n

n

nThe sewers of Nyurajke were not extensive. Mostly, in Nyurajke, it was to contain the water runoff.

nThere were many waterfalls in draculkar communities.

nKrow could almost say they engineered them as a theme.

nBut also, in Nyurajke, the sixteen fountains in varying platform-levels of the town meant that water management was a governmental concern.

nDraculkar communities, Krow already noticed, were cleaner than the human towns he'd known in Zushkenar. Of course, no town was as smelly and disease-ridden as the towns in Earth's histories.

nThe scenting abilities of draculkar were strong, only second to the strength of vargvir senses.

nIt was probably one of the reasons that draculkar and vargvir had cleaner streets and scent-containment spelled sewers, really – they had the sensitive nose in common.

nThough any of the two races would be outraged at the comparison.

nSucar hunched over the map they'd taken from the fountain maintenance people, layers of cloth wrapped around his nose and mouth.

"We're right under the market right now.

"

n

"Look around then.

"

nThe Scount subclass gave Krow no data. Did that mean the key was out of range, like it had been swept away by the waters or that it never had been here?

nUnfortunately, even following the sewer tunnels gave them no success.

nIt was just a key, Krow puffed out a breath after nearly an hour of searching in lamplight.

nIn that time, they found several battered uncommon armor pieces, a rare boot (missing the second), and a grade F Common necklace. Krow tossed everything into his inventory – he could use them for deconstruction practice later.

nThere were also two bone-newt monster nests in the way.

nThe monsters were Lvl 6 and below.

nWhich says a lot about the comfortableness of the Nyurajke sewers for bone-newt reproduction.

nKrow didn't want to think about it.

nHe grumbled.

"There are probably people out there that could be hired to change locks even if the place wasn't your house.

"

nSucar sent him a scandalized, censoring look.

"That's not something a law-abiding person should say.

"

nThat's the point, Krow silently riposted.

"Besides, it doesn't solve the problem: where would you get an identical key? Though I suppose the theoretical scofflaw locksmith likely could make one.

"

nNot in time.

nThere were less than two hours to noon.

nKrow peered over Sucar's shoulder. He pointed.

"That's a vertical access point, yes? We should just head there, get out of here faster.

"

nThey didn't need to go all the way to the maintenance office entrance.

nSucar nodded vigorously.

nDisappointed yet again, they hurried to the exit.

nHe only had Minor Poison as a debuff.

nBut there was no way he was going to mix sewer fumes with anything he put in his mouth, even an antidote!

nSucar stopped walking.

n

"Lost again?

"

n

"I haven't gotten lost. Not once!

"

n

"There was the time you had the map upside-down.

"

n

"That doesn't count.

"

n

"It does.

"

nSucar ignored him.

"I heard something.

"

nThey strained their ears.

nKrow heard it.

nThey weren't alone in the sewers.

nThey glanced at each other, mutually deciding to sneak a peek.

nThe voices were in the direction of the exit, after all.

nSucar turned off the lamp. They relied on the light from sewer openings to improve their vision as they moved.

n

"—rs, this is the glorious time that is ours. We are on the precipice of creating something great, something enduring, something that our descendants would point at and say, 'This were my ancestors!' rather than the so called blood that makes people strut around entitled.

"

n

"We act!

" came from a half-dozen throats.

n

"We act! We persevere! We protect!

"

nKrow and Sucar looked at each other, and decided to back away.

nWas this a cult?

nWhy was there a draculkar cult in the sewers?

n

"They're close to the exit,

" Sucar hissed to Krow.

nKrow answered in whispers, their heads meeting over the map.

"Go here, toward the exit. I'll cause a diversion here and then join you. Just wait a few moments. You'll know what to do.

"

nSucar bit his lip, nodded .

nThey moved into tunnels going into opposite directions.

nThe one Krow took curved, gently, until the tunnel opened into an underground pool.

nOn the platform, eight people sat listening to two declaiming about their glorious revolution.

nThat didn't sound good.

nYou've discovered a group of conspirators! Will you help them or hinder them?

nKrow grimaced and grabbed up a few broken pieces of pottery between his fingers.

nHe tapped them on the stones in a rhythmic pattern, that walking insouciance of the clawed animal.

nSeveral looked in his direction, but dismissed the sound.

nOne of them frowned.

"Rats again?

"

n

"The newts, more like.

"

nKrow skipped a pebble into a far tunnel.

nThe fiery rant of the two on-stage was just heating up.

nIt stopped.

"Jarver, go check what that was.

"

nCould he hope to discover that these were just stage players or debaters?

nOf course he could.

nThe universe just doesn't want to play along.

nWhat he wouldn't give for a silent weapon, right about now. Krow threw another rock, then another, then another, then another.

n

"That wasn't an animal.

"

n

"Just go see it's gone,

" the leader was obviously disappointed that he had to cut his rant short.

nKrow lit a lamp and rolled it like a bowling ball into another tunnel. Like someone had tripped and decided to leave their lamp.

n

"There's someone here!

"

n

"Catch them!

"

nThe one standing by the lectern shook his head.

"Kill them.

"

nThere was brief laughter.

n

"Of course, what do you take us for?

"

n

"Come out, come out, you.

"

nKrow quickly traced Sucar's path, moving as quietly as he could. This was too much excitement for a single sewer dive.

n

"Where is the outside access point?

"

nSucar pointed at the ladder, right behind the lectern.

nOf course it was.

nBut now, there were only three of them left.

n

"Get ready,

" he hissed at Sucar.

"Now. Go, go, go!

"

nKrow snapped out three stuns in concert, swapped cylinders, and shot again three times.

nTwo of the three dropped. Low-level grunts. The last one standing was no match for two stun bullets. Grunt-leader, probably.

nKrow placed into his Inventory all that he could swipe with a single sweep of an arm. He could hear the others returning at a run. He jumped at the ladder even as Sucar's feet were disappearing upward.

nThey tumbled from the access onto a clearing outside the town.

nKrow closed the access, grimacing at the broken lock. He grabbed Sucar, triggered Double Jump twice in rapid succession, getting away as soon as possible.

nThey hid behind trees, panting.

nKrow's Minor Poisoned was now added to Minor Exhaustion.

n

"Did you hear what they were saying?

" Sucar was pale and trembling.

"They want to blow up shops and buildings!

"

nThey said what?

n

"Guardhouse,

" decided Krow.

nSucar nodded fervently.

nOnce they were there, Krow placed the documents he swiped on Training Sergeant Amluyr's desk. Sucar was already babbling about the things he saw in the sewers.

nThe sergeant nodded.

"We'll look into it.

"

nYou've assisted the Nyurajke Town Guard with the quest, 'Seeking Conspiracies'! You've gained 10 RP with the Town Guard, and 5 RP with Nyurajke Town. B

nThat meant they'd stumbled across a quest-chain, or probably a storyline quest.

nAn assist or a hindrance on a quest other players are doing was also part of the Redlands game mechanics. Not one of the popular ones, as most players didn't want others butting in on their quests.

n

"By the way, your key came in.

"

nEh?

n

"What.

"

nHe didn't just hear that?

n

"The key you were looking for.

" The sergeant reached under the counter and retrieved a small package she pushed to Krow.

nSucar all but scrambled over him to see the package.

nCarved iron cylinder, copper head, faded white stamp of the letters KR.

nSucar stared at the key in his hands.

"Uh. Yes, this is the one. This is the one!

"

nHe laughed, almost crying with relief.

nKrow slumped down on the counter and groaned.

nIt was, in fact, that easy.

nHe had just to wait for it here?!

nUn-belie-vable.

nKrow hooked an arm around the hysterically relieved Sucar.

"Friend, you owe me for this.

"

n*

nThey were in the Realty in less than a half-hour.

nThe day wasn't going any better.

nThe average 1300-slot warehouse cost 150,000 drax.

nSucar saw his expression.

"You can always search the private sales. Those are usually the ones with conditions that cannot be put on the official catalogues. I'm not supposed to give you access, but well…I promised to help. I know you didn't believe me, but this is all I can do. Sorry?

"

n

"You're a great help, Sucar.

"

nThe other nodded, and unlocked a few things at the desk, gestured at the holo before Krow.

nThe holo of listings changed.

nThe numbers lowered by at least half.

nThe warehouses were more run-down. Not as many item-slots, not as prestigious locations. There were warning notes aplenty on at least half of them.

nBut they were priced under 90,000 drax per building.

nKrow smiled.

nThis was more like it.

n