Chapter 15: The Sunken Palace
The group split up and began their tasks. Asker took the subway to the northern district of Constantinople, arriving at the foot of Fifth Hill. He stopped before a partially submerged house called the Cistern of Aspar.
He knocked on the door.
“Beneath the eagle’s wings,” a voice whispered from behind the door.
“Lies the shadow,” Asker replied.
The door creaked open, and a burly, bald man with an eyepatch peered out. His remaining eye scanned Asker with suspicion. “I don’t know you, kid.”
“But I know you, Maestro,” Asker said with a smile, unfazed by the man’s gruff demeanor. “They say Constantinople is the Queen of Cities, the crossroads of East and West. Half the world’s goods can be found here. And the other half, the forbidden goods, can be acquired through the Thieves’ Guild’s black market.”
“How did you find this place?” Maestro asked, unimpressed by the flattery.
“A mutual acquaintance,” Asker replied vaguely.
“Right. And next, you’ll invent a name I’ve never heard before and swear they’re blood brothers with someone in our guild.” Maestro’s gaze lingered on the silver pistol at Asker’s hip. “A Desert Eagle… only fools or experts use those hand cannons.”
“Which one do you think I am?” Asker asked, his smile widening.
“If you were a fool, you wouldn’t have found this place.” Maestro spat on the ground. “But I doubt you’re a Church informant or a royal spy. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to stroll around with a Desert Eagle.”
“Indeed. I also know your guild uses Constantinople’s Sunken Palace as a base,” Asker said, his voice laced with amusement. “If I were with the Church or the royals, you’d be finished by now.”
“Come in.” Maestro stepped aside, his suspicion seemingly abated. “Don’t blame me if you get killed.”
“I’m confident in my ability to protect myself,” Asker replied, stepping inside.
Every city’s Thieves’ Guild had a hidden base, often in unexpected locations. In Constantinople, it was the Sunken Palace, a network of ancient cisterns beneath the city.
In modern siege warfare, city walls were no longer the final line of defense. The urban environment, with its towering buildings and intricate subway networks, could turn any siege into a nightmare of urban warfare. Therefore, besieging forces often resorted to tactics that undermined the defenders’ morale, such as cutting off power, water, and food supplies.
For water, Constantinople relied on a system similar to that of ancient Solomon: vast underground cisterns, fed by aqueducts that tapped into the Black Sea. These cisterns, built by the Eastern Solomonic people, mimicked the style of ancient Solomonic aqueducts, featuring towering Corinthian and Doric columns, vaulted ceilings, and intricate decorations.
Unlike typical palaces, however, these underground structures were partially submerged, with over twenty kilometers of navigable waterways connecting them. The waterways were designed to accommodate boats, allowing for easy transportation.
The Constantinople Thieves’ Guild had established its base deep within this network of Sunken Palaces. Maestro steered a small boat, while Asker sat comfortably in the stern, his gaze sweeping across the dark water and the forest of columns that stretched into the distance. Some areas were illuminated by flickering lamps, but most were shrouded in impenetrable darkness. Maestro had mounted a powerful battery-powered spotlight on the bow, illuminating their path.
Asker peered into the water, spotting schools of fish darting beneath the surface. The Thieves’ Guild had clearly stocked the cisterns with fish, ensuring a sustainable food source. There’s no way they achieved this without some sort of arrangement with the Constantinople Water Authority, Asker thought, amused.
After half an hour, they approached a larger, dimly lit cistern. Here, the Thieves’ Guild had constructed a miniature city atop the water, mimicking the design of Venice. Wooden piles had been driven deep into the cistern floor, supporting a network of stone walkways coated with waterproof sealant. They even had their own blacksmith, market, clinic, and security force, all illuminated by colorful lights powered by the guild’s own generators.
The flickering lights, reflected in the rippling water, created a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.
“Fresh meat!” Maestro steered the boat towards a makeshift dock and leaped onto the walkway. “Old Sol! Issue him a pass!”
A hunched old man scurried over, eagerly pinning a rat-shaped badge onto Asker’s gambeson. He even wiped the greasy surface with his sleeve.
“Behold!” Maestro gestured grandly, his voice filled with pride. “The Thieves’ Guild’s Sunken Palace! The Eighth Wonder of the World! You’re one of the lucky few to witness its splendor.”
“Truly impressive,” Asker replied dryly. “Especially the fish farming.”
“Hahaha!” Maestro roared with laughter. “We even have a ‘waste recycling system.’ Otherwise, all the nobles in Constantinople would be drinking our piss!”
Their so-called “waste recycling system” was essentially a compost heap. A large opening in the cistern ceiling allowed sunlight to filter through. According to Maestro, this opening connected to Second Hill, providing ventilation and illumination for the entire underground complex. The Thieves’ Guild had piled soil beneath the opening, creating a compost heap for their waste. The fermented compost served as fertilizer for hops, allowing them to brew their own beer.
I have to hand it to the game designers… Asker thought, his expression carefully neutral. Maestro, eager to showcase more of their hidden city, launched into a detailed tour. Asker, however, cut him short.
“I’m here to purchase some goods.”
“Ah, you’ve come to the right place, kid.” Maestro grinned, revealing a set of yellowed teeth. “We have all sorts of forbidden goods, as long as you can afford them.”
Asker produced a list of items. Maestro scanned it, his brow furrowing.
“Riverwater from the Garr Valley in Western Francia… Fruit of Eden from Syris… those shouldn’t be a problem. We have contacts in the West. A tablespoon of Olive Oil of Corfu? We sell it by the barrel, but fine, I’ll throw in a tablespoon for free… Panopea Abrupta from the Bathnia Gulf? Hehehe, you’ve got some… needs, kid.”
“No,” Asker corrected. “These are all ethereal materials.”
“I know they’re ethereal materials.” Maestro scoffed. “Why else would you specify their origins? But these ingredients aren’t used in the same elixir formula. You’re only interested in the Panopea Abrupta, aren’t you? Trying to hide it among other ingredients… Master Achilles, that’s not how you build trust.”
“You know who I am?” Asker asked, surprised.
“We know all the nobles in the city,” Maestro replied. “Especially the wealthy ones. In fact, we took note of your name the day you sold your shops to the Church. We were planning to pay you a visit, see if we could… relieve you of some of that cash…”
“Well, I’ve brought the cash to you,” Asker joked.
“Indeed, indeed.” Maestro chuckled. “Selling you forbidden goods is preferable to robbing you and getting killed. We don’t want to end up like that vampire.”
“So, you can provide all the materials on this list?” Asker asked, seeking confirmation.
“Two are impossible,” Maestro replied, his expression turning serious. “Golden Leech and Valar Eagle feathers. We have no leads on those.”
“I have a lead,” Asker said. “Valar Eagles prefer to nest in high places. I’ve heard they nest atop the Hagia Sophia and the Palace of the Golden Throne. They also incorporate their own feathers into their nests, allowing their hatchlings to imprint on their scent.”
“The Hagia Sophia and the Palace of the Golden Throne… those aren’t easy places to reach,” Maestro chuckled.
“Indeed. The Hagia Sophia is right under the Church’s nose. I doubt you’d dare go there. But the Palace of the Golden Throne shouldn’t be a problem.” Asker smiled. “Your guild has Shadow sequence Transcendents, correct? I’ve heard they enjoy climbing tall structures and taking ‘leaps of faith.'”
“We occasionally climb tall structures, but we avoid ‘leaps of faith,'” a voice said from behind Asker. “If our Shadow magic fails, we’d end up as a splattered mess.”
Asker turned and saw a young woman leaning against a wall, casually flipping a dagger in her hand.
“And this is…?” Asker looked at Maestro.
“Mia Cinque Mani,” Maestro introduced. “Our newest recruit, a Shadow I Transcendental.”
“Can you climb to the top of the Palace of the Golden Throne and retrieve some Valar Eagle feathers?” Asker asked the girl. “One hundred pounds.”
“No problem,” Mia replied.
Her voice sounds familiar… Asker thought, a memory stirring within him. “Justice X?” he asked tentatively.
“It’s you?” Mia chuckled, recognition dawning on her. “So, you were the one who bought my formula this afternoon. It makes sense now. I should have realized when you mentioned Valar Eagles. The Justice sequence… hehe… if it wasn’t so incompatible with my profession, I would have kept it for myself.”
“Aren’t the Shadow and Justice sequences incompatible?” Asker asked, surprised. “There’s no bloodline path that incorporates both, is there?”
“Incompatible? Bloodline?” Mia frowned, clearly unfamiliar with those terms.
“Incompatible means consuming a new elixir sequence that clashes with your existing traits. A bloodline is a combination of compatible elixir sequences,” Maestro explained, his voice stern. “Mia, why didn’t you tell me about the Justice sequence formula?”
“Well, I… acquired it from the palace last week,” Mia mumbled, her cheeks flushing.
“You must report all supernatural items before taking action. How many times have I told you?” Maestro’s voice boomed. “With your limited knowledge, you could have triggered a mutation if you had consumed that Justice elixir!”
“Yes, yes, I understand.” Mia, knowing she was in the wrong, relented.
“She’s at that age,” Asker said, adopting a knowing tone. “Tell her not to do something, and she’ll do it just to spite you. Like a stubborn mule. Give her a challenging task, and she’ll forget all about her rebellious streak.”
“Hey! Who are you calling a mule?” Mia shouted, her face reddening.
