???
Time - Unknown
??? – Underground
Rating: 34
“Ha, Ha, Haaa---!”
The sound of sharp breaths and rapid footsteps resounds through the tunnels, echoing far into the darkness.
Not there would be anyone around to listen. This was London’s deep underground, a place that deemed off limits by both the Commonwealth and the Kingdom. Anyone unfortunate enough to be found by the authorities entering or exiting such a place would be in for a night in the cells, a lengthy interrogation, and a heavy fine- if not shot on sight. Therefore, the only people who would venture in these passages were either members of organized crime who sought a shelter away from the law, deserters who desperately wanted to cross the walls to the other side of London… or perhaps the rare few whom did not fear the dangers that lurked within.
The man belonged to the foremost category. But even criminals were wary of the threats in these depths, and they stuck religiously to the scarce passageways and hideouts they were familiar with. And yet, this man found himself in completely unfamiliar territory.
His reason was easily discerned with but a glance of his situation- he was fleeing.
His heart pounded,
his chest heaved,
and his legs dashed forward.
Adrenaline powered his body, and his brain worked at full throttle to find a way out of his predicament. If sure death awaited behind him, then it was only natural to run forwards, even if into the unknowns of the underground. An exit, an obstacle to barricade the monster at his tails, or a weapon with which to fight- anything would do.
And yet, his prayers are not answered.
Before him, lies only a dead end.
Behind him, a mass of flames.
At his side, an empty pistol.
Not that any bullets would have served him any good, in this case- even cutting-edge weapons, produced at the very forefront of Engine technology, could not save him now. Perhaps, with some of latest protective gear available in London, the flames themselves might be manageable. But they were nothing more the accompaniment of the main actor, a carpet laid for its master. And there was little that would protect him from that.
And, sensing that the chase had finally come to an end-
“!”
-the flames pounce, enveloping their prey.
The monster, elated at this climax, easily finishes off the man. It is a relatively bloodless conclusion, as any such fluids are quick to evaporate. Fire that could scorch stone and warp steel washes over him, and the considerable bulk of the beast easily crushes over his frail flesh. The only resistance the man can offer at this point is a scream, echoing again in the tunnels to a silent audience. The passage fills with the smell of cooked flesh, and even the bones are reduced to ash. It doesn’t even take a minute for the entire affair to end.
A sinner hunted down and tormented by a monster- an image that would have not been out of place in a depiction of hell.
But this is no afterlife for the damned, nor was it divine punishment- this was London. Once considered the most beautiful city in the world, it has fallen far from glory, shining with forced splendor to disguise the ugliness that has taken root. Theft, murder, and even demonic events like the above- it is a place where such occurrences have now become commonplace.
And for those who live in this place, there are but two options. You can despair as you envision the bleak future ahead of you, sink into the filth of this city and join its madness… Or, you can avert your eyes, hold your covers tight at night and pretend that you see nothing…
However-
However, if neither option appeals to you-
If you do not fear the harsh, lonely path, if you intend to persevere even through a thousand battles and a thousand defeats, in search of the future that you seek-
Then struggle. You must fight off all those who would stand in your way. Believe the choices that you have made hold meaning, and crawl forth until the light of victory shines upon you- exhaust every last morsel of your strength, use up every shred of intelligence in your body, and display the fruits of your life.
Do so, and to you I will guarantee at the very least- that even if the end you desire does not come to pass, there will be none who can laugh at your story- a tragedy without dispute.
And, like the man who had just perished,
Another set of footsteps echoes through the depths, looking for their own exits.
Diantha Stuart
Time – October 3rd 1939, 8:30 AM
Kingdom - Queen’s Mayfair Academy
Rating - 7
Queen’s Mayfair Academy. Having opened in 1866, it was a famous high school that boasted a history of producing many individuals who went on to take positions of great influence and power in society- only natural, given that it was an institution that catered to nobility in the first place, where many sons and daughters spent their final years before entering society. Having been rebuilt after the civil war thanks to generous donations from its alumni, it continued to operate to this day as one of the Kingdom’s most prestigious institutions. Between the large campus, extravagant decorations, and some of the finest instructors available across the world, Mayfair Academy was certainly the very image of a school for the elite.
That said, it was not immune to the times, and had recently begun to open its doors to the public. In this day and age, the elite had need for capable subordinates, and to those with the skills the academy was a place where many used the privilege of their scholarships to build connections with their future employers.
As a result, it was now not uncommon for many regular students, no particularly distinguished background nor connections to the nobility, to enroll here- a fact that would prove rather convenient for your current assignment.
Only yesterday, you had received a letter from the Royal See- orders. As usual, the contents were fairly brief, providing only necessary information on a need to know basis to prevent any leaks. Preparations had been made for you to start attending school at Queen’s Mayfair Academy. A recent string of deaths (mostly presumed to be suicides) involving individuals associated with the school had prompted one of the agents on site to investigate. The results of the investigation were as of yet incomplete, but there were signs that there was involvement by Neverland. Tomorrow, you were to head to the school, meet up with on site agent who would contact you, and receive further details regarding the mission then.
A tiny scrawl on the back of your orders, the trademark handwriting of a certain Duchess Windsor, read a quick message- “I figure you might be more at ease with something like this, right?”.
And thus, here you were. On your way to your new school, a handful of steps away from the campus gates.
However, rather than the image of a respectable institute for learning that people had come to expect from Queen’s Mayfair Academy, the current school projected the image of a cemetery. The students who were on their way to school were anything but bustling youths, eager for another day of learning and horsing around with their friends. Instead, they held their heads low, whispering to each other quietly and doing their best to avoid attention- not surprising, considering how much death they had seen in recent days.
It didn’t help that there were a number of teachers located at the gates, together with a handful of students who seemed to be monitoring the students as they passed by the doors, irregularly checking the bags of anyone who seemed suspicious. And naturally, as you try to make your way across the gates-
“Hold it.”
-one of the students at the gates calls out to you, the band on their arm apparently indicating that they were a member of the disciplinary committee.
“I don’t recognize you. Your bag, please?”
Lucilla Michaelis
Time – October 3rd 1939, 8:50 AM
Commonwealth – Anne Turner’s Office
Rating - 4
Anne Turner, despite her status as a famous detective, was quite disorganized in her day to day life. Her office (which also doubled as her house on most days) was often a mess, and she often forgot to eat at regular intervals, too engrossed in her work. This was a fact that you knew well, as it was the one which had brought the two of you together. Her, a dependent who had some trouble taking care of herself, and you, a capable maid who could handle almost any task- well, that statement might have been a bit of an exaggeration. Still, it was certainly very fortunate for the detective that you have responded to her advertisement for part time work.
And naturally, having cleaned up the place several times before, you were no stranger to the office (presently in disarray), nor to Anne, who was presently enjoying a fresh cup of tea.
The woman on one of the sofas, however, was new. You were not quite sure yet why your employer had specifically called you in so early today, but it probably had something to do with this woman, given how the two of them had been waiting in the office when you arrived.
And then, right on cue, your employer set down their cup of tea, and began to speak.
“Thanks for coming, Lucilla, I appreciate it. I suppose some introductions are in order, but first…” Flashing a mischievous smile, the lady opened up one of her drawers. Withdrawing a single coin, she deposited it onto the desk. It looked a little deformed, and many of the finer features were distorted. It was barely legible enough for you to make out a couple characters together with the numbers 1940, but it was not a language that you were familiar with. Judging by the size and color, it was probably a rather cheap foreign coin.
“What do you think of this?”
Simo “Simuna” Hayha
Time – October 3rd 1939, 8:20 AM
Kingdom – Judicious Birch Apartments, Back alley
Rating - 2
Judicious Birch Apartments- a rather standard apartment complex in pretty much every way, except maybe for its relative proximity to the Thames. It was established after the war, and had no particular grandeur or history to speak of- just a humble residence for those of lower class, a far cry from the lavish mansions and or hotels frequented by the nobility in this half of London.
Right now, you were making your way to your destination- one of the alleys near the building, where you would meet with your support for your current assignment. Not that you normally needed such a thing for the kind of work that you did, but this job was a little… different.
It seemed like there had recently been trouble at night in this area, and witness reports suggested that it was likely the work of a Creature. A certain Earl who was troubled by this- a man by the name Antony Copelace, had contacted you, having heard of your impressive track record in handling these sorts of problems. It would have made a fine story about a ruler concerned about his subjects, if not for the details that followed.
It seemed like the man had an illegitimate child who lived in the area- a certain Aileen Wade, and was thus concerned for their safety. Accordingly, your contact was not to exterminate the Creature, but instead simply to guard and protect his bastard until the dangers of the Creature went away. The way the request had been worded was rather off-putting, as if saying that the lives of the other people in the neighborhood that had been bothered by this menace in recent days were only of secondary concern. Not to mention that bodyguard work wasn’t exactly your thing.
But despite the rather unusual details, it was a job that would end the same way as it usually did- eliminate the Creature, and the problem would be solved. Your employer didn’t really expect you to play protect the princess- the support that he provided would handle most of that. That, and the rather generous pay he was offering, was more than enough for you to take on this request.
When you arrive at the previously agreed upon meeting spot, a large man stands there waiting to greet you- a certain Max Lawson, a mundane who had apparently served the Copelace family for quite a while. It seemed like he had arrived much earlier than the scheduled time, and was now leisurely enjoying his smoke.
Having noticed your arrival, he slowly removes his cigarette from his lips, and turns to address you. However, what leaves his lips is not the polite and friendly greeting of a well-mannered servant, but instead a sharp and overbearing warning from one soldier to another.
“Let me make this clear- the master may hold your abilities in high regard, but I’ve never really been fond of mercenaries. So, don’t think of trying any funny business.”
William Joshua Aldritch
Time – October 3rd 1939, 9:05 AM
Commonwealth – Southeast Police Headquarters
Rating - 2
The local police headquarters stood ominously out on the streets of London as if it were an impregnable fortress, towering over the local populace. This was not due to an impressive display of cannons, nor unbreachable gates and walls- the building itself was rather normal, with large, plain doors and standard sturdy masonry. Instead, it was the result of the atmosphere that had permeated the streets of the city- Knowledge of the various privileges that had been granted to the local police, and how they had been used against those who threatened public order naturally made the citizens wary of anything to do with them. That had given birth to the intimidating feeling the building now gave off, which drove people off must like any fortifications would against any intruders.
And this was a fortress you had been asked to lay siege to.
It was a request that you had received the other day from a certain Mr. Aaron- a café owner with whom you were fairly well acquainted, having treated you very well many times in the past. It seemed like a couple days ago, a friend of his, a certain Ms. Catherine, had gotten into trouble with the local authorities. Thankfully, it was nothing particularly serious- it seemed like this friend of his was a bit of a charlatan, who made a living off of indulging in modern London’s penchant for the occult by offering her services as a fortune teller. Apparently, she had even given advice to the café on their menu choices.
It seems like a couple of her proclamations had stirred up people quite a bit, and had attracted ire from the local police. She was currently supposed to be reflecting on her actions with a couple nights of stay at one of the temporary cells, and it would still be a couple days before she would be let out. During your most recent visit to his store, Mr. Aaron had come to you asking if it might be possible, given your rather high esteem and status, to give a sort of amnesty or pardon, and ask her to be let out of the cells a little early.
Easily opening the doors, you find yourself on the inside of the ‘fortress’- a rather sparse lobby, with only a couple of people on standby or manning the reception desk. Most of their men, after all, are on patrol on the streets of London, and only a couple stay here to handle the rare request, or to guard the station from an unlikely assault. One of the officers lounging around notices your entry, and makes his way over.
“Excuse me, sir. Can I help you?”
Amelia Williams
Time – October 3rd 1939, 8:40 AM
Commonwealth – Personal Residential Quarters
Rating - 2
Many were those who had been lured into the capital of Albion by the promises of wealth in a city where opportunities were said to be on every street. As such, the story of the Williams- a family of four who had recently moved from the New World into London- was not a particularly unusual one, and would not rouse any alarms in anyone’s head.
Which made it more than adequate as a cover.
While there were days where you and the rest of your family actually lived out the act that you tried to sell to those around you, it was immediately obviously that this morning would not be one of those days. As soon as your family, minus your sister who had ate earlier, finishes their breakfast, the somewhat strained cheery family atmosphere that had been in the room earlier dissolves. Your mother, Eleanor, clears her throat to make sure she has your attention, and begins to speak.
“To business. I believe I’ve already explained the details to you last night, but I’d like to go over things once more. Today, you’ll be infiltrating one of the Commonwealth’s airbases. We’ve received intel that in addition to its regular cargo, the Department of Investigation has arranged for the transport of an item related to Neverland and it’s ilk, the details of which we were not able to acquire. You are to investigate what this item is, and if possible, retrieve it for further study.”
She leaves a familiar photo on the desk. “Your cover for this infiltration will be this woman, Martha Carlson. She’s a scholarship student from Golden Sierra University, who is scheduled to begin her internship today at the base. Your sister should be dealing with her right now, so all you’ll have to do this time is use your skills to take her appearance, use the ID she’ll be retrieving for you right now and find an opportunity to prod the interior of the airship.”
At the mention of your other missing family member, your dad, John Williams, frowns a little, obviously a little uncomfortable at the prospect of having both of his children handling a mission while he stays on the sidelines. Eleanor, well aware of your relationship, quickly tries to smooth things over.
“This time, we’ll be leaving most of the details up to you. Think of this mostly as an exercise in testing your independent decision making and leadership, and please keep in mind that the top priority in this mission is your own safety. If your chances of success are too low or you come across unforeseen complications, then make sure to retreat.”
“Any questions?”
Schneeweißchen - "Eirwen"
Time – October 3rd 1939, 8:50 AM
Kingdom – Windshire Citadel
Rating - 6
As the famous castle belonging to Duchess Windsor, Windshire Citadel was full of various secret and hidden passages. Even you, one of the members of the Royal See, only knew a small fraction of the castle’s hidden tricks- the only ones who probably knew the full details of all the secret rooms, passages, and traps were probably only the duchess herself, and perhaps some of her closest personal staff. No doubt it was a security measure to ensure that the duchess herself would always have the upper hand against any engagement that took place within its walls.
And, from one of these such passages, you had entered into the castle proper and were about to enter the briefing room- a space set aside for the duchess to personally interact with the agents and explain to them the details of their latest assignments. Naturally, the room itself was soundproof to prevent any eavesdropping, but as you open the door, you hear just a snippet of a discussion that was taking place, coming from an unmistakable male voice:
“-time you told me?”
Inside, you find Mary Windsor, as you would expect given your orders to come to the castle this morning- as well a face you weren’t quite expecting to see. Charles, one of the Royal See’s most esteemed agents, a man whose loyalties were suspect, and most importantly of all, your prince. Both parties seem taken aback by your arrival, their faces shooting towards the door as they hear it open.
It would seem that whatever they had been discussing just earlier had led Mary to forget your arrival this morning, judging by her surprise. However, it would seem that your intrusion was more than welcome on her part, since she is quick to get over her flustered state and smiles at you from her desk.
“Good morning to you, Miss White. How do you do?”
Laura Reed
Time – October 3rd 1939, 9:10 AM
Commonwealth – Club Coffee
Rating - 2
Drugs were a common problem on the streets of London nowadays, with many sorts of small time criminals dipping their hands in what they saw as easy money, and plenty of new innovations being made in a city that advertised the most advanced scientific learning in the world. While the Department of Investigation naturally saw their existence as a bit of a nuisance to public order, substances were rather low on the priority list compared to other problems in the city. As a result, they were often overlooked, and it was instead up to the regular police to handle the problem.
That this was not the case right now said more than enough about the latest drug that you had been ordered to investigate.
Uppers, Speed- whatever pseudonym they used on the streets at the moment- was a stimulant known for the burst of energy it gave, together with various hallucinogenic effects. This in and of itself was not particularly unusual- what had attracted the attention of the Department was its apparent relation with a variety of incidents involving damages that were not feasible by mundane means, as well as some interesting descriptions given by former users.
To investigate and verify if the substance truly had any supernatural usages, and to obtain a grasp on its distribution and creation- that was your current task. To start you off, the Department had snooped around, and found you a civilian informant. That was the person you were supposed to meet this morning, at this café.
And, as if right on cue, a person wanders around the outdoor tables, looking around the other tables as well as their numbers. For a while, they seem a little confused, but after checking again, they begin to approach you cautiously.
“Excuse me, miss. Have you seen anyone else around here…?”
It would seem that they hadn’t quite realized who they were talking with.