Evening, Grace August Hospital.

Around six to eight police carriages arrived at the scene. The tall horses pulling the vans wore grey and blue caparisons. Those were Neustadt’s official colors, which they used to differ easier from civilian carts.

A hairy man left one of the vehicles. He had three leashes twirled around his hand, each attached to a different goose. These geese were also dressed in grey and blue police attire. Of course, they disliked this, and they were very clear and loud about it.

“Easy, boys!” The man calmed his geese. “We got another nutjob to catch. Wait a bloody bit ‘till then, won’t ya?”

There was no real difference between a policeman and a guard. One could choose which name they prefer, but they all did the same thing.

As the hairy man made his way to the hospital’s entrance, a rookie rushed to him.

“General Boryslaw! Please, report to Detective Andre immediately!”

Boryslaw was unhappy about the rookie’s request. He rolled his eyes and pulled his geese closer.

“What now? That snot-loving bastard really misses me face that much?”

“It’s urgent.” Added the rookie, then walked away to end this conversation as quickly as possible.

Boryslaw stood there, his mouth slightly open from the surprise. People don’t tend to search for his company, not willingly. Most sane policemen try to avoid him at all costs, as it is common knowledge Boryslaw only means trouble. That, or emotional damage from his savage insults.

“What does that bloke want from me?” He asked quietly.

There was only one reason why anyone would ever want Boryslaw as their company: things were truly, incredibly fucked.

Boryslaw changed paths. Instead of going for the entrance straight away, he went into the backyard area, where Detective Andre and his people worked.

The moment Boryslaw turned around the corner, he could sense something was a bit… off. Boryslaw’s geese froze in place as he stopped to sniff the air. The animals repeated the same act as their master, which was followed by light headpats from Boryslaw.

“Fishy.” He noted.

Besides his rather aggressive approach to problems, Boryslaw had something more in common with geese than other men. His sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight was way above human. It was truly something unusual, something animal.

So, when he felt something that was not just simply fishy, but rather fishy, it meant either the presence of a very certain set of chemicals or the stench of some truly evil people. Or in this case, both.

Wasting no more time, Boryslaw wandered deeper into the hospital garden. The marble road led him to a beautiful rosebush, surrounded by guards and a man in a grey coat, Detective Andre, who gazed at the bush with a cold demeanor.

“Oy!” Boryslaw raised his voice to get the detective’s attention.

Andre raised his blue eyes and repurposed them onto the general. He let out a deep sigh and looked away without a word.

Boryslaw was surprised at Andre’s lack of words.

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Being the only black man in Neustadt’s police force, Andre always had this urge to prove himself. Whether that be legal knowledge, combat training, or just everyday grammar, he always found a way to turn things into a competition. His “goons”, as Boryslaw liked to call them, enjoyed this aspect of Andre, even though he could be a bit much at times.

So, for Boryslaw to arrive at the scene and see his old frenemy act so out of character was a sobering experience. This was not just any simple scoundrel they worked with.

This time, it was serious.

“What’s all the commotion?” Asked Boryslaw, pointing at the rosebush. “Did the fucker grow a mouth and start eating kids?”

“No.”

“Well then, what did it do?”

“Nothing. But our suspect used it as a pillow for his fall.”

Boryslaw looked at the bush. It was thorny as hell, so falling into it must have been quite a painful experience.

“Which one did the bloke choose to fly from? First floor?”

“Fourth.” Answered Andre.

He remained calm and professional, a complete opposite of Boryslaw who lost it upon hearing that.

“Fourth floor?” He asked as his face went through shock, disbelief, then ridicule at the fact. “Fucking diabolical!”

Andre pointed up to a window on the fourth floor. Curtains waved through the shattered glass, dancing in the evening wind.

“Our suspect broke through that window after being cornered by two guards. Apparently, he was trying to get information out of one of the sick being treated on the fourth floor.”

“And who’s that chump?”

“He is a hero that goes by the name Zato Naomi.”

“That’s a funky nickname.”

“It is his real name. As it turns out, Zato was one of the heroes summoned this Cycle’s event, but due to some yet-to-be-discovered facts, he was not able to work as part of the heroes’ guild up to this point.”

Andre’s expression turned grim.

“We believed Zato Naomi to have fallen during the events of the Great Forest Burn. It was a shock to learn he has been operating as a hero, even under the guise of death. When questioned about what happened, he said to have lost his memories after the fight against a fire elemental, the same one that caused the great forest burn and the death of a hero named Gabriel. Further questioning bore no results.”

Boryslaw listened carefully to what Andre was saying. He tried really hard to take him seriously, but the description of events leading up to this point, plus the whole idea of it made him burst out in laughter.

“Gahaha!” Boryslaw laughed, his geese repeating the same noise he made. “Oh, sorry lad! It’s just you’re so blue about what? A sicko interrogating an amnesiac, then leaving through the fourth-floor window? Say, don’t you got another spot for a detective? Because if that’s an every-week occurrence, I’d love to become a mate of yours in the department!”

While Boryslaw gleefully laughed, his geese repeating the same action, Andre observed him with a stern look. He was not feeling any anger, but rather pity, that someone with so much experience would be so blind to the truth.

Maybe he just needed a little push. Be that this was more of a shove.

“Rosewood Marathon.”

As those two words made it out of Andre’s mouth, lightning struck down Boryslaw. Well, metaphorically at least, as his body turned into a statue and his laughter ceased.

Andre sighed.

“I wish I could have called anyone to the scene, but the department insisted upon you.”

Boryslaw gritted his teeth. His eyes turned black from the venomous hate that coursed through his veins.

Those two words opened up a rabbit hole Boryslaw wished would have remained sealed. The department knew that well. Everyone, even the most insignificant janitor at the department knew that very well.

And yet, here he was. Facing the thing he ruled never to be mentioned. This was his only wish, his only request in return for lending his abilities to the department.

“Why…” Boryslaw asked with a vein throbbing in his forehead. Were it not for his self-control, this crime scene would have turned into a bloodbath.

The Rosewood Marathon was no joking matter. No wonder he did not want to be reminded of it.

“Because you’re the best.” Answered Andre. “The department needs you because you’re the best goddamn hunter in all of Astria.”

Boryslaw tried to take hold of his breathing. He needed to calm himself if he wanted to remain professional.

The best hunter in Astria. At least they grew some guts to admit it.

Boryslaw rubbed his temples to calm himself. The geese in his control noticed their master’s trouble, but Boryslaw was quick to reassure them with gentle headpats.

“So then,” Boryslaw looked up at Andre. “What’s a hunter got to do with the Rosewood Marathon?”

The detective adjusted his tie. Finally, it was high time they would talk business.

“We believe our suspect to be non-other than the very hero they said to have fallen in the great forest burn. Gabriel, as he refers to himself. And for what the Rosewood Marathon got to do with this case, we believe our suspect might just be the next victim of it…”