An old acquaintance

Standing on top of the slope, Hex looked towards the lower district.

The lower district stretched from the foot of the hill to the plaza, encompassing the slums on the slope. 

Hex jumped down the hill and walked through deserted alleys, taking shortcuts wherever possible.

Unlike the plaza and the upper district, where moonstones illuminated every path and plain, the slope was covered in darkness during the night. This didn't bother Hex.

Having lived six years in this part of the town, he was familiar with every nook and cranny. He even preferred the darkness, as he was avoiding people from his past, who might be able to recognize him. 

'If I didn't have to meet Gorge's parents all this would have been easier. A simple flick of one of the potions inside the box and no one would recognize me, even if I sat in their laps,' Hex couldn't help but think wryly about the trouble he had to go through.

Applying the potion, just to wash it away, felt like a waste. And it would be even weirder for the old couple if a stranger showed up and said, "Don't worry. Your son is with us. He is safe."

'Those oldies might die in shock and fear,' Hex chuckled, visualizing the scene in his head. 

As Hex walked through the alleys, he tried to listen to the conversations happening in the houses. But the more he did that, the more he started to sense something amiss. 

'Why is everyone so subdued? This is the time when the slums should have been the liveliest.' 

It wasn't that there weren't people around. But the people were barely talking. He had never experienced such silence in the slums. Especially not around this time of the day.

The people of the slums worked in fields and the mountains. They returned just after the sun had set. Around this time he usually expected the houses to be filled with laughter, curses, shouts, moans, cries, and more. But apart from the occasional whispers, he didn't hear anything.

'Something is very mis. I need to hurry.' Hex felt a cold shiver go through his spine as he continued to walk. Even the air felt colder and eerier. 

After a while, he saw the house he used to live in. It looked even more ramshackle than before. The door was gone and the roof had caved in. 

'How did this happen? Shouldn't someone else have occupied it after I left?' The slums were never empty. People would take whatever there was to take, even an empty hut. 

Hex entered his old home and looked around. Only the wall it shared with Gorge's home stood upright and crack-free. 

Feeling nostalgic, Hex moved closer to the wall and stood beside it. But just as he was about to exit the house, he heard muffled sounds coming from the other side of the wall. 

He put his ear closer to the wall to hear more clearly. 

"Uncle…Aunt…don't lose hope. Gorge will return. You just need to put your faith in the Divine Lord."

'What the fuck?!' Hex nearly ran through the wall to grab whoever was on the other side. It required great willpower from him to remain still. 

'The Divine Lord? Isn't that the entity the Dawnbringers believe in?' Hex felt his heart rate increase.

'It seems that they have already started proselytizing in the slums. But what does he mean that Gorge will return if they believe in the Divine Lord? Is he trying to take advantage of their worries?' 

Hex thought about these things instantly when he heard the person preach to the old couple. But he didn't stop listening. 

"W-we need more time," Hex heard Gorge's father say. The man's voice sounded as if he had almost given up on hope. 

'He is close to agreeing to the man,' Hex sighed. He didn't have parents but he could understand how the old man felt with his only son gone missing. 

"I know it's hard to have faith in a lord you haven't heard of but believe me, He is more magnanimous than the Heavens ever were," the other person sounded compassionate. His voice held hope and promise of having one wish fulfilled. 

"Let's do this uncle. After four days, just before the second round of the tournament starts, we will have a sermon. Come and you will see the miracles my Lord has performed. You will see how others have found their lost loved ones."

Hex clenched his fists, trying to remain calm. He hated when people took advantage of others' plight. How he wished he could grab the man and beat the shit out of him. But he had to hold back. 

'This guy should be a small fry. The sermon is where I will find real clues.' Hex didn't want to risk alerting the Dawnbringers. 

The person inside exchanged a few words more, assuring the old couple of their son's safe return, and then exited the house. 

Through the gaps in the wall, Hex peeped to get a look at the stranger. 

It was a middle-aged man with brown hair with gray streaks in it. His eyes were small and beady. The clothes he wore were not too expensive - it would scare off the people from the slums - and not too cheap - it would come over as unreliable - they were the right fit for someone trustworthy and wise. 

Seeing the man walk away, Hex became indecisive. He heard the soft sobs coming from Gorge's home but he knew it was his best chance to gather more information. 

Just as the man turned around the corner, Hex made his mind up. 

'Sorry uncle and aunty,' he apologized in his heart and exited his old house. It pained him to let the old couple continue their suffering but it was the right call. At least he hoped he made the right call.

Silently, he scaled the thin wall of a house and ran atop the roofs. He could see the man's silhouette. Maintaining a safe distance, he followed him. 

Once again, the darkness of the night helped cover his track. Plus Hex made sure to crouch as much as he could while running. 

Now and then the man stopped to talk with other inhabitants of the slums. Whenever this happened, Hex tried to get as close so he could overhear the content. 

After a while, he started to spot a pattern. Each stop was at a home where someone had died or had gone missing for a while. And if Hex remembered correctly, all the people so far either helped a team of Crevice Hunters or were Hunters themselves. 

Noticing this, Hex was convinced they were targeting people who were drowning in sorrow and pain. Hex had to grit his teeth, just so he could maintain reason. 

'I promise I will beat the shit of these guys. They are using their loved ones as bait to lure them.'

Hex didn't stop following the man. It took time and patience but Hex was determined to see where the man was going. Who knew, what if he didn't have to wait for the sermon and get a lead tonight?

After a few hours of trailing, the man finally reached the end of the slums. He stopped in the alley leading up to the plaza. A person stood in the dark corner, waiting for him.

Hex stopped some distance away, far enough so he wouldn't be spotted but close enough so he could listen.

"Tell the Lord's Tongue that we can expect more pitiful souls willing to accept our Lord's grace. He needs to prepare well for the sermon." 

The person in the corner nodded, walking out of the corner. The faint light from the plaza illuminated his face. It was someone Hex knew well. Or rather, had known well.

'Sloan?!'