After a few hours of walking back toward the city we arrive back at the gates, showing our Right to Return cards which are collected by the guards at the gate. It's gotten late, it’s already nearly evening and there are only a few people entering or leaving the city. There are however quite a few people setting up night stalls, fast foods and other goods are scattered around the place.

Amber lights from both crystals and lamps light up the night sky, some crystals even free floating above the street, granting light to all underneath them. We walk down the road and Lock finally breaks the silence,

“Let's head to the Society, you want to grab dinner again or just go home? Wait, I mean…”

“Mate it’s ok, I know what you mean. I'll just head home tonight.”, “You’ll be ok?” asks Lock a bit concerned.

“Oh yea I'll be fine, was just thinking you know. All these people and lights in the city, didn’t notice them before. Is it some kind of special occasion?”

“Yea, once a week we have a night market, it's very popular.” replies Lock, as we walk down some more we near the city centre, in the distance we can see the night markets are in full swing. Tons of lights floating in the sky, and underneath the floating lights, dressed in City Guard gear are a group of City Guards; a red Gambeson with armour over the chest, arms and legs. All of which have those same opal coloured carvings as the rest of the buildings in town, and most of them armed with swords.

Swords are not too commonly used around here… I check the Map Mode I keep open almost all day and night and nothing, no blimps.

As they approach several people see the group heading in our direction and start moving either out of their way to closer to the people next to them, whispering what I’m guessing is the local equivalent of “what's going on?”

The City Guard stop in front of us, we turn a bit to move around them and get out of their way but they just turn to face us again, the group of eight stretch out to cover the entire street, blocking us from moving pass. Oh I knew this would happen sooner or later.

Lock steps forward, looking to say something to the guy who looks in charge, an older Elf who is actually unarmed, but he beats Lock to it.

“Michael Hayes, you are under arrest for the murder of one Alaline Feaph. I would ask you to come with us without a fight if you will.”

Whoa Whoa Whoa, murder?! The hells going on!

“You sure you got the right person mate?” I ask, “I’ve been out of the city the whole day, I’ve got witnesses.”

Pulling out a notebook from a pocket he flips it open and finds the right page, “According to our notes you have the same ability as Muahaix Aiwatito, any one of your duplicates could have done this, but as the original they would only obey your orders.”

Ok, if you don’t mind me I’ma start panicking right now, what the fuc…

“Sir!” Yells Lock, “He has been in the city with me for the last few days, this is not Michael’s character! I demand this be taken up with Adventurer Master Carson Allerchester.”

“All in good time, Lockness Nessgray, sole heir of the Nessgray family.” turning towards me as Locky stiffens, he asks me again. “If you would come with me without issue this would all be a lot easier on us all.”

At that the other guards place their hands on their swords and pull them out the tiniest bit, yea I get the message lads no need to be so aggro. I look around and can see a lot of people behind us and behind the guard watching, whispering things in all kinds of languages curious at what’s going to happen. I place my hands up and say silently into Voice Chat;

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Koda and Wotjek, stay with me. Lock, go and wake up Master Carson. He may be able to get to the bottom of this.”

“You can't be serious” replies Lock out loud, looks like everyone else if taking that as a reply to my raised hands.

“Hells yes i’m serious, these are City Guard not Institute, someone higher up might be pulling the strings for them to get an OutWolder in custody but these guys seem like good people?” I say aloud, that last part directed at them and loud enough for everyone to hear them.

The head guard replies, “You will be taken to the Guard Headquarters for investigation, please hold out your hands straight out and do not use any of your Powers.”

Begrudgingly doing so, I stretch out my hands and a guard to my left moves toward me with what looks like a straight jacket, directing me to place my arms through the arm holes they get secured. Once all wrapped around me over top of my gambeson I notice that I feel a crystal on my right side, right next to where my Well is located near my right Kidney and Appendix.

I feel my Powers dim, the mana from the well has slowed and not obeying me at all, System Interface is glitching out like a bad video game and I barely have a connection with Koda and Wotjek with our Voice Chat, the Party of Lock and I as well as that Voice Chat is cut off. Some kind of Anti-Magic or Disruption crystal? Thankfully the Memory Palace is ok, I can enter and leave at any time.

I would otherwise applaud the ingenuity of this but right now I am (to use the old Australian saying) shitting bricks. The other guards surround me and guide me away while Lock watches on absolutely dumbfounded before yelling out a panicked “Michael! I’ll get Master Carson!” before running through a side street, pushing onlookers out of the way.

As I get perp-walked through the city with my head held high all eyes are on me and my “escort”, there is a small group of people walking behind me, rumour mongers telling everyone the skinny as it were. As we walk I can see other guards along the streets, some of them look up in surprise while others nod as if it was expected or knew in advance.

After not even after 5 minutes there is a commotion up ahead, tabloid and news are trying to get a story. Some even push toward long crystals and are pushed back by the guards surrounding me.

“Capitan Lincastle! Is it true that this is the OutWolder accused of murder?”, “OutWolder, any comment?”, “How did you do it Alien?”, “Is it true you are a Muahaix Aiwatito?”

Dam them, I am really getting pissed off. I automatically frown and open my mouth to respond before Guard Capitan Lincastle elbows me lightly in the ribs, “No talking, it won't do you any good.”

“What's wrong Capitan Lincastle, scared they’ll find out it was the Institute who put you up to this?” I reply aloud.

“The Institute had nothing to do with this, now silence or i'll gag you.”, “Sure thing” I reply whispering a quiet “corrupt bastard” under my breath, barely audible even to me. But not inaudible to the media who must have some kind of listening Power, a ton of new questions are asked with fervour.

“Capitan Lincastle, is it true the Institute asked for the OutWolders arrest?”, “OutWolder, are you actually innocent of these crimes?”, “Any comment Alien?”

“Innocent, you bastards” I reply out loud, doing so must have woken the wrath of that Capitan cause he moves quick, quicker than I have seen someone move other than Lock and grabs me by that straight jacket lifting me up onto my toes. Silently, barely audible he says,

“Last warning.”

I nod my head and he puts me down again, god dammit I am not some brave storybook or anime protagonist! I am this close to either pissing myself in fear or wanting to burn this whole town down in rage. I am shaking, I don’t know from what. This kind of thing, false accusations of something major is one of my biggest fears dammit and now here it is.

I can barely keep my eyes from watering and just keep them closed, I slowly walk. Koda and Wotjek see what's happening but I manage to tell them via chat not to do anything.

We finally arrive at the Guard Headquarters, guess what. It’s right next door to the Institute building and up the road a short while from the Adventurer Society, dammit this might be bad. Hopefully the Resurgence Team and Oasis Team are still ok, I would hate it if this Anti-Mana jacket is fudging with Shadow Clones but then again they are still active even when I’m asleep...

How the hell did they even find me, I evade them all this time and the one time I head into a city I get caught! I know it wasn’t anyone I have checked out with Trust but Verify so how the hell did they do it?! This is Bullshit!