Advent of the Nexus: The Only Way Home

"Usually, when I get a first time client, they ask me how I know where they need to go. You don't care though, do you?"

Pan began using his butterfly knife to make small hand and footholds in the wall, knowing they'd be repaired by the next time he'd need to get over this wall.

"But, if someone recommended me, that means you really do need to go down to Old Venice, huh? Well, you're in luck. That's where I'm taking you. To a certain place with a one-of-a-kind old bartender named Tim. Miss, you do need to lay low someplace, right? If you need me to get you anyplace after this, I'll be able to find your path for you."

Zada shrugged. "If I asked about all strange things that went on in life, I would achieve nothing. Maybe in time, though."

He sat down, waiting on choices to be made, meditating it seemed all most.

"Thanks. I'm from a faraway place, quite a journey over here."

The man takes a sip from his beer then liking the taste he takes a deeper one before putting it down and taking a bite of the bread. He glances over at the coins on the counter and pushes them forward with his free hand.

"Ending or not this beer deserves paying for, I insist."

"Now then, moving on, we'll be going up and over this here wall, then straight down to Old Venice. Follow my instructions to the letter from here on, or you may just die."

Pan waited for the two to react to his declaration. It was insane; the bottom floor of New Venice was several miles straight down. Surviving without a parachute didn't seem possible.


The old man smiled and took the money.

"You won't find that beer anyplace else in this world, you know. Brewed it myself. I'm glad to hear you like the taste, youngster. I can't taste much of anything anymore. Still get drunk though. Hehehehe..."

Tim picked up the next glass in need of cleaning and began to wash it out.

"So, you here about that world-ending thing? It's the reason this place is so empty. You sure are a brave one, to go against that Omega fellow."

« Last edited by penguinlord352 on Aug 10th 2012 »

"Nice, another thing worth saving in this little world. Either brave or just stupid but yes I am here for that. Not much else to do so I may as well go on an adventure."

The man finishes the piece of bread in a few bites and takes another sip of the beer. Placing the glass down he realizes he hasn't introduced himself.

"I'm Shade L. Night, nice to meet the owner of Occulatus."

Tim's laughs at Shade's introduction.

"I-I'm sorry, lad, but I haven't heard something that funny on a long time. I just tend the bar here, I'm afraid. But it is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Night. No, the owner, he's younger than you, I'd say. Bright lad. His Name's Pan. He owns this place, but I take care of everything since he usually spends his time wandering about New Venice, finding people who need his services."

The old man puts the now clean glass down.

"Would you like the rest of the loaf, or should I save it for someone else?"

The girl hesitates confused by the man before following knowing that if she did stay the guards would come after him. Hurrying to keep up to him and the new person she watches them.
"Thank you, I'm Crystal. I have a feeling it wouldn't of ended well for me at all if they had caught me, if they hadn't killed me first. I fear I may have been set up to get caught the guards showing up when they did was more then bad luck I think."
She stops talking as she looks up at the wall.

« Last edited by Ninetailed Fox on Aug 10th 2012 »

"It was my pleasure, Crystal. Now, are the two of you ready to go, or is there anything left that you need to take care off before we, uh, descend? And again, are either of you afraid of heights?"

Pan is stressing the fear of heights bit, as the last time he brought someone down this way, he ended up dodging blades rather than getting paid.

"Hopefully, going this way will get us past any more nasty traps that may have been set for you, Crystal. I get the feeling this isn't the first time you've stolen from someone in the Garden. It isn't my business though. My business is getting the two of you safely down to Old Venice. If you are ready, climb up the wall using these hand and footholds I carved out and wait for my signal."

"No its not theres not many ways for someone like me to make a living. No fear of heights I've had to do a lot of climbing in the past. But may I ask where it is your taking me exactly? I've never really been in Old Venice." She walks over to the wall finding the hand holds and testing them before climbing up to the very top rather skillfully. Sitting down she looks at the two waiting for them to join her.

"You know that this top floor here is based off the original Venice, right? That's Old Venice. Beneath the city, it still stands. That is where we are going. One hundred floors down. Still no height problems after hearing that? Of course, once we arrive in Old Venice, I imagine that this priestly gentleman will want to go directly to the Occulatus, the original one, so until then, your final destination is undecided. Once we're in Old Venice, just stick with me and you'll be fine."

Pan seems a bit hyped up about this, and he has good reason to; he knows where this path ends, and the Occulatus is just the first stop along the way. He checks his black guitar case, making sure it is closed tight and that it won't fall off his back by slinging the strap across his chest and over his right shoulder.

"Today is a good day."

"Yeah its no problem many of my jobs have required me to do some climbing. Now what is the Occulatus? Some sort of safe house or something?" The girl doesn't get around much unless its to get a job and normally people come to her. She watches Pan wondering why hes towing the guitar around anyway. "Need some help?"

"The Occulatus is a pub in Old Venice. Old Venice isn't policed, so the entire city is a safe place. But it's not exactly a den of thieves either. I'll explain more when we get there. And, thanks, but I'm a veteran of this particular route, so I'm used to carrying my guitar with me."

Pan climbs up onto the wall and looks down, silently watching the clouds. He stands straight up and looks totally at home on the edge miles above the ground. Like a goat on a mountain.

"I see so you just climb up and down this a lot? Your pretty brave then and you must be a skilled climber. Even more so because your carrying that guitar around." She looks down looking for the other handholds to get down as she thinks to herself a bit.

"Climb? Oh, sorry, I thought I said this before, but we're not climbing. We'll be jumping."

Pan laughs a bit, like this isn't much of a big deal or something like that. As though, somehow, jumping and falling rapidly for several miles towards the sea is a common occurrence in daily life.

Zada followed up the rear, listening, slightly annoyed he kept being called priest. Though, it couldn't be helped, he may have abandoned his race but he still wore their garb, even if opposite colors.

"Is there a specific path I should follow down or should I just worry about my own landing? I don't go air diving that often...outside of a few...tactical reasons."

He stopped, thinking. "And since I figure our paths will cross again, stop calling me "Priest", I am not here to offer you a blessing. I may wear the garb of my people but I do not follow them.

"Just follow my lead and don't worry about a thing. I'll get us to where we're going safe and sound."

Pan debates for a moment on what to call the priestly man, since he never introduced himself.

"And since I know our paths will cross again, I say this: what should I call you, if not priest?"

"You may call me Zada. Zada Z'Aay of the Zioness. You would be right normally to call me priest, but I couldn't bear to deal with them anymore. All organized society becomes unbearable at some point. And you better be was good as you say then. (ZaH-Duh Z-((pluse a fonz Aaaayyyy)))

"Aaaah, I know what you mean Mr. Z'Aay of Zioness. Most worlds have been dominated by some socks my corrupt religion, or divided between worshippers of a good god and those of a dark one. It get old. People like you introduce a little anarchy into the system. I like that. Anyways, hold on to my right arm, Mr. Z'Aay. Miss Crystal, please hold tightly to my left. After that, we shall jump. Do not let go for any reason, or I cannot promise you will survive."

Pan had a kind and reassuring smile on his face. He gives all his customers this smile.

"Save it for someone else, I have a feeling you might be getting a few more visitors today."

his gut was telling him that he arrived on the right day maybe just a little earlier than expected. If he waited around in the bar for a while longer he was positive he would meet a few more people and interesting ones too. So thats what he did, he sat at the bar drinking his beer patiently awaiting for the arrival of a few other customers.

"Well, I hope you're right. But I do have a few more loaves. Just because we haven't had business lately doesn't mean this is a poor establishment. We take good care of our customers here a he Occulatus."

Tim sat himself down on a chair behind the bar and took a glass of beer for himself. He looks at Shade and raises his glass.

"Cheers."

The old man chugs it back like he was still in his thirties, putting the glass down with a contented sigh.

"Hope Pan'll be back soon. He'd get along well with you, I think."