"Born on tha day a calamity broke tha region rule, eh. Now i'm really curious which'll be tha one. My bets on Iruru!" The next night the pair sit together in the only cafe in town. They're at the very end, in a corner booth next to the small band stage. Just like yesterday's restaurant the cafe is small and near empty. Despite being on the outskirts, it has a warm classy feel reminiscent of a high-class jazz bar.
Seeing Will get so excited to see one of the most dangerous disasters known to man, Crim can only wonder if he's gone insane. Still, Crim can't judge since he's still here waiting for it. I wonder which one it'll be, Crim thinks while sipping his caramel cold brew.
Strands Of Iruru?
Roar Of Maluth?
Curtains Of Red?
Maze Of Illusion?
River Of Decay?
Rain Of Change?
Surge Of Pikes?
Or Layer Of Dreams?
Considering there hasn't been news of an earthquake, Upsurge and Roar can be ruled out, plus there's no cracks in the air yet so it can't be layer of dreams. While Crim gets further lost in his thoughts Will enjoys his coffee. Black, without creamer or sugar. Eventually, the cafe empties out, leaving only the pair and the staff inside. Just as the band starts to play their closing song, a slow swing song a lone man walks in.
Despite the blue plastic umbrella he's holding his clothes are soaked. He's dressed semi formally, wearing a button up white shirt with a matching sleeveless vest, his black dress pants complimenting his brown dress shoes. After shaking off his umbrella and wiping his messy brown hair he approaches Will. Just like Will, the man's skin and eyes are light brown. Curiously Crim glances at Will. Will, response shrugs. "What'cha need mate?"
Silently the man stares, moving to show Crim his back. Will seeing this reaches into his backpack and prepares to pull something out. Before he can do anything, the man pulls down his collar and flashes something at Will. Instantly, the mood becomes tense. "Crim, head back ta the 'otel. I need to talk with him." Crim glances at Will then the stranger, looking at Will and tapping his left pocket. Will shakes his head in response. "Bring me back a coffee kay Will. I'll pay ya back at tha 'otel."
Within moments only the pair and the owner are left at the cafe. The stranger signals to the owner first, ordering a cup of maple tea. Will on the other hand order's a black coffee and ask for a caramel cold brew to go. The stranger hearing this looks to the door.
"To go?"
Will nods, taking another calm sip of his coffee. Seeing Will so composed the stranger can't help but look around for any possible escape routes. Outside of the front entrance there's nothing immediately accessible. "Just tell me what you want." Yet another calm sip. "Why did you come to Lindbourough?" Leaning forward and resting his head on his hands he looks to Will cautiously.
"I felt like it."
"You sure it wasn't because of the kid?" So silence ensues as the pair stare at each other, the man being the first to break the silence. "We need you to stay focused. Do what you want with it but keep the mission as your top priority." Will nods, flagging the owner to make him a new cup and prep his to-go order. "He knows it's impossible for me to lose track of the mission." Weakly gripping his backpack a somber expression breaks through Will's frozen face. "Now what do you really want?"
The man sighs, drinking his coffee and standing up to leave before responding. "Be careful, a confrontation with one of the two is likely." After finishing his drink the man leaves, customers slowly returning to the cafe shortly after. Before leaving himself Will orders two plates of marble pound cake to go. As he walks to the hotel he can't help but lose himself in his thoughts.
I wonder how much of Lindbourough will be left? It's a shame to lose such a nice cafe but that's just how it is. Calamities are cold and cruel, same as any other disaster. Though, this time it'll end better. I'm sure it will…at least for me it will. Hm?
Grab!
Looking behind him he sees a street urchin trying to steal something from backpack. He's filthy, clearly hasn't showered in weeks. Plus he's skinny, so skinny his ribs are almost visible. At first Will is angry, ready to slap the kid but after taking a closer look he decides to give up his plate of pound cake to the kid. "Kid, if ya gonna steal from someone aim for tha rich looking ones. They usually won't care if ya snatch somethin small." After gently placing the cake in the kids hands and patting his scruffy hair Will leaves.
Meanwhile, Crim sits in the diner of the hotel eating another absurdly large portion of food like it was nothing. A small crowd has gathered around, some cheering and some clenching their wallets in defeat. Looking at them all, Crim can't help but think his food is even better. This wasn't the result he was expecting when he announced Will as his guard at check in but it's a good one nonetheless.
He was more expecting someone to try and rob the pair. A young well dressed lady with a single guard? Seems like prime pickings to Crim, though he and Will would be the ones making money in the end stealing from any thieves dumb enough to fall for his trap. Instead, when making his usual several portion order one of the customers who previously overheard him bet a lady like him could never eat so much.
Next thing everyone knows Crim is five plates in and still going with a big betting pool growing as he chows down.
"C'mon kid i bet on ten!"
"No stop! Nines enough! Right! Right!!!"
"Eat faster! I bet eight in under ten minutes!"
At first the innkeep wanted to stop the chaos but after being promised a portion of the betting pool he let it pass. Least I'll make a decent chunk a change, he thought. Will, seeing this can only think one thing. What in the hell is that kid's stomach?
"Hey Will! Looks like I can pay ya back already hehehe!"
"Kid…don't speak with your mouth open. Here's your coffee and some cake."
Crim happily takes the cake, moving away from his plate of lamb chops to eat it. In the meantime Will takes a seat and makes a bet. ¨Two gold says tha kid eat's more than ten plates." Shocked, the crowd immediately focuses on Will! Crim stops for a split second to glance at will, returning to his meal immediately after.
Thirteen large plates.
The crowd looks at the stack of plates next to Crim in amazement. Some people cheer with the sudden inflow of money while others down a pint in sadness. Now several times richer the pair return to their hotel room, arguing over how the money will be split the second they walk in. Crim argues since he did most of the work he should get most of the money while Will argues since all Crim did was eat and he put in his money for the bet he should get the biggest portion.
Flicker.
Lost in the argument they don't notice the lights flickering for a brief moment. In the end the pair decide to split it fifty fifty. So after relaxing Crim throws himself on the bed immediately rubbing his belly and letting out a loud burp. Embarrassed, he immediately covers his mouth. As if reading his mind Will speaks out.
"You're excused." He said with a small bit of disgust while choosing not to tease Crim further.
"Thanks."
Just as they begin to completely relax, the second midnight hits they hear it. They hear nothing. The diner downstairs has gone silent, and the rumbling of the clouds has vanished. At least for a few moments. Just as suddenly as the noise stopped it returns something following along.
Crack
Something's broken. Something outside. Something big.
The lights dim.
Stepping outside everyone can see it. The sky has turned pitch black. Far away, deep into the horizon they see it shine like a mirror, the very edge where they're at appearing as if it was sown into the clouds. Like skin overlapping skin. Before anyone can say anything, beyond the horizon the cracks grow wider, thick white strands of something falling onto the ground.
It almost looks like hair draping down.
From the center of that hair is…a man? He's wearing a butler's outfit from a time long past. Despite being so far away everyone can see him clearly as if he were right in front of them yet the second they focus he's gone, back into the center of the strands. He looks around, trying to find something, searching and searching until…
"I see you."
He looks at Lindbourough. His words ring clear. His gaze is cold.
Just as he's about to take a step something odd happens. The air around him begins to contort and tighten. Suddenly countless dense spears, explosions, and vacuums consume him. Instantly he's torn to bloody shreds, his body a mangled mess of exposed bone and torn flesh. Before silence can ensue, he starts to bubble. His torn and loose skin tightens and stretches as his bones melt and merge. Within seconds he turns from a writhing mess of a corpse into a well-trimmed butler.
He tries to take a step but before he can the earth explodes upwards. Near instantly a small mountain is formed, violently jutting out from the ground. As the tip pierces him the mountain rises and separates from the ground, turning into a massive cage of pikes. Even as the cage shrinks the butler continues to walk. Smaller and denser until the butler is squished into a palm sized cube.
Sizzle
The body inside starts to turn to steam a single drop of blood from the splatters scattered across rises, soon transforming into him. Step by step he grows closer. The crowd…no the town. Everyone and everything can feel it. This thing…this monster pretending to be man has long since grown past death.
Just as it's about to reach the town "He" stops. No, something has stopped him. The space around the town itself seems to reject him. The air starts to violently quake, the earth trembles, and the clouds quiver as they roar violently. As if angered, the strands far in the horizon start to shake. Looking at this "He" can't help but sigh. He speaks but no one can understand him. It's a language timeless, ancient as the word itself.
No one except three.
As Crim and Will step out of the hotel to see the calamity a lone man sits inside, looking past the crowd directly at the butler. He's wearing a casual shirt and loose khakis with odd sandals. His short spiky black hair contrasts his pale white skin. The butler looks at him and repeats once more.
"So then, have you made your decision?"
In response the man's hazel eyes fill with a silly light. He lightly sticks out his tongue and takes a bite of his lamb chops, looking to his pocket radio and microphone. After a few seconds of hesitating, he chooses to stay silent, keeping his radio hidden. Just as the pair are about to confront each other the cracks start to shrink and repair the sky returning to normal in just under a minute. Unfortunately, the strands still remain, simply cut off from their connection beyond the crack
Instantly the strands change. They shrink, spread, split, crash, and crack. Piece by piece they fall all gathered at the capital. Within seconds the screams of…something roars into existence. "They" go mad having been cut off. Moments…moments are all it takes for the strands to come to life and warp the reality around them, trying to force their connection back. As the horizon is slowly tainted by an ever-growing madness born of the hairlike strands of desperation the butler starts to fade. The Strands Of Iruru have descended and the madness they bring is desperately rushing to Lindbourough
The calamity has begun.