Nico brought his horse to a stop, gesturing toward a good sized cluster of buildings ahead of them, saying “I will take a wild guess and say that is Iseo?”

“It is,” Deo said, halting his own mount. “See the castle in the middle of the lake? Dead giveaway. And about time, too. I figure we have about two hours of daylight left and nearly that before the storm clouds over the lake get here.”

Nico laughed. “And with the luck we have been having, we are probably going to get wet…again.” He kicked his horse into motion, adding, “Which means we better not sit here admiring the view.”

As they rode closer into town, Nico smelt the scent of freshly baked bread and pies, his stomach starting to beg for a taste. Nico guided his horse down the winding dirt road, he saw mothers and their children walk in haste from stores to their homes. Store owners kept nothing outside their stores and looked ready to lock up at a moment's notice. At first the town felt nice and loving, but a growing number of eyes started focusing on the two strangers entering town. A growing sense of unease settled in his stomach. Something wasn't right in this town.

"This place is... charming," Nico said. His eyes darted from one corner of the street to another, searching for any signs of trouble.

Deo sighed. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is it not?" His mentor's keen eyes studied the layout of the town. "Remember, Nico," Deo cautioned, they dismounted their horses, "You need to gather information first. Don’t start swinging your sword at the first delinquent you find. You are here to help with their ghost request, nothing else.”

Nico muttered under his breath, "Yes, wise old knight, I know what my job is.” He turned to face Deo. “ So are you staying the night before heading to Como?”

Deo patted his horse as he fed her a carrot “ My horse and I are spent from the long ride. Two days of riding and sleeping in the dirt can make the best man grumpy. All I can think about is eating a good meal, chugging a cold drink, and jumping into the finest bed in the Inn.”

Nico finished feeding his horse before striding towards a group of locals huddled near the entrance of a tavern. "Excuse me," Nico called out, flashing them a charming grin. "I'm new around here and was wondering if you could help me out?"

The group eyed him warily, but one older woman stepped forward, her eyes scanning Nico up and down. "What do you want to know, young man?"

"Uh, well," Nico stammered, racking his brain for the right questions. "I've heard there's been some trouble in town lately. Have you noticed anything weird?"

The woman exchanged glances with the others, then leaned in closer to Nico. "You shouldn't be asking questions like that," she whispered, her voice heavy with concern. "It's not safe."

"Come on," Nico pressed, his curiosity piqued. "I just want to help. What's going on?"

"Look, kid," a burly man from the group interjected, "we appreciate the sentiment, but this is our town. Best you stay out of it."

Nico took a deep breath and softened his stance, meeting the burly man's eyes. "Please, sir. I mean you no harm. But anyone can feel the unrest that this town wears on its shoulder, I just want to understand why."

The man studied Nico for a long moment, as if weighing his sincerity. Finally, he let out a sigh. "You seem like a decent lad. But there are forces at work here you do not understand." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Dark forces. Best you leave now, before they destroy you too."

A chill ran down Nico's spine. His thoughts hung on the words dark forces, wondering what was going on in this town. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but the old man had already retreated into the tavern. The rest of the locals followed suit, leaving Nico and Deo alone as they wandered into the silent square.

This was going to be even more complicated than Nico had feared.

Nico shook his head.. "Did you hear that? Dark forces. This town is clearly in some weird kind of trouble."

Deo stroked his beard, eyes scanning the empty square. "Indeed. But you must proceed with caution. We are outsiders here, and not welcome."

"I have a feeling that a ghost is not their only issue," Nico said. "You heard the man. Who knows what else might destroy them?"

"Or destroy you, if you are not careful." Deo placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. "Your heart is in the right place, as always. But you can not jump in blindly. Let us rest for the night, and see if you can learn more about this situation."

Nico wanted to argue, but he knew Deo was right. He sighed. "Very well. But at the first sign of real trouble, do not stop me."

Deo shrugged his shoulders. "Stop you from making a fool of yourself? I would never. The Council gave you this Labor, not me. Come, let's try the tavern," He suggested, placing a hand on Nico's shoulder. "People tend to loosen up after a few drinks."

They made their way inside the only tavern in town, a rundown building called The Crooked Crow. Raucous laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air, creating an atmosphere that seemed to momentarily lift the weight of pressure from Nico’s shoulders. He couldn't help but feel a little more hopeful. If he could just get someone to open up, maybe he could start to unravel the mysteries lurking beneath Iseo's peaceful facade.

"Remember, try to focus on what everyone is saying," Deo reminded Nico as they found a table near the back. "Keep your ears open for anything out of the ordinary."

"Got it," Nico replied, trying his best to focus despite the chaotic energy of the room.

As they settled in, a hush fell over the crowd. All eyes turned toward a petite figure making her way toward the small stage at the front of the tavern. Rosa Kimball, as she introduced herself, had a magnetic presence that captivated everyone in the room. Her voice was enchanting, weaving a spell of soft melodies that entranced even the rowdiest patrons. Her music sounded original but felt familiar, weaving notes of sorrow and longing that resonated deep within his soul.

"Her voice is amazing," Nico murmured, entranced by the way her notes seemed to dance in the air.

"Focus, Nico," Deo chided gently, nudging him from across the table. "You're here for information, remember?"

"Right," Nico said, shaking himself out of his reverie. As they ordered drinks, he couldn't help but keep one eye on Rosa, her voice a soothing balm to his frayed nerves.

The tavern was bustling with activity, patrons laughing and clapping along to Rosa's spirited performance. In their midst, Nico spotted a twitchy man hunched over at the bar, his movements jerky and erratic. His eyes were glazed and pupils dilated. The sight sent alarm bells ringing in his head.

"Look," Nico whispered urgently, nodding discreetly towards the man. "Something's not right with that guy."

"Red jelly," Sir Deo Costa muttered under his breath, his eyebrows furrowing with concern.

“I thought we made sure the Hounds could not make any more during that manor raid in Saint Anna? Nico whispered back. " How could something highly illegal make it this far west?”

Deo chugged his glass. “No idea, but seeing first hand how powerful someone becomes while on it, no wonder The Hounds found another way to make more.”

“but it can also make people lose their mind and go berserk." Nico added.

“For some that is worth the risk, if it can make you feel like the most powerful guy in the room for even a moment,” Deo muttered back. “People will pay anything for that kind of feeling.”

"Shouldn't we do something?" Nico asked, already itching to intervene.

"Stay your blade, Nico," Deo warned, his grip firm on the young knight's arm. "Rushing in now will only escalade the situation."

Nico huffed, his fingers drumming impatiently on the table. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

And then, suddenly, it did.

The bartender asked the twitchy man for payment before he made any more drinks. The increasingly feverish man let out a guttural roar, his eyes wild and unfocused as he grabbed a nearby patron by the collar, tossing him aside like a ragdoll. Chaos erupted in the tavern, with people scrambling to get away from the rampaging man.

Rosa's song cut off abruptly, her eyes studying the situation. An off duty guard approached him yelling for the man to surrender. After no reply, the guard swung his sword only for it to snap after making contact with the berserker’s arm.

Nico watched as the guard jumped back in a panic and started pushing past chairs as he ran to the back door. Nico knew red jelly gave the user enhanced strength and other senses, but stopping a sword from breaking skin? He wondered how much this guy had taken.

Deo released his grip on Nico's arm. "Alright let's go, you distract him."

"Finally," Nico muttered, leaping to his feet. As he darted towards the crazed man, chairs and tables started flying in all directions. He dodged chairs as he hopped around other patrons hiding between the tables. His thoughts raced with possible ways to keep him restrained. How could he subdue this guy without causing any more harm to him or others?

"Hey!" Nico shouted, trying to draw the man's attention away from the cowering patrons. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

"Kid, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into," the man snarled, his face twisted with rage.

"Trust me," Nico shot back, his sword unsheathed and his crestmark starting to illuminate a bright gold color, "I think I can handle it."

The berserker growled as he turned to the bar looking for the bartender from earlier.

"Hey, you big oaf!" Nico taunted, circling the berserk man. "You want a piece of me?"

The man lunged at Nico, but he nimbly dodged to the side causing the man to fall to the ground. Nico started hopping back and forth yelling. “ Come on, try again you crooked-nosed knave! Your odor has a better chance of killing me.”

The man got himself off the ground and turned to face Nico. Nico engulfed his sword in flames and lifted it in the air, waving it around as if it was a torch. The man’s berserk eyes seemed to dull just a bit as he stared at the flames. The distraction was long enough for Deo to approach from behind unnoticed and deliver a swift blow with his hand. He hit the back of the man's head, which normally would knock a man out cold.

Instead Nico watched the opposite happen.

The berserker screeched out in pain and turned, swinging his arm into Deo’s left side. The force was strong enough to send Deo flying off to the right and crashing into the bar. The berserker let out another high pitch screech and started making his way to Deo. Deo struggled to get up, hiding the pain on his face as he held his rib cage. Nico ran up behind the berserker and jumped on his back, holding on for dear life.

The berserker became even more enraged and started spinning, trying to get Nico off on him. Nico held tight with his left arm as he lifted his right hand. He lined up his hand to the berserker’s neck. This time he had to use a more powerful strike. He swung his hand and chopped the man’s neck with such power all the hiding patrons could feel the tables shake.

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The man’s body dropped to the ground hard like a rock. His face was still twitching but showed no signs of waking up soon. Silence fell over the tavern. All eyes remained on Nico, a mixture of fear, wonder and suspicion in their gazes. The whole town now knows there are Crest Knights here. Any chance he had of finding out what was going on without anyone knowing who he was disappeared. He cursed himself for revealing too much, too soon.

Just then, a rough voice cut through the silence. "Show's over! Drink up and mind your business, or get out!" One of the older patrons barked. The rest of them returned to their drinks and conversations, though many continued to cast wary glances at Nico as they picked their chairs back up.

Nico walked over to Deo and helped him up. “You hurt? Looks like your ribs are broken.”

“Broken ribs? Just another day for me.” Deo laughed, wincing in pain. He took a breath and looked back at Nico. "I loved watching you dance, maybe you should change careers and become a dancer. You can even ask that big oaf over there to be your partner."

"Thanks, I’ll consider it if I do not become knighted again." Nico replied, panting slightly from the adrenaline rush. He turned to the bartender who was slowly peeking his head over the bar scanning the tavern. “Hey bartender!”

The bartender looks at Nico and shoots to his feet “Y-yes sir?”

“Get this man soaking in cold water, that should shock his body and sober him up.”

The bartender nodded and rushed toward the backroom. Nico looked around the tavern to see if anyone else was hit by the tornado of flying chairs. He glanced over at Rosa, who had her back against the tavern wall holding a sharpened wood pole she had broken off of a chair. She looked shaken but unharmed. Nico quickly made his way over to her, concern etched on his face. "Hey are you okay? Oh, nice spear. Make it yourself?"

"Y-yes, thank you," she stammered, still wide-eyed.

"Rosa, maybe it's best if you head home," Nico suggested gently. "This place is turning into a madhouse."

"Right," she agreed, tucking a loose strand of spitfire red hair behind her ear.

As she turned to leave, Nico noticed a group of rough-looking men entering the tavern. He knew trouble when he saw it, and these men reeked of it. They were clad in dark, tattered clothes, and their faces bore an ominous mark – a red hound tattoo on their cheeks. Their gaze seemed to be following Rosa as she walked away. They then walked over to the sleeping berserker and checked his pockets.

One of the men laughed as he found a pouch of coins. “Pleasure doing business Mr. Bribblick.”

Nico could still feel their eyes pointed at Rosa. "Wait," Nico called out to her, tapping her arm. " I think it's better if I walk you home."

"Why? Because of them?" Rosa asked, glancing towards the thugs. "I don't know them, but they've been harassing me for money lately. They say they work for some gang called the Hounds."

"Well we can't have that, now can we? You work hard for your money." Nico said, trying to sound casual despite the anger bubbling inside him. "I'll make sure they don't bother you."

"Thank you, Sir Knight," Rosa whispered gratefully.

"Hey, it's what I do," he replied with a wink. “You can call me Nico, Sir Knight just sounds too formal.”

“Okay, Sir Nico.” Rosa replied.

Nico looked back into the tavern and yelled over to Deo who was sitting in a chair chugging all the mugs in reach. “Hey! Sir Deo, can you make it to the Inn alright?”

Deo gave a thumbs up as his face was drowning into his fourth mug.

“Is your friend going to be okay?” Rosa asked.

Nico waved his hand in dismissal. “He will be fine, should not call himself a Knight if he can not take a hit.”

Night had fully claimed the sky as they left the tavern, Nico's mind raced with possible strategies that would not draw too much attention if those thugs from earlier tried to confront them. He was pretty sure they didn't see him use a crest power inside the tavern. He knew that if he played his cards right, he could scare them off without a fight.

They walked down the main street and Rosa pulled Nico to the left past a couple of houses heading towards the lake.

"Are we being followed?" Rosa asked after a few minutes, her voice barely audible.

"Yep," Nico confirmed, glancing over his shoulder and spotting the thugs trailing a short distance behind them. His heart pounded in his chest worried about whether he could keep Rosa from danger, but he did his best to maintain a calm façade for Rosa's sake. "Just act natural and keep walking."

"Act natural?" Rosa muttered, her voice sounding annoyed. "I don't think that's possible right now."

"Okay, maybe not natural, but try not to panic," Nico amended, giving her a reassuring squeeze on the arm. "I've got your back."

"Hey, little birdie!" one of them called out to Rosa, his voice dripping with malice. "You owe us some money for our protection."

Rosa stiffened, her hands balling into fists. She stopped and turned around to face the thugs. "I don't owe you anything," she spat, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

"Is that so?" another thug sneered, stepping closer. "Seems like you need a reminder of who runs this town."

"Back off," Nico warned, placing himself protectively between Rosa and the thugs. "Or do you want to explain to your boss why your faces are suddenly black and blue?"

The thugs exchanged uneasy glances at first, clearly weighing his bluff. But the leader, a tall brute with a twisted grin, remained undeterred. "You think you scare us, pretty boy?" he growled.

"Would you like a demonstration?" Nico challenged, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He unsheathed his sword, his crestmark slowly getting brighter as if awakened from a long slumber. A small flame flickered to life on the surface of his blade. The flame circled around the surface, looking for something to burn.

"Wh-what are you?" one of the thugs stammered, fear creeping into his voice as he took a step back.

"Let's just say I'm someone who does not enjoy watching ladies cry," Nico replied coolly, letting the small flame slide up and down the blade. "Now leave Rosa alone."

The group of thugs hesitated for a moment, their eyes darting from the flame on Nico's sword to the fierce determination in his eyes. The man took a step back from Nico, eyeing his flaming sword with worry. The man seemed to have finally connected the dots when he looked at Nico’s shoulder and saw the Crestmark burning bright. "A Crest Knight huh? Alright, alright! We're leaving." the leader muttered, raising his hands in surrender. "Just remember, kid, the Hounds won't forget this."

"Neither will I," Nico retorted, keeping his gaze locked on

"Watch your back little Crest Knight." he growled, then turned and stormed away with muttered curses and hasty retreats as his companions followed right on his heels .

"Thank you," Rosa whispered, her eyes wide with awe as she looked at Nico. "I never thought I would meet a Crest Knight, let alone be escorted home by one.

Nico extinguished the flame and placed his sword back in its scabbard, the warmth of her gratitude replacing the sourness left in the air. "Don't mention it," he said with a grin, his heart swelling with pride. "No one should have to deal with scum like that.”

“Does it hurt?” Rosa asked.

Nico’s face turned instantly confused. “Does what hurt?”

“Making fire with your sword, it must take alot to create flames.” Rosa asked as she pointed to Nico’s sword.

Nico laughed as he shook his head.“Oh, no it does cause any pain, performing a tier two skill like dancing fire is easy, just exhausting. Did you know all Fire Crest Knights are actually fireproof?”

“WHAT?!? HOW???” Rosa’s jaw dropped.

Nico almost dropped to the floor from laughing. “The look on your face! No, of course not! Nobody is fireproof.”

Rosa’s face went from shock, to confusion, to anger, and landed on annoyance all within the span of 3 seconds. “Rude.” She muttered.

"Come on, let me walk you home," Nico offered, his heart compelling him to see this encounter through to the end. "I'd hate for those thugs to come back."

As they walked side by side, the damp cobblestones beneath their feet glistened under the orange glow peeking out of neighbor’s windows. The town of Iseo had settled in for the night, and the hum of conversation from nearby homes provided a comforting backdrop to their conversation. Despite the earlier danger, the quaint atmosphere of the town offered a momentary respite from the chaos that surrounded them.

"The Hounds... they seem like a real problem around here," Nico ventured, hoping to learn more about the situation without pushing too hard.

"You have no idea," Rosa sighed, her shoulders slumping as if carrying the weight of the town's troubles. "Their presence here has rotten the town– extorting shopkeepers, dealing in black-market goods, and even causing accidents with that awful Red Jelly stuff."

Nico clenched his fists, feeling anger boil up inside of him at the thought of innocent townspeople being tormented. He glanced over at Rosa, who appeared small and fragile in the dim light, yet he could sense the steel beneath her delicate exterior.

Rosa continued. "They've been terrorizing regular people too. Stealing, assaulting anyone who stands up to them. The authorities won't do anything about it."

Nico frowned. "Why not?"

"They're scared," Rosa said. "Or paid off. The Hounds are ruthless, and they have more members than this town has guards." She shook her head. "Most people just keep their heads down and pray the Hounds don't notice them."

Rosa tucked her hands into the pockets of her dress, glancing up at the stars peeking through the clouds. "So, Sir Nico, what brings you to our little town?"

"Please, just Nico is fine, I actually lost my title recently. Now I am on a quest to regain it. My quest has led me here." he said. "I'm looking into some...disturbances. Rumors of a ghost causing trouble."

"Ghost you say?" Rosa murmured, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. " There's the legend of the lake – it's been tearing this town apart around the same time as the Hounds arrived."

"Legend?" Nico asked, curiosity piqued. He hoped she would explain what the real explanation was behind this legend.

"Ah, yes," Rosa hesitated, biting her lip as she considered her next words. "It's a local tale that's been passed down for generations. Some people believe it, others don't. But either way, it's causing a lot of fear and paranoia." She stopped talking, like she was remembering something painful.

The whole town seemed to hold its breath, anticipating something, but Nico couldn't put his finger on it. He glanced over at Rosa, who looked lost in thought herself, and decided to break the silence.

"Where do you live, Rosa?" he asked, realizing he didn't even know where he was escorting her.

"Ah, just a few more blocks ahead," she answered, pointing towards a narrow alleyway. "It's a small house, but it's home."

"Sounds cozy," Nico remarked, trying to imagine what life was like for someone like Rosa. Despite their differences, they seemed to share a common thread of determination and resilience.

As they approached the alleyway, Rosa turned to Nico, her eyes shimmering with a mix of gratitude and vulnerability. "You know, Nico, I've never met anyone like you," she admitted, her voice soft and sincere. "Someone who's willing to stand up for what's right, no matter the consequences."

"Sometimes, feeling brave is not enough, you need to be brave enough to act, that is real strength." Nico replied, his thoughts drifting to the many times he'd found himself jumping into trouble just to help in any way he could.

"Either way, it's inspiring," Rosa said. "And I'm grateful to have crossed paths with you tonight."

"Me too," Nico agreed.

As they stood in front of Rosa's home, Nico couldn't help but notice the way the moonlight shimmered on the surface of Lake Iseo. He found himself captivated by its beauty – and yet, he could sense the unease that seemed to hang over the town like a dark cloud.

"Can you tell me more about this legend of the lake?" Nico asked Rosa, his curiosity undeniable. "It seems to be such a problem that Venice herself heard this town’s cry."

Rosa glanced at the lake before turning back to him, her eyes filled with trepidation. "It's said that long ago, an evil spirit placed a curse on a castle. The curse was a powerful storm that encircled the castle and bombard it with everlasting rain and lightning. The lord of the castle did not know what to do and called for help.”

Rosa paused and walked past her home, staring into the water of Lake Iseo. “ Who would have guessed that the Emperor of Rome himself would answer the call? Emperor Septimius Severus arrived to find the continual rain had formed a lake around the castle, Lake Iseo. With a captured spirit of his own, the Emperor battled the evil spirit and stopped the never ending storm. Now the storm is trapped on the island, with constant rainstorms and lightning strikes hitting the island. While everywhere else the weather is calm, the perfect amount of rain for crops and never too cold. According to the legend, if the Emperor’s captured spirit is ever released, it will bring untold destruction to Iseo – possibly creating a storm that steals the sky."

"Yikes," Nico muttered, his eyes widening in surprise. "That's pretty intense."

"Indeed," Rosa agreed, her voice barely above a whisper. "But some people think it's just a superstition, a story to keep children from straying too far into the water. Regardless, this story has allowed the Hounds to take control of this town.

Nico frowned, unsure of how a legend like that could be linked to a crime gang. "How?"

"They're using the legend as a cover for their illicit activities," Rosa explained, her eyes flashing with anger. "They've convinced the townspeople that they can keep the storm at bay for a hefty price, preying on their desperation and hope that no destruction comes to this town. But in truth, they're just pocketing the money and laughing all the way to the bank. I’ve seen them take barrels and supplies to and from the island. There is something else going on."

“That is terrible!” Nico growled, his fists clenching at his sides.

Rosa turned to him, smiling. "Let's not end the night on a sad note! Thank you for walking me home. And...for standing up for me earlier. Not many strangers would've done that."

"You're welcome," Nico said. "I'm glad I could help."

"Will I see you again?" Rosa asked, a hint of shyness in her voice.

Nico smiled. "Definitely. I have a feeling there's more trouble to get into in this town."

Rosa laughed. "I don't doubt that. Goodnight, Nico."

"Goodnight, Rosa."