Prophet of Sin V.2 Part 8

“So yeah, that would be the best way to do it.” Trox finished.

“Okay.” Lillian replied. “So what did you need from the front side of town?”

“What?” Hey!?” Trox questioned Lillian, as Desmo climbed on his shoulder. “We can’t open either gate, right now.”

“You said the night life here is just as busy, if not busier right?” Lillian asked. “I’ll need to know how long it takes Desmo to get from one side or the other, and if the private school is as guarded as you say it is—”

“Which it is.” Trox said. Writing on a piece of paper, and ripping it off. “Then we’re, at the very least, better off, if you know exactly. “Anything you need me to do then?” He asked, handing the paper off to Lillian.

“Well, I still don't know how imma get a demon close to that school gate.” Lillian replied. Taking the paper and looking it over.

“I’ll meet up with you two after then.” Trox replied, hopping off the wagon. Desmo hopped off Trox’s shoulder, and straight into his shadow. The ripples of Trox’s shadow were visible even with the grassy ground swaying in the wind. “Fine morning ain’t, Aslamat?”

“Who issss thissss one?” The other half-snake guard, before slithering up to Lillain with great speed stopping his face right in front of hers. “Never sssseen one of usss hasss ssshee?”

“And she won’t be again if you keep scaring people away.” The guard called Aslamat replied, while slithering up to him. “Don’t mind those the likes of his lot. We own a great deal to outsiders, but too many of us are stuck in the ways of old.” He reached a hand out to Lillian.

 “If you expect to speak up after that little stunt of yours, you’re as mad as the old hag who since us here is.” Trox said. “She is helping me help her grandmother pick a few things up from two shops. One is up by the rippers, and she’ll be in the one downtown.

Lillian had fallen backwards onto the ground the moment the first snake. It was indeed her first time seeing a Naga. But the church had always said they were a kind people, they just preferred keeping to themselves. Still shaking she grabbed the hand of the more friendly Naga, and let him help her up. Yelping and clinging on to his side as the mean glared her down again. Running straight to Trox, and heading inside town with him. “I thought he was going to eat me.” Lillain whispered, exasperated.

“His type just might, and there seems to be quite a few of them around today, so let’s just get this done, ey?” Trox asked.

“Gladly.” Lillian replied, and walked over to the store she was looking for, list in hand. “Hi, so I’ll need…”

Trox continued down to his store, and walked to it as Lillian did her shopping. “Rough crowd, today? Y’all keep your tails down, and won’t be long.” Trox said as he walked to the clerk, and slammed the list down on the counter. “Not gonna fault a weaker hunter for being hungry are yeah?” 

The clerk simply glared at him at first. But slowly but surely the whole store was in an uproar. Desmo climbed out of the shadow, and headed back to Lillian in all the commotion. “I don’t believe a lick of that, human, but you’re a kind lad for humoring some of us. Now let’s see here…”

Desmo turned towards the opposite gate. Climbing up to the lock, and beginning his internal timer. Jabbing the single spike of his tail into the lock. Wiggling it about as the line connecting him to the spike moved to and fro. Just before the last click he pulled it out. Hopping and dashing off. Ducking and weaving behind crates, diving in and out of shadows. Finally making his way to his desired shop just as Lillian walked out of it, and diving into her shadow.

“Thanks, again.” Lillian replied. “Oh um… it is okay if I meet up with Trox by the school over there, right? He said it would be—”

“Oh, honey, that's a common spot for visitors to meet up. Big building in the whole place, afterall.” The female clerk waved her off.

Lillian walked towards the school gate, but kept her distance from it. Something about the glare in the one guard at gate eyes toward that was the smart thing to do. Perking with him as someone shouted at them.

“Your economics class is stupid as you stick in the mud Naga. A much nicer Naga just gave me 3 lizards and a rat for skipping it!”

The guard slithered off after the small naga child, but Lillian still gave it a minute before approaching the gate.

“So what’s his time?” Trox asked as he walked up to the two of them about a minute later.

“4 minutes 35 seconds” Lillian replied. “He doesn’t think any more or less shadows will matter too much.”

Trox whistled. “You opened anywhere under 7 minutes, and it’s not gonna matter either way, little, lock picker. So you two wanted to check out this gate?” He asked.

Lillian heard a click behind her back, and Desmo climbed onto her shoulder, proudly holding an opened lock in his tail “We did, yes. And it seems Desmo picked up a new trick sometime between when he finished eating my nightmares, and when he was hopping around in the shadows.”

“You thought about what you want him to be yet?” Trox asked.

“I…had an idea or two, but I’ll look more into it after this Naga is out of her prison..”

“A fine idea.” Trox said.