I check the map in my hands one more time, confirming that my destination is just down the road. Loaner's gait sways as the horse assumes a leisurely trot under the morning sun. Its surprisingly lonely without Ramon sitting behind me, but before leaving the estate I had discovered that he had been laid out by a raging hangover thanks to the ball last night. My buddy was barely conscious, managing some feeble grunts to my presence in his bedroom.

"Guess its just you and me today." I pat Loaner's mane and the horse snorts dismissively in response.

"I love you too." I smug back as Loaner ignores my snark.

Regardless of Ramon's hangover, the Sage had made clear that I was working against the clock. I wanted to chase all the leads available before the incoming crisis hit. So that meant leaving Ramon behind at the estate to recover while I went sniffing about Southmarsh on my own. After a quick breakfast and snagging a map from one of the servants, it was just Loaner and me on the open road. Back to the basics as a travelling magic knight.

The reassuring weight of my armor feels like a second skin, its the kind of simple pleasure you get from getting back into the grind. I draw the dueling sword at my hip, examining the blade. Unlike my Springvale sword, which was thick and heavy, the dueling sword is surprisingly light with its blade sharpened to a razor's edge. I would be able to swing this weapon far faster than my original Springvale Sword.

Unfortunately, the dueling sword came with its own share of drawbacks. Its blade may be sharp, but it came at the cost of being incredibly fragile. If I stabbed and bludgeoned in the style I was used to, the dueling sword was guaranteed to snap. When Ramon offered me the dueling sword as an accessory, he ran through a number of simple drills to show me the basics of how it was meant to be used. I didn't manage to absorb everything within the few minutes Ramon performed his demonstration, but a number of points did manage to sink in.

Basically, its all in the wrist.

Instead of putting your entire weight into the blow, the way I had been taught to fight, you were meant to flick the dueling sword outward the same way you cast out a fishing line. After that, you allow the blade to glide across your opponent's body, letting the sharpened edge do the work. The dueling style emphasized dexterity rather than hard momentum, a sort of concession to most of the students who learned it. Mundane nobles who had no magic and did not have the time or inclination to build up the amount of muscle needed to employ my fighting style.

Dueling footwork also heavily resembled dancing and when I pointed this out to Ramon during the demonstration, he explained that it was deliberate. Dancing was a form of exercise after all, and the drills incorporated courtly dancing as well so that noble students could learn two things at once. The dancelike movements also trained the students how to effectively dodge, something pretty important when you don't have the magical defenses to stand and deliver. The constant movement had the added benefit of preventing the duelist from swinging his weapon as hard as possible, saving him from getting a broken blade.

All in all, the dueling style made sense, but it was a world removed from my own training and experience. With enough time, I could probably make it work for me, but it would be far simpler just to get my hands on a good solid longsword.

Loaner snorts as we pass the river and I quickly sheathe the dueling sword to avoid a scene with the people milling at the banks. The Delinquent Commando Squad is gone and from the looks of things the folks gathered about are all regular peasants out to earn some extra dosh on their day off. Everyone pretty much ignores me as they busy themselves wading into the water and using those iron pans to fish for the detritus expelled from the mine.

Seems to be pretty good haul as well, with the peasants easily dredging up nuggets of ore which are tossed into hemp bags kept by the shore. The mine was probably incredibly rich before the cave in. The only time the peasants pay any attention to me is when Loaner wanders slightly too close to the hemp bags and is greeted by evil looks from the river. I quickly use the reins to pull Loaner further to the side of the road as the peasants get back to their work. My business may be with the mine, but I'm not here to steal scraps.

Sylvia, Richard's missing wife, is at the heart of this entire crisis. Meaning that if I wanted to get a better handle of what exactly is going on, I needed to investigate any trace of her that I run across. And if I manage to safeguard Sylvia directly, it might even be enough to save the Dasars from whatever is coming after them. Unfortunately the person of interest has decided to make herself scarce, to the point that even the Sage has not been able to find her. I can only be sure about two things. Sylvia is still alive and is somehow connected to the mine. Its not much to go on, but certainly better than casting about in the dark.

Morgan, Sylvia and the Sage. All three of them share something in common. Hackal. The dark god seems to be at the crux of whatever is happening right now. I need to tread cautiously, this is something far more serious then slapping goblins about.

The road merges with a broad gravel path bearing fading furrows dug by carriage wheels. Good, I'm on the right path. This would be the road directly serving the mine itself, where the ore would be loaded and transported out. I shove the map into one of Loaners saddlebags as we begin to approach a maw at the base of a small hillock. This would be the entrance of the mine, but it has been completely blocked by tightly packed rubble.

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I dismount and check my jacket, feeling the logos hidden inside. I have no idea what I might be facing inside the mine, but you can't go wrong with packing a word of god as part of your arsenal. For added security, I grab the satchel serving as the home for the Avatar of Hackal. Not that I can actually summon the Avatar, for all I know it might only show up whenever it feels like it. The Avatar is too valuable as a potential ally to leave behind though. I just can't base my plans on it coming to the rescue if things go bad.

Patting Loaner for luck, I walk up to the sealed entrance. Jammed packed with rocks. If the mine had been profitable, something like this shouldn't have been enough for the Dasars to have it permanently closed. You can clear cave ins using explosives and a healthy amount of peasant labor. Heck, breaking rocks is no big deal for any magic knight. And the Dasars have several magic knights in their employ. So what gives?

"Here goes." I grunt, gathering my magic and sending an augmented fist flying forward into the wall of rubble.

There's a solid thud from my fist and the wall remains completely unmoving. The rocks aren't even cracked. Other than my knuckles smarting like crazy, its like the wall of rubble wasn't even touched.

"Figures. If it was so easy, the mine wouldn't have been closed down." I chew my lip in annoyance while rubbing my knuckles. But its weird. My fists can break apart rocks without problem. Something else is obviously going on here.

I butt against the rubble with my shoulder, hoping to shift it with my entire weight. Again no dice, the wall stands totally unmoved and unimpressed in the face of my efforts. Loaner neighs and restlessly paces about in the distance. I begin to dust my clothes off before realizing that they're not dusty at all.

I just shoulder rammed a wall made out of rubble and grit. And my clothes aren't dirty at all.

"So that's how it is." I extend both palms and begin feeling the surface of the rubble wall. Instead of getting jabbed by the sharp edges of the stones making up the wall, my hands get the impression of a totally smooth surface. I continue to feel my way along every inch of the rubble wall and get the same result. Totally smooth. I can't even feel the uneven contours of the rubble wall which very clearly exist.

There's something standing between me and the rubble wall itself. Its the only explanation. A second, completely invisible wall that is strong enough to resist my punches. That is what sealing the mine off, not the rubble itself. And I'm willing to bet that the invisible wall's tough enough to resist explosives as well.

This isn't a cave in. Someone set events into motion so the Dasars would abandon the mine and basically locked them out of it. And if I can't break the invisible wall down, it might as well be a dead end for the investigation.

"But the mine isn't completely sealed off." I snap my fingers as the pieces slide into place, "Otherwise there wouldn't be any runoff for the peasants to dredge up."

A perfect seal would mean that no one would be able to enter or leave the mine. But if someone wanted free access to the place away from prying eyes, there would be a gap in the seal. I pull out the map again and begin searching for the spot where the mine meets the river. Its not far, just a short walk to the east. I immediately set off on foot for the sake of stretching my legs, with Loaner following surprisingly obediently behind me.

"What's up?" I ask my horse as Loaner's head turns back and forth, its eyes darting about nervously. Something's got Loaner spooked and its not in the mood to give me any sass.

"Just stay close." I say and Loaner nods, keeping its head down.

Both of us loop around the hillock, encountering another wall of rubble, this one partially submerged beneath the lake at waist height. Loaner stops at the edge of the lake and I step inside, shuddering at being soaked to the bone by the cold water. Bending over, I begin feeling up the submerged portion of the rubble wall.

"Jackpot." I smile. There's a small round hole in the middle of the invisible wall, perfectly carved out. The detritus would be escaping from the mine through this spot.

Diving under the water, I spy a small gap in the rubble wall itself. Its tiny, absolutely tiny, caused by one of the stones being pried out. You wouldn't be able to squeeze anything through such a miniscule gap. Pressing up against the wall, I focus the Eyes of Ea on the gap, surveying what's on the other side. Handy, this whole third person view point, letting me see past a solid object.

Its a damp, empty corridor. Pretty dark too, thanks to the only source of illumination being strands of light filtering through the cracks in the rubble wall. But this is really bad news. The hole in the invisible wall isn't a weakness at all. It would be physically impossible for anyone to take advantage of it.

Except for someone who can walk through a solid object. More specifically, someone who knows how to flash step. The gap provides the line of sight needed for the ability to take effect. My hackles begin to rise and I that uneasy mood afflicting Loaner settles over me as well. Whomever set this barrier up possesses powers associated with the logos.

This is escalating pretty quickly. And I haven't actually met any enemies yet.

"Alright. Time to do this." I steel myself and focus on the empty corridor behind the wall. I feel the flash step ability anchor itself to the corridor and let myself be pulled forward.

Its wet and unpleasant. But I phase through the wall as expected. Loaner cries out in alarm at my sudden disappearance.

"Time for an experiment." I mutter and begin smashing the rubble bricking me in the corridor. Sure enough, without the invisible wall providing a barrier, the rocks are no match for my fist. As the rocks crumble to dust, I begin to prod at the invisible wall, now exposed on both sides. A cautious push causes the invisible wall to shift ever so slightly.

The invisible wall doesn't stand by itself. It uses the rubble for support. The rocks have been deliberately arranged in such a way to allow the invisible wall to be slotted neatly in place. I continue to tear away at the rubble and with a final hard shove, send the invisible wall crashing into the water with a splash.

"And let there be light." I smile, as the sun shines into the abandoned mine. Then I realize something is wrong.

Loaner's missing.