Cass and Edgar ducked around a corner in a part of town that dear old Lord Blackburn would have had a heart attack at the sight of, but Cass?
This felt like he was back in his childhood. It was a familiar place, minus the smell. That was one thing he was noticing. The difference in smell between the different worlds. While they had more advanced plumbing thanks to magic, lots of the hardware was similar to what he had seen in photos, documentaries, and books.
Cass didn’t realise that that also trickled down into the poorer parts of the city.
It did explain why Cass had to cover up, and why Edgar had recommended it. If they were spotted as nobles in this area of town...that could be bad for them.
Edgar was leading Cass down a narrow set of streets, avoiding the normal people of this area. This meant that they had to avoid several people tossing their bathrooms out of the windows and Cass made sure to react quickly, doing a little shield that meant it rolled off of him and Edgar without leaving the scent.
Cass was glad for the cape at that point.
Edgar eventually took him to a nondescript set of stairs in the side of a house that looked...normal. Suspiciously normal. They were stone steps that went down into the depths below the house, making Cass feel a shiver of excitement. If there was ever to be a set of stairs that led to a demonic shrine, this was the place.
"Are you doing okay?" Edgar asked, for the seventh time. He was being rather cautious of how Cass was finding this place. Cass could have thought it was sweet, but because he was so familiar with these kinds of haunts, he was finding his attention rather annoying.
"Edgar, I’m doing fine. For the seventh time." Cass deadpanned and Edgar flinched. He was just trying to look out for Cass, which he knew. He didn’t need to shit on his parade. "Thank you for asking so much." Cass told him and watched as Edgar’s shoulders relaxed. Edgar gave a soft sigh, glancing back at Cass as they stood in the doorway of the stairs descending down.
"I know that you’re probably okay, but I just want to make sure. You haven’t been to this part of town before, have you?" Edgar asked. Cass felt a little bad. He could tell that Edgar was trying to be there for Cass. As a support for him, a shoulder to lean on. Cass just...had more life experience then he thought.
In fairness, they hadn’t really discussed much about where Cass had come from, or what he had seen. They knew he had a sister in that life, but...not much else.
"I haven’t been out of my carriage in this part of town." Cass said, speaking more of Cassian’s memories than his own. Edgar nodded.
"Most aren’t. It’s the easiest way to hide things. I’ll go meet with my supplier. When we get down to the bottom of the steps, the shrine I believe is to the right. I’m going to the left." Edgar told him and Cass nodded.
"Understood. I don’t really know what to expect, so just wait for me if you come out first, alright?" Cass asked and Edgar smiled at him.
"I would never leave you behind. In case our roles reverse, will you wait for me?" Edgar asked and Cass nodded. Edgar, hesitantly, reached for Cass’ hand and gave it a squeeze before he let it go just as quickly and turned for the stairs. Cass wasn’t sure what to say at that moment, so instead he just followed the other man down the steps.
There was a musty smell to the air as they descended further into the ground. It honestly felt very similar to what it felt like when Cass had descended into his first dungeon. The stonework was even similar. The same, wet, mossy stones, worn with age covered the entrance. The lighting was better, so that was a plus, but Cass could feel the cold in his bones.
He could also feel how his magic was responding to this place. It felt like a pulse under his skin, alive and breathing of its own accord. Something about this place spoke to Cass in a way that he hadn’t felt outside of the dungeon they had been in.
Cass shifted uncomfortably.
"It’s chilly down here, isn’t it?" Edgar said, glancing back at Cass with a small smile on his face. Cass was sure he was grim-faced, serious as Edgar spun to look at him because the smile faltered. "Cass?" Edgar called and Cass shivered.
"Sorry. I’m just...something feels a little wrong." Cass admitted to him in a quiet voice. Edgar’s expression dimmed slightly.
"Something feels wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?" Edgar asked and Cass shook his head as the other man stopped and turned, facing him in a step just below him. It was interesting to have this height difference with Edgar. He came up to Cass’ chin on this step and Cass scanned him. Edgar was doing the same, his hand reaching out to tug on Cass’ hand gently, his fingers curling around Cass’.
"I...don’t think so. It might just be nerves, but this just...this feels wrong. Are we in a dungeon?" Cass asked and watched as Edgar’s eyes widened.
"In a dungeon? In the capital? That’s crazy, isn’t it?" Edgar suggested but Cass didn’t think it was as far fetched as Edgar was thinking. If the gods had their main temple here, then it would make sense that the demons would have their main...shrine here. Cass just didn’t anticipate it would also come with a dungeon attached to it.
"I might be wrong." Cass muttered, but didn’t think he was. He just wasn’t fully certain about why they were connected. He knew that demons made dungeons, but usually they were to lure in other people to attack them? Ruin them? This didn’t feel the same.
Cass would have to connect the dots together after. He needed to get to the shrine first and ask his questions. Edgar needed his blood, they could put their heads together after.
"So you’ve been here a lot?" Cass asked quietly and Edgar got the memo. He let go of Cass’ hand and turned with a soft, disappointed sigh.
"Yes. As a child I would come here to pick up my supply. It was the closest location I could, as soon as we found out that I didn’t have to suck directly from others. My Father views that as rather uncivilized, you see." Edgar sounded amused, and Cass could only imagine the truth behind those words. Given what he knew of his father, he didn’t think that was all he found.
"I see." Cass said in response and Edgar chuckled.
"We had a few accidents when I was young, of course. I didn’t know how much I needed, nor what I couldn’t eat." Edgar said. "Because of my special...condition, I was an anomaly for even our family." Edgar said and Cass blinked.
"You aren’t the only one in your family?" Cass asked and Edgar shook his head.
"No. I was just unlucky enough that my great great uncle passed in my generation." Edgar said solemnly and Cass didn’t feel exactly right picking at that more. It was clear it was a point of contention for him, given how stiff his shoulders had gotten. That, and Cass could see that the bottom of the stairs were in sight.
When they got to the bottom, Cass was a little surprised how the space changed. It had been rather dark and dingy before this, but at the bottom? It was bright, airy, and looked like an old roman temple from Cass’ world.
Large, marble columns spaced in equal distances apart lined the pathway they were supposed to walk on. It was made of this ornate tile pattern that weaved into itself. It was made of this nicely coloured tile in a deep red, white, and shimmery lilac purple shade. The pattern was distracting enough that Cass had to tear his gaze away from it.
In between the marble columns were strands of rope holding this gauzy, opaque fabric. It blew in a wind that Cass couldn’t feel, drifting silently. The fabric had a light sparkle to it, giving it a rather ethereal look. Cass looked up and saw how the ceiling soared on for ages. Cass knew that they hadn’t walked that long, or that deep for these ceilings to make sense.
Even with magic. Or, maybe this space was also time and space magic. Like dungeons were.
Cass felt like things were connecting even when he told himself that he would wait a minute. He was annoyed at himself, and proud that he had somewhat put those two together. He was sure he wasn’t the only one, but he didn’t want to sound like a damn idiot if it was a common understanding, so he held his tongue. He’d look into it when he got home.
"This place is..." Cass trailed off as Edgar glanced behind him, smirking.
"Deceitfully pretty, isn’t it?" He said and Cass found himself nodding. "I’ve run into three people outside of the person I meet here to pick up my wine. Only three, but I know that many people must come here. It’s like a lure of some sort." Edgar said with a chuckle. Cass had to agree.
This was about as pretty, if not more than the main temple. At least to Cass’ sensibilities. It was clean, clear, and felt like he was in somewhere welcoming. Even though he had just walked down the dingiest set of stairs he’d seen outside of the unkempt stairs of the undead dungeon they had walked down.
"It kinda...reminds me of you, Edgar." Cass said slowly and watched as Edgar’s eyes widened before he glanced away from Cass, facing forward again.
"What? That’s rude! I’m not deceptive!" He protested, and Cass felt his lips curl slightly at the fact that the man hadn’t denied he was pretty. He was smart, at least. Or just self aware.
"You are both." Cass clarified with a chuckle. They stayed silent for a moment, walking for another 5 minutes before they got to a crossroads. There were actually four directions, with one of them being that they could return the way that they came.
It was fitting that in the demonic temple there was a crossroads.
Edgar moved towards the left, turning to face Cass again. He was worried, Cass could tell. He was scanning Cass like he wanted to go with him, but couldn’t. Cass guessed that the person, er, demon he was meeting was pretty strict.
"Stay safe, Cass. I’ll be here no matter what." Edgar said sincerely and Cass wanted to laugh. It was only a few weeks ago where the man would have tossed him into a burning fire, but he didn’t bring that up. Not when he could see how genuine Edgar was being.
Plus, his chest ached when he heard him say that. Not in a painful way, but Cass was sure that he needed to hear it. After the day he’d had.
"Alright. Stay safe as well, Edgar." Cass told him and Edgar smiled.
"Always." He told him, before Cass turned and went to the left at the crossroads. It was time to speak to the other fuckers of this universe. The ones he was sent specifically to stop.