Essence of Quinn: Parts 1&2 Secondo Era and Terzo Era (eventual MxM slow burn)

Dead Weight

The further Quinn got from the Abbey, the clearer his head became, but that feeling of dread intensified. He knew he was walking towards the inevitable, but whichever course he took, nothing would change it. He could avoid going this way altogether, but Fate would rearrange itself so that he ended up exactly where it wanted him to be, anyway.

Over the years, he had learned that some things could be changed, but others were set in stone.

Fate was a fucking bitch sometimes, and tonight would be no exception.

His mind raced as he walked. Quinn couldn’t believe that Air had done that to him, that he’d played with him like that. He knew Quinn didn’t trust easily. Knew he would have said no if he’d asked him to do that and yet he did it, anyway. 

Quinn growled in frustration and halted as a fuzzy vision crossed his mind. He was close to the perimeter wall now and the ether told him he needed to leave the Abbey.

Quinn climbed up and over, scraping his stomach on the roughly hewn stones as he flipped over the top of the wall and jumped down to the ground on the other side.

Once he was past the Abbey’s wards, he sensed another ghoul nearby.

Across the street from the Abbey was a park, so he jogged around the side and crossed over to the grassy expanse that was surrounded by trees. About halfway through was a small cluster of pines, and he headed for it. The ghoul who was standing in the trees waiting for him had a kind soul, and Quinn sensed he was hurting and afraid. He caught the scent before he saw him and he frowned. It was familiar, but it had been a few years since he’d seen him last.

The massive fire ghoul stepped out from the trees to meet him and his emotions were fraught. Quinn stopped and tilted his head, surprised when he realised who it was. He was the blonde Council seer’s guard, but he sensed their relationship had changed since the last time he’d seen them.

“Quintessence? Thank Satan. She said you would be here,” he said, the relief in his voice evident.

“And why are you here, fire?”

“My name is Svarog. And she sent me.” He shook his head to correct himself. “She didn’t send me, but she told me she would disappear one day, and that when it happened, I had to come and find you.”

“And how did you get here, Svarog? You did not use the summoning chapel at the Abbey,” Quinn said warily.

“She gave me a contact who can grant summonings... under the table, so to speak. The Clergy do not know of this.”

Quinn frowned.

“And what has happened to Agrat?”

He felt the pain from the fire ghoul and he knew for certain that they had bonded. He felt bad for him, but the clairvoyant’s warning about her played across his mind.

“I was sent on an errand, and when I returned, our apartments were ransacked and she was gone. Her blood was on the floor. She must have struggled. They took her.”

Quinn sent him some energy to soothe him.

“Who took her?”

“Ose. He has taken over the Council and he is clamping down on the freedoms we’ve enjoyed. He has many who follow him. I think he has taken her to use her, even though she gives her visions freely to them.”

Quinn closed his eyes. The vision of her he'd seen, chained and linked to the ether, replayed once again. It hurt him to think that she was suffering, despite what the clairvoyant had said about her.

“And what am I expected to do?”

The ghoul looked at him pleadingly.

“Agrat said you would know! She told me to fetch you, to bring you back with me. She said you needed to be there,” he said, and the desperation in his voice was clear to Quinn.