Cinders from his cigar slowly descended to the ground below. But halfway down, it was blown away by the cold night breeze. Nathan took his flask from his pocket and lean back at the railings atop the clock tower. The soft light emitting from inside the clock tower. Truly one of the wonders of technology. He gazed at the streets and buildings below. One of his favorite places of solitude. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city below, overlooking the whole city. He could see the sea in the far distance. The creaking of the door behind him brought him back to reality. He quickly grabbed his gun and aimed it at the door.
“No need for that Nathan,” Arronax exclaimed. He closed the door and slowly made his way to the railing Nathan was leaning on.
“Well, it's Verden, you can never be too careful,” Nathan replied while holstering his gun. He took another sip from it before handing it over to Arronax.
“Well, I can’t really enjoy that.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry about that.” Nathan took another sip from it before gazing back into the landscape before him, lost in his thoughts.
“It is beautiful,” Arronax said, breaking the silence.
“It is. Just like a rose, beautiful but for the unwary, it has a lot of thorns.”
Shouting could be heard below. A carriage was hijacked. Seems like the owner of the carriage is not a local. The man tried to fight back but was beaten down by the thugs. The thugs grabbed the woman traveling with the man and tried to push her inside the carriage. The man tried to fight back again but he was helpless against the group of thugs. Nathan pulled out his gun and aim at the carriage. He took a shot. The sound must have startled the thugs, the woman managed to wrestle free and ran to a nearby alley. The thugs quickly hop inside the carriage and left the man bleeding on the side of the street.
“You know it won’t end well for both of them, right?” Arronax commented on the recent event.
“Well, who knows? In a city where everyone will take any chance they got. If she’s smart, she’ll just leave the man be and find the nearest patrol.”
The woman rushed back at the bleeding man and tried to help him. She ran and knocked at nearby doors, pleading for help.
“Nope, wrong move” Nathan took another sip from his flask.
One of the residents finally opens their doors. But alas for the woman, they’re no better than the group of thugs. They grabbed and pulled her inside the house. Down the street, a group of street kids made their way slowly toward the bleeding man. They looked around and seeing no patrols in sight they looted the man. The man tried to put up a fight but he was powerless.
“May they rest in peace” Nathan said. He took another sip from his flask.
“They don’t deserve that” Arronax replied
“It’s their fault. Too trusting of people. You’ll never survive that way in Verden. They should have stayed at the blue zones or at least hire protection if they are planning on traveling within the city at this hour.”
“Would it really make a difference?”
Nathan shrugged. “Not even a knight is safe in this city.”
Arronax put his hand on Nathan’s shoulder. Nathan took a cigarette and lit it up. “What could he be thinking about in his final moments? His lover, father, mom, his achievements, or perhaps all the good deeds and the people that he saved? Or maybe it was full of regrets, for being too idealistic. Wanting to change the city with his good deeds. Look where it got her! Stubborn just like her.” the cigarette snapped in two. “Fuck!” Nathan brushed the cinders from his hand.
Nathan leaned back at the glass cover of the clock. “This city, you can’t change it with kind words and good deeds alone.” Nathan sighed, he took another cigarette and lit it up.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”
Nathan took another sip from his flask. “It would take a monster to defeat one.”
“What about Anya?”
“She’s an adult, she could make her own decision. Remember what happened to the person who underestimated her? Poor chap, may he find peace.”
“But after the d……”
“Fuck,” Nathan muttered under his breath.
There was a creak from the clock tower’s door. Both Nathan and Arronax pulled their guns and pointed it at the door.
“Come on out! Or…….” Nathan shouted but it was cut short when the figure emerges from behind the door.
“Or what? Is violence your answer to everything?” Anya replied.
“Speak of the devil,” Arronax exclaimed as he holstered his guns.
“Anya? What are you doing here? How did you get here? No, how the fuck did you find us?”
“Same thing you guys are doing. Oh brother dear, don’t think you’re the only one who knows the city like the back of your hand.” Anya replied as she took off her gloves, handed it to Arronax. Leaning in the railings between Nathan and Arronax, she reached into Nathan’s coat pocket and took out his pack of cigarettes. She grabs a piece then returns the pack of cigarettes into Nathan’s coat pocket. Nathan handed her his lighter and she lit her cigarette.
“The view is quite breathtaking huh?” Anya replied as she exhales a cloud of smoke.
“Could be better,” Nathan replied
“Hush now, that’s a dangerous topic you’re treading in.”
“In honor of mom and Victor.”
As Nathan said the sentence Anya turn her gaze to him. She stared at him for a moment before returning her gaze at the city.
“Knowing you, you’re gonna be adding a new addition in the wall of the mausoleum.”
“What do you…….”
“Well for starters, mom tried to change the city with her kindness. Victor tried changing the city with his ideals and sense of justice. But you, you’re gonna try to change the city with brute force, with the two of you guns blazing.”
“Well, you can’t change this city with words and ideas alone.”
“Surely not by brute force too. If it could, the city would have been rid of scums during dad’s generation. What is your end goal? And don’t tell me it’s to eradicate crimes.” Anya leaned on the railings, she took the flask from Nathan’s hands and proceed to drink it.
“My end goal? You’re gazing at it. Verden is two sides of the same coin. You got those on the side of law and those on the other side of the law.”
Anya chuckled. She took another sip from the flask before handing it back to Nathan. As Nathan was about to continue his speech Anya motioned for him to stop. She turned her gaze back at him. Keeping eye contact for a moment. She smiled mischievously. Then she turned her gaze back to the city.
“So, you are going to take over the underbelly of the city before proceeding to navigate the political waters with House Galbrecht. Using your achievement in “eliminating” crime in the city as a bargaining chip to gain favor with them. You’ll probably start by either aligning yourself with some of the minor players in the underworld or by doing favors for the common citizens. Then after gaining a foothold, you’ll either join the knights or continue with strengthening the alliance you have with the minor players. Thus you began your ascend. Slowly assimilating the minor factions until you have enough power to compete with the major players. In which you would use any means to reach that point. After finally having a seat at the big boys' table you will continue to use the same method you previously did. Ending up like Victor, in a ditch somewhere.”
“She read you like an open book Nathan.” Arronax chimed in.
“Fuck” Nathan replied as he took another sip from the flask before handing it to Anya.
“If I could figure out your great plan in under a minute, what’s to say they couldn’t? It will take too long anyway. You have to plan carefully. Put all the pieces in place, when the pieces are in place, then you take them out in one swift motion. Don’t give them a moment to breathe. Strike hard and fast.” Anya replied a tone of excitement could be heard in her voice. She’s waving her hands across the city as if the city’s a chessboard and she’s moving her pieces. “Checkmate” she glee cheerfully.
“Well, there’s also the thing about resources.”
“You’ll find a way. You always do. That’s what father saw in you.” Anya replied as she took the flask and her gloves from Arronax.
“Anyway I’m heading back, all this scheming makes me sleepy, I’ve got enough scheming for the day.”
“Arronax go with her. I’ll be here for a while longer then I’ll head back.”
“Are you sure? Here, just in case.” Arronax replied as he handed Nathan one of his guns.
As Arronax and Anya left the clock tower, Nathan leaned back against the glass cover of the clock. He took another cigarette and lit it. Savoring the smell of it. He took out a coin and began flipping it with his other hand. A sudden gust of wind blew the cigarette out of his fingers.
“Fuck!” Nathan grabbed the cigarette pack from his coat pocket to find it empty.
“Well, I guess it’s time to head back.” Turning around one last time gazing at the city, he took his coin and flipped it. “You’re mine.” He watched as the coin fall to the ground below. He made his way down the clock tower and heads back to the estate.
“No need for that Nathan,” Arronax exclaimed. He closed the door and slowly made his way to the railing Nathan was leaning on.
“Well, it's Verden, you can never be too careful,” Nathan replied while holstering his gun. He took another sip from it before handing it over to Arronax.
“Well, I can’t really enjoy that.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry about that.” Nathan took another sip from it before gazing back into the landscape before him, lost in his thoughts.
“It is beautiful,” Arronax said, breaking the silence.
“It is. Just like a rose, beautiful but for the unwary, it has a lot of thorns.”
Shouting could be heard below. A carriage was hijacked. Seems like the owner of the carriage is not a local. The man tried to fight back but was beaten down by the thugs. The thugs grabbed the woman traveling with the man and tried to push her inside the carriage. The man tried to fight back again but he was helpless against the group of thugs. Nathan pulled out his gun and aim at the carriage. He took a shot. The sound must have startled the thugs, the woman managed to wrestle free and ran to a nearby alley. The thugs quickly hop inside the carriage and left the man bleeding on the side of the street.
“You know it won’t end well for both of them, right?” Arronax commented on the recent event.
“Well, who knows? In a city where everyone will take any chance they got. If she’s smart, she’ll just leave the man be and find the nearest patrol.”
The woman rushed back at the bleeding man and tried to help him. She ran and knocked at nearby doors, pleading for help.
“Nope, wrong move” Nathan took another sip from his flask.
One of the residents finally opens their doors. But alas for the woman, they’re no better than the group of thugs. They grabbed and pulled her inside the house. Down the street, a group of street kids made their way slowly toward the bleeding man. They looked around and seeing no patrols in sight they looted the man. The man tried to put up a fight but he was powerless.
“May they rest in peace” Nathan said. He took another sip from his flask.
“They don’t deserve that” Arronax replied
“It’s their fault. Too trusting of people. You’ll never survive that way in Verden. They should have stayed at the blue zones or at least hire protection if they are planning on traveling within the city at this hour.”
“Would it really make a difference?”
Nathan shrugged. “Not even a knight is safe in this city.”
Arronax put his hand on Nathan’s shoulder. Nathan took a cigarette and lit it up. “What could he be thinking about in his final moments? His lover, father, mom, his achievements, or perhaps all the good deeds and the people that he saved? Or maybe it was full of regrets, for being too idealistic. Wanting to change the city with his good deeds. Look where it got her! Stubborn just like her.” the cigarette snapped in two. “Fuck!” Nathan brushed the cinders from his hand.
Nathan leaned back at the glass cover of the clock. “This city, you can’t change it with kind words and good deeds alone.” Nathan sighed, he took another cigarette and lit it up.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”
Nathan took another sip from his flask. “It would take a monster to defeat one.”
“What about Anya?”
“She’s an adult, she could make her own decision. Remember what happened to the person who underestimated her? Poor chap, may he find peace.”
“But after the d……”
“Fuck,” Nathan muttered under his breath.
There was a creak from the clock tower’s door. Both Nathan and Arronax pulled their guns and pointed it at the door.
“Come on out! Or…….” Nathan shouted but it was cut short when the figure emerges from behind the door.
“Or what? Is violence your answer to everything?” Anya replied.
“Speak of the devil,” Arronax exclaimed as he holstered his guns.
“Anya? What are you doing here? How did you get here? No, how the fuck did you find us?”
“Same thing you guys are doing. Oh brother dear, don’t think you’re the only one who knows the city like the back of your hand.” Anya replied as she took off her gloves, handed it to Arronax. Leaning in the railings between Nathan and Arronax, she reached into Nathan’s coat pocket and took out his pack of cigarettes. She grabs a piece then returns the pack of cigarettes into Nathan’s coat pocket. Nathan handed her his lighter and she lit her cigarette.
“The view is quite breathtaking huh?” Anya replied as she exhales a cloud of smoke.
“Could be better,” Nathan replied
“Hush now, that’s a dangerous topic you’re treading in.”
“In honor of mom and Victor.”
As Nathan said the sentence Anya turn her gaze to him. She stared at him for a moment before returning her gaze at the city.
“Knowing you, you’re gonna be adding a new addition in the wall of the mausoleum.”
“What do you…….”
“Well for starters, mom tried to change the city with her kindness. Victor tried changing the city with his ideals and sense of justice. But you, you’re gonna try to change the city with brute force, with the two of you guns blazing.”
“Well, you can’t change this city with words and ideas alone.”
“Surely not by brute force too. If it could, the city would have been rid of scums during dad’s generation. What is your end goal? And don’t tell me it’s to eradicate crimes.” Anya leaned on the railings, she took the flask from Nathan’s hands and proceed to drink it.
“My end goal? You’re gazing at it. Verden is two sides of the same coin. You got those on the side of law and those on the other side of the law.”
Anya chuckled. She took another sip from the flask before handing it back to Nathan. As Nathan was about to continue his speech Anya motioned for him to stop. She turned her gaze back at him. Keeping eye contact for a moment. She smiled mischievously. Then she turned her gaze back to the city.
“So, you are going to take over the underbelly of the city before proceeding to navigate the political waters with House Galbrecht. Using your achievement in “eliminating” crime in the city as a bargaining chip to gain favor with them. You’ll probably start by either aligning yourself with some of the minor players in the underworld or by doing favors for the common citizens. Then after gaining a foothold, you’ll either join the knights or continue with strengthening the alliance you have with the minor players. Thus you began your ascend. Slowly assimilating the minor factions until you have enough power to compete with the major players. In which you would use any means to reach that point. After finally having a seat at the big boys' table you will continue to use the same method you previously did. Ending up like Victor, in a ditch somewhere.”
“She read you like an open book Nathan.” Arronax chimed in.
“Fuck” Nathan replied as he took another sip from the flask before handing it to Anya.
“If I could figure out your great plan in under a minute, what’s to say they couldn’t? It will take too long anyway. You have to plan carefully. Put all the pieces in place, when the pieces are in place, then you take them out in one swift motion. Don’t give them a moment to breathe. Strike hard and fast.” Anya replied a tone of excitement could be heard in her voice. She’s waving her hands across the city as if the city’s a chessboard and she’s moving her pieces. “Checkmate” she glee cheerfully.
“Well, there’s also the thing about resources.”
“You’ll find a way. You always do. That’s what father saw in you.” Anya replied as she took the flask and her gloves from Arronax.
“Anyway I’m heading back, all this scheming makes me sleepy, I’ve got enough scheming for the day.”
“Arronax go with her. I’ll be here for a while longer then I’ll head back.”
“Are you sure? Here, just in case.” Arronax replied as he handed Nathan one of his guns.
As Arronax and Anya left the clock tower, Nathan leaned back against the glass cover of the clock. He took another cigarette and lit it. Savoring the smell of it. He took out a coin and began flipping it with his other hand. A sudden gust of wind blew the cigarette out of his fingers.
“Fuck!” Nathan grabbed the cigarette pack from his coat pocket to find it empty.
“Well, I guess it’s time to head back.” Turning around one last time gazing at the city, he took his coin and flipped it. “You’re mine.” He watched as the coin fall to the ground below. He made his way down the clock tower and heads back to the estate.
