Making his way to the eastern wing of the Palladian villa, ha passed Whisper's quarters on the way to his own. Stopping for a moment, he could hear her sleeping. That was good. The first few times he had gone out, she had stayed up waiting for him.

Continuing to his rooms, he enjoyed how thorough Eku had been in decorating. Everything was symmetrical, from the size of the paintings and style to the placement of chairs and coffee tables. How he missed coffee.

After the Peacock had closed, he tried acquiring a more permanent home but was informed by a very apologetic gentleman at the Tabularium that house sales were currently not possible because of the ongoing invasion. If he would please come back when the miscreants were taken care of, he would certainly be extended every courtesy possible while he browsed available domiciles.

Entering his room, he noted that his breastplate looking shiny and new was leaning on a chair. He also saw the note from Lady Vanessa Leriant. She ran the temporary housing for the children they had brought back. Those that had yet to be reunited with their parents or the parents found themselves without the means to take care of the children at the moment. Ambros refused to call it an orphanage.

Vanessa was one of the gentlest people he had met, so when he learned she was on the wrong side of Stefan and his group of flunkies. A flunky having flunkies. That made him chuckle. Something about her parents being at odds with the Castellan about some noble thing or other, he could never figure it out, even after she tried explaining it to him. It's not that what she said was very complex, just that it made no sense to any sane person. He really disliked nobility… The idea of nobility, at least. He had immediately coerced her to become the caretaker of the house for children needing some time to play and food while they waited to be reunited with their parents. He did need to find a better name for it one of these days.

Ambros also knew that he would have to deal with Stefan sooner rather than later. Leaving a snake in the grass like that screamed trouble in every part of his brain. He had seen enough movies and series, Read enough books that Stefan would come up with some stupid gambit when he needed it the least. Yes, a permanent solution was needed.

Vanessa had agreed the moment she saw the mess he had managed to make of it, it would have been a hundred times worse if not for Whisper, but she was more of letting them fend for themselves and see who makes it sort of girl. That it was an honorable undertaking for a lady sealed the deal. It gave her some sort of nobility score with other of the nobility while she was ousted by the rest of the miscreants. His head was already in pain just thinking about this. Ambros had to stand for the finances. While she felt for the children, her family couldn't afford to keep that many mouths fed. He had no problem with that.

Luckily the letter was only an overview of how many mouths were fed, how many more staff members she had to hire, and increased spending because of the higher food prices. He had left her with a hefty sack of gold, so it wasn't like she would run out any time soon. He did appreciate her thoroughness, however.

The part about higher food prices worried him. As far as he could see, there should be no reason for it. They were receiving everything through the rift. It's not like the horde was disturbing critical infrastructure. Just another thing to look into too.

Getting himself washed and changed, he headed out again. While sleeping a few hours would have been great, but since he didn't need it anymore, tough luck. Whisper was still sleeping as he passed her room, so he slipped a note under her door with his plans before the noon roster. If she needed him or wanted to see him, at least she would know where to find him.

First, he needed to get his attributes distributed in the Adventurer's guild and check up on the new place Frank had opened since the old one was too close to the fighting. Then pick up an order from a smithy located in the northern quarters, one of the few. After that, he would try and compress his mana if he had any time left.

Walking towards the north gate, he could only marvel at the architecture and the quality of the construction of the buildings and the roads. White marble shops and homes with red-roofed tiles were common. Even the occasional roof terrace could be seen. Large villas and even larger palaces spread around. He could see private gardens with statutes, mazes, and water fountains. It made him miss home.

Making his way through the north gate, he found it interesting that he was handed a new chit, this time for the west gate on the outer ring. Considering his place to report now was the mustering grounds outside the south gate of the inner ring. Never hurt to have contingencies. He surged.

The guild was more lively now that more adventures had come in, but with most of them either out hunting night patrols or standing guard, it was a far cry from when he first had entered. Quickly making his way over to Auntie Jess, he couldn't help but smile. She always had something interesting to share after she berated him for not coming to see her more often.

“Now look at what the unruly dusk hunter brought in. Is it true, is the great Ambros finally sparing me some of his time? The rift must be closing.” Was the words that met him when he stepped up to the counter. “Hello, Auntie Jess, You are glowing more than usual. Is there something you have not told me?” He figured he could start with the obvious because either she was constipated beyond belief or a little one was growing in her belly. Since she lit up like a sunrise, his guess was correct. Her smile and clear happiness were infectious, so he couldn't help but smile back. “Im promised a girl by the healers. I love my boys, but four of them would be a bit much, and I have always wanted a little girl.” She was rubbing her small bulge as she said it. He was sure she had dressed to show it off too. “I'm sure she will become as radiant and lovely as her mother.” Rule one, when dealing with expecting or new parents, smear it on thick. Forget the butter knife. Use a ladle and pour it on everywhere. “Oh, you charmer. Now, what do you have for Auntie Jess today?” Pretending to look nonchalant, he transferred over the one thousand one hundred and twenty-nine serrated fangs, one hundred and thirteen eyes, and three hundred and ninety-two of those toad dog spikes they kept on leashes. The mauls he would have to find an ironmonger or smithy for.

“What did you do? Sneak around their camp and pull their teeth? And more than a hundred Ranaestantes battle leaders? You know what, I don't care.” She said while throwing her hands up. “You always come up with some new way to shock me anyway. Let's tally you up then, you scoundrel.” Giving him a look that told him he had apparently been naughty, she read out.”That makes out sixty-four thousand and seventy-five merit points. With the bonus the Castellan is paying, it is one hundred and twenty-eighth thousand one hundred and fifty merit points.” She almost seemed offended at the amounts. Ambros, however, was grinning. That was a nice payout.

He had to ask. “What do you even do with all the teeth?”Her grin told him he would be sorry he asked in a moment. “Well, a young man like you would probably not know, but when a gentleman gets up in his years, sometimes he has difficulty rising to the occasion, so to speak. The teeth aren't actually teeth like you and I have. They are a hard growth that's part of the Ranaestantes mouth glands. Ground up with a bit of Blood Reaver ichor and Nigth Singing flowers, and you get a paste the gentleman can put under his lower teeth and gum. It will keep him up and going for the occasion and a few more occasions. Have you not wondered why all female adventurers are staying behind the blockade? The Ranaestantes' appetite is well known. Maybe you should stop dragging your little friend out there at night? No?” He hadn't noticed, but now the idea made him shudder. He would need to have a serious conversation with Whisper about this. He was sure she was well aware of the danger. “I will speak to her.”

“Now, what is this I hear about you having unnatural relations with Lady Vanessa Leriant? Here I thought you were such a fine young man?” What in the blazes was she on about now. He looked at her briefly before saying, “I don't even know what that means. Does it involve feathers, Rengar Mountain goats, and rope?” Rengar Mountain goats were supposedly a especially large and aggressive variant. He had never seen one, but they tasted delicious. That almost made her lose her stern face. “No, and I do not know if I want to know how any of that fits together. A certain Sir. Stefan Candera has been telling people how you have been seen together with the young lady in question at unnatural hours. He has even managed to have Sir. Ludwig Stredsbar, Lady Vanessa Leriant, fourth removed cousin by marriage, to petition the local Vigintiviri to have a trial by spolia omnia. So far, the Vigintiviri has been resultant to agree.”

He still had no idea what she said, so he tried again. “Sweetest and most caring Auntie Jenn. I have no idea about... Well, any of that or even what half of it means. Can you dumb it down to my level?” This time he managed to get her to stop looking so serious at the least.”Sir. Stefan claims you have been seen around with Lady Vanessa at unnatural times of the day or night and implying that you are having an affair. That is a mark of dishonor for Sir. Ludwig, so they are trying to have a sanctioned duel to the death or forfeiture between you and Sir. Ludwig over the worldly possessions of the loser. To compensate for the Lady and the family of Sir. Ludwig's lost honor. The local law speaker has so far not allowed it.” Well, that was a roundabout mess. This is exactly why he didn't want anything to do with nobles in the first place. “No, I'm not sleeping with Vanessa if that's what they are implying. She's administrating the house Im sponsoring for children yet to be reunited with their parents since Im terrible at it and don't have the time to do it properly. Cant, I just go and cut off this, Sir. Ludwig's head or something? Why do they even need permission to duel me? Isn't that the sort of stupid thing nobles always do?” She grabbed his hand, which still rested on the transfer plate, and started stroking it. Right the most motherly figure he had met in the settlement, and on top of that, she just found out she was pregnant… He almost felt sorry for this Ludwig. “Oh, Ambros. How many children are staying there now? Of course, they have to get permission. You outrank them as Lord Ekurzakir's disciple. Unless you publicly shame them, they must ask for permission.”

He pretended to think for a moment, but with his Mind attribute, it wouldn't have been necessary, just something you had to do to not make others less uncomfortable when your attributes got high enough. “With those we brought in tonight, it should be three hundred and sixty-three. Unless some of them have been united with their parents during the last few hours. It's the building three streets north of here on the left. The Weel hostel. Im renting it. I'm sure the children would love to have some visitors. I was actually dropping by with some essentials on my way to a weapon merchant. If you could do it instead, that would be great.” She was practically glowing. By essentials, he meant any toys, children's books, instruments, hobby articles, and stuffed animals he could lay his hands on. It was quite a lot and had cost much more than he initially thought it would. “I would love to, Ambros. I'll go right after my shift. Don't you worry, I'll deliver it for you. Now transfer the things to me and run along, you fine young man. I will go visit them the moment my shift ends. Don't worry about that, Sir. Ludwig. Auntie Jess will think of something.” She was grinning the moment the transfer was complete. Auntie Jess was about to become the angel, hero, and best thing ever to Three hundred and sixty-three children and youth.

While he was walking to the systems nods, one thing was becoming abundantly clear, he had ignored Stefan for too long. Memo to self, remove Stefan's head at the first available opportunity. At the system node desk with the same lady, he got each time, he went to room eight. He gave a greeting to the attendant, but Ambros was too distracted to really pay attention. It wasn't one he thought he recognized. He lay down in the coffin. The darkness was a balm on his tired mind. He almost cursed when the explosion of light happened, and the familiar letters appeared.

Welcome Questor Ambros Mardux

Attribute distribution

System shop

He did a quick check on the system shop just to see if something new had appeared, but since nothing had, he would continue saving up for the assisted map function. Time to up the guns.

Attribute distribution

Unspent attribute points: 20

Body: 40 ( E )

Mind: 36 ( E )

Spirit: 28 ( E )

Putting ten points in Body and Mind each, he hit accept and let the darkness take him.

Ambros opened his eyes or tried to. The right one didn't seem to be working. Trying to understand what had happened, he frantically looked around with his left eye trying to see through the fog… No, dust. He was on his stomach on the floor with something heavy on his back, and he couldn't seem to get his legs to work. Things could be better. Gently he pushed with his arms, making sure to lift his body more on the right-hand side. He could feel the weight start sliding to the left. With a colossal bang, it was off him. Looking at the black coffin, he used to upgrade his attributes in brought the last few moments back.

Opening his status screen to check that nothing had gone wrong with the attribute distribution. Well, it obviously had, but he was alive. That meant he would be in working order soon enough to rip the one responsible in two.

Name: Ambros Mardux

Race: Human, variant. Grafted Primus modus, Sanguis Kronos,

Titles: Eques, Reaper Apprentice

Class: Arcanist

Level: 56

Experience: 14,599/19,425

System rank: Questor*

System points: 16,517,372

Circle: Neophyte

Step: 6/6

Body: 50 ( E )

Mind: 46 ( E )

Spirit: 28 ( E )

Unspent attribute points: 0

Active Skill: Analyze ( E ), Meditation ( E ), Arcane Sight ( D ), Sanctum ( F )

Passive Skill: Mana-Core ( F ), Revitalize ( E ), Omnilingual ( A ), Giant Slayer IIII ( F ), Toughness IIII ( F ), Adaptive Vision ( E )

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Spells: Arcane Bolt ( E ), Arcane Shield ( D ), Control Heat ( E ), Control Earth ( D ), Control Wind ( E ), Control Water ( E ), Stasis ( F )

Letting out a relieved sigh, he started turning his body around. His upper body, since his legs and unmentionables, seemed to be missing, but since he wasn't bleeding anymore, it would be fine. Pushing his way through the debris, he couldn't find the attendant, however, and could only hope he had made it out in time.

“Ambros!” Ah, the sweet voice of an incoming scolding. For a moment, just a moment, he considered not answering, but that would probably just lead to more scolding. “I'm in here! Everything is fine!” Seconds later, Whisper barged in the door, almost hitting him in the face. She stood looking at him for a moment before a couple of octaves higher than normal “Fine!?” was emitted towards his poor eardrums. It's not like she hadn't seen him like this before. That might also be part of the problem.

“Lord Ekurzakir! He is here!” She shouted down the hall. “Thank you, child. I can smell human that thinks it is funny all the way over here. Does it have pants on this time?” Snarky old dragon, man. Whisper answered for Ambros, “No, he does not. There is not much to put them on. Again…” There was a pregnant pause. “I will acquire something suitable. Tell my disciple to stay put.” Ambros shouted, “I can hear you, you know!” Eku shouted back, “And yet you have no pants!” Checking his dimensional bag, he saw Eku had been right… Wait, didn't he have an extra pair in his room. He could sort of jump with his arms. Then Whisper's feet blocked his view.

“Hello there. Have a good nap? Your hair is looking exceptionally red and fiery today.” She snorted, bent down and hugged him, laughed, and then started crying. Yeah, he was keeping a clamp on the bond tight. Whatever heights of insanity one had to reach to go through all of that in a few moments were terrifying. Stroking the left side of his face as he somehow found his head cradled in her lap, she said, “There have been explosions and fighting all over the outer ring. We tried finding you, but no one seemed to know where you had taken off to.” Thinking back for a moment, he asked, “You didn't see my note? I slipped you my plans for the day under your door while you were snoring.” Looking down at him, she kissed his left cheek and said, “No, I did not see it, and I certainly do not snore.” She said as she continued stroking the left side of his face. This was getting too obvious. “You sound like a sawmill that hasn't seen oil in a hundred years. The right side of my face is missing, isn't it?” She only grimaced slightly and nodded. “Well, that's gonna itch while it grows back. Hopefully grows back. While wearing a mask and fighting villains sounds awesome, I would prefer the mask be voluntary and not necessary, or the children will cry sort of thing though.” She was smiling at him, but tears were rolling down her face.

He heard Eku enter and saw him hand something to Whisper. It looked suspiciously like a yellow floral tablecloth. Ambros could make that work. He would just need his legs first. “Thanks, Eku. I'm never taking fashion advice from you.” As he summoned a healing stone with an Energy stone chip. It would be overkill, but he hadn't picked up any more grains for some time. “Now, now. Those come with the highest recommendations from the staff waiting room.” Eku said.

Ambros chuckled as he felt the healing start taking effect and closed his tired eye. When he opened them again, he could see they had brought him to the training hall. He had no idea if he had regrown an eye or if it was just damaged, but a quick pat to his face told him all of it had skin again if no hair. Damn, not again. Whisper looked up from the book she was reading and asked, “You look better, even if you only have part of your left eyebrow.”

He felt the appropriate response to that was wiggling whatever was left of it at her as he took stock of his regrown legs and body in general. Everything seemed to be doing fine. He tried being discreet as he did a hands-on check of the family jewels, but he was pretty sure she caught him, so he just lifted up the temporary top of his new fancy skirt with yellow flowers and had a look. Everything seemed to be fine there, too, except for having the same problem as his left eyebrow. Snorting, she just said, “Men.”

She waited for him to be done stretching and scratching before she said, “I have been thinking. You were right. I need to finish the six steps if I'm going to be of any use to you. As you keep growing, I will fall further and further behind. I will become useless to you.” Looking at her face and giving her his widest grin, he asked, “Firstly and most important, what was that after you said ‘I have been thinking’? I don't think I heard you right. Something about me being right?” Catching the pillow, she summoned and threw at him. It had frills. For some reason, he hadn't expected that. Oh well, waste not. Using it as an additional backrest while laying back down. “That's great, Whisper. We need to start and see if they have anything that suits your bloodline in the settlement. You're not killing your potential for some quick gains, so we do it right. You do know that friendship is not based on usefulness, right? While Im really happy that you finally agreed to start on the path of an adept, I don't judge our friendship based on how useful you are to me. I'll be the first to admit I can be a bit… excentric, but that sounds like a psychopath.” Staring at him intently, she finally said, “Thank you, Ambros. You are still a strange man.”

“How long was I out anyway? Can we still make the roster for the night patrols? Do I need to worry about being jailed for not showing up? Oh, and if I want to decapitate Stefan, what would be the least problematic way of doing that. Okay, that last part may have sounded a bit like I'm a psychopath.” From the door, Eku said, “There will be no night patrols this night. Thirty-nine squad leaders lost their life today, and so far, none of the attackers have been caught alive. The only thing we know so far is that they were all human and all masquerading as servants. Now what do you remember of the one that attacked you, Ambros?” Ambros almost jumped out of his bed. He hadn't sensed or heard a thing.

“Venerable, honored, most beloved master over all masters, have you considered tying a bell around your neck? I almost pissed myself. I don't even re… It was the attendant. I was distracted because of everything that's going on and barely paid any attention, but when I greeted him, he did not look familiar. I am almost positive I have met every single attendant by now. He was not one of them. If you get a sketch artist in here, I can try to do a portrait.” Eku tilted his head slightly and said, “How can I listen in on your conversations freely if I announce myself. It seems to defeat the purpose of eavesdropping, no? A portrait will not be necessary. We have other ways of locating people in the guild now that we know what to look for."

"It is good that you have decided to improve yourself, Whisper. I am unfamiliar with any of the regents needed to make catalysts for your elven bloodline, but we can run some tests. I am sure we have a few of the things needed around. We will do this in the evening before you go to rest at the villa. It will be interesting.”

Focusing on Ambros again, he said. “Why do you insist on making things more complicated than necessary. Do you find the actions of this Stefan disruptive or dangerous enough to want his head? Go take it. There is nothing stopping you from challenging him in the arena or ending his life while he dreams.” Ambros just looked at him for a moment. “I thought you would be talking me out of killing him or something.” Etu raised his nonexisting eyebrows at him. “Why would I do that, my young disciple? I am teaching you to become useful, and to do that, you need to become powerful. When you have power, you have to make choices with that power. Is it within your power to slay Stefan? Yes, I have little doubt about the outcome of that altercation. If you have decided the only way forward is to end his thread, then that is what you must do. In the end, the karma of your actions falls on your own shoulders. If you are wise enough to make judgments on another's fate, then you are wise enough to accept the karma from those actions. I am not training you to become a milkmaiden, Ambros. You will come across people whose life you must take or lose your own. If this is such a case is for you to judge. Once your path is set, be decisive.” Oh, man, he must seem like such a child to Eku. Ambros thought. It wasn't that what Eku said was profound. It just wrapped it up and cut to the core of the issue. He was dithering about instead of taking action.

After Eku left, Whisper and he decided to get up and out as well. There was nothing more for Ambros to do at the guild that day anyway, and Whisper was technically trespassing. Stopping at one of the few clothing stores in the northern district, he bought several new outfits. This time he bought things that could fit him on the spot. Several sets of loose black clothing that felt quite nice. He didn't recognize the style, but they were loose enough to let air flow into the shirts, and the pants were made of a thin material. They may not look fancy, but it was walking around in a loose tracksuit and pajama. Ambros was all for it, and it only cost seven silver for the lot.

Finally making it to the weapon merchant, he greeted the grumpy man. “Ho! Leif! How is my least favorite weapons merchant on this street?” Ambros shouted as he entered the store. Leif, standing behind the counter, said, “Your late, and you look like shit. Have you heard of this thing called personal hygiene? It's all the rage among people not wanting to piss others off these days. I like the new face shave tho, though you look like an ugly nut with a spot of mold on it. Suits you. I'm the only weapons merchant on this street, you regurgitated troll wart.” Turning to Whisper, he said, “You should keep better company.”

“Yeah, yeah. Enough with the pleasantries. You got it all?” Ambros asked. “We have to go to the back room. It takes up to much room. Be a dear and turn the door sign, would you?” He said to Whisper. She looked slightly confused about the entire thing, which Ambros found funny, but he couldn't really blame her. She did turn the sign, however.

Leuf was already walking towards a door in the back of the shop while he was complaining to Ambros. “Do you have any idea of how difficult it was getting these into the rift, let alone past the inner ring guards? I should be charging you double. No, triple.” When they were outside, Ambros summoned a piece of paper and handed it to Leif. He was watching a vein on Leif's forehead throb. It started looking like it was about to burst any moment now. When Leif was done reading, his face was completely red. “You couldn't have given me that before! I had to learn the entire Rift guard roster? By the divines, you are trying to kill me, arent you?” Leif said, waving the paper in front of Ambros, who quickly snatched it back and put it in his dimensional bag before he answered. “Yes, but now I know who to come to when I need something that's not readily available.” The entire purchase was approved by the central tower and even signed by the steward of the inner ring. Ambros had been surprised at how quickly he had agreed. To the steward who dealt with the cash flow for the entire defending force of settlement, seventy-five platinum was a pittance to spend on a project suggested to him by a promising young commander who had already proven his value in the battle. Especially if that young commander also happened to be Eku's disciple and promised to mention how helpful the steward had been.

Leif was shaking his head and muttering curses as he started summoning crates. A lot of crates in different shapes and sizes. Ambros was almost shocked, and he already knew what it was. Whisper looked flabbergasted.

Making his way up to one of the nearest crates. A large rectangular one. Carefully removing the lid, some of the boxes could explode. He stared at what would be his squad's tool of mass frog murder. Lifting up the oversized arbalest, he marveled at its construction of levers and wheels. It was gorgeous. The stock and lath were made of almost unbreakable bone from some particular hardy hydras that lived in mountain lakes to the Far East. You could fit it with a feeder box, and it would self-load. The drawback mechanism could be manually drawn by someone with Ambros strength, as he proved by drawing it back and cocking it, but a winch could be used. Its primary loading function was automated and could draw from an Energy stone to work. It would also power the silent shot, penetrating force, and the night vision crystal that could be flipped up on the back side of the stock. So his people wouldn't pass out from Energy depletion or die when their hearts stopped working. It was, in other words, a marvel of engineering and enchantment. He had been tipped off by Nestor of their existence. Dry firing it, he bearly heard a thing, but he felt a pull on the Energy in his body, and the kick was enough to break the shoulder of a normal person. That's why it came with tripods. Yeah, it was a greedy little thing of mass slaughter. Ambros felt like it was Christmas.

Leif seeming to finally have understood, Ambros was more than just big when he had pulled back the string as if it was nothing said in a much mellower tone. “As agreed, twenty-five of those monsters, with three extra tripods and ten extra strings to each, plus one spare part except for the stock and the lath for each, four thousand regular steel bolts, one thousand ripper bolts, and five hundred exploding bolts. Twenty-five tower shields with stands and twenty-five E-grade pikes enchanted with Pierce and Shock.” Ambros gently put the arbalest back. Yes, just like Christmas. He was grinning like an idiot but didn't really care. “Whisper, mind helping me out checking over the goodies? It's not that I don't trust the old cantankerous ass, but I don't trust the old cantankerous ass.” Whisper was still staring at the arbalest he had put down but managed to tell him fine.

Much later than was probably necessary, Ambros handed over the remaining payment and waved goodbye to Leif.

Walking back towards the inner ring, Ambros asked, “Have you seen anything to Marcus lately?” Thinking of the former captain brought a sour taste to his mouth, but he did owe him for telling him about the auction. Marcus owed Whipser a lot more, but Ambros didn't know if he had told her yet, and it wasn't his tale to tell. “I have, but not often. He is… he drinks a lot, Ambros. The few times he sees me, he starts crying and begging for forgiveness but will not tell me for what. It is a bad situation. I do not know what to do with him.” Ambros grunted. So he hadn't told her. He should speak with him and see if he could shake something loose. Ambros told Whisper as much. She just nodded.

They got another gold medallion, both stamped with “T 1” when entering the center of the settlement. “Could you gather up the squad and whatever new people they have sent us, please? I'll meet you all shortly outside the south gate. I know the night rounds are stopped tonight, but that doesn't mean we can't train. I just have a minor thing to take care of here.” She was giving him the side eye. Had he been too polite? Nah, she couldn't know. “I will Ambros. See you there soon. Do try to not get too much blood on your clothes.” She knew! He answered with a surge. He could try…

Watching Whisper head toward the south gate, he turned east and walked towards a particularly upscale tea house he knew Stefan and his cronies would be at this time of the day. The door guard didn't try and stop him. Considering how Ambros was clothed, that was a nice surprise and a good decision on the guard's part. Letting his senses out, he could tell there was only one other person in the building close to his power. Possibly another sixth Step Neophyte or a very low ranking Adept. Ambros didn't find Stefan on the first floor or the second floor, but on the fourth floor, he saw the back of his head. Sitting on a balcony around several round tables were a group of young nobles and a black-robed middle-aged man, so the judge is here. The man was the one Ambros had felt from downstairs.

Walking slowly between tables and bustling staff, he made his way out on the balcony. Before any of them could do much more than look at him, he had a hand on the back of Stefan's neck and lifted him like a kitten. Dangling from his hand, the young noble shouted in indignation and confusion until he saw Ambros face. “You! What right do you have to lay hands on me? Let me down, you bastard.” Now this was just too easy. “Did you just put my parentage in question, Stefan?” The black-robed man who had half risen sat down again when Ambros said that. Sure, he was, by their standards, way out of line for laying hands on Stefan, but other than his pride, he wasn't really hurt. To call someone of the nobility a bastard however, now that was not very nice. Stefan blenched when he realized what he had done. Ambros sat him down on top of the table, facing him, making sure to smear as much food across his backside as he could. It looked like a child getting scolded by an adult.

“Im going to explain something to you. Something you should take to heart because this is the only time I will say it. You can not have Whisper. Not now or ever.” Ambros gave him a long look in the eyes before he continued. “Right now, you are all useless. You contribute nothing. Not to society and certainly not to the defenses of the settlement. We will change that. Tomorrow at noon, you will present yourself at the mustering grounds south of the inner ring. There you will learn what you need to do to survive the night patrols. Then you will join the night patrols and become useful and show that you are worth the air you put in your noble lungs and the money your parents spent on having you start on the road to become adepts. I will remember every single one of your faces. Anyone that doesn't show up will have a bone in their body broken by me the next morning, and that will continue until you show up at the mustering fields, where I will have you healed at my own expense. Do you understand?” All of them just looked numb. A few were nodding in the back, but most just seemed to not understand, so he tried again. This time a bit louder. “Do you understand!” Making sure to make eye contact with everyone but the black-robed man. He may not like the man for his association with Stefan, but the man did serve an actual purpose. There was a chorus of nodding heads and yes from around the table as he finished looking at them. Nodding his head, Ambros said, “Good, I will see you all tomorrow.”

The stinging pain in his back was all the warning he had. Feeling his second heart start beating and the blood flow slowing to his punctured one even as his left lung was filling with blood, he slowly turned around. Stefan's face fell from elation to desperation in the blink of an eye. Shaking his head Ambros punched him in the face and through the head. It exploded like an over ripe melon getting hit by a truck, well, fist in this chase. Leaning forward, he cleaned off his right hand on the late Stefan's jacket and let him fall back where it landed on the table and started spraying blood over the people sitting on the other side after a few moments.

Pulling out the knife he felt in his back, he tossed it on top of Stefan and said, “Tomorrow.” Before leaving the now silent tea house.