Grimoires and Gunsmoke

The morning sun seemed to find its way through the wooden shutters and hit Elijah in the eyes, causing him to stir slowly. Slowly, the medic lifted his head off the pillow as a low groan escaped his lips.

Squinting his eyes hatefully at the intrusive beam, Elijah shifted around and felt something tickle his face. As his scowl deepened, the man’s hand reached up and plucked a few stray feathers from his tousled beard and hair from the plethora of pillows that surrounded him.

The bed beneath him was not so much a bed as it was a nest - a cozy jumble of soft furs, plush cushions, and warm blankets that cradled his body. It was an odd arrangement but one that had proven surprisingly comfortable.

As his gaze listlessly wandered around the room, the sight of Bennett wrapped up in a tight cocoon in a similar nest caught him off guard. The engineer’s mouth hanging half-open in a comical imitation of a ghoul caused Elijah to stare incredulously for a few solid seconds before he began the process of throwing off furs and blankets.

Too tired to laugh at him, Elijah turned his groggy head instead and took in his surroundings. The room itself was the very picture of fantasy charm. Everywhere he looked, he was given the impression of a cozy sanctuary with its sturdy and rustic wooden design and stone supports that added a certain timeless quality. It was like stepping into a scene from a novel or a video game full of magic and mystery.

Then again, the magic and mystery here was very real.

At the center of the room, a small fire crackled gently in the curiously designed hearth. Instead of a traditional chimney, the smoke was drawn up through a twisting, spiraling conduit that seemed to look like it took inspiration from a chemistry set. But what really grabbed his attention was what was burning.

The logs that fed the fire were unlike any Elijah had ever seen. They were not the typical blocks of timber one would expect to find in a fireplace but rather strange, gnarled things that seemed to take on a quality similar to obsidian but within an earthly green. They burned slowly, almost reluctantly, as if loath to give themselves to the consuming flames.

Yet, for all their strange appearance, the logs gave off a gentle, comforting heat that bathed the room with a deep, orange glow. This warmth seeped into one's bones, chasing away the chill of the night and the lingering aches of the day's exertions.

As Elijah sat up, his muscles protested in return from the abuse he had put it through over the past few weeks of constant torture and sleep deprivation. A high-pitched groan left his mouth as he threw his arms over his head and stretched out his weary muscles. Usually, he’d comment that he was too old for this shit, but Elijah noticed something strange.

This was the first time in a long time he didn’t feel like complete garbage.

For someone who spent as long as he had in the soldiering profession would attest to the constant back, shoulder, and knee aches they would have experienced. It was a near-universal constant unless said soldier was a genetic freak or never spent a day in combat arms rucking 80 to nearly 200 pounds of garbage on their back.

Rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes, Elijah took a deeper look around the room. Light still spilled through the shutters and slowly drifted across the room as the sun shifted positions. For a moment, Elijah thought himself to be on some sort of vacation due to the far cry from the harsh fluorescent glare of the barracks or the harsh days of spending out in the elements. However, everything here seemed softer, more organic, and more alive.

As he stood up, Elijah's hand went to his face as he sucked in a mouthful of air in a slow yawn that stretched out his jaw and neck muscles in a satisfying manner. His eyes were still heavy with the remnants of sleep, but he seemed more alert than ever, even as he lazily scanned the room in search of his little fairy companion.

It had become a habit, a small ritual of sorts, to check on Yana first thing upon waking. But as his gaze drifted towards the fireplace, Elijah froze, his eyes snapping wide open. There, nestled against one of the strange, burning logs, was the massive pitch-black egg he had swiped some time ago. And there, flitting around it in the midst of the flames, was Yana.

For a moment, panic gripped Elijah's heart. The egg was completely engulfed in the fire, and Yana along with it. His mind raced, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. Had she accidentally knocked the egg into the flames? Was she trying to save it? But as he watched, his panic slowly subsided, replaced by a weary resignation. The egg was already in the fire, and Yana seemed completely unperturbed by the flames licking at her tiny form. In fact, she seemed to be fussing over the egg, tending to it with a strange, almost maternal attention.

Elijah shook his head, a weary sigh left his lips. Of course. He should have known better than to worry. In her own words, Yana was a goddess ya know. A real one ya know.

And as for the egg... well, it was probably too late to do anything about that now. Whatever was going to happen would happen. There was no sense in getting worked up about it.

Twisting his body to get a better look at what she was doing, Elijah couldn't help but think about how possessive Yana had been of that egg ever since he'd stolen it during that ambush. It was a strange thing, with its strange, uneven surface that seemed more like hastily molten rock. And yet, for reasons known only to the capricious little fairy, it had become her most prized possession.

He had sent everything else they'd acquired back Earthside with those Activity spooks, save for a potion or two. But Yana? She had been adamant about keeping the egg. And after everyone had witnessed her light up that convoy like a Christmas tree... well, no one had the balls to tell her no.

Because really, who in their right mind would try to take something from a literal immortal being that could vaporize you with a wave of their hand for the sake of a strange, oversized egg? No one, that’s who. There wasn't a soul stupid enough to bother enough to try, and so, the little fairy kept the damn thing.

“What egg? I never saw no egg.” Was the prevailing sentiment.

Sure, he had to haul the damn thing around like a mule, but if Eliah was being honest with himself, he didn't really mind. Outside of her mischievous pranks and her incessant nagging, Yana didn't cause too many problems in actuality. She didn't ask for much beyond being a fatty and asking for a piece of anyone and everyone’s food, she didn’t bother anyone who wasn’t her apostle.

Tribute for their new goddess, she called it.

Shaking his head, Elijah turned his attention back to the goddess and watched as she continued to fuss over the egg and dance around in the fireplace. He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing. She was clearly pouring a lot of... something into it. Magic, energy, whatever it was that fueled her impossible existence. But to what end?

With another high-pitched groan, Elijah stretched once more, marveling at how easily his muscles moved as he seemed to haul himself up from his nest. It was almost as if his muscles were starting to de-age and get some vitality back. He wanted to say that it was most likely due to his excitement about being in a weird new world full of weird new things, but as he looked over to his Patron, he seemed to have a few suspicions as to the actual reason.

Elijah wandered over to the fireplace and squatted down to get a closer look at Yana's mysterious ministrations. The egg seemed to pulsate and hum with each touch in the flickering flames. Arches of fiery violet shimmered around inside like a turbulent storm, making its obsidian surface nearly transparent. It was a rather mesmerizing display to see Yana darting in and out of the flames like a manic hummingbird as she gently touched the egg in different locations.

"What are you doing, you little monster?" Elijah asked with a voice still rough with sleep. "You trying to cook the thing for breakfast?"

Yana paused in her frenetic dance, turning to face Elijah with an expression of utter indignation. "Cook it?" she scoffed as her tiny hands planted themselves on her hips. "Don't be ridiculous, Apostle!"

With a dramatic flourish, the fairy leaped onto one of the burning logs, throwing her hands up in the air in a celebratory fashion. "I'm nurturing our minion!" she declared, her voice ringing with a strange mix of pride and mischief.

Elijah stood there for a moment with one eyebrow raised in a perfect arc of skepticism. "Wait," he replied, slowly trying to wrap his sleep-addled brain around her words. "You're not cooking it?"

Yana jumped in place again, her arms once more thrown out in that same cheerful gesture. "No!" her eyes sparkled with an almost maniacal glee. "I'm nurturing our minion!"

A bout of silence settled over Elijah as he scratched his head while a perplexed look etched onto his face. No matter what he did, he just couldn't quite reconcile the idea of an egg engulfed in flames with anything resembling nurturing. It just didn't compute.

But deciding to humor the eccentric being, Elijah carefully considered her words. "What, like another servant or something?" he ventured, trying to make sense of her proclamation.

Yana repeated her little dance, bouncing on the log with the same jubilant fervor that bordered on the unhinged. "No, our minion!" she repeated once more with a wide smile on her face.

Elijah hummed thoughtfully as he straightened his posture and cast a thoughtful gaze around the room as if he were searching for answers in the rough-hewn walls and flickering shadows. "So," he said at last, turning back to Yana with a quizzical tilt of his head. Someone like me?" He pointed to himself, a half-frown of confusion pulling at his mouth's corner.

But Yana merely shook her head vigorously, her fiery hair whipping about like a banner in a storm. "No, a minion!" she declared once more, her tone suggesting that this should be the most obvious thing in the world.

The fairy’s apostle stared at her with one hand over his mouth in a contemplative manner before he started blinking to dispel the nonsense threatening to overwhelm his brain.

Unable to distinguish what a ‘minion’ meant to his supposed goddess, Elijah just shook his head and turned away from the fireplace. Trying to decipher the classification for a servant, an apostle, or whatever other category of underling she might dream up was a fruitless endeavor. But then again, trying to understand the workings of a fairy's mind, especially one as capricious and insane as Yana, was an exercise in futility.

“Haha, what the fuck man.” A rueful chuckle escaped Elijah’s mouth as he made his way toward the pile of gear in the corner of the room, deciding that the mystery of Yana's minion-making was best left unsolved. He had more pressing matters to attend to, like getting dressed and ready for whatever fresh madness the day might bring.

Rummaging through the assortment of clothes and equipment, Elijah pulled out another set of local garments that were a lot more casual. Instead of posing as the more mercenary type, he replaced the harsh leather armor with something that would help him blend in with the local townsfolk.

As he dressed, Elijah made sure to tuck his pistol securely into the concealed holster at his waistband. Even in this more relaxed setting, he wasn't about to go completely unarmed. One never knew if they were being set up or what threats might lurk around the corner in this strange, unpredictable world.

While adjusting his new clothes so his gun wouldn’t show, Elijah wandered over to the window and peered out at the scene beyond. The town was already stirring to life, with bakers, shopkeepers, and the everyday pedestrians moving along to start their day. But what really caught his attention were children and smaller beings scurrying about. Like a fantasy version of a street sweeper, they ran around busily, pulling out and throwing into a basket on their back strange vines, flowers, and mushrooms that grew between the cracks of the stone road and snaked up the walls of the buildings.

A hum of interest left Elijah's mouth as he watched their industrious work at the crack of dawn. Each time one of them would rip away a flower or mushroom, and the twisting vines would recoil and retreat back into the cracks they grew from. It was an interesting profession, and Elijah wondered just how much they got paid for such a laborious job.

With the early morning sun sitting loftily on the horizon, Elijah turned back to the room to start his day and see what new adventure and opportunities it might hold. As he double-checked his gear, his gaze fell on the still-slumbering Bennett, who was still wrapped tightly in his bedding.

A mischievous grin spread across Elijah's face after he realized the engineer was completely vulnerable. Waltzing over to his bedding, Elijah grabbed a pillow from his own nest, and with a deft flick of his wrist, he sent the pillow sailing through the air in a perfect arc. He watched with satisfaction as it smacked Bennett squarely in the face, eliciting a startled snort from the sleeping man. His eyes fluttered open, and his body shook awake.

"Wake up," Elijah called out, his voice far too cheerful for the early hour. "Let's go get something to eat and see what we can find out today."

At the mention of food, Yana's tiny form shot up excitedly from her place by the fireplace. "Food!" she yelled before immediately zipping over to hover near Elijah's shoulder. You promised me food, Apostle! I command thee to fulfill thy sacred duty!"

Almost recoiling from the speed of the being, Elijah narrowed his eyes and raised one incredulous eyebrow. "Um…. won't your egg burn if you leave it?" he asked, gesturing towards the fire.

But Yana merely waved her hand dismissively with a look of utter confidence on her tiny face. "Bah, it'll be fine," she assured him, her tone brooking no argument. "Now go, mortal! I command thee!"

"As you wish, oh mighty one," Elijah rolled his eyes before looking back to Benentt. “Hurry up Ben! I want food!"

Bennett, meanwhile, was slowly extracting himself from his cocoon of blankets, grumbling under his breath as he blinked groggily in the morning light. "Mmmm…?" he murmured, peering around in confusion with a completely frazzled look. “Food…?”

The sleep engineer seemed to react at the mention of food, but his body remained stubbornly entangled in the nest of blankets. He pressed both hands into his eyes, groaning before flopping back down into his nest. It would take a while to untangle himself from this mess, but Bennett slowly started peeling off layers.

Once he saw that an effort was being made, Elijah let out an amused huff before heading towards the door. "Meet me downstairs," he called out as he checked his pistol again to make sure it was concealed. "I’ma see if there’s anything ready."

A grumble of affirmation left Bennett’s mouth as he finally untangled himself and unsteadily stood up. He wanted to lay there for another moment, but the engineer sucked in a deep breath to muster the energy to face the day.

As Elijah made his way out, Yana excitedly followed after, landing on his shoulder with a tiny thud. However, once she made her landing, the tiny goddess shook her feet, knocking still-burning coals off as she cleaned herself.

Elijah flinched away, brushing at his shoulder as he gave the little fairy a startled look. "Jesus!” He yelped as he glared at Yana. “You may not burn, but I certainly as fuck do!” He grumbled as he made his way out the door and into the second-floor hallway.

The tavern's more exclusive rooms were located on the far end of the rather large building, offering a degree of privacy and luxury that the common areas couldn't match. The hallway itself was well-appointed, with rich wooden paneling and plush carpets that muffled his footsteps as he walked. But as soon as he reached the stairs, the luxury seemed to stop abruptly and was replaced with a rough, utilitarian aesthetic.

As he descended into the dining area, Elijah noticed that the place was mostly empty, except for a few working girls. The few courtesans were either preparing the common area for the influx of patrons or lounging around. Regardless of what they were doing, they all seemed to turn to Elijah simultaneously and gave him a curious look. Every eye seemed to lash his form up and down as if appraising him with a mix of professional and personal intrigue.

However, One of the girls was the same tanned-skinned cat girl he saw last night. With dark auburn hair and a swishing tail, she dared to make her presence known and stepped forward, full of curiosity. The feline courtesan held a sultry smile and caught Elijah staring at her before, but as she approached, her gaze seemed to momentarily hone in on the tiny fairy perched on Elijah’s shoulder.

Her eyes widened, filled with the instinctual urge to catch the small, fluttering creature. However, she controlled herself, dragging her gaze back to the man in question with visible effort. "Sorry, hon," she purred, her voice a sultry drawl, "but breakfast isn't ready yet." She cupped her hands behind her back, leaning forward and tilting her head up to look at Elijah through her lashes so he could get a better look at her cleavage.

"But… one of us might be able to offer you a quick round of service if you so wish…" The implication was clear as day as she batted her eyes at him. “Any friend of Mara is a friend of ours, after all.” Her tail curled and uncurled in a come-hither motion.

While the cat girl giggled seductively and circled him, Elijah closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he visibly struggled to control himself. The woman remained in her seductive pose as she sauntered around him. Meanwhile, Yana seemed to be copying the courtesan on Elijah’s shoulder.

A flash of bewilderment flashed through the cat girl’s eyes as her gaze flickered from Yana and then back to Elijah. "What's wrong, hon?" she purred as a coy smile played on her lips. "Are you worried about your bossman?"

Taking another deep breath, Elijah fought against the primal urges that surged through him. Here, standing before him, was the object of his deepest desires, his ultimate fantasy - a real, living, and breathing cat girl within arm's reach. It was an exercise in great restraint, and it took every ounce of his willpower not to reach out and pull her into his arms.

Elijah's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding against his ribs. The temptation was nearly overwhelming, the promise of fulfilling his deepest, most cherished fantasies right there within his grasp. His body screamed at him to accept, to throw caution to the wind and indulge in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

But even as his primal urges surged, his rational mind rebelled.

A slew of curses coursed through his mind when he thought of Coleman. He couldn’t help but call a prudish, pedantic by the book son of a bitch. But with a herculean effort, Elijah took a step back, distancing himself from the alluring feline. "I... I appreciate the offer," he managed, his voice strained. "But I'm afraid I'll have to decline… For now…"

The cat girl flashed Elijah a toothy grin before she took a step closer. Her feline eyes darted all over his features as if studying every detail before finally backing off with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well, handsome," she purred, "If you change your mind, just come lookin’ for Piña." With a flick of her tail, Piña glanced back towards the kitchen area. "But so that you know, the food won't be done for another hour or so."

Letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, Elijah’s body relaxed as the immediate temptation retreated. The frustrated man shook his head in derision and caught sight of Yana, who was perched on his shoulder and had a rather unimpressed look on her tiny face.

"An hour?" the fairy grumbled, pouting, crossing her arms. "What am I gonna do for an hour without tribute!?" Yana threw her arms up in outrage, causing her apostle to wear a complicated look on his face. “Tribute, apostle! I require tribute!!”

There was a strange feeling brewing within Elijah. Not only could he discern Yana’s impatience from what she said and how she acted, but he could actually feel it in some strange, intangible way. But with a shake of his head, Elijah dispelled these thoughts for the moment. The last thing he needed was for this little demon to cause a scene and draw more attention than they already had.

"Hey, if any of my friends come down, could you tell them I stepped out for a bit?” Elijah’s head drifted between Piña and the tavern entrance as an idea popped into his head. “I think I'll take a little walk and get some fresh air while you guys start breakfast."

Piña's ears twitched with interest as she tilted her head, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Sure thing, hon," she replied, her voice a sultry purr. She followed Elijah to the tavern's heavy doors, her hips swaying with each step, intent on seeing him off.

As he made his way to the entrance, Elijah pushed open the door and let in a gust of fresh morning air while Piña leaned against the doorframe. Her tail swished back and forth in the air as she narrowed her eyes around the street, spotting the local muscle and freelancer meandering around. "Just a word of advice, hon," she said, her tone turning more serious. "Stay close to the merchants' Row. The deeper you go into the town's heart, the rougher it gets."

Elijah paused, turning to look at Piña with a raised eyebrow. "Rougher?" he asked with a note of curiosity in his voice.

The courtesan nodded as her eyes narrowed slightly. "The gangs there aren't beholden to the rules and etiquette that's standard for ruffians when in The Gilded Courier's territory."

That word seemed to ring out to Elijah like church bells as he furrowed his brow. His interest was piqued, and he felt as if he had found a rather notable point of interest. "The Gilded Courier?" he repeated, the unfamiliar term rolling off his tongue as he looked to Piña for an answer.

But the cat girl remained tight-lipped, with the coy smile on her face becoming slightly strained. The quiet between the two lasted for a few more moments as Piña debated on how best to approach the subject. "Don't worry about it, hon. Just know that you behave when you're on The Gilded Courier's turf." She finally replied in a tone that said she was giving Elijah a warning.

Hitching his breath, Elijah stopped the thoughtful hum that was going to leave his mouth and stared hard at the woman as his mind started to churn. He knew better than to press for more information, especially when it came to the inner workings of the criminal underworld. Instead, he simply nodded and gave Piña an understanding smile.

"I got it," he said, a hint of a smile on his face. "I'll be sure to mind my manners."

Piña gave him a satisfied grin causing her sharp teeth to glint in the morning light. "Good boy," she purred, reaching out to give Elijah's cheek a playful pat. "Now run along and explore. But don't forget to keep out of trouble!” She gave a wink and spun around to head back into the tavern. “I'll be waiting right here for you when you get back." She added, throwing a look over her shoulder.

Biting his lip as he watched the feline’s hip sway, Elijah turned around himself to start his new little adventure. “Guess I’ll pester Aze about this… Gilded Courier later.” He hummed to himself as he looked for the nearest food stall.