It was midday, and the hot sun glared down on the towering buildings, casting sharp shadows over the sea of greys and whites below. Sounds of chatter, footsteps, horns, yelling, and sometimes a bang of a gunshot or two, followed by distant sirens, echoed through the urban jungle. People were too busy with their affairs to care. This was New York, after all.
Decades had passed since Ayla last set foot in the city. Probably not since 1800; she didn't keep track of the time very well. That was back when she was still young and naive - well, she was still naive, and still relatively young, for her race.
Stepping off the train, she looked up at the towering buildings with her vibrant pink eyes. Everything seemed so different, yet somewhat the same. New scents, taller towers, and a lot of noise. Her knuckles went white as she gripped the handle of her suitcase too tightly. This city was constantly growing, always changing.
A newspaper fluttered past, the date displaying July 8, 1922. The headline was all about the prohibition laws and another business being shut down for illegal alcohol sales.
Amidst the sea of greys, Ayla stood out in her slightly outdated frilly green dress, which bounced as she walked. A matching flat bonnet tied to her head covered some of her braided black hair. Her short stature made her seem almost out of place among the bustling crowd. Ayla navigated through the throngs, a few people bumping into her without paying her any mind.
"Damn pests…" she muttered under her breath. She paid little attention to the city's newness; it would change again in a few years anyway. The streets' layout and certain businesses remained familiar, constants in the ever-shifting urban landscape.
Ayla looked at the people passing her. Other beings like her, who had to conceal their true natures, occasionally moved to hide their true selves. Some enclaves served as retreats, but even among those, Ayla felt like an outsider. The laws, both human and magical, changed too often for her to care enough to keep up unless they affected her directly.
"This preposterous smell and clamorous jungle get worse every era..." Ayla thought as she walked. As she stepped out to cross the road, an obnoxiously loud horn blared, and tires screeched. She turned to see a vehicle barreling towards her, stopping mere inches from hitting her. Three men inside looked intimidating in their own way, and she felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Get out of the road, lady!" a man shouted from the back seat. Ayla squeaked and hurried across the street. The vehicle sped away, tires screeching.
Eventually, Ayla approached a small, antique-looking cafe. The open sign hung loosely on the window frame. The cafe was empty, except for the clerk, a skinny young man, maybe in his late teens. As Ayla walked in, the boy looked up and flashed her a smile.
"Welcome, how can I-" He was stopped mid-sentence as Ayla ignored him and headed to the back room. He stepped in front of her and sighed, but maintained his smile. "Sorry, ma'am, the back is off-limits."
Ayla scoffed and looked up at the boy, glaring at him. "Is a fusty, very short gentleman by the name of Luddek Nightheart present?" Her tone was passive-aggressive, but she forced a small smile.
"Uh…." The boy trailed off, scratching his cheek. He looked at Ayla as if she were the strangest person he had ever seen. She reminded him of his grandmother in some way, perhaps in the way she dressed and the way she spoke.
"Who are you calling old and short?!" A deep, rough voice boomed from the back room, and the door swung open. A man just taller than the counter walked toward Ayla. His hazel-grey eyes looked up at her, a smile forming under his long black beard. He may have been shorter than her, but his bulky frame, incongruous in a suit, commanded presence.
Luddek's large hand patted Ayla hard on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of her. Luddek laughed heartily while Ayla looked less than amused.
"It's been a while, squishy," he said, glancing at the clerk and giving him a nod before guiding Ayla through the back door. It led into a hallway with doors and storage. Further in, there was a staircase leading down.
"I'm not squishy…" Ayla responded, glancing at Luddek as they descended the stairs.
"Let's do some catching up, Sylvie," Luddek replied.
"I go by Ayla Lunacrest now, Luddek," Ayla corrected. Luddek shrugged. In his eyes, she'd always be Sylvie.
As they passed through the secret door, Ayla's eyes widened. It was not what she expected. A grand chandelier hung overhead while live jazz music filled the air. The tables had red tablecloths, and the cushions on the seats matched. The wood was polished dark oak. The bar, stocked with an array of forbidden spirits, stood as the centerpiece of this hidden haven.
"It's changed…" Ayla muttered, wanting to ask: "Why are there humans down here now?" This place used to be where she could relax without fear of humans lurking around. Now, it was infested with the same pests that ruined this land centuries ago.
"Things change. The tavern saw fewer customers, so I needed to adapt. There are not many of us here anymore," Luddek explained, leading Ayla to a secluded booth away from the main crowd; it was a VIP booth. It was rounded and had a curtain, but Luddek kept it open. Luddek scooted into the cushioned seat, and Ayla sat across from him.
"I see," Ayla said, pulling the small box with rune stones from her purse and sliding it across the table toward Luddek. "Well, don't expect me to visit often," Ayla scowled slightly, then glanced toward a human server walking by.
Luddek took the box, his brows furrowing with concern. "Hey now, don't be like that. Places like this are the only ones where you can still get alcohol." He huffed as he put a large hand over the box.
"What?" Ayla's eyes squinted, and she leaned forward with curiosity. She was mildly confused; what did he mean by that?
"No, no, these places are called speakeasies. They're secret and require a password or invitation to enter. As you probably know, alcohol is illegal in the current era," Luddek explained, his tone lowering as if sharing a secret. He wasn't surprised; Sylvie never kept up with the changing laws.
"But be cautious. Many gangs operate around these establishments, some of which they even own or manage. The major gang in this area is Giovanni's family.' Then there are smaller ones, such as the Layflowers and the Walters. They can be dangerous…" Luddek continued with a warning in a hushed tone, his eyes sweeping the area outside their little VIP booth.
Exasperated, she flopped back in her seat. "Why do humans have to make things awful?" she muttered, her frustration evident. It seemed like red tape was everywhere; you couldn't do this, and you couldn't do that.
"Hey now, my wife is human," Luddek said, his voice gruff but not unkind.
"Wife?" Ayla asked, trailing off as she looked at Luddek with narrowed eyes, her curiosity piqued. He didn't tell her he was married. The fact that he was married to a human was probably why he never told her.
"Yes, wife. She's… special. I don't have much more time myself either," Luddek said, a sigh escaping his lips, his gaze momentarily distant.
"Don't say that; you have plenty of time," Ayla said in a strained voice, tensing at the thought of losing another old friend.
"Don't get upset. Maybe you can visit my children or grandchildren," Luddek spoke warmly, a small smile curving his lips. There was no way to sugarcoat the situation; he was old.
Ayla's eyes widened in surprise. "Children? With a human?" she asked, her voice filled with shock.
"Yes, ten, in fact," Luddek explained with a very proud tone while stroking his beard. "And if you're curious, I'd be happy to introduce you." He seemed genuinely thrilled to bring her into his life.
Ayla's expression shifted, and she recoiled slightly. "Nay, grant you mercy," she stated abruptly, without even thinking about it. She was glad he was happy, but it was a lot to take in. Ten kids? He was once her adventure companion and drinking buddy, and now he was settling down like an old man…
"Sylvie." Luddek sighed, his voice firmer. "At least think about it…" He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You haven't changed at all. I forget how childish you can be." A sigh left his lips.
"I am not childish… I just don't like kids," Ayla scoffed and crossed her arms. She was awkward around children. Human children terrified her.
Luddek waved down a server to get some drinks for him and Ayla. "You are," Luddek grumbled, then whispered in the server's ear. The human server nodded a few times, then left.
"I remember when this place was a haven for drunken bar fights, bards wooing whatever had a pulse, and magic. Now it looks like a fancy noble clubhouse," Ayla said in a hushed tone, her hand waving in the air, gesturing to different areas.
"I can't even remove my glamour spell here with all these humans around." Ayla banged her head onto the table dramatically.
Luddek listened and watched Ayla fuss, a smirk forming on his lips. She was the same as he remembered.
"Stop being a baby," Luddek gruffed, then chuckled. He then glanced up at the server, who approached their table with a tray in hand. He set the drinks down and quickly left. Luddek pushed one of the drinks toward Ayla with a smug expression crossing his features.
"What is this?" She sighed, sat up, and grabbed the cup, sniffing it. Her nose scrunched up. It smelled like pure alcohol and looked like a potion gone wrong.
"Oh? Not up for the challenge?" Luddek taunted with a wide grin. He picked up a different mug and sipped it, an eyebrow raised as he watched Ayla over the rim of his mug.
Ayla glared. "Of course I am, old man!" she declared, grabbing her cup and downing the horrid, bootlegged alcohol. She felt the burn down her throat and immediately regretted downing the concoction.
"What the bloody hell is this sorry excuse for a drink? This tastes worse than pig feed mixed with sour milk, and even that might be more palatable." Ayla ranted loudly, holding back her queasiness.
Luddek chuckled, then laughed heartily at Ayla. "I couldn't resist. That's some bootleg I got a week ago," Luddek laughed, then pushed a much better drink to Ayla.
Ayla didn't look amused. "Why?!" she huffed, then drank the other drink to wash away the awful taste. This one was much sweeter, right up her alley.
"Well, it had been a while," Luddek replied simply, then sipped his drink from a tankard. "It's been decades, Sylvie. You know… today is that day. We should have extra drinks for Ryo, Max, Brad, and Jane," Luddek's voice softened, and suddenly, the booth felt too big for just the two of them.
Ayla slouched slightly, holding her cup with both hands as she looked into it. "Is it?" she whispered. Glancing at the empty seats, she could almost hear their voices, the banter, but their faces were starting to fade from her memory.
"The day we formed a crew together, huh?" she mumbled, her gaze distant as if remembering a faded dream.
Luddek nodded, lifting his tankard for a toast. Ayla hesitantly lifted her glass and sipped from it. Part of her knew that, sooner than she was ready for, it would be just her...