Cal paces up and down, stepping on wood chips. His longsword marks the floor as he drags it on the floor of the Furling Inn. Customers kneel in front of Cal, terrified and shaking. Karl kneels in front of them. He steals himself. Preparing himself for the worst. The 7th Stand by exits. Jehu activates silentium, creating a bubble isolated from the outside so no sound passes. Cal stops his pacing. He trudges toward Karl the bartender. Karl takes a glimpse of the captor's eyes. Inky veins in Cal's eyes extend from his blue irises. Creeped out Karl to the floor. Sweat coming off his brow. Cal stops an inch before him. The man's height and size could already intimidate the average man but that power…

“Servant.” Cal bends to look Karl in the eye. Tear-filled eyes met eyes of black. “This hero of yours, a foreigner? Dark skin?

Karl's eyes change. They settle into calm.

“No foreigner came to this town,” Karl answers.

Cal raises an eyebrow, straightens up and sighs deeply “So this is how it's going to go… Alright! Let's do this.“ Cal side steps around Karl. Raises his hand at a patron.

Cal shrugs. “Sorry about this. The man just won't cooperate.” Then he grins. Ignis is lit. A blaze of fire engulfed the patron in red flame. The customers to the right of the burnt man are stricken by absolute terror. Karl looks back as Greg burns into ashes. Their daily chess matches are gone forever.

“Yes…” Tears flowed. “There was a foreigner here.”

“You remembered so quickly. Let's jog your memory a bit more.” Cal moves his hand to the next patron.

“PLEASE DON’T!” Karl puts his hand up.

“I’ll…I will tell you what you want to know.” Karl said.

“Good man! Okay, more questions.” Floating above the burning body is a white haze. Cal blinks it away thinking it may be the trick of the light or something in his eye.

“He called himself Drac, right?” Cal asks. Karl nods.

“Wore a black hood, a strange sword of eastern make?”

Karl nods.

Cal, confused, started pacing.

Jehu steps up to Cal. Head bowed slightly.

Cal looks up from his pacing at Jehu “Speak.”

“The townspeople, sir. They mentioned an unusual power that the man in the black hood possessed. The hero fought the beast and from one he became three.”

Cal's shock gradually turned into a grin. “That foreign bastard tricked me!! Playing weak till he could strike! How long did he wait? Days? Months? Years….?” Cal puts a hand to his chest. He continues pacing again. “It's ok-it’s ok-it’s ok-it’s ok… he caught us off guard.” He giggles to himself as he mumbles. “Shouldn't have played around with him. Should’ve killed him the second I laid my eyes on him in the disgusting farm.”

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Karl looks at Cal with worry. Cal's eyes snap to Karl, making Karl flinch.

“This inn.” Cal looks around. “Drac, the ‘hero’, must have stayed here, Yes?” Karl nods.

“Then you must have heard something. For example, about their destination.”

“I… don't know.” Karl scrunches his body, hiding from Cal's gaze with nowhere to go.

Cal flares his inky aura, breaking the floor. Tendrils of black fire reach out.

“Wrong Answer.”

Karl trembles, struggling to remember. “A M-m-m-map! I gave him a map. Heard a conversation with him and his companions, a large man and a blonde lady. They were discussing their trip to the Capital!” Karl rushes out his words.

The Tendrils fall back to Cal's body. “Well done. And thank you, Servant. You have helped us greatly. Faster we will get to our quarry.”

Cal ignites a flame in his palm.

“But you shouldn't have lied” In a flash of heat the rest of the patrons are burnt to a crisp. Once-loved customers of the inn scream till their skin peels and heat reaches their bones. Karl gives up.

Cal steps to Karl. hand to neck. He uses Aura to squeeze the life out of Karl. Eyes bulge with blood seeping out. Karl is limp.

Cal feels a warmth.

MY GIFT FOR YOU. FIRST OF MANY MORE.

Pain spikes from Cal's nerves. His body coils from a throbbing. He lets Karls's body fall to the ground. Veins hot as fire. Organs twist and turn. His heart feels as if it will burst out of his chest. A strange power penetrates him. The white haze from the bodies is absorbed. The pain stops. All is calm. The 7th ran up to Cal to check if he was okay. He pats them off as a nuisance. But something feels different. It feels… right. Cal flares his Aura. The tendrils of black flames reach even further. The 7th looked upon him, awaiting orders. A large grin forms on Cal's face.

“Pack essentials. Get carriages. To the Capital, we go.”

“A coin. It's required to be invited to the auction.” Banner said, tied to a chair. Marina reaches a eureka moment.

“The Hotel Inn I stay at. The garden. I saw an old couple that smelled of strong perfume. At the counter, they presented a coin with the engraving this man mentioned.”

Marina drew Drac's attention.

“Are you sure about that?” Drac asks Marina.

“You think I am stupid enough to not remember something from days ago? If you find it hard to believe me Bob was there. He witnessed them checking into the hotel with me.”

Drac folds his arms. “The woman had a penchant for wearing animal furs, and the husband was exploding out of a tailored waistcoat?”

“Yes… How did you know?”

“Met them in the corridor at the Garden today. Asked me where my master was.” Gove and Marina cringe with crumpled faces. Maki laughs out loud. “Said you were out doing business.” He looked straight at Marina, which surprised her.

Drac grins. “This is the best lead to the auction we could have gotten. Let's make use of it.”

Drac beckons the group to the side, away from Banner's ears.

“What kind of weird plan do you have in mind this time, little brother,” Maki asks. Marina turns to Drac at the mention of the nickname with a glint of mischief in her eye.

Fuck, no…

“Marina. They invited you to converse about rare products. which I can surmise to be me. So I suggest we play nice. Get to know them better.”

“Talk the skunks in nice garments, fuck that.”

“I will be there with you. Help you navigate through their bullshit. I will have your back.”

Marina is silent as she pouts.

Say the magic words

“Maki can't go as leader of the civilian watch. Gove can’t go because he is old and ugly.”

“HEY!” Gove shouts.

“This hinges on you, they asked for you. This task can only be completed by you.”

Marina ceases her pretend pouting. “Alright! since you begged so much. Let's befriend some old fucks.”