoo artist then? If all the gangs were trying to work with the cult, that’d be the way," Hotaru glanced over to the brunette, and then down at Clyde. "Who was your next target? Maybe we can get a lead."

Clyde’s eyes began to wane, and he mumbled, making the redhead’s ears prick.

Diana swished the empty vials in front of her face, looking at the archer through them, "Three, two, one..."

Clyde’s head lolled and he fell forward; Hotaru caught him and sat him up.

"The fuck?" Ben leaned down. "Is he okay? He drank too many potions didn’t he," he looked to the fox-woman.

Diana’s ears ticked, "It appears that’s all the information we will get for today."

Fumeko huffed. "Has Detective Rose come up with anything?"

"I haven’t heard from Cheshire since the night we all spoke at the pub. But don’t worry yourself about that, I’ll handle it," Diana replied with a look to the ramrat on her shoulder.

"Aye, I got it," Pinfree scurried down and off of her tail to go find the detective in question.

"It’s best we let him rest for now," Hotaru stated.

Ben approached, "I can take him back to my hotel. I’ll call when he wakes up."

"There’s nothing else we can do for now?" Asobi looked at both the detectives.

"No," Fumeko answered. Her gaze fell on the redhead, who gazed back; the brunette gave a half-hearted smile, which the other shared. "But we’ve made enough progress.

We’re closer than we’ve ever been to getting them back, and hunting the cult down with it." She looked to the magician and sighed. "It’s all coming together; and we’ll be ready."