Chapter 20: Chapter 20 ~ Operation: Information Raid

We stayed the night, embraced within the safe confines of the Sewerhall, away from the night-terrors. The creator of this outpost, this Sewerhall, could be seen learning magick, and his craft, from the dwarves and gnomes, based on the very documents he left behind. The architecture and features of this place, especially the stout pillars of stone, are truly reminiscent of a dwarf's touch. Its grand ceiling that mimicked the amount of light outside, gave away its gnomish ancestry. Unquestionably, this very place could be dubbed as a work of art, one that both dwarves and gnomes would highly rate.

The incandescent light that the ceiling up above gave off, informed us of the sun's presence. That it was a good time to expand our search and gain information as to where the vampires will hold their gatherings. Still, looking for an uncertain place in a district as big as the Dairy Lodge, felt like searching for a needle within a barn. A daunting task it truly was. However, it shall be done, either by luck, or brute-forcing it. Such a task naturally falls to me, the only one within the group that was capable of enchanting the masses to do my bidding. Thus, with Ciel as my bodyguard and vampire detector, I started the operation.

On the first day of this operation of ours, we gained surveillance control of at least one-tenth of the whole district, as a result, we also gained some watchful eyes around the places I'm usually performing. The good thing, however, we managed to establish some kind of information flow with the populace after we gave them various places they could use, to deposit information about public security they want the constables to know. We took some random information from the whole pile, that seemed urgent enough, and let Theo take care of it the next day.

The second day went swimmingly. We gained at least half of the whole district willing to inform us whenever they heard something along the lines of Harvest Festival, attack, decoy, or other keywords that one could use to describe an assault. However, Ciel finally warns me of some unsavoury smells lurking about; hence, we have to abandon this persona, and change into another. We walked around the district, changing into all sorts of acts and disguises whenever she informed me some foul odour was close. We walked, and walked, even when my untrained feet were already sore, we still walked onwards to confuse our pursuers. Making them think we're here and anywhere; I could be you, she could be me, he could be him, and she could be her.

On the third day, the vampires moved in full force. Everywhere we go, Ciel warned me of a lurking smell. Still, that won't stop us, since I have countless skills, more so than you imagine. You see, as part of my training back in my adventuring days, I would entrance the crowd with various kinds of skills, one that I have already decently mastered. By talking up and hyperbolizing those skills I've shown, I managed to cement the belief that Laincelot was a man of many skills. Gaining such belief, I managed to fake my way into mastering skills that I don't even know, as all kinds of capabilities just wormed their way inside my head. This is my way, my path, the path of Divinity. Though it sounds easy, what really happened to most people on this path was them being forced to rely on others, or gain leverage through their own diplomatic capabilities; and since the power of faith must be pure for it to have an effect on your very being, you can't really take other paths, since their energy will taint the belief nesting within you; a detriment that one wouldn't want when the world was full of beasts of yore, and wild gods.

All was well until the seventh day arrived, as the path of our completion has never been so sure. Elder sister Sarah managed to compile a map, a map of the Sewerhall, the whole picture. She trudged on, day by day, sitting on that same spot, only moving to nourish herself by either eating or sleeping. This compilation documents the whole tunnelling system the Sewerhall used, and by cross-examining it with the information we got from the populace, we will find the nest of those blood-suckers. Still, that means our battle with the vampires was now postponed, and we started our battle with time.

The amount of information we received from the populace was staggeringly high. And amongst those, what we truly needed were astoundingly scarce; it won't mean we'll dispose of the information we had after we've found what we needed, instead, we shall give them to the constables so that they may return to the Dairy Lodge district, triumphantly.

"Have you found anything yet?" I asked for the nth time.

"Not yet, oh wait; never mind, false alarm," Ciel replied.

"Less talking, more searching," the Knight Captain, who was on the verge of insanity, chided.

It won't be long until the Harvest Festival commenced in a few days, and we were still slogging through the piles of information we had got. If push comes to shove, we might have to bait those nightlings into capturing us and work something out from there. Fortunately, we don't really have to take such drastic measures, as one of us finally managed to find a clue as to where the vampires usually gathered.

"Look at these reports I've gathered," Sarah announced, before letting both me and Ciel observe what she'd gathered.

"People are reporting shady figures near where they lived at night? Some also heard unknown noises coming from their rooftops, or near their rooms?" I read the reports aloud.

"I've also seen these kinds of reports, is it a pattern?" Ciel asked.

"Yes, it's a pattern. We should look for reports like these, and create a map to predict where the vampires will hold their gatherings. Layne should create a pattern based on the place the reports came from, while Ciel will create a timeline as to when it happened."

"Acknowledged," I remarked.

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"Will do, elder sister-in-law."

A while later.

The mapping a la crime board was finally finished; and just by looking at it, one would be able to predict certain things, such as where and when the next vampire gathering will be. Now, the only problem was, whether those blood suckers had caught our scent or not. The last week had pretty much overturned the whole Dairy Lodge, and I wouldn't be surprised if they decided on using a different kind of communication. Still, I had faith in our information flow and supply, since it kept on coming, without stopping. Patterns such as the bizarre gatherings of bats, or a group of owls that kept of screeching through the night, could be seen more and more.

"What do you think?" I asked.

My elder sister mused quietly to herself, and to us "They're using mediums instead of meeting directly. It seems they've caught our scent."

"Should we send some of ours to them?"

"Who is capable enough to mislead a bunch of cautious creatures?"

"I will send the medium, I'm certain I could mimic theirs easily," Ciel interjected, before adding in, "But I'm incapable of misleading them. That job should go to Layne, instead of me. That's why, the best course of action would be me sending the medium, with Layne in control of it."

"Seconded," I acknowledged.

"Alright, now that we have found a way to counter their ways of communication, we shall start on this operation, asap," Sarah ordered.

Our course of action being decided, we waited until the right time arrived. A vivid screen, capturing the beauty of the Dairy Lodge district at night, could be seen lighting up the Sewerhall. It was the method seem most feasible to Ciel, in order to let me converse with the vampires, to beguile them into telling us their plans. The technicalities of such magick aside, this great idea had its drawbacks, firstly would be its energy consumption; because it also had to transmit images by using smoke and mirrors. Secondly, it's a two-sided glass; meaning, if a great magus were to be present at the gathering, he would be able to scry at us by using the screen as a stepping stone. Although both of these drawbacks meant nothing in front of Catariel, the one and only Dragonheart; Ciel, however, would have a little hard time with the energy consumption since she hadn't yet transformed into a true dragon in this life. However, we don't really need to worry much about being scried, since her magick control had become even better with all the time we've spent within the void.

"Are the both of you ready?" the Knight Captain, taking on the role of a general, asked.

"More than ever," Ciel said, giddy, and unable to contain her excitement.

"Always," I replied, confidently.

"Good. The time is 2100, this is Sarah Carter, and the ones with me are Layne Karlott and Ciel Bhan. As of now, forty-eight hours before the start of the Harvest Festival, the operation Information Raid, will now commence!

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