Second Storm: Past and Present

As Elijah is about to give up his search for the ghost, the strange cold intensifies and he hears the foreign whispers charged with an emotional turmoil. As he turns back to see it, he is suddenly pushed back, falling in the middle of the street into the path of a bus. Elijah tries to roll out of the way as soon as he notices, but some strange feeling takes over him... a feeling of impending doom, strangely, not related to the unstoppable bus coming his way...

Suzhen walked unerringly towards the apartments, guided by the magic that puilled her closer and closer to one of her kin. She didn't know who it might be, but the bond was unmistakeable. Observing the apartment first, then entering it, she continued her way until she reached the correct door, and paused to observe further, before knocking.

"Ah, Sergio... I’m familiar. Well, thank you for your time, Ms Lemaire. I’ll be back soon."
With that, Toby leaves the store and, keeping an eye out for his ‘stalkers’, drives to Ahuntsic to speak to Sergio about this book. He’s met Sergio before and, in fact, gave the scholar a box of old books and stuff he had been trying to get rid of in an effort to declutter his apartment. Most of it seemed like old junk to Toby but Sergio was pretty excited about it… Antique collectors are so weird…

Elijah notices the bus coming his way and rolls out of the way as the bus driver tries to stop the massive vehicle. As the noise from the sudden break die down, the driver gets out to check on the madman on the road. Relieved to find him alive, the driver starts shouting warnings and insults too quickly for Elijah to understand, mostly to vent out the tension of the situation before he gets back to the bus. Elijah looks back, trying to catch a glimpse of the ghost, realising that he is not ready to deal with spirits yet. However, he may just know where to find someone with a better understanding about these manifestations. He looked at the time and decides to look for a witch that can help him, those whispers and their emotions haunting his mind as he walks back.

Elijah remarque le bus venir vers lui et sort du chemin pendant que le conducteur essaie d'arrêter le véhicule massif. Alors que les bruits de l'arrêt soudain diminuaient, le chauffeur sortit pour vérifier le fou qui était dans la rue. Soulagé qu'il soit toujours en vie, le chauffeur commence à crier des avis et insultes trop rapidement pour qu'Elijah puisse les comprendre, surtout pour évacuer la tension de la situation avant de retourner dans le bus. Elijah regarde à nouveau où il était avant l'incident, essayant d'avoir un aperçu du fantôme, alors il se rend compte qu'il n'est pas encore prêt à faire face aux esprits. Cependant, il peut juste savoir où il peut trouver quelqu'un avec une meilleure compréhension de ces manifestations. Il regarde l'heure et décide de chercher un sorcier ou une sorcière qui peut l'aider, les murmures et les émotions du fantôme hantant son esprit alors qu'il marche.

Suzhen was all guarded, ready to react depending who opened the door. What she did not expect to find was a familiar face, and the uncertainty in the tone of voice that threw her off. She stood there, and could only utter a reply. "Yes it's me, Suzhen." Could it be that the older man was her ...

"Actually, I’m hoping you might have something for me this time," says Toby. "I’m in need of a book that I’m told you possess. It’s called, um... ‘Myths and Legends of the Native People of Canada', I believe?"

Elijah stops in front of a nearby building where he knows the witch he is looking for works. She has the reputation of performing all sorts of spiritual rituals and establishing all sorts of otherworldly contacts, being the best person he can think of in this new city. He enters the little esoteric boutique, immediately noticing the eerie silence. Everything stands still in a way that is... too quiet. He can't find anyone inside, but there are also no signs of struggle or anything else suggesting why the shop is abandoned, though the air feels rarified and colder than it should, as if the inside was in a place not matching the outside. Behind the counter, he notices and open book, just a regular novel someone was recently reading about a werewolf and a vampire fighting over a girl. He grabs the book and is suddenly overwhelmed by a chaos of emotions: fear, anger, uncertainty. Similar to those from before, but yet different somehow. More chaotic, wild and colder. Elijah s'arrête devant un bâtiment proche où il sait que la sorcière qu'il cherche travaille. Elle a la réputation d'exécuter toutes sortes de rituels spirituels et d'établir toutes sortes de contacts avec l'autre monde, étant la meilleure personne à laquelle il puisse penser dans cette nouvelle ville. Il entre dans la petite boutique ésotérique, remarquant immédiatement le silence inquiétant. Tout reste immobile d'une manière qui est ... trop calme. Il ne peut trouver personne à l'intérieur, mais il n'y a également aucun signe de lutte ou quelque d'autre chose qu'indique pourquoi le magasin est abandonné, bien que l'air se sente raréfié et plus froid qu'il devrait, comme si l'intérieur était dans un endroit ne correspondant pas à l'extérieur. Derrière le comptoir, il remarque un livre ouvert, juste un roman ordinaire que quelqu'un a récemment lu sur un loup-garou et un vampire se disputant une fille. Il prend le livre et est soudain submergé par un chaos d'émotions: peur, colère, incertitude. Similaire à ceux d'avant, mais d'une façon différent. Plus chaotique, sauvage et plus froid.

Thunderstruck, Suzhen collapsed onto the floor, kneeling as the man embraced her. Her tears began to flow freely as well, as it was always the case with such reunions. Reincarnation was an uncertain affair. In the great karmic wheel, a dragon did not know how or where they might return as; they also cannot guess or predict who might reincarnate alongside them in their lifetime. A family member, a loved one, an enemy, all were possible connections to a dragon's lineage, all were their brood. She was fortunate to have Chretien in the last few cycles. But her father? She hadn't met her father for the longest time.

She continued to hold him tightly, barely letting him go until it occurred to both of them to enter the apartment and sit down in the living room. The questions came tumbling out. "How are you? How is your health? How long have you been here? What have you been up to all this time? I hadn't known you were in Montreal, if only I had known..."

"I understand that this book is valuable but I need it to help a close friend of mine. Is there no way I could persuade you to part with it? I gave you a whole box full of books a few months back. I thought that you might repay that Debt by giving me this one special book in return..."

"Thank goodness you're safely here then." Suzhen moved to help him with the tea, a familiar exercise to them both. Although she was a guest, as the daughter she served the tea for both of them when it was ready. "Some friends and I managed to push back against the Ordo for a while. They are by no means eliminated, probably consolidating themselves. I also came here less than half a year ago, in search of Chretien. You remember him. He had mysteriously vanished, and his trail led here. I also found Liana." The details of the past months came out, slowly at first, then more and more as Suzhen found herself with someone to talk to, who would understand. Fei Lung was a senior figure for her, but he wasn't family. Unlike her own true father. Suddenly, Suzhen felt less alone in the world. She also talked a bit about her plans, notably, the recovery of the dragon scrolls.

"Do you have any insight on the matter? I will track my stolen one. But I intend to find the others as well."

Elijah falls on the empty chair as he loses his strength from the mental effort. What is going on in this city? he wonders as he considers the demonic taint in the room. There is clearly nothing for him there now, no clue left behind. Still, he must find the witch.

He stands up to leave the little store and takes his mobile from his pocket. It is getting late... He takes a deep breath and decides to go back and set up his fortune telling tent. If he hurries he should have time to grab some food before meeting his first client for the day.

He doesn't know many people yet, but there is one well connected charismatic... person he knows, who may be interested in all these emotions... He will have to just sit and wait for fate to work as he texts Édouard a very brief message: "Something's up. Meet at the tent?"

Elijah tombe sur la chaise alors qu'il perd ses forces à cause de l'effort mental. Que se passe-t-il dans cette ville? il se demande en considérant la souillure démoniaque dans la salle. Il n'y a clairement rien pour lui là-bas maintenant, aucun indice laissé pour trouver. Pourtant, il doit trouver la sorcière.

Il se lève pour quitter le petit magasin et prend son portable de sa poche. Il se fait tard ... Il prend une profonde inspiration et décide de rentrer et de préparer sa tente de clavoyage. S'il se dépêche, il devrait avoir le temps de prendre de la nourriture avant de rencontrer son premier client de la journée.

Il ne connaît pas encore beaucoup de gens, mais il y a une... personne charismatique bien connectée qu'il connaît et qui peut être intéressée par toutes ces émotions ... il envoye un très bref message à Édouard: [b] "Quelque chose se passe. Rendez-vous à la tente?"