Chapter 31 -  Forgotten Clan

13.07.1642

The Southeast Military Base

18:13

Yet again, we found ourselves in the Southeast Base, being just another day of the soldiers that work there. RY4N seems to be leaving the Great Leader's office at this hour after talking with CHE5TER, looking at some papers and walking around. Yet this time, as she notices him, it looks like KYR4 is approaching him to talk for a bit too.

[KYR4]-RY4N! Wait up!

[RY4N]-Hm?

He waits for her to get closer and their conversation finally begins.

[RY4N]-What is it?

[KYR4]-Have you thought about the problem?

[RY4N]-What problem...?

[KYR4]-The Council problem? The one about the demons and supplies that we've heard yesterday? The one for which the Great Leader did a mission?

[RY4N]-Oh, no, no. I didn't manage to find a solution yet, neither did CHE5TER.

[KYR4]-Then what are we going to tell the EZR4H Clan? You know, they complain that the problem persists for a month now. Letting them wait won't get them angry?

[RY4N]-I don't see Mr. EZR4H that way though, maybe only his assistant. But even so, we cannot do anything yet. We do not own enough knowledge to fight this problem properly.

[KYR4]-So another day of anger, huh... Can't I just put a different Officer to go for me?

[RY4N]-You can... but it will be a lot of paper work to do for the Great Leader and we won't have time until the meeting starts.

[KYR4]-*sigh* Alright then...

They take a small pause, before RY4N decides to change the subject.

[RY4N]-Say... you are about to leave for the morning rest, right?

[KYR4]-Hm? Oh, yeah, I guess. LUK3 is getting ready, so we are just waiting in the meantime and I thought of asking you about the Council's problem of yesterday to know if we say something today or we will leave the chaos go wild.

[RY4N]-Heh, I guess he wouldn't mind me joining for a while too, right?

[KYR4]-Oh? You want to come? Without an invitation? How come?

[RY4N]-Well, I was thinking of going to the Statue of M1NERV4 today in the morning to place a small offering again, and since you guys go together out, maybe I can stay with you for a few minutes before I leave.

[KYR4]-Why do you place offerings anyway? Don't you have to clean the statue from the old offerings every time since nobody gives a shit about it anymore?

[RY4N]-It's not like it's hard to take what's old, throw it and replace it with a new one.

[KYR4]-I was just asking...

[RY4N]-Alright, alright... Well, I just feel like giving Her a small gift every once in awhile. It's not something extravagant or anything anyway. Why don't you want to place one too? It's relaxing and you get rid of your current stress for a few minutes.

[KYR4]-Mm, I'm not that much into gifts for the gods though... I don't really see a point since She can't really get it in Heaven and it only remains on the mortal world. But you do you, RY4N.

[RY4N]-So, that's a no, huh...

[KYR4]-I mean, don't get me wrong, I do respect Her for what she has done for us in the past. I just don't really see the meaning behind these gifts. They only appear like a way of the merchants to get more money. It is fun when you are a child and all, but when you get older... I don't know, you simply lose interest in them.

[RY4N]-Everyone has their beliefs after all... But it's alright.

[KYR4]-Maybe Master would want to go with you?

[RY4N]-I don't think so... He too lost interest in them for some years now, but He does visit the statue when He can. He even mocks me that they are suppose to be given by children, not by us as well.

[KYR4]-Mm, so same opinion as mine? Alright, then maybe LUK3? He is acting like a child after all, so maybe he will like to give it a try.

[RY4N]-Yeah, but... you know... he is LUK3. I'm afraid to get him to the statue alone and I can't protect that area on my own.

[KYR4]-You are not wrong... Then maybe N04H? He is young, right? He has one more year until he gets to his adult age, so he can be categorised as a kid, no?

[RY4N]-I could try and show him around... but I don't think I will do it this time. Maybe another time.

[KYR4]-So you are going alone in the end, huh?

[RY4N]-It's not like it is the first time anyway. If it won't take long, then maybe I can try and come back to the group too. I don't think I have much to do until the meeting comes since CHE5TER is still fighting to get the answer from his letter and I do not need to stress myself with where did he go again.

[KYR4]-What's up with the letter anyway? It's been a while since you guys received it, right? Why is it so hard to decipher?

[RY4N]-I don't know, to be honest... It is a surprise for us too that our own father decided to do such thing to us. But it should have a value, no matter the case. We just need to find out what that is...

[KYR4]-*sigh* Then all I can do is to wish you guys good luck. I'm not much of a puzzle solver, so I can't help you out at all. Anyway, I think we should go check up on LUK3 and see if he is ready. Maybe we can leave quicker this way so you have time for your offering.

[RY4N]-Alright then. Let's meet up with him and see what he is doing.

The Underground City

19:02

It does seem now that the group has come around the city again, walking on the streets and having some time of relaxing. But as RY4N said, he wants to do another offering again, so he waves at everyone and starts leaving, going from merchant to merchant to buy what he needs. Then, he goes towards the statue, places the offering and puts himself on a knee for a few minutes as a respect. That's it. There is nothing more to explain since we have already seen him do this action before. We know what it consists of doing and all of that, so no need of adding more words.

So it didn't take long before he went back to the city and started looking around to find the group again, but as he does so, he seems as if he got distracted by one figure. It looks to be a crevaator without their insignia, wandering around to buy a few things. No, it isn't CHE5TER this time, it is indeed a crevaator, but the reason of his distraction is... still unknown to us.

He goes towards the figure and gets closer, but it does seem like the figure was pretty angry.

[Merchant]-...I told you already! They are out of stock for the time being! Everything that I have left is kept for the military only!

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Then why don't you simply put a sign which tells everyone that you don't have them anymore instead of letting me wait in line for so goddamn long!?

[Merchant]-Man, what's your problem?? You've waited only a few minutes! Don't think you are superior than everyone else just 'cause you are a crevaator!

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Oh, you have some audacity, merchant!

[Merchant]-Just get out of my property and stop wasting my time if you are not buying anything! Go! Leave!

He does as he says in the end, but he turns back with his look and starts speaking to the merchant for a last time.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-...Zistzvertse na ishaiuv lavogh, kistjhit! (TR: Hope your eyes fall down, bastard!)

...Then starts going on his way back. He stops a few steps after to light up a cigarette too, while RY4N stands behind him to watch this creature. When he turns around, he notices RY4N too, looking at him. He gets a bit confused, looking back to see if there is someone else that RY4N tries to look for, but gets in the end that he is that person.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-...You! Over there! What are you looking at, huh? You want trouble too?

RY4N gets closer to the crevaator and waits for him to talk.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Say it, closed mouth! What do you want?

[RY4N]-...Nothing. I just have a few curiosities like everyone else.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Mhm. And that would be?

[RY4N]-Well...

He looks at him straight in the eyes, maybe the first time making it look like they are actual brothers when it comes to "I want the truth and only the truth" face they give.

[RY4N]-...you know CHE5TER LENKOV, right, crevaator?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-*sigh* I swear, I'm gonna beat DA4VAHNDAR's ass for revealing this information to those soldiers...

[RY4N]-...So it is true.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Yeah! What about it??

[RY4N]-So you know me too, no?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Oh, for the love of... Yeah! I know you and all the people you work with as well, RY4N LENKOV! What do you want!??

And he knows for sure now that the rumour about the Great Leader and the crevaators is true.

[RY4N]-...Can you tell me a small information? Since I am the brother of the Great Leader, you have to obey to my words as well.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-You know, I'm starting to hate your whole family just because of that sentence you just gave me. If I wasn't obligated by my leader to obey to the ruler's words, you were already my meal years ago. What do you want to know!?? Get to the point already!!

[RY4N]-Alright. Look. Do you know anything about the demons of the outside? The crevaators are specialised in secret information, aren't they? You should have something useful for us.

He gets rather irritated, but takes a deep breaths and starts answering RY4N.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-*sigh* ...Older LENKOV, do know that Younger LENKOV came to our leader yesterday with the same question and left empty-handed. Yes, we are specialised in secret information, but this is not as simple as it seems. Secrets of the world aren't ours to deal with. We are only dealing with the secrets that the beings keep, like the soldiers of the above or of the underground. We do not and cannot own such secrets because we cannot find an answer ourselves. History is a mystery to us, the outside world's story is lost completely and we don't even know how did the machine that created us all even got to be with us today. We are not gods to know everything that's happening and that had happened in the past, so you are only losing time questioning us about it.

[RY4N]-Did you try going outside the Great Walls and get an answer in the past?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-You think of us being insane or what? Nobody has the audacity to even step foot outside the walls besides the EZR4H Clan! The demons are dangerous, no matter what power you possess!

[RY4N]-But it is a secret information, right? The Crevaaria Clan should find the answer behind it one day.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Again. We are not specialised in the secrets of the world. We can be as curious as we want! We won't ever risk our own lives just for the sake of an answer!

[RY4N]-So in other words, you are simply cowards that are afraid of some small demons.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Small demons? Have you ever even seen one with your own eyes to throw such a sentence right into my face? They are real monsters, capable of doing anything their instinct tells them! If you call us cowards, then you might as well call all the people of the lands this way too! Cut the bullshit already!

[RY4N]-But I believe that the crevaators have lived a long life above, right? Even after the war ended. You came down here only recently, so how come none of you were interested of studying these creatures?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Again! They are dangerous! Not even the soldiers of the M want to get close to them, and they get pretty cocky often! When the war ended, about six or seven years after, the Great Walls were finally done and these lands were protected from these demons. I believe that they were a great threat for us for many years before, which led in the end to the idea of constructing the walls, but because the war started, they couldn't get finished in time and got delayed, leading to more people dying only because of these creatures. Unfortunately, even if the Crevaaria Clan is way older than the events of that time, the members of the present like myself have little knowledge on what they were using against the demons. I guess they had lights around all the houses during the night, but because the houses were so rare and most of the people were living in small tents, they got devoured pretty easily. I mean, these were different times, right? Everybody was doing what they could to survive. I'm even impressed of how much technology advanced these past years... I guess the XANTH3 Clan brought a big change when they've created the Novha coins for the first time.

[RY4N]-So you know a few things about history?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Just some small stories and theories threw here and there... *sigh* I'm pretty young compared to the other members from the clan. But I believe all the members that have lived those times already died. Most of us are, after all, R borns combined with a few M borns. Just recently we got a new generation of C borns joining too since we moved down here. But the older M borns already sold their own bodies long time ago for the clan, so we don't really know what truly happened back then.

[RY4N]-You can do that? I remember you guys had a code of not eating your own kind.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Yes, we have. But if the crevaator wishes for it to be this way when they die, then it's their choice alone. I do know some people that ate their own friends and saw them cry myself after all...

Seems like this time we see for the first time a weak crevaator. Or maybe not weak, just that he lets himself to be weak. Even though they are seen as creatures and not normal people like them, they are in the end simple beings too. They are R born, C borns and M borns, all trying to survive as a hated clan.

[RY4N]-...Then why do you eat them if you know it hurts?

But the crevaator doesn't want to respond at first. Seems like it got him a bit unhappy a small thought, or a simple rule of their culture.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-...You know, I said already too much. I answered your questions, ruler's brother. Am I free to go now?

[RY4N]-Why are you avoiding the question?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-It's simply nothing that should be answered since it is not helping you in any way. You have your problems, we have ours. Simple as that.

[RY4N]-But I know that you guys are aware of our problems, so how come I can't be aware of yours?

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-...

He takes a small pause and analyses this young man he has in front of him, being similar to the ruler.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-...Okay, let's do it like this. Knowing your brother, I bet you won't leave without getting what you want, so you will insist a lot and not leave me alone. If you want to know this information so badly, bring me a corpse, any type you find, at the crevaators' area. If any member approaches you, say that you are trying to find someone that goes by the name of MOVID7LUNA4I. After you give me what I've requested you, I will tell you anything you wish to know. A small trade similar to what Master CHE5TER does with our leader. Deal?

So, RY4N looks a bit with hesitation when he hears about the payment. But if this is normal for CHE5TER, then maybe he can try for once too.

[RY4N]-...Alright then. Deal.

[MOVID7LUNA4I]-Good. I will be waiting for when you are ready.

With that, the crevaator leaves to his home, while RY4N remains to watch him walk away. Maybe it is the first time when he actually tries a deal, or something that CHE5TER will do. If He finds out, what might He say?