Crocus's Underground 'Liar of the information broker'

It was a grim or better yet, a rather distasteful sight. Not only were there rats, cockroaches and other unsightly vermin. But Frederick was almost sure, there were bigger things skulking in the shadows around him. What they could be Frederick didn't know, maybe it were men. Criminals hiding for the law, or perhaps some sort of beasts. But one thing was sure, it seems to be tailing him, as he kept seeing mere glimpses of them. A shadow quickly moving away, the moment he looked at them from the corner of his eyes.

He took a left at the next intersection, only to come upon a large wall of debris. Cluttering and blocking the way he wanted to go.
Laying his sight upon the rubble in front of him, Frederick couldn't help but wonder, if this pile of small destruction might have been his doing, or maybe an other villain who once laid waste to this town. He then quickly shook his head a bit, remembering the fact that he never assaulted Crocus. Confused as he was, Frederick turned around, and took the path that lead to the right, which luckily for him was still free of any obstacles.

'I have to stay focussed..' Frederick said to himself, with a sense of melancholy in his voice.

Frederick pressed onwards, slowly and staggering. Trying to keep his mind on the sole reason he was here. To find something, a clue at least. As to where he could find a certain item, that maybe could save him from his own fate. A fate that according to some was exactly the thing he deserved. In fact, even Frederick was sure that this was his penance. Even though he was saved, from the evil that has kept him in his grasp for so long. The node that was the darkness itself still resided in him, be that his own or that from the Lichborne. It didn't matter, but one thing was sure, the darkness had finally met up with him. And started to take it's toll. Slowly eroding the man's body and mind.

How he knew this was simple, the sickness, as how Frederick would call it. Had the striking resemblance to his own magic. Which was Dark Magic, which sometimes portrayed itself as a black goo. The same goo, that Frederick now seemed to vomit, and cough up. And to make matters worse, he had black spots all over his body, some that seemed to spring roots, or so it looked like to him at least. Those spots were sore, and just pressing against them would send a cringe of pain through him.

Some time passes, how much Frederick didn't know. Could have been an hour, or maybe even a day. But that didn't really mattered, as Frederick was sure he had come upon the place he wanted to find down here. It appeared to him as a single door in the underground. Which was a rare sight to say the least. Especially if you could consider the door was gorgeous. Well crafted, with beautiful carved decorations in old Victorian style on it.
Was that it, the enigma what was known as the information broker. A vague shadowy concept, that should have the most active knowledge in Fiore?

Frederick pulled his cowl further over his head, covering his face in an even deeper impenetrable shadow. And slowly laid down his hand on the cold metallic door knob.
Would it open? Was what surged through Frederick's mind. Would it go as he wanted it?
Surprisingly enough it did, as he tilted his hand to the right. Pulling along with the knob itself, Frederick could here the clicking sound of a door that unlocked itself.

He went on, pushed the door open just slightly. Having a light escaping to the just created split. It cleaved through the darkness as butchers knife.
Then he pushed the door fully open, and was met with was presumably the liar of the Broker itself.

The name of the Information broker Frederick seeks is known as Mejai Kaijura who is a former member of the Magic Council who taught alchemy and Magical theories to new learning mages of all ages. Years ago he quit the Magic Council for reasons unknown and only a few have known

The reasons for his resignation were as follows:

Mejai did not have the luxury of having to interact with political activities himself and investigating mysterious phenomena. Any confidential information is only to the discretion of the higher ranks and the only time he's been called on for fieldwork is just but for simple crime analysis. He wishes to see more and learn more of the events happening around him and that the laws in the Magic council prevents researchers like him from doing so without permission.

Mejai grew suspicious of the Magic Council's activities and feared that if he continues to partake in his duties in the council, there will be unforeseen consequences. He fears of corruption and ultimately the chain of destruction that will shake the foundation and order of fiore. A sign was that he was offered to a higher seat in the council knowing he did not earn the keep for it which confirmed his suspicions that they will eventually use the people who belonged to the lower fields of the hierarchy.

And finally his experiments have to be submitted and approved to the council in order to implement them, which itself is already a taxing chore and rather the most unnecessary one.

Now Mejai had already established Garan no Dou after having to quit the magic council and now he no longer owes the council anything. Mejai wasn't just only an information broker but also an underworld doctor and a scientist who studied and specializes in the medicinal magical theory of dispelling curses by making a direct intervention with the soul and neutralizing it. Being an information broker is kind of like a hobby that benefits him greatly, should malignant information about phenomena come forth, he'd be drawn to it like a moth heading straight for the candle light in order to become witness.

---

At first there wasn't anyone present in the reception desk but the moment Frederick took the first few steps in, all the lights in the Area lit up on their own. Luckily for Frederick, Mejai,his assistant Kyrie and Sanson the guardian of the underground city of information were all present. Should Sanson be the only one present, Frederick would have been met with the gullotine.

The first person Frederick meets is Hans who wore the uniform of what appears to be a church executioner.

"State your business stranger..." Usually Sanson only allows appointed guests into the underground city of information and if someone so happens to have entered without one, they'd either be kicked or killed in an instant. He pointed his blade at him with a bloodthirsty look in his eye glaring right into the mysterious man's eyes himself.

"Charles, let him in."

Sanson lowered his blade and and walked with Frederick to escort him to the reception desk where Mejai himself sits. "Welcome to Garan no Dou's information highway, also known as the city of information. I trust you didn't end up here by accident."

Even when the sword was lowered, the sense of hostility was still in the air. As the so called man Charles, the very perpetrator who had pointed the blade at his forehead. Accompanied him to the front desk.

'Does anyone ever?' responded Frederick a little hostile, after stumbling all the way towards the desk itself. Where he would lean against it, or better yet. Held himself standing by leaning against it.

Judging from what Frederick had heard about this place, introductions weren't really necessary. At least not on his behalf, as his reputation surely proceeded before him. Hell, Frederick was more then certain that the enigmatic man behind the desk was already expecting him.

But that was just how Frederick preferred it, to be direct. No tip toeing around, just simply the business he came for. Something the man behind the desk surely understood.

With a low thud sound, Frederick had smashed a single cloth paper onto the desk itself, with on it drawn a rather simple yet accurate sketch. Of what appeared to be a medallion of some sorts. That was his only chance, nothing else had helped him. No medicine, no magical blessing or healing spells. No nothing was strong enough to cure him. Sure there were one or two ailments that temporary stopped to progress of his decay, but it was never enough, and it came only back as twice as strong. No what he needed was something beyond the knowledge common men.

'I'm looking for this... The Lunar Droplet'

So the Medallion Frederick was searching for, was in the wretched clutches of the Magic Council. Who had it stuffed away for safe keeping in one of their many vaults. In all honesty Frederick wasn't that surprised, it was after all well known that the Council actively searched for magical artifacts. Some of even of legendary proportions. The reason however they did that, was something Frederick doubt entirely. Sure they say it is to keep it out of the wrong hands, but who says it isn't in the wrong hands right now?

Either way Frederick got what he wanted, now there was the matter of payment. Which might already have started when the Broker asked him a rather direct question on his condition.

'So it is knowledge you want huh?' Responded Frederick with a question first, while coughing at the end of his sentence. 'Well to tell you honestly, no it isn't exactly a symbiote. More the toll and the strain your body has to endure when you served under the Lich. You see, when serving a master who grants you unlimited power by channeling his, it comes with a price. You give up a sense of self awareness, sure it seems like you are sound of mind. But all you do, all your decisions, are made to benefit the Lichborne itself.... so when that tie is cut so abruptly... you can only imagine what that does. The power that surged through you... gone, and along with it.... so to sum it down, you could see it more as a parasite in the end.'

Frederick stared at the man besides him. He seemed like the type to understand what he just said, yet somehow Frederick doubted this was enough to satisfy him. Frederick could tell, after all the blanc expressionless stare that the guy had in his eyes, only to lit up when he could learn something he didn't had any knowledge of before. Was something Frederick as all too familiar with. It came together with the greed and gluttony that were the core aspects of Savage Skull. Only this man, managed to channel it into something far more beneficial.

'But I assume, this isn't enough is it now?' inquired Frederick, knowing full well that the only way he could repay this man, was with something new. Something he probably hadn't had any knowledge of yet. Something personal maybe? No, it had to be useful? It had to be of a fair wage to what Frederick had asked for.

But what? What was in equal terms of his life? Information on his former Guild, or his current one? No that would be to obvious. Especially for a man like this, that would be nothing but idle chit chat.

Pondering for a few more seconds, Frederick finally found what he could offer this man. A secret he hadn't told anyone at all, one that probably only two other people knew in this world. Or understood was the better word for it. Something you could only understand when you had one of three objects. It was scary when you thought about it, when you realized it what it meant, what the Lichborne probably meant.

Frederick closed in onto the man, putting his head next to that of him. So that he and only him could hear the hooded mans whisper. Sharing the info that he had kept to himself all this time. Under normal circumstances, Frederick wouldn't have shared this with anyone. But seeing that he might not survive the upcoming ordeal it might be better to have at least one other person know what he had stowed away.

His eyes glanced over at the man, making sure their eyes momentarily met. So that he could understand the severity of the situation.

After that Frederick turned around, and reached for the door he had came through just earlier. And threw one last look over his left shoulder before he disappeared.