Murderous mages were always a problem to Kartal, especially the ones who didn’t seem worried about taking a life.

Families like the Siberetti, who specialized in assassination, were shunned and distant, and for good reason.

Killing a normal human being had no effect on a mage, since most of them didn’t acknowledge human rights unless forced, but a mage killing another mage always caused problems.

Cross-corruption, the name given to the effects of being close to an Esca tainted with blood.

Mages could feel when another mage had killed a third. It wasn’t known why, but it seemed to be related to the Esca. And that strained their minds.

Mental state was important to a mage, possibly the most important thing, since it was the only thing preventing them from becoming witches or fully succumbing to corruption.

Cross-corruption made mages increasingly paranoid, alert and hyperreactive, which made fights easier to erupt, thus making the mages who killed even more prone to violence and murder, which, in turn, made mages more paranoid, making a full circle.

If there was a reason for Cornelius to employ Siberina’s help in killing a mage, and waiting for her instead of straight up killing Velvet to take Baraviodos back, avoiding a blood-reeking Esca was it.

As the future head of the Graham family, he couldn’t have mages avoiding him.

Kartal was not of clean hands, either, so a part of him always preferred dealing with mages in a similar situation.

He had more than enough strength to keep them in check, and, by making those shunned mages feel safe and secure under him, he guaranteed that the Scales of Poine was formed by mages who scared the living daylights of normal mages.

To them, the Scales of Poine reeked of blood and violence. To Kartal, it was home. And he wanted Velvet to understand that.

“Oh…” Velvet said, taking back the container. “Thanks in advance.”

Kartal noticed she seemed to be waiting for him to say or do something.

“Tomorrow the Selection will finish before midday. Tell Murrs you want to access the Riverside Villa, that I’m waiting for you. I’ll introduce your mission companions.”

“Eh? Companions?”

They stared at each other for a while.

“... Velvet, you’re a support mage, of course you need companions.” Kartal was confused; was she really expecting to be tossed on a mission for the Idirian nobility on her own?

“Right, haha…” She let out a nervous laugh. “How many?”

“Two and Syon himself.”

Kartal wants a group with high mobility, more than high power. He is worried about us taking too much time to group together. Four mages can watch for each other’s back, without getting in the other’s way.

Of course, before reaching conclusions, I’ll need to meet the other members, and know their Paradigms.

“I’ll go there tomorrow, then.” She said, waiting for Kartal to add something.

Kartal sighed, looking at the room. “How much work remains?”

“Only an hour… maybe two.”

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

“No, out. Go get fresh air.”

“But-”

“No buts. If Tristan complains, tell her it is the doctor's orders. Doctor Kartal’s orders.”

Surrendering, Velvet got up, feeling a bit nauseous. “Okay, okay… I’m going outside and touching grass…”

“And drink water, and have dinner.”

“Yessir.”

After stretching her whole body, Velvet escaped Kartal’s, and Kartal’s dragon judging gaze, leaving the archives.

This time she stopped at a shop to buy food and essential items. Since the Selection was coming to a close, the official shops were moving inside the Mergifari, while the temporary ones were leaving the island.

Like Tristan’s, for example. Now, what once had been an empty space, except for the gardens and the three towers, was becoming, step by step, lively.

Most shops were still outside, stalling the most they could, but, in a few days, everything would be in their place.

Once she got most of the stuff, Velvet went back to the hut.

The night had fallen, even in the forest.

Especially in the forest.

The skittering noise of bugs and nocturnal animals welcomed Velvet, who lighted a paper figurine to illuminate the path without stopping.

She put the figure at the end of a stick, preventing the forest and herself from burning. The figurine sat obediently on the tip, dangling its legs.

It reminded her of the midnight escapades she made on Casrey, with the difference that she used a gas lamp in the past.

Several curious fireflies got close to the paper figurine, who responded by waving its arms furiously, scaring them off.

“What a temper… hm?” Noticing an unmoving light further away, she stopped.

It wasn’t a bug, it was a human.

Raising her stick, Velvet showed some light on the stranger, making them look at her.

“Oh, Igern.” The light Velvet had seen was a cigarette. “Smoking in the darkness? And in a forest?”

He took a deep puff, blowing the smoke in the direction opposite Velvet. “The Queen doesn’t like the smell.”

“But isn’t hiding away too excessive? I didn’t think of you as a bad boy.” She teased, grinning when one of Igern’s eyebrows twitched.

“What you think doesn’t concern me.” Always so sensitive, gentle and considerate, Igern ended the conversation.

“Always a pleasure speaking with you! Oh, right. Do you plan on taking revenge on Alrai and me on the Arena? Or will you just focus on Dianthus?”

Velvet knew Igern was petty, and powerful, which was an extremely bad combination, but she also knew he really, really hated Dianthus.

She didn’t know why, but a part of her supposed it was a rivalry that got way out of hand, arriving at a dangerous level.

Igern possibly got his shit kicked out too many times against Dianthus, so, if he went searching for Dianthus from the start, Velvet was confident Igern would lose before reaching her.

Igern finished the cigarette, threw it to the floor and stepped on it. A faint blue light came from it, showing that he used magic to guarantee it was fully turned off.

“I’ll focus on whoever I find first.”

“True, you’re not a chaser.” Velvet rejoiced over Igern’s annoyed face, before taking a step back. “Well, I have stuff to do, so, as much as parting ways hurt, I may go back home.”

She took a few steps.

“Do not weep for me!”

Two more.

“Don’t hold my hand, I must attend to my duties!”

Some more.

“I’ll never forg-”

“Can’t you leave in silence already?”

“Okay, okay!” Knowing when to stop pestering the human version of an angry porcupine, Velvet left, now without stopping, in the direction of her hut.

Arriving at the door, unlocking it, and opening it, Velvet’s bag fell to the floor.

A body was hanging from the ceiling.

Dangling slightly without wind, from side to side, its back faced Velvet.

Slowly, as if the corpse had noticed her, it started turning. Black rope tied its legs and arms, so tightly that the bones under it should be broken. Symbols carved on its skin bulged, a consequence of the maggots living inside, feasting on its rotting meat.

No one was pushing it, the corpse wanted to look at Velvet.

She reacted fast, throwing the burning paper figurine at it. The figurine embraced the corpse’s head, igniting itself.

It didn’t explode, Velvet didn’t want to destroy her house, but that was enough for it to become unable to look at her, burning the rope and making the body slam the floor.

Her reasoning was simple: if it wanted to look directly at her, she must do everything in her power to prevent it.

The scorching smell of burning meat filled the room, the corpse convulsing, muffled groans coming from its sealed mouth.

Rushing towards the burning corpse, Velvet fumbled with her pocket, pulled out the Strangler Humming Figs’ container, and tossed the corpse inside.

She didn’t know what that corpse could do, and killing it might trigger a curse.

Yes, she was gambling the Strangler Humming Figs’ lives, but she had no other pet capable of dealing with it.

Losing the trees would hurt her, but losing her life was worse. Graveyards were filled with brave people.

The Strangler Humming Figs, sensing a threat, started singing, with so much force that Velvet had to release the ball, which started vibrating, affecting her.

She didn’t pick it back until the vibration stopped, and, even then, she only took a peek.

The corpse wasn’t moving anymore, laying over a pool of rotten blood and dead maggots, slowly covering the ground.

Velvet took off her bracelet, pulled out the Fire Salamander, and set it on the floor.

Then, she connected that container with the other, passing the rotting corpse and everything it had touched into it, preventing the trees from making contact.

Only after checking that the trees showed no apparent damage, and the corpse wasn’t corroding the formation, did she allow herself to relax, taking a deep breath.

Were Kartal enemies making a move before the Arena? Or was it the Graham’s?

Well, on the Mergifari, someone watched over everyone.

Bracing herself, Velvet called. “Udulluay.”