Dividing Day And Night

Having received this rather unusual task from Pallas. They both silently finish cleaning up. Sol has a lot to think about, and it seems that Pallas recognized the fact that useless blabbering is not something he desires.

With the cleaning finished, the rest are summoned inside, Alessia carrying a small bouquet of flowers given to her by Chiara. The bouquet primarily consists of Phacelia and Petunia, it seems the garden isn't as spoiled for choices as it is in the Talvit estate.

"I'm leaving. You can stay if you like." Secessus immediately announces to his companions. Alessia seems puzzled, curious about the reason, whilst Cornelius doesn't seem to really care.

Not listening to any possible complaint or inquiries, Secessus immediately leaves Kir's and Pallas's house deep in thought about how to proceed.

'I said I would do it, so I will. Let's begin with finding this individual. I can doubt my resolve at the moment itself.' Secessus thinks, shifting away the duty of morals for the heat of the moment.

Cornelius now walks next to Secessus apparently immediately leaving the house when Secessus also decided to leave.

"What did you decide, little Ed?" Cornelius asks following Secessus brisk walking pace.

"I will do what I've promised. No more, no less."

"And how do you plan to track down this "Forgotten Cabal?"" Cornelius asks mockingly, pronouncing the name of the assassin organization.

"Are you going to tell me how you know about our conversation?" Secessus asks, his aura seeping out as he struggles to contain his annoyance.

"Not yet."

"Then you don't have to know about my plan either." Secessus responds, shutting down Cornelius's inquiry.

With neither individual speaking about the subject any longer, they both stay silent. With this uneasy silence, they both enter their room. As tomorrow becomes the new today, they all reconvene at the training ground of the bronze ranks.

"From today onward we will be doing practical lessons. Your body seems to have recovered enough. From the evening onward you can do what you like, just be here around dawn." Secessus announces the first thing in the training session, even before greeting Alessia.

"Did something happen?" Alessia asks Sol's sudden departure from yesterday still fresh in her mind.

"No, I'm just doing what's agreed upon." He responds, shutting down any more questions.

With this concluded, the training begins. Luckily, Alessia's mana has reawakened itself nearly completely during this time. Learning some useful spells and most importantly continuing her swordsmanship lessons with a body that might be able to handle it. Her frail constitution from the day prior, whilst still weaker than a normal body, is growing rapidly. It seems that her previous hard work is still heavily engrained in her body.

As evening nears, the training is called to an end. Secessus bids a short farewell before disappearing out of sight. Searching throughout the city in the evening, he makes himself familiar with the landscape. Locating the slumps and wherever else there might be some backhanded dealing.

Now that evening has turned night, the sun swallowed by the horizon. Secessus sits on top of the adventuring guild, this high building only's equal in height, the cathedral, and a few others buildings. The rest of the city is at this building's feet, as he stands there like an owl hunting throughout the night.

"It's been a while since I've used my powers for anything else than combat. Let's hope that I haven't gone rusty." Secessus mumbles unhappily, this forced situation still annoying him greatly.

From his feet, the shadows spread, searching other shadows and making it one of them.

'If I were an assassin, where would I be? Let's begin with the assumption that he's going to be digging around for information. Otherwise, this will become more complicated.' Secessus thinks, trying to make some conclusions in this mess of a situation.

Using his dark magic, he creates daggers made out of mana. He calmly cuts both his palms as the shadows beckon even further. Dispelling the dagger, he wipes his bloodied hands over his eyes and ears. Crimson red blood covering his vision, whilst his hearing is impeded by the thick liquid.

"Didn't sell anything today."

"Have you heard about David? The poor thing."

"Told you the bitch was crazy."

The whispers during the night are found by his shadows as the blood tells him their whispers.

'Useless… And even more useless babbling.' He thinks, getting annoyed having to listen to Suzy's stressful day and Nathan's issues in his relationship.

"Did you hear? They say the grand duke is staying in Yeorough." One of the many whispers says, attracting the shade demon's attention. Focusing his mind and sight, the crimson liquid covering his eyes gives him a vision.

He now stands in the back alley, underneath a burning torch. But not as a human, but as a shadow crawling on the wall. Two men stand before him, one with a full-grown beard and the other with short ginger hair.

"Ya sure? Atford's pretty cozy this time of the year?" The ginger with an unbearably heavy accent says.

"Yeh, Gale heard it from Uthred who heard it from someone."

"Uthred heard something? Then this is bollocks, innit?"

"Just Listen for once, will ya? They say he's hiding!"

"The grand duke's hiding? That geezer? No way, you're chatting shit." The ginger says as he lights another cigar.

"I'm telling ya! Swear on me, mom's life!" The man with a full-grown beard says, his right hand in the air. The three fingers in the middle pointing upward.

"Why would he hide, then?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Didn't Uthred say anything about that? Told you he was chatting shit, the lazy prick."

"Hey, calm down. If his cousin hears you're dead."

"Damn that crazy bitch, letting the loudmouth do whatever he wants. If that were my cousin, I would have given him these hands. Hit some sense into him."

"Yeh, come, let's get back inside. I'm starting to feel uneasy."

"You also have that feeling?"

"Like we're being watched?"

"Yeh."

The 2 men look around in the dimly light alleyway. Scanning for any onlookers.

"Yeah, nah, don't see anybody."

"Weird, innit?"

With an uneasy feeling, the 2 men go back inside, leaving the watchful eyes of the shadow.

"Uthred, huh? A loudmouth who knows some sensitive information. Let's figure out where he gets that information from." Secessus says, softly whispering his plan in the midnight breeze as he controls the blood out of his eyes and ears. He summons his wings made of darkness, bringing himself to the ground.