81st of Spring
6th Bell
6th Bell
There was a slight cloud cover in the early morning and a bit of fog rising from the canals. Syna was just rising over the eastern horizon when the first scream was heard. The ear-splitting tone was echoed within ticks from another part of Ravok and then accompanied by the whistles of the City Guard. Within the next fifteen chimes, there were a series of screams across the heart of the lake and a whole chorus of whistles. The great bell tower rang out a warning which roused every soul in Rhsyol's great paradise.
By the time the average citizen had managed to get out of bed and down to the water, the bustle of the floating city was in full swing but to a much different tune. Instead of ravosalas carting people back and forth to various shops and businesses, the skinny ships were mostly docked aside from a few that had been commandeered by the black armored soldiers of the Ebonstryfe. City Guard patrols were everywhere helping to usher people around a few locations*The Citizen’s Registration Office, The Nitrozian Estate, The Defiled Blade, Tarsin’s Boarding House, The Slave Market, The People’s Market which had been cordoned off. Amidst the uniformed guards and armored soldiers were the black robed and cloaked men and women of the Black Sun. Some were directing the people and members of the other organizations while others seemed merely content to watch the events from shadowy corners. Anyone wishing to travel to the shore was denied. The great doors of the shipyard opened and a handful of vessels, some even partially painted, took to the calm waters and began to circle the city. Fishermen were directed to dock and forgo their duties for the day as were any traders who had access to a water glider or barge.
The immediate areas where the commotion seemed to be centered were crowded. The citizen population wanted answers while the law keepers and soldiers wanted control. This created thick lines of people on both sides who tried to exert their will upon the opposition. In truth, the populace wouldn’t rise up against their protectors and it was mostly due to respect, not fear –but curiosity is a powerful motivator. Some people found points of elevation from which to spy and called out details to those at water level but the organization of the Black Sun and its subsidiaries was the ultimate victor. The scenes were blocked off in neat squares of black cloth; a heavy material woven from the cast-offs of the lily pad farms which made a nearly waterproof mat. These were draped in such a way that officials and witnesses could move in and around the area without the evidence being seen or contaminated.
As one might suspect, the rumors of what had taken place ranged from a sneak attack by the Syliran knights to monsters to Rhsyol making an example out of a nonbeliever. Some people, like the ravosalamen, were not happy to be put out of work while other were overjoyed and found better uses for their time. By the time Syna’s orb was completely visible (8th Bell), the areas around the restricted sites had swelled with nosey neighbors, wannabe investigators, children and even people who had simply gotten bored and fallen victim to the many hyped rumors.
However, behind the scenes and the tarps, investigations were being conducted on a multitude of levels. Dozens of arrests had been made and most of them were kept secret. Inside the Nitrozian Estate, Ebonstryfe and City Guardsmen flanked entries and exits while Black Sun agents and acolytes took statements and testimonies. A city guardsman with a red skullcap walked to where his Commandant was standing and handing out orders. There was a man with one white eye dressed in a thin, black suit who held a black leather case. There were three other more experienced guards there as well and the group stood just inside the Nitrozian’s foyer.
“Master Sitanos told us to question everyone. The chief of estate, Nestor, has explained that every family member has been sent back to their rooms for questioning.” He looked to the Black Sun agent then back to his men. “This man is now your captain. Obey him as you would me. I am needed elsewhere but your oaths still apply.” With a look of almost regret, the Commandant stepped from the house and into the cool air of the morning. The agent looked at each one and nodded then headed upstairs.
A chime later, there was a knock on Evarista’s door. The cherry turned the knob but found it locked. A leather-bound fist beat against the wood but a polite voice carried behind it. “Please open your door. We have some questions for you.” The agent smiled and moved the recruit aside. From inside his jacket, he retrieved a pick and rake. Within moments, the lock clicked and he opened the door a few inches. The agent stepped back and an elder guardsman stepped forward. He held the door open about three inches and looked back at the other men as he spoke in a gruff voice. “Are you decent? May we come in?”
Nothing's as it seems...