Anxiety was not an emotion native to Sebastian's constitution. It may have been at one time, but these days it was a rarity.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Differentiating the rhythmic cadence of Hoja Mesto from his own beating heart had become futile. It no longer fluttered wildly in his chest, but he still felt constantly on edge. Kurayo was the one locale he thought he detested most, where a game of cat and mouse was nearly a constant. The entirety of Koschei Isle was easy to navigate though. Bash could come and go as he pleased under the protection of the council, and there were many avenues of escape. He also knew whom he could trust. Though privy as he was to the underworlds of many cities, Hoja Mesto's many groups and societies remained obscure. He was not trapped upon the Golem's back, but the thought of any conflict arising in such an isolated, yet nomadic place built upon the flesh of a gargantuan living being was more than a little unnerving. He also had to fend for himself if he found trouble.

Indeed, he would not have come…if the silver were not outrageously good.

Sebastian was well-accustomed to eccentricities in his clients. He had more than a few quirks himself.
It was the anonymous well-to-do letter-writers that always had the most questionable requests, he found. A generous payment in advance was made along with the particular note that brought him to the walking city. It was delivered directly to his pocket by an unseen hand at some point when he had flown in to Tarishitar from Adeluna. Specific instructions were given with noticeably erratic, nearly illegible penmanship to meet a third party in one of the garden districts of Hoja Mesto, which was were Sebastian now sat. Something having to do with the legitimacy of a rare work on contacting outer realms. No title given.


Eclectic taste was normally very appealing. Just not in city planning when one was trying to meet a yet nameless servant, under the cover of night, to receive a copy of a grimoire that may or may not be illegal. So Sebastian assumed. The personal gravity of the matter was far heavier than he had anticipated.

"Mr. Black, I presume?"

Sebastian had not realized his throat was dry until he tried to speak. The strange, grating quality and foreign accent of the droning voice that addressed him from the shadows did not aid in him finding his words.
"At your service," he managed hoarsely, coughing.

With this confirmation, the man who spoke stepped towards the wooden bench Sebastian sat upon. He carelessly kicked away one of the many strange fruits of the Golem from its vine, a fungal, ashen-looking yam, growing hideously alongside splashes of vibrant yellow and purple flowers beneath a grossly over-sized and deformed pussy willow tree. This contact the letter had mentioned was not much to look at either. Even in the half-light of the two moons, his features were violently unsettling. The abnormalities in his features were very subtle, but pricked at some forgotten, almost primal loathing within Sebastian. He looked like a human male…but not entirely. He was not a mixed race either. At least not that could be identified. A congenital defect, perhaps. He mustn't be rude. The unfortunate lad was at least dressed well.

A vast tome was silently presented, carefully wrapped in black velvet.

Sebastian regarded it with some hesitance before taking it. Upon unraveling the velvet, he nearly dropped its contents in the dirt.
"You can't be serious!" Sebastian exclaimed in a hushed voice, eyes darting about cautiously. Scowling at the messenger, then the cover of the book, his Autumn eyes were veritable blazes of fury and confusion. "There is only one copy of this incomprehensible text, the Cosmic Benediction, and it belongs to the Wyllmochvar Academy!"
It had been one of the books Sebastian had pored over in his feverish search for understanding when his childhood town had been wiped from existence by a cult or force unknown. At the time, it was nothing but gibberish to him. Its author was unknown, but their madness was widely agreed upon by scholars.

"There are three," the loathsome stranger gruffly corrected. "My Master has already examined the Mage's copy to his satisfaction. The owner of the last copy resides here, in Hoja Mesto. Old Horace Aldren. He is…particularly protective of it, and has already refused us access. My Master wishes for you to get your hands on this copy by any means necessary. To examine and compare every detail. He believes there was only one genuine copy ever put to pen. The etchings are what he is most concerned with. They are rife with symbolism, as you are no doubt aware…I…"

"Just who is your master? Who are you?" Sebastian snapped, interrupting.

"His name and mine are of no consequence," the stranger replied in his infuriating monotone. "The reward is why you have come, is it not?"

~~~


Eyes bloodshot and listless, resin smoke rising from his pipe, Sebastian had become manic. He did not even bother to scrape his pipe and refill it with more herb. How many times his coffee had been refilled, he'd lost count. Much to the loss of his better judgement, he had taken the tome to the nearest tavern, choosing a lonely, caddywompus corner table of the quaint establishment at which to sit and read. All through the night.

There had been no sleuthing required to learn where to find Horace. That information had been given in the gardens. While hesitant to go to the old man's house, as he had yet to plan a strategy to surreptitiously acquire the volume, that was not what kept him away. It had been many years since he laid eyes upon the strange book that befuddled him in youth. Now he could not seem to pry his eyes away. So absorbed was he, that all of his senses were dulled to his surroundings, including his more preternatural perceptions. Even the subtle drifting and beat of the city faded and ceased to tug at his frayed nerves.

She had been watching the stranger for awhile now, and Sylvi was quite curious.  Most of the times, humans didn't allow themselves to get into such a state without a good reason.  And the book he stared through, Sylvi couldn't quite make out the title, but it had held his attention for quite awhile.  Most would have fallen asleep hours ago.  And she was bored, which was a good enough reason for her to get involved.  The human reached for the coffee cup once more, and Sylvi darted forward, snatching it just before he grabbed the mug.

"Now, now.  I've been watching you for a good while now.  That isn't healthy for you humans.  The crash from this stuff is just awful," she said with a teasing grin.  Her green eyes glinted with amusement, wondering how long it would take for him to register what had happened.

[sorry it's short, but it should be a good intro!]

Static, compelling seas of whispers had risen and scratched at the insides of Sebastian's addled brain as he pored over the volume before him. No real notice of it had been taken…until he heard a voice above the rest. Even this he payed no mind to at first. He reached for his coffee, blankly groping at the air where it should have been.

Time seemed somehow slowed for Sebastian.
Yes. Someone had just addressed him. He was not imagining it.
In a haze, his Autumn eyes slowly swept the room. He gave a visible jump in his seat, and covered his mouth as he coughed violently, a sudden gasp causing his own saliva to choke him. The salacious swell of the woman's bust at eye level, so suddenly near, was an obscene shock to the system, as it was the first thing his gaze had settled upon after leaving the pages of the book. His eyes quickly traveled upward as he found his composure. They found it no trouble to hold the stranger's mirthful, unnaturally green stare, once found. Sebastian was not a particularly lecherous type of man.

"You humans…" he mouthed absently, repeating what the woman had said in his thoughts. Had he heard right? He licked at his drying lips.
"I suppose I am fortunate to have to guess at your intentions," Sebastian observed, studying her eyes carefully. "I am accustomed to such covert stalking taking a turn for the violent immediately."
Her grin was infectious, he had to admit. He found the corner of his mouth turning up slightly as he paused. "Sebastian," he spoke with an outstretched hand, introducing himself. "Sebastian Black."

His reaction was absolutely priceless, and Sylvi had to fight to not laugh aloud.  There was something interesting about this human, and she wanted to find out just what it was.  "Oh, don't worry about me.  I'm only violent if people show it to me first.  Your book is what caught my eye.  Mostly because you've been so utterly focused on it," she said, taking a seat across from the man.  Once he smiled back at her, Sylvi knew that she would have an interesting situation.  It took a moment, but she remembered the human custom of shaking hands.  Her hand felt completely human, if a touch warm, to most people.  "My name is Sylvi.  I have to ask just what has you oh so fascinated by that book," she said peering at the tome. 

She took a pitcher of water from a passing bar maid, and poured them both water.  She sipped at it, and considered just what she wanted to do.  "Perhaps I can be of help?  I'm a bit bored you see, and that tome caught my eye," Sylvi explained.  She was being purely honest about her intentions, and perhaps that would win Sebastian over to letting her help him.

Rubbing his eyes, Sebastian chuckled silently to himself at Sylvi's interest in the book. The chuckle would crescendo into quiet, manic laughter, flashing teeth that were pearly white despite a prodigious coffee habit. He needed sleep. He took a gulp of the water Sylvi had poured him and cleared his throat. The soothing relief to his arid vocals was akin to watching a crystalline tide roll over a sandy beach.
"It's a book I thought there was only one of, firstly," Sebastian explained. "It is also a book I thought I would never willingly look at again. Well…now, as you have plainly seen, I can't seem to tear my eyes away."

When he was younger, the Benediction did not hold any interest or meaning in Sebastian's feverish search for understanding. The etchings and descriptives were…highly disturbing, to say the least. He had never in his wildest imaginings assumed that his tragedies were caused by blasphemous, formless entities of the Beyond…the Void, older than time itself that the book described. That was also before he had been gifted the insight to be aware of lives he had seen before this one, as well as other realities. What all of this had to do with him was still beyond his grasp, however.

"The Cosmic Benediction," he mused to Sylvi, the sleep-deprived humor still not gone from his voice. "Boredom is not really what I would call a good reason to take an interest in it."
His words were chastising, but his tone was far from condescending towards her. He was genuinely afraid of the tome.
Sebastian pointed into the pages and tapped his finger upon the ornately sketched depiction of a grotesque, bulbous, multi-eyed creature. "Volatile stuff, that," he commented, his subtle accent flaring up a bit more than usual.

He was a touch more trusting of his present company with her clearly curious and helpful nature, but Sebastian still regarded Sylvi with some pause at her offer. His dark Autumn-tinged gaze held her intensely emerald one before wandering to the nearest window of the tavern. Gods, it was nearly the afternoon. How much time had he lost in those pages? He bit his lip, then leaned forward in his chair to carefully close the book.

"I was hired to compare this volume one of its only two sister copies," he divulged to her. "I've yet to visit the owner of it. He's already refused my client access. Frankly, I would have too. The vibe I got, and am still getting is all kinds of wrong. Work is work though. You're welcome to come along, if you like…"

The explanation of the book was quite interesting, and Sylvi found herself very intrigued.  She wanted know more about the book, and more about the man who was paging through it.  "I highly doubt there is only one of any book.  Someone always makes a copy.  Even if it's not a very good one.  Looks to be very engrossing though," she said.  The title was curious, it sounded like something she had heard of before, but Sylvi wasn't entirely sure where.  But once she saw the illustration, it hit her. 

"I think I've seen that before… or at least a piece of it.  That picture, I've seen it before.  It wasn't anywhere… tangible though," she said, trying to find the right word.  It took a moment, Sylvi still sometimes had trouble finding what she wanted to say.  She was still adjusting to this plane, but the assistance of a now fallen goddess had at least ensured would be able to stay.  "Most humans don't even come across things of that nature.  How did you find it?" she said.  There were dark things, malevolent entities, and other secrets hidden in similar tomes.  Sylvi just never thought she would see one of those tomes so casually spread across the table in a tavern.

Her head tilted to one side as he explained what he was doing here, and of the job he had been offered.  "Allow me a moment to play the devil on your shoulder," Sylvi said with a knowing smile.  "So why do it, if it does not feel right?  Surely you can't be that desperate.  But maybe I can help you. How much of this job is being done to sate your own curiosity?" she asked.  The answer would tell her quite a lot.

"I've seen entities like the one pictured, and ones far more grotesque in dreams," Sebastian explained. "I've the ability to astral project into Death too, you see. Books are not my only trade. It's somewhere Beyond that I've seen things of that nature in person."
He had known since he was very young that he was…"different". From having memories of other lifetimes, to communing with spirits, he was no stranger to supernatural occurrences. Still, the entities that vied to invade his mind and body when he was vulnerable were a little more than unnerving. He did not always know that there was some sort of connection between himself and cosmic horrors, but he did know that they were responsible for the destruction and erasure of his town, whether directly, or indirectly through some sort of cult.

"An awful lot of my will to complete this job is fueled by sheer morbid curiosity," Sebastian admitted, shaking his head. "You're right. I'm not that desperate…but I also never turn down a job once I've already accepted it. Bad for business. I intend to do what was asked of me. Besides, I'm not too keen on crossing this particular employer."
Rising from his seat, and stretching his whole body until his muscles quivered, and all of his stiff joints popped, Sebastian picked the book up, placing it carefully in his backpack. He patted Sylvi's hand as he slung the bag over his shoulder. "Top of the morning, by the way," he added with a yawn as he casually sauntered towards the tavern doors. It did not seem he cared if Sylvi came along or not. He had offered.

Truthfully, he was not sure if having her along would be a good idea. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was clearly not human. The way she had eyed the book made him a wee bit uneasy. There were no specifications that he could not have anyone else along…but what if he lost the book? He shuddered to think what the man he met in the garden was capable of - or his "Master", for that matter, whoever that was.


Horus' house had been fairly easy to locate, even in Sebastian's sleep-deprived state. Rapping soundly upon the heavily reinforced door yielded no response. "Hello…? Mr. Aldren?"
Sebastian's gaze studied the home as he paced back and forth in front of the door. There was nothing particularly strange or remarkable about the place, other than the door itself. This much actually made it stand out quite a bit from the rest of Hoja Mesto. It was the only house, at least that he'd seen so far, that had a regular design in architecture; why, it was no different than any home one would find in Adeluna, or Egjora. Every other structure upon the Golem's back seemed…experimental, or oblong in some fashion or another.

Sebastian knocked again.

Still nothing.

He sighed impatiently, looking the house over once more. Perhaps there was some window unlocked that he could crawl into? …In broad daylight, though?

Just when he was about to give up, a metal slat in the door slid open. It was quite dark beyond the small opening, but he could definitely feel the weight of eyes upon him. When he started to speak, a gruff, muffled voice on the other side of the door beat him to it. "I've already told them, they won't get their slimy fingers on that book. What the hell do you want?"
Sebastian blinked several times, staring at the door incredulously. "How did you…?"
"You think me daft, boy?" the voice interrupted once more. "You're not the first foreigner they've sent to try and fool me. I don't know what they're on about, but it's nothing you should get yourself involved with. If you're smart you'll…wait. Come…come closer. Your eyes. Let me see them."

Low mumbling and the shuffling of papers was heard on the other side of the door as Sebastian cautiously approached it. "Impossible…"
the voice muttered. The metal slat slammed shut. Sounds of clanking chains and a multitude of locks being undone could be heard. Before Sebastian could fully react, the heavy door swung open, revealing an elderly dwarf, with not a hair on his head. It looked as though it had all traveled south, adding to his voluminous grey eyebrows. He peered up at his visitor, and moved the stool he had been standing on aside from the doorway.

"You're marked. A child of the blood," the dwarf, who was clearly Horus Aldren said matter-of-factly. The confusion that had been written on Sebastian's face only deepened. "Excuse me?"

"Godsake, boy!" Horus exclaimed as he punched Sebastian's shin, which made him jump and wince. "You don't know a damn thing, do you?! Do you even know what it is you've gotten yourself into? Do you even know who, or more accurately what you are??"

Sebastian shook his head sheepishly, rubbing his shin. It was then he spotted the necklace dangling about the dwarf's neck.
"What is that symbol that you wear?" he asked, voice shaking a bit. "I ask because it was burned into the walls and rafters of my home. It was destroyed when I was still a young lad."

It was Horus' turn to stare incredulously. "Granted you're at least familiar with the contents of the book you're tasked with, it's a rune that offers protection from the things you can find in its pages. You really don't know anything at all, do you?"
The old man's voice softened a bit. "I can't let you glean anything for your employer's benefit…but I think it's best that you come inside."

For a human to have seen those things, and to have retained his sanity, was quite interesting.  Sylvi knew that she wanted to stick around him, and see just what he was up to.  As a free agent now, she was able to indulge her curiosity as much as she wanted.  "Hmm.  Well, you know the old saying.  Curiosity killed the cat.  But I somehow don't think that you have nine lives," Sylvi said, her tone shifting to serious for a few moments.  Long enough for him to pat her on the hand, anyway. 

She did follow him, trailing the young man silently through the streets.  The cat daemon was quite interested to see just who had the other copy of that book, and she wondered if something might be worked out.  She stayed back for a few moments, waiting for Sebastian to pound on the door.  She could hear a bit better, and the sound of footsteps echoed in her ears.  But what the old man said was rather interesting.  She had been able to discern that something was different about this human, though it was nice to have it be confirmed.  Especially by a dwarf.  "I'd listen to him.  Dwarves have a hard time lying," she said suddenly.  She did wonder if Sebastian had forgotten she was there. 

The dwarf however noticed her presence right away.  "And just what is one of your ilk doing here?  And with him?!  Get away, you don't belong here with that book," the dwarf growled at her.  He started to make a warding gesture, but something seemed to make him pause.  And Sylvi seized the opportunity.  "Please, master Dwarf.  I'm not evil as are most of my kin.  I swear that to you.  I'm just curious about that book, and him," she said, indicating Sebastian.  With a grunt, the dwarf gestured for both of them to step inside.  Once he slammed the door back shut and had locked everything, he turned his attention to the boy again.  "Now, do you know just what in the seven hells you're tangled up in?" he asked Sebastian, though he glanced at Sylvi once. 

"If there is any harm done or offense taken by her presence, I will take full responsibility," Sebastian interjected after Sylvi had spoken and Horus glared at the two of them. Reluctantly, the dwarf had shut the door behind them, and meticulously re-engaged every single lock. He led the pair through the ornately-furnished, oaken-floored abode, taking a candle to lend more light to the conversation that was to come. It was clear even to the casual observer, both by the relatively untainted wicks and unmelted wax of most of the lamps in the main hall, and the sheer amount of dust that had accumulated, that most of the house was more or less vacant the majority of the time. The extra light seemed to be solely for Sebastian and Sylvi's benefit, to find their way about the house.

"Of course I'm damned well aware of what it is I'm involved with," Sebastian chided harshly, then cleared his throat. "To a point," he added, his tone softening some. The change of voice had more to do with being distracted than being apologetic for his ignorance, however. His gaze had immediately focused upon a set of gleaming weapons mounted high on the wall they followed. There was a sort of…resonance, emanating from them. Like whispers, that were not heard by his ears, but felt by his blood.
"Do you feel that…?" he asked Sylvi, absently gesturing at the weapons.

"Aye, siderite," Horus remarked, taking a few steps back to indulge Sebastian's interest. He's a dwarf. Of course he would relish in the subject of blacksmithing.
"It's a celestial mineral, extracted from fallen meteorites. All of these creations were smithed with it using advanced arcane techniques. Some have silver added as well. All of these weapons have drank of eldritch or ancient blood. The very creatures in the book you carry. Others - very old bloodlines of various other beings. Vampires and the like."
Horus grinned knowingly as Sebastian listened and stared with wonder and curiosity, particularly at a wickedly flanged mace that glimmered even in the dim, musty hall.
"Their make-up is not their most notable feature though, lad. These were all created to be adaptable. Handles that can adjust in length, parts that re-position…some can be quickly altered to become another weapon entirely. Remind me to show you later."


Horus led them to the rear of the small house, into a study with a roaring fire warming a black marble hearth with a wooden bench situated in front of it. The dwarf was now a gracious host due to, Sebastian assumed, a subject he adored being brought up. This what not entirely the case…

Sebastian sat on the bench after Horus had taken the tea from the fire and poured them all a cup.

"Whether you're fully privy to things or not, lad, your reaction to my collection has told me enough about you, if your eyes and impossible sanity didn't already. You were born to hunt."

Blinking several times and lounging in his seat as he sipped his tea, Sebastian considered the insinuation with some confusion. He found books and odd objects for people, yes; he did not partake of flesh, though.
"You cannot possibly mean the things in this book," Sebastian said incredulously, brow furrowing. "Some of the entities described sound like gods of some sort, that operate on planes of existence beyond our perception. Besides, not all of the beings that are recorded are evil. Some even empathize with and help humans."

"The ones your employers worship most definitely are evil," Horus replied. "Yes, though, lad; I mean the very same things. Those and much more. Tell me…do you ever have much trouble passing through Kurayo?"
Sebastian's brow furrowing deepened, and he frowned as he gulped down the rest of the tea. "They're all drawn to you, aren't th-"
"Oh, come off it," Sebastian snapped, interrupting.
Horus frowned now as well, with concern. "You know damn well I'm right. You also know now, or at least you should know that you're in danger. Especially if your employer knows what I know. Can you both stay the night here? We have much to discuss."

The words from Sebastian came as a bit of a surprise, it was seldom that anyone would vouch for a stranger so quickly, let alone one who had admitted to being a daemon.  But Sylvi was coming to realize that he was no ordinary human, so that was likely a large part of what was happening.  Her nose twitched at the sight of the metal, and the woman had to resist the urge to sneeze.  Once the dwarf explained what it was exactly, she nodded.  "That explains why it makes my nose itch.  Were I something more… malicious, like some of my kin, I would likely be hissing at those things," she said.  There were times that Sylvi was glad she had taken a more neutral path to her life.

The daemon listened in silence, learning more than a few details.  A slight smile crossed her face when the dwarf clarified a few things, and her new friend wanted to argue.  "I've nowhere else to go.  On my own, again," Sylvia said, her smiled crooked.  But an idea was starting to form in her mind, and it was one that could be very interesting for them both.  "Perhaps I should stay with Sebastian, as a guardian of sorts?  I can be very inconspicuous," she said with a grin.  Though her human form wasn't very subtle, she had enough other tricks up her sleeves to make the idea work.