Entry 18:

Elsewhere…as Dusk struck the city, the looming stone walls of the Met Cloisters cast the residents of upper Manhattan in even heavier darkness. The museum, which stood on a steep hill, was designed to resemble a medieval castle. Its daytime role was to house medieval art and architecture. City residents could enter for free or make a small donation in appreciation of those working inside. It was different at night.

Merith took a deep breath before she passed through the wooden doors out onto an open-air courtyard. She was greeted by a striking view of the city and a burning fire pit only a few feet from the door. The courtyard was designed like a garden, with small warped trees planted along the edges. Night Hollows, these small trees often made Merith uneasy whenever she saw them. Vibrant violet leaves and trunks that would expand and compress as if they were breathing. Their twisted branches interlocked like a natural barrier, separating the cloisters from the rest of Fort Tryon Park. Trees that only came alive at night, dried barren corpses by morning. They were not unlike the residents of that very castle. Hidden in plain sight. 

She walked towards the center of the courtyard until she was next to the fire pit. Ahead of her were eight chairs. Three were being used; it was always the same three. They all sat in the center, wearing their usual black silk robes, which draped past their legs along the chairs, and nothing else. It was the formal wear of the Eraser Cores council. Merith, though, never understood why she had to be exposed to such a sight every time she conducted business. She often saw underiables, tonight was the same. The Bronx Guardian turned her head. “They’re over six hundred years old, Merith, they do things differently. You’re a professional, dammit,”  she repeated over in her head. 

“Hmm, Good evening, core members,” Merith said in her most professional tone.  She then went down the line from left to right. “Emmyth, Ithil, Balin,” she said. Emmyth let out a tiny snort from his very large nose. He was the skinniest of the three. Tall for an elf, his pale bald head was covered in black splotches that stopped around the open hole where his left eye used to be. He was the oldest of the eight residents of The Cloisters. 

“Miss Turam, are you aware of why we’ve called you here?” Emmyth said in a very cold tone. 

“My quarterly evaluation,” Merith said. 

“Which I hope goes better than the last one.” Balin chimed in with an intentional sharpness. Merith felt her cheek twitch. Emmyth seemed not to notice. 

“Good, at least you can remember things, because I can’t some days,” Emmyth replied with another loud snort. He turned to his left. “Before we begin, I believe…huh? Ithil, wake up, will you!” Emmyth shouted, slapping the elf sitting next to him. She popped up frantically, covering herself in her robe. Ithil was the heaviest of the three. Thick legs and arms with round, chubby cheeks. One of which had a long red scar traveling towards her upper lip. She started rubbing her white crew cut in order to wake herself up. 

“Huh…sorry, I’ve just been awake for three days now tracking that group of basilisks moving up north. I didn’t think we’d be doing this tonight.” 

“Show some class, woman. This is why our juniors are so reckless because of the example you're setting. Right Bromli?” Emmyth said. 

“Bromli was my father, Emmyth,” Balin replied. The old elf was taken aback.

“What? What happened to Bromli?” he asked. 

“Been dead a while, Emmyth,” Balin said. “But it's fine, your point still stands. The sins of the former do tend to affect the latter, correct Merith?” Balin said. Merith stiffened at his gaze. Balin was an average-looking house elf. He wore glasses and had thinning hair, but he was much younger than the other two, along with significantly less battle damage. He always spoke with contempt when addressing the Bronx Guardian. 

“The mistakes of…my predecessor are not of my concern. I am my own person. Thus, I should be judged on my own merits. If there is something you’d like to discuss in private, however-”

“-However?” Balin said.

“-It will be a hard pass. I don’t mix my personal life with my work,” she replied very fast. Balin sat back laughing in response.

“Oh, Merith. Your family’s legacy was built on personal issues impeding their judgment. Whether its that wicked woman or your mother-”

“-UM!” Merith interrupted, her hands shaking, squeezing the fabric of her pants. “My…my family, nor my personal life, has anything to do with today's evaluation. Which, I may add, I feel is an unfair treatment, as I’ve never heard of them being done this often.” 

“Well, Merith, what can we say? Your district is particularly volatile. The reports we get from up there are some of the strangest I’ve certainly read.” Balin added. 

 “Is it true that last month you slayed a bugbear by burning a building to the ground?” Emmyth chimed in. Merith tilted her head. 

“Is this what this meeting is about?” 

“Oh, she's not even denying it,” Emmyth said in awe. 

“This proves what I have been saying,” Balin said. 

“That you have an unhealthy obsession with my family, and it's getting uncomfortable?” Merith added. 

“YOU…” Balin said, raising his voice. 

“She has a point, Balin,” Itthil said.  He simply stared at both of them, then snapped his fingers. Everyone's ears popped as a cloud formed between them. What materialized was a beast, bound in red thread. It thrashed on the ground, with the tips of its long, spear-like legs digging into the stone floor. Its long, continuous hissing consumed the air. Merith closed her eyes to catch her breath. She was done for. 

“This thing was captured only three blocks from this very castle. It came from up north, your jurisdiction. Now, last I checked, reports of these beasts have been scarce for decades, but somehow there is one operating in broad daylight. Care to explain, Merith?” Balin asked, crossing his arms with a satisfied look on his face. The Guardian of the Bronx could only say one thing once she opened her eyes to look upon the captured Archinary. 

“Ahh crap.”