Damion and Tasue had walked quite a bit through the Southern streets of Gami. They had seen multiple buildings, more taken care of and more developed compared to the last two towns Damion had seen. The pair arrived at a small open area and stopped to look around at the different fabric, food, pawn, and even shoe stores.
"Okay Tasue… we're looking for coffins," he began.
"Coffins?? Why??" Tasue asked.
"Because…" he knelt in front of her. "My brother is doing bad things with them, and we need to find them so he can't use them anymore."
"He's hurting people??"
"He has to be… somehow, but it'll be fine once we find them. Okay??"
"Okay."
"So… I know he wouldn't put them in the open." He glanced behind Tasue and saw a pub. He stood up and began walking toward it. "Let's ask around here…"
As he opened the bar doors, he gained a whiff of the pungent alcohol and smoke smell that reminded him of the pub he entered back in Nakka town. As he paused, his eyes hit the thirteen year old girl's height and beyond her, a small cafe caught his sight.
"Yeah… let's go over there." He pointed.
"Okayyy, can I get a juice there??"
"Sure." He walked with her and opened the glass door written Cicar Cafe on it in white. A bell was heard as they entered and he glanced as a couple guys who were clearly trying to get over their hangovers sat at a corner. He pulled up a chair for Tasue two tables ahead of them and they sat down. In no time, Damion was halfway through his cup of coffee and Tasue was downing her third glass of juice. Eventually, they began talking, and their words got to Damion.
"Thanks to that Syndicate brute I can't even place flowers on my wife's grave…"
"My son keeps asking whether he will ever visit his mother's grave again. I'm tired of the excuses I've made up until now."
These statements forced his fists to clench, he knew exactly what his brother was doing, and it wasn't reacting right to him. Instinctively, his fingers sparked and caught the tablecloth on fire. He quickly noticed and poured his drink on it to put it out, but the owner, a young man, a bit big in size forced the two out because of it.
"We have to find the graveyard," he sighed. They both walked to the nearest person they could see and asked the lady.
"Excuse me… we're looking for the graveyard… might you know where it is??"
"It's on the West… though, I wouldn't go there if I were you."
"Why not??" Tasue asked.
"Nobody is allowed there, for months, we have been denied the chance to grieve properly by Spire… he has people there who keep everyone away…"
"That's so cruel…" Tasue added, a clear pain heard in her voice.
"I'm sorry, but we have to go. Tasue…" Damion said as he began walking West. Tasue wasn't that far behind.
"Thank you for the directions lady!!" She shouted as she caught up to Damion. The lady just waved and continued walking.
****
In the Northern ends of Gami, the population was more scarce, the leadership there hated seeing the originally happy and bustling populace when he originally arrived. Instead, he forced more people out with the excuse that more people were a danger to him without any guards nearby. The ones who followed him had taken over the graveyard that the town cherished very much. It was the largest town out of the other three, Nakka, Karuu, and another that would concern him in a couple hours to come. Among the many buildings mostly vacated, he stayed in one that wasn't quite easy to find.
Otto had led Alloy through the Northern side of the town, past a few clearly deserted streets as well as enough empty buildings to get her curious. They took a turn as she walked behind Otto and she noticed the dead end that awaited them at the end of the street.
"You better not be planning to ambush me. It didn't work so well in your favor last time." She warned. A lighthearted tone along with it.
"I know better." He replied. "This is where he is."
"At the end of an alley??"
"No…" He walked a couple steps and stopped next to a broken piece of brick on the wall. He signaled with his hand that this was the place and Alloy came closer.
"I've brought someone the boss will be interested in." He said.
"Who are you talking to??" Alloy's head turned.
Suddenly, the wall began peeling and a single wooden door was left where it was. Ignoring her gaped mouth in shock, it swung open and the two walked in. The darkness inside was quite thick, only a tiny bulb emitting bare orange light allowed minimal vision. As she entered, Alloy found someone on the other side of the door, a man with a rifle on his hands. His attire reminded her of Qete's troops in Zephro. He wore a white collared tunic, a torn up black sash was wrapped around his waist, keeping the tunic above straight black trousers. He also had on some sturdy black boots on as well. She was sure there were more things she missed but she ignored it, blaming it on the poor lighting.
"He's waiting. Go." The man said, pointing toward a spiraled staircase. As she glanced at it, she already found Otto up two steps and going.
"Wait!!" She said as she caught up. The two walked upward for a bit of time until they arrived at a black door, guarded by yet another troop. Otto walked up to it and immediately, it swung open. The guard stepped aside as the two entered the room.
In itself, the room was quite simple, more empty than most would believe. It only had a couple couches, a couple blacked out windows, chairs and the desk that had a cup of steaming tea atop it. In front of Otto and Alloy, stood the man she thought was their enemy. The room was well lit, despite the night rising upon them all outside. She stepped in front of Otto and gazed at the tall and lean-built man. He was bald with faint burn scars on his scalp, with a plain grey coat on, and brown pants, she watched his faded brown eyes that seemed numbed from emotion.
"Are you Spire??" She asked, bland and plainly. A tone in her voice Otto had never heard from her before, so much so it gave him chills.
"No. And do not use that tone on him." The man's slightly bass voice spoke with complete certainty.
"Maki…" A voice from behind the man dripped with malice. "Move… I want to see who she is."
Maki, his right hand man stepped aside and Alloy's narrowed blue eyes, her light furrowed eyebrows were the first things that were seen by him. Given it was his first time seeing her, he smiled. He liked the anger he saw on her face. He took one more sip of his tea and set it down gently.
"So… who are y…" His statement was interrupted by the sounds and vibrations of the lower level of the building being broken into. Someone else had joined the party. And all they heard were the metallic steps being climbed on, one after another. It left everyone in a state of curiosity more than surprise.