Nohadon

"No. Sorry. I didn't see anyone suspicous" She says. "I'd like to go visit my granddaughter. Could you please show me the way young man?"

"Well, everyone seems off nowadays, you know how it is. The world's a whole lot more complicated now then it was back in my day"

"I was told there were complications, and I came to get the granddaughter. Do you know where she is?"

"I... I saw the train leave the Elendel station." The lady replied, shaken. "I don't remember anything out of the ordinary" She continued "The train left on time, and everything seemed fine."

I’ll be making sure you don’t try to kill Benson Devaan withdrew, giving Hellbent control

"No investiture and no weapons. Hand to hand"

NOT YET! Devaan roared in his mind Look at him. He's scared, he cares for others lives. He can be useful later on. Who would expect that he be a ghostblood spy? "Hey kiddo" Devaan managed to say "I'm the one stopping Hellbent from murdering you. So you have two options. Die now or get another two weeks. I don't know if I want to hold Hellbent back for much longer"

"I have no idea!" Astiel admitted, grinning broadly. "Devaan's food wasn't great" SIlphio agreed The world around the three of them froze. "Speed bubble" Astiel muttered, his hand going straight to where he kept his hidden daggers. "What do you want?" Silphio called out. "For all of you to die" A voice whispered from somewhere unseen. "Ah hell" Astiel breathed in stormlight and downed a vial of metals. Silphio's skin quickly became covered in thick white bone plating. The speed bubble dropped. A gunshot sounded, a bullet whizzing straight to Astiel's forehead. A small amount of ash landed on his forehead instead of a bullet hitting him. "Nice try" Astiel said, wiping the dust off of his face. The trainees looked around, concerned. "Everyone form up!" A voice called. Alson's voice. His scimitars were already out. "Seb, take the front and start casting edo shields. Bel, I need you to watch the back, make sure there aren't any snipers. Everyone else get into the bunker, we'll take care of this" The other trainees quickly scurried away into the house. Safe, no shots directed at the trainees. "Stay sharp. We're the targets here" Silphio told Max and Astiel. "Standard assassin protocol is to hit from all sides from a distance. These are probably top snipers if they are who I think they are" Astiel replied "Who the hell did you piss off now?" "The panthers. Old world hopper gang I used to run. They want revenge for me ditching them." @I think I am here.

Serak looked the man up and down, he felt closer to him, they were both ferrings. Stop that. He's a connector. "You have your information. I'll get you the names in a week" Serak then got up and walked away, intending to catch the next train to drypost.

"Yeah, Althea's incredible. How does she put up with you?" Silphio joined Max, the trainees had just finished cooking, one girl with red hair, tied to a ponytail was instructing people what to do. "That's Bel, she grew up in JiinDo, she's as good as chayshan is she is cooking. I've been trying to show her the finer points but I'm not that experienced with the art." Silphio shook his head as the older trainees began pouring various drinks, mostly scadrian whiskey, Silphio accepted some with a smile. The trainees were talking animatedly. Max always intrigued them, the combat rioter, someone with no offensive magic and yet was still a highly respected fighter and a high-ranking ghostblood. The food was quickly served, a shrimp HaiKo, Silphio immediatley tore into it. "Sorry I'm late" Astiel said from behind Max and Silphio. Silphio jumped, startled, almost dropping his HaiKo. Astiel was wearing his modified canton uniform, a short jacket that had the logo emblazoned onto it. He grinned at the two of them and fetched some horneater white, drinking it casually while talking with Max and Silphio. "I had to take care of something" Astiel continued "What was that?" Silphio replied "I'd rather not go into it" *** Halfway down the mountain, four corpses lay, with a copy of the mapped out Devaan's training ground, sticks of dynamite and various weaponry. ***

"You know how he is. I sent him an invite, 50-50 odds he shows up" The trainees began to gather in a large circle, setting up a bonfire.

"Not as of yet, but I'm pretty sure he's unsnapped. Harmony help us all of he becomes a coinshot or a pewterarm" "Devaan would destroy him, but it would teach him some humility." "Wow. We could have used that earlier." The sun began to set over the seran peaks. "We have a sunset dinner with the trainees, it's starting soon, want to join in? don't worry, it's fairly light and you'll be back home mid afternoon alley city time."

Lenthenil looked at Csilen, unphased. He slowly began to clap. "Really good job there." He said, completely calm. "But I no longer have an inclination to help. In fact, I'll be leaving now" Serak stood up and walked out of the room.

NO! I WON'T LET YOU! Devaan tried to take control. Paralysing ronin.

"It's been great. The guardhouses are running well, Sergeant Kestraal finally quit moss, if he keeps training them well I'm thinking of promoting him to general." Silphio replied One of the trainees ran up to Silphio and Max, he was 16 years old, he held himself confidently, two scimitars sheathed at his sides. "I'd like to challenge you for advancement, sir" "Trainings over for today Alson, you'll have to wait till tommorow" The boy glared at him and Max and ran off. "Keep an eye on that kid" Silphio said when out of earshot. "He's a storming prodigy with most weapons. I want him to face Devaan." Silphio remembered something "Apparently Devaan has a hidden black book somewhere in the canton? did he tell you where it is?"

“That sounds fantastic” He said greatfully I don’t know them. I could go back to Drypost and check for you, however, it would take a week.

"What sentence?" Lenthenil remembered suddenly. "Oh yes, of course. I work as the head accountant in a textiles industry in dry post. recently I discovered a couple of the workers were..." He glanced at the people near him and mouthed the rest of the sentence, hoping the others could lip read. Embezzling funds under the pretext of "equipment repair"

"I can't remember much about her. She was short, with red hair" Serak replied. "What's this about anyway? by the looks of your friend he's a constable." His eyes widened "Did the train get robbed? You guys want to keep it quiet, I get that." Lenthenil started speaking faster and faster "But if so, then that means someone got away with over a quarter million boxings. Very interesting, perhaps it has something to do with the investments the money would be used for? or perhaps-" He trailed off. "Do you guys have anything to eat? I'm suddenly pretty hungry right now"

Lenthenil Serak nodded. "I was sitting in Drypost station when that rusting train came in to refill it's coal stocks to finish the journey. It was early in the morning, and I saw one passenger leave." Serak looked irritated. "Can I leave now? I have to be getting back to drypost soon. I still work there."

Devaan picked it up and began with a Jab, he immediately twisted into a hook backwards, using the momentum to spin into a slash, he kept going, moves overlapping into each other in perfect harmony, the kata seemed to have a rhythm to it, building up into a crescendo, the strikes getting faster and faster. He always kept his distance from the hilt, using it to fend off imaginary enemies, he spaced himself perfectly, always in tune with the weapon. "Sorry, I showed off a little there. Try emulate the starting moves, then go from there. You have to let the weapon take hold. It's easier with sprenblades, as they literally can speak to you."

"I wish I was at the training grounds right now, we would have so many more resources" Devaan smiled reassuringly "Try a Halberd for now. It has long reach but you can lose balance quickly. Mind if you pass it over to me so I can show you a quick warm up you can try replicate?"

"What type of weapon do you use best?" Devaan stood up and unsheathed his katana, practicing a small kata to warm up.

"Just an idiot epic with a god complex. Nothing to worry about." Silphio told Max about his encounter with Metronome, laughing as he did so.

"An elsecaller! Interesting!" Devaan's eyes lit up in excitement. "It's always interesting, talking to radiants. You're having trouble with your sprenblade? I'd be happy to help if you want."

A smile spread across Silphio's face. "Nothing too much, just training this sorry lot." He gestured to his students. "You got a new recruit by the way, he joined ops, his name's Jacien, Devaan called him out on a mission, apparently the old man still has that authority"