[Espy]

The man stopped for a moment, as if listening to something, then, "Even your...companion...would like to know more about you," he reported with a wide wolfish grin.

Dante growled. "Mind you own business! My past is my past, no need for you to--!"

"Lucifer Dante Kaan, now age 25. Parents were killed--"

Dante snarled, kicked off the wall behind him with a raised fist, and was promptly slammed back and held, with a rifle barrel pressed against his throat, parallel to the wall.

"--in the riots in the slums of New Jerusalem twelve years ago. Lost his sight in the fire of the rioting. Trained with companions who joined the military, but refused to join himself."

Shut up.

"Worked for various small organizations and bosses as an assassin, and gained some reputation around New Jerusalem as the "Raven". Later had a bounty placed on him for the murders..."

Shut up.

"...of military heads and business leaders. Started working outside of New Jerusalem some four years after the death of his parents. Traveled with his brother, Gabriel Kaan, to Babylon, and settled there. Gabriel later died..."

Shut...up...

"...from water poisoning. After his brother's death, Lucifer all but vanished from public view for several years, excepting brief sightings of a blind man in all-black clothes at various taverns and brothels."

The doorman looked up from reading out facts. "Michael Haydn. Did you get all of that?" he said, asking the artificer at the same time. He turned to a rather limp and silent Dante.

"So. Where have you been, the past several years?" he asked in no more than a whisper. "I think much of the authority around here would like to know the same."

Just...shut...up... Dante thought to no one in particular, refusing to either confirm or deny anything.