Archvel asked.
"What kind of spell is the Soul Sickle?"
Aldar leaned forward and started talking.
"Soul Sickle is a dangerous spell, capable of inflicting severe harm to the essence of a person. It is a close-combat ability that allows the user to channel dark energy and strike at the very core of their opponent's soul."
Archvel nodded.
"A sharp dagger that attacks the soul…" he thought.
Ally then also added.
"If the murderer is indeed skilled in Soul Sickle or a similar ability, it suggests a level of simple mastery over close-combat soul magic. This leads us to believe that they might have ties to Void Star, which we would not like to see…"
Archvel kept his face neutral, but he thought from within.
"I did not expect them to tell me something like this. Basically, they are telling me that the murderer is most likely a member of Void Star or a similar organization."
"Thank you, Aldar and Ally, for sharing your knowledge."
Archvel thanked first and then continued.
"With your expertise and insights, I have a better chance to get that murderer."
Aldar and Ally exchanged a glance before nodding.
"We are here to support you, Archvel," Aldar affirmed.
Archvel nodded and smiled.
He then thought.
"I am not going to trust them anyway. They have too much to lose in this deal if it goes wrong."
"What if the murderer is indeed a member of Void Star and they kill me to hide it?"
"Anything can happen."
"They might even frame me for the murder. As long as there is enough reason, human nature will do everything."
Not much time later, Archvel left the inn where he sat with Aldar and Ally and found himself a different inn to drink and spend some time alone.
He sat alone, deep in thought.
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"A reason for the murder itself."
Archvel murmured as he kept on working.
Meanwhile, Aldar and Ally were talking about Archvel.
They exchanged hushed whispers, their voices filled with a mix of curiosity and doubt.
"I must admit, Ally, I have reservations about Archvel's ability to handle this investigation."
Aldar confessed, his brow furrowed with worry.
"While he shows promise and has understanding, we cannot afford any missteps."
Ally nodded in agreement.
"I understand your concern, Aldar. Archvel possesses potential that is easy to see; even a dumb mage can see that, but whether he possesses enough power to confront the forces behind this murder is another question. I am not sure about that.
"We need to ensure that he is prepared. At the same time, it is not hard to see that he does not trust us at all."
Aldar's eyes narrowed as he pondered the best course of action.
"That makes sense; I would not trust us if the roles were reversed."
"Perhaps it would be wise for us to assess Archvel's true capabilities discreetly."
Ally leaned in closer,
"I do not agree, Aldar. Archvel's progress has been promising, adding to the fact that he works with that man named Jareth and The Tower itself. We would be only resulting in more distrust from him as well as Jareth himself."
Aldar just nodded.
"Yeah, you are right. I guess…"
-
Archvel made his way through the familiar streets of Red Copper Town, his mind still immersed in thoughts and theories about the murder and the potential political agenda behind it.
"My best theory about the murder is that whoever killed Elliot should have known that the suspect forces would be Void Star."
"Which makes it easier to see that the murderer would like to start a battle between Tower of Black Sun and Void Star."
Arriving at Jareth's location, Archvel found him engrossed in a conversation with another member of the Tower of the Black Sun.
He waited patiently, his gaze fixed on Jareth, until their discussion finished.
Sensing Archvel's presence, Jareth turned towards him,
"Archvel, good to see you," Jareth spoke and then asked.
"How is the investigation going?"
Archvel took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking.
"Jareth, I've been doing some further investigation into the murder of Elliot Ken, and I believe I may have uncovered something significant. It seems that the murderer used a spell called Soul Sickle or something similar."
"This spell targets the soul of the victim, causing immense damage.""
Jareth's eyes narrowed.
"Soul sickle?" It requires a certain level of skill and understanding to be used effectively. The fact that it was used suggests that the murderer may possess considerable knowledge and expertise in close-combat soul magic, and I only know of one Void Star Mage in the area who is capable of casting that magic."
Archvel nodded.
Yes, that's what I thought as well. But there's more to it. I have a growing suspicion that this murder may be motivated by political factors.
"The victim, Elliot Ken, a combat mage, Black Fire Mage, and his death could have far-reaching consequences within the magical community."
Jareth's brows furrowed,
"A political agenda? That's an intriguing angle, Archvel."
Archvel then took a deep breath and voiced his thoughts.
"I have some questions; may you answer?"