The shame Pontius brought to his family was great, and his anger stewed within him. The tremors and the blizzard weren’t his fault, yet he was blamed for the escape of the prisoners. Though, perhaps his mother was right. Perhaps he hadn’t made the proper burnt offerings to placate divine punishments. Regardless, he was determined to restore honor to his name, as well as the Avarus family name.

On horseback, he traveled for a week’s time, making a blistering pace to a village in the Mons-Maria province, called Agros. As he entered the village, he was greeted by the captain of the town guard.

“Good afternoon, marquis. I am Captain Tullius. What brings you to our humble village?”

“Well captain, I’m looking for a wanted man. I was informed that he hails from this village, and is likely to return here.”

Tullius’s heart felt like it fell out of him. “By chance, what might his name be?”

“Lucullus is his name. Archduchess Sabina has put the word out, I’m sure you’re aware of it, and has tasked me with apprehending him in particular. Any help you could lend would be greatly appreciated.”

“I was once a very close friend of Lucullus.”

Pontius perked up. “Oh. Are you still friends?”

“I suspect we aren’t now. He thinks that I betrayed him when I sent the guards to arrest him. I’m surprised he hasn’t come back to kill me, yet.”

“Do you think he ever will?”

“If he’s still alive and hasn’t left Lucium for good, then I’d say it’s only a matter of time.”

Pontius dismounted his horse. “It seems we may have a mutual interest in his second arrest. Perhaps you could be of great use to my mission.”

Tullius raised a brow. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“I am willing to offer you a deal. If you assist me in capturing Lucullus, I shall ensure that your name receives the highest glories in all of Lucium. I shall speak only praises of you to the Archduchess, and even potentially arrange for your knighting.”

“And will he be killed, or spared?”

“I’m not the judge on that one, so I can’t say with certainty. I can guarantee that he will live long to be interrogated, but nothing beyond that.”

Tullius grimaced.

“But if you bring him to me, I’ll use my influence to keep him alive. And maybe even get him a cell in one of the prisons of this province; perhaps one in Furca.”

“I would greatly appreciate that. I just don’t want him to take this vendetta to his grave, if I can help it. But also, his mother wouldn’t be able to bear seeing him die.”

“For the sake of you, and his mother, I will keep him alive, if I am the one who turns him in. And if you find him, then I can only guarantee his life if you let me be the one to turn him in. Deal?”

Tullius reached out, and shook his hand. “It’s a deal. If I hear of him returning to this province, I’ll send for you as quick as I can.”

He nodded. “Good. Then my business is concluded.” He mounted his horse. “I hope to be seeing you again, Captain Tullius, as well as Lucullus.”

“Likewise, marquis.”

It seemed like they’d only just left the capital city of House Luctus. And now they were returning to it. But, the fresh snowfall made the return trip more of a slog. Tiberius kept a watchful eye for any further encounters with bounty hunters and the local patrols.

“I wonder what a ‘Chaodite’ means,” Cato pondered, twirling his knife.

“I guess we’ll find out. But I bet it’s something to do with the conspiracy that’s forming in Lucium.”

“Here you go again with those conspiracies. Spouting those conspiracies is how you got locked up, isn’t it?”

Lucullus shrugged. “I guess you could say that.”

“Wonder where they’d keep us, now that the Wall has crumbled.”

“They won’t take me back to prison.”

Cato chuckled. “Yea. They’ll probably just kill you. Or maybe they’ll feel generous and exile you to Thalassa.”

Tiberius rolled his eyes. “As if being exiled to the land of giants is generous. In all the times I’ve been put in the dungeon, I’m amazed they never killed me.” He gazed off into the distance. “Back then, I had little care for what happened next. I was so caught up in the excitement of going down the river with my fellow Insidiators, that I could barely think a few minutes ahead.”

“No need to get all sentimental, Tiberius.”

“I’m not trying to. I’m just not proud of my past. Besides, Lucullus needs some reminders about the darkness in this way of life.”

Cato shook his head in bemusement. “Don’t let the boss, or those Dracones hear you talk like that.” He shivered a bit as more snow began to fall. “So, Lucullus, you think those Chaodites are the ones who imprisoned you? I was thinking you said it was those sorcerers flooding in from the west.”

He shrugged. “At this point, I’m not entirely sure what to believe. Ever since that ghost visited me, it feels like my anger toward the Dasos has dissipated from what it was before I went to the Wall.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Sounds like you just cooled off. It happens. One moment, you’re shouting in rage; the next, you’re calm as can be. I’ve felt that before. Had some boys I used to go on raids with die. I’m not as sentimental as Tiberius about these things, but I did feel a bit betrayed by life a few times. Some of them were really good friends, taken too young. But after a couple months, I certainly cooled off; got my head on straight. But I never had a ghost visit me when I was in the stone cell.”

“Perhaps the sorcerers were Chaodites. Either way, I’m not entirely sold on the Dracones. Their connections with that Dasosan religion irk me.”

“You mean those murals?”

“Yea.”

“Could just be leftover from when they moved in. The outside of those ruins look like they fell in a long time ago.”

“They just seem like a strange bunch. Draco was doing something at that altar, or whatever it was.”

Cato shrugged. “Maybe he was praying. To who? I don’t know. But even if he is one of those dragon-worshipers, I don’t think it really matters much. He’s helping us; the authorities of Lucium are hunting us. Clearly, Draco hates the same people we hate, and that’s good enough for me.”

“Our goals do seem to be aligned. But I’ve had a man I considered to be my brother betray me. I think it’s fair to say that my trust is no longer gained that easily.”

“And yet you trust me and Tiberius…”

He sighed.

“I’m just saying: you seemed quite eager to help them.”

“A means to an end. Nothing else.”

Cato twirled his knife. “Whatever you say.”

“I’m pretty suspicious of them, myself,” Tiberius chimed in. “Some of them are definitely full-blooded Dasos. And I imagine they harbor plenty of resentment toward the treatment of their brethren over here.”

After some traveling, they arrived at the docks in Apud Incipere. The informant sat in a quiet area, where most people wouldn’t notice; a place full of old barrels and crates. He sat with a book in his hand.

Lucullus pointed to him as the three of them approached. “He certainly isn’t trying to blend in.”

“I guess stealth isn’t their specialty,” Cato mocked.

Tiberius went up to the informant, and saluted him. He whispered, “Stolam?”

The man’s ears perked up from under his hood. “Who wants to know?”

“Draco.”

He seemed to spring to life, yet quickly regained his composure. “Come with me.” He led them into an empty warehouse, which hadn’t seen use for many years. “So the boss sent you?”

Tiberius nodded. “All three of us. It’s about the Count’s agent.”

“Then you already know that our man inside, or rather woman, is in serious danger. We have reason to believe that a Chaodite is in the Count’s court; potentially as an intentional foil to us.”

“Indeed. What are we to do?”

Stolam pulled out a map of the castle’s layout. “You will need to sneak into the castle, and find a way to eliminate this Chaodite, without arousing suspicion. If you are caught, I don’t know you; and neither does the boss.”

“How shall we get inside, much less wander the castle without getting caught immediately?”

He handed Tiberius the map. “I have some servant garments for you to wear. It’s the best way to blend in. Just beware of any restricted chambers; not even servants are allowed in there without explicit permission.”

Lucullus and Cato gathered around to look at the map. “The Count has quite an elaborate castle,” Lucullus noted.

“Indeed he does. That’s why I am giving you this map. His castle is almost like a maze to the unfamiliar eye. It works to your advantage, too. It means there are many places to duck in, if you happen to find things going unfavorably. But it also means that there are many places which a Chaodite could hide if he were discovered.” He went over to a pile of boxes, and pulled out a bunch of clothes. “These will be your disguises. Be quick, and be silent. If all goes well, no one should even notice.”

“How are we to know who the Chaodite is?” Lucullus pointed to the various chambers and halls in the map. “That’s a lot of ground to cover. If this Chaodite is a servant, like us, then they will be almost impossible to spot until they do something. But if he’s an esteemed member of the court, he will certainly be missed.”

“You raise some valid concerns. We have reason to believe that he is the latter; perhaps not directly in the Count’s ear, but certainly of the nobility. Though there is one ray of hope: he is a foreign man; a legal citizen, but foreign.”

Cato jumped in, “Of what breed?”

“From what I understand, he’s either an Onkodis, or a Dalkavuk.”

“A what?”

Tiberius answered, “The Onkodis are from Kentro.”

“I know that. But what was that second one?”

Stolam continued, “Dalkavuk is what the people of Bol call themselves. They’re quite lizard-like, though I’m not sure how our spy could confuse the Dalkavuk with the Onkodis. Perhaps he has shape-shifted into an Onkodis when she is watching him. I can’t say for certain. But know that Chaodites have been known to shape-shift, and they are very dangerous.”

“You mean like those pointy-eared sorcerers?”

Tiberius elbowed Cato in the chest. “Mind your manners, Cato.”

“What?”

Tiberius sighed. “I apologize for Cato’s lack of filter. He’s still learning.”

Stolam let out a very silent chuckle. “Is that what they call us, now? Truly, the propaganda has spread worse than I thought.”

Lucullus looked at Tiberius, then back to the informant. “Us? You mean you’re a sorcerer?”

“If you mean, a practitioner of Mystiko, no. Not a sorcerer either, but I assume you don’t know the proper terms.” He pulled up his hood. “I am from Emporikos, as are many of the Dracones, but we aren’t the ones who have committed these atrocities, of which we are accused. I’m sure you saw all the dragon-inspired artwork in the old ruins, but we do not follow the dragon of the Chaodites.”

“I do remember the artwork.” He paused for a moment, looking down at his sword. “Then, if none of you killed Decimus with sorcery at the inn, who did?”

“If a spell was cast, then the Chaodites are likely to have done it. Most of us dare not to cast spells publicly, lest we give fuel to the burning hatred against us. We only use it to defend against Chaodite spells.”

“So you use sorcery, too?”

“Spells? Yes. Sorcery? Never. Though again, I’m not a Mystiko user. It was a path I never chose to go down.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Practitioners of Mystiko do indeed have certain powers that the average person would never see in their lifetime. But it is from the graces bestowed to them by the Savra; I would call them gifts, but they do come at a price—a hefty one, too. The Chaodites twist Mystiko to their own dark uses. Their corrupted master bestows them with great power. But steals their souls.”

“So is that—”

Tiberius shushed him. “Lucullus, I think that’s enough. Let’s stay focused on the business at hand.”

Lucullus rolled his eyes.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t want there to be any suspicions between us before you all go on this mission. Mutual trust is the only way we’ll defeat the dark forces that have enveloped this land.”

Tiberius reached out, and shook Stolam’s hand. “Agreed. I’m surprised you were so willing to divulge all of that.”

“Any friend of the boss is a friend of mine. If he trusts you enough to send you on this mission, then I shall trust in his decision, fully.”

“I admire that dedication.”

With a farewell, they parted ways. Stolam returned to his spot at the docks, and the three made haste to the castle. One-by-one, they scaled one of the walls, which had few guards on a paranoid day. Tiberius led the other two, as their climbing proved to be quite reckless. But at last, they arrived on some stable footing, and sneaked around in the bushes until they arrived at one of the doors leading into the castle. Tiberius cracked the door, checking if anyone was there. This outside area was marked on the map as off-limits for regular servants. As it was getting late in the day, he couldn’t see anything with much clarity. Against his better judgment, he opened the door.