The trio of Belial, Rory, and Kiara, landed at the bottom of the elevator, being greeted with a long corridor made of dark-red stone. "What an ominous place..." Belial said sarcastically as they began to walk down the corridor, keeping their guard up for any intruders.
Barring the ominous feeling, it wasn't a very strange place barring the very hot atmosphere which only really bothered Rory, who didn't really fancy heat. Kiara was just fine though, heat was her entire deal pretty much.
Soon the trio came up to a door with a sign on it that said 'Knock First.' "I guess we knock," Belial said, knocking on the door. It slowly opened, making loud creaking noises which showed that it hadn't been opened in a very long time. The trio walked into the room.
"
H-hold on! Customers!? Now that's something new."
There was a large circular table with around 5 chairs in it, so if David had accompanied them it would have been a complete set. "
Sorry for the delay, dear customers!" Said the man. "It's no problem!" Rory said, not really expecting a supposed criminal to be so... hospitable.
"
They call me Carcass Keeper. I'm an info broker." Belial crossed his arms, "Really now?" Rory tilted her head, sort of curious. "So like
Nil?" Carcass Keeper laughed out loud. "
You know Nil?" Rory nodded.
"Yep! Where is he? He's been gone for a... Long time." Carcass Keeper chuckled a bit. "
Contrary to popular belief, Nil is a wanted Dream World criminal. He can't stay in one place for a long time, you see." Rory nodded. "Yeah, he was an info broker who didn't care who he sold to... So that's expected." Kiara and Belial were confused as to who Nil was, but they didn't care to ask.
"
Believe it or not, Nil and I are childhood friends, both info brokers. Although I'm only stationed in Emerald City, he travels dimensions, so he's pretty high-gear." Belial butted in. "We can talk about whoever that is... later. We need info, on this disease." Carcass Keeper smiled.
"
Really now? Not many ask for info on that. The government would surely have them executed." Kiara thought, "Huh... He sounds like the guy who was on the intercom when I was being treated." Belial spoke up. "Corrupt government... Figures. How much will this info cost?" Carcass Keeper smiled.
"
Absolutely nothing!" The trio all let out a simultaneous, "
Huh?" Carcass Keeper laughed. "
I don't need any money, you see... I give info to whoever I find interesting, unlike Nil who's always drowning in bags and bags of cash..." Belial chuckled, seeming to be amused by Carcass Keeper's antics.
"Alright then... Are we
interesting enough for you?" Carcass Keeper smiled, eyeing the group, which soon devolved into him chuckling. "
An Apoptosis, a God-King, and an aspiring hero... I'd say you all make the cut just fine." The group was shocked. "How did you..?" Rory asked, confused.
"
It's a little ability I have. Existence-Reading... Doesn't matter what kind of resistance you have, just gimme a good look and I'll know everything about yah." Belial chuckled. "Interesting... What a useful ability." Carcass Keeper chuckled.
"
It isn't anything comparable to Nil's omniscience." Belial then got straight to the point, "This disease... Where does it come from?" Carcass Keeper shrugged. "
Dunno!" The group simultaneously sighed.
"
Don't give me that! Nobody knows! Well, nobody has any concrete theory anyway..." Kiara spoke up, "Mind giving us the less concrete theory then? I'd like to know where the shit that infected me came from." She said. "This guy... He has to be the one who spoke to me." She then thought.
"
Alright... Let's say a prostitute brought it." Belial clicked his tongue, "You're not ******* with us, right?" Carcass Keeper shrugged. "
I wish I was... Some Psycho Bitch with blue hair who called herself 'Mother Earth' went around the world on a... let's say '******* spree.' Killed everyone who ran a train on her."
Belial rubbed his chin, "Mother Earth... Gaia. Kill-Gaia... Wow, that was easy to put together." He said. "Kill-Gaia? Went on a '******* spree' transformed into a girl? Hahaha!!" Rory said, laughing out loud. "
Kill-Gaia? Now that's an interesting character..." This alarmed the group.
"Wait a minute... You know him?" Rory's voice was laced with malice and dread. "
Vaguely. We were in contact for a week or so... He gave me a few spots to find some info. If he is Mother Earth, then we may have actually had sex..." Belial covered his mouth, stopping himself from laughing.
"And... You're alive?" Belial asked. "
Barely... Bitch could **** for days and left me a dried husk! My poor balls! She didn't kill me though. I remember it pretty vividly..."
"For a human, you lasted pretty long."
She seemed... Impressed? I guess? She didn't tear me to pieces, instead, she just got dressed and sat next to me, whispering seductively into my ear... "Since you can dick me down pretty good... I won't kill you. The others couldn't satisfy me, so I killed them... But you were rather impressive for a human. You'll have to do something for me though to keep yourself alive, though."
It wasn't like I had any choice in the matter... I could feel it. She was insanely powerful, nobody could hope to match her in battle, not even the most seasoned of warriors. "I want to raise a little...
chaos in this city for a few of my toys... A little disease I've cooked up. You can be the first carrier, or, I can feed you your balls."
Since I didn't want to lose my manhood... I complied with her and became patient zero of this... She told me to find a few 'keys', people who she desperately wanted to corrupt. I asked her if I could tell anybody... "Go right ahead. I'll grant you some... Extra potent invulnerability to protect you until the time comes when you can die."
That's all she said before she got right back up.
"If you do
extra good for me big boy, I may just give you a special present.~"
Even if she wasn't so strong, it wasn't like I could've resisted her... She had me in the palm of her hand without even trying to harm me.
"My name is
Mother Earth, but you can call me
Gaia..."
She held her finger to her lips, chains sprouting from all directions... The bloodlust she emitted was subtle, she was piercing through the deepest layers of my psyche... "Stay alive for me, Ok?"
That was all she said before she left...
"Wow. You ****** Kill-Gaia... I... Wow." Carcass Keeper laughed, "
More like she ****** me!" Rory crossed her arms, "It's not like you're evil... Gaia forced you into this whole business. You aren't to blame..." Rory said, scratching her head.
"Yeah, Rory is right. Carcass Keeper, that's a weird name by the way, you aren't at fault. But we don't trust you either..." Kiara said. "
Understandable. I have no intention of killing or harming you, I was simply forced into the role of Patient Zero." Belial sighed.
"I think that's all the info we need..." Belial said. "No No... We need to know something else. Know anything about a black mist?" Carcass Keeper shook his head. "
Nope. Sorry, can't help yah." Belial sighed once more.
"That's a shame... I guess we should just wait for David." Belial said.