The Infinite Bk. 04 Ch. 01

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Alexis Veres sat alone in the dark, warm enough not to shiver, but too cold to be comfortable. Her arms were bound in iron shackles, hurting her wrists, and the stale air of the dungeon made her nauseous. She was seated in a chair with uneven legs, at a table that had been made from the roughest wood available and would give a splinter with every touch. A heavy door, locked tight, stood at the end of the small stone room.

As uncomfortable as she was, she appreciated the quiet. It gave her time to process everything she had just seen. It was Knight's Day, and just hours ago, she had watched Noah defeat Prince Seraph in battle, then proceed to torture him until he attempted suicide. Soon after the fight ended and Noah disappeared, Alexis was arrested, and she feared Sophia had been as well.

Interrupting her thoughts, the door to the room opened, and an old dwarf entered with a lit candle. "Lady Veres, do you know who I am?"

"Sir Marcus Berholm, Royal Adjudicator," Alexis replied, trying to keep her voice steady and her fear in check.

"That is correct. When the king needs to know things, I am the one who finds them out. Right now, the king needs to know everything you know about Sir Noah. In a just world, you and I would be enjoying this day, celebrating with our fellow knights, but instead, you and Lady Rosege are locked in here, and I have the task of acquiring every truth and secret you hold. Were Sir Gradius still in charge of interrogations, the two of you would have lost your fingernails already, but I do not believe in such draconian measures."

He then reached into his robes and pulled out a small glass bottle. "This is a potion you wouldn't have learned about at the academy, as we no longer have the means to produce it. It is a truth serum. A few drops of this would have you spilling every secret you keep buried in the depths of your soul. I have been authorized to use this on you and Lady Rosege should you fail to give me what I want, and any other methods I see fit to get my answers."

The mentioning of Sophia sent a tremor of fear through her, but Alexis steadied herself. "You won't need it," she said softly, with tired eyes.

"Oh?"

"He knew this would happen. He knew that someday we would be questioned like this. He even mentioned a truth serum being used on me. He saw it all coming."

"Sir Noah, you mean?"

Alexis nodded. "He made me and Sophia swear that we would never reveal his secrets, not to anyone, but he offered an exception. He told us to sell him out if it guaranteed our freedom and safety. He said he didn't want to force us to choose between him and each other."

"So he knew that you would inevitably be questioned for the things he did. Did you know what it would be for?"

"No. Sophia and I had no idea what he planned to do to the princes and their friends. He kept us in the dark about a lot of things."

"Do you know what he did to Henryk Schtern, or the whereabouts of Mark Saveat?"

"He looked me dead in the eye and told me he had nothing to do with them. I guess I was a fool to believe him."

"I want you to start at the beginning. Tell me how you two met."

"We met last year on a ship heading down the Paleon Channel from a town named Took. At the time, I was tracking a pack of ogres that had ransacked my family's territory. The ogres attacked us, and we ended up fighting side-by-side. His skill was incredible. It took everything I had just to keep up with him. We ended up exterminating the whole pack together, then separated after that. He continued on his way to Colbrand, and I had to return home.

We met again several days later, enrolling into the academy." She gave a dry chuckle. "We became friends out of mutual respect for each other on the battlefield, and because neither of us had anyone else to talk to. We were stuck together like that for the whole year."

"What did he tell you about himself?"

"Very little, unfortunately. He was quiet; we both were. The things he initially told me about his life, I later found out were all lies. He claimed to be the son of a mighty adventurer and told me what it was like growing up, about his family, but none of it was true."

"But you knew that for a while, didn't you?"

"I had my suspicions. I could tell that there was something strange about Noah. I sensed there was so much he wasn't telling me. Even now, I'm still trying to figure out the truth from the lies."

"I understand there were some incidents involving him at the academy. I've heard them retold from others, and now I want to hear you explain it."

"It started when he sparred with Lady Zodiac on the first day. I wasn't there to see it, but everyone who witnessed it spoke of him like a god. Not to be outdone, Prince Seraph attacked Lady Zodiac, but failed to match her as Noah did. When dueling was introduced, Seraph immediately challenged Noah, and he refused, treating the whole thing as a children's game that he could just ignore.

There was bad blood between me and Seraph, so I took Noah's place. Seraph almost killed me, but lost on a technicality and was forbidden from challenging Noah again. Prince Galvin then pitted Henryk and Mark against him, and they didn't stand a chance. When Galvin challenged Noah, Noah demanded they wager Sophia."

"She was Prince Galvin's betrothed at the time, correct?"

"Yes, and he loved to torment her. He used her as a slave, made her watch as he violated women, and hit her when she spoke out of turn. I was looking for a way to break the engagement and save her from him. Noah beat me to it and ended up pulverizing Galvin." She spoke the words while staring off into the distance with a slight smirk on her lips, only for it to disappear. "Then... he and Sophia spent the night together. We all heard them. At the very least, he succeeded in breaking Galvin's hold over her."

"I recall rumors of him taking part in some strange performance at the Knight's Sheath."

"Apparently, many cadets wanted some bedroom advice, so he gave it to them, and then some. The first part was actually a very informative lecture on the human body. I was there to see it and came away knowing more about myself than I thought possible. I decided not to stick around for the live demonstration.

Everything was peaceful for a while, then out of the blue, Henryk was struck with paralysis, and I heard rumors about Mark acting strange. Then, one day, I learned about Noah's... performance... with Duchess Herald. Noah revealed that the Knight's Sheath had been destroyed and that Galvin was the culprit. His stint with the duchess was an act of vengeance to humiliate them both.

After finding out about his mother, Galvin tried to kill Noah, and chased him into the slums. He claimed he abandoned him there, and Galvin was attacked by vagrants, but deep down, I knew Noah had done something horrible to him. I suspected then that he had a hand to play in the fates of Henryk and Mark. I thought that was the end of it. I thought the worst was behind us. But, today, I noticed Noah and Seraph were missing, and I figured out what was going on."

"You were a witness to his fight with Prince Seraph. You heard the things he said. According to Tarnas and others, he referred to himself as a 'spirit' that had lived for thousands of years. What can you tell me that?"

Alexis gave a bitter laugh. "Believe him. Noah constantly lies, but the words he spoke then are words you can believe. After defeating Galvin in the duel, Noah revealed to me that he was older than he appeared, much, much older, and right before we were knighted, he let me and Sophia in on the details.

He wasn't born in our world; he simply arrived here. The young man you see is merely the form he takes. He sheds bodies the way a snake sheds its skin, and even if you kill him, he immediately gains a new body somewhere else. He is an ancient being, possessing knowledge and tools from other worlds, and told me straight to my face that he was alive long before I was born, and would be alive long after I died."

"And now he has defected with one of our best knights. Do you know where they are going?"

"He told me that they were going after Sir Valon Zodiac, to try and break Noah's curse, but he didn't tell me where exactly they were headed."

"But should he ever return, I need to know if he is a threat to this country."

"Noah is neither friend nor enemy, because he simply doesn't care, and if you act foolishly... pray he decides to kill you quickly."

"You act like he is above blame and consequence."

"And you act like he is a normal person. I made that mistake; we all did."

"You claim he doesn't care, but he performed unspeakable crimes because his favorite brothel was burned down."

"He told me he didn't care about the brothel, just about the notes and research the proprietress owned. He came to Colbrand looking for answers about his existence, and Seraph and the others took that away from him. I don't agree with what he did, but the fact remains that he warned them repeatedly not to antagonize him, and they stepped on the dragon's tail."

"Is that the stance you are taking?"

"My stance is that I did not aid Noah in his crimes, nor did I know about them. Right now, I wish I could give him a black eye for putting me in this situation."

"You claim that you and Lady Rosege had no knowledge or participation in Noah's actions, but the fact remains that Princes Seraph and Galvin, who you admit to having unfavorable relationships with, suffered at his hand. You even admit that he annulled Prince Galvin's arranged marriage, something that you yourself wished to do. Prince Seraph almost killed you in a duel, and Noah has now done the same thing to him. The argument could be made that his actions were for your benefit, and possibly at your behest."

"I never wanted him to do something so horrible! I tried to stop Noah from torturing Seraph!"

"Or you made it look like you wanted to stop him, so you would appear innocent. Since your guilt in colluding with the fugitive known as Noah cannot yet be proven, you and Lady Rosege will not be executed as confederates to his crimes against the country.

However, we cannot prove your innocence either, so until he is found, the kingdom cannot risk you two running off and joining him. Therefore, your positions in the knighthood are suspended until further notice, and the two of you shall remain under lock and key until Noah is captured and can collaborate your innocence."

His words sent terror through Alexis, making her sick. She and Sophia would be imprisoned until Noah was caught? That could take years, if it was even possible for them to find him. Their families might kick up a fuss, but that would only be if they found out. How long would the two of them be forced to remain in the dungeon?

There was a knock at the door, and Berholm got up to answer. Alexis saw a soldier standing on the other side of the door, and he whispered something to the dwarf, who then turned to Alexis. "Come with me," he said, brandishing a key and using it to unlock her shackles.

She followed him through the dank corridors and up the stairs, out of the dungeon. There, waiting at the entrance, was Sophia, and the last person she expected. "Ah, Alexis, darling, it's good to see you," said Madam Cyrilo, standing with Daniel beside her.

It was the middle of the afternoon, granting her enough vitality to leave the Knight's Sheath. She did so in an extravagant dress, a hat decorated with a colorful plume of feathers, and an abundance of jewelry.

"Madam Cyrilo? What are you doing here?" Alexis asked.

"That's what I'd like to know, too," said Berholm.

"Oh Marcus, don't get sour. The king is aware that Prince Galvin was responsible for the original Knight's Sheath burning down, and as such, he owes me a favor, a favor which I am calling in. Rather than sitting in the dungeon, you and Sophia will come work for me."

Alexis felt her stomach twist into knots, with the icy blade of dread slipping between her ribs. Though Sophia had learned to conceal her misery and terror when she was Galvin's betrothed, she clearly felt the same. They were going to be working at the Knight's Sheath? A brothel? If she had to choose between selling her body to strange men or waiting in the dungeon, she knew which choice she would take.

"Madam Cyrilo, I truly appreciate your concern, but—"

"And the king has agreed to this?" Berholm asked.

"Yes, as long as I'm responsible for making sure the two of them don't leave the city. I think you'll find everything in order," Cyrilo replied, handing Berholm a contract signed by her and the king.

"Very well then. I'll leave the two of them in your care. Enjoy the rest of Knight's Day."

Berholm walked away, but Alexis's tension didn't ease. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Now, now, dear, don't give me that pained look," said Cyrilo. "Believe it or not, I'm here at Noah's directive."

Her announcement shook Alexis and Sophia from their silent stupor. "What do you mean?" Sophia asked.

"He had a feeling that you two would get in trouble due to your friendship with him, so he asked me to intercede and provide sanctuary. And, though you will be employed at the Knight's Sheath, know that you won't be spending any time on your back. He was very insistent on that.

Our resident healer, Rita, ended up finding a... well, I won't say 'husband.' Rather, she's working privately for a certain noble. Since she's gone, Sophia, you'll be in charge of tending to any injuries suffered on the premises. Noah lauded your magical abilities and thirst for knowledge, so you'll also be serving as my assistant in magic research and experimentation."

"I tried to fill that role, but unfortunately, I'm really only qualified to be a test subject," said Daniel with a sigh.

"Alexis, you'll be helping Lucius, my right-hand man. As well as working the bar, he's also in charge of keeping the girls safe, throwing out belligerent customers, and running certain errands for me. You'll help pick up the slack. In exchange, you'll receive room and board, a stipend for all your hard work, and protection from the kingdom. Now then, come along. There is work to be done."

Though hesitant, they followed Cyrilo and Daniel into the city, where the Knight's Day celebration was still going strong. However, a key aspect was missing from the merriment: the knights. They were all busy trying to track down Noah and Valia, but they had to do so quietly, to keep the public from getting alarmed. Eventually, everyone would discover what happened to Prince Seraph, but after last year's chaos, this holiday needed to run smoothly.

When the four arrived at the Knight's Sheath, they found it packed full of drinkers, both familiar and foreign. Courtesans were moving through the crowds in lewd and exotic outfits, serving drinks to the legions of customers. The noise of over a hundred men drinking, talking, arguing, and playing cards, combined with aromas of gonlief smoke and various perfumes, left Alexis and Sophia overwhelmed. They were going to be working here?

"Both of you come with me. You don't exactly fit in with the clothes you're wearing." Cyrilo led them away from the fuss to a changing room behind the stage, filled with beautiful dresses fit for nobles, and scanty outfits that left little to the imagination. "Let's see what we have in your size..."

While hesitant to change their clothes in this new place, Alexis and Sophia swallowed their anxiety and put on the outfits they were given. Sophia wore a sleeveless yellow dress that put her cleavage on display, while Alexis changed into a tight-fitting leather vest that exposed her stomach with a diagonally-cut skirt.

"Well now, don't you two look lovely?" Cyrilo beamed.

The girls, however, were less enthusiastic, with Alexis covering her stomach and Sophia covering her chest. "I don't know if I can go out there. What if my family finds out about this?" Sophia yelped.

"I trained to be a knight, a warrior for justice. Is this really my only option?" Alexis asked, crestfallen.

"Oh, relax; you two will just be serving drinks and learning the basics. I gave Noah my word I'd keep you safe. Alexis, you'll be behind the bar. Just listen to Lucius, and you'll do fine. Sophia, you're with me. As the proprietress of this establishment, there are certain clients that I have to greet. You'll be my shadow, so pay close attention. If I tell you to do something, move fast."

Alexis and Sophia looked at each other with uncertainty, then reluctantly split up. Sophia followed Cyrilo as she went around meeting with nobles, while Alexis joined Lucius at the bar.

"You're Alexis, right?"

"That's right, we met before. You're Lucius?"

"Correct. I'm sorry we can't get you started on a slower day, but we need all the help we can get right now."

Alexis worked hard, mainly pouring drinks and cleaning mugs, with Lucius guiding her through other tasks. It wasn't long before there was a disturbance at one of the tables. A man was demanding to be "serviced" where he was sitting and complaining about his empty mug, despite being out of money. When he grabbed a girl and started yelling, Lucius turned to Alexis.

"Time to see what you can do."

"What should I do exactly?"

"Tell him to get out, and if he doesn't listen, feel free to rough him up a bit. Just keep in mind to leave him in walking condition; otherwise, you'll have to drag him outside. Also, try not to cause a mess or break any furniture."

Alexis moved through the crowd to the bearded drunkard, still throwing his temper tantrum. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"I'm not leaving, especially because some bitch asked! Now pour me a drink before I decide to ruin that pretty face of yours!"

Alexis looked at the table, seeing a bowl of lemons. 'Noah,' she thought to herself while rolling her eyes. "Last chance. Get out while you're still able to move."

"You got a mouth on you, girl. How about putting it to good use? And show me a little more skin."

He reached towards her chest, only for the privilege of his fingers to be revoked. Alexis seized his grubby hand, broke the digits, and then jammed a lemon into the man's mouth to keep him from screaming. She twisted his arm and slammed his head on the table, then took a half-eaten lemon and squirted its juice in his eyes, raising his agony to the next level. Keeping his arm bent, she forced him to his feet and roughly escorted him to the exit. After dislocating his shoulder, she kicked him into the street. As he clumsily scurried off, she took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

'Huh, maybe this job isn't so bad after all.'

Things calmed down once Daniel started his evening performance. As soon as he began playing, everyone became hypnotized. Mana was radiating from his guitar, entering their minds like a sweet drug. Alexis, who had been silently lamenting her hunger, meant to get something to eat during the concert, but found herself stuck in place like everyone else, losing track of time. Sitting at the bar with Cyrilo, Sophia was in the same state.

The music he played was so different from what they were used to hearing, both the rhythms and the lyrics. Outside of religious hymns and tales of great warriors and battles sung by bards, music was next to nonexistent. What there was had none of the life and energy coming from Daniel's guitar. Most lyrics went over the listeners' heads, but the music was incredible nonetheless.

"Madam Cyrilo, did he learn these songs from Noah?" Alexis asked.

"No, but the two of them came from the same place."

"You mean Daniel is a reincarnator too?"

Cyrilo turned back to Alexis, amused. "I see, so Noah told you his secret. Yes, Daniel is here from another world. I swear, those two boys are gifts from the gods."