"Johan! Johan!!" Akeelah shouted into the abyss that was Vorst, as she drew closer to the Ovoline she saw hordes of people running towards her. "Have any of you seen a tall man with black hair and gray eyes?"
"Ye should probably get away from ere darky, did ye not hear the explosion?!" a man in the crowd spoke.
Suddenly Akeelah felt a sharp pain in her neck. She put her hand on her alchemic mark before removing it and seeing it stained blue. 'He's nearby.' She thought, 'Should've brought a map.' She ran towards the Ovoline, and the commotion was even worse. There was ash, debris and small fires everywhere. People were stuck under the rubble, several were missing limbs, most had minor injuries, but a few were dead. People were in tears clutching their dead, comforting the injured or the traumatized. Akeelah gritted her teeth before entering the Ovoline and the scene that lay before her was chaos, on the ground lay several dead bodies and an interior in complete chaos. Before she could make a decision, she felt a sharp burning pain in her neck which caused her to buckle over and clutch her neck. The blue liquid had begun flowing like a river, oozing down her neck and hand.'The designers clearly didn't fully think this through, I'll bring this up the next time I'm in the Association.' After a few seconds she stood up and saw one of the cabinets behind the counter out of place and behind it was a wooden structure different from the surrounding walls, 'Is that a door?'
After hopping over the counter and drawing close to the cabinet her suspicions were confirmed. From the side that was displaced she pushed the cabinet until it fell, the door was easily opened contrary to her expectations. Behind the door was a stairway leading below ground, 'What the hell, why would a bar need an underground tunnel?' She thought as she descended the scenery quickly changing from the opulence of the Ovoline to monotonous stone. Eventually the stairs stopped going down and it was a tunnel with small lights along the ceiling and along the left side of the wall was a map of the tunnel. 'Finally.' She thought before taking some of the still leaking blue liquid in her hand and smearing it on the map, almost immediately the liquid evaporated, and both Akeelah's eyes and alchemic mark turned blue. The blue liquid that was running down her body also immediately evaporated, from Akeelah's perspective a blue line had appeared leading directly to Johan. She ran directly following the line, panting with each breath, tears welling in her eyes, 'Jọ̀wọ́ wà láàyè Johan!' She climbed the ladder that lay in front of her becoming exposed to the air of the street, it burnt, her lungs, her heart as if they were becoming one with the ash on the streets. She ran seemingly forever, all was dark except for the unmoving blue line, occasionally making a turn to follow the street. Eventually it stopped on a small shack, the door recently disturbed, without hesitation she violently opened the door.
"What…What happened to him?" she spoke hyperventilating as her eyes were filled with the visage.
Johan's back was red and wrinkled with pieces of his clothes fused unto his skin, his skin was peeling and some of his muscle could be seen underneath. Burnt blood and cysts adorned his back and entire body, his hair was singed, and his alchemic mark was blinking a deep red. Akeelah felt her stomach churn and she gagged, before she turned away and puked.
"Who the hell are ye lass!" Montgomery stood to his feet and positioned himself in front of Johan.
"Tell me what happened, you have three seconds."
"Ye still haven't answered my question lassy, how could you just-"
"One." She said standing up.
"How I am supposed to know that you don't have anything to do with this aye! I swear if you try to hurt this lad-"
"Two"
Montgomery looked down and saw the knife in Akeelah's hand, he sighed and continued.
"Very well lassy, I'll tell ye what happened." He sat down and told her everything, his meeting with Johan, the attempt on his life and especially the fight and the subsequent explosion. Upon hearing this Akeelah pushed Montgomery aside and placing her hands on Johan's back.
"Omo o e npe dagba,
Omo o e npe dagba,
Kekere jojolo mo gbe temi
Omo o e npe dagba." She sang her eyes closed.
"Lass, I understand yer upset, but just touching him won't do anything." Montgomery said, standing to his feet.
"I am an alchemist, be quiet I need to focus."
Montgomery sighed, "I'm going to make something to eat alright."
Akeelah simply nodded and went back to singing. 'Don't die. You won't die. Don't die. You won't die. Don't die. You won't die. Don't die. You won't-'
"Oh, lass snap out of it!" As he placed his hand on her shoulder. Akeelah eyes regained focus as she leaned backwards, her nose profusely bleeding. She clutched her chest in pain closed her eyes. 'I can't bre-'
"Calm down Akeelah, you can breathe."
She looked up and saw his messy black hair, and radiant smile, his gray eyes weak but intently focused on her.
"Hello.." she smiled deeply, her eyes reverting to their original hazel colour, "Johan."
_________________________
Akeelah bowed before Montgomery as he re-entered the room with a plate of rice and stewed chicken.
"I apologize for how rude I was. I was completely insensitive and paid no mind to the sanctity of your home."
"Hey lad" Montgomery said looking at Johan who had a baggy shirt to avoid irritating his injuries, "Is she alright?"
Johan heartily laughed, wincing a few times, before wiping tears from his eyes. "She's trying to be polite, Mr. Peniu."
Montgomery chuckled, "It's alright lass, no offense was taken, and lad call me Montgomery."
"Alright Montgomery."
"Anyway, both of ye, come to the table we have much to discuss."
Johan and Akeelah glanced at each other before following Montgomery to the dining room. The hallway itself was miniscule with a few small lanterns casting light on the worn wooden walls and dusty furniture. There were several framed black and white pictures on the walls, but Johan noticed one in particular. It was the same picture that Sigmund had shown him, however this one was undamaged, the glass was immaculate, and the wooden frame was regal. Johan stopped and looked at the picture in awe, he saw Montgomery standing next to a tall woman his arm wrapped around her waist and ring visible. The woman's dress was elegant and fitting, her face had small wrinkles which only added to her beauty, alongside her subtle regal smile. Her hair was black, styled into a large, woven ponytail that contrasted the dazzling pearls that hung off her neck.
"Beautiful." he said entranced. Without warning a younger version of himself appeared next to him and began speaking.
"You're right, she reminds me of mother."
"Don't compare them."
"Even you can admit that mother is beautiful."
"That isn't the point!" "Then what is the point? That beauty is entirely subjective, based purely on personal experience, bias and knowledge. That way you can justify this woman and Akeelah being beautiful but not mother. No, that isn't the case, you just won't admit to yourself that she is beautiful because that would ascribe humanity to mother."
"Shut up!" Johan shouted, turning towards his younger self.
"Johan, are you ok?" Akeelah asked, peering into the hallway seeing Johan facing the opposite direction from her. "Who were you talking to?"
"No one." He said walking towards her and taking a seat at the table, Akeelah sighed before joining him.
The dining room itself was scant and dilapidated, only containing a wooden table and chairs, all black with age. There were also several dusty pictures, near cracked windows that light up the room with moonlight, despite being uncredited. On the table lay three plates filled to brim with white rice, coated in a brown, syrupy gravy topped off by chicken thoroughly cooked, its juices leaking out and fresh lettuce and cucumbers. A meaty, aromatic scent filled the air with a subtle ginger scent. Akeelha looked at the plate and began salivating and actively using all her strength to not being inhaling that lay before her.
"Don't be shy lass!" Montgomery said laughing before beginning to indulge.
They all ate in silence, this was not for a lack of conversable topics, but rather they were too encapsulated in the meal. Its perfect blend of herbs and spices gave it a lovely umami taste with a subtle heat that filled every bite.
"Shall we..discuss…events?" Akeelah asked between spoonfuls of rice and chicken.
"Yes I think we should." Johan said, yawning with the plate in front of him being licked clean.
The other two diners looked at him with stunned faces before returning to their own food.
"Montgomery, why are you feeding the Imperialists information?" Johan asked.
"Because I feel as though there is a faction who is attempting to take full control of the Reversionists, and I don't think they have the best interest of the citizens in mind."
Johan put his hand on his chin and began instinctively reaching into his trenchcoat pocket for his notebook, 'Oh right my trenchcoat got destroyed. Crap! That means my notebook is gone as well!' He thought, sighing.
"Do you have any idea who this faction is Mr.Peniu?" Akeelah asked stretching her arms, before tossing an empty notebook and pencil to Johan. He caught it and smiled, which caused Akeelah to grin from ear to ear.
"I don't know their name, but recently I've been seeing more and more of these people dressed entirely in white."
Akeelah's eyes widened upon hearing this.
"They would always show up, not say a word and then as soon as meetings would end they would all disappear. It happened so frequently that I came up with a name for them-"
Akeelah leaned forward and began to shudder, her mind began to race and she balled her hands into fists.
"Geister."
"Ghosts huh. A fitting name." Johan said bearing a serious look as he wrote down the information he just received.
"You speak Reuschian lad?" Montgomery asked, amazed.
"Yes, my mother was born there and it's all she spoke until I was five years old." he replied, chuckling, as he clutched the pencil tighter.
"For how long has this been happening?" Akeelah asked
"I began paying attention to it about five months ago but if I were to give an estimate-" He stopped and began stroking his beard, "about a year now." Akeelah shuddered, 'an entire year! She was powerful enough to level an entire block of Vorst on her own and those two with her definitely weren't weak in the slightest. But I can't jump to conclusions, I still don't know if she is related to Geister. '
"Mr. Peniu, do you by chance know anything about a lady in white?"
Johan and Montgomery both looked at Akeelah with confusion.
"What's that about Akeelah?" Johan asked raising an eyebrow
"Yes lass, that is a strange question to ask. The most I've heard is this story that's been going around Vorst recently." Both Johan and Akeelah looked at Montgomery expectantly.
"It goes like this:
At some time a lady dressed completely in white appeared in Vorst, her hair was akin to gold and her voice was that of many harmonious songs. She ventured throughout Vorst with grace and poise, occasionally she stopped upon coming across someone sick, injured or destitute. She would then stretch out her hand and say the same thing without fail, "Do you wish to be free of your chains?" Many accepted her hands and many did not but they all said the same thing, "Once I looked into her eyes, it felt as though she was looking at my soul." Then as suddenly as she appeared she was gone."
"Is it possible that this lady in white exists?" Akeelah asked standing up. Montgomery looked at her and remained silent. He began to pull his beard, and fiddle with his ring before he suddenly shot to his feet.
"Are you suggesting that this lady in white has something to do with the Geister?" He exclaimed. Akeelah grimaced before looking directly at Johan, who held a confused look.
"I met her." Akeelah said.
"What?" Johan replied his confusion evident.
"I met the lady in white, she wanted to use my power for her at some point." "I-I, Johan she said that she was your mother."
Johan dropped his pencil and his eyes widened, memories of that night returned to him in a flood pain eminating from his forehead. His head sunk into his hands and barely above a mutter he spoke.
"Are you sure it was her?"
"She had your eyes Johan. When I looked at her, it-it felt as though she was looking into my soul. I was struggling to resist doing what she said or even stay fully focused." She then drew closer to Johan before continuing, "She knew all of our names, every single one of us."
"When she was talking abut me, how did she look?" Johan asked as zombified apparitions began to appear around him
Akeelah shuddered a bit and moved backwards, her muscles tensing up. "I don't know."
Johan then looked up and held a gaping smile with tears streaming down his face, hundreds of zombified figures clung to him, forming chains creating an air of malice and death. Akeelah and Montgomery threw themselves backward with Akeelah landing in a crouched position. She motioned towards her trenchcoat pocket reaching towards her knife, sweating beading down her face. 'What the hell was that?' she thought focusing intently on Johan, her body ready to act at the first sign of danger.
"I can really kill her without hesitating now!" Johan exclaimed his voice quivering, tears streaming down his face. "Montgomery thank you for your hospitality but we need to go report this too our leader, right Akeelah."
"Y-Yes, thank you for your hospitality." Akeelah said standing to her feet but still remaining vigilant.
They then turned around and left without saying a word, Montgomery took deep breaths and held his chest. 'Not yet! Breath dammit! This is for Dalia, so breath!' he thought as he calmed down. He fiddled with his ring as he stood to his feet and collected the empty plates, after placing them in the sink he walked towards the large picture Johan was admiring and placed his forehead on the woman.
"The path he's walking will destroy him, I'm sure you could've helped him, Dalia."
Johan and Akeelah walked in silence with Akeelha keeping her distance from Johan, her hand secretly gripping the knife in her pocket. Johan paid no thought to her instead, maintaining a blank face with his younger self walking next to him, the apparitions chained to him. Unbeknownst to either of them several crows were fully focused on them, tracking their every movement.