Niall pushed away from the wall and stooped to pick up the bag holding his lunch, his mind now a whir of thoughts. Realizing he had been holding his breath, Niall exhaled and lifted a hand to rub at the bridge of his nose. He just stayed silent for a bit, trying to think of what he should say or do. After a few moments he sighed and shook his head.
"Alright. So firstly, we can’t have you getting made an example of. So for now I think it would be better if you accept this Jalel's proposal. No telling how things may improve in the future. You might even be able to find a way out. Just, I don’t know, try to have as little to do with the gang as possible ok" Niall stated, his tone belying a rather tense mood.
"I won’t tell dad. It’s not something he should hear about for now if ever. It would only make him sick with worry and he might do something stupid. So you just go back to your master and keep doing things as normal. I am going to go track down a friend in the city that may be able to help. An old contact I guess you could say. And Sain, try to stay out of trouble and not do anything stupid ok" Niall added before patting a silent and downcast Sain on the shoulder.
Niall turned away then, not even waiting for an answer from his brother. He just walked away and disappeared into the jumble of streets that made up the slums district. Watching him go, Sain felt his stomach clench. Sain felt as if he had let Niall down, when everything he had ever done was to try and gain Niall's approval, to make him proud. He didn't know how Niall could be so strong, so sure of himself, so full of confidence, so unlike Sain who was always relying on others to help him.
He sucked in a breath and nodded to himself as he made a conscious decision. He pushed off the wall and vowed to himself that when the time came, he would fight, and he would not bow to Jalel's demands if he was forced to make the choice. He had a chance of making it out of this backwater city. If Clyde's experiment was successful he could even move to the capital where Jalel would not be able to reach him.
Stepping out of the alley, he started eating his pie, quite pleased by its taste and texture. He slowly made his way back to the factory whilst eating. He was in no rush. Reaching the front gate, he saw a large truck being guided in, no doubt to pick up some shipment of crystals. He made his way around it and then headed towards the storehouse. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside and found Clyde sitting down near an array of burnt out candles. The old man was eating his own lunch whilst he scribbled some notes on a piece of paper. He seemed fixated so Sain just went and sat down next to him, looking casually over at his notes but not recognizing any of the words. They were written in that damn sorcerer’s language. He sighed even as Clyde finished his food and scribbled a final note. Putting his pen down, he glanced up at Sain with his narrowed gaze and didn’t waste any time breaking into conversation.
"I've come up with a new incantation and an idea that may work. What I want you to do this time when you force the energy into the other shard is to imagine it being trapped inside, like there is a cage around the energy. Preventing it from escaping, it may help with the process although I can’t be sure" Clyde explained, his gaze locked on Sain’s face, observing him in a rather serious fashion. Sain just frowned and thought about it for a moment before nodding his head to show that he understood.
"Ok, I think I got it. I'll try my best" came the response from Sain. He still looked rather dubious but shrugged mentally. He shifted his position on the seat so that he was directly facing Clyde now. He reached out and picked up two shards even as Clyde reached over to lay a hand on Sain’s own.
Sucking in a breath to compose himself, Sain closed his eyes and reached for the now familiar energy in his right fist, directing it to the shard lying in the outstretched palm of his left hand. He forced the fire energy into the empty shard and visualized it being trapped by an invisible force, a cage like structure, and unable to escape. Clyde began the chanting of his incantation, and the energy visibly changed, from a small spread out mass, it began to condense and solidify within the crystal. Sain finished moving all the energy into the shard just as Clyde finished his incantation and the energy seemed to lock inside, gently swirling around in his mind’s eye. Sain opened his eyes and looked at the two crystals. The previously empty one was now glowing softly and the previously full one was now devoid of energy. Breathless, he examined the new fire crystal and held it up so that Clyde could see it also. The old man looked at Sain with an obvious and almost childish excitement, grinning like a happy toddler.
"We've done it my boy, we have done it" the old man exclaimed ecstatically as he surveyed the item. He took on a serious expression then and hunkered down, seemingly thinking.
"But now my boy, now comes the large scale testing. We need to see if it’s possible to move larger amounts of energy on an industrial level. If we can't even do that, this project has no basis and will fester out. I won’t even get funding enough to dig a hole to bury my notes" he stated, a wry smile breaking out on his face.
Pointing to a crate, Clyde motioned for Sain to investigate it. The youth stood up and trudged over. When he reached it Sain noticed a collection of large broken pieces of crystal inside the crate and surmised that they must have been fetched while he had been out. Picking up the box, he carried it back over to their stools and placed the crate on the floor next to the shelf. Getting comfortable again, he noticed that Clyde had gotten up and moved to retrieve the bundled item that he had brought along with him in the morning. The old man now stood quietly, stroking the bundle in a fairly creepy manner. Sain could just imagine him murmuring the word precious over and over. Shaking his head to clear it of thought, he looked at Clyde as the old man spoke out rather softly.
"What I am about to show you now must never be mentioned to another person unless you have my permission, do you understand that Sain" Clyde murmured quietly, to the point Sain had to lean forward to hear. Sain was surprised by the tone of his master’s voice, like the man was truly awed by what he held in his hands.
Sain dipped his head showing that he understood, eyes locked on Clyde as he unwrapped the item, revealing a sheathed long sword. A very strange object to see in this day and age. Instantly Sain's eyes were drawn to the swords pommel. The thing shone brightly, a small crystal embedded in it. It was a deep sky blue color and gave off bright flashes of light every few seconds. But the most unusual thing was that there seemed to be shapes moving inside it, almost like there was a creature imprisoned within. Clyde tentatively touched the hilt and began to speak.
"This is a one of a kind item and I have never seen anything like it before in my life previously. The crystal in the hilt is a lightning crystal, but it seems to have some sort of entity trapped within. I believe it is possible that this entity is providing the crystal with a possibly infinite amount of electrical energy. It is absolutely marvelous" he exclaimed, a finger gingerly touching the crystal and causing a brighter than normal flash to occur. Clyde made a shuddering breath, overcome by the emotions he was feeling. He was like a giddy child with a new toy. It took a moment for Clyde to compose himself before continuing.
"The sword itself was found in the possession of a particular noble collector who had no idea of the true value of the item he possessed. The collector had a debt to an acquaintance of mine who claimed the sword and asked me to investigate it" he continued, his voice shuddering with every word. It really was a struggle for him to speak of this he was so excited.
“I also believe that the crystal is proof of the very research I once conducted in my youth, into the existence of spirits and higher planes of existence. But proving that is not my goal. That is another life's work" he stated and let loose a sad sigh.
"Anyway, beyond that, the sword itself is an extraordinary piece as well. It is engraved with the runes of an ancient language forgotten to the majority of mankind. It actually is the basis for the sorcerer’s language. And from these very runes, I have come to the conclusion that this sword once belonged to the great hero Geston, the patron Saint and founder of the Ho
ly Gestonian Empire, and before him the creator and actual owner of the blade was none other than one of the three cursed Kings, Lord Agralarch who cursed the gods and brought on the great flood that nearly wiped man from the face of the earth" Clyde stammered in an excited rush, the words spilling out before he had even formed them completely. He lifted his gaze to stare at Sain then, his eyes wide and bright, displaying that childish excitement.
Sain couldn’t help but grin like a fool, mimicking Clyde’s own attitude. He was awed by the artifact in front of him and reached out a hand to stroke the hilt tenderly. He felt energy from it, an invigorating yet gentle thrum. Sain was left speechless and he looked up at Clyde, seeing that twinkle in his eye. Clyde knew he would feel that and no doubt felt it himself also. Sain moved his hand away and then shook his head, collecting his thoughts. He lifted a hand to rub the underside of his chin with a thoughtful expression.
"So, if what you think is true, and if the energy is endless, then you could continually transfer energy from it with the spell you just made, theoretically of course" Sain stated, his mind whirring. His very statement caused a grin to break out on Clyde’s face and the old man bobbed his head enthusiastically.
"Exactly my boy, you hit the nail on the head with that one. With such an amount of powerful energy at his disposal, a man could do almost anything he wanted. He could create such things that would shake the very earth. And needless to say, that is the outcome that is of course of great importance to many of my backers and supporters" Clyde explained, his eyes taking on a darker expression. Sain knew that look, and it was one he had seen many times. It was one of resentment. A look that appeared whenever Clyde was forced to share information or knowledge that he did not want to.
Sain furrowed his brow and scowled, thinking that without a doubt, Clyde's backers had to be powerful underworld figures that would either sell or use the crystal for their own personal gain. The thought was not exactly an unwelcome one to Sain either, and he felt a surge of excitement mixed with a slight trepidation at the implications such people could have on the project. He shook his head and just thought on what it might mean for his future, and the possibilities that could emerge for him. He grinned then, a thought popping into his head that he may not be forced to rely on Niall any longer.
Chapter 6
* * *
Stepping off the curb, Niall looked both ways before crossing the road. He didn’t even look back at Sain as he walked off. He was angry, and didn’t want to look at his little brother in case he got the urge to slap the little idiot.
Crossing the street, Niall made a beeline for an alley way, knowing full well where he was headed. A particular club that housed a very unsatisfactory sort of clientele.
Pulling his lunch out of his paper bag, he started stuffing his face with a sausage roll. One of his all-time favourite foods. As he chowed down, Niall set a brisk pace through the jumble of side streets and alleys that made up the connection between the industrial and commercial districts. Or as the commercial district was really known, the red light district.
Before long, he stepped out of an alley onto a main road and looked around him. The red light district was still lively, considering it was the middle of the day. And a weekday. But when large swathes of the city were ruled by gangs, it was to be expected.
Taking a left, he meandered along the road, taking care not to look by passers in the eyes. That was simply asking for trouble. Occasionally he saw a woman in an alleyway, slouching against the wall or leaning against some other structure. And sometimes they were not alone. He scowled heavily. At one time the police would have stamped out this unregulated prostitution industry, but these days, the Rindai police were number one customers.
Niall shook his head and came to a halt outside his destination. He turned to the entrance, slightly slouched, hands in pockets with thumbs sticking out, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He actually smirked as he looked over the entrance, his eyes catching on the establishment's business sign. The place was called 'The Rickety Bitch' and was a well-known gambling den.
Stepping forward Niall made for the entrance only to be stopped by an islander, a big brown bastard with forearms as big as Niall's thigh, and covered in the traditional tattoos favoured by the man’s people.
"What's your business here mate? We got a private thing on today" the islander stated, his voice thick and gravelly.
Niall looked him up and down and actually felt a shiver of apprehension. The guy was massive.
"Is Vlad Kirtsch in?" Niall asked, straight to the point.
"Depends whose asking. Who're you?" the islander grunted, his big meaty arms coming to cross over his barrel of a chest.
"Niall Belford. Used to be one of Vlad's boys" Niall stated, a hard look coming to blanket his features as he tried to feign confidence he did not really feel.
"That so. Well, wait here. I'll see if he is free" the islander stated before reaching behind him and pulling a radio off of the back of his belt. His eyes never left Niall though, locked on him like a snake ready to strike.
"Bear to House Control. Got a Niall Belford out front. Wants to see VK. Do you copy?" the big guy spoke into the radio. It wasn’t long before a reply came and the islander sneered before thumbing over his shoulder.
"In you go mate. Don't go looking at anything that ain't your's though" the big man stated, a smirk on his face.
Niall just ignored him and stepped past the man, and past the buildings door. Stepping into the hall, Niall and was instantly hit with the smell of perfume. A lot of it. He grimaced as he walked further in, the thrum of music reaching him, and a second later the sound of raucous laughter mixed with vehement cursing. Coming to the end of the hallway, he stood outside a thick purple curtain, and shoving it aside he stepped into the den proper, instantly being blasted by the smell of alcohol, cigarette smoke and stale sweat.
Standing still, Niall cast his gaze to the myriad of gaming tables, from poker and black jack to roulette and baccarat. And on almost every wall was a T.V displaying some sort of race being held around the country. Trots, horses or dogs.
Niall didn’t pay any attention to that, and instead looked beyond the tables, over the heads of those invited to this private event. Some sort of party. The room was occupied by somewhere between fifty to one hundred people, but Niall had eyes for only one.
He spotted the man at the far end of the den, on a raised platform, sitting on a couch with a woman in each arm. And the guy was looking straight at Niall.
Niall actually felt a shiver down his spine and it took a great amount of willpower for him to lift a foot and start to walk further into the place. With his jaw clenched tight, Niall slipped his way through the tables and groups of standing guests, his gaze occasionally flicking over the figure of a female guest, or a member of staff, who all seemed to be wearing tightly fitted clothes and dresses, displaying all their curves.
Niall actually gulped, trying not to give into his youthful urges. Steeling his mind, he looked up as he walked, and before long he reached the bottom of the raised platform, a small set of steps located at its base.
Niall looked either side of him, eyeing off a pair of bodyguards who stood silently at the edge of the platform, their hands clasped before them. Both were big bastards and could have been mistaken as statues due to their complete lack of movement. As they didn’t seem to be concerned with Niall, the youth ignored them, and instead made his way up the steps to the platform.
Coming to a halt at the top, Niall settled his gaze on the man before him, trying not to get distracted by the man’s hands being full of bare breast. He was kneading a breast on each of these ladies like it was the most natural thing to do.
As Niall opened his mouth to speak, he was cut off by Vlad interrupting him.
"Long time no see Niall. What’s it been? Six months. Eight. Dunno. Don't count. Don't care. What brings you to my castle" the man asked, his voice loud, over the music.
Niall scowl
ed. This man was every bit the gangster and he sat there in a white suit, a simple white V neck t-shirt under his jacket, whilst around his neck and wrists were jewellery of gold.
"I want to ask you something about the Blue fang. They threatened to kill my brother. What do you know about that" Niall demanded, his voice hard. He knew with this guy that he had to come in hitting, and risk being knocked out in return. Vlad just stared at him, those hands still kneading the women’s tit. After a short time, Vlad replied, his eyes narrowed.
"You come to my house and demand shit of me. You don’t know how this works cunt" Vlad practically hissed before he stood up, pushing the women away who quickly covered themselves and sunk into the couch, looking timid and afraid. Niall ignored them as best he could. He wasn't here to be a hero.
As Vlad approached Niall, he tensed, but said nothing. The gangster lifted both hands and placed them on Niall's shoulders, gripping them. From the close proximity of the man, and the poor light, Niall finally saw the tattoo that wrapped its way up the man’s chest and neck. That of a red Cobra. Staring straight into Vlad’s eyes, Niall scowled.
The Sky is Endless Page 6
