Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 33: Heretic

A figure draped in a long black robe that almost stretched to the ground showed himself in front of Cesar. If not for the fact that the white shoes of the unknown individual were showing, he had already mistaken that the figure he was seeing was a ghost.

Still vigilant, Cesar continued pointing his revolver at the unknown individual as he firstly demanded.

"Drop your hood down and let me see your face,"

The unknown figure remained silent for a brief moment before his hands, which were only raised, slowly went down… not on his head but at the robe's pockets. Relaxed, the unknown figure behind the robe spoke.

"Why are you being like this?"

The voice of a man spoke out from the curtain hiding the person's features before adding, "A human like you have a scent of… him from the academy? Aren't they lucky to be able to discover a supreme being like him?"

Cesar couldn't help but notice the way the man spoke with reverence in his voice.

Adding the fact that it was all respectful tone towards a figure which Cesar was unsure what he was talking about, he couldn't help but frown and immediately conclude what kind of person he was conversing with.

'A fucking heretic…'

He also made another realization.

'Don't tell me this heretic is the same person who we're looking for? Something I caught a glimpse of a few days ago? He was looking for me because… I have a scent of something?'

Cesar wanted to shoot the heretic straight into the head but he was afraid that the figure was a powerful being, knowing he had escaped the watchful gazes of Vin's men the time they went to search for his tracks.

There were indeed tracks but they were unsure as to how he managed to go around the city which is heavily guarded with different kinds of people.

'Shit, this is getting dangerous…'

Cesar was unsure if he had to move just like how everything was taught to them and eliminate the threat or wait for a rescue that might not come.

Heretics are an unpredictable bunch after all, and they were just up to no good.

'Let's take it easy for now. Judging by the way he moved, he didn't look like he came at me for harm. Of course, I'd be a fool to believe it. If I started thinking like that, this guy would use the chance to eliminate me instead. So, I'll get some answers from him first before running away as fast as I can to report this encounter…'

Having to decide on what to do, Cesar let out a short breath before nodding once and slightly lowering his revolver.

"May I know your name?"

"Nah,"

"You seemed to know this city very well if you've escaped from the military's clutches. You've left a trace but I couldn't understand why even do it if you can just get away,"

The heretic scoffed before replying, "So that you guys are aware of my presence. I'm not really trying to hide it. In fact, I welcomed you all wholeheartedly! This will be a joyous, adventurous, and deadly mission for us all,"

'Crazy… I couldn't even understand a thing about what he said…' Cesar mused inwardly before asking yet another question, "Are you alone?"

As if he was smiling inside the robe, the man chuckled before answering with delight, "Let's say I'm alone and not yet alone."

The man immediately put everything to stop as he revealed, pretty much knew what Cesar was doing as he revealed.

"I know you wanted me to slip something from my mouth but I just have to shut up. Nobody likes spoilers anyway. Besides, it will be a treat,"

Cesar clicked his tongue but he wasn't a bit surprised. He had expected it since he had already taken to the account that the heretic was aware. Hence, all he did was ask questions but that's merely it.

He hadn't gotten very significant information.

'This bastard is aware of what I'm doing yet he hadn't stopped me until the last moment. What is he trying to get here…'

Finally, after a moment of staring at each other, the man was the first one to speak as he stated.

"I've just gotten curious about you, that's all."

The heretic slowly raised his one hand which made Cesar also raise his revolver as well but instead of doing something, the figure just pointed his finger at him.

The heretic continued.

"You might not know this but we're quite similar, in a kind of way. You and me, kid. Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to you right now. Every person matters at this moment so… let's help each other in check, yeah?"

Cesar remained unmoving as he continued aiming at the heretic, trying to understand his words and intention while memorizing them in his head to give his reports later.

Still, he still had many questions unanswered and many more that he didn't want to know… but he had to ask one thing that bugging his head.

"Hey, are there any survivors left?"

If the heretic answered no, then their objective of coming to the city is futile. They were naturally dead but retrieving their corpses will become much harder if they do. If the heretic said otherwise, then Cesar had to rethink if the person was lying or not. In fact, he wouldn't even believe if the figure said the survivors survived.

Just any kind of answer would suffice.

"Survivors… Oh, you're talking about them," The heretic chuckled, "Of course, they are survivors left. Do you want to see them?"

'No, thank you That sounds very creepy,' Cesar answered inwardly, afraid that letting out his thoughts would compromise everything he was planning to do.

"…"

After that last comment, the two remained staring at each other. If there's something to stare at within the robe that protected the heretic's face, then Cesar would likely think there's a monster behind the black veil.

"What now?"

The heretic probed as if he was amused and interested in Cesar's next movement. He remained unmoving as he brought his hand back to his pocket.

"What now… huh,"

Cesar asked outwardly before pulling the trigger of his revolver.

Bang—!

The heretic brought his hand out from his pocket and in just a split second, he dodged it with ease by merely moving sideways. The heretic then saw Cesar dashing away from him, completely leaving the things he had left from his post which were mostly miscellaneous.

"How boring,"

The heretic shifted his gaze onto the penetrated reality Cesar was guarding before he started walking at it. He rummaged at his pocket once more before bringing out a ghastly, dark greenish key and inserting it into the curving realism.

The dark cloud covering the perverse reality slightly weakened as the heretic slowly walked into it, and slipped himself inside it.

"You'll know eventually. Just wait,"

He left those words in the air before his figure completely disappeared without a trace left after entering the penetrated reality.

…

In just a few minutes of running through the busy streets of the city, Cesar finally managed to reach the area Vin was searching through. There, he saw that only he and Quentin were the ones left, his squad perhaps had been stationed in one of the pierced realities as well.

Soon, the two individuals noticed his presence.

"Sparrow?"

Vin was the first one to call while Quentin remained a spectator. However, he realized that something had gone wrong since Cesar wasn't on himself, after running through his post which was far from their position.

Cesar wanted to speak right away but his ragged breathing stopped him from doing so.

"It's okay, just breathe,"

Cesar nodded once before his breathing began to stabilize. He gulped a mouthful of saliva down his throat before saluting once.

"Cesar Sparrow, reporting for a situation, sir." He paused, letting out a short breath, "A heretic engaged in a conversation with me just now before I started running towards here to reach you. I can confirm he was the suspicious person from a few days ago who was stalking us,"

He remained in his position as he added, "Would you like to hear the detailed conversation right now?"

Vin stared at Cesar for a moment before nodding once as he demanded, "Let's hear it."