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The Collectives

Despite of their assurance that the job would be done, they had no idea where to start.

Besides Aranis, no one in the group seemed to know the region around the free town. The most obvious observation was that the town, along with many other nearby settlements were made from the ruins of a massive metropolis that needed a whole day to travel from end to end. Aranis explained to them about the city ruins, which made many elven and human architecture, yet the human part had suffered deterioration due to age and war. The buildings were in a much worse shape than the elven ones, yet some somehow endured, even after 500 years. Those buildings were then occupied by the new people as inhabitants.

While not much of the settlements around the area were shanty towns or otherwise free-towns, many of them suffered the same condition as the former. Despite of their insistence that Fa'ars could not get into their towns, the law was not very strict and, upon noticing many other Chaos races like gnolls roaming the area, decided that it was easier to pay the town guards muns to look away instead of outright asking Narati to wait outside. Karkas didn't seem to like this idea, though, as do Aranis. They thought it was inappropriate, but Jek scoffed and said, "We got far worse living conditions and you two complain about bribes?"

After leaving without getting any useful information, they wanted to find other places where there could be Agents or Collectives fighting at each other or otherwise their base. Their travel through the ravaged city ruins was very dangerous because they were travelling between buildings, which could be full of traps or even bandits waiting to raid them. Not only that, parts of the city became a wildlife, with wild creatures roaming about and posed a threat. Aranis recognized the wildlife around them were from an abandoned menagerie nearby.

They eventually found a settlement, which, like many others, had virtually no rules and Chaos Races were allowed in. Upon getting into the place, they realized that the 'settlement' was two settlements in a 50-story building that was once either an apartment or an office, based on the sign near the stairs going to the entrance. Upon entering, they were greeted by an indoor market of sorts selling junks and weapons crafted from anything they could find around them, which surprisingly worked. Narati was surprised that many of them were Fa'ars. When he asked one of them how things worked around there, he got his answer.

"Well, kid, you don't seem to go in settlements much," said one elder Fa'ar. "Not all of them were willing to turn away honest Fa'ars, so why not? Besides, we get food, drinks and shelter if we don't do harsh things like those out there."

"No one's bothering you?"

"Hmm...some aren't that comfortable around rats. Other than that, nothing's life-threatening. Store's might get ravaged and things gone, but hey, I'm not the only one, so why bother?"

"Don't you think that's suspicious?"

"Everyone's suspicious, kid. You just need to know who to trust and who not to trust."

Narati bid his farewell to the old Fa'ar, who waved him goodbye with a smile. Somehow, that word would someday save Narati. He then tried to return to Jek and Raine, but couldn't find them, except Karkas, with his characteristic scars. Upon seeing the Fa'ar, however, the croc tried to avoid eye contact. The young Fa'ar wasn't going to relent, so Karkas sighed and said, "What do you want?"

"Staying close," said Narati short. "Don't want to get lost."

"You shouldn't even be here, kid," said Karkas with a grunt. "Found your information?"

"Not much. How about you?"

Karkas stayed silent for a while. He then said, "I'm sitting here while your friends look around this place. I suggest you do the same before you get into trouble, rat."

Though reluctant to be around Karkas, he relented and sat beside the croc. Narati had known that, in his travels with Jek, Raine, and Aranis, people had many opinions regarding Fa'ars. Many considered them vermin and dangerous Chaos Race with high fertility (though relatively shorter lifespan), while others thought that they were okay, since other races also had criminals. However, this was the first time, since his first meeting with Jek, that his travelling companion had a past that caused him to hate Fa'ars.

This made it awkward, making it like his early adventures with Jek. However, unlike then, Narati felt that he had courage to start talking instead of cowering in fear. However, in Karkas's case, it might not be a good idea. In the end, he just sat beside Karkas silently, without exchanging words.

While they were sitting silently, Aranis, who finally gave up in finding any relevance to their problem, unexpectedly met Raine, who waved at her. She sighed at a familiar face, which was a relief for her.

While they were walking, Raine started a conversation.

"Found anything?" said Raine.

"Just like other settlements: nothing," replied Aranis with a sigh. "I wish I know more since I'm the oldest, but..."

Raine seemed to know what ailed Aranis. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Everyone in this place seemed reluctant to talk to me, like I'm some sort of trouble. Now that I'm thinking about it...this settlement has no elves living within these walls. There's a lot of beast races and Chaos races, but...my kind is not here. It is as if...I'm not welcome here."

"Hey, don't get that in your mind, Aranis."

"Somehow, I understand Nara's plight and suffering. Ironic, isn't it? We, the elves, were the race who deemed Chaos races as dangerous and evil at first. Somehow, the 'wisdom' of those living in my time seems to be forgotten in a ruined world. In the end, despite of our race's superiority...we are the one who lost."

"As long as you still alive and adapt, you haven't lost yet, Aranis," said Raine while embracing her.

"Thank you for the encouragement, Raine," said Aranis with a smile. "But now, we have work to do?"

"No, I don't think it's a good idea roaming about alone."

"Huh? Why's that?"

Aranis silently pointed towards a direction. When Aranis looked towards where he was pointing, she gasped.

"Soldiers wearing machineries," said Aranis. "The Agents!"

"We have been in this place long enough," said Raine. "Cover your head, Aranis."

But when Aranis tried to do that, there was a cloaked figure behind her who touched her shoulder. In reflex, Aranis turned and somehow punched the person, unexpected for everyone around who noticed that Aranis was an elf.

"Wow, that...out of character," said Raine, surprised. "Never saw your kind punching someone."

"I'm a wood elf, remember?" She then proceeded to look towards the cloak person. "Who are you? I'm trying to protect myself so mind the touch. I have strong reflex."

The cloaked figure rubbed his head. "You're the most unpredictable elf I've ever encountered," he said.

"I can be a lot more unpredictable."

"Well...," said the cloaked figure with a sigh. "It's best if we get out of those armored brutes' sight for now. You attracted unnecessary attention."

Aranis and Raine looked towards the armored soldiers and nodded to each other. The best way to get out without too much blood-shed was to follow this stranger, no matter how shady he was. They put on their cloaks and disappeared into a crowd.

Somehow, despite of being in a bleak wasteland and abandoned cities, the stranger in front of them wore a bright purple-colored cloak reminiscence of the times when cloth dye was still being used. Aranis remembered the colorful clothes city people wore while walking on the streets or in some public venues. She was silently surprised by how rare that was nowadays. Given how people wore ragged clothes with fading colors, it was not surprising that 'fashion' was a thing of the past.

They slowly walked through the crowd and reached a point behind them, but it wasn't the exit. They reached the remains of some elevators, with the elaborate decoration still intact, yet fading in color and covered in shadow and darkness. There were no other people around, which was strange. Yet, soon after, Aranis realized how it was possible.

"Perception filter magic," said Aranis while looking around. "I haven't seen this work for a while."

"We learned the craft from the other elves," said the person. "Wouldn't want those Agents to pry into our hideout, right?"

"So, it's safe to assume that you are one of the Collectives?"

"No, I'm just a mercenary. But yes, I'm one of them, if I'm wearing this cloak. I'm paid to protect them."

"You can pass the perception filter, so that's mean..."

"I'm the one erecting it," said the person. "It's not perfect, but it's enough to make others look the other way. Those non-magic Agents wouldn't be able to see past the filter. I'm a magician, by the way."

"But why us?"

The person then pulled the cloak covering his head, revealing a dark-skinned human underneath.

"You two are the closest. By coincidence, you two are also well-versed in magic. The Collectives do not employ non-magic users, in fear of spies."

"How can you be so sure? The Agents could be employing Trojans," said Aranis.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but if you mean inside agent, it's impossible. Everyone who's caught using magic were neutralized immediately."

"Well, that's reassuring."

"Enough talking. We need to get out of the market level as soon as possible. The filter won't cover us if they are close to the borders. Into the elevator, quick."

Raine was ready to go with the mercenary when Aranis stopped him. When he turned around, she said, "Stay vigilant, Raine. We are going into a den full of able mages and magic-users. Whatever happens next...you know what to do, right?"

"I know," replied Raine. "I hope you too."

"Don't worry. I have three times more experience that you humans," said Aranis with a smile.

With a reassuring smile from an elf, Raine could breathe easy. He wasn't sure before, but now, with Aranis in tow, they could have a better chance in survival.

Raine wasn't talking about his skill in fighting, but the skill in negotiation, something that he lacked for being a bounty hunter. He just hoped that Aranis could do the talking since, for a 500 years old elf, she should've a lot of experience in talking their way out of this situation.

As the elevator went up, Raine kept thinking of the rest of the group. Would they be safe? Was it wrong to follow this mercenary? Were they going to die?

All of those would soon be clear when they reached the floor of the Collectives....