Ten after Four

**Ten after Four** was the twelfth episode of Series I of Blyth and first part of the *Displaced* story arc.

## Plot

The group gets the train to Narvi, one of the furthest suburbs of the giant area that is Mirladris. Sebastian Vicovar is disheartened that Doctor Ross managed to escape but still pays for the parties passage and board while they are in Narvi. He gets everyone rooms at the Royal Steed Inn and hopes that they can take some time to relax.

Esme takes the time to explore the world above after Danny gets her a disguise. Schlitz decides to use the hotels spa. Romeo tells the rest of the group that he's ready to party and that drinks are on him. Baldric, Danny and Welty all recognize Mitch, the Coachman, working as a cart driver in Narvi. Reunited they decide to invite Mitch out for drinks-- who after the incident with KOPIA on the train to Aphelion decided to start a new carting business in Narvi over the past week or so.

Danny decides to go the Tilmit Public library to pick up a book for Webb. Ze'Urn accompanies them, naturally. The three meet The Curator who is very kind to Webb. He shows Webb the young readers section while he reads and Ze'Urn struggles to keep up. Danny asks the Curator for "special" books. He leads him to a clock and pushes the hands to 4:10. He then tells Danny to go ahead and look the books over. Ze'Urn notices a black haired lady in a blue coat watching Danny and Webb carefully. Ze'Urn keeps his hand on his blade at all times. Danny is told he can keep the books in return for delivering a letter to someone who has the same necklace as the Curator. Danny agrees.

Meanwhile at the tavern Baldric notices a man in a fancy blue coat. After inspecting closely-- he realizes that he is staring at a folder with a picture of Danny in it. During that time Erwin also notices a picture taken of a bridge in town and pockets it. The back of the photo says "E.C." and "-Othni." Distraught that someone has Danny's picture, Baldric informs the others that they need to find him. Mitch offers to cart them to the library however he is incredibly intoxicated. The group gets in Mitch's cart-- except Romeo who passes out in a booth and Ben who decides to tail the blue-coat man.

Mitch almost makes the trip perfectly though when he gets close to the library he crashes his cart brutally wounding most of the party. As Danny and company are leaving the library they notice Mitch's crash site. Danny, Ze' Urn and the local blacksmith help everyone to Doctor Jenner's office. She patches the group up before warning them to seek shelter before 4:10. The group is confused but heeds the warning (though lightly.) As they go to the General store the shop keep tells them that they can come in but they'll be locked in for about forty-five minutes and that they shouldn't be outside anyway-- especially near the fountain.

Curiously Danny decides to turn invisible and go to the fountain while Ergo watches from the roof top. The rest of the group stays in the store and Welty asks about a sign advertising mining equipment. The General store owner tells him that the town was a mining town twenty-some years ago. Erwin and Mitch ask about sales and find out that the carrots are on special. Baldric watches out the store window, anxiously watching to see what happens at four with Wilton at his side.

Ten after Four, the skies darken. Baldric, Danny, Wilton and Ergo all see purplish beast wander the streets with six legs and tentacles coming from their back.Their skin stretched against their rib cages and drool dripping from their mouths, sporting multiple rows of teeth. Danny watches them crawl about town sniffing for what one could assume is people. One comes to the window Baldric and Wilton are looking through and looks directly at them. After forty-five Minutes the skies return to normal and the shop-keep unlocks his door. The group was confused as to how casual the shop keep was about the situation, and he explains that the police have enforced the brief mid-day curfew.

The group decides to investigate the fountain while Mitch starts gathering bits of his cart. Baldric manages to find tracks. Some crusted into the earth months ago while some as fresh as a minute ago. They don't lead in a discernible direction. Without anything to go on the group splits up. Welty (wanting to find Ben) takes Baldric, Erwin and Ergo to the abandoned stables while Danny takes Rosa, Ze'Urn and Wilton to find the sewers entrance.

At the stables they find Ben tied up and unconscious. While Ergo was watching the door he gets confronted by the blue jacket man that Baldric noticed earlier-- demanding that they give up Danny Diamond's location so things don't have to result in violence. Ergo stubbornly attacks him, finding that the blue-coat man is quite skilled. Erwin and Baldric come to his aid while Welty helps Ben. The blue jacket man threatens to kill an unconscious Ergo who was taken down by a combination of swordplay and spell craft. The group reveals Danny was heading towards the sewers and the man retreats. Baldric-- fearing for Danny's safety starts running to the sewers and meet up with Danny.

On his way to the Sewers, Danny notices a man wearing all black and sporting a wide-brimmed hat dropping a large book into the river. Danny goes into the river to retrieve the book when he suddenly submerges beneath the river bed. Rosa and Wilton follow to try and help him and are also taken beneath the surface. Baldric arrives winded and jumps in after the three. Ze'Urn goes to follow suit but only finds himself knee deep in water.

Welty, Ben, and Erwin catch up to Ze'Urn who is poking his great sword at the bottom of the river. Ze'Urn explains that they disappeared. Erwin remembers the photo in the pub and compares it to the bridge. Erwin realizes that they need to find Othni. The group looks up to see the tall man who dropped the book into the river standing on the bridge nearby.

Danny, Rosa, Wilton and Baldric all get out of the river. Confused that Ze'Urn is gone yet it is the same time of day. They meet a young pale man walking by in a black jacket and a wide hat. He introduces himself as Othni and explains that they look lost. He states that he works at the stables if they need anything. The group goes to the hotel to try and regroup. They notice the man at the desk looks much younger and that instead of a picture of Queen Harriet on the wall it is King Cassius. Danny asks for a newspaper and finds that it is 261, and not 283 like it should be. Baldrics expression drops and Wilton steps back in disbelief.

Back in 283 the tall man in the black coat steps towards the party. "You must be Welty...And Ze'Urn." He says to the two. He then greets Erwin and Ben, though he mixes the two up. Welty is extremely non-trusting as his friends have just gone missing. The tall man looks at the four and says "My name is Pilgrim Othni. Come. We have lots to do."