Kapitel 104: 103
Chapter 103
Golden First Market Plaza near Fremont Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, Year 2036, Planet: Grimoire
The blazing sun made Grifton Tinroy reconsider because he'd chosen the homeless route. Was I naive or just damned delusional that I could pull this off without getting too much attention?
One of which was wearing this odd mask. Grifton sighed as he mulled over his quandary. It made for easier breathing and altered his appearance with illusion magic. He grimaced sourly.
Though why it was necessary, he'd never been sure. At least until Lamberton gave him a few valid reasons. His appearance was too damned striking and clashed with his biological age. Grifton rolled his eyes. "What a pain in the ass that turned out to be." He shook his head in disgust. "I'll be glad when my age matches my appearance," Grifton muttered irately. He still hadn't quite reconciled his appearance with his age. For cripes sake, he was already sixteen years old!
Grifton shook his head with a sigh. It was annoying, really, because he genuinely wanted to change his circumstances into something more stable. This life of so-called freedom was the absolute pits.
*Flashback to Age 11*
At the time when they'd made some serious choices of how Grifton would gradually enter the merchant caravans, he'd been stuck. Sad but true, I only had a few options back then. It was either an academy or the streets and night school. Technically, he was too young to enter the caravan when he was eleven.
Grifton grimaced when he recalled the other reason. Not only that, but his appearance was far too noticeable. Damn, why'd I have to be born as a rare species of dragon and one that was a hybrid of something unknown besides being humanoid?
Grifton really hadn't appreciated what a complication his genetic heritage would turn into before that period. He'd changed from a slender sapling covered in pale-hued scales of lavender, pale blue, and spring green.
Ugh, I'm a freakshow and a dominant omega, which means I have to be twice as careful during certain months. Grifton wasn't pleased with that weakness. Luck had been with him.
When that stupid Director Eben leaked his personal information, he hadn't included the bit about being a dominant omega. He probably thought that was just some nonsense Madam Murray mentioned just to confuse the hell out of him and that crazy wench, Lula Cross. Grifton sighed at that lucky break.
Grifton grimaced when he thought of his other problem. However, he'd been stuck with that description as a child. He'd just darkened in his coloration, not outgrown the colorful part of his appearance. Now, he had brilliant sapphire, violet, and emerald shades of scales. Not only that, but his hair color had darkened to the point that he wasn't sure what to make of it. His eye color was striking as well.
All of that meant he'd stand out like a very sore thumb. If he ever manifested wings, that would make him even more of an odd figure. With all those problematic unique factors making him an easy-to-catch individual, Grifton and Lamberton had to resort to some artifacts that would reduce his visibility to his earlier years when he'd been much smaller.
The magical illusion ruse worked and didn't drain his mana, either. All of that contributed to his successful run of the streets. However, that didn't change the fact that Grifton began worrying that he'd never escape that lifestyle because of his too-successful career of gathering information and running errands successfully.
Right now, Grifton contemplated his dilemma. What a double-edged catch that turned into. Oh well, I knew I'd get caught sooner or later, but by the Lifter gang from Fang's Cliff? That bites because it's embarrassing to get caught by a bunch of muscle-for-brains idiots.
*End of Flashback to Age 11*
Earlier that morning, Grifton Tinroy had begun his day relatively well. That should've warned him he faced an uphill battle the rest of the day. Not only that, but he'd apparently angered someone in his local hideout. It had burned down almost with him in it.
Now, he had nowhere to sleep. "This sucks," Grifton grumbled. He hurried to the latest posting point. "Maybe I can find work to give me enough currency to buy some bread." He rarely went to those places.
Authority figures were always looking for reasons to bust the homeless population. Grifton did his best to avoid them regularly, but they reminded him that he had to find a new place to shelter for the night.
What a quandary.
He would figure that out when it came time to sleep, not before. As he checked the area out, Grifton spotted familiar faces and felt his hair bristle. Great, it was the backbone of the Lifter Thief gang. What did they want from the homeless element this time? While he would avoid them if he could, Grifton no longer had the option of doing so, not with his latest shelter having burned down so inauspiciously when he'd slept.
However, he had no choice, so he walked to the area and checked out the available notices. That's when Troy hailed him.
"Hey boy, what you doing here?" Troy taunted. "Someone destroy your shelter?"
That was Grifton's first inkling of something going horribly wrong. "Depends on how you define the word, shelter."
When Troy scowled at his response, Grifton ignored him.
"Watch your mouth, gutter rat. The authorities are cracking down." Troy snarled after him.
"Yeah, as long as I don't do anything illegal, I won't get on their radar." He merely shrugged and continued studying the posters.
"Heh, you say that now." Troy mocked him. "Wait and see. Today is the day you get hauled in for breaking a law."
"Shut up, Troy." One of the others growled.
"Tinroy, come inside." One of the storekeepers caught sight of Grifton. "I have something good for you." He waved him inside, scowling at the others who booed him for favoritism. "Favoritism, my fat ass. You all are doing nothing but ruining my good reputation by throwing stones at passersby. Go on now, get off to your routes." He shouted at them with a furious sputter.
"Hi, Mr. Carter. What is it this time?" Somehow, Grifton was cautious of whatever Mr. Carter had for him. He had severe misgivings after Troy taunted him earlier.
"I have some pouches I need you to deliver to this location." Mr. Carter showed it to Grifton on the giant map. "If you can make it there without drawing the attention of authorities, you'll also receive free lodging." He handed Grifton a small card. "Keep this on you no matter what. Even if you don't manage to deliver the pouches without a problem, you should still be able to get some lodging temporarily and a meal." He paused. "You won't be forced to listen to prayers and whatnot."
Only that last part gave Grifton the confidence to follow Mr. Carter's request—well, that and the promise of temporary lodging and a decent meal.
Grifton could deliver the part at any time. "Sure thing, Mr. Carter." He studied the big map detailing all the districts of the enormous valley and plains and then looked at Mr. Carter cautiously. "Is there anything else?"
Mr. Carter sighed. "Whoever burned down your shelter did so intentionally." He tapped on the map where Grifton had slept. "That area is under demolition orders. Rumors are abounding of old ruins several feet deep beneath the ground."
Hmph, that didn't seem realistic to Grifton. "That is dubious at best. I can generally know if something is solid or not. That area is filled with bedrock. No sounds of water leaking through any part of it that I could sense." He always checked for that type of thing. The last hazard Grifton needed was a flood happening at night from unexpected rainstorms that could occasionally hit the area unannounced. "Well, I'll get going if there's nothing else."
Mr. Carter glanced at Grifton. "If you know what's good for you, don't come back here. There are too many gangs willing to target you as some rare beastie."
Now, was he viewed as a rare beast and not even human? Well, Grifton guessed that was not surprising at all. "Hmm, all right, thanks for letting me know." He shrugged wearily.
Just knowing that he couldn't come back was frustrating, but when Mr. Carter warned someone not to return, he meant it. It was now life or death for Grifton if he remained in that area any longer. "I'm off."
"Good luck and good tidings and blessings upon you." Mr. Carter murmured. "May the ancestors of the water dragons look upon you favorably."
Grifton frowned on hearing that. He merely returned the greeting and farewell with a tradition. "So, mote it is, blessed be." He bowed to Mr. Carter and then headed through a side entrance.
Damned if he would go through the expected exit when he carried those pouches on his person. Grifton might be orphaned, but he was no fool.
*
In a dingy warehouse filled with spiderwebs and other insects, the boss of the Lifter Gang surveyed the information on a monitor that had seen better days. Jameson Brier grimaced when he looked at the target. "Are they that tired of supporting us to send me and the elites after this individual?" He shook his head in horrified disbelief.
"What's up, boss?" Troy walked over to him. "Oh, is that our new target?" He looked amused when he saw who it was. "It is that kid, huh? The thorn in our side that we can't recruit no matter the methods used?"
Jameson Brier knew that someone burning the shelter with Grifton in it wasn't the smartest thing to do. He hadn't known this would be the result of that action. "That wasn't one of our people who did that, right?" Jameson turned to stare at Troy.
"Nope," Troy shook his head. "No one from Fang's Cliff Academy wants to get on Lamberton's bad side." He frowned when thinking about the potential culprits and listed two that came to mind. "It could be from Tremont or Sader's Vocational Institute."
Hmm, possible, but Jameson doubted it. "When you go out there to check for tasks and errands being run, locate Tinroy." He knew that contrary to popular belief. Cornell Academy and Vocational Institute had a dark side to their shiny reputation.
Troy stared at him warily. "Why do you want me to go look for him?" After having been beaten up by Grifton several times, "I'd rather not get dragged into the Detention office again and serve probation." He wasn't of mind to get into another brawl with him after that happened.
Oh, right, that thing happened. Jameson blinked at Troy. "Just do what you normally would, as in run your mouth and taunt him." He smiled when Troy heaved a sigh of relief.
"That I can do. I'll round up a few others." Troy hesitated. "Will we have to chase him down later?"
When he considered the client making the request, this would be tricky. "Most likely, yes, so don't waste too much energy while taunting him." Jameson shivered uneasily. Especially the vocational Institute that did most of the unsavory business in the shadows. "This is going to be a difficult request to carry out. Take a look at it and tell me what you think should be done."
Troy looked and recoiled. "What the hell is this?" He scanned the details and shook his head. "No, I don't want to be involved in murder." Troy swallowed hard. "Eh, he's an elite from Fang's Cliff!"
Oh crap, Troy recognized him? "You can check out the particulars." Jameson abandoned his seat and allowed Troy to do his part. "I didn't really want to do this anyway, but the way it was sent made it impossible for me to reject." Now Jameson was truly anxious after seeing Troy's reaction.
Troy looked at Jameson with anxiety. "We don't want to take this request unless we've got our asses covered, boss." His shock was palpable when he immediately pulled up information on a separate monitor. "This jerk is trouble on a higher level than we can handle."
"Give me some good evidence then, Troy." Jameson Brier shook his head. "I have to see what else can be done."
Troy sighed. "You're not going to like what I show you." His shoulders slumped.
That didn't matter to him. "We're running out of time to find alternatives." Jameson shrugged. "Show me what you know to back it up then, Troy."
Together, they compared the information to the client's name requesting the task.
Troy shook his head in disbelief. "One of our alumni, but he was sent to Crow's Heights gang. What the hell is his deal in going after Tinroy?"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein