The Outsider

Chapter 22: Devil's Hole

About a kilometer away from the gates of the capital city, Nav had stopped the wagon so that they could meet up with Daemore [Refer chapter 8], who had brought along some cash and Azrael's two pets- Cerberus and Hermes.

"So who's identity will you enter the city with?" Daemore asked.

"Um... Well as Achilles of course..." Achilles/Azrael said.

"Then I bid you farewell and good luck. I shall take my leave now, Lord Azrael," Daemore said and disappeared into thin air.

"Alright, Nav. Let's move forward." Achilles said.

"Yes, lord," Nav said.

Achilles found little resistance at the gates when the guards saw him they let their wagon pass through.

"Well, that was easy," Nav said.

"Yeah, must be because our faces were on flyers all over the kingdom." Achilles said.

"I think we are in the 'Market District'. One of the four districts of the city." Nav said.

"Oh? Do you know where we can find an inn?" Achilles asked.

"Yes, lord. I have gone through the place thoroughly. We can find an inn at the edge of this district and the 'Residence district'." Nav said.

"Wait, don't you think it feels like this city was built on a hill?" Achilles asked.

"Yes, lord. In reality, it was built on a foothill beside the Altar mountains. The lowest part district is the 'Market district'. A bit above it is the 'Residence district'. Where the people live, nobles and commoners alike and beside it are the slums. Above this district is the 'Military district' where the barracks and training grounds are situated. This district is slightly smaller. The top-most district is the 'Palace district'. This is where the King and his ministers live. Your friend General Warren also lives there, he is in charge of the king's protection also." Nav elaborated.

"Hm... Well, you know a lot about this city. You must have done quite the research in such a short amount of time." Achilles said.

"You flatter me with your compliments, lord," Nav said.

"The people here look slightly on the edge don't they?" Achilles asked.

"Yes, they look like victims of some kind of attack," Nav said as she looked around.

"Very intriguing." Achilles said.

Nav then took them to the inn nearby and Achilles booked two separate rooms for each other and told Nav to stay back. Before he left he created a link between him, Hermes and Nav. So that they can communicate easily with each other. Also, he wanted Nav to search for problems around the city using Hermes as her eyes while she held her base in the inn. This plot was getting bigger by the minute. Achilles could smell it. He then changed his appearance by looking slightly older and he changed his hair color to brown. Now he is Azrael. [We shall refer to him as that.]

How about we shift the scene? In the Palace, Warren was walking along with the King of the Marvo Kingdom- King Marvovic XV. The king was an old man, to protect him Warren had created a separate wing of soldiers called the 'King's Arms'. Warren and the King walked along as they talked about the state of their kingdom. As you would expect, it was quite grave. If it were not then this story wouldn't go on. The 'King's Arms' followed them at a distance.

"Well, Warren I don't know how I feel about asking help from some outsider to solve our country's problems." The King said.

"Yes, I know how you feel but times are hard and he is the only man who is very strong and most of all who I can actually trust that he can carry it out with ease." Warren persuaded.