The four approached a massive bustling building. Outside it, on a wooden plank, a sack of gold overflowing with coin creaked back and forth. A line of carts filled with goods sat outside the building with dozens of men inspecting and moving them. On one cart men and women in chains stepped off with a whip cracking. Serena turned to Victor. “You know they aren’t going to want to help right?”

“I’m counting on it. After they refuse to let us look at what should be worthless books we will seek another way to view those books. They have to pay taxes so inquiring with Patricia or Zane should resolve that issue.” Victor smiled and turned to her. “This is almost too easy honestly.”

Jenora slapped her helmet. “I feel like he does it on purpose.”

Swordie cheerfully commented. “Oh, he does.”

“We’ve got this.” Victor approached the guild's double doors and opened one walking in. Inside long lines and few clerks dotted the desks along with constant chatter about prices, gold, and fees filled the hall. “Uh, I guess we wait?”

“Your plan is coming together sir,” Swordie added joyfully. “Keep waiting.”

Victor sighed and got in a line. Emilie groaned. “We’re doing this?”

Jenora put a hand on her shoulder. “Well, we have 7 days. If all we do is stand in line it’s boring but at least it is safe.”

“7 days in line. Great!” Her sarcasm dripped from every word like acid from her mouth.

Swordie passive-aggressively added. “A mere 7 days waiting in line with your loved one to converse with. Oh yes, you poor thing. Your sacrifice will be remembered. For a week.”

Victor chuckled. “I see I’m not the only one on the receiving end of your sharp wit.”

“Of course not. You’d never make someone wait longer than a week. Not ever.” Swordie continued irritated. “Ever… Especially with no one to talk to and nothing to do. Especially for more than a week. Right?”

Victor laughed nervously. “No of course not, we won’t be in line for 7 days we’re already second in line.”

They waited for a few more minutes before reaching the front of the line. Victor approached the wooden desk and began. “Hello.”

A large, bearded man looked up to him from his desk. “Hello sir, my name is Peter Jones. Who are you?”

“I’m Victor Vogal. I am looking for records dating back 4 years concerning this city. Specifically, transaction records.” Victor smiled.

The man raised an eyebrow and leaned forward with genuine confusion. “You want our records from 4 years ago?”

“Yes!” Victor added cheerfully.

He began scribbling something down. The man handed Victor a piece of paper. “The documents room is on the second floor. They may not leave the records room but inspection of forms more than 2 years old is always available to the public to prove we are above board. The room is at the end of the hallway with a wooden scroll sign on it. Thank you for your time NEXT!”

Victor stood up and looked forward in a daze. “That wasn’t at all what I had expected to happen.”

Serena nudged him in the ribs with a comical grin. “Well, let’s go book boy.”

Victor sighed and Emilie groaned as the group stomped up the wooden steps. At the top, a long narrow hallway filled with doors the wooden plank with a scroll on it denoted the record room. The group filed through the narrow hallway hearing voices from behind every door they passed. Victor knocked at the door. “We’re here from below to look at records.”

The door cracked open. A diminutive creature with a large nose and curly red hair peeked up from behind the door. “Papers?” Victor handed the paper he received from below. “Four years ago? Who would care? Whatever. Come in.” They entered the large room filled with books and three desks. The small gnome climbed up a staircase of books to a sliding ladder before grabbing book after book and stacking them before coming down. “Here’s some of them.” He plopped the books down with a thud on the desk across from him. The gnome glared at Victor as he could sense a question coming.

“Sir, what is your name?” Victor asked.

“My name is Ben Farholt.” He replied annoyed. “I only took this job because I was told I’d be left alone except for the yearly tax audit. Who the hell cares about records from years ago?”

“We do. If you help us we can get out of your hair faster.” Victor nodded at the man.

“Fine, what are you looking for?” The gnome plopped down in his chair.

“Irregular charges from 4 years ago, any large sums transferred in or out of the guild for a dubious reason or no clear reason at all.” Victor looked at him hopeful that this might be easier than he thought.

He pulled the middle logbook out of the pile and flipped the massive several thousand-page book open. “These are the services charges and expenditures. If you are looking for something illegal it’s probably in here. The other books contain records for transactions of goods. Freeman’s Guild requires members to document expenses and income diligently or we expel them.”

“Why do you think we’re here for something illegal?” Victor tilted his head innocently.

“Why else would you want records this old?” He looked up at them irritated.

Emilie fake whispered to Jenora. “This gnome is smarter than Victor.”

Swordie noted. “A task of minimal difficulty.”

Victor slumped his shoulders. “One day people will respect me.”

“No, they won’t kid. You’ve got a combination of ‘kick me when I’m down’ look on you with ‘lost puppy’ thrown in for good measure after someone makes fun of you.” The gnome shook his head. “You need to be tougher or at least more aware to be respected. You act like a dope too.”

“How do I act like a dope?” Victor stood tall offended.

“You’re whole stride. The way you carry yourself. Everything about you. You’re taller than me and yet everyone in the room can feel it.” He waved his hand. “Bah! Anyway. This book likely contains the transaction you are looking for. If you need it, I will keep it out for you, so I don’t need to pull it again.” He picked up the others before climbing the ladder and began to file them away. “Do you know what you are looking for?”

Victor blinked realizing he just assumed he wouldn’t make it this far. “Not… Really… Just something out of the ordinary.”

“Do you know what ordinary means?” The gnome asked.

Victor felt incredibly stupid as he answered. “No. I don’t.”

Emilie, Jenora, and Serena all hung their heads restraining a chuckle. Serena stepped forward. “Search for sums exceeding 10,000 gold and investigate those first. Then investigate sums in the 5,000 to 10,000 gold range. I will take those two and speak with Patricia Conway about getting access to the tax records from the mayor’s office.” The three girls opened the doors as the gnome sat down. “This will take him a while.”

Victor chuckled. “It’s been a while since I’ve had time to just sit and read even if it’s just records.”

Emilie turned disgusted. “Is he enjoying this?”

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Victor with an earnest smile turned around and nodded. Swordie practically reached out. “Please take me with you!”

“Is that book supposed to be talking? I know some artifacts are intelligent, but most are rather strong. Not something investigators or auditors would have.” The gnome noted with a strange grimace.

Cawthorn proclaimed. “HE IS MY PARTNER! HE PROTECTS MY MAGE!”

“A familiar that speaks common… Interesting. What did you say your name was?” Ben inquired.

“My name is Victor Vogal that is Serena Brooks, Jenora Oath, and Emilie Ward. My familiar is Cawthorn and the book is Swordie.” He answered.

“Are you in a guild?” He leaned forward on his desk.

“We are the Stars of Verdan, we’re in the Artifact Hunters guild,” Victor answered.

“Pity.” He opened a book and went back to reading.

“Well dear, I will see you later.” Serena waved as they closed the door. Victor waved cheerfully with Swordie still around his waist.

The three girls walked down past the massive crowd on the first floor. As they left Serena asked. “Could you two investigate the area around 5 Star Road? We need to know if anyone remembers anything from 4 years ago regarding Jim Farson’s murder. I will check the records in the mayor’s office. Does that sound reasonable to you two?”

Jenora agreed immediately. “That seems fair, we can exercise jogging from place to place. It’ll improve your speed.”

Emilie sighed. “Silver linings, I guess. I feel like this is a waste of time. It won’t work and even if it does the ghost won’t give us the keys. Undead are not to be trusted.”

Serena leaned down. “Well, if you’re right you get to mercilessly mock him and tell him ‘I told you so’ for a long time. He’ll probably even listen to you if you’re right, but if you don’t try, he’ll never listen to you again.”

Emilie tilted her head back and forth weighing the choices before a smirk stretched across her face. “If it does work, we get an incredible guild hall, if it doesn’t, I get to savagely mock his idiocy. I guess this is a win-win situation. Jenora, we go! Speed boost!” Emilie took off toward 5 Star Road with Jenora following close behind.

Serena gave off a quick smirk before brushing back her short hair. She made her way to the south gate moving as fast as she could just to work up a sweat. Feeling the wind in her hair as someone passed her traveling even faster irritated her. Most people walked but some people during the day did travel rather fast near the edges of the road. She slowed down as she approached the southern wall seeing Brice and Patricia at the gate. She arrived panting and wiping down her sweat. Patricia sauntered up to her. “Well, girl you’re in a hurry I see, or are you just running for fun?”

Serena reached high up and took a deep breath as she stretched. “Sorry, I just needed to run a bit. I did need to see you though.”

“A new arrival asking for help the second day they are here isn’t a record, but it is faster than most. What is wrong?” Patricia looked up to Serena.

“I need access to tax records from 4 years ago,” Serena asked with an unusual fervency in her voice.

Patricia paused raising an eyebrow and answered very slowly. “Tax… Records… From 4 years ago?”

“We’re investigating the events around Jim Farson’s death.” She clarified.

“Oh, that? That worthless decaying bar is the culprit. I investigated it myself. It had several stone gargoyles and due to its serious disrepair, one fell off. Drunk off his ass he had his head splattered all across the alleyway. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Patricia shook her head. “Poor bastard’s brother had to abandon the bank after a ghost took up there too if I recall. The whole family is tragedy after tragedy. I half expect to find Phil dead one morning from a donkey kick to the head.”

“Is it possible someone pushed the gargoyle?” Serena curiously proceeded.

“I don’t see how. That roof wouldn’t even support a halfling four years ago. It’s a small miracle it hasn’t collapsed.” She shook her head. “If Phil is asking about that then you should just give up. It’s pointless. I do feel sorry for the man but it’s a tragic accident to be sure.”

Serena pondered for a few moments. “Could telekinesis have been involved?”

“Sure, but that would be untraceable if no one saw him die 4 years ago. Face it Phil is just hoping against hope something went wrong so he can feel better about having to join the Freedman’s Guild.” Patricia shrugged. “The man isn’t happy with his life, but a lot of people hate their lives it doesn’t mean someone else is responsible for it. The world is cruel and unrelenting.”

“It wasn’t Phil who asked us to find out who killed Jim Farson. It was the ghost of Jim Farson.” Serena added flatly.

Patricia paused and Brice stopped dead in his tracks overhearing that. The three of them looked at each other in total silence for a few moments before Brice asked. “How?”

“Victor spoke to the ghost, and it told him that it had been murdered.” Serena nodded.

“It said something more than ‘be gone’ to him?” Patricia looked at her incredulously.

“Yes, it explained in a great deal what it knew and was sure it was killed. I’m shocked it spoke to him at all. I knew he was friendly, but this was eye-opening.” She shifted her weight looking down on Patricia.

“Well, if you are looking for those tax records, I will help you after this caravan passes through. I need to search them, and Brice needs to scan them.” Patricia walked over to the caravan leaving Serena with Brice.

“Why did Victor speak with the ghost?” Brice just blinked twice.

“He tends to try and talk things out no matter who or what he is talking to. We encountered a skeleton chained up in a dungeon he talked to that too. If it weren’t for our priestess, he might have spared it anyway. It’s just what he does.” Serena smiled drifting off while thinking about him.

“What are his opinions on elves, dwarves, or other species?” Brice leaned forward.

“Our guild leader is a half-drake. We encountered a dwarf who helped us immensely early on. I doubt he’d say anything negative about their race.” She paused. “I on the other hand hate elves but it’s becoming clear to me the only elf I’ve ever met owned me, which might change my point of view.”

Brice seemed disappointed as he put his hand down. “Ah. Okay.”

Serena put her hands up and frantically waved back and forth suddenly realizing what Brice was asking. “Oh no! No! No. I was against even helping our guild leader and others were uh… even less enthused than I was. If someone wasn’t actively trying to murder us, they’d probably be welcome in the guild.” She paused for a moment before following up. “Why did you have someone in mind?”

“Well, I have this friend who would like to find a job in a guild but is worried if people find out he’s an elf they’d tell everyone and kick him out of their group forcing him to wander far to somewhere no one knows him. That would suck, for him.” Brice noted sheepishly.

Serena blinked lightning up as she fully comprehended the question. “If you want to join the Artifact Hunters, we have a zero-tolerance policy to that kind of attitude.”

“Oh, it’s not for me. I am not an elf or dwarf. I am a half-elf. Yes. Just an ordinary half-elf.” Brice nodded.

“Does she know?” Serena asked.

“Know what? I’m just a half-elf.” Brice insisted.

Patricia walked up with a few items in hand. “Time to work Brice, and yes I know Brice you aren’t a half-elf.”

Brice turned bright red. “I’m definitely just a half-elf.”

“No, you aren’t. Now, start scanning the items.” Patricia started walking to Serena. “Let me get you access to those tax documents.”

“Wait you knew he wasn’t a half-elf?” Serena tilted toward her.

“It’s why I keep him on such a short leash. Visually his disguise is good, verbally the man outs himself in 10 minutes or less.” Patricia shrugged. “BRICE! FINISH UP!”

“You don’t care that he’s… different?” Serena asked.

“Nah. If I’ve learned anything here the groups people hate are rarely the culprit, they are just the groups people blame. The vast majority of criminals are either desperate or well-connected. Groups people hate to tend to be neither of those.” She looked to Brice who handed back the items describing them one at a time. “Thank you for that. Yes, Brice, I’ve always known that you were more than you appear.”

“B-But how Miss Conway, I never told you and my disguise is good.” Brice insisted.

She whispered. “In our first meeting, you insisted you are, and I quote ‘A half-elf, definitely not an elf.’ At one point when I was interviewing for your position you stood all the way up by accident and then went back to hunching over hiding in your cloak. Most people won’t see if they just look at you, but any careful observer can.”

Brice gulped. “I’m sorry Miss Conway. I didn’t mean to deceive you people just tend not to treat those like me well.”

She walked back to the caravan returning their items and sauntering toward them again. “It’s fine Brice. It’s also fine if you want to join a guild, but your instincts are right about people. Most people here hate those. I’ve got somewhere to be and it’s the mayor’s office. Let us go Miss Brooks. Oh Brice, try not to talk to people at the gate while I’m gone. Just come with us.” Brice scampered after them as they walked toward the massive building in the center of town trying and failing to conceal a smile.