Chapter 011

"Was the conversation just now a dream?" asked Alvin.

"Indeed. Clever people never tell the truth. So I prefer to talk to such people in a place where I am sure they can't lie" said Gordon.

Alvin was silent. He was pondering the implications of being in a dream. According to what he knew, in a dream, a person couldn't make more rational decisions. They would just do and say things according to their instincts. But he remained clearheaded, and even was able to perfectly tell the lie he had thought of before. The situation happened like the second meeting of Dunn Smith and Klien Moretti as he remembered. He was pulled into a dream, and the things he said in his dream were believed.

"So I told you about the Iron and Blood Cross Order huh?" asked Alvin.

"Indeed. They are known to collect items of the Hunter Pathway. I guess it's not surprising they ended up coming to Backlund after it was confirmed that there were items from the Hunter Pathway here" said Soest.

"I know what you want to ask. Other than the guy who came into contact with me for information, I never saw any of their members. Also, I don't know what happened last night. But I figured that they were involved, considering the interest they had previously show" said Alvin.

"I figured as much. We wouldn't have cared much about them if they had come and get quietly. But they had to get Nighthawks involved and burn down the entire town, and even cause a casualty. Now the superiors want to see this through to the end" said Soest.

"Now what's going to happen? Are the Nighthawks going to confiscate the Beyonder items of the Hunter Pathway I have?" asked Alvin tersely.

"When were you planning on advancing?" asked Gordon.

"Today at 5" replied Alvin.

"Alright. I'm going to come back here at 5 and watch over you as you advance, just in case you lose control. After that, I will be waiting till you close the bar, just in case the Iron and Blood Cross Order contacts you again" said Gordon .

"You are not going to stop me from advancing?" asked Alvin.

"Not really. While we don't like wild Beyonders and hunt them down, the primary reason is that they are a walking time bomb, in case they lose control. Since you are taking the Hunter Potion and your usual job...well let's just say that your unusually strong mind can let you remain in control. So as long as you don't lose control as soon as you advance, in which case I will take action, you're good" he said.

"There must be a catch right?" asked Alvin.

"Well, you are going to be bait for the Iron and Blood Cross Order for us. Might as well make you a little stronger" said Gordon.

"I see" said Alvin with a wry smile, while secretly laughing inside.

"For your trouble, I would like to offer you another identity to serve as a layer of protection," he said, as he reached into his jacket pocket and slid a badge across the table. Alvin took it, to see a jet black badge with a moon and dotted with stars on its surface. On the other side of the badge was the symbol of the Evernight Goddess.

"Congratulations. You are a special informant of the Evernight Church. You can visit the Saint Samuel Cathedral and display this badge to a priest if you want to see me. It's an official identity, meaning you no longer have to be afraid of being questioned by the churches or officials for being a Beyonder. Furthermore, you can request for our help with any tricky matters, follow potions and formulas for your sequence, and approach us if you feel like you are losing control. In return, I expect you to make contributions to the church, and help me in some of my missions. You will be compensated for your help, and charged for what you get" said Gordon.

Alvin looked to see if anyone had seen him receive the badge. It would be bad for business if people knew he was an informant for the Nighthawks.

"Don't worry. No one is aware of what we are talking about or the badge I gave you. All they can see is you and me minding our own business" said Gordon.

"Thank you. I will accept this position" said Alvin.

"Good to know. You are allowed to contact me in the cathedral for only important or urgent matters. For others, there you can use a point of contact which I will later tell you. Your identity as an informant will be sealed, accessible only to myself, and some higher ups back at headquarters. If you get in some sticky situations, you can use the badge. But you are forbidden to use it for personal gain, and to trick others into thinking you are doing something on behalf of the church. Also, I expect a weekly report through the point of contact. It's both so I can confirm your mental state, and for you to update me on any happenings which you think I should know about. You will be compensated for any valuable information of course. And if I need to find you, I will either come here myself or send a trusted subordinate" said Gordon.

Alvin nodded and pocket the badge. He thought being an informant of the Evernight Church was an advantage. He had an extra channel for resources, and could 'inform' them about any Beyonder event that he couldn't handle.

"I have to go back to the church now. I will handle the processing of your identity as an informant. An get some things ready in case there is a fight tonight. I will come back at 5 to preside over your advancement" said Gordon as he got up.

"Yes. I will go home and fetch all the ingredients I have hidden" said Alvin.

Gordon tipped his hat at Alvin and walked out, leaving Alvin deep in thought.