48: Austria Imogen

[dannydiez]

“There is a time and place for everything.

Fear of sickness, fear of medicine, fear of sex, fear of love, fear of technology, fear of savagery.

There is a time and place for everything, set all fears aside.
The Time Warden is always Ten Steps Ahead of every land, every tide.”

—Imogen Academy founder, Gustav Silber.

“Can’t sense any human life. There’s nobody here. Ghost town.” Amelia looked at Kai for a response, but received none. “We can look around. Might be some clues.”

The Imogen Academy was divided into two towers with a single bridge in between, showing its banner which had been torn in half.

“What do you wanna do, Kai?”

“I am trying to find my mentor. Headmaster Silber, a man who has survived the test of time and is said to have ascended to godhood.”

Amelia froze. “Silber? That name rings a bell. Gustav Silber, is it?”

Kai nodded. “You likely have seen it on the most wanted list. No one knows what has become of him.”

“Something about that doesn’t quite add up. Gustav Silber was the owner of the orphanage where my sister, Nestasia and I grew up. He was murdered long before your time.”

“One cannot simply kill a god. The Headmaster Silber I knew was thousands of years old. Or so that was the story we were told.”

Thousands of years old? How is it even . . .? Amelia could not fathom such a power.

“Nestasia Vermillion, number one on the most wanted. Gustav Silber, number two. If Nestasia had been the one to ‘murder’ Gustav, it is possible she was the one who came here. However, Silber lives. I am sure of that.”

“While your theories make some sense, but I can’t believe what I can’t see for myself. Just how I am, ya know?”

As Amelia and Kai ventured farther into the Imogen campus, Amelia felt a shudder run down her spine.

“I smell death. You smell it?” She held the handle of her blade in its sheath. “Gruesome shit.”

“It is through that door.” Kai pointed at the door leading into the sparring chambers. “That is where time wardens gathered to test their skills against one another. We must proceed.”

“Can’t guarantee you’ll like what ya see. If I’m right—“

“No use in any further speculation. I am desensitized as it is. I only wish to know the truth. It is what I spend my life in pursuing.”

“Pretty noble of ya, Kai. I’m more of the avenger type, but you’re the real hero, aren’t ya?”

Kai opened the door to the chamber and was greeted with the stench of corpses piled upon corpses. His former colleagues had been killed, both students and professors.

“Ruthlessly slaughtered, all of them . . .This is unforgivable,” Amelia said. “Nestasia. It had to be. I’ve seen her go on a killing spree before, back at the orphanage. It looked . . .like this.”

“No sign of the headmaster,” Kai said, unwatered by the brutal sight before him.

“Herr Silber would never do such a thing. I’m telling ya, Kai, whatever horrible acts my adopted father may have been responsible for in the past, he changed. When he raised us, he was a wonderful person. He gave us a home, taught us to defend ourselves, gave us something to live for. He couldn’t have killed his own students.”

“The Gustav Silber we knew was a kind man. He was also responsible for genocide. The World Wars of the 20th century were set in motion directly by him as a means to test his power. Truth is, I never trusted the guy. He was merely a means to honing my craft. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“That would explain a lot, but I just can’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it. He and Frau Silber were the only family I had. Besides her, who I consider no sister of mine.”

“Come. Let us step outside for a moment. I would like to know more of this Nestasia Vermillion we are after. Knowing more of her ambitions could give us a lead on where Silber is, if he still happens to be at large, as I suspect he is.”