Chapter 78 You In?

“All of this sounds pretty normal for Safeharbor.” Thomas commented after Isaac filled him in on everything Aria had told him.

Isaac nodded and grinned before leaning in conspiratorially. “It does, doesn’t it? The entire way up until you realize that’s tied into Mr. Nobody somehow.” Isaac explained with a glint in his eyes.

Thomas leaned back and frowned. “That case is bad news. More than one operative has gone missing looking into him. Whoever he is, he’s dangerous.” He warned. “How much do you know?”

Isaac handed Thomas the book he had gotten from James with a smile. He knew that he was winning Thomas over, slowly, but progress was progress. “This has all of his money drop locations and information about known associates. It also has a list of all the faces he’s used and how many times he’s used them. Well, it has most of them.” Isaac explained.

Thomas nodded and took the book. “Why do you think they are connected?” He asked while flipping through the book.

“They are both connected to the Safeharbor General Smithy.” Isaac revealed easily.

“That’s a big operation.” Thomas began. “There are a half dozen smiths with even more assistants and staff. If there was something going on it would have gotten out by now.”

“You mean it should have gotten out by now.” Isaac corrected with a smug look.

“And how do you suppose they’ve kept it from leaking?” Thomas asked incredulously.

“Magic.” Isaac replied simply.

“Magic?” Thomas asked, his misbelief clear in his voice.

Isaac nodded. “A combination of this list of spells and hexes.” Isaac began. He had been doing his research on spells and their effects after Fen had blindsided him. “Mesmerize, Minor Memory Modification, and last but not least Geas.”

“Those are not easy spells to learn nor are they low level ones. Alexander would have noticed them from his tower.” Thomas explained. “His magic detection array is far stronger than any of the other ones in the country save for the one in the capital. It’s used as an early warning system against an attack from Contantis; it would pick up a trio of fifth level spells being cast.”

Isaac shook his head. “Not if they are in a Globe of Negation.” He countered.

“That’s a seventh level spell.” Thomas replied incredulously. “How high of a level do you think this Mr. Nobody is?”

“Alexander can cast all of those spells.” Isaac replied.

“You think Alexander is Mr. Nobody?!” Thomas replied in a loud whisper.

Isaac shrugged. “Probably not but the point still stands. Also, are there any times when people know that our little court mage isn’t in town?”

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Thomas nodded with a frown. “He escorts the duke and duchess every summer for Founding Day. They go the whole way to the capital and are gone for a whole week. Also, anyone with the ability to sense mana can feel whenever he teleports out of town. Usually it’s court mage duties but he can only manage it twice a day so it’s guaranteed that he’d be gone for longer than the ten minutes it would take to do what you are talking about.” Thomas conceded.

“Celeste is also around that level though, she would have felt something even if he’s gone right?” Isaac asked. “Under normal circumstances anyway. That’s why I think Globe of Negation is involved.”

Thomas nodded. “They’d be on a timer once the spell is cast. With no new mana entering the zone they would only have whatever was inside them to work with.” Thomas shook his head. “We are talking about a fifteenth level wizard at least.”

“Why a wizard?” Isaac questioned.

“It’d be a lot easier to do it with glyphs and rituals. It would also explain where all the gold is going that Mr. Nobody is bringing in.” Thomas expounded.

“How dangerous do you think a fifteenth level wizard could be if caught out in the open?” Isaac asked. Jala hadn’t even tried to fight. She was strictly a non-combat mage but that didn’t mean that Mr. Nobody was the same.

Thomas sighed and rubbed his temples. “Worst case?” He asked to which Isaac nodded. “He could level a city block before you kill him.”

Isaac winced. “That’s worse than I expected.” He replied. “Fen’s power was much more focused than that.”

Thomas nodded. “Fen L’Vore is a shadow sorcerer so his attack power is naturally lower than a combat wizard’s. On top of that he is used to fighting in tunnels and cramped spaces where large area spells would catch him in them too.” His frown deepened. “Surface combat mages are all taught large area spells. Nothing scatters soldiers, bandits, or beasts quicker than something large and flashy.”

Isaac nodded. “That makes sense.” He agreed. “Things tend to be less afraid of me than they should be, at least out in the wild.”

“If your suspicion is correct, it is imperative that you remove him in one shot and without him noticing.” Thomas shook his head. “That might not even be possible if he has the right spells precast.”

Isaac sat up a bit straighter. “Can he stop five disintegrate spells at the same time with no warning?” He questioned.

Thomas froze. “Five?” He asked for clarification.

Isaac nodded. “That’s the most I can hit him with at one time, I think, for now.” He replied.

Thomas gulped. That was way more power than he had ever heard of someone using at one time. “Maybe, it depends on how deep into dark magic they are.” He then realized who he was talking to. “Not your kind of dark magic but demon or undead kind of dark magic.”

“A lich?” Lenna questioned.

Thomas shrugged. “At this point? It could be possible but there would have to be some deeper plan for that. No, I think they could have reverse possessed themselves. It isn’t unheard of for high level wizards to fall to necromancy in order to extend their lives.” He looked around quickly to make sure there wasn’t anyone close enough to hear. “The Crown Inquisitors have hunted quite a few of them over the years.”

“Reverse possession?” Isaac asked.

“That’s what it is called. I don’t know any more than that though. It’s way above my pay grade.” Thomas replied. He knew how to keep his head down and looking into dark magic was not that.

Isaac sighed. “Well, we won’t know until we find him so…” Isaac drug it out for effect. “You in?”

Thomas sighed. “Let me read over this.” He said and waved the book at Isaac. “I’ll leave it with your friends upstairs when I’m done. If, if I decide to help you then I want a cut of whatever you swindle out of the duke for payment.” He replied, seeing right through Isaac.

Isaac laughed and reached out a hand. “Deal.”

Thomas took Isaac’s hand and then slumped back in his chair. “How did I get myself into this mess?” He grumbled.

—

“So yeah, if a shady guy with brown hair and brown eyes shows up you’ll know why.” Isaac explained to Aria while the four of them were having lunch together.

“How?” Aria questioned.

“There was a lot there so you’re going to have to be more specific.” Isaac commented.

“Friends with the guy that’s supposed to be spying on you? An informant downtown that no one knows about? An underground conspiracy?” Aria went one with more and more disbelief as she went. “You’ve only been here for a few months.”

Isaac shrugged but Lenna was the one to answer. “He’s really good at getting into trouble.” She commented. “And bullying people into being his friends.”

“Bullying them?” Isaac asked with mock hurt. “Aggressive suggestion at worst.” He countered. “Usually they just end up liking me once they realize how charming I am and that I won’t kill them if they keep their mouths shut.”

“So bullying.” Lenna replied with a deadpan look on her face. Isaac rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, we are getting off topic.” Aria cut in. “If it is a high level wizard then we are in way over our heads.” She shook her head and crossed her arms in a huff. “This wasn’t supposed to be this complicated.”

Isaac chuckled. “Nothing is ever supposed to be as complicated as it ends up. Our first meeting should have drilled that into you. What were you there for again?”