NOVEL NEXT Chapter 379: District Office Attack
As Varlen stepped out with their badges, the door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving Ren, Lilith, and Thorn alone in the warm waiting room.
They didn't speak at first. Each of them was content to sit in silence, ruminating on the things they'd done to reach where they were.
When they'd gained entry into Carthage, they'd quickly recognized their lack of money. This was the most pressing problem for them, and they'd taken steps to stop it.
Thorn would join the gang and find out where the vault is. They'll get a way to send one of Ren's coins into the vault, then rob the gang blind.
After robbing four gangs in this way, they were finally here, ready to do what needed to be done.
No one said anything, the only sound filling the space was that of their breathing. But it wasn't long before Thorn let out a sigh and broke the silence.
"So," he said, rubbing a hand over his face. "What do we do if the Silent Choir tries to stop us?"
Ren didn't look away from the far wall. "Doesn't matter."
Thorn raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't?"
"No." Ren said, his voice calm. "We came here for a reason."
They were in the district office. There was no need for them to speak of the Primordial Flame aloud, even though technically, everybody in Carthage was after the Flame.
"That reason comes first." Ren continued. "If the Choir wants to get in our way, they'll be next."
Lilith gave a soft hum of agreement as she leaned back in her chair, arms folded across her chest. "We'll deal with them. But we don't deviate. We're not here to fight a war… yet. Not until we get the weapon to end Calamities."
With that, silence returned again.
Minutes passed.
Eventually, the door opened again and Varlen returned, carrying a thick folder under one arm and a trio of fresh quills bundled together with a thin ribbon. He placed them gently on the table before them.
"Before your new badges can be issued, we require some basic information. Name. Bloodline if applicable. Prior citizenship status. Record of abilities. Education level. Skills. That sort of thing."
He handed each of them a parchment form, then laid out the quills. "Fill them out. I'll return in a few minutes."
He left again, the door shutting softly behind him.
The three of them got to work, the quiet scratching of quills on parchment soon filling the air. It was a mundane task, but with all the excitement of the past month, they didn't mind.
Ren's quill scratched against the paper as he began to write.
But something felt… off.
He paused mid-word, frowning.
The scratching sound from his quill echoed strangely in his ears, as if bouncing off invisible walls.
It wasn't just quiet, it was warped. Hollow. Too soft, then too loud, like the room itself was stretching the sound unnaturally.
His eyes narrowed.
He glanced at Thorn and Lilith. Neither of them noticed anything wrong. They were still filling out the forms, brows furrowed in concentration.
Ren slowly stood.
"Something wrong?" Lilith asked, picking up on his change in energy.
Ren didn't answer. He walked silently to the door and gently turned the handle, opening it just enough to peek into the hallway.
His eyes swept the left corridor first.
A familiar cloaked figure stood at the far end, motionless, their face hidden in shadows. There was no sound, no breathing, no shuffling of feet. Just… quiet.
Ren slowly turned his head and looked down the opposite corridor.
A second cloaked figure stood there, identical to the first. Watching. Waiting.
His grip tightened on the doorknob.
He turned back into the room, eyes cold. "We have a problem."
Lilith was already rising, her throwing knives sliding into her hands.
Thorn stood too, instantly alert. "How many?"
"Two." Ren said. "Silent Choir. Here. In the district office."
Thorn swore under his breath, his fingers curling into a fist. "Shit. You think they killed the clerks? Varlen?"
Ren's face was hard as he shook his head. "I don't know."
"Then let's teleport out of here." Thorn said quickly. "We don't need to stay. We have enough money. We can try again at another district office. Let's get the hell out—"
"If we teleport now," Ren cut in, "and the Choir did kill everyone in here, the blame will fall on us."
Thorn blinked.
"They'll say we were the ones who did it." Ren continued. "They'll hunt us down, revoke our badges, brand us enemies of the city. All the money and power we've fought for? Gone."
Lilith nodded, already stepping beside him, her cloak fluttering behind her. "He's right. We have to stay. Fight. Get at least one of them, alive or dead."
Thorn gritted his teeth. "Fine. Let's end it fast."
Ren pushed open the hallway door, and the moment it creaked on its hinges, the strange hush that had crept into the room thickened. As they stepped out, the oppressive silence swallowed their footfalls, dulling every sound until even breathing felt distant.
The two cloaked figures were still there, one at either end of the stone corridor, as still and silent as shadows carved from night. Their presence felt wrong, like they were plugged into something deeper, older.
Ren narrowed his eyes. He forced his voice into the silence, and even then, he had to shout to make it carry. "What do you want?"
His words felt like they hit a wall, muffled almost immediately. But they did reach their targets.
Neither of the figures spoke.
The one on the left slowly raised their hand, pointing directly at Ren.
Thorn shifted behind him, tense. "Why's it pointing at you?"
Ren didn't answer immediately. His jaw tightened.
There was no reply from the Choir member. No chant. No declaration. Just that single, silent finger.
Ren finally spoke. "I'll take the one on the left."
Thorn snapped his head toward him. "What?"
"You and Lilith handle the one on the right." Ren said firmly. "We need to take them out quickly. Before the silence spreads further."
Thorn still looked shaken. "This silence thing… you said it can smother powers. Even Divine Gifts?"
Ren's expression darkened. "Yes. That's why it's dangerous. It's not just quiet. It kills resonance. Weakens Gifts. Erases sound, and eventually… thought."
Lilith stepped into position at the center of the hall. "Then we finish this before it starts."
The three of them separated, turning in unison to face their opponents.
This will not be the end of the road for them in Carthage. Never.