MTLNOVEL Chapter 295: Ambassador to Roa
• FOUR DAYS LATER, TITANS LANDING.
THE CASE OF THE ANTLER KILLER became national in the city. The snow-covered polis, filled with articles recounting in gruesome detail in the finer print of how Moira Kane, Special Officer of the [Clandestine Supernatural Agency], aided by none other than the Hero of the Rebellion stormed the bog of Nokmaar.
In chains of [Umbrage], Anubis-blessed and [Epic grade], the vulture looking madman—whom in his sixty year streak serial killing had beheaded and then fucked at least ninety corpses—was dragged out of the swamps.
One article even said the Antler Killer braided his victims hair, engaging sexual relations with their dead bodies for as much as eight times before then surrendering the cum-rag husks to the gators.
Since nearly a week now, the news was still fresh in the Capital city. Gossip filled bars and pubs. "This old man assassin who'd cut off the Major's head. I hear he's got 'imself an 'ol toolbox full of victims ears. He was a veteran Navy, can ya imagine?"
The people didn't to imagine; forty five mummified bodies, preserved in the dark soil of the bog had been recovered, some so small they could only have belonged to a child. The Antler Killer killed for both bounty and recreation. A psychopath and a sick necrophiliac. Catching him alone close over a dozen other cold cases of the [C.S.A]. Moira got her name up for a promotion to [Rank B] Lt. Detective.
In all this, even with the lip-loosening [Green Pill], the Antler Killer refused to ...couldn't name anyone that might've had the edge to sponsor murdering a high-ranking Dragon-master.
All Empaths that interrogated him reviewed to the [C.S.A] his mind was a blank—except for the grim horror flicks of each one of his favorite pigs: his victims.
He was just waiting in Eragonn for the named day of his rendezvous with the Guillotine.
—same as everyone else.
The skyline of Titans Landing today was distinctly a snowscape. Winter had fully set in. There wasn't any flakes hurtling from the clouds or anything but the air held visible cold. A whitish ambiance. Every breath of the kids playing about in boots while their parents shoveled hard at the snow streets left puffs of white in the air. They chuckled and whirled around melting snowmen.
The sun was out. And afar off some free rangers, gypsy obviously, were pulling out toboggans to ride a small hill.
The towers that survived the Titans rising, some of them the War of Three Cities even looked old and weathered jutting into splendid heaven. It had to be just a few minutes past eight early. It wasn't the weekend but the wintry serendipity left many of the city folk hugging pillows. The few out were in neckwears, headwarmers, and cardigans, in pubs and coffeeshops.
The mother polis of the Nine Realms was taking its new steampunk era well. Floating Zeppelin hot air balloons blended with mystical Griffins gliding the sky.
The Imperial castle, Home of the Royal Crown, the [House of Raven] was one of the steadfast towers. Stewards in it were busy. A meeting of the Council was in session. It was one of those times. As a girl servant walked in a wide pavilion carpeted royal red, a cute, tiny poodle followed her to two grand and gilded doors. It waited patiently for her at the doors, wagging its tail for when she'd come back out. The girl softly pushed and went in with an opal jar with a historic divine painting on its side.
She had Vibranium legs.
This room was called the [Vinta Plusia].
It wasn't overly large nor garnished in ivory like the rest of the castle. The Queen had chosen for the High Council to meet here because of its coziness and perpetual smell of book leather. She wanted to see and hear her advisors clearly.
CLICK! CLACK!
The [Mecha] augmented legs of the girl servant did little presses on the palace stone as she walked in the room, circling the long mahogany table to fill the goblets of the Very Important Persons in [Vinta Plusia].
Of them were the [Empyrean] Empress: Highqueen Ravenna de Vríes, at the head of the longtable.
Her [Blood Knight], friend of the Crown, Leader of the Southland armies in the Rebellion wars, voted thrice Most Handsome in the Realms; at her right side on the table, Lord Israfel Bludthïrste.
The Lord of the High Council, Historian and Driud, the [Immortal] Damnameneus. His moon-colored eyes shined out from Ravenna's left.
Extending from these hallowed three were the rest of the small council: eight Ladies and Lords of repute, [dignitas], noblehouses; four on each side of the longtable. The girl servant poured from the jug tasty silver wine into the gold goblet of Lady Margaretta Scazazzi. Only this Lady had drank her cup. After this, the wench silently, head-bowed, made her exit, her Vibranium legs resonating in the stone.
The Empress had been quiet at the girl's entrance, and began speaking again at her departure.
"So, we've been talking at length now... and I think we've touched every major political issue that needs redressal. Crisis in the Undercity has been at the minimum since the vanquish of the Titans. And I'm sure we're all grateful for it. Marshals in the Triad Squads have put the organized Mafia into hiding, and from what you've all told me here this morning, the gangs are down to a mere trickle. It's a good... no, wonderful thing!
It's a wonderful thing. Coin and [spice] would be available to all this season. Grain is still top-level quarts in our Industry Silos. Thank Lady Naya for that," Ravenna smiled and nodded at the chubby Councilwoman. She was very closely seated to Lord Granit, Baron and [Lord of Coin]. He did grin back, like the smile was always intended for him.
Ravenna shifted her jade eyes and kept talking,
"I hear you all, especially you, Baroness Tamika. Yes, I know about this RACQUEL SERPENT and the cult," Ravenna made air quotes, "she leads. She is a Giantess too. This is not bad. These days, we all need a symbol to forget the dark days. I will not give order to apprehend a woman for freedom of association. If Racquel Serpent does indeed harbor treason in her heart, then for sure, Eragonn and its dungeons is in her future. But now, we just observe, okay, Tamika?"
The Baroness nodded. Ravenna said, "report back if there are any sudden developments."
Ravenna gave this order easily although she was the youngest in the room. But not even Baroness Tamika had any idea that this mysterious figure of the undercity, Racquel Serpent was juicing up her [Cobra Sect] acolytes with drops of her miracle blood. And that they were somehow growing into mutated super-powered humans—well over 2m in size.
"—And thank you to our dearest and darling Hero of the Rebellion," Lady Margaretta Scazazzi began without preamble, "for bringing yet another mad cunt to justice. I know if not for Lord Rafel the [C.S.A] would still be running around Flamecrest, accusing all the wrong people." She dropped her voice conspiratorially for this. "He proves time and again how instrument he is to the unity of Eldoria. I've never seen more a Patriot of our realms than his beautiful, ruddy Hellion."
"Whoo! Talk about blowing smoke up someone's arse!" Lord Granit puffed.
The longtable chuckled.
Ravenna said nothing for a second. She just stared right ahead—at Lady Margaretta fucking Scazazzi.
Did this bitch just say what she heard?!
First off, her kiss-assing was too much. TOO MUCH!
Like damn!!!
This woman was the richest bitch in the kingdom.
Then again, Ravenna got the appeal of Rafel. "Yes," she said. "Lord BLÜDTHÏRSTE is very instrumental to HER MAJESTY."
There was no question in Ravenna's hot words that she meant herself. She only chose to overlook the so many things wrong with the way a Lady of her fucking Council was talking about her man. If Cora were here, Ravenna imagined blood'd be flowing free by now. Margaretta's blood. It made what she about to say next easier, but still it cut like a knife to her chest.
"Lord Bludthïrste has done this Empire more solids than coins on a betting table... which is why he's leaving. . ."
The chamber of [Vinta Plusia] went dead quiet. The heads in the room spinned to study one another, then they all swivelled back to the Queen. "What?" Lady Naya hushed little. Ravenna refused to turn to her right and meet Rafel's shocked yellow eyes. But his iris said words his lips could not form in the walls of the Council meeting.
"You're sending me away?"
Ravenna still didn't look. But she could feel his gild-sweet eyes boring into the side of her head.
"Explain."
And she did.
"I'm sure you all in here right now know that the Antler Killer, the man we apprehended refuses and for lack of a better word, cannot speak about who his patron is in the murder of Major Midas. They say his mind was wiped of the meeting. Either way, we know his sponsor: the one who paid him for such a hefty assassination is powerful. And I mean powerful.
Powerful enough to scare this murderer of decades into a silence of the lambs, or initiate a [Red Pill] situation. Our best [Reminiscent Spell] Casters and Apothecaries are working on a potion to clear the way for a mind reboot. But we don't know how long that's gonna take. So, I gave made the sole decision as Empress of the Continent to send Lord Bludthïrste as my Emissary to Rocasus.
We must start our questioning at the homes of our most powerful allies. The LEGATA of Rocasus is one of them. And who better to sniff out the truth of coup plotting?
Israfel shall be my Ambassador to Roa!"
Roa was the Capital of Rocasus, the exotic Eye of the West. Ravenna ended the council meeting with, "he leaves tomorrow, on the [Lightlark], bound for the Independent Republic."