Myrr: Reincarnated Timemage Assassin

Chapter 99: Blink

At the top, the Stranger advances towards the waterfall, intending to pass through. Immediately, Echo flashes in front of him to take the lead. He holds out a hand.

"No...it's fine. Stay back. You don't know the way," he tells her and she falls back after a long glance. It's the first time I've seen her do anything close to defying him. Guess even the Stranger has problems with overprotective security. My sympathies. Echo takes up a position between us and him, occasionally glancing back at us warily. The Stranger steps through the waterfall. As he passes, I notice the water spraying off his clothes, an invisible barrier preventing it from being absorbed. Echo also goes through in much the same way. Neat trick. Meera harrumphs, seeing my impressed gaze, and I hear her mutter-

"Tch...a real assassin would cut the waterfall."

Yea we can't all be Romy's okay, Meera?

Meera goes through next, slashing apart the water and flickering through the gap it makes without a backwards glance. When I pass underneath the water, I quietly whisper a Gust and create a little umbrella of wind, feeling somewhat embarrassed that I have to resort to magic when everyone else is using Qi. It sucks being the only mage. On the other side, I find the Stranger facing us, his back turned to the darkness. He quietly approaches, his mask taking on a mysterious tint in the low light. Echo watches silently as he comes back to the entrance.

"My boy, one last thing," he tell us. Holding up his black-gloved fingers to his face, he flourishes them over his mouth like some sort of theater actor. "You two should put on your masks. I have a few associates of mine helping to search for the Ferry-Rat. While I've vetted their backgrounds thoroughly...you never know when it might be better for someone not to know your face."

"Thanks for the warning..." I reply. Motioning to Meera, I don my cheap cat mask from the stalls. Meera puts on her own beautiful feline Rainstopper face and we become two nameless figures in the sewers. Unfortunately, the mask does little to cover up the fetid stench. It's not as bad as you'd think, but it's pretty bad. Like someone dumped rotten eggs and a little rancid milk into the water. Seeing our new look, the Stranger nods appreciatively and turns back to go to Echo.

"Come along. My associates are waiting." He holds up a hand over his shoulder and snaps his fingers. We leave behind the tinkling waterfall, going deeper into the sewers. There's just a tiny bit of light, it's not quite pitch-black inside. At least, not exactly. I'm a little bit confused actually. Why can I see where we're going? It's almost like the metal pipe walls are glowing. But not all of it. Just parts. Little stripes which look different than the rest, lines in the skin of this strange beast we've entered. Meera goes up to the wall as we follow the Stranger and trails her finger against one of the glowing sections. It's jutting out slightly, and I shiver as she whispers to me-

"Bone. It's...some sort of bone."

"Really?" I reply. Meera nods, drawing closer to me. Her gaze behind the mask becomes wary, and I can see her hands surreptitiously clenching and unclenching. Keeping her weapons warm. "All this glowing stuff...it's bone? From some creature?"

"Oh absolutely!" The Stranger laughs from up ahead. He has sharp ears, along with his acerbic tongue. "Perhaps some monster from the Yuulie Sea, but don't ask me its name. It's likely extinct. As I mentioned before, this city is old. Even I don't remember everything anymore. But...dearest girl...please do be careful. Touching strange things in the dark is rarely a good idea in the undercanals."

"Tch...I was just checking," Meera sticks her tongue out the mouth of her mask. The effect is rather lost on the Stranger who hasn't turned around. "How exactly do you know so much about this place anyway? Who are you?"