Chapter 148: Frustration

Among the many strange things that cloud this figure we know as the Mayor of Aste, the most prominent bit that stands out for me would be the fact that he has yet to make an appearance.

I mean, he couldn't have possibly thought for a single second that those Hunters he sent would kill me, would defeat me. 

No, I mean, even if he did, who wouldn't want to see what the thorn in their side looks like? I know I would. So why didn't he even turn up to gloat?

One of the answers I've thought up to this little disturbing absence of his is that, well, he wasn't really absent.

I don't even know what he looks like, so he could have blended in with the crowd that ran off with the encroaching battle of Anselm and Quen. Or he might be a Mage with Illusionary powers and kept himself hidden.

It's more than likely truly, even if Kaylin said he didn't perform any Illusion magic, would she actually know if he did? I mean, it's called an illusion for a reason.

Besides, she wouldn't know his full magical potential given she got captured before anything major to occur. Had she not been distracted like she said, perhaps I wouldn't even be floating off into the fog of the Astral right now.

Another bit to back up the Illusion line of thinking, is that trick Red pulled while we fought. I don't know how she managed it but she disappeared, straight through thin air, not to be seen by the naked eye.

I know the woman isn't a Mage, Mage's don't fight like that…do they?

Either way, it's very concerning that he hasn't stepped out to gloat, watch me struggle to get to him or hell, check up on the hundreds of men he sent to fight me, most of which I can't even use as zombies or undead now, courtesy of Sator.

I'm glad the man is dead. An awful thing to say, even about an enemy combatant, life is precious and all that, but he would have added to Red and Quen's strength and made it a veritable pain in the ass to keep my boot on their neck.

I am not a fan of resistance, I'm very cautious of it. In fact, the only reason I actually bothered to offer Red that deal was because I'd just blown the beast to smithereens.

Taking in a deep breath I right myself just at the edge of the fog. The fog spans the entire sky, covering entirely without an end in sight.

It's very difficult maintaining this…equilibrium. I'm floating as softly as I can between the fog and the world below, trying not to step into either one fully as it could mean I'm either dragged into the fog completely, or dragged back into my body.

It's extra difficult when I realize I will have to step into the world below to accomplish my snooping on the Mayor. 

I can only hope the farther away I am from my body in the world below, the looser the blue tether on my navel gets.

Though, I wouldn't want to find out just what happens when it loosens completely, so care is to be taken.

Ever so slowly I drift towards the centre of Aste, where the Mayor and all his posh friends reside. Where his palace stands firm.

The city is quiet. Far calmer and more silent than it usually is, there's barely anyone on the streets, not a single carriage trot about. The merchants that sit on the sides of the road until a guard comes their way aren't there anymore.

It's a ghost town.

But I suppose it ought to be so, part of the city has just been invaded by hundreds of zombies and ghouls. Explosive fight occurring, leading into the Northern part of the city thanks to Anselm and Quen. 

The destruction ought to be audible and certain even from the second strata. Plus, there would have been all that movement form the guards, piling up on each other trying to subdue the invader.

The city must have been in a state of emergency since the day Kaylin got captured and the pseudo revolution was put down. Nonetheless, here I am, skimming through the air, intent on causing even more trouble.

But I hold no remorse for the people, not until they're mine at least.

After what feels like an eternity, I'm hovering above the palace. The building is white, large and circular with gardens and training areas clear to see even from this height.

But my true goal lies within. Readying myself to combat any tug I feel from my body or from the fog of the Astral, I begin to descend.

As I do, I see something I hadn't from far up above and from the eyes of Shaco, something not even Anselm had mentioned.

I see the barrier.

The barrier is not just one it seems. There are three.

One tops it off at the very beginning of the compound, past the gates and all the gardens. The second falls a few feet short of the first and the third is concentrated on the building itself.

The main Palace.

Floating over the first of three, feeling no tug from the fog or my body just yet, I test it out with an outstretched arm.

My arm goes through without any fanfare, much to my pleasure. It's as though nothing is there at all.

I float down through all the barriers without feeling a thing. I suppose this confirms my speculations that the barriers are set to rebuff certain types of beings.

Anselm would surely have gone through had he not made a deal with Frozia.

The inside of the Palace is almost a complete replica of the Lodge, I suppose the Mayor built the lodge to be a familiar place for the boys.

I see no one just yet as I float through the corridors and poke my head through doors, so many doors. Yet next to nothing can be found within.

Mostly rooms with clothes and furniture lined up. Some rooms that looked like make-shift training areas and general bedrooms as well as several bathrooms.

So excessive. I want a Palace too.

I go down another level and I find myself within a large ballroom like hall.

I suppose as Mayor you've got to have one of these to host all your posh snobbish Nobles. 

The Hall is empty, still not a single person in sight.

Now this is getting odd. I still haven't seen a soul in sight, and now that I think about it, there weren't any guards, gardeners, maids or any sort of servants on the outside as I went in either.

Where the hell is everyone?

Could it be the Mayor has already fled? I don't feel or see any other magical traps or barriers as I float through. Perhaps he never really intended to be bothered with my approach?

Did he…did he use the guards as a distraction to flee the city?

Shoot. There I was thinking I might have my ass handed to me and he's halfway the March?

I try not to jump to any conclusions and speedily fly through the Palace, there isn't a single bit of movement in sight, not even a fly or a mouse. Nothing. 

That is, until I get to the last floor, the ground floor with the large, open space where a man sat quietly in a chair over a carpet.

Quietly, I float over to him and on my two feet, I find that it's an unconscious Aren.

A warm feeling spreads through my chest finding the greedy man alive. He's relatively unharmed, as far as I can see without checking underneath his clothes.

Clothes that are rather…expensive. I wonder how he's been living with the Mayor all this time. Speaking of which…where is the Mayor?

There's no way the Mayor left Aren here and unharmed for me to find, he must be plotting something. But what?

I take a look around the ground floor as still come up short, with absolutely nothing in sight except Aren. 

I refuse to believe the Mayor simply left Aren here and made his escape. No, I refuse to believe he escaped period.

So, where the fuck is he!

Unfortunately, the only way to get any sort of answers would be to wake Aren over there, but I can't do any of that because, well, unlike Anselm I can't turn myself tangible and intangible at will.

Not with the Astral Projection spell anyway. Which means we'll have to come here ourselves.

I worry that this throws a wrench into my plans, if the Mayor is gone, run with his tail between his legs then the validity of my power over Aste is simply figurative and not quite tangible. 

And unlike with Frozia and Matthias, I won't be able to lead via puppet. But these are all future me problems.

My real concern lies in whether or not there really aren't any sinister traps waiting for us here. Traps that would not affect me in the Astral but certainly as a physical body.

And I can't exactly send in my invulnerable companion to do a swift check either because the barriers rebuff him.

Ugh!

So many frustrating things.