Welcome to Gaia! ::

This is the black blood market, a dark and dirty place. Unusual shops and bars line the alleys and roads of this sinister area. This place is full of crooks, murders, gamblers and drunks. These people aren't necessarily in league with black castle but they certainly aren't good. The very air is festering with misdoings and mystery. You can buy anything here, and by anything I mean anything. The police of Crystalia try to keep tabs on this place but it seems almost impossible. There are cults and backstabbers creeping in every corner here, better watch yourself.

*Soon enough, a trio of men walk through part of the black blood market. Each one donned the uniform of the old dark castle. Within the chatter of the rest of the market, one would have to get closer in order to hear them*

*Upon getting closer, Kaiori would find that at least one of the DC soldiers was partially intoxicated. Perhaps they just weren't smart enough to remove their old uniforms. Also, she'd notice how unkempt and ragged the uniforms were. In any military, wearing uniforms in this manner would probably result in the demotion. Some words could be made out, but not all of them. The three seemed to be heading to a bar in the market district*

Soldier 1: *This one by far was the most active* And then.....like that the whole thing comes to an end.... I swear... could have done a better job... that *There were several words covered over by outside noise, but Kai might be able to draw some conclusions based on what she heard*

*The three walked into the curtained opening of the rowdy bar. The three easily take up a table of their own, taking 3 of the standard 4 seats at the table. In no time the three were served with their preferred alcoholic beverages. Inside the bar, Kai would not be able to clearly hear them*

Soldier 2: You remember how he practically sent us to our graves on one of the last campaigns?

Soldier 1: Where the whole lot of the army got mutilated by the blasted jewel? Of course! I damn well soiled myself at that counter. And the b@#$&#xrd; still sent us forward

Soldier 2: That was the point where I just said screw it and go.

Soldier 1: Aye! Screw revenge I wanna live! *Both the first and second soldier laughed loudly at that one*

Soldier 2: It's no wonder the bloke got set up to die

Soldier 1: Eh? Set up? The core's people plotted his assassination.

Soldier 2: Yes, they did. But I hear that it was someone in the Castle itself that set him up ta die! *This could be interesting. Someone had arranged a subtle mutiny in the castle? If Kai wanted to know more she was going to have to interrogate. The 2 soldiers seemed to go about enjoying themselves. For some reason, the 3rd soldier had yet to do anything but drink*

*All three look at the girl. For a moment, the three just blink, wondering where a lampgirl had come from*

Soldier 1: Eh? Our territory?

Soldier 2: She means the dark castle you bum.

Soldier 1: Oh! Keh... not our territory anymore. You shoud know by now that the last top gun was taken out by the core

Soldier 2: In the end at least. He was a moron anyway. Good bark no effective bite. That's why he got beaten. We don't have any business with that losing side anymore.

Soldier 3: *He was still silently, not even making it known whether he acknowledged Kaiori's presence*

Soldier 1: Anyway... The Castle ain't no more. All that's left are little rebel factions.

Soldier 2:..... At least we think....... there's still at least one person going for the dark castle *The soldier downed the rest of his bottle*

Soldier 1: Aye..... I don't know much about him.... ask this bloke *the man pointed to the 2nd soldier*

Soldier 2: I don't know the guy's name... never showed himself much and hardly made his existence known. However, they say he's the one who set the last leader up to be assassinated. True, the Core and the crown made the last shot, but the leader was set up by this other guy. I don't know much more than that.

Soldier 1: Oi.... I'm gonna get me some goods.... *By now, this man was clearly drunk. He hobbled off towards a crowd of women elsewhere in the bar*

Soldier 2: Oi.... he's gonna get himself robbed. *The 2nd soldier also got up and went after the first. Yet in the end, both seemed to just be hitting on whatever women they saw

Soldier 3: *This one remained at the table with Kaiori. Finishing his first drink, he sets down the empty bottle. It would quickly become obvious that this one was still sharp* I'm not like those two. You want to know about Sariel then?

Soldier 3: *He just chuckled a little* Powerful? Well that depends on your point of view. To tell you the truth, not many really know who or what he is. He's been a higher up of the dark castle for years.... almost since the dark castle was known. I don't know what he looks like even. It's said he only ever showed himself when the higher ups had meetings, otherwise, I'm not really sure what he was doing. But I do know this. The castle had huge funds.... but I found out only a 3rd of those funds were actually spent on the equipment we used. Records don't say where the rest of the money went or what for. Based on what little I know..... I believe that the guy the core assassinated was a figure head..... and that this guy called Sariel is the real commander behind the scenes....

Soldier 3: *If only Kaiori knew how right she was. A thud would be heard on the table, and when Kai looked she'd find the 3rd soldier lurched forward on the table and blood spilling from the back of his head. The cause of the injury would be a knife lodged in his skull. By now, the entire bar was starting to freak out over the body but no one seemed to suspect her at least. The oddest thing about this was that the man's back had practically been against the wall*