Chapter 4 : The Mysterious Man

Two hours later, the huge capital came into sight, surrounded by high walls and watchtowers, as Nakisa observed through his binoculars. Jarvis parked their armored vehicle out of sight, and now they would have to approach on foot. The Jester felt a bit dizzy, as he had never experienced anything like this before.

"Are you all right?" Ranald asked, patting The Jester on the back. The Jester, looking pale, raised a thumbs-up. Jarvis took out a large cloak and used it to hide their vehicle, making it soon turn invisible. The Jester looked surprised at the magical sight unfolding before him.

"It's a camouflage cloak. Big help, right?" Jarvis explained to The Jester as he continued to stare at their now-invisible car.

"Take your hoods on, we're going in," Nat said, and everyone nodded in agreement. The Jester didn't have to wear a hood, as his robe already had a large hood attached. They all covered their heads and began walking towards the entrance of the Capital.

"ID is crucial here. Without it, no traveler can enter anywhere," Nat explained to The Jester.

"Things are strange in here," The Jester replied.

"You'll get used to it, haha," Nat laughed, slapping him hard on the back. The Jester felt the sharp sting that followed her slap.

They reached the entrance of the Capital, which was marked by a huge gate. A long line of people, cars, domestic animals, carts and trucks carrying food supplies and cargo, and bikes had formed to enter. Nat's crew lined up with the rest.

An hour later, they reached the front of the queue and were approached by the guard for inquiry.

The guards looked at the IDs which Nat and her crew showed.

"Green," said the guard as they bypassed the metal detector and X-rays, and they were allowed to enter.

"Never doubt my forging skills," Ranald said proudly, his eyes sparkling.

"You're the best!" Nat exclaimed, her voice filled with admiration for Ranald.

As The Jester followed the crew inside, he was immediately struck by the vibrant scene of the Capital. The streets were bustling with people, and colorful shops selling confectionery lined the way. The towering building complexes, fountains, and lush greenery all around made it seem like a city of dreams. Everywhere he looked, happy couples walked hand in hand, while children ran around playing with their friends, laughing and shouting. It was a carnival of life, and The Jester couldn't help but feel amazed by the beauty of it all.

The Jester had never seen anything like it before. Nat elbowed him, bringing him out of his contemplation, and he quickly followed behind her. Despite trying to keep up with the crew, The Jester couldn't help but look around in awe, completely taken aback by the bustling scene around him. He couldn't understand what was going on.

After navigating through the busy streets, Nat and her crew finally reached a quiet corner where they could catch their breath. The six of them stood close together, grateful for the respite from the bustling crowds.

"First things first, we need to gather resources and information about the Artifact of Strength. Keep your eyes and ears open for any rumors or leads," Nat ordered the crew.

"We'll meet here again in two hours," Nat said, pointing to King Gideon's statue in the middle of the street and holding up two fingers to emphasize the time.

The rest understood and began walking away. The Jester followed behind Ranald.

"As the group dispersed, the Jester trailed behind Ranald, only to be called back by Nat.

"Not you, you're coming with me," she commanded, gesturing for him to follow. Reluctantly, the Jester bid farewell to Ranald.

*Ranald crying in the thought bubble*

"Let's go", Nat said,

"Okay", he replied and they began walking.

Nat looked at the tall structures. She was just observing how things have changed in here after she left. The current King was a despot by all means. She had no clue about all the Kings in the world or what they were like. But the fact that King Gideon may be on the move for the Artifact of Strength could turn out to be a disaster for every rebel out there.

"We know little about what Artifacts can do. I've only read stories about them so far. And yet, it's hard to believe that there is someone with such power. Not to forget what happened at the Manatel deposit. The Jester might very well be an artifact user, but he claims he doesn't know anything about it," Nat thought as she walked.

The Jester noticed that Nat was lost in her thoughts, but he knew her well enough to expect it.

"Have you heard anything, anything at all that whispers about the artifact?" Nat asked, snapping out of her contemplation..

"Not that I know of. All I see is people and so many of them all at once."

"That's just the way it is in the Capital," Nat replied. Suddenly, her attention was caught by someone waving at her. He seemed to be asking her to follow him.

'This could be the person Jerry talked about', Nat thought as she began walking briskly towards the person whose eyes were covered behind his hood. The man walked towards a place where there were no people, which was strange. Nevertheless, Nat followed him with the Jester right behind her.

Nat followed the man to an abandoned building, which she recognized immediately. Despite being near the main streets and bordered by skyscrapers, the building was ignored by everyone as if it didn't exist. No other humans could be seen besides Nat, the Jester, and the strange man they were following.

The mysterious man quickly descended a flight of stairs leading down to the parking area. Nat began to run down the stairs to catch up with him, and the Jester followed closely behind.

The parking was a maze with many pillars, shrouded in deafening silence. The only light available was from the entrance they had entered through, leaving the rest of the space dark. As they navigated the labyrinthine structure, Nat and the Jester got separated, but they made no noise.

This parking space smelled bad. Nat covered her nose as she walked alone in the dark. The Jester kept a vigilant eye, recognizing that it was better to split up if they wanted to catch the man they were after, even though they had not intended to do so.

Nat didn't have any weapons with her, so her only option was to fight with her fists if the man turned hostile. She covered a large distance in the darkness, but there was no sign of any silhouette. The Jester was uncomfortable with his vision being blocked by the darkness, but he was quite used to it.

"Hello, Nat," came a whisper in her ear. She felt a large hand cover her mouth, and struggled to make a sound, but it was no use. The man injected something from a syringe into her neck, and she began to lose consciousness.