There I was, staring at a meat locker. Bodies hung from the ceiling by thick chains and only a few candles to luminate the slick floors. Freshly cut pieces laid draining across the butcher's benches. All was silent when we arrived- other than a few dripping sounds and our own wet footsteps. Not a single escape route in this musty basement, so anyone that would have been down here must have known we were coming and vacated prior.
Each of us spread out to investigate the damp room. None of us were thrilled to be here, especially given the circumstances. Vibood angrily kicked the lower half of a right arm that was soaking on the floor when he noticed the Hornet's dagger tattooed onto the corpse in front of us. The hand bearing the thief's tattoos thudded to the floor with a splat. He aggressively ran his hands through his dirty black hair and paced.
"You know she's gonna be pissed." Exclaimed the voice of a masked woman who stood in the dark entrance of the room. The figure approached Vibood, but not like anyone would expect. She was ominously silent despite the slick floors and her fluid movements made it look like this was another walk in the park. I would have suspected she might be a ghost if I hadn't already heard her speak- and watched her footsteps effortlessly maneuver what could have been mistaken as a battle scene in close quarters.
"That's what? Four now?" Her voice hauntingly pierced the cloth with ease. Vibood's hands were now firmly planted on the solid wooden bench that held the dead Hornet's body. No response. Not a word from me either, just as he ordered.
"Maybe if it was one of yours, you would respond differently" Eyes of the Huntress darted in my direction and my immediate- and correct- response after choking on my breath was to look anywhere else. To act as if I wasn't there. I casually let myself wander to a desk with some notes and began to make myself useful by collecting them.
"No, no. No need for that. You're right. I was really hoping they'd come around, but I admit- it's time. We'll get everyone on them, but I still don't think anyone will find them."
"What makes you so optimistic?" The Huntress hissed back. I could hear her almost snarl even across the room with my back turned.
Vibood knelt to the floor and with the cracks from his knees, pointed out a dry circle on the stone basement floor. "Their escape route. At least one of them is an earthbender who knows the catacombs exist. They could be anywhere. Lounging in your den or cowering in Omashu."
"You goddamn tunnelers are going to be the death of me. I will let her and the rest know. Do what you can. Remember, soon it might be one of your own."
The Huntress turned to make way for the door, glancing in my direction as if trying to make eye contact. Silence echoed for several moments and I knew she was gone, but I still didn't wish to look up. I'd almost convinced myself that I was truly getting invested in these notes written by the sculptors. Alas, I only now started to read what I held in my hand:
What's better than one dead noble? Two dead nobles. And better than that? One dead Hornet. There was a time I caught one and wasn't hungry, so I just took their arms and sent the rest back. Biggest mistake I've made thus far. The leaner they are, the better sausage they make. Obviously their diet matters too and that's why we don't bother with half the bodies in the walls. Would be a waste of a dish.
Turns out that enough of a selection always contains both ripe and rotten options and if you tend to pick the near rotten fruit, no one seems to care if it's missing. Same goes for humans. Known criminal, but no proof? Less people will care to search if they vanish. And that's why it's always a treat when a noble suddenly is exposed as dirty. A change of pace with a change of taste. Even those in Omashu notice on occasion.
"Gather what's worth analyzing and meet me beneath the Inn at dusk." Vibood grabbed the arm he previously kicked against the wall and exited with no other instructions. Only the eyes of the Huntress could have kept me in that rancid tomb of a room any longer. I quickly stashed the lot of papers in my leather bag and while closing it, I noticed a faint rat emblem patterned on the side which normally rests against my hip. One that matched those I saw on the streets. Before today, that was just extra detail added by the artist. How odd.
Lady Kezhan never asks why blood was tracked into her Inn. Neither do her servants. Rarely do the tourists, but that's because the evidence disappears quicker than coins from their pockets. No one ever knew either ever existed. So when I walked in and happened to see small specks of blood across the pristine floorboards, I was shocked. But it's not my place to say, nor my place to clean, so I ignored it like everyone else and made my way to the empty front desk- for the door behind it leads to the Inn's basement. A familiar stone staircase echoed distant shouts. Only short sconces lit the barren walls and exposed some more blood droplets littered the stairs where I stepped. As my ears grew closer to the shouts, I recognized the voices.
Curiosity? Caution? Curiosity. I proceeded to enter an open room where three of the heads were heatedly arguing while another three sat around a large table, unamused. Their aggressive conversation halted when I walked in.
"WHO IS THIS? ARE YOU JUST INVITING EVERYONE TO SIT IN OUR MEETINGS NOW?"
"She's delivering evidence, relax." Replied Vibood, a lot calmer than I thought he should have been, given the circumstances at face value. I handed him my whole bag to not further agitate the screaming woman. "Thank you, Jigy. Wait for me outside."
I did. I got to eavesdrop and he knew it. The general gist was the entire group was tired of Vibood sticking his neck out for these cannibals- at least that was conveyed by the only person I could hear. One eloquent voice loudly, but calmly and clearly asked the room "Well, Mistress, what have you done to avenge your Hornets deaths thus far? How do you propose we help?" And then the room was silent.
The wall I was leaning against was pulled into the ground, and I fell on my ass. When I got up, the whole room was staring and Vibood stood holding up the bag with the rat tat facing me.
"You remember where you got this? Or who from?" I'm normally not the type to quake in fear, but six of the most powerful people on this side of the earth kingdom were staring at me. I nodded and he groaned, taking a deep breath. "Well we have a lead now." Vibood dumped the bag's contents out on the table in front of a man who hadn't spoken the whole time. That man immediately began to organize and analyze the written pieces. After a few moments and more productive discussion, orders were relayed and everyone dispersed until only Vibood and I were left in the room.
"This is good." He began, as if we hadn't just been yelled at and threatened by powerful people. Or previously been in a morgue that doubled as a buffet for those we sought to catch. "Maybe we'll get somewhere with this. And maybe the rest of them will learn your name because of it." He scoffed, not because it was an intentional insult, but because it was the unfortunate truth. "Help me locate them and I'll... I'll buy you a drink or something." Once again, he dryly laughed at his shitty gesture of generosity knowing full well I knew he'd give me more as the reward.
Morning came early, but we all slept in Kezhan's Inn after a peaceful dinner, so the sunrise came pleasantly. It was a tedious afternoon of searching merchants and roughing up those who initially claimed to know nothing about the bag's distributor, but ultimately, we found out our road- as expected- led to Omashu. Only this time, we knew where.
Omashu is about half a day's travel from the Neilu Caravansary, so we departed the next morning. We rode camelphants the whole way, only taking two breaks to crack our backs and stretch our legs. This wasn't the first time I'd approached the second largest city in the Earth Kingdom, but it always makes me feel like a kid when traversing the winding roads that lead up to the massive front gate. We arrived just as guards on duty seemed to walk away from their posts. Not sure if that was coincidence, luck, or even necessary since I think we're both legal citizens here, but it still felt badass.
Now that we were in, Vibood- as he frequently does- happened to know exactly where we were going. That, and exactly how to navigate the overcrowded streets of Omashu. He took me by the arm and pulled me behind him like we were the fabled "Street Children" of Omashu- or whatever they're called. Some tight fits and dark alleys later, a shoppe with a big sign displaying "Rachit Eats" hung above us. He gave me a look that said "Let me do the talking" and I calmly followed his lead.
Many people sat about this restaurant, eating their late lunches as anyone would anywhere in the Four Nations. Vibood, followed by myself, threaded the countless tables and dozens of guests towards the kitchen, then sat us down at one of the tables.
"You hungry?" His bluntness in the situation I thought I was in took me by surprise. Anyone who truly knows Vibood is aware he doesn't have friends, but right now, it felt oddly like he was treating me as one. The man slightly lent over the table, smirking. "Even if you are, I don't suggest you order." One of the servants who was walking around greeted us and asked if we wished to order anything. To my surprise- and seemingly against his own advice- Vibood ordered an entree and both of us a drink. A drink he knew two nights ago would be mine.
Oddly pleasant conversation between us happened. Drinks came out. Food followed shortly after. And while I watched Vibood eat his meal, a man who introduced himself to me as Rachit showed up. They hugged and he sat down with us. He was overall a well kept man, presumably because we were sitting in his restaurant. Vibood complimented him regarding the food's quality, then swallowed his bite and asked where they get their produce. Rachit wasn't blanched or very fazed by the question, but even I could tell he was internally panicking. Especially when Vibood asked him a second time.
At one point, Vibood leant to his left and whispered something in Rachit's ear. I didn't hear it all, but what I did understand was "Keep your butchers out of Neilu, I'll keep mine out of your home. That's our deal." I think Rachit understood it too, because despite his prior efforts, his face lost a bit of color.