Quelaag Club

While drinking the beer Hector tried to remember what the code was for Kaspars.

Hector remembered many things from the story but not every detail. Later he will have to make a ritual to recall those memories. While he did remember that Klein as Mr. Fool could help with that, Hector wanted to keep it secret from him at all costs.

Should anyone find out about him and his knowledge? it could affect the world around him to extreme proportions. The good thing is there shouldn't be any beings that know about you if you know about them. Right? Well, at least Hector doesn't remember any such creature at this time.

'Maybe...' The more he thought about it more his mind became blurry not able to concentrate on it, 'there should be memories that I can't currently recall. But I know that I will know it later. Was it a suggestion how spectators can do at later sequences or something else altogether?'

'No matter, one step after another.' Hector then looked up at the bartender and asked, "Where can I find Kaspar?"

After the bartender looked at Hector for a few moments he spoke with a noticeably lower voice, "Second door" Then he pointed in the direction of a wooden door.

When Hector drank the last gulp of beer he stood up and walked towards the door the bartender pointed at. Once there Hector knocked on the door and entered.

Four people were sitting behind a circular table holding cards. After entering the room people inside stopped playing and all of their eyes were set on him.

"I'm looking for Kaspars," Hector said patiently looking them over.

"And what would you need from him boy?" One of the men spoke, Hector presumed that he was Kaspars and so he answered in the most polite and carefree way possible while holding eye contact, "Old Geezer introduced me."

"Pity I had a good set of cards for once," Kaspars said after he snickered and looked at the men to his right. To that, his poker buddies started to chuckle.

When Kaspars shot them stare he stood up and turned to Hector, "Come with me." Hector said nothing as he started to follow Kaspars after he left the room.

After exiting the poker room Kaspars turned to the left and entered the empty room with a table in the middle.

"So what do you require of me?" Kaspars said in a low voice.

"Revolver, holster for said revolver, and fifty bullets," Hector said afterward.

Kaspars stared him in the eyes for a moment and then he spoke at last, "4 pounds 2 soli"

For less than a moment, Hector thought of haggling about the price but then decided against it. From what he knew it was a reasonable price.

While he did plan to take possession of weapons that would be donated from his victims Hector didn't want to be unprepared for his first one.

"Deal," Hector said to Kaspars, after which he took out four one-pound notes and two soli.

Kaspars then checked each one of the notes before nodding and saying "Give me five minutes". Then he put the notes into his pocket and limped to the door.

After a short wait, Kaspars returned carrying a package wrapped in brown paper which he put on the table next to Hector.

Hector then took the package and unwrapped its contents, there he saw the silvery barrel of a revolver. The grip was made from what seemed to be a darker shade of oak.

Next to it was a laying gun holster and neatly stacked rounds of which by looks of it were indeed fifty. Hector then took down his jacket and set it on the table next to the package. Then Hector put a holster on his left side and tried to hold the revolver in his hand, firstly without the bullets and when he was satisfied he put six bullets in and holstered his new weapon.

When he was done he put his jacket back on and looked at Kaspars who was intensely looking at him.

"I heard, you know of a place where I could buy more rare objects, ones that exceed human expectations and break norms set by presumptions of normal people," Hector said keeping his voice neutral while he watched Kaspars's every movement in case he would do something stupid.

Kaspar's eyes turned cold as looked straight into Hector's. For a few moments, he was silent as the pressure in the room grew heavier from Hector realizing his spirituality.

After about a minute of Kaspar examining Hector, he spoke shattering the silence that overtook the room. 

"There is, but not today." Kaspars then stopped talking once again but continued in a few seconds, "Return in four days at noon."

"Thank you," Hector said while he stopped realizing his spirituality and courteously bowed. Then he turned around and exited the room which soon followed by him leaving Bravehearts Bar.

'I should start acting so I can digest the potion as soon as possible.' Hector thought to himself as he walked through the streets

'While I could visit some unsavory people in the middle of the night I think that going into the gun range in Quelaag Club to familiarize myself with the revolver that I bought would be a better idea at the moment.' as he decided Hector he inhaled the cold breeze into his lungs and walked towards park carriage at side of the road.

After he said to the driver where he wanted to go he rested in his seat, 'Tomorrow, I will visit Quelaag Club, and on the day after East borough to hurt and steal from some people.'

Once he arrived relatively close to his home Hector walked the rest of the way. Time walking helped him organize his thoughts about the criminal potion.

'What does it mean to be a criminal? There is no one way to act.

'Some are driven to it by circumstances for they are unable to pay rent, food, and medicine. Others simply want more than they already have, and then some simply want to see others suffer.

'Even how they go about it is very individual. Some prey on those weaker than them. Underhanded tactics or power of numbers against those that are stronger or just to be careful.

'Not to mention what is deemed to be a crime can be highly diverse depending on where you are located.

'Because of those reasons, I don't think that digesting the potion is so much about committing crimes but intentions behind them.

'The first rule should be as is with the whole Abyss pathway to follow one's desires. What difference between those sequences is that criminal desires triumph over that of society, unwinged angels triumph over one's conscience and limitations, and serial killers show them and make them real through their victims.

'In devil, they come together in qualitative change and apostle of desires cultivates them and spreads them among others.

'But back to the criminal, their desires should triumph over that of society, above the norm set by fellow people. To free oneself from constrain set by others.

'Yes, firstly follow your desires, secondly do not be constrained by the rules of society.' After thinking about the nature of the criminal Hector felt a slight change in himself as he started to digest the potion.

While there was progress he still needed to act on it. To follow his desires and free himself from society's chains, he also needs to remember that he only acts and does not fully fall to those desires but to be in control of them.

If he fails and starts to become controlled by them his humanity will quickly follow, Hector knew from the novel that humanity is extremely important on the path of beyonders.

As he returned home Hector rested in his home office while reading newspapers and drinking tea. When it was time Hector went to the dining hall to have dinner which was followed by him going to sleep early that day.

The next day morning Hector woke up well-rested and refreshed, prepared to face the challenges of the day, even thou he wasn't expecting any.

When Hector ate his breakfast he enjoyed a cup of tea with newspapers that were brought to him by Alberth.

After a few hours of leisure, Hector walked out of his home and boarded a carriage that took him to Quelaag Club.

As he entered the building Hector saw a brightly lit hall. Chandeliers washed the interior in golden light. Servants in red vests and maids wearing beautiful dresses came and went as they worked.

Hector took out his proof of membership and after showing it to the receptionist he was allowed to enter.

His father was the one who would visit the Quelaag Club more often than he, in truth Hector participated only a few times and all of those visits could be counted on one hand.

'Where to go now.' In comparison to the previous Hector Vilkar was much more eager to explore its provided options.

'Buffet, cafeteria, bar, library, squash room, conference room, and card room, then there are also 16 lounge rooms and two small conference rooms. Not to forget my main goal of coming here shooting ranges that are located underground.

'Later I could order food from the chefs.

'Yes let's start with buffet, even if I had breakfast why not indulge oneself if it's free.' After thinking for a moment Hector walked to the second floor where the buffet was located.

Once there Hector saw different kinds of pastries, sandwiches, and drinks. After selecting a few he sat down at the nerby table and started to enjoy himself.

After his fifth serving, he started to feel full but Hector didn't stop as he was wondering if he could digest the potion this way. Even if he wasn't breaking any law he was following his desires and over-indulgence could be frowned upon by so-called gentlemen.

When he was satisfied with his cravings Hector went to the bar to taste some of its vines, and a harder variety of alcohol. When he felt that he was slightly intoxicated Hector went down to the shooting range.

Once there he paid for the rental fee as he didn't want to disclose that he owns a revolver, and if someone asked he couldn't show a permit.

After standing at preset positions Hector started to fire at the target, while his slight intoxication hindered his accuracy Hector was surprised at his competence.

Of course, he knew that he gained those skills from the potion but still, he wanted to test them before being in life or death situation. Once he was satisfied, Hector left and went back home satisfied with how the day went.

The next day Hector decided to pay a visit to East borough as he felt confident about himself. While Hector wasn't fully sure from where such confidence stemmed. Either his newly acquired power from the potion, his view of the world from the eyes of a stranger, or its combination.

"No matter, it's time to break some bones," Hector said to himself as he left his home at noon. Taking carriage to East borough from few streets further in.

While sitting inside the carriage Hector would get a side-glance look from the driver. Probably wondering why he was going there at this time of the day.

Hector understood his bewilderment as the clothes that Hector was wearing while not showy were still much better than those commonly found in East borough. Truth be told Hector picked the worst ones he could find that still looked somewhat decent.

While he could take worker clothes as those could be found in his house his pride and desires were against it. As he was listening to his emotions for quick digestion of the potion he took the worse option.

Thankfully carriage driver remained professional and said nothing. When he dropped Hector at the East borough he simply drove away.

As Hector stood at the side of the road he was feeling excited at the prospect of robbing and beating someone. Those dark emotions whisper in the back of one's mind asking to indulge in blood and torment.

Looking around Hector could see people looking at him strangely, some with curiosity, others with envy, while some had darker thoughts hidden in their eyes.

Most of them were beggars, tramps, and other destitute people desperate for some money to live another day.

With excitement in his heart, Hector hurriedly walked towards the closest dark alley and looked for some prey.

'It is time to fully act as a criminal. Other criminals and gangsters should prove to be good practice targets.' Hector thought as he looked around.

Thankfully for him in the East borough, there are always more than enough gangsters to torment.

And sure enough, it didn't take long before Hector spotted what could be his first prey.

Hector heard a commotion in the next street so he went to the corner to see better and to keep himself covered.

A man in his thirties wearing stained dirty clothes and short brown hair was kicking an older person who Hector guessed to be a tramp in the stomach.

Seeing it brought forth two distinct feelings from Hector. The first one was the excitement of finding his first victim and the pleasure he got from seeing pain and fear enveloping the tramp's face.

Second was disgust at himself for feeling such emotion and rage at that man inflicting pain on someone whom Hector did not deem as wicked or evil and as such was innocent.

Paradoxical emotions were common in Vilkar's life as oftentimes he hated and loved the same things. He hated to see people inflicting pain on others without any valid reasoning but deep down for some reason he loved to see it nonetheless.

After a few breaths, Hector smiled and started to walk towards them.

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Joyce was an associate of a gang named Street Rats, he joined their preliminary ranks after emigrating from one-off colonial islands. In the past, he was a low-tier pirate but gave up on that path after he and his crew met their end at the hands of their greed getting the better of them.

His current goal was to become a full-flagged member of Street Rats, so he could start to make real money.

Best way to join any gang?

Impress your superiors. So Joyce worked hard at extorting what little money from tramps he could find. But after a year of hard work, he still wasn't promoted. Sometimes he wondered if he made the right choice of abandoning his career as being pirate.

Life in the East borough is hard and unforgiving, but Joyce even when he was a child was taller than others. Even now he towered over his peers and supposed bosses.

While he was young he could get away from trouble by bullying other kids and so in time, he developed a strong superiority complex. Might make right, that was his motto.

Once challenged he would attack with his fists and only later he would think, should he not come to the top he would retaliate with threats of violence against those who in his eyes weren't humiliated enough.

But as years passed his peers started to catch up to him. While still tallest they would ambush him with numbers at their side.

As he grew to adulthood he no longer felt as strong as before. Joyce hated to feel weak and so he responded only way he knew how to, with violence.

Often Joyce seethed with anger for all that he supposedly lost. But he could not escape reality and so all that remained for him was to bully those weaker than him.

"You think you can sleep here and not pay?!" Joyce yelled at the tramp as he started to kick him in the stomach, then he punched him in the face knocking teeth out and loosening others.

Tramp curled in a ball with tears in his eyes didn't have much strength to resist. He was exhausted from a day of hard work in the docks.

As Joyce was reliving his stress and grasping at the feeling of importance and power he suddenly heard someone speak from behind him.