Discordant Note | TBATE

Chapter 16: Scouting

Toren Daen

I was far more cautious as I traversed North Fiachra. I made an active effort to restrain my presence, knowing that I was in the midst of mages far beyond my power level now.

North Fiachra had several subdivisions which were easy to note. A commercial section catering to high-class customers, more general political offices and buildings, and finally a residential area, which was by far the largest.

The map I had nabbed from the West Fiachra Supervisory Center showed the delineations of these subdistricts clearly. The residential area took up most of the land: not because of the number of buildings, but because of the open space. Instead of the familiar ordered and rigid waterways of the rest of the city, I saw plenty of public parks with more natural meandering streams. Copses of trees dotted the slightly hilly stretch.

It's like a slice of the countryside transplanted into the middle of the city, I noted with appreciation, watching from the roof of a shop. The wonders magic can do.

I dropped to the ground silently, my cloak fluttering behind me. Watching the street names, I finally found the one I was looking for: South Sovereign Boulevard.

It was a long road through some light trees. The path was cobbled, clearly designed for carriage travel. It was lined with lampposts, though they were powered by mana instead of electricity.

Sticking to what I knew, I kept to the spattering of trees around the road. As I darted along the trees, I noted several gates to nearby estates. On each and every gate, a crest was etched that I assumed marked the Blood that lived there. Having not yet seen Blood Joan's ember-like symbol, I continued to search.

The estates I could spy on in this section were opulent things for a style of living far beyond anything I had experienced in either of my lives. The scenery itself would be worth a fortune, not to mention being constructed with what were no doubt expensive building materials.

Finally, I reached a gate with the icon I was looking for: a stylized ember overlaying twisting rivers. I crouched on a branch as I inspected the place, snarling under my mask. My breath misted in the chill night air.

I looked past the gate, eying the building beyond. It was significantly smaller than many of the other estates, but clearly what I was looking for. It had a small courtyard with a miniature fountain at the center. The yard was rimmed with trees that had lost their leaves as autumn neared its end. This allowed me to spy through to a slight degree, noting the distinct features of the estate.

Tonight was a scouting mission only. I didn't plan on doing anything more than observing the Joan estate: noting the windows, doors, and layout of the place. I didn't think I would be able to do anything any time soon, but having this knowledge in the back of my pocket was important for future planning.

So it was quite a surprise to me when one of the windows on the second floor blew outward in a nimbus of fire, sending shards of glass flying and a billow of smoke into the night air. I went taught like a bowstring in surprise, just about ready to bolt in the other direction. If there was something going on in that building to draw attention, I did not want to be nearby.

But then I spotted two dark shapes burst from the conflagration, trailing smoke as they ran over the earth towards the side of the courtyard. Barely a second later, five more figures burst from the fire in hot pursuit. I saw and felt the spells being fired off at the fleeing duo: a few bolts of fire, spears of ice, and blades of wind. The escapees barely managed to avoid the volley, one of them deflecting a sliver of ice with a clang audible to my enhanced ears. Then they both vaulted over the fence into a bit of the forest, hightailing it out, their pursuers hot on their tail. I looked back at the estate and the commotion it would no doubt cause.