Varga sat impassively, as Agent Wali shuffled through various parchments. This was obviously some sort of test, but knowing that did little to calm his nerves. With an effort of will, he resisted the urge to fidget in his seat or wipe the sweat beading on his brow.
Determined to avoid failing before the interview even started, Vargas focused on his surroundings. The room’s four unadorned, windowless walls pressed in on him, their cold, white, stone surface reflecting the dim light of the few flickering lanterns. The stale air, heavy with the scent of old parchment and ink, made each breath taste like an old, musty book. Varga wondered if the room's layout was designed to unsettle guests or if the agent simply had austere tastes.
Agent Wali sat behind the large polished desk in the center of the room. He was a tall, thin Arzan with sharp features and navy skin that strongly contrasted with his short-cropped, teal hair. Fit and economical with his movements, he moved with the precision and confidence all senior Vestigare seemed to have, but Varga got the impression that Agent Wali preferred office work over fieldwork.
“Tell me, recruit,” Agent Wali said, breaking Varga from his thoughts. “What does the Vestigare do for the Five Kingdoms?”
The question startled Varga, but he quickly gathered his wits and answered. “The Vestigare polices the people who believe they are above the law because of their wealth or power.”
“That is a textbook answer, recruit. A Vestigare agent must be unswayable in their pursuit of justice. An agent can have no weaknesses in their character. If not, the entire system crumbles.”
Varga nodded in agreement, though a knot of uncertainty tightened in his chest. The praise felt hollow and listless as if the agent was speaking a practiced script.
Agent Wali held up a parchment that he was looking at, gesturing to it as he spoke. “Your marks are stellar, your instructors and fellow recruits speak highly of you, and don’t even get me started on your swordsmanship.”
Varga knew his skill with a sword had caught the eye of the recruiters, but he wondered where Agent Wali was going with this praise. Could he be getting a promotion? It was crazy to think so because he was a week away from finishing basic training, but he could not think of another possibility.
Before he could ask, a knock on the door echoed through the room. Agent Wali’s mouth compressed to a flat line.
“He’s early,” the agent mumbled to himself, but just loud enough for Varga to hear.
Following Agent Wali’s eyes, Vargas looked over his shoulder just in time to see the door open to admit a stoop-backed Grang with spectacles.
Grang were bipedal lizards, known for their imposing stature and fearsome reputation as warriors. But as Agent Aon shuffled into the room, his stooped back and the subtle hiss of his breath highlighted the alienness of his kind, making him seem less like the fabled warriors and more like a creature out of a nightmare.
“Recruit Varga, this fine individual is Agent Aon,” Agent Wali said, introducing the Grang to Varga. Varga noticed that he did not introduce Varga to the Grang, meaning Agent Aon probably already knew who Varga was.
“Did you tell him?” Agent Aon asked, addressing Agent Wali.
Agent Aon snorted at Agent Wali’s curt head shake.
“I thought this might be difficult for you. I understand your hesitation, but you must know it’s either this or nothing for the recruit. There is no other option.”
Varga froze. They were talking about him.
“Recruit, I have some terrible news. You will never be a Vestigare agent. I’m afraid it is just impossible,” Agent Aon said, turning his attention to Varga.
Varga felt like someone had punched him in the gut. His mouth worked, but he couldn’t find the words to speak.
Agent Wali sighed before explaining.
“Agent Aon is correct. You have too many red flags in your background.”
“Red flags? What do you mean?” Varga demanded. He didn’t care about what they thought of his tone. They were questioning his very character.
Agent Aon fumbled around in a leather shoulder he carried until he found what he was looking for, taking out a single parchment of paper.
“Your father, Eseten, moved from the city of Xanth when your mother became pregnant with you. Before that, he was a minor associate in Xanth’s trades. Eseten was not much more than muscle, but your uncle, Alberto, became a lieutenant in the Gurez family,” Agent Aon drily read from the parchment.
Varga’s head was spinning. Was it true? Had his father been a roughian? His uncle, Alberto, a gangster? How could either of those things be true?
“Alberto was murdered over his gambling debts. Despite your uncle’s debts never being settled, the Gurez family left your father and mother alone because they weren’t worth enough to settle the debts. But if they found out Eseten’s son was a Vestigare agent, they would come for your family, and your uncle’s debt would put you in a compromised position.”
Varga’s father told him Uncle Alberto was murdered by bandits for a handful of silver deni.
“I would never betray the Vestigare. All of my life, all I ever wanted to be was a Vestigare agent,” Varga pleaded, but from the look on the two agent’s faces, he knew his efforts were in vain.
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A storm of emotions churned within Varga—shock, denial, anger. Each one crashed against the other, leaving him reeling. How could his father have hidden this from him? The thought of his uncle as a criminal twisted his stomach. Yet, the worst was the gnawing doubt about his own future. When his emotions settled he was left with anger, but he was unsure who it was directed at. He was furious that his father and uncle’s poor life decisions ruined his ambitions, but he was equally as incensed at the Vestigare for judging him based on those poor decisions instead of his merits.
“It’s unfair, I know. But you could still help the Vestigare,” Agent Aon started, snapping Varga from his internal brooding. Agent Aon glanced at Agent Wali and the Arzan agent nodded for Agent Aon to continue.
“From time to time, even the agents who don’t have red flags stray. An agent named Balrik is one of those agents. Balrik has avoided capture for over a decade now. He was a highly skilled field agent and, so far, has been able to predict our every move to get him. I was close to arresting him one time. But the slippery eel managed to slip through our fingers. After that, he went underground, until recently, there have been reports that he has resurfaced in the City-State of Tazen with a small crew. I must ask you to go undercover, infiltrate his gang, and help the Vestigare finally bring him to justice.”
“How would I do that?” Varga asked. Everything felt surreal, almost as if he were dreaming.
“The mission will be dangerous. You’ll finish your training, then we’ll stage a bribery scandal with a powerful asset of ours in Xandelfi. You’ll be arrested, tried, and imprisoned as a criminal. That will give your backstory credibility. After you’ve served your time, our asset will escort you to an arranged meeting with a fixer who will connect you with Balrik in Tazen,” Agent Aon explained.
“How long would I be in prison?”
“I am afraid we cannot give you a solid answer to that question. Unfortunately, for security purposes, only you, Agent Wali, the asset, and I would know you were working the Vestigare. Even the local magistrate will not know of your involvement,” Agent Wali answered.
“Meaning my sentence will be determined by a magistrate who assumes I was a crooked agent who accepted bribes and may try to make an example out of my case,” Varga added, and Agent Aon nodded in confirmation.
“And in prison, I will have no support from the guards or the Vestigare, and I will have to survive my sentence on my own?” Varga asked, and Agent Aon nodded again in confirmation.
“Listen, Recruit Varga. We cannot order you to take this assignment, and I understand if you want to reject us out of spite, but we need you. The Five Kingdoms need you, and if bringing evil to justice was a reason you wanted to join the Vestigare in the first place, please consider accepting our offer,” Agent Wali added.
“Also, you will be well compensated for your time. You will basically have a career’s worth of earnings for one assignment. After you finish, you can start almost any endeavor. Not many people can live two dreams in one lifespan,” Agent Aon added.
Varga wanted to become a Vestigare agent to help rid the Five Kingdoms of such people who murdered his uncle. After some reflection, he concluded it didn’t matter that the details of his uncle's death were a lie. Strangely, learning the truth strengthened his resolve to fulfill his dream.
Varga stared at the floor, his vision blurring as his thoughts raced. This was it—his one chance to prove himself. The risks were staggering, but the alternative was a life of obscurity, haunted by what-ifs. Finally, he nodded, his voice steadier than he felt. ‘I’ll do it.’”
His voice sounded much more confident than he felt, but he figured if this was his only chance to work for the Vestigare, he had to take it.
“Are you sure? Because once we start, we cannot change course,” Agent Wali said.
“Yes, I am sure,” Varga answered.
The two agents share another glance. Agent Wali reached into his desk again, pulling another parchment out.
“Here are some more details of your assignment. Read it and memorize what you can because that parchment cannot leave this room,” Agent Wali said, sliding the details across his desk.
Varga nodded his thanks, slowly picking the parchment off the desk. He read the outline of his assignment and felt his eyebrows climb to the top of his forehead when he saw the name of the person vouching for him.
“I gather you saw who would be introducing you to the underworld,” Agent Aon commented, correctly reading Varga’s expression.
“He is an asset?” Varga asked, not believing what he was reading.
“Just so. As you can see, the stakes are high,” Agent Aon answered.
Hours went by as Varga committed the parchment to memory.
“Did you memorize it?” Agent Aon asked, pulling Varga from his thoughts.
“Yes.”
“Good,” Agent Aon turned his attention to Agent Wali, “I think this calls for a drink, don’t you?”
Agent Wali nodded before standing up and leaving the room.
“We don’t have much time,” Agent Aon said, producing a crumpled scrap of parchment and handing it to Varga.
“Read this, memorize it, and follow its instructions daily.”
Varga carefully smoothed out the rumpled parchment and read the contents.
“This is about breathing?” Varga asked.
“Just so. Do not forget the importance of checking your pulse and where to focus a trickle of your ley. You do know how to use magikal devices, don’t you?”
“Pulse?”
“I do not have enough time now to teach you. Tomorrow, ask the health attendant on duty to show you how to check your pulse. I cannot tell you everything yet, but know that those techniques will probably save your life with Balrik,” Agent Aon explained.
Varga nodded. He was unsure if the old Grang was right-minded but knew he wanted to live through this assignment.
“I will let you keep the instructions so you can learn the techniques, but before finishing basic training, destroy that parchment. Do you understand?”
“I will do as you ask.”
“Excellent.”
Finally, the door opened, and Agent Wali returned, awkwardly holding a stopped bottle of amber liquid in the crook of his elbow and three jigger glasses in his hand. He smiled, placing the glasses on his desk before uncorking the bottle and filling the jiggers to the brim.
“Congratulations, Varga. Your new life begins,” Agent Wali said, gesturing to the glass nearest to Varga. Varga carefully picked up the jigger, trying not to spill the contents on the agent’s desk.
“To Varga. A hero that the Five Kingdoms will never know they had,” Agent Aon added, holding his jigger for a toast. Varga and Agent Wali followed the Grang’s lead.
Varga raised his glass, the irony bitter on his tongue. “To prison,” he said, clinking his glass against the others. The liquid burned as it went down, a fitting prelude to the path he’d just chosen.
“Is there anything special we can do for you before this starts?”
Varga shot his fresh drink before answering.
“Yes. You can tell me about my father and uncle.”
The agents glanced at one another again, and Agent Aon nodded.
Agent Wali rounded up the file on Varga’s family, and they talked and drank until the morning.