A slight panic had set into Graft as memories were starting to resurface in his mind. He took a look at the man who was sharply dressed in front of him.
When looking at his face, although there was no iron mask on it, one had suddenly appeared and everything had snapped back to him at once.
"You're him... the one from Alter, that time in the Behemoth Clan's Dimension!" Graft asked, he spoke in a strong whisper to make sure no one else was listening.
Because he was afraid. Already once, he had escaped death from this particular individual. The whole reason why was because Graft, a wanderer that had been working in the Demonic Faction, was a member of Alter and so was Raze.
The reason why he was spared though, was because he already knew that there were Otherworlders, those that knew how to perform magic in this world, but he did not know what the man in the iron mask looked like.
Yet now, right in front of him was the face of the man, he said he would never remember, never tell a soul about.
"Did you... decide to get rid of me, to clean up loose ends?" Graft eventually managed to muster again. "I guess, I should have expected this much."
"The payment was too good for a simple job, and I got pulled away from my greed. At least you allowed me to see my family."
"Calm down," Raze said, interrupting Graft before he got any wilder thoughts in his head. "I already told you what I wanted, I need a way to get in contact with Alter, I need to get in contact with my squad."
Graft paused for a second. He felt relieved that the person in front of him didn't wish to kill him, but there was great confusion.
With the great power he saw, he was sure that the person in front of him would be a relatively high-ranking member in Alter.
So then why was he coming to him asking him for help and asking for a way to contact his squad?
"You need my help, but how would I even be able to contact your squad leader if you don't know yourself? Every squad is a bit different in the way they decide to operate, did your leader not tell you how to meet him?" Graft asked.
Raze thought about the last time he had met with Himmy and Charlotte. It was confusing, it was only then that they had upgraded him from a field agent, that was just meant to supply information and continue their daily lives to a squad member and had given him this device.
Yet they hadn't told him anything else.
'Is it because I was a member of the Academy? Perhaps they assumed that I would be there for two years so if they wanted to ever come and see me for something, they would be the ones that came to visit me,' Raze thought.
"My situation has gotten a little complicated, you see my original squad, they are currently in the Dark Faction. At the moment, I have no way to get to them, or a way to contact them."
"You know that there aren't many members of Alter in the Demonic Faction, which is why I thought that you might be able to help me in a way."
Graft started to rub his beard and was nodding along. It was true, although Alter was a large organization that was well known between the factions as a group of helpers, the one area where they had next to no members or a base of sorts was the Demonic Faction.
Raze had remembered this detail and it looked as if it would be put to good use in order to convince the other party in front of him.
"You work usually as an informant you said, helping those in dimensions, so I thought you could best help me," Raze continued.
Graft was still trying to observe the situation a bit. He was confused, in a way.
'The person who had approached me, they were from the Neverfall Clan, and not just that, he paid me 10 silver coins to meet with this man.
'Who is this person from Alter? How does he have such wealth to do something like that, and have a connection with a high clan like so? Maybe I'm overthinking it and he just paid the Neverfall Clan member.'
'But still, although we from Alter are well-paid, not to this extent. Maybe the man will beat me later and ask for money. Or did he perhaps sell the items that we came across last time.'
A slight bang was heard on the table, as Raze had placed both hands on the edge. It was clear he was getting a little impatient in the middle of Graft's thoughts.
The last thing Graft wanted to do was anger the one in front of him.
"Sorry, I apologize, good sir," Graft said, bowing his head. "I was trying to think of the best option. As you said, there isn't really much help we can get to move from here to the Dark Faction."
"At the border there will be trouble as well, as they are quite stringent in their checks, apart from when the martial arts tournament is on.
"I guess if we were to get in touch with your squad on the other side, it would be possible for them to set up something so you can pass over and join them safely."
Getting in contact with them would mean getting in contact with Charlotte and Himmy. He wanted to meet the two of them anyway, so it didn't seem like a bad choice.
"Then let's go with that," Raze said with umph, thinking the whole thing was over, but judging by the narrowed shoulders and how Graft was retreating back down, it didn't seem to be the only thing.
"I apologize, but I have no way to get in contact with squad leaders. I am a low-ranking member of Alter myself."
Raze was beginning to think this whole thing was a waste of time. At this rate, it would have been better for him to just head to the border, and force his way through.
Then when in the Dark Faction just search for Himmy himself.
"But… my squad leader can. As you know, I am based in the Demonic Faction, based isn't the right word but our current mission is based in the Demonic Faction.
"I can contact him, and he can get a hold of Himmy for you, and then we can escort you there."
The proposal made sense to Raze, so he had no objections.
"However…" Graft added. "My squad leader won't just get in contact with the other side just based on my word. I told you, It's not as if I have a high say within our group."
"So you would have to meet him in person and ask for a favor."
Raze let out a slight sigh, but he thought it might come to this. Meeting another Alter squad or group of people. Would he be meeting otherworlders?
Someone like Himmy who wasn't even from Pagna or Alterian, or would it be different people altogether?
"Alright, then take me to your squad leader." After saying these words, Raze remembered well the warning from Amir.
Alter could very well be the enemy, and meeting with more of them could be putting him closer into the center of the fire.
