The Era of Trust

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Chapter 2

The pub was quiet and shaded. The feeling of home lighting up the silent air. It was somewhere to sit, curled up and watching the bursting life of the ocean as its waves crashed against the still and unmoving cliff walls. Daring it to fall into the waters cold embrace… But as the sun fell to its own watery grave, the ocean rested in the eerie silence.

Meanwhile, the pub lit up with life as darkness fell, chasing the blaze of the lost sun. The ebon bodied demons that prowled the night, slipped into the luring soft lights of the pub and towards the teasing laughs of the Elven and Fae.

Taery leaned back and looked to the calm waves of the ocean, whispering softer lures to the cliffs, than it did during the day. In the window, he could see the reflections of the people behind him in their various forms. He could see the threatening glare of the dark elf as she gazed predatorily upon the old dwarf who seemed to think he could sneak the glass of beer past her. He could see the way another man struggled to hide his wolfish smile and the way his companion equally struggled to hide her increasing hunger. Her fangs beginning to elongate- while she and her partner both remained focused on the moss-man who sliced his finger in attempt to clean up broken glass. Taery could hear the screams and grunts filling the pub as a fight broke out almost out of his line of sight, wrapping around the island bar. The only confirmations to the fight being the shouting and grunts as blows were dealt- that and the Harpy struggling to claw her way out, just barely making his line of sight before she too was dragged back into the fight. Claw marks scarring the wood to attest to her resistance.

Snatching his attention, he jerked his head in the direction of the reflected movement in the window. A barista discreetly tapping on the manager's door. Taery inwardly braced himself for the roar of the draconic manager, all too well renowned to the regulars of the bar- in fact, Taery imagined many of the new faces he saw tonight were visitors to confirm that very rumour. But instead of the reptilian eyes he had been so well accustomed to watching emerge from the smoky shadows behind the manager door… He rested his eyes on the settling fog drifting swiftly across the floor, like a living entity of its own. Watching as his breath froze in the air before him.

A woman with pale skin, black eyes and long black hair blending with her silver and deep blue gown glided into the room from the manager’s office. A new manager already? He thought to himself, turning his gaze from the glass to look at her.

Her beady stare swept the room as she moved across. Her legs shrouded in the fog… if there were legs at all. Suddenly realizing what she was, he swiftly got away from the glass window, stood on a dividing wooden wall by the front doors and closed his eyes. Moments later an ear-splitting scream filled the pub, shattering every glass, every window and causing instant silence. A banshee... He reminded himself, carefully moving back into the pub just to watch her dress sweep out of sight and the door slam.

Grumbling as if she were used to it, the dark elf flicked a finger to each window and began to do the same to the tables. As she did, shards of glass began to lift and repair themselves, falling back into place in their panes, unharmed. Similarly, the glasses and mugs also repaired themselves and seemed to re-fill.

“On the house.” She growled quietly. But in the silence, her message carried through the air just fine.

Those who were unharmed gave a hearty drink in response. The remainder, however, gently carried the injured from the pub. The injured, he noted, were bleeding from the eyes and ears but overall- were alright. At least they aren’t dead. He silently admitted to himself. After all, it could have been so much worse. From a Banshee, that was merely a lighthearted warning.

Taking a seat again, the Harpies reflection appeared in the window. She looked completely unharmed, cheerful even as she slipped a black dagger into her belt and sighed, glancing at the door. Her mood only seemed to change when she saw one of the injured men being escorted from the building. Glaring at him, she bitterly turned to the counter and ordered a martini. Her fingers twitching to stay on the counter, away from her dagger. Her body shifting from foot to foot in restless agitation…

Finding her anger in place of concern suspicious, he almost rose to snoop around but instead of turning back to a bar, he found himself staring at an old man.

He seemed to be in his hundreds, easily, if he were human… In this world, it was hard to tell even that. The old man nodded to the Harpy, holding the young man’s gaze and muttered; “Don’t cha be botherin’ yourself with her, that’s a Nobody.”

“I’m sorry?” The man inquired, looking back at the Harpy.

“A Nobody. No-Face, No-Names… Nobody. Never heard of ‘em? You stay far away from those, you do.” The old man said, and seeing the man’s blank expression, he offered a rotted tooth smile and whispered, “Names Aeribus.”

“I see… Auris...bus...”

“Aeribus.”

“Right, right. Erm…anyway, no. I have not heard of a nobody, except that of which is referenced to a… lack of status.” He said, trying to be polite.

Was this old fool trying to make acquaintance by insulting a harpy? Scared out of having anymore thoughts against the man, he shifted slightly and decided to inquire on the subject, hoping the glare he was receiving was happenstance of something else and not because Aeribus could hear his thoughts.

“Err… but... what is a Nobody, Aeribus?”

Almost as if he were contented with the man saying his name properly, Aeribus went on. “A Nobody was a creature in a collective. Them individuals would go huntin' their own species, so 'ver time they adapted the Alias’ Nobodies, No-Faces, and No-Names because there was no way no plain eye could go out to identify one. You couldn’t poison 'em like you would a rat. They spanned across all species and hunted anyone, they would. Thas whut them nobodies was.”

“I’m sorry, but… was, Sir?” Taery asked.

To which, Aeribus snapped a glare at him, as if silently lecturing him for the interruption. Only after Taery looked down, submitting to listen, did Aeribus continue.

“Primarily them Nobodies hunt those with big ol bounties on their heads…" Aeribus paused thoughtfully before continuing, his voice shifting to the soft lure of a father telling a story. His slur vanishing as he spoke. "The Nobodies had once worked for the people… so there was no telling when or who had a bounty on their head, because anyone could be submitted by ominous request. Then, your life could rest at the judgement of the Nobodies. This was of course… almost a hundred years ago. Foolish they refuse our young the information you so vitally need.” He paused again and took Taery’s beer, only to drink from it, as if it were his and continue. Leaving Taery to stare incredulously at the action and bite his tongue, turning away from the curt encounter.

“You see, a hundred years ago, one of our governing spies decided to pretend to join the Nobodies Forces and he broke them apart from the inside, shattering trust and murdering hundreds. No one knew how there were already so many and no one knew why they were removed. The people loved the Nobodies... But then again, nobody knows much about the Nobodies.” He whispered, taking another swig of the beer.

“At least, that’s what they think.” He said, turning to the ocean waves as sign that he was done, for the moment.

“What do you think?” Taery inquired again.

“It’s a scandal! A cover up!” Aeribus boomed, before leaning closer to Taery in a low whisper. “Take away the people’s only defense, you take away their voice. Take away their voice and you have control.” He hissed.

“But they’re wrong, and so long as they seek control, they always will be. Rumor has it, that ever since the breach of trust had occurred, a hundred years ago, Nobodies stopped taking applicants, they did. They started breeding amongst themselves to survive. It’s a terrifying thought, it is. Them hybrids among us. They’d be able to take on the attributes of two species at once. They could hunt in two species at a time, they could.”

“But those are just rumors…” Aeribus leaned back and flashed another rotted tooth smile and took another swig of his beer. “Word has it, that’s why our world is in the decay it is now. Ever since the war, humans have been all but extinct. The remainders play as experiments, forever to live a half-life.” Aeribus recited, proceeding to mutter, “Whatever that means.”

“Now, we live in the Era of Trust. Only trouble is, there is no trust. Not now, not among the people. But some still hopefully whisper that the Nobodies still live, them No-Faces. They’ll seek their vengeance and ours.” Aeribus eagerly whispered, finishing off Taery’s beer.

“Do you believe they live?” Taery asked.

“You’d be a fool not to! Listen to me, boy. Be quiet, the rumors you spread. Today, even the shadows watch.” Aeribus said sternly before rising. As he did, Taery could have sworn he saw a shadow begin to climb the wall, but he shook it off as having too much to drink. Although, as he eyed the empty bottle, he tried to ignore his inner reason, that he had in fact, not been drinking.

“Even so… you don’t. Why?” Taery asked, eyeing the old man. To this, Aeribus’ age-worn face lit up with the laughter of a child.

“I stopped living hundreds of years ago. Death is no threat, but rather… a long-awaited and welcome friend.” Despite Aeribus’ endearing and cheerful tone- Taery tried not to shiver at the sincerity in the man’s words, staring at the empty bottle, Taery whispered. “But, Aeribus… you said they were unrecognizable. You can’t identify a nobody… But you could. How did you know she was a…? Aeribus?”

Looking up, Taery found himself sitting in an empty pub. No one but the Dark Elf irritably cleaning the bar and putting up bottles. Shooting to his feet, he rushed over to the bar and looked around, to be sure the place was empty.

“Excuse me, erm… Rebecca? Is that your public name or your Elven?” He asked, hoping to flash a charming smile at her as his eyes flicked away from her nametag on her left breast.

“My Elven name is of no use to you.” She snarled, offended he’d asked her true name. Then, shrugging it off as best she could, she proceeded with the state-of-the-art smile she forced for all the customers, along with a hearty “Sorry, long night. What can I do you for?”

Looking apologetic, he looked at the counter, hoping for the right way to ask, instead of further irritating the Dark Elf. “Uh… Have… have you seen an old man, with… with rotted teeth?” He asked, looking back up.

“Plenty. Which one do you mean?”

“Err… His… his name was… Aeribus! I think? Aeribus?”

“Never heard of the man.” She said, looking at him almost as if she were gazing at a hospital patient. Then glancing at the clock and back at Taery, she turned away from him. “It’s time for my morning break. Hope you find your dad.” She muttered, walking away.

“D-Dad? He isn’t my…” He sighed, finding himself, yet again talking to no one. Walking out into the blinding sunlight, he groaned. How had so much time passed so suddenly? Was that old man even there? And what about the Nobodies?

Leaving the pub grounds entirely, Taery made his way down the eerily quiet mountain. Despite the lures and sounds the pub makes at night- it was deadly silent during the day and there were no nearby stores, homes, dirt paths, roads, no stalls, or stables, not even a cardboard clubhouse to warrant any sound. In fact, as he eyed the wood he tramped through… there wasn't even a strange face from the pub last night to peer through the branches. Not a single soul on the mountain but himself and Rebecca, whom he almost hoped was still somewhere in the pub behind him- to ease the nervousness suddenly knotting in his stomach.

Never had he been so aware of the shadows between the trees… He could hide his secret from living entities, but the spiritual realm? Was a shadow even a part of the spiritual realm, or was it just a reflection of the living? Is it a part of the living? He never had to think about that until now. Breaching a clearing in the forest, he paused and looked to the sky, relishing in the open field of sunlight and trying to draw his mind away from the recent events of the previous night.

The summer solstice would be held in a single day. The festival to celebrate the final hours of lengthened sunlight before the earth's shift and it represented the final hours of extended safety for prey. He could remember when humans celebrated harvest about this time of year. Signaled by the blood moon, normally. They celebrated a night to dress as monsters and they proceeded to a holiday that feasted on the harvests of the year.

No such joys came for the end of the year here. If there were humans left… Aeribus said there were… Aeribus may not even be real. Taery reminded himself. But if there were humans left- They'd likely keep their harvest quiet and return to hiding.