09-14-2014, 11:26 AM
The morning air of northern Slovakia was crisp and chill. The city of Zilina was a hive of Custody commerce. Little was left to remind the people of the rich Slavic heritage; it had evolved into the perfect vehicle of modern industry.
Michael was glad his business would take him elsewhere. There were too many officials lurking in the depths spinning the Custody's webs. Too many people were wont to recognize him these days, and now was not a time he wanted to be noticed. The fact that he had rushed to the former Slovakia on an early morning flight was suspicious enough as it was.
Armed with a small luggage case he stood behind and elderly couple waiting at the airport taxi rank. True to the Custody's smooth efficiency, it was not long before was seated - thankfully out of the cursed winter cold - in the back seat of robust driver's car.
"Where to, friend? Are you celebrating tonight with family?"
Michael showed the driver the location pinpointed on his Wallet. He wasn't going to make a fool of himself trying to pronounce the name and confuse both of them. "I plan on having a quiet New Year."
"That's quite a way, friend,"
the driver said with a troubled smile. "It will definitely be quiet there! I do not go so far, it would take at least three hours."
Michael stared at the man without expression. "I would not be here if it was not important. I will pay double the rate."
That seemed to placate him well enough, as money often did, but it did not help to ease Michael. Three hours travelling in a taxi was more than long enough for his taste. Luckily, he did not have trouble occupying his time. In fact, three hours was not enough, but the world did not run by his schedule and he would make do with what he had.
Michael opened a data-pad beside his wallet that was not connected to the Internet. The information was too sensitive to gamble with. He opened the Atharim database with a sense of dissatisfaction and frustration, scrolling through the list of names until he reached the desired information.
A picture of a man in his forties with unkempt greying beard posing for what appeared to be a licence photograph met his cool blue eyes.
If only the fool had kept his head down like the rest, he rued the thought, not for the first time. Tales of demons possessing men were all but obsolete in the modern era and the officials at least dismissed it as country superstition. Unfortunately, it drew the gaze of hidden beasts. Beasts that would rear their heads far too soon.
For it was too soon. He had not finalized a strategy to deal with this mess, but events had forced his hand and he could no longer ignore it.
The sun was fading by the time the village came into sight. When the driver alerted him to their imminent arrival, Michael looked up from his contemplation to study his destination.
He found his eyes beset by a dilapidated village akin to a twentieth century small farming community. Acres of ice-covered smooth hills were framed by a backdrop of white mountains spotted with dark dots of human presence. It took half and hour of winding through the narrow road to reach what he supposed was the village centre, a collection of outdated brick houses surrounding the main thoroughfare.
"Here will be fine,"
he eventually said as they approached the centre next to the local grocery store. It was closed, and the entire street was silent beside the hum of the taxi's motor.
The driver looked concerned. "Are you sure? Do you want me to wait for a bit?"
The day had cooled and the country air, unblemished by the pollution of industry, numbed his nose and ears but the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end for a different reason.
As soon as he had felt it - the dark foreboding like a distant storm-cloud - he had to resist the urge to grasp the power. "No need. I know exactly where I am going,"
Edited by Michael Vellas, Sep 14 2014, 11:28 AM.
Michael was glad his business would take him elsewhere. There were too many officials lurking in the depths spinning the Custody's webs. Too many people were wont to recognize him these days, and now was not a time he wanted to be noticed. The fact that he had rushed to the former Slovakia on an early morning flight was suspicious enough as it was.
Armed with a small luggage case he stood behind and elderly couple waiting at the airport taxi rank. True to the Custody's smooth efficiency, it was not long before was seated - thankfully out of the cursed winter cold - in the back seat of robust driver's car.
"Where to, friend? Are you celebrating tonight with family?"
Michael showed the driver the location pinpointed on his Wallet. He wasn't going to make a fool of himself trying to pronounce the name and confuse both of them. "I plan on having a quiet New Year."
"That's quite a way, friend,"
the driver said with a troubled smile. "It will definitely be quiet there! I do not go so far, it would take at least three hours."
Michael stared at the man without expression. "I would not be here if it was not important. I will pay double the rate."
That seemed to placate him well enough, as money often did, but it did not help to ease Michael. Three hours travelling in a taxi was more than long enough for his taste. Luckily, he did not have trouble occupying his time. In fact, three hours was not enough, but the world did not run by his schedule and he would make do with what he had.
Michael opened a data-pad beside his wallet that was not connected to the Internet. The information was too sensitive to gamble with. He opened the Atharim database with a sense of dissatisfaction and frustration, scrolling through the list of names until he reached the desired information.
A picture of a man in his forties with unkempt greying beard posing for what appeared to be a licence photograph met his cool blue eyes.
If only the fool had kept his head down like the rest, he rued the thought, not for the first time. Tales of demons possessing men were all but obsolete in the modern era and the officials at least dismissed it as country superstition. Unfortunately, it drew the gaze of hidden beasts. Beasts that would rear their heads far too soon.
For it was too soon. He had not finalized a strategy to deal with this mess, but events had forced his hand and he could no longer ignore it.
The sun was fading by the time the village came into sight. When the driver alerted him to their imminent arrival, Michael looked up from his contemplation to study his destination.
He found his eyes beset by a dilapidated village akin to a twentieth century small farming community. Acres of ice-covered smooth hills were framed by a backdrop of white mountains spotted with dark dots of human presence. It took half and hour of winding through the narrow road to reach what he supposed was the village centre, a collection of outdated brick houses surrounding the main thoroughfare.
"Here will be fine,"
he eventually said as they approached the centre next to the local grocery store. It was closed, and the entire street was silent beside the hum of the taxi's motor.
The driver looked concerned. "Are you sure? Do you want me to wait for a bit?"
The day had cooled and the country air, unblemished by the pollution of industry, numbed his nose and ears but the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end for a different reason.
As soon as he had felt it - the dark foreboding like a distant storm-cloud - he had to resist the urge to grasp the power. "No need. I know exactly where I am going,"
Edited by Michael Vellas, Sep 14 2014, 11:28 AM.
"She saw a flaring halo around his head, radiant in gold and blue. It shouted of glory and power to come"
"No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."