Nocturna League (Episode 2: The Mist Hour) Read Free Page A

and
making them one with it. For decades the gauntlet’s been largely
unused, until two weeks ago. It all started when the primary heir
of the Ganasteres mysteriously disappeared into the mists of the
night. There was a wide search for him until one morning four days
later. He was nev-”
    “ Here are you drinks!… and,
vinegar,” the waitress says with an uneven tone, handing out the
drinks and delivering a tall pint of vinegar to Colette. She is
thanked, the three men enjoy their first gulps, and Colette just
takes deep breaths as she composes herself.
    “ Right, dead. The dude was never found again,
except for a bloody scrap of his clothing found days later. Every
day after that, another piece of clothing belonging to one of the
disappeared people would appear somewhere in town, drenched in
blood. ‘Course, the Kalamests denied having perpetrated the crimes,
but that’s obviously a load of shit. The first victim was a
Ganastere, and the kidnapper hasn’t exactly been subtle about using
those mist powers to kidnap folks… They’re boarded up in their
mansion now- we’ve actually been waiting for ‘em to come out to
bring them to justice, though some folks have tried to break in.
It’s a right fortress that Kalamest estate- barred outside, trapped
inside. You look like some hard sailors tho-”
    “ Oh gods! ” Colette says after taking her
first gulp of vinegar. The Captain swishes the pink drink around in
his hand chipperly as he takes casual, savoring sips.
    “ You were saying?” The
Captain nods his head.
    The man takes a breath of the
salt-scented bar, and nods. “Right. I was thinkin’ if you’re
looking to get your friend back, you might try the Ganastere
estate. I hear they’ve been planning to help the town break into
the Kalamest house- and they need as much muscle as we can get,
especially if the assault takes longer than a day.”
    Colette wipes a look of disgust from
her face. “Why just a day?”
    The man leans in with a spark in his
eye. “Cuz’ if they know we’re trying to oust them at midnight, the
hour the gauntlet operates, we’ll be in deep shit. The gauntlet
user is fast as a blink, and hits like a truck. Saw a guy pick a
fight with the Kalamest using it to save his wife; he’s still in
the hospital- you got me?”
    Colette raises a brow, wondering just
how The Captain could take a full barrage of hits, plus a bullet
through his shoulder, and still be alright the minute after. “I got
ya’.”
    The man nods. “Hope that helped you
mates well enough.”
    The Captain reaches over and shakes
the man’s hand. “It was perfectly helpful, my good man. We’ll take
up the Gainstare home ne-”
    “ Ganastere , Cap,” Colette says lightly,
taking deep breaths and nursing off the vinegar slowly.
    The Captain nods. “Right, my dear
bialy. So at that I feel it best we keep you on a steady pace to
captain-hood and send you to the Krillesque estate to perform some
reconnaissance; but first you must finish my drink.”
    Colette winces. “Uh, but Captain.
Boris hasn’t finished his drink yet! Do you expect me to rush my
cr-”
    “ DRINK IS OF ME?” Boris
asks, looking surprised.
    The Captain nods. “That it is,
Boris.”
    The Captain barely finishing his
sentence, Boris slams his head face down into the glass, shattering
completely and sucking up all the delicious moisture and broken
glass. The helpful man and Colette just stare for a moment as Boris
gargles in euphoria. “THE DRINKING IS TO LIKE OF ME!”
    “ I’m glad you feel that
way, Boris.” The Captain pats Boris on the head, and then turns to
Colette. “Now, Miss Ketiere, if you please,” he says as he gestures
to the pint-glass of vinegar, three/fourths still
remaining.
    Colette snuffs out contemptuous air,
takes one more deep breath, and then raises it to her lips. Each
gulp sounds straddled with pain and disgust, as if it were poison,
and the breath she releases once she finishes has all the elements
of a person