Infinite Skin System: Starting as An Eldritch Knight-Chapter 52: Eldritch Knight in the Steampunk World
"What is a Necroglotticon?" Carter asked.
"The Language of the Dead. It is rumored to give its reader the ability to talk with dead people." Charles said.
"Let me guess. The book is somewhere in the Quarantined Zone?" Carter said.
"It is inside the Barrett Museum. And yes... It is inside the Quarantined Zone."
"Let me get this straight, Mr. Desilet. Your friends want us to break the law, infiltrating into the quarantined zone, a place where all the deadliest diseases roamed free, and help him get a book that probably teach Dark Magic?"
Charles took a deep breath. "That’s right."
"And he won’t take any other form of payment?"
Charles shook his head. "The reason why I took a long time is to talk with him. Mr. Orkings is very persistent."
"The way I see it, Mr. Desilet. He either doesn’t want to give you the fruit or he has no other way to retrieve this book."
"I think so as well." Charles nodded.
"I won’t be following you on this dangerous journey, Mr. Desilet."
"I figure it as such."
Carter smiled, "But... I do have a friend that I think would be a great asset for your mission.
He is a knight."
Night came. Charles and Peter stood in a secluded alley. They were both armed.
Charles with a long sturdy cane and a pistol hidden on his waist. Peter with another pistol in his jacket’s pocket where he placed his hand at all times and would be able to get it out at a moment’s notice.
"What did Dr. Hugo say about the Holy Water?" Charles said.
"He said that it was just plain water. It isn’t Holy Water. Holy Water must have Positive Energy." Peter said.
Charles rubbed his chin in deep thoughts. He had heard of Negative Energy. It was the first time he heard of Positive Energy.
"Do you think this Emmanuel could be playing with us, Peter?" Charles said.
He was a doubtful man. Normally, he wouldn’t just trust an unfamiliar doctor like that. But Florence didn’t have much time anymore.
"There are things that Dr. Hugo doesn’t tell us about. That is for sure, Master Desilet. But I am sure that he’s here to help us." Peter said.
"I see. I feel much better with your approval."
Peter was very sensitive. Charles thought it might link to his origins but Peter could always tell if other people had malicious intentions.
Then they heard footsteps.
Charles lifted his lantern up to see the silhouette slowly approaching them.
IT was a man with short brown hair and a pure white robe around his body. He held a lengthy black stick in his hand.
"You must be Charles." Carter said.
He had set up a meeting between Charles with himself. After the two of them left the house, Carter immediately switched his skin and came over.
"You are... the knight?"
"Zeneros Blackburn is my name." Carter nodded.
Peter frowned and observed Carter. Everything about him was different. His clothes weren’t those that common in the industrial revolution. His way of speaking was traditional, ancient even.
And he carried himself like an old man. Peter was reminded immediately of his old tribe. The elders of his tribe were also similar to this knight here.
They were men of another time.
"You bring your weapons?" Charles said.
"I have the only weapon I need here." Carter lifted the Prisoner up.
As its usual appearance, the Prisoner did not look like anything special at all.
’I hope you didn’t find a useless delusional man to help me, Dr. Hugo...’ Charles thought to himself.
Peter knew what he was worried about. He placed a hand on Charles’s shoulder.
"We can trust this man, Master Desilet. He is... very strong."
Charles widened his eyes a little bit. Peter rarely said that about anyone.
The three departed toward the Quarantined Zone.
The Barrett Museum was in a different area than the previous place that Carter had explored.
They arrived at a stone bridge where barricades were put up to stop people from crossing to the other side. There were four guards currently standing in way.
"Did you bring some shillings like I said, Peter?" Charles asked.
"I have it here, Master Desilet." Peter took out a heavy pouch of silver coins.
"Let’s hope these guards will let us through with all this money." Charles felt the pouch in his hand.
Carter stopped the old man before he revealed himself.
"You’re trying to bribe them?"
Charles nodded.
"We can’t let the guards know our identity. I’ll take care of it."
As Carter finished his sentence, he turned into a blur and dashed to the guards.
Before the guards even reacted, Carter went behind them and smacked them in the necks.
The guards fell on the ground.
When Charles and Peter rushed over, all of them were knocked down.
"You are... incredibly efficient, Master Blackburn." Peter said.
"Please. Call me Zen. We should hurry up before they wake up. I didn’t hit them too hard."
Charles and Peter nodded. They followed the white swordsman through the border checkpoints. His white robe flapped in the wind.
The three men accessed the Quarantined Zone.
This place was called the Art Meadow. Once it was the central hub of Orkshire’s artists and their artistic nature.
But it was run over by Black Blood. Now it was flooded with corrupted undead.
"These Undead won’t die. We don’t need to waste too much time with them." Charles said.
They saw a horde of six Undead blocking the path ahead. Charles pulled out his gun and was about to fire. Carter stopped him again.
"These things can still hear. A loud gunshot would attract more of them." Carter said.
"There is no other way." Charles shook his head. "Either we incapacitate them to get through or we go around. The other street would cost us half an hour more."
"Dr. Hugo has entrusted me with your lives. Please be certain that I will get you to your destination as quickly as possible."
Carter grabbed the Prisoner. He bolted forward and slammed right in the middle of the horde.
Peter had to take his top hat off. "That man has no fear."
"Or he is just too strong to fear anything." Charles said.
