Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

At the dead of night, a boy rose from his bed. He was in an orphanage, and a rather nice one too. The ladies were polite, fed the children what they had and offered whatever they could to make everyone happy. This wasn’t the place for him, though. Garrett had no intention of being adopted by the idiots of the City, and especially not someone he’d stolen from before.

With sure, quick steps, he left a barren room occupied only by himself and two other kids. There had always been three small mattresses laid on the ground, each with their own pillow and blanket. The walls covered in a thin coat of dust, and the only light coming from two tightly shut windows.

There was an abandoned room in the orphanage, the ceiling caved in a bit and the floor was cracked, threatening to fall at the first sign of weight. That’s where he intended to go.

The biggest problem had never been the danger hazard, it was the fact that it was locked. The ladies didn’t want anyone to get injured or possibly die. However, locks were barely a dilemma now. He had procured, a while back, a small set of lock picks and had practiced with them when no one was looking.

Creeping along the edge of the walls, he reached the door without a single soul stirring. In careful, subtle movements, each pin in the lock softly clicked until he opened the door just wide enough for him to slip through.

Initially, the wood creaked loudly beneath his feet, causing Garrett to wince at the noise. He carefully closed the door so no one would think to check the room. He’d tested this room before, for at least a week during his few months of “imprisonment”. However, it always seemed to be changing. One day this part of the floor creaked, the next day it didn’t. Unreliability.

He crept along the edge of the room, the best support was there, where it was connected to the other floors in the building. The windows were on the other side of the room and the lamplight outside shone through the grimy windows giving light to see the many particles of dust floating around. It was so beautiful that he stopped for a second to wa—No. He had to get out of here as quick as possible, before the caretakers checked the rooms.

With a bit more haste, the kid reached the window and took a thin metal bar from under his shirt. Wedging it beneath the small crack between the window and sill, Garrett pushed down on the lever. It opened the window a bit more, just so he could lift it with his hands.

Once it was wide enough for him to slip through, he did.

Thankfully, there was a roof under him. Seeing as the orphanage never had much to steal and the window was covered in years of collected dust and muck, he was never sure whether there was anything there or whether he had to climb down to the streets.

With a silent sigh of relief, he reached back through the window to grab the metal bar and then proceed to softly close it.

Freedom.

Once again he could roam the streets and steal the unlimited amount of coin from the rich.

Garrett hadn’t really been given the choice to enter the orphanage or not. If he had had one though, he’d certainly have run away.

Apparently, a man had found him sleeping in a makeshift bed in one of the covered alleys of the city. He’d overheard it while faking his sleep, unsure what might happen if he woke up.

The roof was flat at a slight angle, and a small chimney rose up from it with the last wisp of smoke being blown away. There was another house next to it, but there was also a way down through the Thieves’ Highway, with a bit of a drop included. He decided to take the platforms down and carefully dropped back down and on to the streets. The Watch seemed to be absent for the moment, but would they really think much of him if they were to pass by?

He realized then, that these streets were unfamiliar. Garrett had never seen much of this part of the city, but he noticed the large clock tower just above him.

This must be Stonemarket, although you can’t miss it with the size of that sign.

“Hey, boy! What’re you doing out here?” A rather old man of the City Watch pointed him out, a cigarette hanging limp on his lips. Now, Garrett wasn’t only good at thieving, he was good at improvisation. What else could you do when someone found you pocketing their former possessions?

“Just out for a short walk, sir. Little sister’s gone off playing ‘find me’,” He answered with a small smile. The man grumbled something to his partner, but waved the kid off.

Garrett hurried out of sight and picked from his own pockets, a piece of plain parchment and a pen. Glancing back at the clearing, he scratched onto the paper the outlines of the road, noting the clocktower towering over him. They told stories about it in the orphanage, how it was haunted by the Mechanist’s spirit—the man who had created the tower. Garrett had never really believed in the supernatural, though. It was a rather nice looking tower too. He remember watching it whenever he’d climbed up to the highest roofs.

After his moment of drifting off—for the second time tonight--he moved back along the street, marking every turn and alley he saw on his new map. After a bit of exploration, he found himself at the base of some sort of monument. An obelisk.

I hate to admit, but I’ve learned a lot from that orphanage.

Several arches emerged from the walls, forming a circle above which surrounded the pillar that stood right in the middle. Between each arch, statues of hooded men stood on their pedestals creating a scene more like a mourning.

Garrett moved forward, noticing the glint of a plaque screwed into the pillar.

Dedicated to the Wandering Baron

Wherever He Roamed He Now Lies

It was barely readable in the dim lamplight, and it was even harder when he yawned, causing his eyes to water. With a little stretch, he decided it was best to maybe get some rest.

That bench over there looked quite nice…

Trudging over, the boy nearly collapsed on the long seat of wood. It was a bit uncomfortable, but Garrett didn’t feel like he had the energy to move any further. After all, he hadn’t slept all night or day, waiting for nightfall to escape.

Curled up on the thin wood, he fell into a rather deep sleep in mere seconds.

“Beatrici?”

Chapter Text

Just like most afternoons here, the sky was bright with the sun's light,  there wasn’t a cloud to be seen. Corvo was digging through the trash bins in Karnaca for any forgotten coins or blankets to stay warm. At sixteen you'd believe he was able to take care of his sister and himself better, but in truth his hair was matted with the ocean's waters and his clothes were torn from fights and work.

Latched onto his belt was a sword. For a street kid he was certainly good at the art, perhaps better than the Duke's guard. After all, you never know what ruffians you might bump into.

Finding himself unsuccessful with the bin, he turned around to head back to the house where his family used to live. It had been very hard on the two kids when they learned of their father's death. He had been the remaining adult in their known family, and without his wages, they were doomed to starve.

However, luck was with them when their house was bought. They were a kind family and offered the orphans to stay in the attic. The only catch was that they had no food or extra clothing to spare as this new family was poor as well, having similar low class jobs to his parents’.

Walking along the city's docks, Corvo was widely aware of his surroundings. It was instinct for his hand to constantly wave over the hilt of his sword, and his eyes subtly dart around, conscious of any coin glint and any man's movement. He was a wary man, but when it came to people he knew, a smile would light his face.

As he listened to the water lap against the boat hulls and smooth stone, he noticed something, or rather heardsomething. A working fisherman was talking with a colleague, when a certain phrase caught his attention.

The Blade Verbena.

“Heard about the Blade Verbena this year? Duke says he's changin' what age you've gotta be. I think it's sixteen now instead of eighteen.”

“What, the guy not getting enough eager boys in his festival?”

“Pah, you see those little kids in the sideline? He'll have plenty o' fighters in a few more years.”

For a moment, Corvo had paused, simply to eavesdrop, but realized what the consequences were if one of the men were to turn around. But... the Blade Verbena.

We have a chance.

If Corvo could win the Duke's favor, then perhaps he could get something. Housing for his sister, provisions, money, something. Trice would be so happy.

A smile lit up his face, and he nearly sprinted down the streets. He could make Beatrici proud, and everyone who had fought against Corvo knew that he had a rather natural talent for sword fighting.

Climbing up a garbage bin and then up a fan, he stepped up on the roof of his home. Around the side he dropped down onto another pipe and slipped through the attic window.

“Trice, you won’t believe what I…” Corvo paused. His sister wasn’t here. She was always here, though. Whenever one went out the other stayed, it was their deal, and they never let each other down.

“Beatrici?” He asked again, noticing all the candles were snuffed and the room neatly cleaned up. What happened?  It wasn’t possible that someone could have grabbed her, the room was too neat, it was more like she left on her own accord.

“Beatrici?”

This time it was a whisper. He’d lost his mother, then his father, and now his sister hadn’t even died, she had just… Left him. A tear found it’s way down his cheek.

Why? That was his only question, Why would she do this?  Just when he had found a solution to all their troubles.

Anger started to bubble up inside him. He stomped over to his mattress and slammed his sword into the wall, about to scream with rage. Then he slid down and sat on his bed, a silence swallowed him.

He glanced at his sister’s bed and noticed something that hadn’t been there before. A small figure curled up into a ball, it wasn’t his sister though, this was someone else, not even from the family below. Their hair was black, and their clothes were almost clear of any dirt. He couldn’t say the same for the skin though. It was light in some areas, but in others it was covered in dust and dirt.

All previous emotions forgotten, he watched warily. Careful not to make a sound now, Corvo stood up and carefully pulled his sword out of the wood. He took a few steps towards the invader, but then the boy stirred.

“If you’re done making a ruckus, then maybe we can talk,” said the boy, beginning to stand up.

Corvo never gave him the chance to complete the action. Quickly, he stepped forward and grabbed him, holding his sword up to the invader’s neck. The boy didn’t move an inch more.

“Who are you?” Corvo hissed.

“Nice to meet you too. Name’s Garrett.”

“Alright Garrett, what the hell are you doing here?”

“First off, I’m armed with nothing but a pencil, could you put the sword down?” Garrett asked, slowly moving the blade away from his throat. Corvo glanced down, noticing that the newcomer had no weapons. He let the sword down, but didn’t return it to its sheath.

“Great, thanks,” Garrett sighed, rubbing his neck, “As for what I’m doing here? I’d like to know the answer myself."

“What do you mean?” Corvo asked, his eyes darted around the boy. He was short, but looked just a few years younger than him.

“I mean that I was sleeping on a bench and then got moved here—wherever here is. Where are we?”

“The outskirts of Karnaca.”

“The… what?”

“The southernmost island of the Isles, Serkonos?”

Garrett stood there in utmost confusion. Isles, Karnaca, Serkonos? Where the hell was he?

Stepping away from the swordsman, he glanced at the window and moved towards it. Corvo finally sheathed his sword, beginning to believe that this guy was actually lost.

As Garrett approached the window and he almost had to squint to look out of it. They stood there for a minute of silence, waiting for when Garrett finally felt his eyes adjust to the sudden bright world. The City had never been thisbright. Smoke and fog always clogged up the skies, never allowing anyone to ever fully see the sun.

“Can I?” He pointed at himself and then outside, unsure whether Corvo was going to keep him captive in this room. The other kid shrugged, seeming more interested in a piece of paper left on the bed.

Taking that as a yes, he stepped outside the window and onto the pipes, then climbed on the roof, taking a look out to wherever he was.

Meanwhile, Corvo had looked under the pillow and found a note, written by his sister.

Dearest brother Corvo,

I’m truly sorry that I must go. It breaks my heart more than you can imagine, and I guess that you feel the same way right now. Gosh, I’m so sorry, but I had no other choice. I… met some people the other day, when I went out. They threatened to kill you if I didn’t go with them. I have no choice, Corvo, I can’t just let the whole family die out. At least it’s better to know we’re both alive than one of us dead, right?

Please, Corvo, I only have one request. I heard they changed the age limit of the Blade Verbena, no doubt you’ve heard about it too.

Go win it for me.

I know you’re better than everyone in Karnaca, and you have so much honor the Duke will probably whisk you away into his guard. This is my last wish, maybe we’ll see each other again.

With all my love,

Beatrici

He sat there for a while, reading the letter several times over. Who the hell would dare to take his sister? Why didn’t she give him a name so he could hunt them down and save her? For a depressing minute he sat there, hoping she would just appear on her bed again, just like the other kid.

The other kid.

Corvo quickly jogged over to the window and stepped out, climbing to the roof. An odd relief washed over him when he noticed Garrett was sitting at the edge. Why he felt relief was a question he couldn’t seem to answer. Perhaps it was because hehad appeared where his sister had disappeared.

Weird.

“So, I told you my name, but I think it’s about time you told me yours,” Garrett interrupted his train of thoughts, and rose up, this time without interruption.

Corvo hesitated, but stepped forward with a polite gesture. “My name is Corvo.”

Garrett raised his eyebrows, but took the hand with a strong grip matching Corvo’s. It was hard to believe that the man who just threatened to murder you wanted to shake hands.

“Well, Corvo, I’ll bet you want me gone, so I’ll just be taking my leave.”

Garrett basically jumped off the roof, surprising Corvo who ran to peer over the edge. He’d never looked at any paths in front of the house, and realized that someone brand new just found a quick way down.

“Hey! Wait, Garrett,” Corvo started to clamber down to the same level, “You uh, you might not want to go on the streets unarmed at this time.”

The sun was beginning to near evening. And Corvo realized that he was trying to befriend Garrett. There was something likable about him that he’d never really found in the other boys around Karnaca. After all, they were all either rich snobs or too busy working for their family. Some had also joined the few gangs that terrorized the night.

“I’ve dealt with deadlier crowds,” Garrett called back, but he still waited until the other boy clambered down after him.

Soon they were both in front of the house, and Corvo began to lead the way.

Chapter Text

Garrett wasn’t about to say he’d grown fond of Corvo already, but he was certainly something like the friend he’d never had. In the fourteen years of his life, he’d known some people, but none of them had actually been… kind. He was used to being picked on by the street gangs around the City, it was mostly for his scruffy and short appearance. His hair was getting longer, reaching just his ear in some cases, and sometimes he’d cut it was a knife just so he could see. His clothes were those of which he had stolen from clotheslines, and he opted to sticking with darker colors to fit in with the crowd.

He’d noticed Corvo had looked much more regal, for what he suspected was a street kid like himself. His hair was shorter, obviously cut the same way, but still neater. His clothes were somewhat nicer and he held an air of superiority as he walked. Straight-backed, head high, eyes alert. Meanwhile, Garrett looked like any other beggar you’d find on the street—except he took money without asking. He was a little envious of Corvo’s overall appearance among society.

“And why do you say these streets are so terrible?” Garrett asked as they stepped onto the streets,  immediately nicking a coin off someone as he looked around.

Corvo opened his mouth to say something, but closed it for a moment, thinking of what to say. He’d missed the thief. “Well, how about ‘bad experiences?”

“Rather vague.”

“Erm, not too many guards in this area and lots of thieves and murderous people?”

Garrett gave a little huff of laughter. He picked a fig from the basket of a pair of talking ladies then proceeded to take a bite out of it. He even placed the coin in the other’s palm. Corvo’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

How dare he…

“What, are you saying you don’t steal to survive? What do you do, scavenge the streets and people’s trash?” Garrett laughed, wiping his mouth.

.

Corvo didn’t answer, but just glared at Garrett, causing a smirk to line the thief’s face.

“Really? Well, try the fruit at least. It tastes great,” he dropped the fruit in Corvo’s hand as well and walked on like nothing had happened.

“Don’t do that again,” Corvo hissed in his ear with a frown, wrapping the fruit in a cloth and pocketing it.

“No promises,” Garret was already rubbing two coins between his fingers.

“Garrett,” Corvo began in a deadly tone, “Do it again and this sword will be between your ribs.”

The thief sighed and muttered something under his breath, but fell back in line with Corvo.

“At least tell me, are we actually going somewhere or just wandering the streets.”

Corvo glanced around the buildings and where the sun was beginning to set, noticing they were heading north. He tilted his head up to find the mountains nearly towering above them. A small smile lit his face, he knew exactly where they were going.

“Actually, I’m going to give you a scenic tour since you’re new here. We’ll head more into the heart of the city. Trust me it’s beautiful,” He said, and moved out of the street and in the crook between two buildings, not far enough to be an alley, but still a secluded spot.

Garrett followed with an eyebrow raised.

Because the backstreet is so beautiful.

But Corvo began to scale the building, using the various fans, pipes, and outcrops that seemed to dot every building. Once they reached the top, Garrett actually noticed the huge mountains to their right. He stared at them for a long time, he never knew something could be so massive.

“Red Jenny’s breeches... what the?” It was Garrett’s turn to drop his jaw, and Corvo now beamed with pride.

“Karnaca is considered the jewel of the south. Come on, you haven’t even seen half of it.”

“I don’t need to,” Garrett muttered in awe, but he still followed his new friend, running across the closely packed buildings’ roofs.

Karnaca was certainly a sight to see. While Corvo had already experienced every inch, Garrett had not, and he felt like the Duke himself, showing someone the whole of his home. The buildings were all nicely built, even the poor ones, light colors of paint and pristine windows complimented the cobbled streets and sparkling sea far beyond. Plants dotted the edges of streets and trees grew right next to everything. Garrett couldn’t imagine anywhere else being able to look so wild, yet civilized.

It felt nice being so high. The soft wind billowed around them, ruffling their hair and propelling them forward. It was cool and refreshing, and Garrett noticed there was barely a wisp of smoke.

As the two boys took time to rest, Corvo pointed out the huge windmills in the distance.

“You see those? We use them and whale oil to power the city,” Corvo said, “That’s what all the boats are for, too.”

Garrett squinted at the docks, he could see small shapes bobbing up and down in the water, they looked like they were for shipments rather than whale capture, or whatever happened to whales. “What’s whale oil?”

“Well, I...” He stared forward in concentration, but eventually shrugged in defeat. “I don’t really know. Most of the production is done in the north, we just get in imported. All I know is that it comes from whales, and those ships just deliver it.”

Garrett nodded his head, and decided to look at the city below him. As the sun was setting, people began to close up, and restaurants began to turn on their lights, playing soft music for the enjoyment of their customers. Nicely dressed women and men hurried along the streets with laughter, and kids were ushered by their mothers to come inside for supper.

Corvo stood up and stretched, a small yawn escaped him. “Maybe we should go back, Karnaca’s nicer when it’s day.”

Garrett was about to complain that the night wasn’t that bad, but closed his mouth when he realized he didn’t know anything about this city, and Corvo was the only guide he had right now to the culture of any gangs. Instead, he took a sheathed knife from one of his pockets, and put a hand in front of Corvo.

“Can I have the fruit?” He asked.

“It’s called a fig, and I thought you said you were armed with nothing but a pencil,” Corvo gave him a disappointed look, but handed him the fig.

“Well, sometimes you have to lie. How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t kill me?” The thief answered, removing the knife and splitting the fruit in half. He cleaned it on his shirt and handed Corvo one half, keeping the other for himself and sheathing the knife once more.

The boy accepted the fruit, and shrugged. “Suppose you’re right.”

Garrett smiled, causing Corvo to roll his eyes. “Come on, it’s time we start heading back.”

The two kids jumped back along the roofs, eating the only dinner they had. Eventually, they started to smell and hear the sea. Although Garrett wrinkled his nose at the smell, Corvo seemed to relax at both the smell and sound. To him it was refreshing, one day, maybe he could take a trip on a boat. Maybe even work on one, become a merchant or a whaler—whatever they did—and experience the other Isles as well.

Garrett prodded Corvo in the ribs. “Quit daydreaming-- or I guess “night dreaming”. We go down here and then back up, over there.”

“Oh, yeah.” He muttered, a little embarrassed.

They climbed down and walked down the street for a few meters. Garrett noticed Corvo’s hand wound tightly around the hilt of his sword, already a quarter out. The roads were silent though, only two pairs of footsteps silently walked across the cobbles, and any other noise was now the far off laughter of merry men and women and the soft whisper of the sea lapping against the shore.

Soon they were clambering up Corvo’s old house and standing in the attic. While Corvo unbuckled his sword and got ready to sleep, Garrett watched awkwardly. Sure, he’d woken up here and the boys had spent the evening together, but was he really allowed to stay here?

“So, can I uh, stay?” The thief asked. Corvo looked up from lighting a candle, he’d never really thought about that matter either. He was about to say he only had room for his sister and himself, but she was gone.

“I suppose you could, take the mattress on the right. Move it if you want, it was my sister’s, before,” He muttered.

“Oh.” Garrett feeling even more awkward now didn’t bother to move the mattress, they weren’t that close anyway. He sat down and looked at the note laying on the floor. Picking it up, he read the whole thing and couldn’t help but feel sorry for his new found friend.

“She’s not dead yet, surely you can save her.”

Corvo’s head snapped up from an object he had been examining, noticing the note in Garrett’s hands he felt tears well up, but didn’t move.

“It’s not possible, she could be anywhere, I don’t even have the slightest lead.”

“Well, you know it’s a gang, if you know any with a grudge or maybe one that’s interested in women, then…?”

Corvo shook his head, “There may only be a few gangs in the area, but it’s impossible to infiltrate them in any manner.”

“Infiltration can’t be that bad, but go to this Blade Verbena thing, maybe she’ll find you there.”

He nearly slapped himself in the forehead and looked at Garrett with renewed hope in his eyes, “Do you really think she could be there?”

Garrett shrugged and lay his back on the bed, “Can’t promise something about someone I don’t know, but it seems worth a try. Sleep on it.”

With a small smile, Corvo placed the object gently on the floor and snuffed the candles. The moonlight spilled into the room more clearly, almost lulling him to sleep. With a yawn he collapsed on the mattress, and although his body rest, his mind was filled with wonderful thoughts, and an eager impatience for the Blade Verbena.

An ear-piercing scream seemed to wake every man. Corvo and Garrett woke up in alarm, the latter mumbling for just a minute more of sleep. They rose from their beds, Garrett looking out the window while Corvo grabbed his sword.

“Please don’t tell me this is your morning wake call here,” The younger muttered, and although he sounded annoyed, he was truly alert for the first sign of movement below.

“It’s definitely not,” Corvo said, buckling the sword and leaping out the window, “Let’s look what’s happening.”

“You sure that’s a good idea?”

“The Duke’s Grand Guard is probably already there, we’re not going to get murdered.”

Garrett reluctantly followed. He already knew his friend was a good swordsman from his sister’s view, but he wasn’t so convinced himself.

They raced down to the ground again, and in mere seconds they found the source of the noise and ran to it. A distressed woman was cowering at the base of what looked like an apartment building, she was barely dressed in a plain pink dress, so it seemed appropriate to believe she was a prostitute. By the time the two boys were half way to the scene, they were able to see two grotesquely mutilated bodies, and by Garrett’s eye, no guards or friendly looking people of any sort.

“Guards, somebody, help!” The woman cried again.

He grabbed Corvo’s arm and dragged him to the side of a building so that the lady or anyone near her would be able to see them.

“We should wait or not go at all, there’s not a single other person near her,” he whispered.

Corvo tried to get back up and out, but Garrett’s grip was strong. He might have been smaller than most boys of his age, but even for someone short, he was still strong, and Corvo’s shirt seemed almost tied in a knot with his fist.

“What are you talking about? Maybe nobody’s gotten there yet!” He harshly whispered back. “Now let go.”

“No.”

Garrett’s face was absolutely serious. Corvo tried searching his face for any sort of break, but found none. He conceded with a sigh and crouched down. The two peeked over the small wall they were hiding behind and searched for anything.

Corvo didn’t notice much at first, just the two murdered men and the panicked woman. Then the glint of a sword caught his eye. Although soaked in blood, one of the men’s clothes had been white. A white uniform, just like the Duke’s guard…

Holy shit.

At that same moment, Garrett pulled him down, back under their cover. His eyes were wide, “There are three men in the upper floors, one of them is out on the porch, the other two I saw through the windows. I think they have crossbows. This is no doubt an ambush.”

Corvo nodded, a slight panic lit up inside him, If Garrett hadn’t stopped him he probably would have been one of those corpses in front of the lady. After a deep breath, he proceeded to give his own assessment. “The woman’s on it too. For one, she’s been screaming for quite a while, but one of the bodies was a guard. Under the blood it’s certainly one of the Duke’s guard. It must also be the reason no one’s left their homes, they’ve all witnessed the murder.”

“Holy shit.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Garrett gave a deep breath, and peeked over the wall again, quickly ducking down again.

“Someone’s coming over to try and help her.”

Sure enough, a bald, heavily built fisherman was coming over to investigate. There was a bit of a jog in his step, and his shirt was still clean. The man hadn’t even started to work yet. He was as unsuspecting as a fly passing into the spider’s web.

“Ma’m?” He shouted, continuing to get closer. “Is everything all right, what’s going on?”

The woman appeared to be crying now, and looked up at the man.

“Oh, bless you sir, bless you!” she said, “I woke up this morning and decided to go out for a morning stroll, when suddenly, a body just…. Falls out of the air behind me!”

Garrett started climbing up the side of the building behind them. Corvo looked up at him in surprise, “What-”

“While they’re distracted we might as well go do something about them,” Garrett interrupted, he was already half way up and not stopping. This time it was Corvo who blindly followed.

The man below was still trying to comfort the woman, inching closer by the second, unsuspecting of the danger he’d placed himself in.

Soon the two boys were on top of the roof and approaching the apartment building. When they were on a set of metal stairs, Corvo stopped Garrett from going any further.

“How do you plan to get rid of them?” He asked.

Garrett’s response was certainly not what he expected. He pressed against a pressure point near Corvo’s head, causing his knees to buckle.

“That’s how.”

Corvo nodded, slightly terrified by Garrett’s logic. They continued upstairs, but before they reached the level where Garrett had spotted the two murderers, they heard the twang of two powerful crossbows being released.

Below, the man screamed in agony as both bolts tore through his leg and stomach. The lady now lunged at the helpless fisherman, a gleaming knife in her hand. She held him almost like she was about to kiss him, but dragged the knife through his chest and down his stomach, letting the blood pour onto the both of them.  The man still screamed, the wailing echoed throughout the streets and the woman now leaned into the man’s ear.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” she whispered with a laugh, before carving his neck with the knife. Blood oozed, and his head was now barely attached to the rest of his body. It was a red mess. She stuck her hand in the man’s torn body, past his ribs, and ripped out his barely beating heart. It pulsed once in her hands and stopped.

“Looks like red slush,” the woman laughed in a much rougher voice than before. She then looked up at her comrades, raising the heart as well. “One heart for the boss! Give me a second while I take their eyes.”

The boys heard her last shout, and exchanged glances of terror. Garrett hesitated to continue, but took a deep breath and silently opened the door. They crept through the narrow hallways until they came upon the porch where the first crossbowman waited. Garrett reached into a raided room near them and took a broken chair leg. Signaling Corvo to stay where he was, the thief stepped behind the man and clubbed him in the same point that he had demonstrated to Corvo.

“Wha-” The man uttered and fell to the ground. Garrett barely managed to catch the much heavier man before he and his weaponry clattered on the floor. With a bit of difficulty, and Corvo’s assistance, they managed to awkwardly drag the man into the same room Garrett acquired the chair leg.

The thief immediately began to search the body, after all, free stuff was free stuff, but Corvo started to drag him along with a face that seemed to say is this really the time?

He rolled his eyes and picked up the chair leg again. They reached the second one and repeated their actions, except this one still sat in the hallway.

“That was… surprisingly easy,” Corvo said, as his friend started searching the body.

“Maybe, but we have to get out of here soon,” Garrett rose, pocketing his findings and going back to the other man, taking any weapons the man had as well. “With the shriek of that man, your city’s guard is going to be all over the place soon. And with us here, we’re immediately suspects. Especially now that we’ve knocked some guys out.”

“How did you think of that so quickly?” Corvo asked in awe, taking this man’s set of weaponry with himself. They began to leave, and sure enough the Duke’s guard was already rushing around the woman. Restraining her, two of them went to inspect the bodies.

“Hey! They all have bolts in them, someone shot them. Probably from up there,” A rather young man pointed towards the balconies where the two murderers and boys had stood before.

“Shit! Let’s get out,” Garrett cursed and started running up the stairs. Corvo followed closely behind, and they jumped onto the roof of the building they had originally used to get to the apartments. Garrett landed awkwardly, and as Corvo began to help him up, the guard below noticed them.

“Stop! Stay where you are and no harm shall come to you,” One of them shouted. The boys froze for a moment and Corvo whispered, “Crossbows,” into Garrett’s ear. Immediately they ducked and started to sprint for their lives. Two bolts hissed behind them, right where they were standing before. Garrett dropped his stolen crossbow, finding it rather heavy to carry, and put on a new boost of speed.

They hopped over roofs trying to escape the bolts following rather closely behind. The two flew past clotheslines and chimneys, and even the wind started to favor them, blowing rather strongly towards their destination. Corvo’s attic was now only two buildings away from them, and Garrett eagerly went to run over the next roof. However, the other boy pulled him behind the cover of a billboard, advertising someone’s hat shop. A bolt hissed by where the former had been just a moment before.

“I guess we’re equal on saving each other’s lives?” Garrett huffed out. Corvo was breathing just as hard, and tiredly muttered, “Sure.”

Below them, the guards in pursuit paused. Some of them walked a few paces more, heads craning to look past the board to see if the two escapees were hiding behind it or continued on.

“Where the hell did they go?” One of the them asked, jogging a little farther along the street and watching the roofs.

The eldest sighed and took charge of the small group of four.

“Hawkins, you’ve the best eyesight, did you get a good look at the kids?”

A short haired man with straight posture bit his lip in thought. He was one of the crossbow men.

“Didn’t quite catch their faces but I’ve a good idea.”

“Great. We’ll ask the people around then, they couldn’t have gone far,” The man gave one last look at the buildings and moved back towards the apartments. “Let’s take that insane woman to prison.”

The man named Hawkins followed for a moment, but stopped. Something caught the sun’s light under the billboard. He took aim and shot at the object, the noise caught attention of one of the guards and he yelled at him to leave it be. Hawkins gave a small glare in the direction he had shot and jogged back to the group.

The bolt hadn’t missed, though. It slid through Corvo’s shoe and tore his foot, causing him to nearly cry out in pain. For a couple seconds, they both simply stared at the bolt, unsure what to do. The tip shone with blood, and Corvo reached to take it out. He was careful, wincing with both pain and fear of what damage had been done. After the bolt was out, blood gently flowed out of the hole in his boot, and he took that off as well as the sock.

Garrett checked around the board to see if the guards were gone. All he could see where a few dots of white moving about, and so he grabbed Corvo by the arms and dragged him into the light so they could clearly see the wound.

“I could’ve moved myself,” he grumbled, staring at the dots of blood that followed.

“You didn’t look like you wanted to,” Garrett shrugged in reply, proceeding to cut off one of his rolled up sleeves and throwing it on Corvo’s foot. “Wrap it up and put your shoe on. We should probably get back to your home before we do anything with it.”

“Yeah,” Corvo absently muttered, wrapping the sleeve tightly around his foot, inhaling sharply. He stuffed the sock in his pocket and carefully put on his boot. The next roof had no gap, so they easily walked along it, Garrett following closely behind Corvo. The last roof, however, was definitely a challenge. It was slanted and there was a small gap between the two.

“Can we go through the front door?” The former asked, watching Corvo limp across and carefully climb down.

“I probably can, but I want you to go through the roof.”

The thief nodded and easily scaled the wall and found the window without question. He realized as well that they shouldn’t be seen much together after that incident.

Corvo watched until he couldn’t see Garrett any more and limped towards the door. He gave it a couple knocks and then opened the door without invitation. The lady of the household, Ms. Evans, was sewing together old, torn clothes and glance up in surprise when Corvo came in. She gave him a small smile.

“Pardon the intrusion, Ms. Evans, I’ve hurt my foot and can’t manage to go up my usual way,” Corvo gave a small bow and continued on.

“You’re always welcome to use the front door, Corvo. And say, did you hear the terrible scream early in the morning?”

Corvo stopped, thinking of a good answer to give her. Of course, it wasn’t always lying if you just didn’t tell certain parts of the story.

“I did actually, it was hard to miss. I had gone out to investigate, but when I got their the Duke’s guard had already gathered on the spot and apprehended the murderer.”

“Oh dear! A murder? How terrible, a good thing the guards came, they’re a mighty fine bunch,” Ms. Evans sighed in both relief and admiration. “I’ll bet even more will be joining them after the Verbena. Good luck, Corvo, I’ll be rooting for you.”

He gave her a grin, her words had given him a bit of confidence and hope. He walked up three flights or rather painful stairs before opening the door of the attic.

Garrett barely gave a glance in his direction, but still motioned Corvo to come over there. He was comfortably seated on his sister’s old bed carefully scanning several pieces of paper in his hands. On the ground lay various objects Garrett had picked off the unconscious bodies, including the crossbow Corvo had given to him before they had temporarily “parted ways.”

“What is it?” Corvo asked, not walking towards Garrett, but rather his own mattress to take off his shoes.

“Do you know any code-” He asked, only to cut himself off after looking up. “Oh yeah, you’re foot.” He set the papers down and stood up taking in the surroundings once more. “Uh.”
He approached the sink and filled a large cup with water, and found a rag as well. He set them down next to Corvo, unsure whether to help him or not. The wound didn’t seem that deep once Corvo had removed the blood soaked sleeve, but it still bled, and he quickly pressed the fabric back on it.

“Do you have any bandages around?” Garrett asked.

“No, but over in that pile, there should be a dress with a long ribbon kind of thing. Cut it off.”

Corvo dipped the rag into the water and started dabbing the wound. It looked much cleaner, and rather neat, after he was done cleaning it. The flow of blood lessened, and a wave of relief seemed to wash over him. Garrett had easily found the ribbon and cut it from the dress with his knife, bringing it over to Corvo who wrapped it tightly around the cut before it started bleeding again.

“Well, that was an adventure,” He sighed. “What did you find about a code?”

Garrett handed him a piece of paper with odd symbols.

“This chicken scratch paper. I looked at the note your sister left for you and noticed it had the same writing style. Do you know something about it?”

Corvo didn’t have to give much thought before immediately recognizing the symbols.

“That’s no chicken scratch,” he said as a smile began to light his face. “It’s from my sister.”

“Alright, then what does it say?”

“Uhm,” Corvo stared at it for a moment, trying to translate the hastily written message. “It says, ‘I’ll be at Verbena. Meet at favorite cart. I’m with people you found with this. Good luck.’”

If Garrett was right, this Blade Verbena thing was some sword dueling thing. And Corvo wanted to join in, but… He glanced at his friend’s foot. That was a problem.

“When’s that Blade Verbena thing?”

“Just a couple days short of a week.”

Garrett just looked at him for a moment.

“You’re going to need all the luck you can get.”

Chapter Text

“Why would-?” Corvo began to ask, and then realization dawned upon him. “Oh, that. ”

He gave a little sigh. The wound throbbed underneath the pressure of the ribbon and it didn’t seem to want to heal soon. He pondered on the predicament for a moment, but couldn’t think of any possible solution for the problem. He looked boredly around the room. Garrett still hadn’t shown him the loot he’d gathered either, a little distraction would be nice.

“So, Garrett, what did you find?” He asked, hoping for some sort of conversation.

“Huh?” Garrett had kept his back towards Corvo while sorting through his prizes, and turned around, subtly slipping a piece of paper in his pocket. “Oh, the stuff, right.”

He moved out of the way revealing a collection of small items. Among them were two knives, coin purses, bolts, and a few charms of some sort. Probably made of bone.

Only one of the knives had a sheath, and Garrett handed it to Corvo after slipping it back into the leather.

“They’re surprisingly good quality, and well cleaned too,” He held up the other blade, watching it glint in the sunlight. He handed the sheathed one to Corvo.

“Figure you should keep one since you just have the sword.” Garrett nodded his head towards the rather empty belt around Corvo’s waist.

He took the knife from Corvo and fastened it to his belt. “I suppose you’re right.”

Garrett slipped the other one under the mattress for later use. They proceeded to empty the coin purses of their heavy contents, curious on what they might find. Money spilled out with satisfying clinks, and they found that there was a hefty amount of money in each one, causing them both to smile.

A loud speaker outside crackled to life before emitting a message.

“Dear citizens of Karnaca, a vicious gang called ‘The Rippers’ is on the loose. However, we ask that you stay calm as the Grand Guard takes care of this situation. Any information found on the two boys who escaped capture should be given directly to any guards. Descriptions of the fugitives will be posted shortly.”

“That was quick,” Garrett muttered. He’d actually jumped when the speaker had begun talking. There wasn’t a single thing like that in the City. Messages were spread by rumor or told by the City Watch. This seemed much more efficient though, a good thing they didn’t have it back home.

Somebody’s stomach grumbled.

“We haven’t had breakfast yet,” Corvo muttered. This morning’s incident had caused him to forget wholly about food. His stomach mumbled its disapproval.

“Where’s the nearest market?” Garrett asked, slightly hunched over his empty gut. He pushed some of the coins back into the purse and stuffed it in his pocket.

“Er, if you head towards the mountains and take a left near Morgan’s Threads and then take the next right you should come upon a store. It’s usually busy though. And if you can, try to get me some proper bandages,” Corvo answered, pointing out the window towards the tailor he’d mentioned.

“We’ll see if I find anything,” Garrett began to climb out the window, but turned back to Corvo remembering a question he wanted to ask. “Is there a name for this place? Not the actual city name, but like a district.”

“Oh yeah, we’re in the Batista Mining District. Why?”

“Just curious.”
Garrett leaped out the window and began to walk along the road, where people had started to populate once more after the murders. He noticed that mingled among the new wave of people were guards. None of them probably thought that he was who they were after, but as a little safety measure, he did his best to weave through the crowd without them even glimpsing him. As he went along the roads, Garrett once again noticed how different everything was compared to the City. People wore brighter clothes, the guards had white uniforms, it didn’t seem as twisty and easy to get lost in and the people seemed much more cheerful or professional.

He passed under a wooden sign labeled ‘Morgan’s Threads’ and turned left just as Corvo said. The next turn was barely a few meters away and he spun casually on his heel, snatching a few coins from a passing man’s pocket with a small wave of his hand.

Now before him was another towering building. Pristine white walls and windows dotting the wall in neat arrays. There was no sign to indicate what the place was, but it seemed packed with people and cosmetics and food were showcased in the large, front windows. This must be it.

He entered, instantaneously getting shouldered by a rough looking man and stumbling back out. Garrett sent a small glare towards the man’s back, and this time stepped into the building without a disturbance. Varieties of food appeared in front of him, as well as a small section for clothes and accessories. A long desk sat in the middle of the building, with a kindly looking woman managing any and all sales behind it. Garrett considered grabbing a few small things and shoplifting, but then he noticed the guard positioned near the entrance, seeming to watch anyone who entered of left. A small shiver went down his spine. It bothered him when people took their job way too seriously, like that .

Instead, he opted to just buying a few fruits and dried meats. There was plenty of money to spare, and Garrett never seemed to have trouble getting money in any currency. After grabbing an armful of food stuffs he approached the smiling cashier and did his best to look friendly.

All he could manage was a measly half smile.

“Thirty-six, please,” she said after counting up his items.

Garrett nodded and picked through the purse which he had decided to latch onto his belt for easier access. While counting up the money and placing it in small increments on the counter, he slipped a small roll of bandaging fabric into his pocket. Underneath the desk was a convenient stock of medical supplies. Luckily, not a person saw him.

Casually, he walked out of the store, food tucked under his arm and in his pocket. He didn’t even bother giving the guard a glance. Once outside and around the corner, he began to move in a small jog. Finding the main street where Corvo lived on, he turned in a semicircle, looking for posters or a map. Finding none, he continued at a fast pace towards his temporary home, moving towards the sea. Three-quarters of the way there he noticed a board on the wall with what looked like a map of the city. He noted its location and hurried back to the house.

Garrett climbed through the window to be met by a loud groan emitted from a Corvo laying flat on his face.

“Did you bring the food? I’m starving to death,” his voice was muffled by the pillow underneath him until he turned around and got up.

Garrett gave a little huff of laughter, starting to hunch over his grumbling stomach. He sat down on the other mattress and emptied his pocket and arm, relieving himself of food before immediately snatching a fruit. “Eat up, bird.”

“Bird, really?”

“It’s your name.”

“Where did you get an education?”

“Everywhere.”

Garrett had actually managed to get into a surgeon’s house before. The workshop had been littered with all sorts of dead and mangled birds which were labeled of the Corvid family. You learn weird things from weird places. It was also a bit scarring, no one should have to see a large dissected bird, it had just been killed too.

Corvo grunted, unable to respond with his mouth stuffed with food.

After they were nearly full, Garrett nodded his head at the can of whale meat that Corvo had just eaten out of.

“What does that even taste like?” he asked. Common foods in the City included mostly beef, chicken, potatoes, bread, vegetables, and some of the occasional unspecified meat. Fish, and especially whale, didn’t do too well in the market unless you were in Dayport, some of South Quarter or the Docks.

Corvo pushed the can over to him and stuck a fork in the smoked meat. “Try it.”

Garrett glanced at it with distrust.. The meat was a deep red and looked more like a slab of steak than some sort of sea creature.   He stabbed the fork deeper in the meat and lifted it, getting a sliver of meat stuck to his fork. It hung there for a moment while Garrett looked back at Corvo who rolled his eyes and motioned for him to hurry up. The whale meat found its way in Garrett’s mouth. At first his face was twisted in anticipation for something terrible, but as he started to chew, his face softened into a look of surprised confusion.

“It tastes like regular meat?”

“What did you expect?” Corvo snickered.

Garrett opened his mouth to reply, but found he had nothing to say. What had he expected it to taste like? Instead he answered with a silent shrug and set the fork back in the can.

Both boys were now stuffed with food, and the sun was nearing noon. They decided to apply real bandages in place of the ribbon around Corvo’s foot and took a midday nap, which Garrett finally felt was normal.

For the rest of the day, Corvo went out to give a tour of the nearby docks. They walked since Corvo still didn’t think he could climb with his injured foot comfortably. Meanwhile, Garrett eyed the water skeptically, he had never had a good experience with bodies of water. Specifically the river that flowed around and through the City.

They were never disturbed and enjoyed a peaceful day, but as evening ended and the night came upon, the thief couldn’t help but wonder how he got here. The two ate the remnants of the whale meat, Garrett being a rather happy eater, and then went to their respective spots to sleep.

However, Garrett barely even closed his eyes. He waited for at least thirty minutes, waiting for his friend to enter a deep sleep, and all the while his eyes were open and his mind wandering away. At last, when he felt that Corvo must have fallen asleep, he rose, relishing in the wave of darkness and small shine of the moon that washed over him. With a little sigh of relief, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dark and he easily moved out of the attic and back to the map which he had previously seen.

The occasional lamp was scattered along the street, and conveniently one was next to the map.

The Batista Mining District , that’s where Corvo had said they were. He traced his finger along the map, finding the destination and guessing their exact location. He took out the slip of paper that he had relieved off one of the men he’d knocked out this morning and looked at it once more.

The whole thing was filled with scribbled information on black markets and powerful people. One of the ones he was interested in was a man named Daud. Written on the sheet, it said he was the closest you could get to a witch. One of the scribbles called him the ‘the Outsider’s offspring.’ A curious name, but maybe this Outsider was some sort of god here. And some sort of god could possibly get him home. That, or this Daud might be able to provide him with supplies.

While the two had been walking along the docks, Garrett had been thinking about the Blade Verbena. He’d been brought here just a week before the festival, maybe that meant something. Then, with Corvo’s injured foot, he certainly couldn’t win. Which might mean Garrett couldn’t go home?

It was a rather long stretch, but it was something. To make sure that he could fulfill his deed, he needed something that would undermine Corvo’s opponents. Maybe drugs or distractions. The paper had given that Daud was also adept with plants and the like, it also said that he was located just southeast of here. Convenient.

Footsteps echoed throughout the street. Garrett quickly ran into a small crevice, feet barely touching the ground before being picked up again in a near absolute silent action. He peeked out of his hiding spot, looking both ways to find the source. It was on his right. Heading in the same direction was a woman in a fluttery purple dress. She was carrying a bag bursting with items, and trying to sprint in her more fashionable than purposeful slippers. Nobody appeared to be following her, perhaps she was just trying to escape a family matter. A minute after she passed, Garrett went to take one last glance at the map, doing his best to memorize the route.

A heavy wind blew through the street, and soon after he heard a large splash coming from what he believed was south. Although his eyes were adept at seeing through the darkness, he couldn’t find a thing wrong when he looked in the direction of the noise. Checking to see if his knife was still attached to his belt, Garrett headed down to the docks, where he believed he might find the man Daud.  He dodged into every welcoming shadow. It was more of instinct than an assurance he wouldn’t be caught by someone. It felt almost nostalgic in a way. Hell… he was homesick after barely two days. Karnaca might be pleasing to the eyes of the wealthy, but to him it was too bright. The City had the occasional light rains and comforting cloudy skies. Of course, there were times when the sky was clear there, it just wasn’t all the time.

After several twists and turns, he soon approached the docks and heard something splashing at the edge. A gasp reached its way to his ears, and curiously he walked towards the noise and peered over the water. The woman who had been running away just a moment before was thrashing in the water, trying to keep herself afloat. Garrett glanced behind him. He was able to discern a large crack in the concrete which she must have tripped over, leaving her shoe behind. It wasn’t a surprise that the she didn’t notice him before, but as Garrett started to walk away, the woman shouted.

“Wait!”

“What for?” Garrett turned around and stood a safe way away from the edge.

“Can you help me? I fell into the water and I- I don’t know how to swim properly,” She admitted embarrassingly, still doing her best to stay afloat and nearly drenching Garrett with one of her splashes.

“That makes two of us,” He growled, sidestepping the shower of water.

“Please! Just get me to the ledge.”

Garrett began to walk away. Daud wouldn’t be far now, and he had no reason to save this woman.

“If you don’t help me, I’ll call the Grand Guard. They’ll arrest you for… for theft and murder!”

“Murder?” Garrett turned around with a snort of laughter, “The only murder I’ll commit is kill you if you keep babbling. If you want me to help you, then I think I’ll need something in return.”

He actually wasn’t much of a killer. The knife he carried was only for cutting purses and removing obstacles, sometimes he’d have to use it in defense. It was hard to even think of killing someone, directly at least.

“I have money. Lots of money, jewels, clothes. Help me out and I’ll give you plenty of it,” The woman seemed able to stabilize herself in the water, making less of a ruckus.

Money currently wasn’t a problem, but jewels? He’d always had a fascination with them. Pristine color, perfect cuts… sometimes it was fun just to see how they were imperfect. And clothes… His were pretty torn and his boots were beginning to tear. It was an odd, but enticing offer.

He grasped the lady’s arm and pulled her up with surprising strength. “You’ve got yourself a deal. Now, what’s the catch on getting my end?”

“Thank you, oh thank you!” She praised him, ringing out her dress. “But, what do you mean by a catch?”

“I saw you running away from something. I’m guessing it’s your family which means you’re losing connection to any wealth you have.”

“How old are you?” The lady asked. In her eyes, Garrett was off. He was short, and yet his fingers were long and his hand rough with dirt. Shouldn’t he be a child?  The light fell half along his face, and the woman was surprised by the sudden grim features shown. And yet there was still something likable there. The light in his eyes perhaps, or the hint of mischief that lined his face.

“None of your concern.”

“Name?”

“If I won’t tell you my age I won’t tell you my name.”

She conceded with a sigh, and picked up her shoe. “Okay, I give up. Meet me at the Verbena, near the main entrance to the park. I’ll give you my uh, ‘payment’ of our bargain.” The woman couldn’t help but give a small giggle, it was a bit amusing and almost reminded her of someone. She held out her still wet hand, making the deal proper. Garrett just stared at it for a moment, and then shook it, looking up into the woman’s face. Some sort of recognition passed in her eyes, and Garrett quickly melded into the shadows, wanting to get out of sight.

The woman looked around, searching for him, but Garrett had already rounded a corner, and passing through an abandoned building that would lead him to the man he was looking for. The woman gave a little sigh of both relief and loss, then headed back the way she came.

Opening the door and walking up the stairs, Garrett couldn’t stop thinking about how something about the lady he’d met seemed off. It distracted him causing him to be oblivious of his surroundings. In the dark something grabbed him from behind, and once again there was a blade beneath his throat.

Two times in two days. What’s in store for tomorrow?

“Is this a normal greeting in Karnaca?” he whispered, not wanting to disturb the silence.

“What?” A rough voice asked from behind him, confused by the calm demeanor of his intruder.

“Never mind,” Garrett sighed, then took a small risk and told him of his business in hopes of being released “I’m looking for Daud.”

It was a success, almost. The hold on him slackened a bit, and that probably meant that this was who he was looking for.

“What do you want with him?”

“I’m told you have skill with plants, and Karnaca seems full of them.”

“Who are you?” Daud growled.

“Not from around here.” Garrett felt a bit awkward being at least a foot smaller than the man threatening him.

The grip tightened again and the knife barely scraped his neck. “Obviously. Who are you?”

“Garrett,” He answered, straining his neck trying to keep it from touching the blade.

“And you work for..?”

“Myself.” The knife was beginning to make a red mark under his adam’s apple. He did his best not to swallow.

If I’d known I was being dragged into an interrogation, I might have been a little more open.

“You’re too scrawny and short for them,” Garrett frowned, but Daud seemed to be talking more to himself than Garrett now. After a moment he let him go. “Alright, Garrett, what do you want from me?”

“Other than an apology for that?” He muttered, rubbing his neck to find a bit of blood trickling from the mark.

Daud raised an eyebrow in the dark, and began to light a cigarette, creating a little bit of light between them and allowing easier eye contact.

“Fine, I need a couple things. I have a friend that’s injured and I need something that’ll either numb the pain—without drugging him—or make the wound heal faster.” Garrett was barely even looking Daud in the eye, just trying to look down at the small cut he’d made. It was an awkward feeling, almost like a rope tied around his throat or having something stuck in it. “I also need an actual drug. Not sure if you guys have opium here, but that would certainly help, or something like it.”

“What do you have to offer?” Daud asked, letting out a puff of smoke, an all too familiar smell was released into the air. He began to move past Garrett and farther up the stairs. Garrett followed.

“What do you need?”

Daud paused to think about it. When someone approached him they usually offered money, but… some people just never paid their debts owed. He wasn’t skilled enough to get what he wanted, but this kid seemed willing.

“I need you to help someone pay a debt. Two if you want both of your wishes fulfilled,” He offered.

Garrett let out a thoughtful hum. He’d never taken a job in theft. It was always him fending for himself, but this challenge seemed welcome. It was something new that he actually wanted to do. Stealth always treated him well, and paying debts sounded like infiltration. A hand reached into his pocket to find a small canvas wallet that held the lock picks he’d acquired. This might just be fun.

“I think that’s a deal. Where do I go and what do I need to collect?”

Daud’s smile was created eerie by the low light emitting from his cigarette. Opening a secret panel in the wall, he led Garrett up a ladder.

Corvo wasn’t sure why he woke up, he just knew he did and that there was a reason. When he rose he nearly tripped over himself, putting too much pressure on his foot and being practically blind in the dark. He fell back onto his bed and waited until his eyes adjusted. Honestly, it wasn’t much better than before. His eyes could barely pick out the candle that lay next to his bed, and he fumbled with a box of matches that lay under the bed. After a few attempts of striking the match backwards, he eventually got a spark, and then a little flame. He successfully lit the candle without burning everything down.

Corvo sat there for another moment, confused once more why he was up during what seemed to be the middle of the night. It took him a moment, but he realized that the mattress on the perpendicular wall was empty.

Who goes out into the middle of the night for no reason?

He brought the candle towards the bed and checked under it. The money and all he had collected was still under it, at least Garrett would come back. Something rustled outside the window, and a barely noticeable shadow passed by. Corvo brought the candle towards the glass and tried to peer through the darkness. He couldn’t see anything but the pipe below, but there was a sliding noise behind him. Someone silently stepped through the window.

“Didn’t expect you to wake up so early.”

They eventually entered a room where Daud turned on dim lights. Garrett noticed they were powered by some sort of glowing blue oil. It was probably whale oil, he remembered seeing the same tanks that stood near them on an advertisement during the evening. The rest of the room was just like a normal room. Aside from a few potted plants, there was a desk and table with chairs, a bed and lamps. Daud walked over to the desk and beckoned Garrett forward. He took a book from one of his stacks of paper and journals, and opened it to a bookmarked page near the middle.

“The Rippers. They’ve been buying from me for a while now. But they haven’t given me their last two payments for the month. I’d stop selling to them, but they’re a bit too connected for me to stop. I run a dangerous market.”

The Rippers, those were the people they’d knocked out, according to those loud speakers, at least. He cringed a bit, remembering the scream of that woman’s last victim. They seemed like a really brutal bunch.

“Don’t worry, I’ve been watching them for a while. They’re all cramped downstairs from evening to morning. Not sure why, but it leaves an opportunity,” Daud said, trying to reassure the doubtful Garrett. It only helped a little, and Garrett just gestured him to go on.

“Where is it?”

Daud pulled out a small map and pointed at the district they were in. He grabbed a pen and circled around a few small buildings.

“That’s where we are right now. The Rippers are just located north of Batista.” He circled another area. “Past this little mountain stretch and heading just southeast of the Cyria Gardens. It’s a bit of a walk, but a boat will get you there quicker. Their building is rather short, maybe a couple floors shorter than your average.”

“How much do you need from them?”

“At least two-hundred coin. Take whatever you want from them, consider it a ‘bonus.’ You can also get me some other things in place of the money. Copper wire and whale oil sell well.”

Garrett nodded, he’d have to analyze the currency here, and probably make multiple trips. Two hundred would be a lot to carry, and he only had his two pockets. A hundred each? Definitely not. He took another look at the map and glanced at Daud.

“Second target?”

“Right,” Daud said, and drew another circle. This one was closer to their position. “I hope you know how to crack a safe. I’ve threatened the guy several times, but there’s always a guard of some sort near him. He keeps all his money in that safe, located on the second floor. Eh, his name’s Henry Byrne. I think he’s also an Overseer. Get me eighty coin from him and a charm.”

He held up a piece of bone in a semi-circular shape for example. Garrett swore he had seen some sort of mist emitting from it, but Daud had put it away before he could truly tell. There also was also something similar, but in a triangular shape mixed within his own loot pile.

The almost-not-an-amateur thief nodded.

“I’m up for it, but I need the medicine before I finish getting you anything. My friend’s got to heal up as fast as possible.”

“Smart kid,” Daud said, snuffing the cigarette before leaving into another room. “I’ll give it to you, just a moment.”

The man, only about half a decade older, left Garrett in the room for a few tiring minutes. He stifled a yawn, barely, and tried hitting himself awake.

Have I really gotten out of the system so quickly?

It used to be that he’d slept from afternoon to night, when it seemed to be much safer outside, and less crowded. He’d never be so tired this early into the night. Rubbing his eyes now, he barely noticed Daud walked in. Again. He was holding a pouch and neatly folded the map, tucking it in as well.

“It’s all there. Instructions, what it does, and some extra... contact information. Get me what I want as soon as possible, so I know you don’t rat out on me too.”

Garrett took the pouch and latched it onto his belt. He gave a little huff of laughter before heading down the ladder he’d come up from. “Trust me, I won’t.”

“Where the hell did you go?” Corvo asked, sleep lined his face not unlike Garrett’s, and the candle light only made them both look more tired.

“I’ll tell you in the morning, how’s that?” Garrett gave a little smirk as he closed the window and locked it in place. He took the pouch he’d been given by Daud and slipped it into a small crack in the wall, knowing the Corvo was once more oblivious towards his actions. What an exciting night it had been, shame he still felt like shit from not getting enough sleep. Corvo grunted a “fine” after a few moments, and made a small thump as he collapsed onto his bed after snuffing the candle. Garrett followed suit, but found himself in a distorted dream.

He was following the sound of the woman once again, but as he followed the road, it began to turn to slate, slanting upward at sharp angles where the buildings should be. The air turned cold and the sky changed into an odd misty black, without a single trace of the sun, moon, or clouds. Eventually the ground started breaking apart. The spikes of slate faded away until he was on a simple cobbled pathway with the occasional floating lantern or tree being all that he found until he came to the docks. An odd moaning came from far off, not like that of a human, something was telling him it was coming from a whale. The noise caused a shiver to run down his spine. Confused by the strange place, Garrett continued towards life-like statues of him and the woman he’d met during the night. Each one seemed carved to an extreme where every detail showed. There were even pale colors painted on them, fake highlights shone on the faces, showing frozen expressions. The woman and his other self were shaking hands in the small deal they’d made. Garrett looked closely at the woman’s face. It was filled with several expressions.

Worry, happiness, confusion, forgiveness.

Why would those specific things reflect off her face?

Something urged him to move past the statues and onto a further road, leading to a similar set up. The woman was turned away from Garrett, who was a barely visible shadow in the background, and holding a small stone. It glowed with a blue hue and lit up her face. Perhaps it was because of the lighting he’d just seen both people in, but there was a close resemblance between Corvo and this lady. They had the same striking facial features, heavy brows and almost tired looking eyes, as well as a strong jaw. However, the expression had changed from the last scene. This face was in the middle of a sigh, the eyes held regret and yet looked at the stone with a hard glare.

The stone.

It was a tiny, almost insignificant looking object, but it stood out from the rest of… everything. It wasn’t made of the same slate as the statues, but was it’s own self. Garrett approached it. The glow from it was a calming presence, a warm feeling from a cool light. Something urged him to take it, and his fingers gently wrapped themselves around the pebble of a stone.

There was a small moment of nothingness. Someone spoke.

Be careful. What happens next isn’t pretty.

Garrett woke up with a start, nearly slamming into the wall. A strangely calm voice continued to echo those words in his ears until morning.