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[The Nightmare Cometh - The Scales Part Twelve]
Part Eleven - The Master Forger - was written by C'kayah and can be found here.
It was a quiet afternoon down market. At Madam Momodi's request, Aya had worked the morning shift. Early visitors were mostly looking for a hearty breakfast and a cup of coffee. It was a less rowdy shift than the evening; the patrons were distracted by thoughts of the busy day ahead, less moment for worrying themselves about the staff's accent.Â
Besides, it bought her a free afternoon, and she used it to visit her favorite spot in Ul'dah: the bustling marketplace. She was glancing down, admiring the rings adorning her fingers. She'd purchased another just a few minutes earlier, and it filled her with a warm glow of satisfaction. Her admiration was interrupted by a mellow buzzing in her ear. A link pearl? She thought she recognized the voice, but cupped her hand over her ear to make sure, "Enju?" she asked.
There was a pause before the voice of Kiht's associated resumed, "Well, it'll do..." he sounded disappointed, "I assume Kiht's already informed the pearl of Verad's disappearance..." there was more, but Aya didn't hear it. She stopped mid-stride, the baggage born Roegadyn behind her nearly toppling her over. She didn't hear his curses either as he pushed his way around her.
It couldn't be. The last she knew Verad was bed-ridden. Kiht had just invited her over to visit him, since he was stuck at home and unable to be about his daily business. Kiht would have told her if anything had happened, right? Right? "Informed the pearl..." maybe that was it. Aya was far from religious in keeping hers handy. Perhaps Kiht had tried to tell her - the Keeper seemed to have her hands all too full at the moment.
Then again, maybe she had just misheard. She tried to summon her voice, offering a faint stammer, "... Verad's what?" she managed to ask.
"He's missing." came Enju's almost immediate reply. "And from the looks of it, certainly not beacuse of legality."
She was suddenly aware that she stood in the middle of the busy boulevard. She glanced around bashfully, made a few quick apologies, and stepped aside. She braced herself against a wall. She closed her eyes, her voice soft though she struggled to keep it firm and steady, "Kiht told you this?" She had to make sure, just one more time.
"She has, yes."
"For how long?" she asked. Could he have just been misplaced?
"I've been informed three suns ago. At least that long."
She closed her eyes, and rest her head against the wall. She once more saw Verad's silent, scream of terror.  She was reliving the moment again, and again as Enju continued.
"I have questioned Ser Crofte about it..."
Crofte and Kiht, no doubt the Keeper would soon have Osric on the case as well. She could once more hear their distant cries growing faint. Verad transfixed in terror, held aloft as a sacrifice to the Dravanian Horde. It was her nightmare: she was living it. There could be no doubt.
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